The 6th novel in Elswyth Thane's Williamsburg series, this one takes place mostly in Europe. It is 1934. Germany, forbidden by treaty to build weapons in her own country is farming the manufacturing of her weaponry out to neighboring countries. As Germany rebuilds her army and Hitler comes to power, Evadne Campion in England falls in love with her American cousin, Stephen. (Elswyth Thane seems fond of cousins falling in love) There are two people standing in the way of Evadne's love, a young Nazi named Victor who appeals to Evadne's tender heart and her jealous, vicious cousin, Hermione who doesn't want anyone to be happy.In novels written during this time, I do not have to put up with bad language, deliberate rudeness except from Hermione and sloppy dressing. Everyone owns a hat. Everyone puts their hat on before going out. People are courteous to each other.(except for Hermione) During this time, Edward VIII abdicates. There is a coronation. Germany continues her build up while Hitler blasts away on the radio. England, aware a war is coming begins to prepare. This end in 1938 with affairs resolved quite nicely for all the characters other than the coming war looming in the background.The next next book in this series is Homing which I think is about WWII but my library doesn't have it. I'll have to scare up a copy somewhere else.
i have read this book all the way through at least twenty five times. my mom once tried to 'lose' a library copy, but they said she'd still have to pay three months of fines plus the cover price. as a twelve year old, i was madly in love with stephen sprague. i remember crying over him. there's diary entries. it was the most pathetic, nerdy crush imaginable, and it was completely real to me. all of the books in the williamsburg series are great, but this one was always my favorite. they're good books for when you're feeling sad or blue or rainy, because you can curl up with them and forget the entire world outside of the book.
