Acts of Love and War by Maggie Brookes

1936 – Civil War in Spain – a world teetering towards – well what? War? Chaos?

21 year old Lucy feels content with her Herfordshire existence probably because she lives next door to Tom and Jamie, two very different brothers both of whom she is inordinately fond.

Then Tom decides to travel to the Spanish warzone, only to be followed by Jamie who supports General Franco, much to Lucy’s horror..

Her irascible father is similarly horrified when she decides to follow them. So is she too going to pick a side? No, her intention is to persuade them both to return, but instead she  becomes immersed in the war, but in a different way, preferring to  join with the Quakers to help the civilians, many of whom are refugees.

Her experiences make her realise that far from bringing the two men back, hopefully to settle with the one she chooses, the three of them will be lucky  to survive at all. If they do, how changed will they be? What common ground will exist for any of them to go forward as friends at the very least, and for Lucy – who will she choose to live her life with?

War and so too the vicisitudes of love can hone endurance to a point where acceptance of things as they now are is achieved, and the possibility on onward and upwards is a reality.  Is this the case for our three characters?

Surely you don’t expect me to tell you? I insist you read this intelligent empathetic novel. You won’t regret it.

In Hardback, ebook and audio. Published by Century