Review of Until We Find Home by Cathy Gohlke

About the Book ~

For American Claire Stewart, joining the French Resistance sounded as romantic as the storylines she hopes will one day grace the novels she wants to write. But when she finds herself stranded on English shores, with five French Jewish children she smuggled across the channel before Nazis stormed Paris, reality feels more akin to fear.

With nowhere to go, Claire throws herself on the mercy of an estranged aunt, begging Lady Miranda Langford to take the children into her magnificent estate. Heavily weighted with grief of her own, Miranda reluctantly agrees . . . if Claire will stay to help. Though desperate to return to France and the man she loves, Claire has few options. But her tumultuous upbringing―spent in the refuge of novels with fictional friends―has ill-prepared her for the daily dramas of raising children, or for the way David Campbell, a fellow American boarder, challenges her notions of love. Nor could she foresee how the tentacles of war will invade their quiet haven, threatening all who have come to call Bluebell Wood home and risking the only family she’s ever known.

Set in England’s lush and storied Lake District in the early days of World War II, and featuring cameos from beloved literary icons Beatrix Potter and C. S. Lewis, Until We Find Home is an unforgettable portrait of life on the British home front, challenging us to remember that bravery and family come in many forms.

For more information about Cathy Cohlke and her books, check out her website here!

My Thoughts ~

Until We Find Home is such a deep, moving story that I would compare it to the ocean! There's depth and heartache and life explored within these pages. Racial prejudices, the meaning of home and family, and the fear of love are just some of the topics the author will gently use to touch and challenge the reader's heart.

The story starts in such a way that I was having serious Father Goose vibes. (If you don't know the movie to which I refer, then you must binge watch all Cary Grant movies immediately!) The majority of the novel is really the characters learning to navigate - and eventually love - each other. However, the end is packed with some eerie drama! Also, I so enjoyed the many references to beloved classics and the cameos appearances from Beatrix Potter and CS Lewis! But I won't spoil those for you! ;-)

There were at least seven points of view, making a way for the author to flesh out even more of the challenges that this eclectic group of characters must face. I didn't connect with the characters in the way that I had hoped, but I definitely think that they were well written. Claire's struggle with giving and receiving love was especially moving! She struggles with the very concept of love because she has never known true love, only rejection and betrayal. Aunt Miranda's journey deals very much with the way she has become frozen in her grief.

The romance was sweet, yet very, very subtle. Truly, this was not a romance novel, but rather the romance was like the creamy aftertaste of a delicious cup of coffee. Well, at least the way I make coffee. :-)

Three Stars ~ An enjoyable story about what - and who - home really means set to the backdrop of World War Two. Until We Find Home is a standalone novel, but Cathy Gohlke is an award-winning, multi-published author, so be sure to check out her other titles!

I received a copy of Until We Find Home by Cathy Gohlke published by Tyndale from the Tyndale Blog Network. All opinions expressed are my own.

See you next time, and God bless you guys!!!

Hugs!

~V. Joy Palmer

V. Joy Palmer is the author of Love, Lace, and Minor Alterations and a member of American Christian Fiction Writers. She is also an avid blogger and co-founder of Snack Time Devotions. In her spare time, Joy is an unprofessional chocolate connoisseur/binger, and she loves acting crazy and drinking coffee with the teens she mentors. When Joy isn’t urging the elves that live in her computer to write, she’s hanging out with her husband, their adorable baby girl, and their socially awkward pets.