In the midst of World War II, Ireland has declared herself neutral. Troops found on Irish soil must be reported and interned, no matter which side they are fighting for. When midwife Nan O’Neil finds a wounded young Canadian pilot at her door, she knows she’s taking a huge risk by letting him in. Not only is she a widow living alone, but if caught harboring a combatant, she’ll face imprisonment.… imprisonment.
Still, something compels Nan to take in “flyboy” Dutch Whitney, an RAF pilot whose bomber has just crashed over County Clare. While she tends to his wounds and gives him a secret place of refuge, the two begin to form a mutual affection—and an unbreakable bond.
But Nan has another secret, one that has racked her with guilt since her husband’s death and made her question ever loving again. As Nan and Dutch plan his escape, can he help restore her faith?
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I thoroughly enjoyed this WWII novel set in one of my favorite places — IRELAND!!
Overall, an enjoyable read. I liked the two main characters for the most part. Having lived around military men most of my life, I saw a lot of recognizable traits in Dutch and the accompanying frustration from civilians like Nan. Her friends and many of the town side characters were fun and believable, and the story ended with a proper happy ending.
I struggled a bit with the Irish, unfamiliar with some of the terms that I don’t remember getting an explanation for. I was never quite sure why a squadron dropping bombs on Axis powers would be flying over southern Ireland in the first place, and a few of the resolutions to story problems felt convenient. Otherwise, it was nice to learn a little more about Ireland during World War 2, and I wanted to know what happened to Dutch and Nan.
This is an amazing book! I was so hooked that I read late into the night until it was finished. This Author made you really invest in the characters they were very well portrayed. You won’t be sorry if you buy this book; you might lose sleep, but it’s worth it.
I bought this book because it was recommended by a Christian author I enjoy.
I truly enjoyed the story line and looked forward to my evening read. However, the sexual references were unnecessary and took from the authenticity of the story. This could have been a great book!
An easy-to-read Christian romance novel of a widowed midwife in Ireland during WW II who, despite a potential prison sentence for doing so, risks helping a downed, wounded Canadian RAF pilot who comes to her door seeking help.
This was a good book but I would have liked more about the history of this time. I look forward to more from this author.
A clean Christian novel! Delightful! Suspenseful.
This book gave me a new understanding of how Ireland remained neutral during WW II. They sympathized with the Allies but had little to offer in the fight. The heroine has some problems with her Catholic beliefs, but attains a clear conscience in the end.
I love stories about World War II as I lived through it. This book was fantastic. One of the best books I have ever read. Couldn’t put it down.
Well this was refreshing! This is a WWII inspirational romance, but it pushes some of the traditional Christian fiction boundaries….mostly in terms of a little mild bawdy humor, but she’s got good faith messages in there, too. I learned a lot about small Irish towns during WWII…..which were required to stay neutral during the war. Fascinating. Good romance between rural Irish widow who hides a downed Allied pilot. It had a FANTASTIC cast of characters, great small town charm, and wonderful atmospheric details.
I was in nursing school when I met my pilot husband; who’s father’s side of the family immigrated from Ireland just three generations ago. Therefore, when I read the synopsis of Grounded Hearts my curiosity was piqued. March brought with it Jeanne M. Dickson’s cover reveal and I was totally smitten… To the extent that I joined the Litfuse Blogger tour! However, when printing was delayed I pre-ordered a digital copy along with audible narration.
Alana Kerr Collins was the perfect narrator for this story. Her lilting Irish brogue captured the story in a way I could never have achieved on my own. Add to this her ability to convey the urgency or intimacy of a scene and you have a pretty perfect audio performance.
Dickson gave me a crash course in Ireland’s neutrality during WWII as well as a refresher course in Catholicism. As to the first, I believe she adequately explains Ireland’s political climate during war and how they implemented and executed interment for Allied and Axis combatants. To the later, nothing on the cover keys potential readers into the integral role Catholicism will play in the story. However, the Church’s views on suicide, confession, penance, relics, and worship make up the very fabric of who Nan is and what governs her decision making.
Nan’s concealment of Dutch as well as her efforts to smuggle him to freedom are reminiscent of other stories set in Europe during this time period. Instead of the SS we have the sleazy, status seeking, Shamus Finn. We also have a network of co-conspirators—a hilarious group of women and one unconventional American doctor. What may be new to some Christian fiction readers is the rather steamy scenes between Nan and Dutch. Overall, a good debut novel even if some aspects were a little unexpected.
Wonderful historic background in this WWII story. The characters and dialogue were vivid. My only criticism is that the narrative pace seemed to collapse slightly towards the end, and the conclusion seemed rather rushed.