“If you only read one book this year, please make it this one. I cannot express how much I loved reading this book.” Goodreads Reviewer ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐“I love you.” He looked into her eyes. “But there’s something you need to know—about who I really am.”London, 1944:When Lily finds meets American GI Matthew, she’s mesmerised by him. She knows his mission will take him into battle, and that their love barely … mission will take him into battle, and that their love barely stands a chance. But she wants to listen to her heart. How can she though, when she discovers Matthew is not the man he claims to be? That he is harbouring a secret that could change not just her life, but the lives of many others…
Present day, USA:
Abby has done everything she can to keep her life quiet, unassuming and safe. Living on an apple farm in rural Wisconsin, nothing can shake her stability. Until a mysterious stranger arrives—with a Purple Heart he insists belongs to her grandfather. A medal that his own grandmother had kept for decades. But how did she end up with Abby’s grandfather’s medal? And what secrets and lies will be uncovered when they find out the truth about the past?
A heartbreakingly powerful, epic love story about courage, true love and broken trusts, Into the Darkest Day is an unforgettable story perfect for fans of Nora Roberts, Kristin Hannah and The Notebook.
Readers are loving Into the Darkest Day:
“A gripping and exceptional inspiring story that had me in floods… Kate Hewitt has created a powerful story that is historically accurate. It left me stepping away thinking wow! I have read many WW2 stories but this is something else. A must read for all who love an emotional WW2 read.” Chells and Books ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
“An emotionally charged story right from the first chapter… I knew once I started I would not be able to put this book down… I was up till 4AM reading fighting for my eyes to stay open… Gripping and captivating!” Sinfully Wicked Book Reviews ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
“Epic in every sense of the word, this book is one of the finest examples of historical fiction I have read.” Fireflies and Free Kicks ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
“A beautiful story that’s filled with a poignancy that makes your heart hurt… I loved every single breathtaking word of it!” Cal Turner Reviews ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
“An amazing story… This is a book to savour, and one that I found myself constantly thinking about, long after I put it down.” Goodreads Reviewer ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
“History came alive in this book… [It] will tightly clasp hold the heart of the reader… All together totally unforgettable.” Goodreads Reviewer ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
“The WW2 descriptions and stories were out of this world… A page-turner.” Goodreads Reviewer ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
“Wow, Kate Hewitt has done it once again!… [It] grabbed me immediately!… I found the characters captivating and endearing… Kate Hewitt is one of my ‘must read’ authors.” Steph and Chris’s Book Review ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
“Touching… truly a powerful story. It was incredibly deep… Exceptional.” Robin Loves Reading ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
“[It] will stay with you long after it ends… A heartbreaking love story… A must read.” Goodreads Reviewer ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
“Made me totally lose myself… I just couldn’t tear myself away… Powerful.” On the Shelf Books
“One of the best books I’ve read this year. Equal parts heartbreaking and heartwarming… Unputdownable… There aren’t many books that really pull at my heartstrings, but this was one of them.” Hayley on Holiday ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐more
I loved this dual-timeline from Kate Hewitt. The contemporary love story had me hooked just as much as the WW2 one did. I found it very realistic yet exciting and was enthralled reading to the end to figure out the mystery.
Kate Hewitt has a reputation for beautiful writing about complex relationships. This is her first historical fiction book (I think!) and there is the characteristic beautiful writing, the complex relationships but ALSO the dramatic setting of WW2. It’s brilliant. I don’t know how she does it – Into the Darkest Day is crammed full of wisdom and great realistic characters dealing with guilt and/or trauma, the pacing is spot on, the tension is always there, there is plenty of the darkness of war – yet she still manages to give us a heart-warming lift at the end. Bravo. I hope she writes more historical fiction – it suits her!
Holding Secrets Close
Into the Darkest Day is a story of war, it is a story of the aftermath and the consequences that continue to the future. Can one ever forgive themselves for a moment of weakness? Does that one action dictate the rest of their life? It did so for one soldier. What will happen when the granddaughter finds the secret years later.
It is the story of Matthew and Lily who met during the war. Matthew held his secret tight but told Lily before he left London for the front. Will this secret keep him and Lily from having a life together after the war?
Finally it is the story of Simon and Abby. Years later they get together to try and find out the connection between Simon’s grandmother Sophia and Abby Grandfather Tom. What secret does her father not want her to know? Will Simon and Abby figure it out and will it change her life.
Simon and Paul both hold secrets close to their heart that they are afraid to tell each other. Eventually they do tell the secrets they each hold close. How will this change their budding relationship? How will it change the relationship between Abby and her father?
This is a book about Romance and about secrets. It is a book about relationships and how they can either go wrong or blossom. The book is sad and heartbreaking at times and it is romantic at others. It is a testimony to the aftermath of war and the things those involved saw and felt.
The book was well written and the characters were realistic and believable. The settings were well described. I enjoyed this book and I would recommend it.
Thanks to Kate Hewitt, Bookouture, and NetGalley for allowing me to read an advance copy in return for an honest review.
In the past few years, Kate Hewitt’s books have become must-reads for me. Her novels are always full of emotion and ordinary people thrust into extraordinary circumstances and drop you into their lives as you watch how they react and grow. INTO THE DARKEST DAY is no exception. Told in a dual timeline, one in the present and the other during WWII, this novel will draw you into the lives of the characters and won’t let you go.
In the present, Simon travels to Wisconsin at his Grandmother Sophie’s request to return Abby’s Grandfather’s Purple Heart. The errand opens a mystery: Why did Simon’s Grandmother have the medal and who was she to Abby’s Grandfather? Why is Abby’s father so insistent about leaving the past alone? The more they find out, the more questions they uncover.
Lily and Sophie Mather are sisters in London, working for the government to support the War effort, living at home with their parents, waiting for the war to end. When two American GI’s come to dinner, their lives are forever changed. Tom Rees and Matthew Lawson couldn’t be more different, but each sister gets to know one of them, it’s Lily and Matthew we get to know the best. Matthew is different, there is something about him and when Lily discovers his secret, it ultimately brings them closer together. Not only do we see first-hand how London was affected by the Blitz, but we also see how Tom and Matthew continue to be linked when it comes to the War, and we get a front row seat to not only their interactions but the brutality of what Matthew encounters in the Europe as he does his job. Hewitt describes these horrors with a deft hand, and the images are heart-breaking.
This is a novel that will take you through a gamut of emotions until the very end. Once again, Hewitt has outdone herself and delivered a stellar novel.
Thanks to the Publisher and NetGalley for an advanced copy of this novel. All opinions are my own.
Into the Darkest Day by Kate Hewitt was tentatively title The Forgotten Heart. Both title fit this compelling read since it is sad, heartbreaking at times and dark when some of the story takes place in WWII London. An absorbing read told in dual time periods, WWII and present day. I had read some of Kate Hewitt’s other women’s fiction, knowing that it may not be an easy read or one that has a perfect ending. Much more like life isn’t it than a pure romance story since people are hardly perfect nor does life go as we always thought it would.
It is a book that reads like life, then and now. People affect by war, family secrets, loss and death. Everything reads as if it could actually happen so the past must have involved countless hours of research. History came alive in this book. Into the Darkest Day will tightly clasp hold the heart of the reader. As least for this reader’s heart.
Fans of Kristin Hannah and Nicholas Sparks will want to read this book. Fans of well crafted stories with complex character who are developed fully but slowly will love it. Into the Darkest Day by Kate Hewitt is part history, part mystery and part romance but all together totally unforgettable.
An ARC of the book was given to me by the publisher through Net Galley which I voluntarily chose to read and reviewed. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
3.5 Stars
Thanks go to the publisher and Net-Galley for the complimentary copy of Into the Darkest Day by Kate Hewitt for the purpose of reviewing and reading prior to publication. My opinions, my own and no one has influenced them.
Into the Darkest Day is a well-written and edited novel set in 1944 and present day. There are several principal characters since Ms. Hewitt set her book in two different times. It became a bit tedious to read and dragged. Although I enjoyed Lily and Matthew’s story a great deal. For me, the Abby and Simon storyline wasn’t as compelling.
Lily and Matthew meet when her parents open their home to two American servicemen. They develop and friendship which turns into more as the story progresses. The author’s vivid description of Lily’s emotions over the letters she must write to families of war causalities is gripping. Matthew’s response to the death camps is heart wrenching and brought tears to my eyes.
Abby and Simon’s storyline didn’t work for me. The character development could have been stronger. They too form a friendship as they try to solve the mystery of the medals and how the pieces fit together. Their backstory is tragic, but their emotions toward them wasn’t as emotional as I would have liked.
Ms. Hewitt clearly did her research and her graphic descriptions of the death camps, the imprisoned people found alive, and the devastating bombing England endured during WW II is gripping and broke my heart. This is stellar, and I enjoyed it tremendously.
If you enjoy WW II novels with realistic descriptions and a lovely romance between Lily and Matthew with a satisfying ending, then you will enjoy Into the darkest Day. Overall, I enjoyed this novel, and I’m glad I accepted the invitation. Happy reading!
When Simon’s grandmother asks him, while on her death bed, to give a World War II purple heart medal back to its rightful owner, Simon travels to Wisconsin and meets Abby. Abby is the granddaughter of Tom, the Purple Heart recipient who knew Simon’s grandmother during the war.
As Simon and Abby grow closer and learn more about their grandparents’ connection, they uncover some dark secrets from the past. How did Sophie and Tom know each other? Who is Matthew, and why is he so secretive? Why does Sophie (Simon’s grandmother) want Tom’s forgiveness after all these years? Together, Simon and Abby unravel the secrets of the past while facing their own hidden demons.
The story is told in present-day America with flashbacks to Tom and Sophie’s story. It is an interesting juxtaposition when you compare the ever-changing and intense war-time setting to the stagnant yet tranquil farm life of the present. Simon and Abby’s story progresses at a slower pace than Tom and Sophie’s further stressing the influence one’s setting has on life.
Throughout the story, there are hints that Abby’s past haunts her and hinders her from moving on and truly living her life. She is trapped in a devastating vortex of survivor’s guilt after the death of two family members fifteen years ago. Watching her deal with the pain of the past, seeing her face her father and everything that has been left unsaid, and witnessing her strength is a highlight of the book.
Simon has his own guilt and regrets, and he and Abby support and understand each other well. I love their easy banter and their innate ability to accept each other, faults and all. They have a unique connection that is a pleasure to watch deepen, and I found myself rooting for this couple.
That being said, I found myself more fascinated in Lily’s (Sophie’s more reserved sister) story, and her budding relationship with Matthew, than any other in the book, which makes sense as the flashbacks focus more on Lily.
Though Lily and Sophie are sisters, they are very different. Lily is much more serious and cautious, and Sophie is more impulsive and carefree. Lily reminds me a bit of Abby in their gentle personalities, their sensitivity, and their selflessness. As their stories unfold, shocking truths are revealed that explain their connections to Tom and the mysterious Matthew.
As Sophie and Tom become closer, Lily connects with Tom’s friend Matthew. He is quiet and precise, sincere and a little mysterious. Lily switches between fascination and suspicion until she learns the devastating truth of Matthew’s past. Matthew also holds an important role in what happened to Tom and Sophie.
This is a well-developed, immersive story that explores different times and different circumstances. It focuses on family responsibility, the need to feel purposeful, finding one’s identity, dealing with one’s choices, and living through tragedy. Messages of hope, perseverance, and love are also at the forefront of the novel.
Thanks so much to Netgalley and the publisher for a copy of the book. All thoughts are my own.
Past and present intertwine in this beautiful story of love and loss.
Into The Darkest Day, by Kate Hewitt, is a story about loss, regret, and love.
Amidst the Second World War, sisters Sophie and Lily Mather meet Tom Reese and Matthew Lawson, two American soldiers recently deployed.
While Sophie was all about living the moment, Lily was introspective and risk-averse.
Tom and Matthew are equally dissimilar. The first is charming and easy-going, while the second is self-contained and secretive.
Each of the characters experiences the war in different ways, their coping mechanisms so distinct and yet very relatable.
There are some sad moments, but it is done in a very delicate manner. The sad facts are told more than showed, and it is not overly dramatic.
The narrative alternates between past and present.
In the present, Sophie’s grandson Simon is in America meeting Tom Resse’s grandaughter Abby to give back a war medal that was in his grandmother’s possession.
I love the idea of their descendants meeting and investigating their story, but I would have preferred to stay in the past. I was committed to the characters there, and the present felt like an unwanted intruder.
Despite that, I truly enjoyed the book, and I was sad when it was over. I wanted it to keep going just a little longer.
Overall an enjoyable read, with inspired characters and an absorbing story.
I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
*For more reviews, book art, and book-related articles, please visit https://lureviewsbooks.com*
Present day, USA:
Abby Reese lives a quiet life on an apple farm in Wisconsin. Tormented by survivor’s guilt after the tragic deaths of her mother and brother, Abby leaves the orchards as little as possible, keeping her life small, peaceful and safe. Until she is contacted by Englishman Simon Elliot, who arrives nursing a heartbreak of his own, and bearing a World War Two medal that he claims belonged to Abby’s grandfather, Tom which for some reason his grandmother Sophie wanted Simon to return it to Tom
Together they begin to piece together the heartbreaking story of their relatives’ war. But as the story brings Abby and Simon closer—tentatively beginning to lean on one another to heal—they uncover a dark secret from the past.
1944, London:
Sophie & Lily Mather work as typists & live in Clapham Common where they meet two Gis Tom Reese & the enigmatic Matthew Lawson. Whilst Sophie starts a reckless affair with Tom, Lily & Matthew take things at a much slower pace.
This is the first book I’ve read by the author & it certainly won’t be the last. I’m not a fan of books that span two different eras but this time I loved it. This was a well written at times harrowing read that took me on a plethora of emotions & left me drained. The characters were well portrayed & had plenty of depth & were very likeable. The more I read the more I became completely engrossed & read well into the night to finish it. The descriptions of what Matthew saw & endured often had tears coursing down my face & brought home the brutality of war. If you’re looking for a light fluffy read then this isn’t the book for you but I loved the mix of romance &istory
My honest review is for a special copy I voluntarily read
Fantastic descriptions and informative details highlight this epic historical fiction novel. I was drawn in by the WWII sections but found the impetus for them (the contemporary arc) to be compelling as well. The author did a phenomenal job of bringing the horrors of war to life while illustrating the impact on humanity. There was also some keen insight that serves as an excellent reminder to “never forget.” Highly recommended. For a more detailed review, please visit Fireflies and Free Kicks. Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for a digital ARC of this book.
Haunting and emotional:
This book will capture your heart and tug at your emotions. It contains beautifully descriptive prose, however some sentences were run-on and rather convoluted. I enjoyed the dual timelines and the switching back and forth was seamless, even if at times I was left on tenterhooks! Quite tragic and sad at times but an accurate depiction of war times plus how regrets and past mistakes can affect all generations. One of the main focuses of the book was exploring the different emotional responses people have, especially in light of trauma and tragedy, and how this can affect our lives and the decisions we make for years to come. There was a light romantic thread however this was definitely not the primary focus.
I enjoyed the intrigue and investigative aspects of the book even if they were only revealed slowly. I thought the author made a great choice by unfolding the story in the way she did and I found myself captivated by the mystery. I wanted to know what was going to happen to the sisters, Tom and Matthew plus what really happened to cause such heartache in Abby’s life? I enjoyed the second part of the book better when we got to experience the war from Matthew’s perspective and also as the situation with Abby and Simon was revealed more.
I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review. All opinions expressed are solely my own.