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Casey’s Reviews
Her Secret Soldier: A Hidden Gem
Julie Hartley’s debut novel exceeded my expectations
I got a copy of Julie Hartley’s debut novel, Her Secret Solder, for Christmas this year, just before my family and I fled Canada to spend a week in the Dominican Republic.
Based on the cover, I thought I was in for a Harlequin-style romance set during WWII. I was pleasantly surprised to discover the writing quality was far higher than my expectations for a romance book, and that, despite the title and cover highlighting the romance, the book had far more substance than most of the genre.
(Which is not a criticism of Harlequin romances — I often enjoy a light read, especially on vacation!)
Plot, no spoilers
Two timelines (set in 1990 and 1940) converge on a secret when Emma, a Toronto-based journalist, discovers her mysterious Great Aunt Rose has passed away and left her a property in England known as Silverwood Vale. City-girl Emma travels to see the property and is shocked to find a dead body — and a mysterious stranger living on her land.
Most of the story takes place during WWII, following Rose’s story after her sister, Emma’s grandmother, escaped from their abusive stepfather to London. Rose’s mother’s…
