Review: Wait for Me

Wait for Me by Caroline Leech
Grade: B
Release date: January 31, 2017
Summary: It’s 1945, and Lorna Anderson’s life on her father’s farm in Scotland consists of endless chores and rationing, knitting Red Cross scarves, and praying for an Allied victory. So when Paul Vogel, a German prisoner of war, is assigned as the new farmhand, Lorna is appalled. How can she possibly work alongside the enemy when her own brothers are risking their lives for their country?

But as Lorna reluctantly spends time with Paul, she feels herself changing. The more she learns about him—from his time in the war to his life back home in Germany—the more she sees the boy behind the soldier. Soon Lorna is battling her own warring heart. Loving Paul could mean losing her family and the life she’s always known. With tensions rising all around them, Lorna must decide how much she’s willing to sacrifice before the end of the war determines their fate.

The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly: Y'all have no idea how good it was to read a World War II story not about pilots or girls on the front lines. I liked that Lorna was just trying to live life as normal, while also expressing concern for her brothers who were involved in the war.
The writing wasn't the strongest at times. It felt a bit too simple and like it could use some polishing.
I think one of my biggest problems with Wait for Me was a plotline that was dropped by the wayside. Early in the novel, Lorna's teacher encourages her to pursue an education that would help her become a secretary or something along those lines. That plot thread seems like it should've been more significant than it ended up being, and I wanted more of Lorna coming of age and figuring out what she wants with her life. The book has plenty of familial dynamics, friendship problems, and romance, but Lorna is at a perfect age to be questioning what she wants to do with her life.
I don't remember much foul language, if any. Romantic content never goes past kissing (although there is an assault scene that could be a bit triggering).

The Verdict: Pretty good.

Buy: Read Between the Lynes  Barnes & Noble

Will I be adding this book to my library?: Maybe.