Review: Wait for Me Wait for Me by Caroline Leech

Wait for Me by Caroline Leech

Publication Date: January 31, 2017
Page Count: 384
Publishedby: HarperTeen
Source: eArc provided by publisher for review

Synopsis from Goodreads:

The perfect blend of sweet romance and historical flavor, Wait for Me, from debut author Caroline Leech, brings a fresh new voice to a much-loved genre.

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.

I don't often read historical fiction, but I saw the cover and read the description and I knew I wanted to read Wait For Me. I'm glad I had the chance to read this because I was not disappointed.

Wait For Me is mostly a romance between Lorna and Paul, a German POW who is sent to help out on her family's farm in Scotland towards the end of WWII. I loved Lorna and Paul right away. I felt they were realistic characters, both very different, but interesting to read about. I found myself rooting for them while they each dealt with their own set of hardships and their feelings for each other.

Even though I can admit this book wasn't perfect, it was still quite an enjoyable read for me. My only gripe is that it was a bit white washed, I guess to appeal to the YA audience. I would have preferred more historical accuracy in terms of the realities of war. I'll leave it at that.

This is not a Nazi romance. The author took great care to tell that Paul was forced away from his mother and sister and into service for his country. He was sent to the beaches of Normandy to fight, which is where he was injured and taken as a POW.

"I am German, yes, but I am not a Nazi. There is a difference, and one day I hope you understand that."

4 Stars

I was 11 when Summer of My German Soldier first came on TV. I was about the same age as the protagonist, so I couldn't help but romanticize the story (being young I was not able to realize the historical aspect.) I didn't read the book until years later, and I was better equipped to deal with the reality. I have fond memories of Summer of My German Soldier, and Wait For Me brought back some of those same feelings.