The Memory of Us by Camille Di Maio

The Memory of Us by Camille Di Maio is a touching "star-crossed" love story about two young Britons on the eve of WWII. Julianne is a well-to-do 18 year-old who seems to be living the perfect debutante life in Liverpool: she's organizing charity fundraisers, helping her father at his business, and is at her mother's beck and call. She does have an independent streak though, and is set to head off to nursing school in London at the end of the summer, but not before she spends some time secretly visiting her deaf and blind twin brother, who was kept a secret and institutionalized from birth. It's at his "home" that she meets the gardener, Kyle, a young Irish immigrant who is preparing to become a priest. They befriend each other, and their love blossoms slowly, and then all at once, until they elope the following year. Of course, her parents were not pleased and disowned her, and then the war struck, shattering everyone's lives.

We occasionally get glimpses into the future, where we know they are no longer together, and yet may have just run into each other. The story of their separation and reunion was not my favorite part - perhaps a little too implausible. Instead, I really enjoyed the scenes from her time in nursing school and through the start of their romance. Di Maio effortlessly captured the feeling of young love, and transported me back to a time and place I have never been. There were enough historical details to please any historian, but most importantly, the strong writing really transports you to another time to enjoy a good story.