Island of Sweet Pies and Soldiers

by Sara Ackerman

Overview

Hawaii, 1944. The Pacific battles of World War II continue to threaten American soil, and on the home front, the bonds of friendship and the strength of love are tested.

Violet Iverson and her young daughter, Ella, are piecing their lives together one year after the disappearance of her husband. As rumors swirl and questions about his loyalties surface, Violet believes Ella knows something. But Ella is stubbornly silent. Something—or someone—has scared her. And with the island overrun by troops training for a secret mission, tension and suspicion between neighbors is rising.

Violet bands together with her close friends to get through the difficult days. To support themselves, they open a pie stand near the military base, offering the soldiers a little homemade comfort. Try as she might, Violet can’t ignore her attraction to the brash marine who comes to her aid when the women are accused of spying. Desperate to discover the truth behind what happened to her husband, while keeping her friends and daughter safe, Violet is torn by guilt, fear and longing as she faces losing everything. Again.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780778319214
Publisher:	MIRA Books
Publication date:	02/13/2018
Edition description:	Original
Pages:	400
Sales rank:	162,190
Product dimensions:	5.20(w) x 7.90(h) x 1.00(d)

About the Author

Sara Ackerman is the Hawai'i born, bestselling author of historical & romance novels set in the islands. Her books have been labeled “unforgettable” by Apple Books, “empowering & deliciously visceral” by Book Riot, and New York Times bestselling authors Kate Quinn and Madeline Martin have praised Sara’s novels as “fresh and delightful” and “brilliantly written.” Amazon chose Radar Girls as a best book of the month, and ALA Booklist gave The Codebreaker’s Secret a starred review. Find out more about Sara and her books at www.ackermanbooks.com and follow her on Instagram @saraackermanbooks and on Facebook @ackermanbooks.

Editorial Reviews

"A dramatic saga of motherhood, loss and the possibility of renewal... With a sensitive touch and an instinct for authenticity, Ackerman depicts the fraught nature of wartime relationships...mixes romance, suspense and history into a bittersweet story of cinematic proportions." —Bookpage

"A close-up look at how wartime chaos affects a tight-knit group of women... [Violet's] journey overcoming her trials and grief through friendship, family, and romance is a story of strength and perseverance." -Booklist

"A unique portrait of WWII...Ackerman's clear prose delineates how the ignorance that ran rampant could be healed by love. The interesting and well-crafted plot and characters carry the story while the backdrop will bring readers back in time. Island of Sweet Pies and Soldiers is a novel of courage and compassion that is sure to satisfy fans of WWII literature." -RT Book Reviews

"Strong female friendships and an unusual World War II home front setting add to this debut novel's appeal for historical fiction fans." -Library Journal

"Island of Sweet Pies and Soldiers is part mystery and part history. The setting of Hawaii during the expansion of WWII into the Pacific theater is uniquely captivating. A must-read historical fiction, an emotional and evocative story of an era not so long ago when war was literally on our doorstep. Don't miss this impressive debut novel!" —Readertoreader.com

"Simply put, 'Island of Sweet Pies and Soldiers' is a great novel.... It tells of a time and place most of us know nothing about and keeps us entertained. It's hard to beat that combination." —Cooperstown Crier

From the Publisher

09/15/2017
In World War II Hawaii, as American troops swoop in and members of the territory's large Japanese population suffer internment, Violet Iverson decides to open a pie stand with friend Jean to keep the soldiers happily fed. A bighearted marine helps her when she's regarded with suspicion owing to her husband's disappearance, but who knows where his generosity will lead. With an 80,000-copy first printing.

Library Journal