Island of Sweet Pies and Soldiers: A Novel

by Sara Ackerman

Overview

As WWII rages in the Pacific, a mother and daughter grapple with grief and suspicion in this historical novel of love, friendship, and perseverance.

Hawaii, 1944. Violet Iverson and her young daughter, Ella, are piecing their lives together 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.

With the island overrun by troops training for a secret mission, tension and suspicion between neighbors is rising. To get through the difficult days, Violet and her friends 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 find out 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:	9781488080456
Publisher:	Harlequin
Publication date:	01/18/2023
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	373
Sales rank:	106,214
File size:	824 KB

About the Author

Sara Ackerman writes books about love and life, and all of their messy and beautiful imperfections. She believes that the light is just as important as the dark, and that the world is in need of uplifting and heartwarming stories. Born and raised in Hawaii, she studied journalism and later earned graduate degrees in psychology and Chinese medicine. She blames Hawaii for her addiction to writing, and sees no end to its untapped stories.

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