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A Novel
by Jenny Ashcroft
A "remarkable novel of family and love during a time of war,"* Jenny Ashcroft's Under the Golden Sun follows a soul-searching young woman who takes a leap of faith and discovers a place to call home and someone to share her heart.
England, 1941. The world is at war. London is under siege as the German blitz pounds the city without warning, without mercy. Rose Hamilton did her part as a member of the Women's Auxiliary Air Force until she was unfairly discharged following a tragic loss. Working as a secretary on a Devon farmland, Rose is out of harm's way, but she needs to contribute to something greater than herself to truly recover.
Answering a newspaper advertisement for a companion to accompany an orphaned child to Australia, Rose becomes enchanted with four-year-old Walter Lucknow. Shy, imaginative, and kind, the boy lost his parents and has been living in near seclusion with his elder great aunt. As heir to a wealthy Australian cattle station, Walter must return to his homeland and his mother's family.
Leaving her own family―and fiancé―Rose braves the long, dangerous voyage across Pacific waters where war is imminent to see Walter safely home. But upon arrival, Rose learns the truth about Walter's relationship to the Lucknows and the land he's supposed to inherit, a truth that haunts the boy's Uncle Max, a wounded pilot scarred inside and out. And as Max opens his heart up to Walter, Rose is drawn to the man's strength and compassion, finding herself torn between returning to England and staying with the child and man she's grown to love.
"Historical fiction fans will enjoy this lush, captivating saga with fascinating characters whose lives are far from ideal but are only a minute and a step away from perfect." ―Library Journal
"An enticing story of a young Englishwoman's path toward self-discovery. Ashcroft enlivens the plot with an expertly crafted set of characters. For fans of WWII-era historicals, this will hit the spot." ―Publishers Weekly
"Gorgeous! Under The Golden Sun is a wonderfully poignant novel, full of heart and hope and memorable characters you won't want to leave. Ashcroft writes with the perfect blend of elegance and emotional punch, and her depiction of rural Australia is thoroughly transportive. A perfect summer read." ―Hazel Gaynor, New York Times bestselling author of The Lighthouse Keeper's Daughter
"Under the Golden Sun is a sweeping love story with a huge heart. Gorgeously written and utterly absorbing. Ashcroft fans are in for a real treat." ―Emma Rous, USA Today bestselling author of Au Pair
This information about Under the Golden Sun was first featured
in "The BookBrowse Review" - BookBrowse's membership magazine, and in our weekly "Publishing This Week" newsletter. Publication information is for the USA, and (unless stated otherwise) represents the first print edition. The reviews are necessarily limited to those that were available to us ahead of publication. If you are the publisher or author and feel that they do not properly reflect the range of media opinion now available, send us a message with the mainstream reviews that you would like to see added.
Any "Author Information" displayed below reflects the author's biography at the time this particular book was published.
Jenny Ashcroft is a British author of historical fiction books including Meet Me in Bombay. She has a degree from Oxford University in history, and has always been fascinated by the past―in particular the way that extraordinary events can transform the lives of normal people.
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