"England, 1940. Dearest Ruby, you must have heard the news by now. The very worst has happened. Our countries are at war. What can I do? How can I stop this nightmare from happening? One day soon we’ll be together again. I swear. I love you. E. x"

Ruby Summers is a tapestry of memories, her ninety-six years laced with both love and loss. The echoes of a wartime Norfolk summer, where young Ruby's heart entwined with Edmondo's under orchard skies, are as vivid as ever. Yet a single, haunting secret - born from a love tested by war and a betrayal that shattered her - remains locked within her.

But when Ruby decides to take part in a letter-writing scheme for the elderly, and single mother Cassie replies, she realises this could be her last chance. By revisiting her past, can she finally share the secret that has haunted her all these years? And will her unexpected connection with Cassie unearth truths even Ruby never knew were hidden – or will it tear both their lives apart?

This totally gripping and irresistible story of wartime love and heartbreak will captivate readers who love Lorna Cook, Fiona Valpy and "The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society".

Sarah Mitchell grew up in Norfolk and studied law at Cambridge University. Her debut novel, "The Lost Letters", was inspired by her parents' and grandparents' experiences in the Second World War and her desire to explore the heartbreaking impact of the war on women and children.

Gabrielle Nellis-Pain

Stem