Southern Sons

World War I was the "war to end all wars", and meant to end by Christmas. Unfortunately, for many in Australia it would change everything. In Blue Water Station, Oliver Grayson’s desire to join the military ignites the same wish in his brother and cousins, leaving his sister Tilly bereft and the boys facing great danger. With two men offering to salve Tilly’s loneliness and help with crises at home, Tilly has hard choices to make.  Meanwhile, Oliver regrets leading his family to war. His only hope lays in the eyes of Jessica, an army nurse with her own struggles. In the midst of tragedy and fear is love even possible, or will the war destroy them all?

"Southern Sons" is a historical glance at WWI Australia and the soldiers who fought in Turkey, France and Gallipoli. A stand-alone tale featuring glimpses of characters from earlier books, this novel tells the story of  different side of WWI, but with a lot of the same horror and tragedy. The point of view switches between Tilly at home and Oliver abroad, featuring their emotional rollercoasters, separate romances, and bursts of action. Although the pace is slow with little character growth, and a great deal happens off screen with time skips to cover the entire war, there is still plenty of drama on Tilly’s end, with sweet romance to fill the rest. Overall, a good choice for lovers of WWI historical tales.

Sarah E Bradley