This was one of the most beautiful and heart wrenching books on WWII life I've ever read. Ida Brogan a good Catholic woman, wife to Jeremiah, mother to Charlie, Daniel, Jo, Mattie, Cathy and Billy, and a crazy old mother in law called Queenie, Ida's really got her hands full, or so she believes, Ida is a very happy contented woman until one afternoon returning home she spots her old best friend Ellen Gilbert who moved away years ago and her son who also happens to be Jeremiah's son from their one night stand whilst Ida was grieving for their son James who died at six days old. Ida takes Michael Jeremiah's son and his dying mother into her home and cares for them both, this book makes you admire Ida and all her struggles, you learn to love all the characters in this beautiful book, well all except Stella the stripper, what a tart!! I've not enjoyed a book this much in ages, a real treasure to be read again and again. I hope everybody enjoys it as much as I did.