This book had me lost for words, the way it draws you in and has you gripped from start to finish. Set during the second world war, the story graphically describes the horrors of bombs exploding in the streets and the appalling poverty endured by families. There is a compelling sense of sisterhood within the Eastend community where the story is set, along with several engaging, humorous characters. As a reader, you empathise with Cathy and her son Peter, who are trying to survive the grinding poverty along with the terror of bombs exploding in the neighbourhood. Not helped with her mother in law holding her finger on the purse strings, and not giving Cathy enough money to pay the rent and feed her son. This is a gripping, atmospheric romance with a real sense of hardship and community spirit, with a touch of humour to see them through.