Before the Fall by Juliet West

1916 and the Great War rages. In London’s East End, with her husband away fighting, Hannah struggles to hold things together. When Hannah takes a job in a café she discovers a glimpse of freedom, away from her needy family.

While the conflict drags on, Hannah battles with the overwhelming burden of ‘duty’. She has sacrificed so much for a husband who may never come home. Then when she meets the thoughtful and intelligent Daniel, she finds herself faced with the most dangerous of temptations…

As the war grips tighter and bombs fall down, the stakes for the couple grow ever higher. Soon Hannah and Daniel will realize just how precarious their happiness is…

Some comments from our book group

‘When you learn that this is a story built on fact it becomes more poignant’.

‘Effects of war on a community, sense of duty and hopelessness portrayed well’.

‘The ending was dramatic, emotional and surprising’.