Crosswinds: An historical WW2 fiction set in England and America

A mother and daughter, with an ocean between them, struggle to resolve their pasts, for the future of those they love.

‘Love was limitless, like the ocean, like the sky. She knew that now. There was no need to measure it or share it. If you love, it has no width, no depth – it is infinite and it endures.’

‘A wonderful Bookclub read.’
Inspired by Sue’s mother-in-law who served as a Wren in WW2, this multigenerational novel is set in England and America, crossing continents and spanning generations over the second half of the twentieth century.

The year is 1945. Ellen, a bright and ambitious Royal Navy Wren, finds herself in a Maine U.S.A. fishing village, married to Grant, the American soldier she barely recognises. Grant has survived the war, but returns changed by what he has seen and experienced. Ellen has escaped her family roots. Their marriage begins in six feet of snow, and nothing is as it seems. Later, daughter Thea grows up in 60’s London, determined to build her career as a scientist and make a success of her marriage to Josef.
A character-driven novel with a strong sense of place and evocation of the times. The reader will cross the Atlantic many times, and face with them the challenges of a mother and daughter separated by an ocean; while sharing in some of their difficult life choices.