From the USA Today bestselling author of A Curve in the Road comes a spellbinding novel about one woman’s love, loss, and courage during wartime.
After a crushing betrayal by the man she loves, Gillian Gibbons flees to her family home for a much-needed escape, but when she finds an old photograph of her grandmother in the arms of a Nazi officer, Gillian’s life gets even more complicated. Rattled by the discovery, Gillian attempts to unravel the truth behind the photos, setting her off on an epic journey through the past…
1939. England is on the brink of war as Vivian Hughes falls in love with a handsome British official, but when bombs begin to fall and Vivian’s happy life is destroyed in the blitz, she will do whatever it takes to protect those she loves…
As Gillian learns more about her grandmother’s past, the old photo begins to make more sense. But for every question answered, a new one takes its place. Faced with a truth that is not at all what she expected, Gillian attempts to shine a light not only on the mysteries of her family’s past but also on her own future.
This gorgeously written multigenerational saga is a heart-wrenching yet hopeful examination of one woman’s struggle to survive, perfect for fans of The Nightingale and Beneath a Scarlet Sky.
“A young woman’s quest to find the truth about her grandmother’s past reveals World War II intrigue, mistaken identity, and a labyrinth of romance, doubt, and lies. A Fire Sparkling is a satisfying and heartfelt page-turner that keeps readers guessing until the very last page. This book combines so many of my favorite things—long-held family secrets, surprising characters, and resilient women who fight for love.” —Lynda Cohen Loigman, author of The Wartime Sisters and The Two-Family House
“Julianne MacLean’s A Fire Sparkling is a beautiful, sweeping tale about love, courage, family secrets, and forgiveness that is impossible to put down.” —Jane Healey, bestselling author of The Saturday Evening Girls Club and The Beantown Girls
“A wonderful, sweeping saga about the secrets we keep and the lies we tell in order to survive. Full of intriguing characters and set against the terrifyingly vivid backdrop of wartime London and Europe, Julianne MacLean certainly knows how to keep her readers guessing. I loved it!” —Victoria Connelly, bestselling author of The Rose Girls
“War tests the bonds of family and the heart in Julianne MacLean’s newest novel. A Fire Sparkling is a touching examination of the intricacies of love with a cleverly interlaced plot that kept me reading at a breakneck speed.” —Olivia Hawker, bestselling author of The Ragged Edge of Night