With Love, Wherever You Are

Starred review from January 23, 2017
Mackall (My Boyfriends’ Dogs) provides a fictionalized account of her parents’ World War II marriage in this well-researched page-turner. Nurse Helen Eberhart had no intention of getting married, but when she enlists in the Army to care for the wounded in 1944, she meets lieutenant and doctor Frank Daley and her plans soon change. After a quick wedding in Chicago, the two are sent to different areas of Europe for what turns out to be the final year of the war. While they manage to arrange an occasional rendezvous, most of the time they are unaware of each other’s locations and maintain their relationship through letters, writing two or three times a day and waiting eagerly for the unpredictable mail to come through. The “Story Behind the Story” and discussion guide included in the back of the book offer a fascinating look at where real life ends and fiction begins. While one might expect a story written in homage and remembrance of one’s parents to be overly sentimental and idealized, Mackall has admirably resisted that urge. Instead, she has crafted memorable, complex characters who courageously face the tragedy of war and the difficulties of cultivating a bond while separated. While the real people behind the characters pack additional punch, Mackall’s heartbreaking narrative and precise prose alone will stay with readers long after the final page.

Starred review from March 15, 2017
Their love has blossomed on the front lines of the WWII battlefields in France, but his constant reassignments have made romance practically impossible. Most of the time, their sole communication is War Departmentcensored letters. Dr. Frank Daley and nurse Helen Eberhart are brave, committed, and frustrated by how very difficult it is to be with each other. Mackall's tale of love in the European theater during WWII makes readers feel as though they're there with Helen and Frank. This could be because these characters are based on the author's parents, and much of the story is rooted in their correspondence and tales of their wartime experiences. No detail is too small, and no emotion is untapped as these two courageous people put their own relationship on hold to heal the sick and wounded, often under circumstances in which they are in grave danger. The no-holds-barred depictions of war, in-depth characterizations, and suspense make Mackall's historical novel an excellent choice for libraries of all types. Photographs as well as questions for group discussions enhance this already compelling story.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2017, American Library Association.)