Description

A stunning YA romance set in wartime England from award-winning
author Lucy Strange, perfect for teen readers!

WATERSTONES SEPTEMBER 2026 YOUNG ADULT BOOK OF THE MONTH

‘An utterly luminous book, which stayed with me long after
the final pages’ NATASHA FARRANT

‘An achingly beautiful coming of age story, with a stunning
romance I feared might break my heart at any page’ ALWYN
HAMILTON

‘Brilliantly plotted, sensitive characterisation and beautiful,
glorious landscape … people are rightly comparing
it to I Capture The Castle’ EMMA
CARROLL

‘Enchanting, atmospheric, poignant’ THE
GUARDIAN

Heartbroken after the death of her fighter pilot fiance, Juliet
is sent to stay with her sister at Samphire House. But when she
discovers the body of a local girl washed up on the beach, past
mysteries come flooding back.

Under the darkening skies of wartime England, Juliet is thrown
together with a handsome stranger.

Can she find the courage to confront her deepest fears, put right
a terrible injustice, and – even as the world burns around her
– risk falling in love once more?

Gorgeously romantic clean teen fiction from bestselling
author Lucy Strange, author of Sisters of the Lost Marsh,
The Ghost of Gosswater and Waterstones Prize-shortlisted
Our Castle by the Sea

Perfect for readers aged 14-18: wholesome and heartfelt
YA romance without spice

An unforgettable, sweeping WW2 romance with a thrilling
murder mystery thread

Romance tropes include opposites attract, romantic betrayal,
heartbreak to hope

For fans of Laura Wood, Eva Ibbotson, Katherine Woodfine,
Code Name Verity and classic coming-of-age novels
such as I Capture the Castle

Perfect for parents, grandparents and teachers seeking
age-appropriate romance for teenagers

‘A deeply atmospheric coming-of-age story with a touch of
the gothic’ OBSERVER

‘A wonderful book … Fab characters, brilliant storytelling’
JUDITH EAGLE

‘An absolutely gorgeous romance with a charmingly classic
feel – completely irresistible!’ KATHERINE WOODFINE