When War Came To Laundry Cottage by Sarah Colliver

 Thought Provoking, Unexpected, Emotional

Genre: Historical Fiction/Romance

When War Came To Laundry Cottage by Sarah Colliver Writing

When Sybil's parents suggest that she re-locate to the country to stay with her Aunty Vi for the remainder of the war, she becomes acquainted with Harriet who has gained employment as a children's nanny for a family who live nearby. As the months roll on, Harriet becomes much more gregarious and outgoing, not to mention outspoken than at first, which sparks Sybil's suspicion. Furthermore, her employers have gone away taking their offspring with them, leaving Harriet the run of the house, complete with housekeeper and chauffeur, prompting Harriet to play 'lady of the manor'. This includes holding many parties, and the girls attend many held at local barracks. Sybil begins to feel uncomfortable with Harriet's 'playful ways'. Then she meets Jeremiah, and although there is a spark, he is keen to emphasise that they cannot be together, and after he attends one of Harriet's many social occasions to appease his new female companion, things take a rather nasty turn when Sybil realises that not only has she inadvertently endangered Jeremiah's life, but maybe her own, when it becomes all too clear that certain people are not who they first appear to be.

Intrigued by the title, I did not read the synopsis, as I was fairly certain that I would enjoy this novel. The narrative felt to me as if it really had three elements, which kept it fresh and full of surprises. It also took me through a range of fairly rapid emotions. At the beginning I felt sympathy with Sybil and feared for her safety amongst the air raids and the bombs being unleashed on London, then happiness that she had made a friend and now had this lovely existence in the country with her wonderful Aunty Vi, who was such a strong character in her unquestioning, unwavering support of her niece. I adored their bond. At this point I really liked Harriet. She was a fun character to internally narrate and imagine, and I was quite envious of the girls' closeness and mutual dependency. Like Sybil though, my suspicions were aroused by the absence of her employers, especially as their children had gone with them. I'm usually pretty good at spotting unexpected elements of a plot before they occur, however, I could not work out why Jeremiah was so reluctant to be with Sybil. My unsuspecting naivety can probably be seen simply as a result of changing times and attitudes.

The second plot twist completely caught me off guard and changed the narrative, which took me a minute or two to adjust to, as it seemed to happen so suddenly. It also threw me, now having to see certain protagonists in a different light. I initially thought that Sybil and Jeramiah became 'acquainted'with each other rather hastily, but then, as it was explained by another character, the fraught times they were living in would have made them not want to waste any time. The best revelation is of course saved until the last. It is both brilliantly heart wrenching and warming. A wonderful way to end a very real story about war, oppression and prejudice, lifted by friendship, family bonds and love.