Jenny Ferns
“Ripple Effect: Because Of The War” is a historical novel set in England in the WWII era. This would appeal to women who struggle with issues of raising a family, adoption, loneliness with absent partners in the military, and the repercussions of PTSD. The novel shows the effect of the war on a family.The ripple effect of WWII, good, bad and ugly, spread far and deep in Britain.Veronica, feared she would be too old to marry or ever bear children until she met Richard a handsome RAF pilot. He persuaded her to marry before he went to war. She was jealous when her sister Rachel produced an illegitimate child from an unknown father.London after the Blitz bombing left much of the city in ruins. The compulsory evacuation of children in WWII gave Veronica the opportunity to bring Rachel's daughter, Susie, to live with her in the country. Rachel was presumed killed by a bomb in the Blitz so Susie grew up thinking Veronica was her mother and the absent Richard her father.Veronica, similar to many other women in wartime, left alone, learned new survival skills with the deprivation of rationing in wartime. She learned to love Susie as her own. Loneliness, with war-forced separation from her husband, took a toll on her, and precipitated a wartime love affair.After D Day and Victory In Europe Day, when the war ended, Richard returned to a wife and an adopted child he barely knew. Their military family stress after war effected them all. They struggled to adjust to each other. Richard was not alone to suffer from addiction after the war. His alcoholism and outbursts of aggression, and spousal abuse, as side-effects of battle fatigue (military PTSD), began to alienate Veronica and Susie.Veronica despaired when the family appeared to disintegrate. The truth emerged about Richard's issues and he sought treatments of PTSD and alcoholism. The truth emerged about Veronica's and Rachel's guilt and secrecy and Susie’s adoption. Compassion for each other softened the anger. The family almost fell apart until they learned to trust and heal. Susie, an opinionated teenager began to accept but not forgive.The characters are drawn with depth and humor as each deal with their secrets and struggle to lead normal lives after the war.
