Shelter from the Storm

By: Ellie Dean

Narrated by: Julie Maisey

Nineteen-year-old April Wilton has just enlisted in the WRENs in Portsmouth, where she works servicing engines on ships. She finds herself immersed in dockyard life and surrounded by soldiers - from England and America.

The atmosphere is one of spontaneity and impulsiveness, brought on by the unpredictability of war. So when April meets Daniel, a young American soldier, whose mother is Sioux and father is of African descent, she doesn't hesitate when she starts to fall for him. The attraction is immediate, and coming from strict racial segregation in South Carolina, Daniel finds the freedom he has in England overwhelming.

Daniel and April endeavour to spend as much time together as possible - every moment is precious with the threat of Daniel being sent to fight overseas looming over them. But with war and race both involved, their relationship was never going to be simple....

©2016 Ellie Dean (P)2016 Random House Audiobooks

Please, Audible!?! More Ellie Dean!!

If you could sum up Shelter from the Storm in three words, what would they be?

Warm, Inspirational, Comforting

What was one of the most memorable moments of Shelter from the Storm?

It's difficult to describe just one moment. All of Ellie Dean's "Beach View Boarding House" series of books are memorable. The story changes with the addition of new characters being introduced with their own set of troubles, problems, etc. However, the best part for all of us who absolutely love Ms. Dean's series is the core family at the center of each book.

The warmth of Peggy and Ronan Reilly, as well as other members of the Reilly family, spread throughout the UK and abroad during WWII is what draws back the many fans of this series!

It's not like a "cozy mystery" because even though many of the new characters bring mysterious problems with them into the welcoming warmth of Beach View house, murder is not one of them.

If you like WWII Homefront stories from a British perspective as I do, then you will love them. I dare you not to "fall in love" with Ronan Reilly or the lovely but strong Peggy Reilly.

Have you listened to any of Julie Maisey’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

Yes, in other Beach View Boarding House books. She's a lovely narrator in all of the stories.

If you could rename Shelter from the Storm, what would you call it?

I think this is perfect. The author, Ellie Dean, is an amazing author and her titles and her prose bear this out.

Any additional comments?

Yes, my additional comments are directed towards Audible in the USA. Please, please, don't forget all of us readers/listeners in the states that truly love this author, series, and the genre of WWII Homefront in the UK perspective. If at all possible, please make these books available to all of us here in the USA. Thanking you in advance!

How convenient....

I know these are supposed to be feel good books, but the last two books have suffered from Dean's reliance on formula. I'm annoyed by the regular incidents of conveniently-timed eavesdropping--a device that seems lazy in a novel. And in this one she approached the complex issue of interracial relationships in rather superficial ways, as when Ethel suddenly sees the error of her thinking and does a 180.