Susan Meissner is the author of Secrets Of A Charmed Life, a historical fiction novel. Two sisters, 15 year old Emmy and 7 year old Julia live in London during the 1940's. Their mother, never married, has a job as a personal assistant to a rich woman. Emmy and Julia have different fathers. Their mother is irresponsible and basically leaves the parenting of Julia to Emmy. Emmy has other plans. She wants to be a fashion designer. She wants an apprenticeship. The city of London decides the children under 16 would be better off living in the country side due to a prediction that now that Germany has taken France, bombs will soon rain down in London. Emmy doesn't want to go but her mother insists she stay with Julie. Emmy and Julia get assigned to a kind woman who lives in the Cotswolds. She lets Julia take care of the chickens and gives her dolls and a tea set to play with. She encourages Emmy to pursue fashion design by giving her paper and pencils. She even lets Emmy take her wedding dress apart so she can see how they are constructed. Emmy has a chance to meet with a fashion designer in London so she decides to return to London. Julia figures out what Emmy has planned and insists on going with her. That is the day the German bombs do land on London. Emmy loses Julia and spends years trying to find her. Their mother was killed as she avoided to bombs at the bottom of a hotel that collapsed on her. Emmy and Julia are cruelly separated. I found it very interesting to learn about people who were bombed out of their homes during World War Two. The tale is tragic.
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