The Summer Before The War

 I went for another historical fiction book this time. The Summer Before The War was written by Helen Simonson who grew up in England but now lives in the United States. This is about the summer before World War One. The year is 1914. Beatrice Nash arrives in the town of Rye hoping to get a job teaching Latin. Her father has passed away and she needs to start making money. She is met at the station by Hugh who takes her to his Aunt Agatha's house where she is to spend her first night. Agatha has put her reputation on the line by advocating for the hiring of a female teacher. Hugh has been tutoring 3 boys in Latin for the summer and now Beatrice can take over that job. Beatrice does take the job. Then war breaks out in Belgium. People in the town take in Belgium refugees. Beatrice now lives in a small room at another house but she takes in the Professor's daughter anyway. The Professor's daughter has nightmares that wake up the entire household. Hugh, his cousin, one of the Latin learning boys and another man from Rye go to the front lines in France. One dies on the boat coming back, another dies a week after returning to England, one is severely injured and Hugh has minor injuries. The entire town is full of a wonderful set of characters. Beatrice has made the right choice in coming to Rye.