Book Club | Secrets of a Charmed Life by Susan Meissner

Secrets of a Charmed Life by Susan Meissner is a fantastic read. This book was incredibly captivating. I read this book cover to cover in under ten days. It was one of those books that begged me to stay up way past my bedtime in order to keep reading. Not only did it evoke late nights, but it also caused some seriously lazy Sunday mornings hunkered down on the couch until practically 2pm.

Secrets of a Charmed Life is a historical fiction novel. The two main characters are Emmy and Julia, a pair of sisters, during WWII, set in London. But Before you compare it to The Nightingale, know that –yes — both books are wonderful, though they are nothing alike. Secrets of a Charmed Life won’t leave you bawling your eyes out — I promise.

THE PLOT

It’s WWII, in London. Times are unquestionably uncertain. There are bombings. And things are getting sticky with the war at hand. London decides to evacuate ALL children out of their homes in the city, to temporarily move to the country side, to live with foster families. This is London’s plan to keep children safe, for the time being.

Emmy is sixteen, and is not happy about being evacuated. After all, she’s practically an adult! Months prior to the evacuation, she had landed a wonderful part time job at a wedding dress boutique. Emmy has BIG plans to become a wedding dress designer, and see’s this job as the first stepping stone to get there. Emmy’s mother finds this ridiculous — who is going to get married in times like these?

So, off Emmy goes with her younger sister, Julia. They are lucky enough to be fostered by a wonderfully sweet older woman, in a gorgeous, lovely cottage in the country. Things are fine. Peaceful, in fact. Until, one day, Emmy receives a letter from her old boss, wondering if Emmy is able to make it back to London to interview with her cousin — a wedding dress designer — who would like to offer Emmy an internship. Emmy is thrilled.

Very thrilled. She decides to make a risky trip home, back to London. Julia figures out her plan, and insists on going with Emmy. Sure, Emmy figures. Both girls return to London, and on that particular day, things go terribly wrong. Think: The Blitz. As fate would have it, the sisters are inhumanely separated. And that’s all I say for now!

The author has a truly memorizing way of sucking you into her chapters. I’m a firm believer that Sundays are meant for sleeping in, and curling up with coffee and a book until it’s time for brunch. And this is a wonderful book to do exactly that with.