1940. Small Heath, in the heart of Birmingham, is facing the darkest days of the war. Two very different girls from this tight-knit community join up as ARP wardens to do their bit for the Home Front. Violet Simms lives with her controlling, widowed mother, who runs the local pawnshop. At just twenty years old, Violet longs for friendship, love and escape. It seems that her dreams might come true until tragedy strikes on one of the very worst nights of the Birmingham Blitz. Grace Templeton is the eldest in her family of ten children. Spirited Grace is determined never to become burdened by child-bearing and drudgery like her mother. Adored by childhood sweetheart Jimmy Oval, Grace believes she can do better. Volunteering as an ARP warden feels like a chance for adventure - until she sees the horror and reality of war first hand. In this blacked-out city, where not everyone is quite what they seem, she comes to realize that she is less in control of events than she had thought.The war will have long-lasting effects on every family . . . Long-buried secrets come to light, and their stories are woven together amid the intense bombing of Birmingham.The girls' lives will be changed forever by friendship and love, by tragedy and joy. PRAISE FOR ANNIE MURRAY 'Full of drama, love and compassion' Take a Break 'A tale of passion and empathy that will keep you hooked' Woman's Own 'A tender romance with a warm heart and a gritty streak of realism' Lancaster Guardian