Just Once Book Review

Summary

In 1941, beautiful Irvel Holland is too focused on her secret to take much notice of the war raging overseas. She’s dating Sam but in love with his younger brother, Hank—her longtime best friend—and Irvel has no idea how to break the news. Then the unthinkable happens—Pearl Harbor is attacked. With their lives turned upside down overnight, Sam is drafted and convinces Hank to remain in Indiana, where he and Irvel take up the battle on the home front.

While Sam fights in Europe, an undeniable chemistry builds between Irvel and Hank but neither would dare cross that line. Then, two military leaders pay Irvel a visit at the classroom where she teaches. The men have plans for her, a proposition to join a new spy network. One catch: She can tell no one.

With Irvel caught between two brothers thousands of miles apart, can love find a way, even from the ashes of the greatest heartbreak?

Review

This was a great story. My sister bought this book for me as a Christmas gift this year. Well, we were in Walmart and I was about to buy it when she had my niece distract me while she sneakily bought it for me. I’m grateful though. Thanks Brandi! I would also like to mention that while I was visiting my grandparents, I noticed that my grandmother – who is in her eighties – was reading that very book. Karen Kingsbury is very popular with some of the book worms in our family. Before I could be resigned to the fact that some of my reading tastes are the same as eighty year old women, I saw my niece pick up this book and then try to take it, knowing full well that my grandmother hadn’t finished it yet. So this book is good for anyone from twelve years old to eighty. 

I couldn’t put it down. Normally, Christian romance novels don’t hold my interest for very long, however Just Once held it and wouldn’t let me go. I love historical fiction, and war dramas are no exception. What was ver exceptional about this books was the integration of the OSS into the story. I’ve read many books about World War Two, but I’ve never heard of the Office of Strategic Services before, much less that many of the participants were women. For those who don’t know, the OSS was a group of people tasked with gathering information about the Germans and Japanese for the US, and help them end the War. Irvel was one of the many people asked to join the OSS, due to her math skills. It made her so interesting.

The love story between Irvel and Hank had a lot of twists and turns. I liked that they didn’t get together right away. The tension built pretty well between them. It did become frustrating to see how Irvel and Hanks choices made things more complicated. I definitely had the urge to throw the book across the room and bang my head against a wall. However, once the US enters World War Two, the story picks up. Over all though, the love story was sweet and pretty solid. Since it is a Christian book, don’t expect many or any spicy scenes. There are mentions of wanting to be intimate, but waiting until marriage. 

Overall, I enjoyed this book. I would highly recommend it.

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