Broken Rainbows (ebook)

Argumento de Broken Rainbows (ebook)

?A page-turner... a terrific read? Susan Sallis

"A powerful tale of survival and hardship, very well crafted and with strong characters" - Publishing News

Broken Rainbows - Book Seven of the Hearts of Gold series by Catrin Collier

It is 1942 and, in the wake of America's entry into the war, the small community of Pontypridd suffers its own - not entirely welcome - GI invasion.

The South Carolina Regiment billeted on the town soon cuts a swathe through its women, living up to GI's reputation as "over-paid, over-sexed and over here". For Bethan, whose husband is a POW in Germany, and her friend Alma, whose husband is missing, the arrival of the American officers brings new and dangerous friendships. While for Jenny, a bitter young war widow, it is a chance to bury her grief in a series of one-night stands.

The women are caught between loyalty to their men folk and the very real attraction of the GIs, and when tragedy strikes the mines, the tension reaches breaking point...

'We shouldn't see one another again, at least not like this.'

'Is that what you want?'

When she didn't answer he slipped his fingers beneath her chin and lifted her face, forcing her to look at him. 'I'm glad, because I couldn't bear that either.' He tried to imagine living and working in Pontypridd and not seeing her, and shuddered at the bleak thought.

'But you must never, never kiss me again. And when I visit the hospital you must take me straight home. If you want to talk to me, it must be in front of Bethan or Maisie.'

'Yes,' he agreed hollowly.

'Do you understand what I said?'

'Everything. But that's next time. Can't we stay together for now? I'll tell you about Cuba, and America and my family and we'll pretend -'

'That I'm not married and you're not engaged?'

'Yes - no - and that there isn't a war and we're just two compadres - comrades, friends, who meet once a week to talk.'

'Only if we go somewhere where there are other people.'

'The New Inn?'

'The cafe,' she said, thinking of their bank balances.

'I think we should go to the New Inn. A little luxury would help me to forget the hospital for a while, and you the factory.'

'And that we kissed.' But as she grasped the bag of crumbs and followed him back to his bike she knew that she would never forget that kiss. Not as long as she lived.0