The American Boys

Olivia Spooner’s books are always a guaranteed great read and this was no exception. Set in Wellington in the 1940s when the US Marines were stationed at Paekākāriki, this opened my eyes to a period of WWII history I had never learnt about. We follow kiwi girls Lorna and Karen, best friends who meet the Americans and form friendships and relationships. Lorna’s older brothers are fighting overseas, and the arrival of the Americans gives her family something else to focus on and they welcome them with open arms. Lorna first befriends golden child Stan, but when he’s shipped off to Guadalcanal his younger brother Alfie arrives in Wellington. Lorna finds Alfie infuriating - the complete opposite of Stan, but they form a sort of friendship and she never forgets him after he too is sent to fight. I don’t want to say too much without giving away the story, but this was just wonderful. Olivia has such a talent for making her characters feel like real people and I was completely absorbed and invested in the lives of all of the characters. Reading from various POVs also added a lot of depth to the story and helped me feel connected to the characters. While a love story at its core, it doesn’t shy away from the harsh realities of war which I appreciated. I absolutely loved Lorna as a character - she was independent and wasn’t out to impress anyone. Her and Karen’s friendship was just lovely, and her parents were so kind when others weren’t. This is a wonderful read with a satisfying ending and I would highly recommend it to all lovers of historical fiction!