“Show me a hero and I’ll write you a tragedy.” – F. Scott Fitzgerald
Love isn’t perfect, and marriage isn’t always easy. In fact, so many romance novels end when the marriage begins. People change after marriage—some for better, some for worse—and I don’t think its fair to base someone’s love story on the easiest part of their romance while leaving out the difficult times, the sad times, and the times when they question whether they made the right decision.
For Linley and Patrick, their relationship was only just coming into its own when the First World War broke out. Of course Patrick would join up, and of course Linley would hate the idea of seeing her new husband set off for the Front. War separated husbands and wives for long periods of time. Men weren’t always able to take leave and, when they did return home, they were often different.
I wanted to explore the ravages war, separation, and personal trauma can have on a loving relationship. Most importantly, I needed to show that just because someone is going through difficult times—Patrick is a real jerk through a lot of the story—doesn’t mean they aren’t worth loving, that they aren’t worth fighting for, and that they couldn’t find redemption in the arms of the one they love.