Historical Beach Reads

A former “Rosie the Riveter,” Hazel has done her part for the war effort, but now that the men are back, she’s been dismissed. Hazel doesn’t want to return home to become a wife or mother, though; she wants to work. Her love of airplanes didn’t end with the war, and she longs to work with them again, maybe even learn to fly someday. Staying on the West Coast in the bohemian town of Laguna, where she finds work as an artist’s assistant, is better than the alternative. But is it enough when her real dreams remain in the sky?

This entire book is centered around the importance of water to its main characters. An Indigenous foster child in 1940s Vancouver and a refugee in the 1970s find their comfort and belonging when they’re close to the water. For Ronny, the river is where he feels closest to his lost mother. For Chandra, swimming and surfing in the Salish Sea is the only place he doesn’t feel the need to conform. Though their lives are separate, their connection to water tethers them to the earth, themselves, and each other.

For the residents of Winthrop Island, the first summer after the war brings promises of peace and renewal. But a new resident at the Peabody Estate changes the life of the caretaker’s daughter, Olive, forever. Emilia encourages Olive to travel the world, living a life of adventure, but Olive is entangled in a romantic relationship with one of the Peabody sons. When an FBI agent arrives searching for a Russian spy, Emilia’s assistance causes a rift that will resonate through the years.