Carrying on the Campion family saga, it explores the difficulties of balancing love and duty, family and the heart. It is, once again, an easy read but it is enjoyable and you are emotionally tied to the characters,a s one would expect by book 3! I an still keen to read the remaining books in the saga. ( )

The third in Annie Groves’ Campion Family series, The Heart of the Family follows this Liverpool family through the days World War II. By this book it is the winter of 1941 and Liverpool has experienced a series of brutal bombings as the Nazi’s attempted to close this valuable harbour. Down-heartened and dispirited, now they must find the energy and will to continue the battle.

The immediate family is a close knit one and everyone participates in their own way to the war effort, from fire-watching to nursing. The two youngest, the twins having had their place of employment bombed, and are searching for new jobs It appears that they have snagged jobs at the telephone exchange, which pleases one but not the other who longs for more excitement in her life. The eldest daughter is in her final months of nursing training and is looking forward to her graduation and subsequent wedding day. Meanwhile Luke, the son of the family, has received notice that his unit is about to be shipped out to the deserts of Africa.

We follow the stories of each member, along with their aunts, uncles and cousins. All are involved or affected by the war. These various stories evolve to give us a very clear picture of Liverpool during this time in history. The author actually drew on her own family’s experiences and stories told to her by her grandmother.

Engaging and well written, the reader gets very involved in all the characters storylines, rooting for the favourites and now eagerly waiting for the next book to see what happens to these people next. ( )