The Sergeant and the Girl Next Door
This is a sweet romance about a soldier returning from World War II to his hometown in Ohio and what he goes through to readjust to civilian life, complicated by his feelings for the girl next door. Faith blames Davis for convincing her brother Patrick to enlist and subsequently be killed in battle, the shock of which caused Faith’s father’s death. Faith is the only family member capable of carrying on her father’s bricklaying business, and she struggles as a young businesswoman in the 1940s. Davis needs a job and talks a reluctant Faith into hiring him. He tries to hide his love but can’t help being jealous when she frequently goes dancing with rival Freddy, who evaded having to serve.
Rupper strikes the right balance of attraction versus hesitation between the two protagonists; the plot does not feel dragged out too long while they work out their conflicts. Their relationship is believable as the reader sees them grow and change to adapt to the new postwar world. A couple of small historical errors (wrong era for MREs and yellow ribbons) do not detract from the very satisfying plot and relationship. Strongly recommended to sweet romance fans.
