The Bungalow , by Sarah Jio. Publisher: Plume (December 27, 2011). Romance. Paperback, 290 pp.

What spoke to me was nursing, in all its gritty rawness. It promised to fulfill a part of me that had lain empty for the majority of my life a part that longed to help others in a way that had nothing to do with money.

When I sent author Sarah Jio a tweet about her novel The Bungalow, I had no idea it was a romance. I never delve into that genre. However for a diversion, The Bungalow takes an intriguing, clever concept, mixes in a murder mystery and WWII and turns out quite the page turner. Is the WWII bungalow that a soldier and nurse fall in love in the same one that artist Paul Gaugin found solace within? Anne Calloway lives a privileged life but decides to join the Army Nurse Corp during WWII. She’s recently engaged and doesn’t particularly need to work but wanted to go to nursing school anyway. At the start I liked Anne’s attitude and seemingly feminist spirit. At times it’s a bit too romance-y with predictable meetings and reunions but Jio compensates by providing lovely descriptions of Bora Bora.

purchase at Amazon: The Bungalow: A Novel