Author: Nicola Harrison
Started: May 12, 2023
Finished: May 15, 2023
Format: Digital
Genre: Historical Fiction
In 1942, Hazel Francis leaves Kansas for California to do her part in the war effort. When the war is over, all female employees are released from their positions. Unable to go home for various reasons, she heads to Laguna Beach, a place she heard others speak so fondly of. With nowhere to go and no way to earn a living, she is introduced to artist Hanson Radcliff and begins working as his model and assistant. As Radcliffe ends his life, Hazel does all she can to fulfill his last wishes.
I enjoyed this story and the neat way it ended. Hazel was relatable as she was always concerned about her next step. She, like other girls of the era, felt the guilt of dating a boy who was going away to war only to break his heart. Hazel fit into the Laguna Beach crowd seamlessly and it was fun to watch her get to know herself. Nicola Harrison always tells a complete story that leaves no unfinished endings - there is always a resolution. It is always nice to see side characters be fully developed with backstories and personalities of their own. I will always be up to reading any novel Nicola Harrison writes.