About the Book

Book title: Wheresoever They May Be
Author: Terri Wangard
Release date: August 31, 2017
Genre: Historical – World War II

Lily Swanson longs to be a mother. Soon Frank should be home for good and they can furnish a nursery. Maybe even find a bigger house. Joe Gallagher grew up in a small house with plenty of siblings. He loves the solitude of flying, but the war has dragged on for so long. He’s ready to go home. Susan Talbot has a bad attitude. She’s estranged from her family and she doesn’t attract friends. But war can bring out the best in people and Susan’s surprised to realize she’s happy. They all do their part in striving for victory in World War II. Sometimes, though, the danger can be hard to identify.

My Thoughts

Wheresoever They May Be is a well-written, powerful, and sometimes gritty book about realities of life during WWII. The novel follows four people whose lives intersect off and on at home and abroad. Author Terri Wangard has obviously conducted extensive research about the era, the factory work, and the military. Although sometimes overwhelming, I loved learning about aspects of the time period I was unfamiliar with. Several things also intrigued me enough to conduct my own research to learn more. Her characters are so real I found myself emotionally responding to the rude and unlikeable people and rooting for the “good guys.” The chapters alternate between Points of View creating page-turning suspense. There were several incidents which made me laugh out loud, and others which made me gasp. I love all of Terri’s books, and this is another great read. I didn’t give Wheresoever They May Be five stars because of the violence, but that is personal taste and not a criticism. The novel is, after all, about wartime. Highly recommended.

I received this book for free from CelebrateLit Publicity, and a favorable review was not required. All opinions expressed are my own.

About the Author

Terri Wangard grew up in Green Bay, Wisconsin, during the Lombardi Glory Years. Her first Girl Scout badge was the Writer. These days she is writing historical fiction, and won the 2013 Writers on the Storm contest and 2013 First Impressions, as well as being a 2012 Genesis finalist. Holder of a bachelor’s degree in history and a master’s degree in library science, she lives in Wisconsin. Her research included going for a ride in a WWII B-17 Flying Fortress bomber. Classic Boating Magazine, a family business since 1984, keeps her busy as an associate editor.

Guest Post from Terri Wangard

After eight years of thinking, breathing, researching B-17s, I was ready to disembark and concentrate on something else. But what? I had a vague idea of three friends who joined the WAC, the WAVES, and the WASPs, but nothing crystalized. Except for the WAC. I didn’t want to completely turn away from flying, and I prefer topics that aren’t commonly known. How about a grasshopper pilot? My second character was on board. I had toyed with the idea of a family generational series. A World War II story paired with a World War I story. But no, too unwieldy. The WAC could have a sister, though, who stayed on the home front and did factory work. Oh, dear. I couldn’t completely stay away from B-17s. She’s building them. She also needs a husband. He’ll be in the navy, and not on an aircraft carrier. A destroyer! (This was in the works before Sarah Sundin signed a contract for her just-concluded series about destroyer men. I checked with her: She was writing about the Atlantic war; my guy’s in the Pacific. No problem.) I studied the list of Pacific destroyers and, oooh, the Spence. All kinds of possibilities there. So there I had it: a sailor, his Rosie-the-Riveter wife, her WAC sister, and a grasshopper pilot. They’re all doing their part to help win the war, but sometimes the enemy isn’t obvious.