Normally I’m very certain about the kind of books I like – either a light-hearted romance with a sprinkle of humour, or a cosy mystery.  It’s as simple as that.  But recently I stepped away from my norm and picked up Before the Fall by Juliet West.

Set during WWI in London’s working class East End, Before the Fall is a a story based very closely on fact.  Its female protagonist falls for another man while her husband is away fighting, and she must face the consequences while battling to survive everyday life with two small children in a city constantly under attack.

I usually wouldn’t dream of picking up anything without a happy end, and I knew Before the Fall wasn’t going to offer me this just by reading the testimonials at the beginning.  However, as soon as I picked it up, I couldn’t put it down –  I was desperate to get to the end to find out what would happen to the tragic lovers!

What made the book even more compelling is because it was true.  The names were changed but the story was very close to fact.  I was so fascinated to find out the story of the real people behind the book that I googled it afterwards.

Before the Fall is one of those books that stays with you long after you’ve read to the last chapter, and I’d highly recommend it.  The writing is beautiful, and it teaches the reader so much about an important, but often forgotten time.