The Last Reunion
Kayte Nunn
Reviewed by Helen
This is a beautifully written story, taking us back to World War 2 and the year 1999, were we get to meet strong woman, learn about Japanese Netsuke and join the woman in a reunion after being apart for decades, the time has come for rekindling strong friendships and opening up about the past.
Burma 1945 and five woman have joined the forces to run a canteen as close to the frontline as any woman have gone before, building morale in the troops and providing food tea and essentials for them there are dance nights and in some terrible conditions, but lots of fun times as well. Bea, Plum, Joy, Lucy and Bubbles also form friendships to last a lifetime, they are known as The Wasbies and are a formidable team.
London 1999 and Beatrix gets in contact with an art dealer to sell a very valuable Japanese art collection, young Australian Olivia who is working as an intern for the art dealer is sent to meet with Beatrix and find out the details and ensure that all is good to sell, this starts another friendship when Bea is invited to a reunion of her Wasbies friends on New Year’s Eve and Olivia travels with Bea to Ireland and a lot of truths are told to get the paperwork needed to sell the collection, a collection that had been stolen from an exhibit in 1976 and never located.
When Olivia meets the formidable Beatrix she has no idea what she is getting into as she uncovers secrets from fifty years ago, with Bea opening up about her past and Olivia discovering some old journals and sketches this opens up even more to what these woman had gone through, I loved this story getting to know the woman filled me with lots of emotion, the slipping from past to present was done so well and I felt very much part of the story.
This is a story not to be missed I fell into it from the start, compelling and poignant, I loved the mystery and uncovering the truth about the netsuke. I felt the emotions running through these woman the danger they went through and the courage they showed, it is moving and emotional and yes there were tears from me and a lot of cheering as well I had never heard of these woman and am so glad I have now. I do highly recommend this one, it is a keeper.
My thanks to Hachette AUS for my copy to read and review.
Burma 1945 and five woman have joined the forces to run a canteen as close to the frontline as any woman have gone before, building morale in the troops and providing food tea and essentials for them there are dance nights and in some terrible conditions, but lots of fun times as well. Bea, Plum, Joy, Lucy and Bubbles also form friendships to last a lifetime, they are known as The Wasbies and are a formidable team.
London 1999 and Beatrix gets in contact with an art dealer to sell a very valuable Japanese art collection, young Australian Olivia who is working as an intern for the art dealer is sent to meet with Beatrix and find out the details and ensure that all is good to sell, this starts another friendship when Bea is invited to a reunion of her Wasbies friends on New Year’s Eve and Olivia travels with Bea to Ireland and a lot of truths are told to get the paperwork needed to sell the collection, a collection that had been stolen from an exhibit in 1976 and never located.
When Olivia meets the formidable Beatrix she has no idea what she is getting into as she uncovers secrets from fifty years ago, with Bea opening up about her past and Olivia discovering some old journals and sketches this opens up even more to what these woman had gone through, I loved this story getting to know the woman filled me with lots of emotion, the slipping from past to present was done so well and I felt very much part of the story.
This is a story not to be missed I fell into it from the start, compelling and poignant, I loved the mystery and uncovering the truth about the netsuke. I felt the emotions running through these woman the danger they went through and the courage they showed, it is moving and emotional and yes there were tears from me and a lot of cheering as well I had never heard of these woman and am so glad I have now. I do highly recommend this one, it is a keeper.
My thanks to Hachette AUS for my copy to read and review.
5 stars
Expected publication: March 30th 2021 by Hachette Australia
