Carla's Book Crush

These Long Shadows by Jennifer Mistmorgan
Series: On Victory’s Wings – Book 3
Publisher: Independently Published
Release Date: March 21, 2025
Genre: Historical Romance WWII

​​How do they rebuild a marriage that wasn’t real in the first place?

London, 1945: Two years ago, Jonty Ables married Katie Baines to save her and her unborn baby from shame. But now the war is all but over, the baby is gone and they must work out where their shaky marriage fits into lives irrevocably changed by war.

Clinging to the memory of a time before all happiness evaporated, Katie works hard during the day as a seamstress. At night she comes home to a tiny terrace on a bomb-scarred street, crammed with her extended family and their problems. Years of estrangement sit between her and her recently demobilized husband. She’s not even sure she loves him, so why is she so crushed that he calls out another woman’s name in his sleep?

Jonty is determined to honor the vows he made no matter how many ghosts now plague him, but with such separate lives his wife is more of a stranger than ever. When Katie’s friend goes missing, Jonty seizes the opportunity to help her find him just so they have a reason to talk. But the war casts long shadows over their efforts, and fighting for their future might just be the hardest battle of them all.

If you love epic wartime romance with a dash of intrigue, you’ll love this second-chance, marriage-of-convenience love story.

PURCHASE LINKS:
Goodreads | buy from the author | Amazon
Barnes & Noble | Bookshop | BookBub

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More In This Series

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About the Author

Australian author Jennifer Mistmorgan sometimes feels like she was born in the wrong era. So she writes romantic historical fiction set in the 1940s, against the backdrop of WWII and its aftermath. She infuses her sweet romances with wartime drama, gentle faith and a dash of intrigue. She lives in Canberra with her family and a wonky-eared West Highland terrier.

Connect with Jennifer by visiting jennifermistmorgan.com to follow her on social media and subscribe to email newsletter updates.

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Author Q&A

Hello, Jennifer. Thank you for agreeing to do this interview. First off, I just want to say that I love your website and Instagram page. You seem like such a fun, happy person.

Mistmorgan: Thank you :)

Now, let’s jump into grilling you, I mean the interview.  

CB: What draws you to writing historical romance set around World War II? Do you have a favorite aspect of researching this time period?  

Mistmorgan: I find the WWII period endlessly fascinating. It was such a tumultuous time for the entire world. No matter where you lived you were impacted in some way by the war. Every graph you see of the 20th century has some sort of blip in the 1940s that indicates the global disruption it caused. The drama of that truly global story draws me in because it means their are so many stories within that big, global story… and the fact that the conditions of the war mean you have a whole range of exciting or intriguing ways for men and women to meet and fall in love, which is perfect for writing romance!  

Aviation is probably my favourite thing to research. I have inherited a love of it from my dad. But I tend to dive deeply into any subject and latch onto the little details that help make a story work.  

CB: Your books are known for being high on swoon but low on spice. How do you balance creating deep, romantic tension while keeping the story clean and wholesome?   

Mistmorgan: I try to write what I love to read and that focuses more on the emotions of falling in love, rather than the physical nature of a relationship. However, These Long Shadows is a marriage-of-convenience, so it was a delicate balance to write about desire without getting too spicy! I think I managed, but you tell me. 

I’m not a fan of the morally grey hero, because actually kindness, goodness, and patience are all very attractive qualities in men. And there’s nothing more swoony than a man treating a woman well! 

CB: Faith plays a significant role in your novels, particularly as your characters grapple with doubt, grace, and God’s love. How does your own faith influence your storytelling?  

Mistmorgan: I think that Christians are subjects of a good and perfect God, rather than being good and perfect people. What I love about specifically Christian fiction is the permission I have to write about a character’s spiritual dimensions and their walk with Jesus. But wherever they are in that journey, my characters are as flawed and sinful as every other human being. So my stories don’t graphically depict anything that I know readers don’t want to read. But my characters are often grappling with sin and its consequences (as we all do in real life). Basically, I’m not aiming to demonstrate a perfect Christian life in my books, but I hope they point to a perfect, loving God.  

CB: These Long Shadows features a marriage of convenience set against the backdrop of post-war London. What inspired this storyline, and what do you hope readers take away from Katie and Jonty’s relationship?  

Mistmorgan: I met Katie and Jonty while writing Heart in the Clouds, and I just knew there was more to their story. I also knew in my bones that Katie’s baby died, and that I wanted to write about the pain and grief of a child passing away (which is something that has happened to me). The story went from there. When I got to the end of writing the series, I realised that grief was a recurring theme in all the stories. This wasn’t intentional, but it was definitely God’s hand at work. Ultimately, I want people to know that Jesus makes it possible for us to grieve with hope.  

CB:  These Long Shadows is part of your On Victory’s Wings series but can be read as a standalone. For readers new to your books, where would you recommend they start? 

Mistmorgan: That depends on the type of reader you are! If you are very committed to starting from the beginning of a series, go for Heart in the Clouds. All the characters began their lives in my head in that book. But if you only read one of my books, make it These Long Shadows. It is probably my favourite. It was the hardest to write, but it is the most hope-filled, and I think the swooniest one :)  

CB: Your stories beautifully intertwine faith, history, and romance. As a Christian author, how can readers support you—not just as a writer, but also in the faith-centered work you’re doing through your books?  

Mistmorgan: . Thank you! And what a lovely thing to ask. You can always pray. It’s usually the most practical thing we can do for each other as Christians. And we writers thrive with encouragement. DMs from readers, or newsletter replies, or even one-line reviews saying you’ve loved a book, really do help spur us on ;) 

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Tour Giveaway

(1) winner will receive a $20 Amazon Gift Card (USD)!

(5) additional winners will each receive an ebook bundle of all 3 books in the “On Victory’s Wings” series!

Full tour schedule linked below. The giveaway begins at midnight March 25, 2025 and will last through 11:59 PM EST on April 1, 2025. Winner will be notified within 2 weeks of close of the giveaway and given 48 hours to respond or risk forfeiture of prize. Open internationally. Void where prohibited by law or logistics.

Giveaway is subject to JustRead Publicity Tours Giveaway Policies.

Enter Giveaway

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Follow along at JustRead Tours for a full list of stops!