Sarah
Author: Shanna Hatfield
Publication date: May 22nd 2025
Genres: Adult, Historical Romance
She desires his heart.
He longs for her love.
Can they find common ground when he returns forever altered by the war.In a world turned upside down by World War I, all Sarah Richards desires is to love Brett Rawlings and build a future together. After graduating high school a year early, she’s ready to dive into her dreams of college and a home filled with laughter and love. But one impulsive decision threatens all her aspirations—as well as her relationship with Brett.
As the war rages on and men head off to fight, sixteen-year-old Brett reluctantly follows his twin brother, Ben, sneaking off to France to join the American Expeditionary Forces. As the months pass, Ben thrives amidst the chaos of battle, while Brett finds himself haunted by the girl he left behind and the uncertainty of his own heart. When Ben reveals a life-altering secret, the bond between the brothers is shattered, forcing Brett to grapple with betrayal as he faces the brutal realities of war.
Brett returns home a changed man, burdened with memories too heavy to bear, yet yearning to mend the fractures of the past. Will Sarah still be waiting for him, or have time and truth forged an unbridgeable chasm between them?
Find out in this heartfelt historical romance that weaves a tale of hope, grace, forgiveness, and sweet, enduring love.
an excerpt
“Let’s go,” Ben said as they rushed out of the train station and flagged down a taxi to take them to the docks.
The taxi turned onto the street just as the 78th Infantry Division that they would now be part of arrived.
“Can you let us off down the block?” Ben asked when the driver started to stop near the front of the line of soldiers waiting to board.
“Sure,” the driver said, turning around and driving down the street to the end of the line of soldiers.
“Thanks, sir,” Brett said, paying the driver and giving him the basket of food their grandmother had packed. He and Ben hustled out of the car, moved into the line as though they’d been there all along, and hoped no one would notice them.
They’d learned from Paul and Jack they were part of the division that had been based in Camp Dix, New Jersey. The two men had been there training for months, so Brett and Ben could only hope they wouldn’t be immediately missed.
They figured if they made it to France, they could assume a different identity, or hopefully by then no one would notice or care they had taken the place of Paul and Jack.
As they stood in line, trying to act like they belonged there, Brett was at least gratified to see their haversacks appeared to be the same as everyone else’s and their uniforms were an exact match.
It took more than an hour of waiting for their turn to board. Brett kept his head down as he handed over his paperwork and the name of Paul Lewis was checked off the list followed by Jack Lewis.
Ben looked like he was about to crow in victory, but Brett gave him a warning look. Together, they made their way onto the ship and down to their quarters, where they’d sleep in a slung hammock with barely enough room to move between them.
As the ship set sail away from the dock, a band played patriotic tunes as befitted the occasion. Excitement and trepidation blended together among the occupants of the ship as they crowded together on the deck.
Surrounded by cheering soldiers, Brett removed his hat and tipped his head toward heaven, hoping and praying he would see the shores of New York again someday.
USA Today Bestselling Author Shanna Hatfield writes sweet romances rich with relatable characters, small town settings that feel like home, humor, and hope.
Her historical westerns have been described as “reminiscent of the era captured by Bonanza and The Virginian” while her contemporary works have been called “laugh-out-loud funny, and a little heart-pumping sexy without being explicit in any way.”
When this farm girl isn’t writing or indulging in rich, decadent chocolate, Shanna hangs out with her husband, lovingly known as Captain Cavedweller. She also experiments with recipes, snaps photos of her adorable nephew, and caters to the whims of a cranky cat named Drooley.
To learn more about Shanna or the books she writes, visit her website http://shannahatfield.com or find out more about her here: linktr.ee/ShannaHatfield
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