The power of the written word resonates in Tavia Gilbert’s and Kate Rudd’s compelling portrayals of war wives. Glory Whitehall, of Massachusetts, sends her first letter to Rita Vincenzo, of Iowa, in January 1943. Rudd voices 23-year-old Glory, who is expecting her second child while her husband is fighting in the war. Rudd instills a youthful optimism that balances well with the personality of her pen pal, Rita. Gilbert lends a sensible voice to a woman who waits for both her husband and her son to come home. The two women build a lasting friendship, forged during a fearful time. Both narrators do a beautiful job of saturating the letters with the sting of heartache, the shock of relief, and overwhelming love and support. AudioFile Magazine