A bittersweet story of hearts in sync yet never in step.
Legation officer Piper Burton is good at her job… maybe too good. Efforts to get her transferred home from Kuwait have been unsuccessful, though that doesn’t stop her fiancé, Mark “Russ” Russell, from making a few phone calls. And Russ has the ear of some very powerful men. But after his recent failed foreign service assignment, it’s difficult to tell who is on Russ’s side and who might be trying to destroy his reputation. So while Piper endures her lonely overseas post, Russ scrambles to rebuild his career and plan for a life with his future wife, all while fanning the embers of a past love he never extinguished. With the war in full swing, Russ is called on to accept a quiet but consequential assignment, one that requires subtlety, secrecy, and difficult choices. Of course, Russ is no stranger to these demands. His missteps haunt him, old relationships open new wounds, and the war is closing in with an intimacy he hoped to avoid. Piper is waiting for him. His mother needs him. Old friends are counting on him. The United States government is relying on him. The margin for error is small, the cost of hesitation is great, and the geopolitical climate might be reshaped if he fails in his new position. But in war, not all casualties are lost on the battlefield.
From dramatic action scenes to private meals with President Roosevelt, An Ocean Between sweeps readers into a world of global conflict, stinging betrayals, and the vulnerable human moments that make it all worth fighting for. David Tanner’s immersive historical fiction novel blends elements of romantic suspense, espionage, and emotional drama. At the book’s outset, the war is little more than a recurring headline at the beginning of each chapter, marking time and tying the story to World War II. Romantic entanglements and obligations soon give way to an international thriller that reminds readers of the murky ethics of intelligence work, social expectations placed on men and women at the time, and the personal sacrifices made in the name of duty. The author threads historical context into the novel through character choices and dialogue, allowing details like soda jerks, indoor smoking, victory gardens, and ration cards to shape the setting naturally. With emotional depth that feels rich and organic, even readers entering mid-series can slip into the maze of characters and their unique backstories with relative ease. A bittersweet story of hearts in sync yet never in step, An Ocean Between blends spycraft, bad-news telegrams, and love stretched thin by time, distance, and war.
