Friends and Enemies

War can make strange bedfellows, which has never been truer than in Wangard’s debut novel, the first in her new Promise for Tomorrow series. World War II rages across Europe, particularly in Germany, claiming the life of Heidi Wetzel’s husband. In a bid to escape her grief and the frequent bombings of German cities, Heidi and her sister flee Hagen to a farm in the German countryside, where they help care for orphaned children. While there, Heidi comes across an American airman, Paul, with whom she spent time when her family was living in Milwaukee during her high school years. When Paul’s plane is later shot down over Germany, his only thought is survival—until he hears God’s voice guiding him back to his childhood friend. Though this is an interesting glimpse of the war’s ravages, most of the book is spent switching perspectives from Paul to Heidi and is focused on their relationship. A marked lack of character depth and a surfeit of shallow affect is cushioned by a glimmer of adventure, but that ultimately goes unrealized. The rushed ending, following an overly extensive narrative, is the final disappointment in an otherwise inspiring book. (Jan.)