- Dante’s Gift: A Chicago Christmas #1
- Paper Love: A Chicago Christmas #2
- A Chicago Christmas Collection
- Merry Christmas Henry: A Chicago Christmas #3
- For the Love of Laura Beth: A Chicago Christmas #4
The Korean War destroyed their plans, but the battle at home may shatter their hearts...
Laura Beth Walters fell in love with Joe McCall when she was six years old. Now she is counting the days until Joey graduates from college so they can marry and begin their life together. But the Korean War rips their neatly laid plans to shreds. Instead of a college fraternity, Joey joins a platoon. Laura Beth trades a traditional wedding for a quick trip to the courthouse.
The couple endure the hardship of separation, but the true battle is faced when Joey returns from the war. Their marriage is soon tested beyond endurance. Laura must find a way to accept the tragedy thrown in their path or lose the love that has kept them anchored for so long. With a determination that only comes from the heart, Joe relentlessly fights an invisible enemy...for the love of Laura Beth.
Joe always looks out for Laura Beth. He doesn’t notice her as a young woman until Roger Willard buys her a soda. From then on, Laura is Joe’s girl. They plan to marry after Joe graduates from college, but his junior year, his mother, Dixie, gets sick with cancer and the money for school is spent on medical bills. Joe must work for a year to earn money to complete college. But before that happens, war breaks out in Korea and he is drafted. Bereft, the young people change their life plans again. Joe goes off to war and the longest wait of a lifetime begins. Will Joe come back to her from Korea?
A box of tissues is essential when reading “For the Love of Laura Beth”. So many emotions are involved in this novel! The reader remains engaged through the times of happiness and great tragedy this young couple experiences within the space of approximately fourteen years. Both characters have parents who are active in the story and are well-written. Through Dixie, Joe’s mother, we learn to understand and like Glenn, Laura’s father. Dixie is the voice of reason, even after she passes on. We see all the characters evolve during the novel, growing and blossoming, including the parents, as they learn to accept difficult circumstances. Disappointing though is the last thirteen percent of the novel is advertising for the author’s other works. Ms. Wynne’s work speaks for itself. “For the Love of Laura” is a beautiful love story that gives the good with the ugly and is very realistic in its presentation!
Finalist in BBB and The Beverly under previous title of Love's Challenge
Reviews
Joe always looks out for Laura Beth. He doesn’t notice her as a young woman until Roger Willard buys her a soda. From then on, Laura is Joe’s girl. They plan to marry after Joe graduates from college, but his junior year, his mother, Dixie, gets sick with cancer and the money for school is spent on medical bills. Joe must work for a year to earn money to complete college. But before that happens, war breaks out in Korea and he is drafted. Bereft, the young people change their life plans again. Joe goes off to war and the longest wait of a lifetime begins. Will Joe come back to her from Korea?
A box of tissues is essential when reading “For the Love of Laura Beth”. So many emotions are involved in this novel! The reader remains engaged through the times of happiness and great tragedy this young couple experiences within the space of approximately fourteen years. Both characters have parents who are active in the story and are well-written. Through Dixie, Joe’s mother, we learn to understand and like Glenn, Laura’s father. Dixie is the voice of reason, even after she passes on. We see all the characters evolve during the novel, growing and blossoming, including the parents, as they learn to accept difficult circumstances. Disappointing though is the last thirteen percent of the novel is advertising for the author’s other works. Ms. Wynne’s work speaks for itself. “For the Love of Laura” is a beautiful love story that gives the good with the ugly and is very realistic in its presentation! -- Belinda Wilson - InD'tale Magazine - 4 1/2 stars (eBook edition)
This audiobook tugs on the listener’s heartstrings. -- Carey Sullivan - InD'tale Magazine (audiobook edition)
Aubrey Wynne’s gift for heartwarming historical romance is well-known and one of the things I love most about her books. She takes a time period and brings it to life through emotional storytelling and life-like characters. I felt an instant connection to Laura Beth and her story is one many women faced in the 1950’s. Her reactions to ordinary events such as meeting the parents over Thanksgiving rang true. Seeing life as a newly married army wife through her eyes was eye-opening and heartbreaking all at once. - N. N. Light Reviews
A true love story. One of the very finest I have read and one that left me breathless. - Reader, Chook74