It's the summer of 1941. Europe is at war, but New York's Thousand Islands are at the height of the tourist season. Kennet Fiskare, son of a hotel proprietor, is having the summer of a lifetime, having fallen deeply in love with a Swedish-Brazilian guest named Astrid Virtanen. But the affair is cut short, first by Astrid's family obligations, then by America's entry into the war. The rigors of military life help dull Kennet's heartache, but when his battalion reaches France he is thrown into front line combat. As his unit crosses Europe, Kennet falls into a different kind of love: the intense camaraderie between soldiers. Sustained by his friendships, Kennet both witnesses and commits the unthinkable atrocities of warfare, altering his view of the world and himself. To the point where a second chance with Astrid in peacetime might be the most terrifying and consequential battle he's ever fought.
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