ALWAYS REMEMBERING

Absence makes the heart grow fonder. Distance is not always a barrier to a determined heart bound together in love. Always Remembering by Kathy Kasunich tells a story of an undying love that conquers all trials and tribulations.

Helen was a pretty young lady who lived with her parents in a neighborhood in Pittsburgh. She wanted to become a nurse. Her dreams of attending high school were scattered by her mother, who vehemently refused to oblige her request despite all her pleas. To the delight of her sisters, who always teased her that she would be an old maid, two men started vying for her love and attention. Adam and Mike were both eligible young men who wanted a piece of Helen's heart. Mike happened to be Helen's brother-in-law. She met him during a family gathering and swore not to date him even if he were the last man on earth.

She dated Adam before Mike persuaded her to go on a probationary date with him. Helen was confused and indecisive but dated the two men for a while. She eventually fell in love with Mike, much to the chagrin of Adam. The love feast between the love birds was rudely interrupted by the breakout of the war. Mike had to travel overseas with only letters as their means of communication. Adam saw that as an opportunity to present an engagement ring to Helen. Should Helen grab this opportunity, or would their love stand the test? Read on to find out how Helen was able to solve this dilemma.

The book is divided into three parts. The first part is a narration of the romance between Helen and Mike. The second part revolves around Mike and his war experiences overseas. The third part is a continuation of the love between Helen and Mike. The historical account of the trail of the 42nd Rainbow Division during World War II was embedded in the book.

Each chapter contains the month and year that is being narrated. It guided me on the happenings that occurred during a certain period. The war brought about some downsides, including the government's ration system. Refugees lost their homes to German obliteration, and starvation and death ravaged the country. Mike's dedication to his work is worthy of emulation. He held on to prayers and the memories he had with the love of life to navigate through difficult times. I could finally breathe well when I finished reading part two of the book due to the grotesque description of the bloodshed during the war.

I particularly enjoyed reading Mike's letter to Helen. One could feel the love between them oozing out from the papers. It's nice how Helen and Mike resorted to prayers in every situation. Families can learn a lot from the habits of Helen and her family. I got to observe the little things that matter, like having family gatherings and taking a simple walk. There were a lot of emotional moments that added to the suspense and beauty of the plot. For the above reasons, I rate the book 4 out of 4 stars.

There wasn't any translation to the native language used during some conversations. I believe a glossary should be provided to that effect. The forty-one chapters could be merged, but I believe the author intentionally made it so as to narrate a certain phase in time for each chapter. Asides from the above, there were no other negative aspects.

The book was well edited, and I found a few errors that did not hinder my comprehension of the book. Lovers of historical romance will greatly enjoy reading the book. The book contains gory details of war, so people who cannot mentally accommodate violent scenes should avoid reading the book.

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Always remembering
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