Love blooms in the darkest days…

Discover this heart-wrenching, life-affirming tale of first romance in the face of the tragic events of an often forgotten piece of WW2 history.

'Will make you swoon, laugh, and even cry' Daily Mirror

'A dazzling debut' Woman's Own

'A spellbinding read' Fiona Davis

★★★

London, 1942.

Despite the raging war, spirited 18-year-old Nellie Morris lives a quiet life in the tight-knit East End community of Bethnal Green. Her family and friends all tease that she will marry air raid warden Billy, the boy next door who’s always been sweet on her.

The arrival of Ray, a handsome American airman stationed nearby, causes Nellie to question everything she thought she knew about her future.

Nellie’s new-found happiness is short-lived when a tragic accident occurs during an air raid. Even the closest family can’t escape the devastation of war, and as the secrets and truth about that fateful night become clear, they threaten to tear Nellie – and those dearest to her – apart.

’There is no healing without remembering, and there is no remembering without stories. So thank goodness Brown’s Nanny Ruth, who was a survivor of the crush, told her granddaughter what she remembered…You might open Nineteen Steps for the celebrity name, but stick with it for the history of an under-recognized event of World War II.’ New York Times