Nineteen Steps by Millie Bobby Brown

 In 1942 there is a vibrant community in the Bethnal Green neighborhood of London despite the war and frequent bombing. When the bomb sirens go off Nellie, age 18 and her family go into the yet unfinished tube station which has been converted into a bomb shelter. One of her best friends, Billy is a air raid warden, and her other best friend is Billy's sister.  Billy would like a more serious relationship with Nellie, but his hopes are shattered when Nellie meets a handsome American airman, Ray. As their relationship progresses, Ray gives Nellie hope of fulfilling her dream to leave Bethnal Green and see the bigger world. But then a terrible tragedy strikes. Nellie is left reexamining her relationships and ambitions. With all that the war has taken from her, will Nellie every have the chance for a happy life?

This is a charming and heartfelt historical fiction based on an actual event in the history of London's WWII days.  It is written and read by Millie, Bobby Brown, the actress who played Enola Holmes on Netflix, and also stared in Stranger Things. You always wonder if a book by a celebrity author will be any good, but this one was.  The writing isn't going to win a Pulitzer, but it was good enough.  The story deals grief and loss during war times, but emphasizes that love and community is what gets you through tragedy. Brown states that the story is "inspired" by her own great grandmother's experience, but doesn't go into detail about how much of the story is biographical. I think that probably her grandmother was in the tragic experience featured in the book, but I am guessing the rest is fiction. I am also guessing that a ghost writer helped Brown with the prose.  Still, this is a book I will be recommending to my friends who like WWII fiction. (320 p. 2023)