The Love Immigrants — Barbara Celeste McCloskey

The worst war in Europe is finally over in May, 1945, and after dancing in the streets of London, it's time to build a future people never thought they would have. The "war brides," who married American servicemen during the war, will begin their journeys across the Atlantic to be reunited with their husbands. As they board the great ships like the "Queen Mary," they have over a week to calm their anxieties about how they will be received in their new homeland. They are leaving everything dear to them - their country, their home, their family and their friends. With only small suitcases, they look forward to a long life with the men they love. Katie, Heidi and Jenny are three such brides. They have become women during the course of the war on the strength of their friendships, and now their bravery will take them on a much different journey. Barbara Celeste McCloskey lives in Southeastern Wisconsin with her husband and four-legged "children." She teaches writing at Gateway Technical College and holds a BA in English with a writing concentration from the University of Wisconsin. Her novels include: Apple Pie and Strudel Girls, Stranger in the Spotlight and Tea and Biscuit Girls.