Until Our Time Comes

In her riveting debut romance novel for adults based on true events, author Nicole Miller offers a glimpse into World War II not often encountered in novels based on that period. In 1939, with Janów Podlaski Stud Farm in Poland as the main setting, Miller explores the traumatic history of how Russian and German invaders wreaked havoc on the farm that specialized in breeding Arabian horses.

American horse trainer Adia Kensington has deep roots in Janów Podlaski because of the role her Polish mother played during World War I in trying to save the renowned farm’s horses from the occupiers. Now, Adia finally has the chance to work at Janów Podlaski. Her goal is to bring an invaluable stallion back to her farm in America. But Adia’s life and hopes are disrupted when Germany invades Poland.

At Janów Podlaski, Adia meets Bret Conway, a supposed journalist. But unbeknownst to Adia and others at the farm, Bret is a British intelligence officer.

When Adia convinces the director of Janów Podlaski to evacuate 250 horses to a safe farm far away from the fighting, she is filled with joy and hope. But calamities abound and the entire evacuation must be reversed. Though Adia feels a crushing sense of failure, she has no way of imagining the other disasters that lay ahead and will intensify her sense of helplessness.

Bret, too, struggles with failures of his own. When he makes a promise to the director of Janów Podlaski that he will keep Adia safe—a promise Adia’s now-deceased parents had asked the director to fulfill many years prior—Bret begins to realize that he can do no such thing. He understands that he isn’t in control of his life, or Adia’s choices, or the trajectory of the war. Adia, too, learns her limitations against the background of conflict and displacement.

Adia and Bret are attracted to each other, then rebuffed by each other time and again. However, the trials and traumas of war slowly forge their acquaintance into something more. Each wonders about a future with the other, yet their common goal to save the horses and to frustrate the efforts of their joint enemies continue to propel them into a deeper trust over the years.

Author Nicole Miller hints at Adia and Bret’s respective spiritual struggles, but she avoids trite answers to complex questions and quietly points to God’s sovereignty over international and personal events.

In an author note, Miller explains the background to her fast-paced, exhilarating novel: “The core pieces of this story are true: Poland, its people, its culture, and by extension, its Arabian horse-breeding program faced decimation in both World War I and World War II. When it came to Janów Podlaski, one of the several state-sponsored stables, a few brave civilians worked to save the priceless horses in 1939. The efforts of local partisans and civilians cannot be overstated. They faced insurmountable odds, endured brutal occupation, and picked up the pieces left behind.”

Until Our Time Comes offers an enjoyable and thought-provoking reading experience that will appeal to history buffs and fans of romance novels alike. (Revell)