ABOUT:
A widow’s visit to a storied Iowa ballroom sparks memories of World War II and her fateful decision between true love and duty to her family.
Lorraine Kindred’s most cherished memories are of the Surf Ballroom, the place where youth lost themselves to the brassy sounds and magnetic energy of the big band swing, where boys spent their last nights before shipping off to war—and where Lorraine herself was swept away by a star-crossed romance.
Returning to the ballroom for the first time in decades, Lorraine enters a dazzling world she thought long vanished. But as the sparkling past comes to life, so does the fateful encounter that forced her to choose between her heart and her duty all those years ago—and Lorraine must face the secret she’s buried ever since. Along the way, she’ll rediscover herself, her passion, and her capacity for resilience.
Set during the 1940s and the present and inspired by a real-life ballroom, Loretta Ellsworth’s Stars Over Clear Lake is a moving story of forbidden love, lost love, everlasting love—and self love.
PRAISE & RECOGNITION:
“Ellsworth’s depiction of 1940s life in a rural Iowa town, complicated by the tragedies of World War II, vividly brings this novel to life. Yet it is the focus on love, loss, and life choices that will resonate most with the reader.”
“Fans of romance and historical fiction alike will enjoy Ellsworth’s enhanced vision of mid-America in the 1940s and what really brought the Surf Ballroom crashing down. For anyone with ties to this brief moment in history, this dance is for you.”
AUTHOR VISITS:
Author visits with Loretta are available via Adventures by the Book.