Ike and Kay
From the fogbound streets of London reeling from the Blitz, Ike and Kay is a thrilling tale of wartime romance, brimming with love, duty, sacrifice and heartbreak, set against the backdrop of the most tumultuous period of the twentieth century.
It is 1942, and war-battered London plays host to the imposing figure of General 'Ike' Eisenhower on a vital mission for the US army. Kay Summersby, an ambulance driver who survived the horrors of the Blitz, is chosen to be his aide, a role that will change her life forever.
Charmed by Ike's affable and disarming nature - so different from the stiffness of British military convention - she accompanies him during the North African campaign against Rommel and the war in Europe against Nazi Germany. Amid the carnage a secret affair unfolds between the General and Kay but rumours of Ike's infidelity reach across the ocean to Washington - and worse yet, to his wife.
In a time where scandal and war threaten to break them apart, can Ike and Kay hold on to their love?
Book details
- Format
- Paperback
- ISBN
- 9780715652954
- Published
- 13 June 2019
- Pages
- 356
- Duration
- Dimensions
- 129 x 198 mm
- Genre
- Historical Fiction
- Imprint
- Duckworth
Reviews
‘MacManus has shown his ability to take the facts of a famous life and mould them into highly readable fiction…. [his] recreation of an affair conducted in the shadow of world-changing events successfully combines intimacy with an awareness of the wider picture’
‘The fascinating dramatisation of the true story of a secret love affair that contributed to the Allied victory during World War II... a deeply emotional read’
‘Offers a convincing picture of three crucial years of the Second World War and a devastating account of the culture in which male entitlement to sexual and emotional comfort was a given’
'A cracking wartime romance; sensitively and engagingly told'
'An epic piece of historical fiction... the danger of war and the uncertainty of survival is conveyed through MacManus's in-depth research... a relatable, and compelling story'
'In Ike and Kay, James MacManus has captured the powerful and little-known relationship between General Eisenhower and his Irish driver Kay Summersby during and just after the Second World War. With keen eye for historical detail and strong narrative voice, MacManus has expertly and artfully painted an intimate, authentic portrait of love, duty and sacrifice against the backdrop of the greatest events of the 20th century. Masterful!'
‘Thoroughly researched’
‘Ike and Kay sets the backdrop for an important time in history... [and] brings to life controversial romances and characters that shaped world history during the twentieth century’
