--- product_id: 521450259 title: "Beyond That, the Sea: A Novel" price: "£20.06" currency: GBP in_stock: true reviews_count: 13 url: https://www.desertcart.co.uk/products/521450259-beyond-that-the-sea-a-novel store_origin: GB region: United Kingdom --- # Beyond That, the Sea: A Novel **Price:** £20.06 **Availability:** ✅ In Stock ## Quick Answers - **What is this?** Beyond That, the Sea: A Novel - **How much does it cost?** £20.06 with free shipping - **Is it available?** Yes, in stock and ready to ship - **Where can I buy it?** [www.desertcart.co.uk](https://www.desertcart.co.uk/products/521450259-beyond-that-the-sea-a-novel) ## Best For - Customers looking for quality international products ## Why This Product - Free international shipping included - Worldwide delivery with tracking - 15-day hassle-free returns ## Description “Spence-Ash has written the novel in eight points of view, but each character is utterly three-dimensional and distinct. This debut novel captivated me from start to finish." ―Julia Quinn, author of the Bridgerton Series A sweeping, tenderhearted love story, Beyond That, the Sea by Laura Spence-Ash tells the story of two families living through World War II on opposite sides of the Atlantic Ocean, and the shy, irresistible young woman who will call them both her own. As German bombs fall over London in 1940, working-class parents Millie and Reginald Thompson make an impossible choice: they decide to send their eleven-year-old daughter, Beatrix, to America. There, she’ll live with another family for the duration of the war, where they hope she’ll stay safe. Scared and angry, feeling lonely and displaced, Bea arrives in Boston to meet the Gregorys. Mr. and Mrs. G, and their sons William and Gerald, fold Bea seamlessly into their world. She becomes part of this lively family, learning their ways and their stories, adjusting to their affluent lifestyle. Bea grows close to both boys, one older and one younger, and fills in the gap between them. Before long, before she even realizes it, life with the Gregorys feels more natural to her than the quiet, spare life with her own parents back in England. As Bea comes into herself and relaxes into her new life―summers on the coast in Maine, new friends clamoring to hear about life across the sea―the girl she had been begins to fade away, until, abruptly, she is called home to London when the war ends. Desperate as she is not to leave this life behind, Bea dutifully retraces her trip across the Atlantic back to her new, old world. As she returns to post-war London, the memory of her American family stays with her, never fully letting her go, and always pulling on her heart as she tries to move on and pursue love and a life of her own. As we follow Bea over time, navigating between her two worlds, Beyond That, the Sea emerges as a beautifully written, absorbing novel, full of grace and heartache, forgiveness and understanding, loss and love. Review: The best book of the past several years! - My eyes are still a bit damp, after having read just now the Epilogue of this book in tears. I would give this novel 10 stars if I could! This triumphant novel is Laura Spence-Ash’s debut book although one would think she’s been writing novels for years. There is so much emotion, love, loss, grief and happiness in this story. Based on true events, this is a fictional story of a British girl being sent to live in America during the Blitz of London during WWII. All that the families live through are historical events from 1940-1977. The style of writing is excellent, alternating between each character and his/her own experiences. The book is written in present tense which normally I do not care for but in this style of writing, it works. There are no quotations for the each character’s speech, but I think I was confused only once or twice. I loved having six years at a time written on the bottom of each page, highlighting the year to which she is writing instead of announcing the years at chapter heads. I learned so much about life in this novel. We need to live fully throughout our lives, not letting one day go by when we don’t express to each other our love and desires. Memories hold dear and for me, this was particularly true, as I had similar summer experiences as did the American family. There is no obscene words or sex in this book, just wonderful storytelling about how important it is to live each day fully. I had only one issue and that is the print is small and could be a problem for some readers. Truly a masterpiece! Review: Enjoyable read - I had read some reviews before reading this book and was skeptical. Glad I picked it up and read it. I didn't mind how it was written, going back and forth with the characters. I think it made it easier to understand them. I loved the storyline and how over time it came full circle. ## Technical Specifications | Specification | Value | |---------------|-------| | Best Sellers Rank | #84,992 in Books ( See Top 100 in Books ) #191 in World War II Historical Fiction #1,045 in Women's Domestic Life Fiction #2,255 in Literary Fiction (Books) | | Customer Reviews | 4.5 out of 5 stars 19,415 Reviews | ## Images ![Beyond That, the Sea: A Novel - Image 1](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/81C1rEG58VL.jpg) ## Customer Reviews ### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ The best book of the past several years! *by L***S on December 4, 2023* My eyes are still a bit damp, after having read just now the Epilogue of this book in tears. I would give this novel 10 stars if I could! This triumphant novel is Laura Spence-Ash’s debut book although one would think she’s been writing novels for years. There is so much emotion, love, loss, grief and happiness in this story. Based on true events, this is a fictional story of a British girl being sent to live in America during the Blitz of London during WWII. All that the families live through are historical events from 1940-1977. The style of writing is excellent, alternating between each character and his/her own experiences. The book is written in present tense which normally I do not care for but in this style of writing, it works. There are no quotations for the each character’s speech, but I think I was confused only once or twice. I loved having six years at a time written on the bottom of each page, highlighting the year to which she is writing instead of announcing the years at chapter heads. I learned so much about life in this novel. We need to live fully throughout our lives, not letting one day go by when we don’t express to each other our love and desires. Memories hold dear and for me, this was particularly true, as I had similar summer experiences as did the American family. There is no obscene words or sex in this book, just wonderful storytelling about how important it is to live each day fully. I had only one issue and that is the print is small and could be a problem for some readers. Truly a masterpiece! ### ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Enjoyable read *by J***N on January 11, 2026* I had read some reviews before reading this book and was skeptical. Glad I picked it up and read it. I didn't mind how it was written, going back and forth with the characters. I think it made it easier to understand them. I loved the storyline and how over time it came full circle. ### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ The Best Book I've Read All Year... *by N***T on September 23, 2023* ...and I read a lot! (this was my 24th book of 2023 so far) Absolutely loved this book from start to finish and read the whole thing in about two days. Because of the way the book is narrated, with eight different characters moving the story forward, the reader gains such an insight into each one of them and the way in which they relate to one another. I read another review where someone said the dialogue was hard to follow, but I had no problem with it at all. To me, the way it was written in italics (and often all in the same paragraph), it flowed together like natural speech, and I never had a problem knowing which person was talking. This is a book about family, more than anything else. About the bonds that are formed in a family that stay with us for the rest of our lives. But it's also a book about place, and the power that a certain place can exert on our memories and actions going forward. The tension in the book is so strong -- the desire that Beatrix has to remain in the U.S. as well as her desire to stay in England, and the story is so well crafted as it moves back and forth between those worlds and people. We know what these characters are thinking and feeling, even though they may not share these thoughts and feelings out loud to others. We have a special place where our family has vacationed almost each summer for over forty years, and I could relate so well to the descriptions of the Maine summers in the book -- the memories that are made there and shared long after everyone has gone back to their regular routines, and the desire to go back there, to relive those moments. "The past is prologue" is mentioned more than once in the story -- the power of the past to form us into the people we become in the future. Beatrix's parents make a decision to send her away from the Blitz into Massachusetts safety back in 1940, but that one decision causes a ripple effect that in some way impacts the life of every other character in the story, all the way until 1977. A marvelous book! I can't recommend it enough! ## Frequently Bought Together - Beyond That, the Sea: A Novel - The Women: A Novel - Remarkably Bright Creatures: A Read with Jenna Pick --- ## Why Shop on Desertcart? - 🛒 **Trusted by 1.3+ Million Shoppers** — Serving international shoppers since 2016 - 🌍 **Shop Globally** — Access 737+ million products across 21 categories - 💰 **No Hidden Fees** — All customs, duties, and taxes included in the price - 🔄 **15-Day Free Returns** — Hassle-free returns (30 days for PRO members) - 🔒 **Secure Payments** — Trusted payment options with buyer protection - ⭐ **TrustPilot Rated 4.5/5** — Based on 8,000+ happy customer reviews **Shop now:** [https://www.desertcart.co.uk/products/521450259-beyond-that-the-sea-a-novel](https://www.desertcart.co.uk/products/521450259-beyond-that-the-sea-a-novel) --- *Product available on Desertcart United Kingdom* *Store origin: GB* *Last updated: 2026-05-18*