The World at Home - by Ginny Kubitz Moyer (Paperback)

Book Synopsis

For fans of Christina Baker Kline and Fiona Davis, a coming-of-age story about a young woman discovering love, loss, and the power of her own creativity in World War II San Francisco.

San Francisco in 1944 is a bustling place, a revolving door of soldiers and sailors passing through on their way to the war in the Pacific. Twenty-year-old Irene Cleary, however, is not going anywhere. Although she'd love to travel, the seamstress shop she inherited from her mentor keeps her firmly rooted in the only city she's ever known. She pours her energy into dressmaking and volunteers for the war effort by dancing with servicemen at the USO.

But Irene's life is transformed when she designs a gown for Cynthia Burke, the socialite whose new marriage to Max, a handsome Chicago businessman, is the talk of the Nob Hill elite. As Irene is drawn into the Burkes' glamorous, troubled orbit, and as she becomes absorbed in making costumes for the first American performance of a ballet called The Nutcracker, she finds herself on the threshold of exhilarating, perilous new worlds . . . and the most surprising discoveries of all will be the ones about herself.

Set in a vibrant city during a turbulent time, The World at Home is a coming-of-age story about creativity, loss, and the many lessons we learn from love.

Review Quotes

". . . an affecting tale of an orphan seeking fulfilment and love in 1944 San Francisco . . . Moyer expertly weaves in flashbacks to Irene's hardscrabble time in the orphanage, her excitement at USO dances, and poignant details of what happened with Johnny . . . an evocative picture of life during wartime."--Publishers Weekly

"The novel captures the unique beauty and diversity of San Francisco . . . Irene, Moyer's likeable narrator, ably conveys her coming-of-age experiences in a voice that alternates between poignancy and exuberance . . . An engaging homefront war novel . . ."--Kirkus Reviews

"Inspired by the Nutcracker ballet, Moyer writes a love letter to her city, bringing 1944 wartime San Francisco to life from a woman's perspective. . . . Fluid prose, natural dialogue, and believable characters and locales add to the joy of reading this novel."--Historical Novels Review

"One of those perfect books that you long to return to...a beautiful story of love and loss and belonging. I never wanted it to end."--Michelle Cox, author of The Fallen Woman's Daughter

"Moyer brings wartime San Francisco to life in a coming-of-age story packed with romance, temptation, and a flash of mystery . . . Irene shines as a young woman finding her voice and spirit during one of the most complex adrenaline-fueled moments in American history."--Meghan K. Winchell, author of Good Girls, Good Food, Good Fun: The Story of USO Hostesses during World War II

"Beautifully crafted, poignant, and engaging. There is an innocence to this novel that will at once shatter your heart and give wings to hope. Oh, to be twenty again. I loved this book."--Ashley E. Sweeney, author of The Irish Girl

"Moyer has written a richly detailed love letter to the city--its fog, its views, and its potential for romance and loss--with beautifully drawn characters that grabbed my heart. The world seen through Irene Cleary's eyes is one I won't soon forget."--Kirsten Mickelwait, author of The Ghost Marriage and The Ashtrays Are Full and the Glasses Are Empty

About the Author

Ginny Kubitz Moyer is the author of the novels The Seeing Garden, a Silver award winner in the 2023 Foreword INDIES Book of the Year Award in Historical Fiction, and A Golden Life. She lives in the San Francisco Bay Area with her husband, two sons, and one rescue dog. Learn more at www.ginnymoyer.org.