Kirsty Dougal

East London, 1916: The Sanctuary Lane Animal Hospital is proving a huge success. For its founder Ruby Archer, this is a dream come true - and her blossoming romance with a local boy is the icing on the cake.

But in wartime things change in the blink of an eye. When a heartbreaking tragedy shatters Ruby's world, suddenly she is at odds with everyone - her family, her friends, and even her sweetheart. And when the hospital is threatened with immediate closure, she's not sure who to trust.

With the festivities fast approaching, Ruby desperately needs a miracle. But who can she turn to?

Book 2 in the Sanctuary Lane series.

As the Great War rages across Europe, twenty-one year old Ruby Archer decides to 'do her bit' at an East End munitions factory. The work is relentless and deafening, but the camaraderie of the other girls carries her through. As the threat of another Zeppelin attack grows by the day, Ruby cannot ignore the abandoned animals scavenging the local streets. She rescues a stray kitten, Tess, and takes in an injured terrier Mac, but when all the local cats mysteriously disappear, she knows she needs to do more, and with the help of her friends plans to open a weekly animal clinic. But opposition quickly closes in from all sides - when there is a war to win everyone from the local vet to Ruby's own family are against the idea. With the help of her friends, can Ruby convince them that in wartime every life matters?