Yet somehow in all this chaos, danger, death, primitive living, they find love, friendship, dancing, laughter. Given very little notice Olivia is sent to Wiltshire to meet with Beatrix Pelham, a long term client who wants to sell her deceased husband's Japanese art collection and use the money to fix her crumbling house.

I hope some younger generations have read that and realise how widespread (and absolutely dreadful) the war was in Asia. Our two leading ladies were a treat to spend time with, but if I’m honest, I preferred Anna, our modern day heroine to Elizabeth, our 19th century botanist. Kayte tapped into this with intricate detail throughout this novel, highlighting how botanical art was also a source of information about the plants depicted, their origins and uses, the dangers and benefits. It was 1945 in Burma when five young women in their early twenties joined the Wasbies – Women’s Auxiliary Service (Burma) – where they were sent to the front lines of the fighting in their mobile canteen trucks, bringing good cheer, smiling faces, gallons of tea plus sandwiches and cakes to the Allies.At the mysterious house, the shadows hold more intrigue and secrets than she could ever have imagined. As Haeseker goes on to say, we rely on insects for our existence – the world requires these tiny creatures to function properly – and the loss of them should threaten us more than the irritation or perceived dirtiness of a handful of them. The novel moves along briskly with a full cast of characters, all doing their bit to tie the threads of this story together. I am very happy to be proven wrong, because this story packed some punch and I really enjoyed it from beginning to end.

Bea, Plum, Joy, Lucy and Bubbles also form friendships to last a lifetime, they are known as The Wasbies and are a formidable team. In present-day Australia, Anna finds a mysterious metal box containing a sketchbook of dazzling watercolours, a photograph inscribed ‘Spring 1886’ and a small bag of seeds. Reframing and reprinting these images, Haeseker brings into focus issues surrounding climate change and the human perception of it.The Last Reunion by Kayte Nunn is the story of a group of women who volunteered to serve in the Women's Auxiliary Service (Burma) or WAS(B) in 1945. While in present day Australia, Anna finds a mysterious metal box containing a sketchbook of dazzling water colours, a photograph inscribed ‘Spring 1886’ and a small bag of seeds. Bea, Plum, Bubbles, Lucy and Joy are all such different women from different backgrounds and they formed a bond like no other.