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Military veteran Joshua Armand, 71, has seen war from many different angles and has lived through two heartbreaks. First, the love of his life, Isabella, is killed. Later, his wife, Sylvia, dies giving birth to their son, Joe. In 1941, a grown Joe heads to Manila to purchase a ship. Once there, he visits Isabella's grave. As fate would have it, Joe meets the love of his own life, Luci, at the cemetery. Joe and Luci's timing is terrible. They become victims of wartime occupation and are forced to fight alongside the Philippine guerrillas while awaiting MacArthur's return. Four years later, Joshua returns to Manila to find his son and confront his heartbreak over Isabella.
Taylor has written a hauntingly beautiful story about enduring love and devastating loss during wartime. He is a skilled writer, and his main characters are relatable, even to those who may not know much about wartime drama. Love, however, is universally understood, and this is Taylor's main theme. Taylor illustrates many different kinds of love in his story: true love, parental love, and responsible love. By doing so, the story has a greater depth to it than a simple love story. Taylor manages to weave Joshua and Joe's stories expertly throughout the plot. The setting is well written, and it is clear that Taylor knows these places well. The conclusion, while heartrending, is nonetheless satisfying. True love lives on. Taylor's admiration for all veterans of the military is palpable in this exploration of the human cost of war.