The Wind is Not a River by Brian Payton
This beautiful, lyrical story set in the North East during WWII is reminiscent of Cold Mountain. The author weaves alternately the story of John Easley, lost on an Aleutian island occupied by Japanese forces, with that of his wife Helen determined to find her husband. Payton does a beautiful job using the stark cold landscape and brutal environment as a backdrop for the troubled marriage of this young couple and their struggle for survival. The quiet beauty of the writing reflects the quiet beauty of love during a time of war. I believe this will be on my list of best books of 2014!