This book would not exist without a visit to my late great aunt Marge Fogel in 2013, in San Diego. Her 90-year-old boyfriend Bert recalled his visit as an American GI to Sydney during WWII and all the ‘beautiful girls’ he met and danced with. The following year, in 2014, a conversation with Helen Mckay in the Byron Bay Hinterland intensified my interest when she told me her aunt, a war bride from Sydney, moved to the small (and familiar to me) town of Kilmarnock, Virginia after WWII. These conversations planted the seeds, and my curiosity watered them.

Along the way, I had help from so many people. I’d like to thank:

• Dr Robyn Arrowsmith for her detailed social history of Australian war brides who went to the US during WWII, All The Way to the USA, and for making time to talk to me and generously introduce me to Australian war brides in America.

• War bride Dorothy Pence Berry and her daughter Beverley Sollars in San Jose, California—particular thanks to Dorothy for her stories of her wedding dress and her ship leaving early (cancelling her Christmas with family), which I borrowed for my character Sarah.

• The WWII War Bride Association and President Robert Pence (son of Dorothy Pence).

• War bride Joann Patterson and her family in Portland Oregon, who welcomed me and told me wonderful stories which brought the past to life.

• Jill Koenigsdorf, the daughter of an Australian war bride I met at Tin House Summer Workshop in 2016 who shared her mother’s experience and her own as the daughter of a war bride.

• My dream agent Grace Heifetz for believing in this book and taking it on, and for always being willing to talk dogs.

• At Allen & Unwin: Jane Palfreyman for her enthusiasm and brilliance. Siobhán Cantrill for all of her work and thoughtfulness. Ali Lavau for making me kill my darlings. Clara Finlay for her eagle-eyed proofread.

• Sandy Cull at gogoGingko for the stunning cover.

• The Australia Council for the Arts for the grant that allowed me to write this novel.

• The Copyright Agency Limited for the grant which allowed me to travel to the US.

• Dana Spiotta and the workshop group at the 2016 Tin House Summer Workshop for helping me hone my focus, Dana particularly showed me how not to be scared of trying a different structure.

• The RMS Queen Mary in Long Beach, California and my very fun research companions on board the ship: Beth, William, and the yet to be born Nisora.

• Kyle Day on the SS Jeremiah O’Brien in San Francisco.

• Director of the Royal Brisbane and Women’s Hospital Eating Disorder Service, Dr Warren Ward.

• Varuna and the Eleanor Dark foundation for the alumni residencies that helped me complete this book, and for the chance to meet other writers and the conversations and friendships which have resulted.

• Laurie Comings Turner for her expertise as a nurse and having put up with me for all these years.