'Set against the panorama of the First World War, The Kissing Gates is a poignant love story, a finely woven tapestry of choice, consequence and redemption. Mackenzie Ford explores the ambiguities of the human heart with an unwavering hand, and in so doing creates a haunting and moving tale that will resonate with the reader long after he or she has finished the last page." Pam Jenoff, bestselling author of Kommandant's Girl 'This book is a joy to read. Wonderful period detail, and the atmosphere so convincing it had me looking out the window for Zeppelins. The First World War - with its no-man's land and valiant nurses - is disturbingly contrasted to the peaceful idyll of rural England. Even the touching love story, with a secret ticking away like a time-bomb at its heart, has us on a knife-edge of uncertainty. And Ford provides fascinating details of the thrills of the wartime intelligence world. I was swept up in this intimate and captivating story of conflicting loyalties. It's the kind of read that lingers in the mind' Kate Furnivall, author of The Russian Concubine 'The Kissing Gates is a passionate, engrossing page-turner - a full-blooded epic story of love, the corroding power of secrets, and a man at war with himself' Anthony Capella, author of The Food of Love 'Against the background of the First World War this debut tells the tale of love against all hope, with a healthy dose of revenge' Irish Tatler 'There's an uncluttered quality to Ford's prose and he evokes his west country settings with quiet skill' Evening Standard '[A] well constructed World War I romance ... A gripping tale you won't want to put down' **** Now 'Ostensibly a tale of one woman, two lovers and a wartime secret, this is so much more about the sacrifices made in wartime by doomed youth. Captivating stuff' Essential Guide