The brass dolphin

the long version

"It is 1938, and after years of struggling, Lila Cunningham learns with a shock that her endearing but feckless artist father is faced with financial disaster. With the loss of their home imminent, Lila and her father have no choice but to accept the offer of a house in Malta. It is on this hot, ancient island, in the magnificent but crumbling Villa Zonda, that Lila gains the attention of three very different young men, just as Malta finds itself straight in Hitler's sights. As the German bombs begin their daily reign of terror, Lila and Malta's other inhabitants must learn to live with the deprivation and devastation that become part and parcel of everyday wartime life - and with the terrible fear that becomes as natural as breathing. But even more important, she comes to realize the power of true love to overcome that fear ... and which dreams in life are truly worth pursuing with all one's heart."--BOOK JACKET.