Secrets She Kept
Ratings1
Average rating5
15
Ratings1
Average rating5
2016 Christy Award Winner! (Historical novel category) 2016 Carol Award Winner! (Historical category) All her life, Hannah Sterling longed for a close relationship with her estranged mother. Following Lieselotte's death, Hannah determines to unlock the secrets of her mother's mysterious past and is shocked to discover a grandfather living in Germany. Thirty years earlier, Lieselotte's father is quickly ascending the ranks of the Nazi party, and a proper marriage for his daughter could help advance his career. Lieselotte is in love--but her beloved Lukas is far from an ideal match, as he secretly works against the Reich. Yet Lieselotte never imagined how far her father would go to ensure her cooperation. Both Hannah's and Lieselotte's stories unfold as Hannah travels to Germany to meet her grandfather, who is hiding wartimes secrets of his own. Longing for connection, yet shaken by all she uncovers, Hannah must decide if she can atone for her family's tragic past and how their legacy will shape her future.
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A story about all the dangers and repercussions of the war. I was so on the edge of my seat listening to this story that I switched to the hard copy at the earliest moment so I could read it faster! This got intense very quickly and then seemed to further intensify with every page. It's a tale of true love against the backdrop of the Holocaust and the concentration camps.
Then in contrast is the story of the daughter going back to Germany to seek out what really happened to her mother in the old days and why her mother was so scarred by the war's effects that she couldn't speak of it even to her daughter. I wasn't expecting the way this part unfolded in the least and I certainly wasn't expecting her to end up in danger herself!
Two romances are melded in. In the early one it's about making the most of time with true love during a dangerous war. In the second it's a slower awakening with a couple who become friends first of all. Both are delightful.
Suitable for ages 16+ because of wartime violence.
Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for a free reading copy. A favorable review was not required. My review is based instead off of a final copy I bought/borrowed from the library.
