I have been dying to get my hands on all of Aimie Runyan’s books since I first saw Daughter’s of the Night Sky a couple of years ago. There are always so many books and so little time—am I right?
Well this year I wasn’t going to miss out on one of her books so when I saw that she had a new one coming out, I put it on my calendar so that I wouldn’t miss out!
Reading this book was such a treat and I couldn’t be more excited to share a review if I tried! I now need all of her books and can’t wait to see what else she has up her sleeve in the future!
Summary
A woman unlocks the mystery of her father’s wartime past in a moving novel about secrets, sacrifice, and the power of love by the bestselling author of Daughters of the Night Sky.
Beth Cohen wants to make the most of the months she has left with her elderly father, Max. His only request of his daughter is to go through the long-forgotten box of memorabilia from his days as a medic on the western front. Then, among his wartime souvenirs, Beth finds a photograph of her father with an adoring and beautiful stranger—a photograph worth a thousand questions.
It was 1944 when Max was drawn into the underground resistance by the fearless German wife of a Nazi officer. Together, she and Max were willing to risk everything for what they believed was right. Ahead of them lay a dangerous romance, a dream of escape, and a destiny over which neither had control.
But Max isn’t alone in his haunting remembrances of war. In a nearby private care home is a fragile German-born woman with her own past to share. Only when the two women meet does Beth realize how much more to her father there is to know, all the ways in which his heart still breaks, and the closure he needs to heal it. (summary from Goodreads)
Review
This is (mostly) a duel timeline story with a modern plot and a historical plot which converge as the story comes together. In this book there are three storylines but the concept is the same.
I know that some people feel that this is one of the most over used story telling styles but I LOVE IT! As a long time fan of historical fiction, I never get tired of this approach and in this book it worked so well and hooked me right away. It’s easy to forget that our parents or grandparents had lives before us right? They had heart break and romances and abandoned dreams that they probably never talk about with us which is why the duel storyline always appeals to me and in this book it’s what drew me in when Beth found that picture of her father.
While that might have hooked me, there was plenty that kept me reading and engaged in the story. As I mentioned before, there are three different narratives happening so this is a book that you want to pay attention to. I know there were a couple of times when I had to stop and make sure I was orientated in the narrative before going on but for the most part it was easy enough to follow but readers will want to make sure they are focused on the timeline to some degree.
Each of the characters were unique and well developed with strong traits and stories. I never felt bored or not invested in any of their stories. The pace of the novel was also great and it easily held my attention. I ended up going with a 4.5 star rating since I loved the book but at times had to stop and make sure I was orientated in the narratives happening.
Book Info and Rating
WHERE T0 BUY (AFFILIATE LINKS)
The Lit Bitch 