There's no doubt there was terrible sadness

 

 surrounding the war... yet there were many who had hope 

[and found love] in the midst of it all. 

 

Sara Sundin 's story of Aleida and Hugh's unlikely meeting and subsequent friendship made London in 1940 come alive for me. 

Aleida's plan to escape to England with her son was upended when her husband suddenly decided it was time for the whole family to flee the Netherlands.

 

In the process of their escape, she is separated from her son

and her husband is killed by Nazi bombers...

yet she continues on to her relative's home in the English countryside. 

Aleida meets Hugh [a young nobleman who prefers broadcasting news on the radio]  soon after she settled in London. As they formed a bond to look for Aleida's son who was lost she learned to trust again... and she helped Hugh stand firm for what he wanted in life, despite how others might feel. 

Add in a few murders and their curiosity to solve them and it's spectacular book. 

It kept me guessing until the VERY end.

Honestly - I don't usually read historical novels - but I loved this book and could not put it down. I kept contrasting Aleida's life with some of my older aunts who were young adults during that time and were living a very different life here in the USA.

Makes it all seem more real to me...

This book comes out this week, so go ahead and

Get your copy here - 

 NOTE: I was given a copy of this book from the publisher for review purposes.

ALL opinions are my own.

ALSO - all graphics were found on the internet.