A Light in the Window: a World War II story

A Light in the Window by Marion Kummerow is the first book in the Margarete’s Journey series. In 1941 Berlin, Margarete Rosenbaum was working as a housemaid for a senior Nazi officer and his wife and daughter, when their building was bombed. As the only survivor, she is mistaken for the daughter in the aftermath and she takes it as her ticket to freedom. With temporary papers and the freedom of not being seen as Jewish, she leaves Berlin behind. Until SS officer Wilhelm Huber, her late employer’s son, tracks her down. However, she is surprised when he doesn’t reveal her true identity right away. He suggests that she come with him to Paris and continue to pretend to be his sister. Terrified they might be found out and not knowing what Wilhelm truly wants in return, Margarete soon realizes that hiding in plain sight might be her only chance for survival. 

I looked forward to this story as I have enjoyed Ms. Kummerow’s World War II stories. However, this story quickly led to disappointment as there was contradictory information throughout the story. The main contradiction was Margarete was stated to be older than her employer’s daughter and then a couple chapters later, she’s younger! I also didn’t understand how a SS officer, who very clearly believes in the Nazi rhetoric, would not expose a Jewish woman for taking an Aryan woman’s identity and ask her to continue the charade! I also was supposed to believe that a Nazi SS officer and a Jewish woman have a romance! It may have been in the realm of possibilities if Wilhelm was not so gung-ho for the Nazi regime. There were also idioms and phrases used that were not true to the time. Sadly, this book was very disappointing and I will not continue with the series. 

A Light in the Window is available in paperback, eBook and audiobook

From Sand and Ash: a new story about a sad period in history

From Sand and Ash by Amy Harmon is a World War II love story about Angelo Bianco, an Italian priest and Eva Rosselli, the Jewish girl he grew up with. The story starts in 1929 when Angelo came to Italy from America after his mother died. He lives with his grandparents and meets Camillo Rosselli and his daughter, Eva. The two children quickly became friends despite their religious differences. Fast forward to 1938, the Anti-Semantic laws are slowly coming into play as the lives of the Jewish community are being restricted. The Italian Jews still live a relative peaceful life, despite the racial laws and they hear of the terrifying events which are occurring in Germany. They know it’s only a matter of time before it happens in Italy. By 1940, it happens. Arrests are being made and communities around up and sent to the German concentration camps. Angelo is determined to hide Eva and as many Jewish families as possible. He becomes a part of a Catholic underground organization which hides and even helps Jewish people out of the country. But too soon their network is discovered and Angelo and Eva are placed in harm’s way. Will they survive the war? Will they be able to full express their love for each other? Can they even be together?

From Sand and Ash is a haunting story of a cold, dark time in history. The callousness of the German and Italian fascists against the Jews gives the story its drama. The love story between Angelo and Eva give it its hope. The reader will cheer for Angel and Eva and their friends as they work against the Gestapo and free as many Jews as possible. The reader will cry as the horrors are experienced by the Jewish communities. I enjoyed this story as I have never really read about the experience of the Italian Jews during the war. Most historical novels of WWII focus on Germany. I recommend From Sand and Ash.

From Sand and Ash

is available on Amazon

in paperback and on the Kindle