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 … 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.
more
This book was a mystery, a nostalgic journey and redemptive at the same time. Well worth reading!
This is a thought-provoking realistic story that held me captive from beginning to end. Two questions were presented to the reader in the narrative that every person will face in life: what would I do if I lived in a world where the ruling government sanctioned evil against a group of people and could I forgive those who brought such pain to my life and so many?
Heart-rending story about World War 2.
I have read a number of Holocaust era books, both fiction and nonfiction. Most are written from a Jewish perspective. Secrets She Kept Is written from the perspectives of a young German woman who lived through the period and a daughter who is desperate to learn of her now dead mother’s secret past. As the book progresses and the perspectives switch back and forth we gradually learn the mother’s story and then watch as the daughter struggles to uncover the information we already have. Lots of good historical data, plenty of mystery and suspense, and very well drawn characters– both the heroes and the monsters. I would definitely recommend this book to anyone, but especially those who are interested in the history of those times.
Liked this book very much.