A story to break your heart – if you read only one book this year, make it The Fortunate Ones. Germany, 1941. When Inge – all blonde curls and good manners – first locks eyes with Felix, she knows instinctively that he’s off limits. Her staunchly proper parents will never approve of a working-class Jewish boy for their precious only daughter. But that doesn’t make their first, shy kiss less … first, shy kiss less significant, or the moment they’re torn apart less shocking.
The next time they see each other, it will be across the packed courtyard of a Nazi concentration camp – Felix in the prisoners’ ranks and Inge on the arm of her new, Nazi husband.
Inge never knew that her father’s ‘party loyalty’ would extend to marrying her off to a cruel Nazi officer twice her age, who sees his new wife as just another thing to control. She has always been a good girl – a silent wife – but when Inge sees Felix that day – beaten, bloody and brave – she knows she can’t stay silent any longer.
She must save him, whatever the cost, whatever her husband or even her country might do to her later…
What readers are saying about The Fortunate Ones:
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘What an amazing read, well written emotional and very compelling… I was totally absorbed in the story and I would love to give it 10 stars. One of my best reads this year. I can’t begin to say how much I loved this book, I couldn’t put it down, absolutely brilliant.’ Goodreads reviewer
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘Heartbreaking… I cried many, many times…This story showed just how important hope can be…. The historical detail Hokin poured into this book through her research was simply phenomenal. The Fortunate Ones is a must-read.’ Goodreads reviewer
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘This was a wonderful story about romance, life, and survival. I could not put it down… heartbreaking.’ Crossroad Reviews
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘This story just swept me away… I was left speechless… just wow!!… I do recommend a box of tissues… This book will have you turning the pages.’ Red Headed Book Lady blog
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘I stayed up all hours to finish this book. There were moments I could barely breathe. A fantastic and compelling read if you like suspense, WWII, and stories that aren’t always tied neatly with a bow.’ Goodreads reviewer
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘Contained within a richly detailed narrative was a story that spoke of prevalence of the human spirit, both resilient and beatific, bowed but never broken by the unfathomable horrors of war. Captivating. Sobering. Unflinching. 5+ stars.’ Goodreads reviewer
⭐⭐⭐⭐‘The writing is deeply moving, so much detail is cleverly woven throughout to make this a vivid and entrancing read. Strong characters make this such a gripping read.’ NetGalley reviewer
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘What an extraordinary, engaging story. It moved me to undiscovered heights of understanding and compassion. A novel that will stay in my mind forever.’ Goodreads reviewermore
A story that will leave you breathless . . .
“The soldiers moved quickly, separating mothers and children, the old from the young, the able from the not.”
“There’s no emotion. There’s no anger. We’re nothing to them. Their indifference is more dangerous than hatred.”
They find each other amidst a world in flux. She knows it can’t happen, he knows nothing about her except that he loves her. Inevitably, their paths lead them to their vastly different destinies. Irrevocably lost to each other. Yet always in each other’s hearts.
I had to keep reminding myself that this is fiction. But it is fiction with a huge dollop of truth, of facts, and of history. But the scarier part, the part that fills me with foreboding, is that this historical fiction could very well be an account of the world we live in right now. There are parallels to be drawn from every chapter.
“I do know what revenge looks like, and it looks like more of the same. I don’t know what justice is. Unless it lies in keeping the memory of what was done alive so that it never happens again.”
The inexorable trajectory their separate lives take as they each battle the demons of both their past and present lives, is an absorbing tale for all times.
Masterfully written, this book is a must read!
[Many thanks to NetGalley / Bookouture and the author for an Advance Reader Copy of this book. The opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own. ]
This story begins in Berlin in 1941 where Felix, a mischling and a printer’s apprentice lives with his parents. Inge is wealthy and is about to enter into an arranged marriage to a wealthy, older physician. Shortly before the wedding, Inge’s best friend, Liesl talks her into going to a dance for one last chance to have some fun. At the dance, Felix and Inge meet, dance and share a few kisses and they both fall madly in love with each other. They meet one more time before she marries and Felix and his father are deported to a work camp. The book toggles between Felix’s struggles in the prison camp and his life after the liberation and Inge’s life as a Nazi physician’s wife. The story spans from 1941 to 1956 in Berlin. This was a very emotional and heartbreaking read at times and it was hard to put down. Thank you NetGalley and Bookouture for the ARC of this fantastic book in exchange for an honest review. I highly recommend this book to anyone who loves WWII Historical Fiction books.
In 1941, Hitler was cracking down and while Felix is still doing okay, his life is about to change even more than it has already had. One night he meets Inge and his life is changed, only, she tells him her name is Hannah and as things start to spiral out of control for both of them, he never gives up hope that he will find her one day.
And then they do see each other. Only Inge is married to a monster and Felix thinks she too is being held in the camp. But kept apart from the women, he can only hope that she can survive all this. But Inge is married to the Needle, the monster of the camp who runs crazy experiments on the prisoners. She is ignorant of what he does, but at home, his abuse to her speaks volumes. But this was a forced marriage, and she sees no way out.
So I loved that Felix held out hope for such a long time. I loved that he survived, that he made so much of himself, and that he fought to right the wrongs of the past. I was glad when Inge finally found her courage because as an abused woman, it was hard for her to find a way out. When she tried to demand answers, it never went well for her. The ending didn’t go the way I thought it would, but I think it went the best way for this duo. I did find Inge’s portion of the story a bit tedious and repetitive at times, with detail that felt like filler that slowed down the reading, and that’s the only reason I’m giving this 4-stars instead of 5. I didn’t notice the title tagline you see on Amazon til after I requested this, and honestly, whenever I’ve ended up with review books with a tagline, they’ve ended up a bit disappointing in one area or another. But overall, this is a good read.