The inspiring international bestseller of a seemingly ordinary woman who uses her talent and courage to transform herself first into a prestigious couturier and then into an undercover agent for the Allies during World War II.Between Youth and Adulthood… begins her own apprenticeship. By her early twenties she has learned the ropes of the business and is engaged to a modest government clerk. But everything changes when two charismatic men burst unexpectedly into her neatly mapped-out life: an attractive salesman and the father she never knew.
Between War and Peace…
With the Spanish Civil War brewing in Madrid, Sira leaves her mother and her fiancé, impetuously following her handsome lover to Morocco. However, she soon finds herself abandoned, penniless, and heartbroken in an exotic land. Among the odd collection of European expatriates trapped there by the worsening political situation back on the Continent, Sira reinvents herself by turning to the one skill that can save her: her gift for creating beautiful clothes.
Between Love and Duty…
As England, Germany, and the other great powers launch into the dire conflict of World War II, Sira is persuaded to return to Madrid, where she takes on a new identity to embark upon the most dangerous undertaking of her career. As the preeminent couturier for an eager clientele of Nazi officers’ wives, Sira becomes embroiled in the half-lit world of espionage and political conspiracy rife with love, intrigue, and betrayal.
An outstanding success around the world, The Time in Between has sold more than two million copies and inspired the Spanish television series based on the book, dubbed by the media as the “Spanish Downton Abbey.” In the US it was a critical and commercial hit, and a New York Times bestseller in paperback. It is one of those rare, richly textured novels that enthrall down to the last page. María Dueñas reminds us how it feels to be swept away by a masterful storyteller.
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International best seller, I think less well known in America. Great historical fiction, and I learned a lot about the Spanish Civil War, of which I knew very little. I read this book 3 years ago, but the story has stayed with me. It is long, 600+ pages, but it reads fairly quickly.
The story starts with Sira at age twelve. She helps her …
The Time Between by Maria Duenas is a beautifully written novel that follows a young Spanish girl from the age of 12 during the Spanish Civil War, through the WWII years. I learned about a period in history that I knew little about. A long novel, but on audio, it flew by.
Sira, the main character, was at first frustratingly naive. But despite this, she faced her fears to grow into a strong woman willing to take chances and learn from her experiences. The author captured the the tension of Franco’s war, the rise of Nazism, and the relationships of those caught in the crossfire. We learn from the author’s afterward …
This book is my favorite genre. It was well written and wove the story beautifully
Beautifully written and wonderful plot.
I will recommend this for my book club.
Yes, a page turner and also an historical look at a period and setting that I knew nothing about. A women, yes a woman, with entrepreneurial success, ingenuity and courage. This is a book you will remember for a long time whereas others you forget in two weeks.
this is a little gem, loved this book
Loved it! Read the book, saw the mini series, twice, and read the book again. Oh, it’s just a wonderful story.
Wonderful story of a young woman’s learning to survive and thrive in Spain during World War II.
I loved this book. I loved the development of the main character and the challenges she had to overcome. I was always interested in the story and how things were going to evolve. I also enjoyed reading about her skill as a dressmaker and the times in which she was living. I highly recommend this book.
I saw the movie so the book was not as interesting to me. IF you haven’t watched the movie which is in Spanish, by all means read this it’s wonderful