My Review: I don’t even know where to begin, as a woman who grew up/ lived in Germany from 1979 to 1996, I can relate to some of the energy in this book, especially the East and West Germany parts and the fall of the Berlin wall. This book is set in different timelines. The years around and during WWII and 1990 after the fall of the wall. We follow Lilly (WWII) and Lucy (1990) on their journey’s. Lilly is jewish and desperate to save her life, she swaps Leipzig for Berlin, her parents dead, the anonymity her hope to thrive and survive an ever darkening Germany under Hitler. Lucy is living a life with a lot of buried guilt and secrets, she buys The Edel Hotel with the hope of refurbishing it and breathing fresh new life and memories into the place, which is where we meet Adam and Gabi. The past and present mesh together. Stories are retold and corrected, what if what you thought you knew is a lie, will the truth set the past free, reframe it or make it worse? You’ll have to read this gripping story. It’s disturbing, inspiring, shacking and heart-warming, there’s just so much packed into the page pages you won’t be able to put it down. A recommended read.

Book Description:

Berlin, 1944. ‘It is a great honour to have you here, Herr Hitler.’ Lili doesn’t stumble over the lie, her hand steady as she pours champagne. Everything must be perfect, no one can suspect a thing…

Lili Rodenberg and her husband Marius run the Edel, Berlin’s most glamorous hotel. For its wealthy guests, it is an escape from the destruction outside, with its elegant piano bar and fine amber brandy. But Lili is Jewish, a secret she is terrified will end in tragedy for her and their beloved little girl.

Lili’s only choice is to hide in plain sight, her heart racing each time uniformed officers step through the Edel’s grand entrance. As Berlin becomes a more frightening place, Lili pleads with her husband to help shelter those in danger but Marius is adamant: he will not risk the lives of his wife and daughter. Until the day he is called to the front – and goes missing in action.

Left in sole charge of the Edel, a heartbroken Lily fixes her smile as she serves men who would have her killed in an instant if they knew the truth. She decides she must fight back, hiding Jews in the hotel’s wine cellar before moving them to safety. Though she is seized with terror, it gives her the strength to carry on.

But her courage catches the attention of the Resistance. What they ask of her is impossible.

Lili has protected her daughter by living a life full of secrets. Can she risk it all now and put her child in danger for the sake of her country?

An absolutely unforgettable and heartbreaking story of bravery, love and sacrifice that will keep you turning the pages and reaching for the tissues. Fans of The Nightingale and The Book of Lost Names will be swept away by this stunning novel.

Author Bio:

I seem to have followed a rather meandering career, including marketing and teaching and politics (don’t try and join the dots), to get where I have always wanted to be, which is writing historical fiction. I am a story lover as well as a story writer and nothing fascinates me more than a strong female protagonist and a quest. Hopefully those are what you will encounter when you pick up my books.

I am from the North of England but now live very happily in Glasgow with my American husband. Both my children have left home (one to London and one to Berlin) which may explain why I am finally writing. If I’m not at my desk you’ll most probably find me in the cinema, or just follow the sound of very loud music.

I’d love to hear from you and there are lots of ways you can find me, so jump in via my website https://www.catherinehokin.com/ or on my Cat Hokin FB page or on twitter @catherineh66267.

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Buy Link:

Amazon: https://geni.us/B0D48959CCsocial

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