Secrets She Kept ~ A Book Review

1973~
Hannah is looking for answers. Answers about her mother and why she seemed to hate Hannah her whole life. When Hannah discovers a grandfather she didn’t even know she had, she travels to Germany. Grossvater is keeping secrets, and Hannah feels like she is in the middle of a heated battle between her grandfather and his doctor friend. With the help of a German taxi driver who becomes her only ally in all of war torn Germany, can Hannah discover the truth of her mother’s past and the Secrets She Kept from her all those years.

1945~
Lieselotte is the daughter of a high-ranking German officer. With WWII in full swing and the communist Germany unfurling its wings, Lieselotte discovers her closest friends are smuggling Jews over the German border. Willing to take the risk and help her friends, and her childhood sweetheart, can Lieselotte stand strong even through the midst of unspeakable pain?

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This story had me in tears numerous times! Set in two different eras, it switches between Hannah Sterling in 1973 and her mother Lieselotte in 1945. The twists and turns of this story tore at my heart and, if I’m to be completely honest, often left me quite depressed. Mrs. Gohlke didn’t shy away from the hard, horrible facts of the Holocaust and spoke plainly about all those women endured in camps.

Hannah’s story was uniquely written, as you learned more about her mother from Lieselotte’s chapter, it tied over into Hannah’s. I loved how characters from Lieselotte’s life come into Hannah’s.

Lukas and Lieselotte’s love was so real. He was so worried about her getting hurt that he distanced himself from her even though he loved her. I thought that was a cool new angle of romance in a story that I don’t see very much.

I don’t want to give away too much. All I can say is I loved loved loved this book and highly recommend it as long as you can handle slightly depressing books! Five stars!

I was given this book for my honest review by the Book Club Network which I have given. All opinions expressed were my own. 

Only One to Love ~ A Book Review

"Morgan, hate never works," His father used to say to him. "It only makes things ten times worse. Whatever you do, love. Do not hate."

~Only One to Love~ 

By: Kaitlyn Newlon

Gen Taylor loves helping people in need. She and her family do it all the time, part of being a missionary kid. So when a village in Africa has a need, the family of eight doesn't hesitate to head out to help them. Once there, Gen finds out how real the need is. She convinces Doctor West and his son, Morgan, to go with her to retrieve some medicine from a nearby city.

But the plane on which they travel goes down - into the biggest fear of Gen's life. 

As Gen and Morgan - the lone survives from the plane crash - struggle to survive on the remote island, will Morgan show Gen that she has nothing to fear from the water? And will Gen help Morgan to see that God has never left, even through all the terrors of his past? That he has never been alone and that there has always been Only One to Love? 

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This book was riveting. I have never been much into contemporary fiction based around missionaries, but his book had me by the first page. The characters were real and I could so relate to having a large family, coming from a family of eight myself. 

When Gen's brother's are grieving, worrying that she is dead, brought tears to my eyes, as did the final chapter in it's entirety. This book was the perfect blend of sweetness, suspense and mystery. The subtle romantic feelings between Gen and Morgan were just enough that it kept me wondering. 

I so hope Miss Newlon writes more to this series. It's undoubtedly a keeper! 

Five stars all the way! Encore and bravo!