What I Left for You by Liz Tolsma ~ a book review

 

This book begins in 1942, in Poland. Helena, a Christian Jew who works at the university with her friends, Jerzy and Risa. Risa, a Jew has been imprisoned in the ghetto and is about to have a baby.  Helena and Jerzy risk arrest to visit her. They get there just before she dies but not until she asks Helena to take her baby.  Removing the baby is a risky adventure but she is successful and raises Teena as her own. 

The story bounces back and forth between WW2 and current day where we meet McKenna.  Her grandmother asks her to find information about a sister she never knew she had. The relationships get a little confusing at times since there are so many unknowns.  McKenna travels to Poland to investigate her ancestry and in the process learns more details about the occupation and “re-homing” of the Lemko people. McKenna enlists the help of Filip to track down information.

This book is a history lesson with love, faith, and adventure all thrown together. At times its joyful and uplifting and at other times heart wrenching, sad and tragic.

The stories of both women are very intriguing and I found it hard to put down.  There are a lot of questions that come up. Who are McKenna’s ancestors? Did her grandmother really have a sister? What happened to Helena and Teena?

There is a glossary in the beginning that helps with the ethnic vocabulary and the author includes the historical basis for her story. 

This is from the publisher’s website:

“A Family’s Ties Were Broken in Poland of 1939
 
1939
Helena Kostyszak is an oddity—an educated female ethnic minority lecturing at a university in Krakow at the outbreak of WWII. When the Germans close the university and force Jews into the ghetto, she spirits out a friend’s infant daughter and flees to her small village in the southern hills. Helena does everything in her power to protect her family, but it may not be enough. It will take all of her strength and God’s intervention for both of them to survive the war and the ethnic cleansing to come.
 
2023
Recently unengaged social worker McKenna Muir is dealt an awful blow when a two-year-old she’s been working with is murdered. It’s all too much to take, so her friend suggests she dive into her family’s past like she’s always wanted. Putting distance between herself and her problems might help her heal, so she and her friend head on Sabbatical to Poland. But what McKenna discovers about her family shocks everyone, including one long-lost family member.”

I highly recommend this book, especially if you like faith filled, history based romance.

Go HERE to read an excerpt

I received a complimentary ARC** of this book from the publisher, Barbour Publishing via Netgalley. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions expressed  are my own.

 ** A word about ARC books.   Advanced Reading Copies (ARCs) are a preview copy and are not a finished product. They may differ from the final published work and may include additional editing. 

 

A Season for the Heart by J.M. Hochstetler

 

 

This story is set in 1945. The Germans have surrendered but the WW2 is still raging on other fronts.  Ellie, a young Mennonite woman, is planning to go to college and train to be a teacher. Her grandparents are Amish and her family still cling to some of the old ways.  The are pacifists and fighting in the war is frowned upon. Her friend, Jude, had enlisted and has returned home injured. He enlisted over his parent’s objections. His relationship with the community is strained because of his involvement in the armed forces.  Out of respect for his mother, he tries to blend in but he struggles with the restrictions of the Mennonite community.  Ellie, also pushes the boundaries of the rules by having close relationships with “English” friends. She secretly tries wearing makeup and shortened dresses.  She also had been engaged to Ted, a young Methodist who breaks their engagement when he goes away to college. Ellie has been helping Jude’s mother on their farm and wants to help him as well. She becomes close to Jude but is torn between him and Ted, who returns and tries to resume their relationship.

This story touches on the topics of religious prejudice, abuse and PTSD

This is not the type of story I usually read. It is much edgier and graphic than what I am accustomed to. There is an account of an attemped rape that was more graphic than what you would usually find in a book about the Amish and Mennonites.

This is also not a book you can hurry through.

I liked the amount of information there was about the Amish and particularly , the Mennonites.  I liked that the author draws upon their personal family history. It makes the story believable. It was interesting to see how the two communities live together but yet apart.

The author also touches on abuse in families and how PTSD affects Jude and his fellow returning soldiers.

If you are looking for the typical, sweet Amish romance, this is most likely not the story for you. However, if you like more intense and edgy stories you should give this a try.  This is not a fast read so settle in and get comfortable.

I give this my personal rating of 3 out of 5 stars. I really wanted to love this book.  That being said, it is a faith based story with several scripture quotes, which was welcomed. The story line of a Mennonite girl torn between different cultures was appealing to me, as was the setting of the WW2 era.  The topic of PTSD was very interesting although it wasn’t called that then.

Why would a young Mennonite man enlist in the armed forces, going against his religious upbringing?

Which man will win Ellie’s heart?  Does she ever realize her dream of being a teacher?

At this point in my reviews I usually include a link to the publisher’s website but I was unable to find one.  This was another reason for my 3 star rating. Other postings state that the publisher is Sheaf House Publishers. A search for the title on Amazon, NetGalley or Goodreads should give you more information.

I received a complimentary ARC of this book from the publisher via Netgalley. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions expressed  are my own.

A word about ARC books.   Advanced Reading Copies (ARCs) are a preview copy and are not a finished product. They may differ from the final published work and may include additional editing.