Welcome to Takeover Tuesday!
Kelsey has offered to give away an ebook copy of Broken Lines. You can enter by using the Rafflecopter link at the bottom of this post. (Contest ends November 17, 2020.) Share on X If you’re the chosen winner, I’ll contact you for your information.
About the book…
With the threat of the Great War looming at America’s doorstep, fear of immigrant disloyalty has become enough to divide the nation. So when German-born Amara Müller’s brother decides to join the fight, he leaves her behind in St. Louis with one final directive: Stay safe. There’s only one certain way to keep herself out of suspicion’s spotlight, but will she have the courage to see it through?
Accustomed to a strict diet of cigars and spirits, Emil Kisch has become the master of a worry-free good time. And as one of St. Louis’s best morality squad detectives, he’s able to skirt the drinking laws as easily as he arrests others for breaking them. To him, war is a problem for other men. Until one night he makes a mistake that even a glass of whiskey can’t wash away. Is it too late to reverse the course set in motion?
As their lives are intertwined with the fate of the war, Emil and Amara must fight to save what they both hold most dear. But which side of the line do you stand on when your allegiance belongs to both?
The story behind the story…
Something that I enjoy about historical research is discovering how the past impacts our present and how some things truly never change … for the best and for the worst. When I first had the idea to write a World War I novel, I knew very little about the details behind The Great War. Like most people I know, we never discussed it in school with World War II taking the primary focus. Therefore, I didn’t really know what Broken Lines would look like until I started diving into my research. While researching my family tree several years ago, I learned that we have a strong line of German-American ancestors which led me to incorporate several German characters into my novels. When I started researching the impact of World War I on German-American immigrants, I discovered stories of harsh descrimination due only to the fact that Germany was America’s enemy at the time. This included German street names being changed, schools banned from teaching German, German newspapers outlawed, and anything even remotely related to German culture viewed as endorsement of the enemy. To avoid suspicion, German-American families were encouraged to participate in patriotic activities such as buying liberty bonds, participating in war rallies, sending care packages for the soldiers, and military enlistment. Many families would even change their last names and any German-American who spoke so much as a whisper against the President or his tactics was liable to face a beating or a brick through his or her window. In one of the worst cases, which provided direct inspiration for a critical scene in Broken Lines, a mob captured and hung an innocent man for the crime of being “too German.” It was a time of great division in America with friends being encouraged to turn against one another and free speech no longer free, but carefully tailored to fit the mold. But I didn’t want to let the story end in a place of turmoil and heartache. As in all of my novels, I wanted hope to be the thread that held everything together, to see the light on the other side. In Broken Lines, the characters endure many of the same challenges the historical figures of 1917 faced in addition to the usual struggles of the everyday, and overcome them, showing how we can learn from the brokenness of the past in order to create a more beautiful future.
My review…
This is the first book I’ve read from Gietl, and I was quite impressed. The author makes history come to life in light of the Great War and the struggles faced by German-Americans. Themes of faith and patriotism are woven throughout, but neither is overwhelming.
Amara (Amy) was an engaging character who was easy to connect with and root for. Emil is well-developed, but I had a bit of a harder time liking him for part of the story (until more of his backstory unfolds). Both characters had faced a great deal of pain in their young lives and struggled to create a better future for themselves.
It took me longer than expected to get into this story. That may have been due to the fact that there are a number of characters, and it was difficult to track them all at times. Some of the minor characters could have been removed without seriously impacting the overall story.
Prior to this book, I’ve only read a handful of novels about America’s entrance into the Great War, so I enjoyed the author’s detailing. Gietl shined a light on the discrimination and violence German-Americans faced. Emil had a quote that I think is still appropriate in today’s society: “There are still good people out there, Amy. Good Americans. Don’t toss out an entire bushel because of a few bad apples.”
There is a romance, but it’s not the major focus. I liked the fact that things weren’t tied up in a nice, neat bow in the end, as that’s rarely realistic. There are still loose ends and unanswered questions, paving the way for the sequel.
Disclaimer: I received a complimentary copy, but I wasn’t required to leave a positive review.
About Kelsey…
Born and raised in St. Louis, Missouri, Kelsey Gietl grew up with a love of books and excessive use of her library card. She earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Theatre Design and Graphic Design from Stephens College in Columbia, Missouri, and has made a career in fields from event planning and proposal writing to product management and communications. In her free time—when she’s not writing, reading, or researching—she enjoys yoga, musical theatre, beach vacations, and gallivanting around St. Louis with her amazing husband and two beautiful children.
Where you can find Kelsey online…
I have read only a couple of books set in this era. I agree that there is more educational focus on later wars, which is a shame. In thinking about it, I believe that this is the time my great grandparents on my mother’s side emigrated from Germany. My mom told me that nobody ever really talked about it. I wonder if this discrimination was the reason? I’d love to read this book!
Candice, that’s so interesting about your grandparents. So sad that it was never talked about. Discrimination could very likely be the reason.
Good luck!
Sounds like an intriguing story! Thank you for the opportunity!
You’re welcome, Betsy. Good luck!