Welcome to Takeover Tuesday!
Liz's publisher has agreed to giveaway a print copy of The Refrain Within (US ONLY)! You can enter to win by using the Rafflecopter link at the end of my blog post. (Giveaway ends October 6, 2020.) Click To TweetIf you are the randomly chosen winner, I’ll contact you.
Book blurb…
To save a life, would you betray everyone you love?
Hungary in 1944 is a dark place. The Nazis have invaded and turned the country upside down, their evil making its way into every life.
Clarinetist Eva Bognar is engaged to conductor and composer Patrik Kedves, happily planning her wedding. At first she doesn’t think the war will affect her directly; everyone around her can be trusted to do the right thing. Then her Jewish best friend and sister-in-law Zofia goes missing–and instead of the Gestapo being to blame, a friend says it was Patrik who led Zofia away. Has he betrayed Eva and everything the family stands for?
When the rest of the family’s lives are directly threatened, Patrik’s secrets must come to light. The Bognars flee for the border in hopes of getting out of the country to the safety of Palestine. Eva must put her life and the lives of everyone she loves in the hands of the very man who betrayed her–and they may not all make it out of the war alive . . .
My review…
I’ve read all the books in this series, and I’ve loved them all. This is perhaps my favorite, as Eva plays the clarinet (something I’ve done since I was in 5th grade). Plus, WWII-era books are some of my favorite reads.
I’ve only read a few books in this genre that take place in Hungary, so that piqued my attention. Tolsma has a way of weaving together a tale that shows the beauty, despite the horrors going on around the characters. While this is the third book in the series, it could easily stand alone.
Tolsma’s latest is well-researched, emotional tale. Heartbreaking yet inspiring at the same time. The characters demonstrate how God’s grace can shine through, even in the darkest of times. There is a romance angle, but it’s not overpowering, and the pace is perfect to keep the reader actively engaged.
This is a wonderful example of historical fiction, and fans of this genre will want to pick this one up!
Disclaimer: I received a complimentary copy, but I wasn’t required to leave a positive review.
About Liz…
Rules for giveaway can be found here.
Everything about this book interests me! I haven’t read much of anything about Hungary in particular, and I love stories set during the war. The main character sounds interesting, and I’d love to read this.
I hope you pick it up and enjoy reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it.
I haven’t read many in Hungary, either. This is one of my favorite genres, too. I think you’ll enjoy it. Good luck, Candice!
This book is very different than any of the others that I have read that take place during this time period–the country, the characters’ situation, and so on.
Yes, it is. That’s one thing I really enjoyed about it, Roxanne. Good luck!
I historical fiction of this time period.
I think you’ll enjoy this one, Vivian. Good luck!
This time period and setting interest me very much as I had relatives in Europe at the time who were more than adversely impacted by the war and the Nazis.
I think you’ll enjoy it, Danielle. Good luck!