Every time I read another WWII novel, I learn something new I did not know. There is so much that happened and it seemed to be happening literally everywhere on the European continent. This was written with three different storylines that all connect. Present Joey getting prepared to marry a good Jewish man, as her family expects and her grandmother Sarah remember her first love during the war. The third storyline is Joey as a child growing up, remembering summers at Corfu and her first love.

Joey gets a message a few days before her wedding, someone from her past wants to meet up and talk to her. She is torn, is it a betrayal to meet this person and not say anything until after? But she needs to know what they have to say, considering how things were left years ago. She has always had questions about that dinner and what she did to cause him a change of heart.

Sarah has often wondered why she was saved, why she was not rounded up like the rest of her family and sent to a camp. She feels guilt over her decisions at that time, and often feels the pain of heartache in that maybe she could have done something. She could have tried harder, she could have pushed harder and maybe they’d still also be alive today. As most people do, Sarah has secrets from her past and often if asked she will not discuss in detail her life across the ocean during the war. She doesn’t like to think about that time.

Joey, her mother Bea and grandmother Sarah all have a past, and as the days before the wedding plays out each one takes a look at their past and truths come to light. The good, the bad and the ugly. But in all of this realization, weights have been lifted, truths have been finally brought to light and a lesson to follow ones heart is found to be the most honest truth there is.

This was a very good storyline. There were quite a few twists and connections that I did not see coming, but it kept you clouded in a mystery of wanting to know more. I also had no idea about the island that also had a camp for Jews. Another place I had no idea about. Thank you to Read Forever Pub for the free novel. Another to add to your WWII list. ( )