Author: Pam Jenoff
Started: November 16, 2023
Finished: November 19, 2023
Format: Print
Genre: Historical Fiction
The Nowak sisters have lost their parents and are left to care for their younger children. When on the way home from the hospital, Helena comes upon a wounded American soldier. Even though it may put her family in danger, Helena is compelled to help him. After repeated visits and getting to know each other, they fall in love. When her sister, Ruth, finds out about Sam, the soldier, she goes off to see him in a fit of rage and commits the ultimate betrayal which sets the family on a life-changing course.
This novel was different from the later Pam Jenoff stories. I found the pacing and story building a bit slower than usual. The characters Helena and Sam have a sweet chemistry that only the first loves to have. Ruth, on the other hand, was an abhorrent character and I disliked her from start to finish. What she did to her sister angered me and the fact that it was done because someone dared care about Helena instead of her made it 10 times worse. That storyline alone was enough to leave a bad taste in my mouth but then there was a gap in the storyline that is unusual for Jenoff but will always leave me wondering.