A Light in the Window: A completely gripping WW2 historical novel with a heartbreaking twist

· Bookouture
4.7
45 reviews
Ebook
295
Pages

About this ebook

Margarete stumbles out of the bombed-out house, the dust settling around her like snow. Mistaking her for the dead officer’s daughter, a guard rushes over to gently ask her if she is all right and whether there’s anything he can do to help her. She glances down at where the hated yellow star had once been, and with barely a pause, she replies “Yes”.


Berlin, 1941: Margarete Rosenbaum is working as a housemaid for a senior Nazi officer when his house is bombed, leaving her the only survivor. But when she’s mistaken for his daughter in the aftermath of the blast, Margarete knows she can make a bid for freedom…


Issued with temporary papers—and with the freedom of not being seen as Jewish—a few hours are all she needs to escape to relative safety. That is, until her former employer’s son, SS officer Wilhelm Huber, tracks her down.


But strangely he doesn’t reveal her true identity right away. Instead he insists she comes and lives with him in Paris, and seems determined to keep her hidden. His only condition: she must continue to pretend to be his sister. Because whoever would suspect a Nazi girl of secretly being a Jew?


His plan seems impossible, and Margarete is terrified they might be found out, not to mention worried about what Wilhelm might want in return. But as the Nazis start rounding up Jews in Paris and the Résistance steps up its activities, putting everyone who opposes the regime in peril, she realizes staying hidden in plain sight may be her only chance of survival…


Can Margarete trust a Nazi officer with the only things she has left though… her safety, her life, even her heart?


A totally heartbreaking and unputdownable story about how far someone would go to save one life, that fans of The Tattooist of Auschwitz, The Nightingale and All the Light We Cannot See will adore.


Readers are loving A Light in the Window:


‘Wonderful, wonderful… I was blown away by this book. I couldn’t put it down. I ignored everything and everyone until I finished it.” Nicki’s Book Blog, 5 stars


“Blew me away… You get engulfed in the storytelling until the end!… Perfect!… I loved this book – I lost my whole day reading – just couldn't bear to put it down!” NetGalley reviewer


“I can’t put into words how incredible A Light in the Window is… Extraordinary, well written, beautiful story.” Goodreads reviewer


“This story was heartbreaking and riveting. I was up until wee hours of the morning reading it. It couldn’t put it down until I found out what was happening next.” Goodreads reviewer, 5 stars


“Emotional… Will pull at your heart strings with each turn of the page.” Spooky’s Maze of Books, 5 stars


“A poignant love story… beautifully written and rich with emotion… It is a story about courage and sacrificial love that I found really beautiful and one I highly recommend.” Christian Novel Review, 5 stars


“Heartwrenching… A compelling read you won’t want to put down. It draws you in and has you questioning the moral dilemma of whether one human life is worth more than another… A tale that is heartbreaking as well as intriguing.” Confessions of a Bookaholic


“I was hooked from the first to the last page, holding my breath… So well written you will feel that you are in France and Berlin… The pages flew by… A read that will stay with me for a long time.” Goodreads reviewer


“I love those books that REALLY make you think! It’s not just a story. It’s a moral compass check-in point… I can always count on Marion Kummerow to pen a compelling historical fiction novel that grabs my attention, holds it and rewards me.” Goodreads reviewer, 5 stars

Ratings and reviews

4.7
45 reviews
Judy Odom
July 20, 2021
A Light in the Window is a compelling and inspiring read that takes place in very dangerous times. I was hooked from the first to the last page, holding my breath many times that Margarete can escape with her life. A Light in the Window is so well written you will feel that you are in France and Berlin along with Margarete and Wilhelm. The pages flew by and I can't wait for Book Two in the series. Surprisingly this was my first book by Marion Kummerow but it won't be my last. I am a fan.
Janice Tangen
July 21, 2021
Jewish, WW2, Germany, historical-figures, historical-novel, historical-places-events, historical-research, historical-setting, history-and-culture, triggers, secrets, subterfuge, lies**** A tough read. It highlights the very personal way Jewish women were subjugated and violated, even worse than the ordinary German wife or daughter. The cruelty of the men working for the Reich has usually been a given because they were either brainwashed or were sociopaths to begin with. It does reflect the constant fear of those who were ordered to wear the Star. The publisher's blurb gives a whitewashed overview but can alert the reader to some of the triggers. This is what I would call a horror novel, but it is well written. I requested and received a free temporary ebook copy from Bookouture via NetGalley.
Annetta Zidzik
April 11, 2023
I loved this story immediately and was so engrossed in what happens to Margarete. It is a heartbreaking but beautiful story about finding the strength to survive against what seems like hopeless odds. It brings history to life for both sides. I tried to buy the ebook for the follow up and was told it isn't available in my country. (USA) How can I get it?

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