For the Love of My Enemy

by ME Blaustone

"Love has the power to make us do things we never thought we were capable of doing."


The world is on fire in 1944, but safe within the confines of small Windsor, California, nineteen -year - old nurse Adina Robbins works alongside her father, Dr. Henry Robbins - a complex and fearful man who says little about his past. Adina yearns both for her father's approval and affection, and for more than the doldrums of her small - town life. One day, Adina's best friend drags her along to spy on the new German prisoners at Camp Windsor, a POW camp at the edge of town. There, Adina encounters a kind, young prisoner named Daniel Christensen, a German soldier conscripted by force and with a deep hatred of Hitler and his fascist ideologies. As her passion for the young prisoner intensifies, Adina must confront her fears, as well as her father's lies, even if it means letting go of the person she wants most.

Genres: Historical Fiction

315 pages, Kindle Edition

Published June 4, 2024

Reviews

[BookwormBeccaAnne · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely phenomenal!! I just closed this book and I am sitting here speechless. This was one of the best historical fiction books I’ve ever read. The story was so raw and real and as you’re reading you forget that you are in your home and not actually in Windsor CA. Just wow!! I wish I could give this book 10 stars!!!!

[Kelli Cox · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a good book- well written but not my favorite historical fiction story

[Kimberly Szalai · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book. I did not want it to end. I loved the strong characters and each of their stories especially Adina and Daniel’s. What a courageous love story. I enjoyed reading and watching Adina grow from a passionate young woman into an older, wiser woman. The author writes beautifully and is incredibly descriptive. I could smell, see, hear, and taste beautiful Sonoma County, Windsor, California, the Pacific Ocean and all that they have to offer us. I know the area well. What a privilege it is to live here. What a joy it was to read a novel that takes place here. Very few people know that the U.S. government established a prisoner of war camp here in Windsor, the first satellite campus of its kind, operating from 1944 - 1946. It was also the last to close. For the Love of My Enemy sheds a little light on what it must have been like to live here back then. It also illuminates and reveals a lot about love, and, as the author writes, how “Love has the power to make us do things that we never thought we were capable of doing.” I highly recommend this book. It is beautifully written. I treasured it.

[Adriana Miller361 · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was amazing. This author hit a home run with this one. Wonderful story.

[Chelsey Ulrich · Rating 5 out of 5]

WHAT AN INCREDIBLE BOOK! I will start out by saying sometimes I have a hard time with historical fiction because 1 - they're so dang emotional, and 2 - sometimes it's hard to picture it back then or put myself in that position. BUT not only did this book suck me in, I read it in less than 24 hours. Imagine - it's the year 1944 and you're in Windsor, CA. You're a 19 year old female, your mom has passed away so it's just you and your dad now. You're a nurse, and your dad is the town's doctor. There's a POW camp right outside of your town and your crazy best friend talks you into going to "spy" on these prisoners, so you agree and while you're near the camp, you actually meet one of them. His name is Daniel and you feel an immediate attraction to him. You know these are supposed to be the "bad guys" but you can just tell he is not like that. Your father, the doctor, ends up getting asked to treat these prisoners so as his nurse, you go with him. You build a relationship with Daniel, and you're torn on what you WANT to do, vs what you know you're SUPPOSED to do. WOW just WOW. I will be thinking about this one for a long time!

[Stacey Blum · Rating 4 out of 5]

Blaustone’s coming of age novel set in the small town of Windsor, California, hooked me from the very start. With a story line that gives insight to the home front during WWII, and characters that seem so real, facts and fiction are woven seamlessly. I have rarely read an author who uses all five senses in her writing, making one not just a reader, but a partaker of the story. Expect to laugh and cry and finish the book wanting more.

[John A. Lane · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a beautiful story! Though it is fiction, it is based on true events that happened in our hometown of Windsor. Highly recommend this book. The author is the wife of Chris Blaustone, pastor of The River church in Windsor.

[Susan · Rating 3 out of 5]

A great quick read. If you like historical fiction, this one is worth the time.

[Emma Stretton · Rating 5 out of 5]

I only ever rate a book 5 stars if I know im going to be thinking about it for a long time, and this novel is one of those. I felt so many different emotions throughout reading, from happiness to heartbreak. I felt the emotions of the characters spill from the pages. Im so glad I came across this, and I'll be recommending it whenever I get the chance.

[Mel · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book so much, it was heartwarming and heartbreaking all at the same time. I really enjoyed the end even if what happened wasn't what I hoped for.

[Kim Nix · Rating 5 out of 5]

A historical fiction that takes place in the town of Windsor, CA. Windsor had one of the real POW camps that housed German soldiers. This book brings to life events from then, a variety of Nazi soldiers, whom were believing in Hitlers cause to those who were very against it but did what they needed to survive. The imagery is excellent and the subject matter keeps good pace and wanting more. I throughly enjoyed this book. I will read more from this author.

[Patti · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a beautiful love story set in the historical WWII era. The author captured the time with many small details that made me lost in the nostalgia. The characters were believable. Sweet Adina’s struggles were real, from wondering whether she was doing her part in the war effort, to her relationship with her father, to the feelings she had for the German prisoner of war. I couldn’t put it down!

[robin gurries-FIKE · Rating 5 out of 5]

For the love of my enemy

I loved the read and how the book flowed. I felt like I was with the characters. I am going to recommend it to my daughter and mom.

[Kkraemer · Rating 3 out of 5]

Windsor, California, was a small ag town in the mid-40's, where grapes and apples and cattle were sources of income, and where many houses had signs in front that showed a loss during World War I, a soldier serving or lost during the current war, or both. It was a town where people knew each other.

When Dr. Henry Robbins, a town doctor, got asked to take care of the prisoners of war being held at the new "Camp Windsor" outside of town, he was met with mixed reaction. Some thought that he shouldn't take care of the "murderers" behind those fences, that they should pay for what they'd done . Others though that the Camp might put them at risk, while still others wondered by a country at war would provide medical care for those who obviously were opposed to them

Some didn't care.

Adina, Dr. Robbins' daughter, didn't really care, though she and her best friend did think it would be fun to see these monsters from behind the fence. The girls were bored, and were talking of joining the WAC, but Addie wasn't sure...certainly seeing the monsters could be a lark, though.

The book, then, explores Adina's world -- her family, her loneliness, her training as a nurse, her love of the most wonderful boy in the world. In prose reminiscent of William Saroyan, the characters and place are sharply drawn, and serve as a journey to that place and that time.

[Ann Egri · Rating 5 out of 5]

M.E. Blaustone’s For the Love of My Enemy is a beautifully told story that challenges how we think about love, loyalty, and humanity. Set in Windsor, CA, during WWII, this novel isn’t just a romance—it’s a reflection on humanity itself. It explores forgiveness, personal growth, and the bravery to defy societal norms. Blaustone doesn’t shy away from the harsh realities of war, and that honesty adds incredible depth.
For the Love of My Enemy is heart-wrenching, thought-provoking, and unforgettable. It’s the kind of book that lingers in your mind long after the final page. Whether you love romance, historical fiction, or stories that push moral boundaries, this book has it all.

[Yolanda · Rating 2 out of 5]

I received this book in a giveaway and did not feel it was well written or researched there are much better historical fiction books out there there on the topic by much better educated writers on this topic