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Secrets She Kept
2016 Christy Award Winner! (Historical novel category)2016 Carol Award Winner! (Historical category)All her life, Hannah Sterling longed for a close relationship with her estranged mother. Following Lieselotte’s death, Hannah determines to unlock the secrets of her mother’s mysterious past and is shocked to discover a grandfather living in Germany.Thirty years earlier, Lieselotte’s father is quickly ascending the ranks of the Nazi party, and a proper marriage for his daughter could help advance his career. Lieselotte is in love—but her beloved Lukas is far from an ideal match, as he secretly works against the Reich. Yet Lieselotte never imagined how far her father would go to ensure her cooperation.Both Hannah’s and Lieselotte’s stories unfold as Hannah travels to Germany to meet her grandfather, who is hiding wartimes secrets of his own. Longing for connection, yet shaken by all she uncovers, Hannah must decide if she can atone for her family’s tragic past and how their legacy will shape her future.
406 pages, Kindle Edition
First published August 20, 2015
517 people are currently reading
6255 people want to read
About the author
Cathy Gohlke
15 books1,318 followersBestselling, Christy Hall of Fame, and Carol and INSPY Award-winning author, Cathy Gohlke writes novels steeped with inspirational lessons, speaking of world and life events through the lens of history. She champions the battle against oppression, celebrating the freedom found only in Christ. Her critically acclaimed novels include This Promised Land, Ladies of the Lake, A Hundred Crickets Singing, Night Bird Calling, The Medallion (Christy Award), Until We Find Home, Secrets She Kept (Christy Award; Carol Award; INSPY Award); Saving Amelie (INSPY AWARD); Band of Sisters; Promise Me This (listed by Library Journal as one of the Best Books of 2012); I Have Seen Him in the Watchfires (Christy Award, American Christian Fiction Writers Award and listed by Library Journal as one of the Best Books of 2008) and William Henry Is a Fine Name (Christy Award).
Cathy has worked as a school librarian, drama director, and director of children's and education ministries. When not traveling to historic sites for research, she and her husband, Dan, divide their time between Northern Virginia and the Jersey Shore, enjoying time with their children and grandchildren. Visit her website at www.cathygohlke.com and find her on Facebook at CathyGohlkeBooks. Follow her on BookBub.
Cathy has worked as a school librarian, drama director, and director of children's and education ministries. When not traveling to historic sites for research, she and her husband, Dan, divide their time between Northern Virginia and the Jersey Shore, enjoying time with their children and grandchildren. Visit her website at www.cathygohlke.com and find her on Facebook at CathyGohlkeBooks. Follow her on BookBub.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 570 reviews
August 12, 2016
My heart is full.
Some books I read and then find it very easy to come here and tell y’all what I thought about the characters, the writing, the plot. And then there are those books that take over while I’m reading, that completely absorb me in the story and in the message and in the people I meet on the pages. These are the books that refuse to let go. The books that engage my emotions in deep and personal ways. Secrets She Kept is one of these books.
As such, I find myself uncharacteristically out of words when it comes to writing this review. Feelings, yes. Thoughts, plenty. Emotions, a heart full. Words… few that are adequate. One thing I can say with great certainty — EVERYONE needs to read this book.
The dual storylines (which both really tell Lieselotte’s story – one from her own perspective and one from Hannah’s as she uncovers the other side of things almost thirty years later) reflect more than just the atrocities that were committed during WW2 Germany. They serve as a reminder of how easily fear and ignorance can turn into hate – especially when skillfully manipulated – and how easily hate can lead to the kind of evil that targets a people simply for their religion or the color of their skin or the weakness of their bodies. It should serve as a reminder to all of us that prejudice is rarely harmless and that what happened in Germany could happen again too easily. Far too easily. May it never happen again in our lifetime.
But even more than that, Secrets She Kept tells another type of dual storyline – that of bitterness vs. forgiveness. Two lives, altered forever by the same evil. Both given the same choice of how their hearts will respond. How do you forgive someone who stole everything from you? How do you forgive the kind of evil that delights in dehumanizing someone else? These questions – and the answers – raised in the book go directly to the heart and are perhaps even more uncomfortable to face than the horrors of Ravensbruck. But their importance is vital and the discussions they precipitate have the potential to be so healing.
Secrets She Kept is a book that – when I finished reading it – I sat for a while and just absorbed the things I’d read, the people I’d met, the lessons I’d learned. It’s a not an easy “feel good” read nor is it always comfortable. But it’s beautiful and poignant and full of life. Lieselotte’s story tells us of great courage, of great bravery, of great evil, of great loss, and of great love. Hannah’s story is marked by the same, as well as by redemption and hope. As the two stories thread together over the course of the novel, your heart will overflow with a multitude of emotions ranging from joy to heartbreak to everything in between. Like me, you may not be able to put adequate words to your experience when you’ve closed the book on the final chapter. But I have no doubt that, like me, you will be forever changed.
(I received a copy of this book in exchange for only my honest review.)
Read my full review at Reading Is My SuperPower
Some books I read and then find it very easy to come here and tell y’all what I thought about the characters, the writing, the plot. And then there are those books that take over while I’m reading, that completely absorb me in the story and in the message and in the people I meet on the pages. These are the books that refuse to let go. The books that engage my emotions in deep and personal ways. Secrets She Kept is one of these books.
As such, I find myself uncharacteristically out of words when it comes to writing this review. Feelings, yes. Thoughts, plenty. Emotions, a heart full. Words… few that are adequate. One thing I can say with great certainty — EVERYONE needs to read this book.
The dual storylines (which both really tell Lieselotte’s story – one from her own perspective and one from Hannah’s as she uncovers the other side of things almost thirty years later) reflect more than just the atrocities that were committed during WW2 Germany. They serve as a reminder of how easily fear and ignorance can turn into hate – especially when skillfully manipulated – and how easily hate can lead to the kind of evil that targets a people simply for their religion or the color of their skin or the weakness of their bodies. It should serve as a reminder to all of us that prejudice is rarely harmless and that what happened in Germany could happen again too easily. Far too easily. May it never happen again in our lifetime.
But even more than that, Secrets She Kept tells another type of dual storyline – that of bitterness vs. forgiveness. Two lives, altered forever by the same evil. Both given the same choice of how their hearts will respond. How do you forgive someone who stole everything from you? How do you forgive the kind of evil that delights in dehumanizing someone else? These questions – and the answers – raised in the book go directly to the heart and are perhaps even more uncomfortable to face than the horrors of Ravensbruck. But their importance is vital and the discussions they precipitate have the potential to be so healing.
Secrets She Kept is a book that – when I finished reading it – I sat for a while and just absorbed the things I’d read, the people I’d met, the lessons I’d learned. It’s a not an easy “feel good” read nor is it always comfortable. But it’s beautiful and poignant and full of life. Lieselotte’s story tells us of great courage, of great bravery, of great evil, of great loss, and of great love. Hannah’s story is marked by the same, as well as by redemption and hope. As the two stories thread together over the course of the novel, your heart will overflow with a multitude of emotions ranging from joy to heartbreak to everything in between. Like me, you may not be able to put adequate words to your experience when you’ve closed the book on the final chapter. But I have no doubt that, like me, you will be forever changed.
(I received a copy of this book in exchange for only my honest review.)
Read my full review at Reading Is My SuperPower
June 7, 2022
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I really enjoyed reading Secrets She Kept by Cathy Gohlke. This book was an emotional rollercoaster, and I enjoyed every minute of that ride! Thank you to the team at Muddy Pearl Books, for sending me a copy of this book.
It’s a beautiful, but painfully raw story about a war that not only made people’s lives miserable, but also left painful wounds for generations to bear as well!
Synopsis:
Hannah Sterling was never close with her mother. And when her mum dies, Hannah learns she left secret letters for her. Intrigued to find out what her mum was hiding from her, Hannah travels to Germany, to meet the grandfather she never knew she had.
Thirty years earlier, during the second world war, in Germany, Lieselotte’s father is being promoted in his ranks of the Nazi party. He also wants his daughter to marry, as any good and reputable woman should. But Lukas, the man she loves, is not an ideal match that will keep his reputation intact. How far is he prepared to go, to ensure his daughter’s cooperation?
My Thoughts:
Secrets She Kept is written in two timelines, thirty years apart, and this was an instant hit for me. I love stories that go back and forth, with characters that are connected, and in the end, the timelines’ plots meet and reveal the full story and solve the mystery. This story was written from Hannah’s and Lieselotte’s perspectives, a daughter and a mother, both struggling in their own way. Lieselotte, trying to fight a corrupt system and help people she is forbidden to help, and Hannah, trying desperately to re-connect with her mother and get to know her more through her past.
The Second World War is still a sensitive and painful topic to discuss in the world. Too many innocent people lost their lives. And many that managed to survive were never reunited with their families. This story is about all the pain, all the grief, and all the tragedy it caused, and about a love story that could never be.
The characters in this book are written perfectly.
I was about to say that you can relate to them, but no one could relate to people that have been in those terrible camps and suffered such terror. However, Cathy brings this experience to the reader in such a way that you cannot help but fell as if you are there, suffering with them. The post-war Germany was very realistic as well, especially people’s experiences. It showed how people can manage their grief, their regrets, or how they are able to live, knowing their older generations did terrible things to innocent people. You can see that best in Hannah, when she desperately wants to help people that have been hurt. But how can you help a person, that has lost everything already?
This book made me cry so many times. It is so raw and hard to take in, and it takes a toll on you when you read. But it speaks so loud about things that happened, which shouldn’t happen, and about people’s experiences. When I was reading it, I felt as if I was there myself.
Secrets She Kept is a truly magnificent book that I wholeheartedly recommend. It is emotional and contains a lot of intriguing secrets that you, as a reader, will be slowly uncovering. I loved it, and I hope that people will continue to share these stories. A lot of bad things happened to innocent people, and that should never be forgotten, no matter how hard it may be to tell.
I really enjoyed reading Secrets She Kept by Cathy Gohlke. This book was an emotional rollercoaster, and I enjoyed every minute of that ride! Thank you to the team at Muddy Pearl Books, for sending me a copy of this book.
It’s a beautiful, but painfully raw story about a war that not only made people’s lives miserable, but also left painful wounds for generations to bear as well!
Synopsis:
Hannah Sterling was never close with her mother. And when her mum dies, Hannah learns she left secret letters for her. Intrigued to find out what her mum was hiding from her, Hannah travels to Germany, to meet the grandfather she never knew she had.
Thirty years earlier, during the second world war, in Germany, Lieselotte’s father is being promoted in his ranks of the Nazi party. He also wants his daughter to marry, as any good and reputable woman should. But Lukas, the man she loves, is not an ideal match that will keep his reputation intact. How far is he prepared to go, to ensure his daughter’s cooperation?
My Thoughts:
Secrets She Kept is written in two timelines, thirty years apart, and this was an instant hit for me. I love stories that go back and forth, with characters that are connected, and in the end, the timelines’ plots meet and reveal the full story and solve the mystery. This story was written from Hannah’s and Lieselotte’s perspectives, a daughter and a mother, both struggling in their own way. Lieselotte, trying to fight a corrupt system and help people she is forbidden to help, and Hannah, trying desperately to re-connect with her mother and get to know her more through her past.
The Second World War is still a sensitive and painful topic to discuss in the world. Too many innocent people lost their lives. And many that managed to survive were never reunited with their families. This story is about all the pain, all the grief, and all the tragedy it caused, and about a love story that could never be.
The characters in this book are written perfectly.
I was about to say that you can relate to them, but no one could relate to people that have been in those terrible camps and suffered such terror. However, Cathy brings this experience to the reader in such a way that you cannot help but fell as if you are there, suffering with them. The post-war Germany was very realistic as well, especially people’s experiences. It showed how people can manage their grief, their regrets, or how they are able to live, knowing their older generations did terrible things to innocent people. You can see that best in Hannah, when she desperately wants to help people that have been hurt. But how can you help a person, that has lost everything already?
This book made me cry so many times. It is so raw and hard to take in, and it takes a toll on you when you read. But it speaks so loud about things that happened, which shouldn’t happen, and about people’s experiences. When I was reading it, I felt as if I was there myself.
Secrets She Kept is a truly magnificent book that I wholeheartedly recommend. It is emotional and contains a lot of intriguing secrets that you, as a reader, will be slowly uncovering. I loved it, and I hope that people will continue to share these stories. A lot of bad things happened to innocent people, and that should never be forgotten, no matter how hard it may be to tell.
April 8, 2015
This book is captivating and will challenge you all at the same time. I inhaled the story of a daughter taking a trip to Germany to understand her now-deceased mother. She hopes that by following a clue, she will finally understand the woman who never seemed to love her. What she finds will radically change her perception of her mother, lead her to family she didn't know she had, and bring her to a point she must surrender or accept a life of bitterness.
Told in dual storylines (her mother's during WWII and hers in 1972), this story is a page-turner that might make you consider whether the past will be repeated in our time. It is also a story of sweet forgiveness that comes after a long battle. And I loved the way the author wove two very special sisters into the story. No, I won't tell you who they are because it would rob the joy of discovering these very real people in the midst of Ravensbruck.
This is a story I will remember and think about for a long time.
Told in dual storylines (her mother's during WWII and hers in 1972), this story is a page-turner that might make you consider whether the past will be repeated in our time. It is also a story of sweet forgiveness that comes after a long battle. And I loved the way the author wove two very special sisters into the story. No, I won't tell you who they are because it would rob the joy of discovering these very real people in the midst of Ravensbruck.
This is a story I will remember and think about for a long time.
July 22, 2018
I don't think I could ever write a coherent review for this book. But out of everything in this book-even after all the pain and suffering and bitterness-I was reminded by the truth of forgiveness. Christ brings forgiveness, and Hannah found that through the journey of seeing who her mother truly was.
This is one of the toughest book I've read, but I couldn't put it down. Every page pulled me in and the characters became people that I know...became who we all are before we seek Jesus' forgiveness.
I loved the setting and the intrigue of this story. I hated the details of the camps and the evil people of that day, yet this author has beautifully described true forgiveness. And I also saw my life in a different way. How often do I complain? How often do I think I'm unhappy because I don't have such-and-such? Oh, that we wouldn't take what God has given us for granted.
I highly recommend this book. It's beautiful.
This is one of the toughest book I've read, but I couldn't put it down. Every page pulled me in and the characters became people that I know...became who we all are before we seek Jesus' forgiveness.
I loved the setting and the intrigue of this story. I hated the details of the camps and the evil people of that day, yet this author has beautifully described true forgiveness. And I also saw my life in a different way. How often do I complain? How often do I think I'm unhappy because I don't have such-and-such? Oh, that we wouldn't take what God has given us for granted.
I highly recommend this book. It's beautiful.
November 12, 2015
It's difficult to put my thoughts into words about this novel. It was engaging (I kept reading just one more chapter to see what would happen next), thought provoking and had a clear Gospel message.
The alternating story from 1930s/1940s to early 1970s was done more fluidly than I've seen in any other novel. Flawless transition from chapter to chapter.
The idea that antisemitism existed after the end of World War II had not crossed my mind previously (yes, I have been called Pollyanna a time or two). I also had not considered the guilt or burden felt by Germans that were able to see the impact of not helping those persecuted.
The imagery used allowed me to visualize the surroundings, smells, etc. Historical details added to the completeness of this novel.
I highly recommend Secrets She Kept to readers of historical fiction.
The alternating story from 1930s/1940s to early 1970s was done more fluidly than I've seen in any other novel. Flawless transition from chapter to chapter.
The idea that antisemitism existed after the end of World War II had not crossed my mind previously (yes, I have been called Pollyanna a time or two). I also had not considered the guilt or burden felt by Germans that were able to see the impact of not helping those persecuted.
The imagery used allowed me to visualize the surroundings, smells, etc. Historical details added to the completeness of this novel.
I highly recommend Secrets She Kept to readers of historical fiction.
August 29, 2019
An interesting novel and, for once, the parallel time lines felt like a valid choice of storytelling, both narratives being necessary and compelling.
There is a truly powerful and deep theme of forgiveness laced throughout this book that is far more real and hard-hitting than most of the sub par Christianity that is usually presented in Christian Fiction that I really appreciated. However, the overall tone and subject matter was (understandably) quite dark and heavy – something I wasn’t in the mood for at this time.
I may pick this up again for a second try at a later date, though - and I’ll definitely be trying out the author’s other books.
There is a truly powerful and deep theme of forgiveness laced throughout this book that is far more real and hard-hitting than most of the sub par Christianity that is usually presented in Christian Fiction that I really appreciated. However, the overall tone and subject matter was (understandably) quite dark and heavy – something I wasn’t in the mood for at this time.
I may pick this up again for a second try at a later date, though - and I’ll definitely be trying out the author’s other books.
July 26, 2024
wow. 😭
This WWII fiction is like non other I’ve read. Hannah, the MC, discovers a grandfather in Germany she never knew existed, and travels there to meet him, to learn more about the mother (who has recently passed away) she never really had a relationship with — while there she discovers ugly truths about her family’s involvement with the Nazi Party. What follows is a hard, real, journey of wrestling with the pain caused by her family — and wrestling with God, her faith, and learning to forgive …
so good.
This WWII fiction is like non other I’ve read. Hannah, the MC, discovers a grandfather in Germany she never knew existed, and travels there to meet him, to learn more about the mother (who has recently passed away) she never really had a relationship with — while there she discovers ugly truths about her family’s involvement with the Nazi Party. What follows is a hard, real, journey of wrestling with the pain caused by her family — and wrestling with God, her faith, and learning to forgive …
so good.
July 12, 2021
4.5⭐
This was not an easy story but so heart-wrenchingly beautiful. I learned parts of WWll Germany I was not aware of and some lingering affects still left in the 70's. And I loved the tie-in with the "Sisters".
“If I am caught, I would rather die for something than live for nothing.”
"Our circumstances don't dictate our reality."
This was not an easy story but so heart-wrenchingly beautiful. I learned parts of WWll Germany I was not aware of and some lingering affects still left in the 70's. And I loved the tie-in with the "Sisters".
“If I am caught, I would rather die for something than live for nothing.”
"Our circumstances don't dictate our reality."
August 1, 2016
I won a copy of this book from Savanna's blog, The Engrafted Word, woohoo!
If you enjoyed this book or like this author, check out this interview - very interesting!
http://theengraftedword.net/interview...
If you enjoyed this book or like this author, check out this interview - very interesting!
http://theengraftedword.net/interview...
February 14, 2020
A story about all the dangers and repercussions of the war. I was so on the edge of my seat listening to this story that I switched to the hard copy at the earliest moment so I could read it faster! This got intense very quickly and then seemed to further intensify with every page. It's a tale of true love against the backdrop of the Holocaust and the concentration camps.
Then in contrast is the story of the daughter going back to Germany to seek out what really happened to her mother in the old days and why her mother was so scarred by the war's effects that she couldn't speak of it even to her daughter. I wasn't expecting the way this part unfolded in the least and I certainly wasn't expecting her to end up in danger herself!
Two romances are melded in. In the early one it's about making the most of time with true love during a dangerous war. In the second it's a slower awakening with a couple who become friends first of all. Both are delightful.
Suitable for ages 16+ because of wartime violence.
Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for a free reading copy. A favorable review was not required. My review is based instead off of a final copy I bought/borrowed from the library.
Then in contrast is the story of the daughter going back to Germany to seek out what really happened to her mother in the old days and why her mother was so scarred by the war's effects that she couldn't speak of it even to her daughter. I wasn't expecting the way this part unfolded in the least and I certainly wasn't expecting her to end up in danger herself!
Two romances are melded in. In the early one it's about making the most of time with true love during a dangerous war. In the second it's a slower awakening with a couple who become friends first of all. Both are delightful.
Suitable for ages 16+ because of wartime violence.
Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for a free reading copy. A favorable review was not required. My review is based instead off of a final copy I bought/borrowed from the library.
July 12, 2024
It is difficult to find the right words for a story which is so beautiful but at the same time so heartbreaking.
This is not an easy book. The pages reveal sad and ugly truths of how inhuman a dark age in history was. I visited Dachau one year when we toured through Europe, and you see all the facts and pictures but in some why cut yourself off from the ugliness. Through stories like this one, you just can’t hide anymore.
My heart broke for Lieselotte and everything that happened to her and what was stolen from her and also Hannah. I never thought about how things were for the people who survived the war and this book helped me to understand that even though the war was over, the fear, heart break and false view of brain washed Germans still remained. It is so difficult to find forgiveness for ‘these Germans’ and that is just what God asks from us.
The jump between the two story lines was brilliantly done. This is my favourite story by this author and probably my favourite WW2 book, even though this is a heavy and sad book.
This is not an easy book. The pages reveal sad and ugly truths of how inhuman a dark age in history was. I visited Dachau one year when we toured through Europe, and you see all the facts and pictures but in some why cut yourself off from the ugliness. Through stories like this one, you just can’t hide anymore.
My heart broke for Lieselotte and everything that happened to her and what was stolen from her and also Hannah. I never thought about how things were for the people who survived the war and this book helped me to understand that even though the war was over, the fear, heart break and false view of brain washed Germans still remained. It is so difficult to find forgiveness for ‘these Germans’ and that is just what God asks from us.
The jump between the two story lines was brilliantly done. This is my favourite story by this author and probably my favourite WW2 book, even though this is a heavy and sad book.
April 29, 2015
This is one of the most powerful books I have ever read! It truly deserves double the 5 stars allowed here.
Set in Nazi Germany 1938-1944 and in America and Germany in 1972-1973, it an astounding story of God's grace and power to help His children forgive anything.
Hannah Sterling, in 1972, has recently lost her mother and is about to lose her job unless she can control her bitterness. Given a leave by her principal, Hannah begins to pour over her mother's possessions, trying to find some answer to why her mother was always so cold and harsh with her and everyone else, why her mother and father fought all the time. What she finds leads her to Germany, to a grandfather she never knew she had. Hannah learns there are many, many secrets her mother kept from her, secrets that devastate her. This grandfather she found and hopes to forge a bond with is not the man she wants or needs him to be.
Lisielotte Sommer, Hannah's mother, also tells her tale, set in the years 1938-1944 in the midst of the horror of the Holocaust. The reader learns much from this woman who endures more than we would have imagined.
I won't give anything else away for fear of spoilers. Cathy Gohlke writes wonderful books, but this is her absolute personal best! I was entranced, absolutely captivated and had to tear myself away to do needful things like cook for my family! It was as if I couldn't rest until I finished this book.
My book is marked and underlined in many,many places. This is not a book you put down after you finish and forget about it. NO! It is a book that lingers on in your heart because it is so rich and powerful. Powerful in that it teaches the reader a huge spiritual principle: the power of forgiveness. I believe many believers struggle with this and I believe they will be able to let go of that bitterness after reading this wonderful story.
It was an absolutely amazing book and I will never forget it!
*I was given a copy of this book by the author in exchange for my honest review, which I have given.
Set in Nazi Germany 1938-1944 and in America and Germany in 1972-1973, it an astounding story of God's grace and power to help His children forgive anything.
Hannah Sterling, in 1972, has recently lost her mother and is about to lose her job unless she can control her bitterness. Given a leave by her principal, Hannah begins to pour over her mother's possessions, trying to find some answer to why her mother was always so cold and harsh with her and everyone else, why her mother and father fought all the time. What she finds leads her to Germany, to a grandfather she never knew she had. Hannah learns there are many, many secrets her mother kept from her, secrets that devastate her. This grandfather she found and hopes to forge a bond with is not the man she wants or needs him to be.
Lisielotte Sommer, Hannah's mother, also tells her tale, set in the years 1938-1944 in the midst of the horror of the Holocaust. The reader learns much from this woman who endures more than we would have imagined.
I won't give anything else away for fear of spoilers. Cathy Gohlke writes wonderful books, but this is her absolute personal best! I was entranced, absolutely captivated and had to tear myself away to do needful things like cook for my family! It was as if I couldn't rest until I finished this book.
My book is marked and underlined in many,many places. This is not a book you put down after you finish and forget about it. NO! It is a book that lingers on in your heart because it is so rich and powerful. Powerful in that it teaches the reader a huge spiritual principle: the power of forgiveness. I believe many believers struggle with this and I believe they will be able to let go of that bitterness after reading this wonderful story.
It was an absolutely amazing book and I will never forget it!
*I was given a copy of this book by the author in exchange for my honest review, which I have given.
March 27, 2019
I'll admit that I had a hard time with this book at the beginning. While I 'connected' with Liselotte's story right away, it was harder to with Hannah, at least until she got to Germany. Once Hannah started piecing together what her Mama's life had been like, and who her Grossvater was, things definitely picked up.
That is not to say that it got any easier to read this book. As the story went on, the horrors of what happened to Liselotte and her loved ones and others trying to flee the Nazis just grew heavier and heavier in my mind. However, being able to recognise 2 of the characters in Ravensbruck as 2 real-life people who had been there was just the right glimpse of light that I think the author meant it to be.
I love that Corrie was also used to help Hannah learn the most important lesson of her journey: about forgiveness and redemption, and I closed the book with tears streaming down my face, reminded of the incomprehensible grace God bestows upon His children.
That is not to say that it got any easier to read this book. As the story went on, the horrors of what happened to Liselotte and her loved ones and others trying to flee the Nazis just grew heavier and heavier in my mind. However, being able to recognise 2 of the characters in Ravensbruck as 2 real-life people who had been there was just the right glimpse of light that I think the author meant it to be.
I love that Corrie was also used to help Hannah learn the most important lesson of her journey: about forgiveness and redemption, and I closed the book with tears streaming down my face, reminded of the incomprehensible grace God bestows upon His children.
January 2, 2016
On the surface, Secrets She Kept sounds like a book written for me: WWII fiction, dual narratives, family secrets - and for the majority of the story it was! Unfortunately, by the halfway mark things started spiraling downward and by the ending I just wanted it to be over.
For the full review and more, head over to The Pretty Good Gatsby!
For the full review and more, head over to The Pretty Good Gatsby!
March 25, 2015
In Secrets She Kept a daughter’s longing to understand her mother’s painful past takes her on a powerful journey of understanding and forgiveness. Cathy Gohlke beautifully weaves together truth and heroism against a stark backdrop of the unbelievable evil of the Holocaust. Readers can expect mystery, drama, intrigue, and romance in this unforgettable story of love and sacrifice. A Must Read!
November 30, 2015
Good story. The last ten pages felt like a Sunday school lecture on forgiveness.
September 9, 2015
Secrets She Kept by Cathy Gohlke is a sweeping story. The deep characterization, striking settings, and twisting story draw you in and raise poignant questions. If you lived in the claustrophobic terror of Nazi Germany, would you have risked your life – or compromised your values? And if you lived in postwar Germany, how would you deal with your past sin and shame? A lyrical tale of hope and light, even in the darkest places. Don’t miss this book!
February 15, 2017
by Andrea Renee Cox
"I would rather die for something than live for nothing."
~Secrets She Kept by Cathy Gohlke
Sacrifice. Selflessness. Compassion.
Do you see these things played out in today's society? They are difficult to find, I'll admit, but they are still there.
But were they around in Hitler's Germany?
You might think a quick, "No way!" You'd be wrong.
Some people risked their lives and their family's lives to hide Jews, to save them from the death camps. Others stole ration cards or forged documents to help the Jews escape into another country. Eventually, many of these heroes were found out and taken to the death camps along with the Jews they had been helping.
When I read books like Secrets She Kept, those monstrous days come to life for me. Authors like Cathy Gohlke make it easy to imagine the horrors forced upon innocent people. I usually end up crying fiercely, as if it was my own family who'd suffered at the SS guards' hands.
This book is not a happy one; don't go into it thinking that. Be prepared with a box of tissues. Truly, it is a great book, though, because it brings to light just how evil the Nazis were and how so many lives were destroyed -- even those that survived the camps.
However, it also shows how a select few overcame the tragedy that happened to them. There is a silver lining, but I'll leave it for you to discover. For this ray of hope, I am thankful. Because without it I was ready to hate this book. With it, well... it was a bit torturous, but then, so were the actual events in history. I thought Cathy handled the extremely tough topics fairly well and presented a piece of history a lot of people would like to forget ever happened. It's good that she's keeping it relevant for the next generation, because if things like this get lost, how can we learn from them? Make sure they're never repeated?
How do you learn from history? In what ways do you make certain that sacrifice, selflessness, and compassion survive to the next generation?
Do you think you would be brave enough to stand behind the quote at the top of this review?
I did not receive compensation for this review.
"I would rather die for something than live for nothing."
~Secrets She Kept by Cathy Gohlke
Sacrifice. Selflessness. Compassion.
Do you see these things played out in today's society? They are difficult to find, I'll admit, but they are still there.
But were they around in Hitler's Germany?
You might think a quick, "No way!" You'd be wrong.
Some people risked their lives and their family's lives to hide Jews, to save them from the death camps. Others stole ration cards or forged documents to help the Jews escape into another country. Eventually, many of these heroes were found out and taken to the death camps along with the Jews they had been helping.
When I read books like Secrets She Kept, those monstrous days come to life for me. Authors like Cathy Gohlke make it easy to imagine the horrors forced upon innocent people. I usually end up crying fiercely, as if it was my own family who'd suffered at the SS guards' hands.
This book is not a happy one; don't go into it thinking that. Be prepared with a box of tissues. Truly, it is a great book, though, because it brings to light just how evil the Nazis were and how so many lives were destroyed -- even those that survived the camps.
However, it also shows how a select few overcame the tragedy that happened to them. There is a silver lining, but I'll leave it for you to discover. For this ray of hope, I am thankful. Because without it I was ready to hate this book. With it, well... it was a bit torturous, but then, so were the actual events in history. I thought Cathy handled the extremely tough topics fairly well and presented a piece of history a lot of people would like to forget ever happened. It's good that she's keeping it relevant for the next generation, because if things like this get lost, how can we learn from them? Make sure they're never repeated?
How do you learn from history? In what ways do you make certain that sacrifice, selflessness, and compassion survive to the next generation?
Do you think you would be brave enough to stand behind the quote at the top of this review?
I did not receive compensation for this review.
November 23, 2018
This book! The title makes so much sense when you get into the story - very fitting. It's split time period and so, therefore, I wasn't sure if I was going to like it, because sometimes that ruins the book for me, but this time? It was written so, so well! I can't tell you how much I liked this book. It was sad, so sad, but not in a depressing type of way.
There was never a time that was easy to put the book down. I wanted to keep reading, reading, reading and figure out what would happen next. The plot twists blew me away, and "meeting" someone who I've read a ton about in nonfiction books was a total winner.
I highly, highly recommend this author.
There was never a time that was easy to put the book down. I wanted to keep reading, reading, reading and figure out what would happen next. The plot twists blew me away, and "meeting" someone who I've read a ton about in nonfiction books was a total winner.
I highly, highly recommend this author.
May 9, 2022
O carte care transmite emoții și ne arată că orice poate fi iertat. Războiul poate sa aducă secrete în familie. Și uneori, acele secrete pot fi descoperite după moartea persoanelor. Merita citita, pentru curajul de care dau dovada mama și fiica acesteia. 🌟
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 7, 2016
Everytime I sat down to read this book I felt like I wasn't able to read it fast enough. Hannah and Lieselotte's stories were seamlessly intertwined throughout the novel. It was wonderful to be able to see the point of view from a survivor of the Holocaust as well as the daughter who is trying to uncover her family's secrets - with the help of her friend, Carl.
Throughout the novel, one major theme that is highlighted is forgiveness for the sins that people commit against one another and sometimes against ourselves. Hannah had to learn to forgive her family for their actions during the war and after the war. The story unfolds wonderfully through Hannah's visit in Germany, and through her mother's life as the daughter of a member of the Nazi Party.
Overall, I would recommend this book to anyone who wants to learn about WWII and how it affects survivors and the family of survivors. Cathy Gohlke writes a heartwrenching story of what it means to have hope, faith and above all, to forgive.
Throughout the novel, one major theme that is highlighted is forgiveness for the sins that people commit against one another and sometimes against ourselves. Hannah had to learn to forgive her family for their actions during the war and after the war. The story unfolds wonderfully through Hannah's visit in Germany, and through her mother's life as the daughter of a member of the Nazi Party.
Overall, I would recommend this book to anyone who wants to learn about WWII and how it affects survivors and the family of survivors. Cathy Gohlke writes a heartwrenching story of what it means to have hope, faith and above all, to forgive.
December 18, 2017
I don't always enjoy dual timeline stories, but this one I did, perhaps because the two stories were only separated by one generation. Germany in the seventies through the eyes of the children of those who survived the war- that was a particularly unique perspective on WW 2 that you don't usually see.
The modern storyline romance element of the plot was fairly predictable, but the rest contained some unique and surprising twists.
Not everything in the story ties up with a neat little bow-characters die with words left unsaid and issues unresolved. Certain characters are a realistic blend of good and bad and sometimes unclear motives. In this way, this novel is very true to life. I always appreciate a novel that achieves this level of realism, even if it's difficult to read.
The only real complaint I have is that the main themes and messages of the book -namely, forgiveness- were written with a heavy hand, especially at the end. The whole ending, in fact, seemed a little rushed.
The modern storyline romance element of the plot was fairly predictable, but the rest contained some unique and surprising twists.
Not everything in the story ties up with a neat little bow-characters die with words left unsaid and issues unresolved. Certain characters are a realistic blend of good and bad and sometimes unclear motives. In this way, this novel is very true to life. I always appreciate a novel that achieves this level of realism, even if it's difficult to read.
The only real complaint I have is that the main themes and messages of the book -namely, forgiveness- were written with a heavy hand, especially at the end. The whole ending, in fact, seemed a little rushed.
November 10, 2020
This book broke my heart. It was so sad yet so good at the same time. Does that even make sense? This book is about forgiveness and it is sprinkled throughout the whole story. It was beautifully told and at some times very difficult to read. Although this is fiction I know things like this actually happened during WW2 and it makes me want to cry and yell and pray that something like this would never happen again! This book took me through all the emotions. 5 stars.
I will definitely be checking out more by this author.
I will definitely be checking out more by this author.
February 17, 2018
The beginning was interesting & suspenseful, but that ending!!! Love the confessing church (Bonhoeffer) & Corrie Ten boom tie in. A book my students & I have greatly appreciated!
June 22, 2021
I’m not a huge fan of WWII books that deal with Nazis, concentration camps, and such things, but a friend highly recommended this book so I picked it up without really reading much about it. I ended up liking it. The switching between Hannah’s time (1970s) and her mother’s time (1940s) was well done and kept me reading. If it had focused too much on Lieselotte I think I would have quit reading, but it didn’t. I also liked that the horrors and fear so many Germans lived through was not delved into in detail.
I didn’t quite understand Hannah especially at the end, but she didn’t seem like someone who read her Bible or prayed except when things were bad, so in a sense I get her thoughts, but it still felt odd to me.
There were situations that drove me crazy, people that did things that made me mad, things that I still am not quite sure I understand, and mentions of awful things that happened.
I did feel like the ending felt a little forced and kind of pushed in to allow a certain person to be in the story, but overall it was good.
I didn’t quite understand Hannah especially at the end, but she didn’t seem like someone who read her Bible or prayed except when things were bad, so in a sense I get her thoughts, but it still felt odd to me.
There were situations that drove me crazy, people that did things that made me mad, things that I still am not quite sure I understand, and mentions of awful things that happened.
I did feel like the ending felt a little forced and kind of pushed in to allow a certain person to be in the story, but overall it was good.
August 6, 2019
4.5 stars
February 20, 2025
BOOK REVIEW: SECRETS SHE KEPT // CATHY GOHLKE
MY THOUGHTS: I happened to pick this one up right after I had finished The Hiding Place by Corrie Ten Boom. At the beginning, the author acknowledges Corrie and her ministry. This book, like so many WWII historical fictions, was emotional to read. But it was so well done, and it was a fresh voice and view I hadn’t read in a while. At first I thought it would be similar to two other books I had read, but thankfully it became very unique and I really enjoyed it. Hannah & Lieselotte were great main characters. I loved the mystery and suspense at times. They both went through a lot, but they were so brave. Overall, a great novel!
CONTENT: Medium. War, violence, r*pe, concentration camps, starvation, sickness
WHAT I LIKED: The timeline of going back and forth, not knowing what was the truth & what wasn't was so well done. It went so well together, as if they were moving together even though one was in the past and the other the “present”. It all meshed so well.
WHAT I DIDN’T LIKE: At first, like I said above, it was too similar to ones I had read before. So that dampened my interest at first.
GENRE: WWII Historical Fiction
PAGES: 416
RATING: 4.5☆
WOULD I RECOMMEND THIS?: This is a WWII Historical Fiction that you should definitely read!
MY THOUGHTS: I happened to pick this one up right after I had finished The Hiding Place by Corrie Ten Boom. At the beginning, the author acknowledges Corrie and her ministry. This book, like so many WWII historical fictions, was emotional to read. But it was so well done, and it was a fresh voice and view I hadn’t read in a while. At first I thought it would be similar to two other books I had read, but thankfully it became very unique and I really enjoyed it. Hannah & Lieselotte were great main characters. I loved the mystery and suspense at times. They both went through a lot, but they were so brave. Overall, a great novel!
CONTENT: Medium. War, violence, r*pe, concentration camps, starvation, sickness
WHAT I LIKED: The timeline of going back and forth, not knowing what was the truth & what wasn't was so well done. It went so well together, as if they were moving together even though one was in the past and the other the “present”. It all meshed so well.
WHAT I DIDN’T LIKE: At first, like I said above, it was too similar to ones I had read before. So that dampened my interest at first.
GENRE: WWII Historical Fiction
PAGES: 416
RATING: 4.5☆
WOULD I RECOMMEND THIS?: This is a WWII Historical Fiction that you should definitely read!
September 25, 2015
After her mother's death, Hannah Sterling wishes that they could have been closer. All of her life, Hannah felt that Lieselotte did not love her and was incapable of love. When she overhears a conversation between her aunt and a family friend, Hannah is determined to find the answers that will unlock Lieselotte's past and possible provide closure for Hannah. One startling discovery is that Hannah has a grandfather living in Germany. To discover all she can about her mother, Hannah travels to Germany. There she discovers that thirty years before, Lieselotte's father was quickly ascending the ranks of the Nazi Party and that he wanted an advantageous marriage for his daughter - not Lukas, the boy Lieselotte has loved for years. Lieselotte had no idea how far exactly her father would go to ensure her cooperation, and his actions lead to a rift that Hannah has no hope of bridging. Hannah's grandfather is also hiding wartime secrets. His secrets force Hannah to reevaluate all she knows about her mother and to figure out how she can atone for her family's tragic past as well as use the information to shape her future.
Every since I read Promise Me This, I've discovered that Cathy's books are very gripping. They have a tendency to hold me captive and not let me go. This one was no exception.
Set both in WWII and the 1970's, I was captivated. I had an idea as to where Lieselotte's story was going and I wasn't surprised to discover that I was right. Hannah's story on the other hand, I had no idea in what direction her story would go. I loved the WWII portion better than the other. But overall, it was a good book.
Both Hannah and Lieselotte are deep characters. Yet what I really loved is how Hannah's attitude changed toward her mother as she learned exactly what happened. For a while, it seemed that every character in the book had a secret. And some of those secrets were huge. But the way things resolve after they came to light, made wading through the secrets worth it.
I received this book for free from Tyndale for the purpose of reviewing. My thoughts and opinions are my own.
Recommended to fans of Laura Frantz, WWII, Brock & Bodie Thoene, Kristy Cambron
Rating - 4 stars
Every since I read Promise Me This, I've discovered that Cathy's books are very gripping. They have a tendency to hold me captive and not let me go. This one was no exception.
Set both in WWII and the 1970's, I was captivated. I had an idea as to where Lieselotte's story was going and I wasn't surprised to discover that I was right. Hannah's story on the other hand, I had no idea in what direction her story would go. I loved the WWII portion better than the other. But overall, it was a good book.
Both Hannah and Lieselotte are deep characters. Yet what I really loved is how Hannah's attitude changed toward her mother as she learned exactly what happened. For a while, it seemed that every character in the book had a secret. And some of those secrets were huge. But the way things resolve after they came to light, made wading through the secrets worth it.
I received this book for free from Tyndale for the purpose of reviewing. My thoughts and opinions are my own.
Recommended to fans of Laura Frantz, WWII, Brock & Bodie Thoene, Kristy Cambron
Rating - 4 stars
January 2, 2024
Secrets She Kept by Cathy Gohlke
Secrets SHE kept. More like secrets EVERYONE kept. But then, that was the way it was in Nazi Germany if you wanted to stay alive, or if you tried to help others stay alive.
Hannah thought she knew what her mother and father were like. Her father was a doting dad, whereas her mother was a miserly, unkind woman who Hannah thought never loved her. But when they died and Hannah was left with a will and a key to a safe deposit box full of papers, she was in for an awakening she was not prepared for.
A grandfather she was told was dead, a whole history in a country she had never been to, and secrets that she needed to unearth in order to know the truth about her strange mother.
What she discovered was beyond anything she could have guessed. Nazi Germany was removed from her life, as she never knew she was German. She was told her mother was Austrian. Her ties to the Nazi movement and Jewish hiding was a huge surprise.
Ms. Gohlke did an amazing job unearthing these secrets with the two stories... Hannah in the 70's and her mother in the 40's. What an amazing story of atrocities, survival, and men from her history who did despicable things.
My favorite part was when she was telling of two relatives in the death camp and their survival with other women. Two women in particular were mentioned...godly Dutch sisters. I immediately knew she was talking about Corrie ten Boom. The Hiding Place was a hugely important book to me in my late teens. That was a lovely addition!
Do I recommend this book? Oh my! That's an irrefutable YES!!!
Secrets SHE kept. More like secrets EVERYONE kept. But then, that was the way it was in Nazi Germany if you wanted to stay alive, or if you tried to help others stay alive.
Hannah thought she knew what her mother and father were like. Her father was a doting dad, whereas her mother was a miserly, unkind woman who Hannah thought never loved her. But when they died and Hannah was left with a will and a key to a safe deposit box full of papers, she was in for an awakening she was not prepared for.
A grandfather she was told was dead, a whole history in a country she had never been to, and secrets that she needed to unearth in order to know the truth about her strange mother.
What she discovered was beyond anything she could have guessed. Nazi Germany was removed from her life, as she never knew she was German. She was told her mother was Austrian. Her ties to the Nazi movement and Jewish hiding was a huge surprise.
Ms. Gohlke did an amazing job unearthing these secrets with the two stories... Hannah in the 70's and her mother in the 40's. What an amazing story of atrocities, survival, and men from her history who did despicable things.
My favorite part was when she was telling of two relatives in the death camp and their survival with other women. Two women in particular were mentioned...godly Dutch sisters. I immediately knew she was talking about Corrie ten Boom. The Hiding Place was a hugely important book to me in my late teens. That was a lovely addition!
Do I recommend this book? Oh my! That's an irrefutable YES!!!
January 17, 2016
This book is beautiful. Secrets She Kept follows Hannah Sterling as she tries to piece together the clues her late mother, Lieselotte, left behind in order to learn who she really was. Cathy Gohlke seamlessly weaves Lieselotte’s story of bravery and persecution during World War II with her daughter’s discovery of her life.
Both stories are equally compelling, and constantly left me eager to read more. I would finish a chapter following Hannah and be intensely curious to know what happened next, and then the next chapter would take me back to Lieselotte. Then I would find myself wanting to read more about Lieselotte and it would be time to read about Hannah again. I love that both characters were so intriguing and I was invested in both sides of the story.
This book explores how our circumstances shape us and test our courage in the face of uncertain times. It explores what perseverance and strength in the midst of adversity looks like. And it explores what it means to struggle to understand someone you don’t know and grasp for answers.
Secrets She Kept is a powerful novel. It reveals that even in the darkness, faith shines through.
*With thanks to Tyndale Publishers for providing a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. All opinions expressed are my own.*
Originally posted on https://bookshelvesandwindows.wordpre...
Both stories are equally compelling, and constantly left me eager to read more. I would finish a chapter following Hannah and be intensely curious to know what happened next, and then the next chapter would take me back to Lieselotte. Then I would find myself wanting to read more about Lieselotte and it would be time to read about Hannah again. I love that both characters were so intriguing and I was invested in both sides of the story.
This book explores how our circumstances shape us and test our courage in the face of uncertain times. It explores what perseverance and strength in the midst of adversity looks like. And it explores what it means to struggle to understand someone you don’t know and grasp for answers.
Secrets She Kept is a powerful novel. It reveals that even in the darkness, faith shines through.
*With thanks to Tyndale Publishers for providing a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. All opinions expressed are my own.*
Originally posted on https://bookshelvesandwindows.wordpre...
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