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When the Summer Was Ours
Hungary, 1943: As war encroaches on the country’s borders, willful young Eva César arrives in the idyllic town of Sopron to spend her last summer as a single woman on her aristocratic family’s estate. Longing for freedom from her domineering father, she counts the days to her upcoming nuptials to a kind and dedicated Red Cross doctor whom she greatly admires.
But Eva’s life changes when she meets Aleandro, a charming and passionate Romani fiddler and artist. With time and profound class differences against them, Eva and Aleandro still fall deeply in love—only to be separated by a brutal act of hatred.
As each are swept into the tides of war, they try to forget their romance. Yet, the haunting memory of that summer will reshape their destinies and lead to decisions which are felt through generations.
From the horrors of the Second World War to the tensions of the 1956 Hungarian uprising and beyond, When the Summer Was Ours is a sweeping story about the toll of secrets, the blurred lines between sacrifice and obsession, and the endurance of the human spirit.
384 pages, Paperback
First published August 24, 2021
157 people are currently reading
3639 people want to read
About the author
Roxanne Veletzos
2 books334 followersRoxanne Veletzos was born in Bucharest, Romania. As a young teen, she moved to California where she began writing short stories about her native Eastern Europe, at first as a cathartic experience transitioning to a new culture. Building on her love of the written language, she obtained a bachelor’s degree in journalism and has worked as an editor, content writer and marketing manager for a number of Fortune 500 companies. Roxanne lives in the San Francisco Bay Area with her husband, their two sons, and one very spirited Boarder Collie. Her debut novel THE GIRL THEY LEFT BEHIND is an international bestseller and was published in ten countries. WHEN THE SUMMER WAS OURS is her second novel.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 313 reviews
August 26, 2021
I really enjoyed The Girl They Left Behind when it was published three years ago, and I’ve been awaiting When the Summer Was Ours. Roxanne Veletzos’ storytelling just gets better and better.
Set in Hungary during World War II, Eva is the daughter of aristocrats, and she’s set to spend her last summer single in Sopron on their estate. She’s marrying a Red Cross doctor and is looking forward to her wedding day.
Things change, though, when Eva meets Aleandro, an easygoing artist of a different class, and they fall in love. Will the couple stay together?
I especially loved Aleandro. He was such a good person and easy to love. I also enjoyed the Hungary setting during and after the war. This book warmed my heart and broke it a few times, too. A sweeping love story on the backdrop of war and tragedy.
I received a gifted copy.
Many of my reviews can also be found on my blog: www.jennifertarheelreader.com and instagram: www.instagram.com/tarheelreader
Set in Hungary during World War II, Eva is the daughter of aristocrats, and she’s set to spend her last summer single in Sopron on their estate. She’s marrying a Red Cross doctor and is looking forward to her wedding day.
Things change, though, when Eva meets Aleandro, an easygoing artist of a different class, and they fall in love. Will the couple stay together?
I especially loved Aleandro. He was such a good person and easy to love. I also enjoyed the Hungary setting during and after the war. This book warmed my heart and broke it a few times, too. A sweeping love story on the backdrop of war and tragedy.
I received a gifted copy.
Many of my reviews can also be found on my blog: www.jennifertarheelreader.com and instagram: www.instagram.com/tarheelreader
August 23, 2021
It’s 1943 and twenty-year old Eva is preparing to marry Eduard, a kind young doctor who is working for the Red Cross as Germany expands its occupation across Europe. Eva has lived a sheltered, charmed life in Bucharest, Hungary. With her wedding approaching, Eva travels to her family’s country estate in Sopron for the summer. There she meets Aleandro, a young, charming Romani (“gypsy”) who is a fiddler and an artist. While they are from two different social classes, they form a close bond and fall in love. Yet their time together is short-lived and they are separated. The Germans soon overtake Hungary and the Nazis deport all people deemed undesirable, including the Romani.
Eva has no choice but to try and rebuild her life and vows to help others. Aleandro and his family cannot escape Nazi persecution but his memory of Eva gives him the will to survive. This beautiful story takes the reader from the horrors of the war, to post-war Hungary and the struggles the country continued to face.
When the Summer Was Ours is a heartbreaking story of two people torn apart by circumstance. It is rare for a book centered around World War Two to reflect the experiences in Hungary and tell of the Romani people, which makes this book especially interesting. Author Roxanne Veletzos, through extensive research and family history, does an excellent job creating a sense of what people were experiencing during and after the war. And keeps us wondering if the two people who loved so deeply will ever see each other again.
Pack some Kleenex and enjoy.
Many thanks to Atria Books/Simon & Schuster, NetGalley and the author for the opportunity to read this incredibly moving book in advance of its August 24, 2021 publication.
Rated 4.25 stars.
Review posted on MicheleReader.com.
Eva has no choice but to try and rebuild her life and vows to help others. Aleandro and his family cannot escape Nazi persecution but his memory of Eva gives him the will to survive. This beautiful story takes the reader from the horrors of the war, to post-war Hungary and the struggles the country continued to face.
When the Summer Was Ours is a heartbreaking story of two people torn apart by circumstance. It is rare for a book centered around World War Two to reflect the experiences in Hungary and tell of the Romani people, which makes this book especially interesting. Author Roxanne Veletzos, through extensive research and family history, does an excellent job creating a sense of what people were experiencing during and after the war. And keeps us wondering if the two people who loved so deeply will ever see each other again.
Pack some Kleenex and enjoy.
Many thanks to Atria Books/Simon & Schuster, NetGalley and the author for the opportunity to read this incredibly moving book in advance of its August 24, 2021 publication.
Rated 4.25 stars.
Review posted on MicheleReader.com.
July 29, 2022
3.5 stars, rounded upward. I had proclaimed myself to be over and done with World War II fiction; there’s been a glut of it in the publishing world, and I have well and truly had my fill. My soft spot, however, is for any book written by an author whose work I have read and enjoyed. I reviewed Veletzos’s charming debut, The Girl They Left Behind, in 2018, and so when the opportunity came up, I agreed to read and review this one, too. It was a good decision.
My thanks go to Net Galley and Atria Books for the invitation and review copy. This book is for sale now.
Eva Cesar, daughter of the well-to-do but terribly strict local bourgeois, falls in love when Aleandro, a Romani artist stops in her tiny town in Hungary. He is a painter and a fiddler, raising his younger brothers alone following the deaths of their parents. Eva’s father knows nothing of this romance, and it’s a darned good thing. Not only is her father a Nazi sympathizer and bigot, but she is already engaged to marry Eduard, a dedicated Red Cross physician whom she also loves.
The story follows all three of them over the years, shifting points of view. All three are likable characters; Aleandro is obsessive enough that he seems a little creepy at the outset, but as the story develops, that’s no longer the case. Eduard is a stable, likable human being, but he is the one that is least developed. Eva often makes passive decisions, which I find grating, yet these are the early 1940s, and women don’t yet know they’re entitled to be decisionmakers, at least in many regards. The plot seems to go all over the place, but it comes together quite nicely at the end.
There are two related developments I would have liked to see handled differently. First—and I’m telling you this because it occurs early—Eva becomes pregnant after just one night of passion with Aleandro. Picture me sticking two fingers down my throat. Gag, spit, gag some more; what an overused trope. But then it gets worse. Eva heads to a clinic where abortions are performed quietly, since the procedure isn’t legal; the facility is filthy, and the staff are rude; we briefly meet the doctor, who virtually has horns and a spiky tail, and dines regularly on the flesh of aborted embryos and fetuses. More or less, anyway. And with women’s rights to choose our own reproductive decisions under attack, this is the very worst possible time to put such vile propaganda into a novel. She flees, of course, and has the baby, of course. In fact, as I write this, I question my choice to knock off only half a star from my rating. I’m growing madder by the minute, just writing about it.
Moving on!
The most difficult aspect of a complex story like this one is deciding how to end it. I come back around when I see how tastefully and realistically this is achieved. The ending is both credible and sweet.
There it is; you decide.
My thanks go to Net Galley and Atria Books for the invitation and review copy. This book is for sale now.
Eva Cesar, daughter of the well-to-do but terribly strict local bourgeois, falls in love when Aleandro, a Romani artist stops in her tiny town in Hungary. He is a painter and a fiddler, raising his younger brothers alone following the deaths of their parents. Eva’s father knows nothing of this romance, and it’s a darned good thing. Not only is her father a Nazi sympathizer and bigot, but she is already engaged to marry Eduard, a dedicated Red Cross physician whom she also loves.
The story follows all three of them over the years, shifting points of view. All three are likable characters; Aleandro is obsessive enough that he seems a little creepy at the outset, but as the story develops, that’s no longer the case. Eduard is a stable, likable human being, but he is the one that is least developed. Eva often makes passive decisions, which I find grating, yet these are the early 1940s, and women don’t yet know they’re entitled to be decisionmakers, at least in many regards. The plot seems to go all over the place, but it comes together quite nicely at the end.
There are two related developments I would have liked to see handled differently. First—and I’m telling you this because it occurs early—Eva becomes pregnant after just one night of passion with Aleandro. Picture me sticking two fingers down my throat. Gag, spit, gag some more; what an overused trope. But then it gets worse. Eva heads to a clinic where abortions are performed quietly, since the procedure isn’t legal; the facility is filthy, and the staff are rude; we briefly meet the doctor, who virtually has horns and a spiky tail, and dines regularly on the flesh of aborted embryos and fetuses. More or less, anyway. And with women’s rights to choose our own reproductive decisions under attack, this is the very worst possible time to put such vile propaganda into a novel. She flees, of course, and has the baby, of course. In fact, as I write this, I question my choice to knock off only half a star from my rating. I’m growing madder by the minute, just writing about it.
Moving on!
The most difficult aspect of a complex story like this one is deciding how to end it. I come back around when I see how tastefully and realistically this is achieved. The ending is both credible and sweet.
There it is; you decide.
May 14, 2021
Set in 1943, Sopron, Hungary a young socialite named Eva is engaged to be married to an aspiring doctor who is away doing his part during the great WWII. While Eva is spending time at her summer home studying to be a nurse in Sopron her purse is stolen by a young gypsy boy, however one day, a young man named Aleandro, a poor, Ramani fiddler and artist, finds and returns the purse to Eva. Aleandro is smitten by Eva and cannot stop thinking about her. Eva and Aleandro fall deeply in love while engaged to another man and Eva has to choose between a life with Aleandro where he has nothing to offer her or a more stable, financial life with Eduard. Will one summer night with Aleandro change the lives of both Eva and Aleandro forever?
WWII is one of my favorite time periods and the historical aspect of the Hungary/Russia cold war was a new adventure for me through this piece. The author had me completely engrossed with both Eva and Aleandro and their struggle of class differences. I felt their love from the beginning to the end. I felt their heartbreak from beginning to the end. My heart was broken with theirs. This was such a beautiful story of love and sacrifice.
Thank you to Atria Books and Netgalley for the e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.
WWII is one of my favorite time periods and the historical aspect of the Hungary/Russia cold war was a new adventure for me through this piece. The author had me completely engrossed with both Eva and Aleandro and their struggle of class differences. I felt their love from the beginning to the end. I felt their heartbreak from beginning to the end. My heart was broken with theirs. This was such a beautiful story of love and sacrifice.
Thank you to Atria Books and Netgalley for the e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.
August 24, 2021
A heartbreaking story of lives interrupted during WWII.
The time is 1943 in Sopron, Hungary. Eva spends the summer in Sopron awaiting her marriage to Eduard, a Red Cross doctor. A chance meeting with a young fiddle player named Aleandro changes everything and sets in motion choices for Eva that will last the rest of her life.
The story follows Aleandro through Dachau concentration camp and Eva through her time surviving in Hungary and rebuilding her life.
Although she has a good life with Eduard and loves him she never forgets the love she found with Aleandro and it is never far from her mind. Aleandro meanwhile tries to rebuild his life in America after the camp is librated and the war is over, but no one ever is the same as Eva. As his friend Rudolf told him in the camp "The body is just a vessel, It is the mind that cannot be destroyed."
The story is heartbreaking and sad from beginning to end. I loved the descriptions of the country of Hungary and the places described in the book. It was very interesting about the hospital during the war and the uprising against the Soviets after the war was over. I learned some new history.
The book was true to life, the characters were very well written and relatable to the story. Dora the maid that befriended Eva, the domineering father, and the two men in Eva's life, Aleandro and Eduard.
I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book and I would recommend it.
Thanks to Roxanne Veletzos, Atria Books and NetGalley for providing me with a complimentary copy for my honest review.
The time is 1943 in Sopron, Hungary. Eva spends the summer in Sopron awaiting her marriage to Eduard, a Red Cross doctor. A chance meeting with a young fiddle player named Aleandro changes everything and sets in motion choices for Eva that will last the rest of her life.
The story follows Aleandro through Dachau concentration camp and Eva through her time surviving in Hungary and rebuilding her life.
Although she has a good life with Eduard and loves him she never forgets the love she found with Aleandro and it is never far from her mind. Aleandro meanwhile tries to rebuild his life in America after the camp is librated and the war is over, but no one ever is the same as Eva. As his friend Rudolf told him in the camp "The body is just a vessel, It is the mind that cannot be destroyed."
The story is heartbreaking and sad from beginning to end. I loved the descriptions of the country of Hungary and the places described in the book. It was very interesting about the hospital during the war and the uprising against the Soviets after the war was over. I learned some new history.
The book was true to life, the characters were very well written and relatable to the story. Dora the maid that befriended Eva, the domineering father, and the two men in Eva's life, Aleandro and Eduard.
I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book and I would recommend it.
Thanks to Roxanne Veletzos, Atria Books and NetGalley for providing me with a complimentary copy for my honest review.
September 2, 2022
This is perfection!
Deşi în ultimii ani am citit câteva zeci de cărți despre Holocaust, pot spune că acest roman este unul dintre preferatele mele!
A fost foarte interesant (şi dureros în acelaşi timp) să descopăr detalii despre istoria Ungariei, despre cultura rromă şi suferința pe care a îndurat-o această comunitate în perioada celui de-al Doilea Război Mondial.
De asemenea, în această carte impecabil cercetată veți citi despre numeroşi medici, asistente sau pur şi simplu civili care şi-au sacrificat uneori chiar şi viața în numele dreptății şi al libertății în perioada Războiului, dar şi în timpul ocupației sovietice.
Povestea Evei César şi a lui Aleandro Szábo se întinde pe decenii şi continente şi cu siguranță reuşeşte să atinga sufletele tuturor celor care o descoperă.
Deşi în ultimii ani am citit câteva zeci de cărți despre Holocaust, pot spune că acest roman este unul dintre preferatele mele!
A fost foarte interesant (şi dureros în acelaşi timp) să descopăr detalii despre istoria Ungariei, despre cultura rromă şi suferința pe care a îndurat-o această comunitate în perioada celui de-al Doilea Război Mondial.
De asemenea, în această carte impecabil cercetată veți citi despre numeroşi medici, asistente sau pur şi simplu civili care şi-au sacrificat uneori chiar şi viața în numele dreptății şi al libertății în perioada Războiului, dar şi în timpul ocupației sovietice.
Povestea Evei César şi a lui Aleandro Szábo se întinde pe decenii şi continente şi cu siguranță reuşeşte să atinga sufletele tuturor celor care o descoperă.
July 6, 2021
FULL REVIEW WILL BE ON AUGUST 24.
A life of leisure and wealth was all Eva knew and what she would always know because she was going to marry a doctor.
Well…she was going to marry a doctor until she met Aleandro.
We follow their lives during and after the war and share in their successes as well as heartbreaks. They never were out of each other’s thoughts.
You will love the characters…especially Aleandro for his pure heart and generosity.
Historical fiction fans will be taken to a different setting than the usual WWII places…this book takes place in Hungary along with the horrors of the war.
A heartbreaking but heartwarming read. 5/5
This book was given to me by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
A life of leisure and wealth was all Eva knew and what she would always know because she was going to marry a doctor.
Well…she was going to marry a doctor until she met Aleandro.
We follow their lives during and after the war and share in their successes as well as heartbreaks. They never were out of each other’s thoughts.
You will love the characters…especially Aleandro for his pure heart and generosity.
Historical fiction fans will be taken to a different setting than the usual WWII places…this book takes place in Hungary along with the horrors of the war.
A heartbreaking but heartwarming read. 5/5
This book was given to me by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
November 12, 2021
Well researched, well written historical fiction novel about WWII lovers in Hungary with an extra twist or two. Yep, tears. Not buckets, but a few. Well, well written! A must for the buffs out there!
October 4, 2021
When The Summer Was Ours
By: Roxanne Veletzos
5⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
1943 Hungary- Eva arrives the quaint town of Sporon. She’s spending her last summer at her family’s estate, before her pending wedding. She is wanting her freedom and clashes with her domineering father. She is engaged to marry a kind doctor.
🇭🇺 Eva meets Alejandro a charming fiddler and artist. They are clearly from different classes but fall in love. What will she do? She is engaged to another, but their passion is evident. As war erupts their paths change.
🇭🇺
Generations later Eva and Alejandro’s decisions affect those around them. Do they met again? What decisions did each make? Did love matter? Did true love win in the end?
🇭🇺
I recommend this passionate novel to all Historical Fiction lovers. #whenthesummerwasours, #roxanneveletzos, #washingtonsquarepress, #historicalfiction, #bookreview, #bookstagram, #booksconnectus, #historicalfiction, #stamperlady50
By: Roxanne Veletzos
5⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
1943 Hungary- Eva arrives the quaint town of Sporon. She’s spending her last summer at her family’s estate, before her pending wedding. She is wanting her freedom and clashes with her domineering father. She is engaged to marry a kind doctor.
🇭🇺 Eva meets Alejandro a charming fiddler and artist. They are clearly from different classes but fall in love. What will she do? She is engaged to another, but their passion is evident. As war erupts their paths change.
🇭🇺
Generations later Eva and Alejandro’s decisions affect those around them. Do they met again? What decisions did each make? Did love matter? Did true love win in the end?
🇭🇺
I recommend this passionate novel to all Historical Fiction lovers. #whenthesummerwasours, #roxanneveletzos, #washingtonsquarepress, #historicalfiction, #bookreview, #bookstagram, #booksconnectus, #historicalfiction, #stamperlady50
July 23, 2021
As I began this book and saw the planning of the wedding I had to again look at the date, 1943, so I was surprised as to the life this young woman was leading. Didn’t have to wait long for the other shoe to drop, and things to get bad in Hungary.
We see what looks like she has an ideal life, her father has money, and she is about to marry a doctor who is at the front taking care of the wounded, but life can’t be smooth during war time, and we get to see what happens.
I loved the author’s notes, and see that this fictional story has roots in real people!
So much pain and evil prevalent at this time in history, and Eva meets her soulmate in Aleandro, a chance meeting, but a lifetime relationship.
The title of this read resonates, it was their summer, but was it, a lifetime of yearning for what cannot be, but each play their part in the life that is presented.
I do recommend this read, it kept me page turning, but beware it can be sad, we cannot change the past.
I received this book through Net Galley and the Publisher Atria Books, and was not required to give a positive review.
We see what looks like she has an ideal life, her father has money, and she is about to marry a doctor who is at the front taking care of the wounded, but life can’t be smooth during war time, and we get to see what happens.
I loved the author’s notes, and see that this fictional story has roots in real people!
So much pain and evil prevalent at this time in history, and Eva meets her soulmate in Aleandro, a chance meeting, but a lifetime relationship.
The title of this read resonates, it was their summer, but was it, a lifetime of yearning for what cannot be, but each play their part in the life that is presented.
I do recommend this read, it kept me page turning, but beware it can be sad, we cannot change the past.
I received this book through Net Galley and the Publisher Atria Books, and was not required to give a positive review.
October 29, 2023
Boo! That ending really angered me! Like, what??? Seriously?? Ok I'm going into spoiler alert territory here so stop reading if you don't want the ending spoiled...
It didn't make any sense to me that Eva disclosed who Bianca's real father was at the end. She told HIM without even letting the daughter know (who was a grown ass woman by this point!) And then to add insult to injury, he doesn't even seem to care that he was deceived for 30 years! WTF?
I'm sorry, but that pissed me off and left me fuming! And she has the gall to tell him that her doctor husband was really the father but that it's never too late to build new relationships or something completely cheesie like that!!! He is already 70+ years old. Better get on that...
Yah the story was pretty good up until the ending. Good character development and emotional depth. But I just can't get past the ending. No...just no.
It didn't make any sense to me that Eva disclosed who Bianca's real father was at the end. She told HIM without even letting the daughter know (who was a grown ass woman by this point!) And then to add insult to injury, he doesn't even seem to care that he was deceived for 30 years! WTF?
I'm sorry, but that pissed me off and left me fuming! And she has the gall to tell him that her doctor husband was really the father but that it's never too late to build new relationships or something completely cheesie like that!!! He is already 70+ years old. Better get on that...
Yah the story was pretty good up until the ending. Good character development and emotional depth. But I just can't get past the ending. No...just no.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 12, 2021
Oh my goodness... this book. I enjoyed every minute of it. This book has everything fans of historical fiction are looking for. Especially fans of stories set in World War II.
This book follows two people’s lives through WWII. It is happy, sad, romantic, and tragic. I did not want this book to end.
I hope this one gets made into a movie!
This book follows two people’s lives through WWII. It is happy, sad, romantic, and tragic. I did not want this book to end.
I hope this one gets made into a movie!
June 15, 2023
This book left me heartbroken. 4.5 stars
December 11, 2021
*https://mrsbbookreviews.wordpress.com
When the War Was Here is the second wartime-based novel from bestselling author Roxanne Veletzos. A story of all encompassing love, difficult choices, endurance, resilience, persecution, family and duty, When the War Was Here is a highly moving tale. After I devoured author Roxanne Veletzos’s debut novel The Girl They Left Behind, I was eager to embark on another historical adventure with this very talented writer.
Opening in Hungry in the year 1943, we see a country ravaged by war. As the war rages on in the distance, a young woman from the upper class is set to marry a charming doctor. This young woman named Eva is keen to get away from her controlling father and live as an independent woman. In a twist of fate, Eva’s life path changes when she meets a handsome and talented artist. Despite the differences in their social standing, they fall in love. However, a terrible act of acrimony occurs, leading these star-crossed lovers to be separated. As Eva and Aleandro embark on very difficult but trying life paths, the war changes their futures. They try to cast aside their forbidden love for one another but their deep desire to be together continually plays on their thoughts as the years travel by. Can Aleandro and Eva find a way to be together again, or will they continue to lead separate lives?
Roxanne Veletzos first caught my eye in late 2018 when this debut author published her first novel, The Girl They Left Behind. Since I read this unforgettable book in 2019, I have been waiting quite impatiently to get my hands on another story from this gifted author. When the War Was Here was a book that I was thoroughly connected to from beginning to end. Deeply romantic, enlightening, shocking, heart wrenching and informative, I can speak very highly of this one.
When the War Was Here is a novel that goes a long way in drawing our attention to another hidden pocket of the Second World War. I have read a lot of historical fiction material around the World War Two era, but I can’t say I have come across any previous reading material on the tragic persecution of the Romani people. Veletzos works hard to highlight the unfair treatment and terrible circumstances that these people were confronted with during the war. It broke my heart into pieces. With plenty of page time devoted to the punishment of the Romani people, the Hungarian population and those who found themselves in the Dachau concentration camp, Veletozos has produced an incredibly moving read. Based on her previous novel, which was absolutely mind blowing, I am sure that this talented author embarked on a big research trip to inform her well minded narrative. I was taken aback many times over by the awful situations faced by figures such as Romani artist Aleandro.
Lead male character Aleandro was a truly excellent figurehead of his tale. I felt all his swirling emotions, trying situations, setbacks and small triumphs as this book made its journey through the war. Aleandro’s story and that of his close friend Rudolph was very moving. I was consumed with emotion as I experienced the horrors they confronted time and time again during their imprisonment. What I appreciated above the strong themes of friendship and unconditional support between these two great friends was importance of artwork in the camps of Europe. I have read a plethora of fiction and non-fiction accounts of life before, during and after the Second World War, but I can’t say that I have encountered a storyline based on artists living through the camps. For Aleandro it is a blessing and curse to be able to use this special talent to save his life, his friend’s life and document the atrocious actions of the Nazis. My sincere thanks to Roxanne Veletzos for directing my attention to this quiet chapter of the concentration camp experience.
A good portion of When the War Was Here is devoted to life after the war and the Hungarian uprisings. We learn of the attempts of the survivors of the war to assimilate back to society, despite having witnessed so much trauma. Veletzos treats this aspect of the war experience with compassion, sensitivity and insight. We also have a wonderful love story that spans the whole length of this novel. The main protagonist Eva’s experiences are contrasted well to male lead Aleandro’s chapters. The difficult choices, moral decisions, rearing emotions and sacrifices made by both leads in this novel will astound the reader. The book comes to an end in a poignant manner, leaving a stark impression on the audience, especially if you have a weakness for wartime stories.
With love, duty, survival, endurance, resilience, friendship and patience leading the way in When the War Was Here, Roxanne Veletzos has composed a profound novel that I rate very highly.
When the War Was Here is the second wartime-based novel from bestselling author Roxanne Veletzos. A story of all encompassing love, difficult choices, endurance, resilience, persecution, family and duty, When the War Was Here is a highly moving tale. After I devoured author Roxanne Veletzos’s debut novel The Girl They Left Behind, I was eager to embark on another historical adventure with this very talented writer.
Opening in Hungry in the year 1943, we see a country ravaged by war. As the war rages on in the distance, a young woman from the upper class is set to marry a charming doctor. This young woman named Eva is keen to get away from her controlling father and live as an independent woman. In a twist of fate, Eva’s life path changes when she meets a handsome and talented artist. Despite the differences in their social standing, they fall in love. However, a terrible act of acrimony occurs, leading these star-crossed lovers to be separated. As Eva and Aleandro embark on very difficult but trying life paths, the war changes their futures. They try to cast aside their forbidden love for one another but their deep desire to be together continually plays on their thoughts as the years travel by. Can Aleandro and Eva find a way to be together again, or will they continue to lead separate lives?
Roxanne Veletzos first caught my eye in late 2018 when this debut author published her first novel, The Girl They Left Behind. Since I read this unforgettable book in 2019, I have been waiting quite impatiently to get my hands on another story from this gifted author. When the War Was Here was a book that I was thoroughly connected to from beginning to end. Deeply romantic, enlightening, shocking, heart wrenching and informative, I can speak very highly of this one.
When the War Was Here is a novel that goes a long way in drawing our attention to another hidden pocket of the Second World War. I have read a lot of historical fiction material around the World War Two era, but I can’t say I have come across any previous reading material on the tragic persecution of the Romani people. Veletzos works hard to highlight the unfair treatment and terrible circumstances that these people were confronted with during the war. It broke my heart into pieces. With plenty of page time devoted to the punishment of the Romani people, the Hungarian population and those who found themselves in the Dachau concentration camp, Veletozos has produced an incredibly moving read. Based on her previous novel, which was absolutely mind blowing, I am sure that this talented author embarked on a big research trip to inform her well minded narrative. I was taken aback many times over by the awful situations faced by figures such as Romani artist Aleandro.
Lead male character Aleandro was a truly excellent figurehead of his tale. I felt all his swirling emotions, trying situations, setbacks and small triumphs as this book made its journey through the war. Aleandro’s story and that of his close friend Rudolph was very moving. I was consumed with emotion as I experienced the horrors they confronted time and time again during their imprisonment. What I appreciated above the strong themes of friendship and unconditional support between these two great friends was importance of artwork in the camps of Europe. I have read a plethora of fiction and non-fiction accounts of life before, during and after the Second World War, but I can’t say that I have encountered a storyline based on artists living through the camps. For Aleandro it is a blessing and curse to be able to use this special talent to save his life, his friend’s life and document the atrocious actions of the Nazis. My sincere thanks to Roxanne Veletzos for directing my attention to this quiet chapter of the concentration camp experience.
A good portion of When the War Was Here is devoted to life after the war and the Hungarian uprisings. We learn of the attempts of the survivors of the war to assimilate back to society, despite having witnessed so much trauma. Veletzos treats this aspect of the war experience with compassion, sensitivity and insight. We also have a wonderful love story that spans the whole length of this novel. The main protagonist Eva’s experiences are contrasted well to male lead Aleandro’s chapters. The difficult choices, moral decisions, rearing emotions and sacrifices made by both leads in this novel will astound the reader. The book comes to an end in a poignant manner, leaving a stark impression on the audience, especially if you have a weakness for wartime stories.
With love, duty, survival, endurance, resilience, friendship and patience leading the way in When the War Was Here, Roxanne Veletzos has composed a profound novel that I rate very highly.
August 22, 2021
Historical Fiction is one of my favourite genres and ever since I read and enjoyed Roxanne Veletzos' debut The Girl They Left Behind in 2018, I've been eager for her to write another book.
Her latest book, When The Summer Was Ours publishes this coming week and follows young star-crossed lovers who live near Budapest, Hungary in the mid 1940's. Eva is a well-to-do young woman who is engaged to a doctor and Aleandro is a Romani artist who becomes Eva's unexpected love interest. Veletzos shows the couple's struggles, how the Romani were treated at the time and the atmosphere in Hungary during WWII and afterwards when the country was under Soviet occupation.
As with her previous book, my favourite part of the book was Veletzos' focus on the aftereffects of the war and that despite the end of a war, people continue to struggle for years. The main characters each have their own flaws, but Aleandro easily outshone Eva who was a hard character to connect with. The story itself is sweet (if a bit predictable), slowly paced and unfortunately falls victim to 'too much telling and not enough showing'. This is a story filled with tragedy and ill-fated lovers, but the emotional elements felt skimmed over leaving me with a story that didn't have the impact I was anticipating.
When The Summer Was Ours is a Historical Fiction read with themes of romance and resiliency that stays on the lighter side of the genre. While it fell a bit short for me in its emotion and grit, it gives readers an interesting perspective and I feel this lighter historical fiction read will appeal to fans of Kristin Harmel, Kelly Rimmer and Natasha Lester.
My sincere thanks to Atria Books for my advanced copy of this book given in exchange for my honest review.
December 26, 2021
Thanks to NetGalley and Simon and Schuster Canada for an egalley in exchange for an honest review.
Our story begins in Hungary in 1943 and revolves around the sweet and brief romance between a Romany artist and a young Hungarian woman with a dream of medicine. Although they are separated by the war, the love they have for each other will follow them to Dachau, Hungary through the decades and the United States.
This was a sweet WWII historical romance and I appreciated that we also were told the events of Budapest in 1956 and what it was like for Hungarians under Communism. Roxanne Veletzos immerses her readers very well in the context of her historical period with vivid descriptions. This story has all the makings of a good film.
Publication Date 24/08/21
Goodreads review 26/12/21
Our story begins in Hungary in 1943 and revolves around the sweet and brief romance between a Romany artist and a young Hungarian woman with a dream of medicine. Although they are separated by the war, the love they have for each other will follow them to Dachau, Hungary through the decades and the United States.
This was a sweet WWII historical romance and I appreciated that we also were told the events of Budapest in 1956 and what it was like for Hungarians under Communism. Roxanne Veletzos immerses her readers very well in the context of her historical period with vivid descriptions. This story has all the makings of a good film.
Publication Date 24/08/21
Goodreads review 26/12/21
September 7, 2023
I really enjoyed this novel. I loved the continuing storyline over the years. It had a romance but it had so many other details regarding living through a world war and then Communism.
August 15, 2021
When the Summer Was Ours by Roxanne Veletzos is a great WWII-era historical fiction novel that kept me entertained and interested from beginning to end.
This is a unique narrative in that not only does it take place in Hungary during WWII, but also in the years thereafter involving the Hungarian uprising during 1956. I can admit that I knew very little of these specific events, and it was fascinating to be able to expand my knowledge and learn more about these additional tribulations that affected so many that had already been through so much just a few years beforehand.
I really enjoyed this story. It had mystery, suspense, passion, love, loss, sacrifice, and ran my emotions all through the gauntlets.
The relationship between Eva and Aleandro was passionate, exciting, emotional, and heart-wrenching. Eva, an aristocratic woman whose family has certain expectations of her and her future is drawn to Aleandro, whom is a Romani musician, is destined to be challenging from the get-go. They are meant for one another, but due to their respective futures, "societal places", and the war, the obstacles are steep, but are they able to connect and end up together despite all of these odds? I won't divulge any further, as the reader should truly enjoy this journey first-hand.
The full character cast is excellent and well-drawn. The main characters are real, raw, imperfect, flawed, but realistic and likable. My heart went out to Eva and Aleandro so many times. It just reminded me of how many people lost so much during the war, and had so many things permantely changed in regards to their futures, hopes, and dreams. It really makes me appreciate all that I have in my life now.
An excellent novel with a gripping plot that will keep any historical fiction reader engaged and will be remembered long after the last page has been read.
5/5 stars
Thank you to Washington Square Press/Atria Books for this wonderful arc and in return I am submitting my unbiased and voluntary review and opinion.
I am posting this review to NG/publisher now and will post it to my GR and Bookbub accounts closer to publication (links will be added upon postings) and will post it to my Amazon, Instagram, and B&N accounts upon publication on 8/24/2021.
July 24, 2021
This five-star read is definitely a book to be savoured, observed and appreciated! Set in WW2 Hungary and the turbulent days of the Hungarian Revolution, “When The Summer Was Ours” is a tale of survival, reinvention and the indestructible resilience of first love.
In the summer of 1943, Eva César arrives at her aristocratic family’s estate in the village of Sopron to enjoy her last days as a single woman. Looking forward to escaping her domineering father, Eva spends her time planning her wedding to a Red Cross Doctor, Eduard Kovaks.
Her life takes a change of direction one summer afternoon when she meets Aleandro Szabo, a charming Romani fiddler and artist. Separated by class, circumstance and tragedy, the destiny of these two star-crossed lovers is reshaped and the impact is echoed in three generations of women.
Veletzsos writes so beautifully. Her words seep into your soul affecting every cell and bone in your body; you forget about everything else in life while you are hanging out with Eva and Aleandro. I didn’t want the engrossing tale to end despite feeling the loss and heart ache. The author draws on early experience living in Eastern Europe and bases her characters on real life people; Dr. Andras Seibrigir as Eduard Kovaks, and Kalman Aron as Aleandro Szabo.
I love historical fiction and was excited to read this book set during the Hungarian uprising – a setting rarely used in wartime fiction. I learned about the Romani; not only of their bohemian existence, but also of their cruel fate during WW2. One quarter of Europe’s Roma reportedly perished at the hands of the Nazis.
From rural Hungary in the early 1940s, to Budapest in the late 1980s, to modern-day New York city, this is an epic tale of the impact of war on civilian life, the toll of secrets, the endurance of the human spirit and a reminder that renewal can spring from the ashes. It needs to be on your radar come August 23, 2021.
I was gifted this advance copy by Roxanne Veletzos, Simon & Schuster Canada and NetGalley and was under no obligation to provide a review.
In the summer of 1943, Eva César arrives at her aristocratic family’s estate in the village of Sopron to enjoy her last days as a single woman. Looking forward to escaping her domineering father, Eva spends her time planning her wedding to a Red Cross Doctor, Eduard Kovaks.
Her life takes a change of direction one summer afternoon when she meets Aleandro Szabo, a charming Romani fiddler and artist. Separated by class, circumstance and tragedy, the destiny of these two star-crossed lovers is reshaped and the impact is echoed in three generations of women.
Veletzsos writes so beautifully. Her words seep into your soul affecting every cell and bone in your body; you forget about everything else in life while you are hanging out with Eva and Aleandro. I didn’t want the engrossing tale to end despite feeling the loss and heart ache. The author draws on early experience living in Eastern Europe and bases her characters on real life people; Dr. Andras Seibrigir as Eduard Kovaks, and Kalman Aron as Aleandro Szabo.
I love historical fiction and was excited to read this book set during the Hungarian uprising – a setting rarely used in wartime fiction. I learned about the Romani; not only of their bohemian existence, but also of their cruel fate during WW2. One quarter of Europe’s Roma reportedly perished at the hands of the Nazis.
From rural Hungary in the early 1940s, to Budapest in the late 1980s, to modern-day New York city, this is an epic tale of the impact of war on civilian life, the toll of secrets, the endurance of the human spirit and a reminder that renewal can spring from the ashes. It needs to be on your radar come August 23, 2021.
I was gifted this advance copy by Roxanne Veletzos, Simon & Schuster Canada and NetGalley and was under no obligation to provide a review.
May 31, 2021
Ack! A brilliant piece of historical fiction told through the stages of two lives. It’s a story of hardship and at time’s opulence, a tale of war and a tale of peace, a tale of sacrifice and unending love. This one really pulled me in all directions, and it tells a story unlike any I’ve read before based around WWII. This is a must read.
August 30, 2021
This book broke my heart a few times but I think it was so well done. This story was quick and kept me fairly engaged the entire time. I thought it was a beautiful story. This stands out from other WWII historical fiction novels with the author's personal connection to the history and all the research it is based on.
Thank you to #AtriaBooks and #NetGalley for the advanced copy.
Thank you to #AtriaBooks and #NetGalley for the advanced copy.
August 29, 2021
Hungary 1943 to the tensions of the 1956 Hungarian uprising.
This epic tale filled with passion and hope takes places mainly during WW11 and focuses on the toll the war took on civilians.
Eva César, a young woman from an affluent family awaits the return of her fiancé and is counting down her last days being single when by pure chance she meets Aleandro, a Romani artist, and falls in love with him. WW11 is raging on and the two are torn apart at summer`s end.....Aleandro is captured and sent to a concentration camp. Eva stays put and gives birth to their daughter, a child Aleandro never knew of..... This is a summer they will never forget.
The author recreates the atmosphere in Hungary at the time while the couple struggled to survive in a world where the Romani people where considered less then rodents and suffered terrible treatment from everyone. This story is filled with tragedy during the war and long after when Hungary was under Soviet occupation. A good part of this story covers the uprising and what came out of it.
We also follow each of their life after the war and share in their success as well as in their heartbreaks. Even if they were apart for many decades, Eva and Aleandro love never faded.
The narrative is unique and the mellow tempo is steady for most of the book although picks up when the two are separated. We have a mix of suspense, some passion, lots of love, too much sacrifice...array emotions to break the heart. Although at time Eva choices were iffy...in a way it places you in her shoes...We have a gamut of players well drawn and true to life: Dora the maid, a domineering father, Eva’s two men in her life: Eduard and Aleandro and many more that crosses the pages.
In conclusion, the author’s notes tells us that her fictional story has roots in real people lives and has let her fertile imagination run free...
Thank you Atria Books and Netgalley for the opportunity to read and review this book: these are my thoughts.
This epic tale filled with passion and hope takes places mainly during WW11 and focuses on the toll the war took on civilians.
Eva César, a young woman from an affluent family awaits the return of her fiancé and is counting down her last days being single when by pure chance she meets Aleandro, a Romani artist, and falls in love with him. WW11 is raging on and the two are torn apart at summer`s end.....Aleandro is captured and sent to a concentration camp. Eva stays put and gives birth to their daughter, a child Aleandro never knew of..... This is a summer they will never forget.
The author recreates the atmosphere in Hungary at the time while the couple struggled to survive in a world where the Romani people where considered less then rodents and suffered terrible treatment from everyone. This story is filled with tragedy during the war and long after when Hungary was under Soviet occupation. A good part of this story covers the uprising and what came out of it.
We also follow each of their life after the war and share in their success as well as in their heartbreaks. Even if they were apart for many decades, Eva and Aleandro love never faded.
The narrative is unique and the mellow tempo is steady for most of the book although picks up when the two are separated. We have a mix of suspense, some passion, lots of love, too much sacrifice...array emotions to break the heart. Although at time Eva choices were iffy...in a way it places you in her shoes...We have a gamut of players well drawn and true to life: Dora the maid, a domineering father, Eva’s two men in her life: Eduard and Aleandro and many more that crosses the pages.
In conclusion, the author’s notes tells us that her fictional story has roots in real people lives and has let her fertile imagination run free...
Thank you Atria Books and Netgalley for the opportunity to read and review this book: these are my thoughts.
August 9, 2021
As I always note, although I enjoy historical fiction, I have yet to find one story evolving In WWII era that totally captured me. Once again, the beautiful cover and a review that said this novel contained « everything an historical fiction should have » attracted me to request it.
This story spans over the lifetime of Alejandro and Eva from Budapest, Hungary, Vienna (Austria) and all the way to New York City.
I felt the love story was under developed and it failed to engage me emotionally from the start. However, I never thought about quitting as I was curious enough to learn how it would end and if these lovers would find their way to each other in the end. Many times I felt the author skipped important lifetime events and just wrote it had happened instead of having us witness it through the eyes of the characters. There was even a 12 years gap at some time that disappointed me, right in the heart of the action.
I would say it does have everything an historical fiction should have however with the multitude of WWII novels, there was just nothing extraordinary about it.
It finally dawned on me I should totally skip WWII fictions from now on as my reviews probably don’t give them justice,
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for granting me a complimentary e-arc in exchange for my honest opinion.
This story spans over the lifetime of Alejandro and Eva from Budapest, Hungary, Vienna (Austria) and all the way to New York City.
I felt the love story was under developed and it failed to engage me emotionally from the start. However, I never thought about quitting as I was curious enough to learn how it would end and if these lovers would find their way to each other in the end. Many times I felt the author skipped important lifetime events and just wrote it had happened instead of having us witness it through the eyes of the characters. There was even a 12 years gap at some time that disappointed me, right in the heart of the action.
I would say it does have everything an historical fiction should have however with the multitude of WWII novels, there was just nothing extraordinary about it.
It finally dawned on me I should totally skip WWII fictions from now on as my reviews probably don’t give them justice,
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for granting me a complimentary e-arc in exchange for my honest opinion.
March 26, 2021
When the Summer Was Ours is a fantastic read about two people who fall in love, but who were kept apart because of unfortunate circumstances and secrets. The story follows Eva and Aleandro during World War II and beyond. Eva is the daughter of a wealthy businessman, while Aleandro is the son of gypsies who makes his living by playing his fiddle. They meet unexpectedly in a small Hungarian town where Eva's family owns a summer home. They fall in love while the war rages just outside the borders. One fateful day their lives are changed forever. The story is told in alternating POVs and through letters. We follow Eva and Aleandro through WWII, the 1956 Hungarian uprising, and to the present day. The characters are richly portrayed and your heart will break. Have tissues nearby while reading this beautiful, but bittersweet story about true love. I really enjoyed this story and learning more about the Iron Curtain and how it affected the Hungarian people. Thank you to NetGalley for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.
July 9, 2021
2.5 rounded up to 3.
This is a WWII historical fiction set in Hungary, revolving around two main characters, and highlighting how Hungary’s involvement impacted the Romani people.
Unfortunately, this one just didn’t work well for me. There was something in the flow of writing and the execution that didn’t keep my attention until 3/4 of the way in.
I did, however, enjoy the ending and the fact that the story continues after the war. This allowed a glimpse into what post-war Hungary was like under Soviet rule. Something I hadn’t previously read about.
It wasn’t a bad story, just not the best I’ve read in the genre.
Thanks to Netgalley and Simon and Schuster for the e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.
This is a WWII historical fiction set in Hungary, revolving around two main characters, and highlighting how Hungary’s involvement impacted the Romani people.
Unfortunately, this one just didn’t work well for me. There was something in the flow of writing and the execution that didn’t keep my attention until 3/4 of the way in.
I did, however, enjoy the ending and the fact that the story continues after the war. This allowed a glimpse into what post-war Hungary was like under Soviet rule. Something I hadn’t previously read about.
It wasn’t a bad story, just not the best I’ve read in the genre.
Thanks to Netgalley and Simon and Schuster for the e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.
December 30, 2021
This story is a poorly structure romance. Perhaps as a light "beach read" some romance readers will find this story entertaining, but as a lover of historical fiction, I disliked the book. The writing felt forced and filled with props.
September 9, 2022
Best book I’ve read this year
July 24, 2021
This five-star read is definitely a book to be savoured, observed and appreciated! Set in WW2 Hungary and the turbulent days of the Hungarian Revolution, “When The Summer Was Ours” is a tale of survival, reinvention and the indestructible resilience of first love.
In the summer of 1943, Eva César arrives at her aristocratic family’s estate in the village of Sopron to enjoy her last days as a single woman. Looking forward to escaping her domineering father, Eva spends her time planning her wedding to a Red Cross Doctor, Eduard Kovaks.
Her life takes a change of direction one summer afternoon when she meets Aleandro Szabo, a charming Romani fiddler and artist. Separated by class, circumstance and tragedy, the destiny of these two star-crossed lovers is reshaped and the impact is echoed in three generations of women.
Veletzsos writes so beautifully. Her words seep into your soul affecting every cell and bone in your body; you forget about everything else in life while you are hanging out with Eva and Aleandro. I didn’t want the engrossing tale to end despite feeling the loss and heart ache. The author draws on early experience living in Eastern Europe and bases her characters on real life people; Dr. Andras Seibrigir as Eduard Kovaks, and Kalman Aron as Aleandro Szabo.
I love historical fiction and was excited to read this book set during the Hungarian uprising – a setting rarely used in wartime fiction. I learned about the Romani; not only of their bohemian existence but also of their cruel fate during WW2. One quarter of Europe’s Roma reportedly perished at the hands of the Nazis.
From rural Hungary in the early 1940s, to Budapest in the late 1980s, to modern-day New York city, this is an epic tale of the impact of war on civilian life, the toll of secrets, the endurance of the human spirit and a reminder that renewal can spring from the ashes. It needs to be on your radar come August 24, 2021.
I was gifted this advance copy by Roxanne Veletzos, Atria Books and NetGalley and was under no obligation to provide a review.
In the summer of 1943, Eva César arrives at her aristocratic family’s estate in the village of Sopron to enjoy her last days as a single woman. Looking forward to escaping her domineering father, Eva spends her time planning her wedding to a Red Cross Doctor, Eduard Kovaks.
Her life takes a change of direction one summer afternoon when she meets Aleandro Szabo, a charming Romani fiddler and artist. Separated by class, circumstance and tragedy, the destiny of these two star-crossed lovers is reshaped and the impact is echoed in three generations of women.
Veletzsos writes so beautifully. Her words seep into your soul affecting every cell and bone in your body; you forget about everything else in life while you are hanging out with Eva and Aleandro. I didn’t want the engrossing tale to end despite feeling the loss and heart ache. The author draws on early experience living in Eastern Europe and bases her characters on real life people; Dr. Andras Seibrigir as Eduard Kovaks, and Kalman Aron as Aleandro Szabo.
I love historical fiction and was excited to read this book set during the Hungarian uprising – a setting rarely used in wartime fiction. I learned about the Romani; not only of their bohemian existence but also of their cruel fate during WW2. One quarter of Europe’s Roma reportedly perished at the hands of the Nazis.
From rural Hungary in the early 1940s, to Budapest in the late 1980s, to modern-day New York city, this is an epic tale of the impact of war on civilian life, the toll of secrets, the endurance of the human spirit and a reminder that renewal can spring from the ashes. It needs to be on your radar come August 24, 2021.
I was gifted this advance copy by Roxanne Veletzos, Atria Books and NetGalley and was under no obligation to provide a review.
April 11, 2021
When The Summer Was Ours by Roxanne Veletzos is a book that has left me lost in thought and left with a bit of a mixed review.
The books follows the complicated love story between Eva and Aleandro set in Hungary in 1943. Eva comes from a wealthy family and has a reputation to uphold while Aleandro comes from the complete opposite. He's a gypsy who draws, plays music and has been left to support his brothers. Circumstances tear them apart as Aleandros village is burned down and he flees with his brothers, only to be caught and put in a concentration camp. Eva is left with not only a broken heart, but a baby as well. Fast forward to the future, and after the concentration camp being liberated, Aleandro had been sponsored with a friend to go to New York where he was able to turn his horrifying experience into art and a career. He lives his life as if Eva is beside him and keeps her in constant thought. He is later given an opportunity to go back to Hungary and he jumps at the chance with high hopes of finding Eva, hoping to dive back in where things left off, as if no time has passed.
This is where things get difficult for me. Eva and Alenadro's story was somewhat stereotypical to me. Rich girl, poor boy, kept apart by their differences of circumstances. I felt like you could've inserted this story into any era, and not much would have changed within it. However, I am sometimes a sucker for those types of stories. Eva's character, while definitely making some questionable decisions, definitely did things with the intent of giving her daughter the best life possible while Aleandro's character just seemed to float by after the concentration camp.
This book to me was just okay. The story flowed easily and kept my attention, but I don't think I was ever wow'd. It felt slightly predictable and just missing something in comparison to other historical fictions I have read.
⭐⭐⭐/5.
The books follows the complicated love story between Eva and Aleandro set in Hungary in 1943. Eva comes from a wealthy family and has a reputation to uphold while Aleandro comes from the complete opposite. He's a gypsy who draws, plays music and has been left to support his brothers. Circumstances tear them apart as Aleandros village is burned down and he flees with his brothers, only to be caught and put in a concentration camp. Eva is left with not only a broken heart, but a baby as well. Fast forward to the future, and after the concentration camp being liberated, Aleandro had been sponsored with a friend to go to New York where he was able to turn his horrifying experience into art and a career. He lives his life as if Eva is beside him and keeps her in constant thought. He is later given an opportunity to go back to Hungary and he jumps at the chance with high hopes of finding Eva, hoping to dive back in where things left off, as if no time has passed.
This is where things get difficult for me. Eva and Alenadro's story was somewhat stereotypical to me. Rich girl, poor boy, kept apart by their differences of circumstances. I felt like you could've inserted this story into any era, and not much would have changed within it. However, I am sometimes a sucker for those types of stories. Eva's character, while definitely making some questionable decisions, definitely did things with the intent of giving her daughter the best life possible while Aleandro's character just seemed to float by after the concentration camp.
This book to me was just okay. The story flowed easily and kept my attention, but I don't think I was ever wow'd. It felt slightly predictable and just missing something in comparison to other historical fictions I have read.
⭐⭐⭐/5.
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