The Edelweiss Sisters - by Kate Hewitt (Paperback)

Book Synopsis

1938, Salzburg. A powerful story of hope, forbidden love, and incredible courage, about three sisters who will risk everything-even their own lives-as part of the resistance movement in Nazi-occupied Austria.

Johanna, Birgit and Lotte Eder have always lived quiet lives, working in their father's clockmaking shop and helping their mother in the house. But like many other Austrians, they find it impossible to ignore the changes in the world around them.

At first Johanna finds it hard to believe the Nazis pose a real threat. But then her father hires Franz to help in his shop. He's kind and soulful, with dark eyes that twinkle with intelligence. But he's Jewish, and as Johanna falls for him, she realizes that loving him puts them all in danger.

Then comes the Anschluss-the reunification of Austria and Germany under Nazi rule. The three sisters' lives have become ever more separate with Lotte joining the convent at Nonnberg Abbey and Birgit's secret involvement with the Resistance. But as Johanna realizes how mistaken she was about the level of danger, she begins to see that it may be down to her to protect the man she loves.

She knows that she can't do it alone though. She will have to turn to the people she trusts the most: her sisters.

The three of them work together to try to get Franz to the safety of Switzerland, and they soon prove invaluable to the Resistance. But they're risking everything. Can three women who would die for each other, also be prepared to die for what is right?

The sisters' subsequent journey from Nazi-occupied Salzburg to the devastating concentration camps of Ravensbruck and Mauthausen will show the strength of human spirit like never before. As, out of the darkness, a tiny seed of hope flowers...

A totally heartbreaking and impossibly powerful story about love, tragedy, and the power of humanity. Perfect for fans of The Nightingale, The Lilac Girls and The Sound of Music.

"A heart-breaking, tear-jerking and emotional book... I was so hooked into the story that I felt I was living with these sisters during that time!! The ending was so sad, heart-breaking that I felt like I wanted to cry... I stayed up all night reading this book and didn't want to let this book go!... A tear-jerking, heart-breaking emotional tale of three sisters who are brave and courageous women... Will keep you up all night." Tropical Girl Reads Books, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

"Soooo hauntingly raw & captivating, it was so hard to put it down. Reading this, I felt instantly transported... This is one novel I would 100% recommend putting on your TBR list this summer. You find instant connection with at least one of the sisters, if not all of them. It will completely move you & pull at your heart strings." Kate J Renee Book Reviews ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

"What a wonderfully written book... Sobbed my eyes out... it should have come with a hankie-needed warning. Felt so much for each of the characters it was like they were also my family and friends. Highly recommended and worth more than a five-star rating." NetGalley reviewer ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐