The subtitle calling this an "epic, heart-wrenching, and gripping WWII historical novel" is all true! It brought me to tears a couple of times and made it impossible for me to put it down. One of my best reads of 2019 for sure. If you love historical fiction as I do, then you will be moved by this book.

4.5/5 Stars ⭐️ You are going to ask me, is this another WWII book where someone helps another by hiding them? Well yes, but this is not just ANOTHER book.
There’s a lightness in the writing and in the atmosphere that - despise the horrors, the betrayals, the greed and the sorrow - gives you hope, hope of survival..hope of happiness and freedom. It reminds me of A Gentleman in Moscow, people holding on to little things in order to survive.
The plot, based on a true story, is so beautiful and full of lovely characters who were just like you and me but did extraordinary things to protect the ones they loved.
I wish the German characters were a little bit less stereotypical but other than that, this book was a delight!
Thank you NetGalley and Bookouture for the advanced copy.

Oh my goodness! Evocatively unsettling yet hauntingly beautiful. That is what A View Across the Rooftops translates to me. The setting in this touching tale is that the Nazis have occupied Amsterdam. They are working feverishly at extinguishing any Jews, individually and collectively.

Professor Josef Held is struggling as a math professor. On a personal level, he has never gotten over the loss of his wife. With regards to his job, it is become more and more difficult. Some of his students are simply not interested, as the war is in full swing. Before long, any Jewish students that he was teaching are forever gone.

Josef is sympathetic and compassionate. One thing that soothes his soul is the nightly piano music that he hears his elderly neighbor Mrs. Epstein play. When she loses her life to the Nazis, Josef is more than devastated and even feels partially responsible. Right after this occurs someone comes banging on his door. Josef is concerned the Nazis are back, but why? The person at the door, however, is a terrified former student, Michael Blum, a Jew on the run for his life.

Josef doesn't think twice. He pulls Michael inside and offers him a place to hide. This is not just for the night either. Josef manages to hide Michael for years. Things are incredibly scary and dangerous for both Josef and Michael. This is especially so because Josef's niece Ingrid is dating a high-level SS officer and is seemingly overly concerned for her uncle's welfare.

Meanwhile, the story has some romantic elements. Before Michael had to flee, he was in a passionate relationship with Elke, a young Dutch woman, and they were forced apart. Furthermore, there is Hannah Pender. She is a woman who works at the college. Josef is surprisingly drawn to her, but since he believes her to be a married woman, he fights his powerful attraction to her.

When you pull in all of these characters, Josef, Michael, Elke, Hannah, Ingrid, as well has her new fiance, Heinrich, the story is incredibly powerful - and increasingly dangerous. I read this book with bated breath. I cried, I grieved and I hoped. Josef's heroic actions were so powerful, as well as Michael's strength. After all of this, I was left both heartbroken and satisfied. Suzanne Kelman is a new name to me and she has floored me with this book.

Thank you to NetGalley and to Bookouture for this ARC for review. This is my honest opinion.

Poetry of the Heart

A story of the hearts of people in Nazi Occupied Amsterdam and how they are brought together to heal through love and poetry. The story of two young university students a young Dutch girl Elke and her Jewish boyfriend Michael. Josef a mathematics teacher at the university and his niece Ingrid and her Nazi boyfriend Heinrich. Hannah a teacher at the university and a resistance worker, her mother Greta and a young Jewish girl named Eva.

When the Nazi's come to Amsterdam Michael has to run and hide because he is Jewish so he hides in Joseph's attic and is separated from Elke. How they are reunited is both tragic and a wonderful ending to their story. Josef puts his life at risk to save Michael and is helped by Hannah. Hannah works for the resistance building bicycles in her late father's shop. Hannah and Josef become close but it takes a long time for them to acknowledge it. Michael becomes like Josef's son and writes poetry much like Josef's late wife that died early into their marriage over 20 years before. Michael helps Josef return to life and Josef helps Michael realize life is still worth living even if he is Jewish in a country ran by the Nazi's.

Hannah lives with her mother Greta who befriends a young Jewish girl named Eva and teaches her to knit. When the Nazi's take away Eva and her family Greta and Hannah are heartbroken. The story of Greta and Eva is sad but the love they shared was great. Hannah helps the resistance more and must help Josef and Michael when they become ill, even after the loss of her mother Greta.
Ingrid falls in love with Heinrich a Nazi officer. Her uncle visits her once a week so she won't visit him because of Michael. She brings Heinrich to meet Josef and it is a tense time for Josef, then when he is ill he must try and hide Michael when Ingrid and Heinrich visit. His cat Dante helps with hiding noises made by Michael in the attic. When Heinrich turns on Ingrid and she needs help after the war Josef helps her.

The horrible things the Nazi's did to the Jewish people and the Dutch people as well is mentioned in the book and written well but it is as a fact of the daily living and not over dramatized but stated as a person living through it would state it being Dutch at the time and living in Amsterdam.

This book was a wonderful book to read. I has so many personal feelings with the characters and just warmed the heart to feel the love and compassion contained within the book. The characters were very realistic and believable. The interaction between the characters was written very well and the book was interesting from the beginning to the end. I had a hard time putting it down until I could finish it. I would definitely recommend the book to anyone.



READING PROGRESS

A fabulous piece of historical fiction, engaging the reader right the from the beginning. The story kept me hooked the entire novel. Thank you for allowing me the opportunity to review this!

This is a beautifully written book with love and hope and some heartbreak and fear in one of the most awful times in History. It's based in Amsterdam where the Nazi Army has just taken control of the city and it's a dangerous time for the occupants especially if they were Jewish. It tells the story of Michael and Elke, a young couple who are separated because Michael is Jewish. Josef who is their professor, Hannah who also works at the University and Ingrid who is Josef's niece and how they survived through the occupation. I was given this to read in exchange for my honest opinion and I would like to thank the publishers and netgalley for letting me have the book to review and the opinions expressed are entirely my own views and are completely unbiased.

The cover is gorgeous it attracted me then the story plus this is a new author for me and someone I plan on reading.
The roller coaster of emotions I went through while reading this book is amazing from sadness, joy, hate and anger. Rarely has a book made me cry/weepespacially when some informations that they were hoping came true.
For an author to make me literally cry, the story is just incredible. Plus, finding out at the end it is based on a true story that makes it more human.
I want to thank NetGalley for this free book for an exchange of a honest review and to Bookouture for accepting my first ever request.

5 beautiful, fantastic, emotional stars! I loved this book! Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the ARC.

Sometimes when you read a book that follows multiple perspectives, you enjoy one more than another, but I loved reading each one so much! From Josef, to Hannah, to Ingrid, and Michael- I just couldn’t choose! Ugh, I almost forgot about Eva!

There’s an overwhelming theme of self-sacrifice for the ones you love and also of embracing your life and living it to the hilt.

I absolutely enjoyed this book. From an unlikely friendship between Josef and Michael, and these mens’ journey to true love, this book is a beautifully written story centered in Amsterdam during WWII.