Synopsis:

Peggy Serrano couldn’t wait for her best friend to come home from the war. But the Jimmy Barnett who returns is much different from the Jimmy who left, changed so drastically by his experience as a medic in Europe that he can barely function. When he attempts the unthinkable, his parents check him into the VA hospital. Peggy determines to help the Barnetts unravel what might have happened to send their son over the edge. She starts by contacting Jimmy’s war buddies, trying to identify the mysterious woman in the photo they find in Jimmy’s belongings.

Seven years earlier, sensing the rising tide against her people, Gisela Wolff and her family flee Germany aboard the passenger ship St. Louis, bound for Havana, Cuba. Gisela meets Sam Shapiro on board and the two fall quickly in love. But the ship is denied safe harbor and sent back to Europe. Thus begins Gisela’s perilous journey of exile and survival, made possible only by the kindness and courage of a series of strangers she meets along the way, including one man who will change the course of her life.

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What To Expect:

Readers can expect a WW2 historical fiction that focuses on answering the question “Why do bad things happen in the world?” from a Christian perspective.

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Content Warnings:

Language: None

Sexual Content: None

Violence: Moderate – War time violence/injuries, torture, death

Substance Use: Mild – Alcohol

Prejudices: Moderate – Antisemitism + concentration camps

Religious Themes: This is a Christian novel with bibilical themes about suffering in the world and PTSD. There are also Jewish beliefs, too.

Other Topics: Mild – Divorce, suicide, death of parent. Moderate – PTSD

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