All God's Children by Anna Schmidt

This is a well crafted historical novel of World War II.

Beth is an American living in Germany, helping her aunt and uncle take care of their child. Beth finds herself in a fragile state when Germany declares war on the United States. In a move of compassion, she gives her papers to a Jewish friend who is trying to escape. The two young women look enough alike that the Jew is able to leave the country.

But that leaves Beth without papers. The tension increases when an old student of her uncle's rents an attic room to be close to his medical studies. Josef seems like a good man but he is a doctor in the Nazi army and his father is a high ranking Nazi official. Beth likes the man but is he there to spy on the family?

Anna writes in the Author's Note that much of this novel is based on historical events. We read about the White Rose, a group spreading leaflets calling for resistance to the Nazis. We also read about one of the death camps, Sobibor, and what happened there. Anna has deftly created fictional characters to play out the drama surrounding real places and events. Another great aspect of the novel is that Beth and her family are Quakers. It was very interesting to read about their practice of worship and their beliefs about war.

This rewarding novel leaves us waiting for more of the story. As Anna notes, one would not know the fate of friends and relatives who disappeared (whether by escape or arrest) during the war. So we are set up for sequels to finish the story.

I highly recommend this well crafted historical novel of World War II in Germany.

Go here to watch a book trailer and to find out more about the historical facts upon which the novel is based.

Anna Schmidt is the author of over twenty novels. She has received the Romantic Times' Reviewer's Choice Award and was a finalist for the RITA award for romantic fiction. She lives in Wisconsin and winters in Florida. Find out more about her and her books at www.booksbyanna.com.

Barbour, 318 pages.

I received a complimentary copy of this book through the Book Group Network for the purpose of this review.