Marina Koulouri

Gerd, a German national, is visiting France, where he meets Lili. Their friendship is quick to develop and might even have deepened into a lasting relationship. But then the war interrupts, and they find themselves on opposing sides. Gerd is now a German officer, and Lili is part of the Resistance in France. Gerd is tracking an injured British pilot whose plane was shot down. Though badly injured, James manages to find his way into an apartment through a terrace. It just happens to be Lili’s abode, and she, along with a couple of trusted friends, cares for him until he can be rescued and returned to England. During his recovery, he and Lili find an attraction to each other that cannot be denied. But she has also seen Gerd, and she has been tasked by the Resistance to “sleep with the enemy.” Literally. She is conflicted because she still has feelings for Gerd, despite her growing affection for James, and does not want to hurt him. She is torn between two lovers, and yet she must show allegiance to the Allies. This is quite a love story. The author does a superb job of illustrating the conflict the protagonists are dealing with, both in the horrors of the war and their human emotions of love and devotion to duty. The prose flows smoothly in describing the relationships between the main characters as well as the awful nature of the war. The tension gradually builds until it finally peaks at the very end. It’s a well-written and gripping tale of love that grows out of circumstances that the war provided.

I received a free copy of this title through Book Sirens, and my review is my own opinion freely given.… (mehr)

Thomas Muller, a German doctor working in a Parisian hospital, falls in love with Sophie, a French nurse. The stolen minutes as they save lives together mean so much to both of them. When a member of the French Resistance is brought in, badly wounded and under guard, the strength of their love and their allegiance to their own countries will be tested. Sophie desperately wants to save the life of this man, and Thomas wants to help Sophie. The plan they devise is indeed one of desperation, and if they fail, more than one person will die. This short novella is succinct and to the point, yet it is filled with flowing, descriptive language that helps to set the scene in Nazi-occupied France. It’s a love story that should never have happened, and yet it did. The characters and the story are well-written. The story itself is an unusual and imaginative one, and quite entertaining.

I received a free copy of this title through Book Sirens.… (mehr)