Early during WWII, Betty and her Jewish family moved out of Czechoslovakia to Hungary. It was there that Betty (at 13 years old) met Richie. They fell madly in love with one another and vowed to marry one day. But they were separated in the last year of the war and though Betty, her mother, sister, and brother all survived, Betty could not find Richie after the war ended. At the encouragement of her mother, although Betty didn’t love him, she married Otto, who loved her very much. But she never lost her love for Richie and while married decades to Otto (and she had three children with him), she always looked for Richie.

I thought the first half during the war was better. Yes, the Holocaust is awful, but it was amazing that all in Betty’s family survived except for her father, much due to her mother’s encouragement, support, and resilience. I hadn’t read anything about Hungary (and its occupation) during the war until now. I felt really badly for Otto as Betty continually commiserated about losing Richie. Although he was almost never home (always working), which was hard on Betty, especially once the kids came along. ( )

Had me in tears - not only because of the love story, but more because of the sadness I feel that so many people had to endure such atrocities. More of today's generation should read books about the Holocaust so that these people are remembered.

How could this book not be one easily found in a bookstore? You probably have to go on-line to find this one, but it's worth it if you love a great, absorbing read.
It's very romantic. Will the lovers find each other after so many years? Incredible near-misses and ultimate reunion. I wasn't sure I should buy the book, despite its bargain price, but I did and couldn't believe I got such a great find. Recommended highly for romantics and the kind of person who used to like listening to Believe It or Not. ( )

"I hate to say it, but this book was awful. Premise - woman grows up in Budapest as a Jew and has to go underground, survive concentration camps, deaths of her family members, some pretty terrible stuff. She falls in love at 14 and even though she and her love are separated, they promise to find each other after the war and live happily ever after. This book brings you through her life in the war, but also after the war, where she marries an Auschwitz survivor (not her life love), moves to America, and has three kids. The way this woman treats her family like dirt (husband and kids) and her selfish "woe is me" attitude throughout the book (husband works his behind off for her and she is given everything she wants because he is so devoted to her) is such a turn-off. Obviously, her life and that awful time in history is no bed of roses but still . . . I read the first 75 or so pages, skipped around in the middle, and read the last 20 pages - SPOILER ALERT - which is where, by the way, after 200+/- pages, she meets her life love again where she decides she actually does love her husband who has put up with all of her crap for the last 50 years. Don't bother." ( )