This is a painful WWII novel to read. Yes, it is wonderful, well written, sweet, and so many other good things but it's painful since it's complete fiction and there was no such true story as the one in this one, but I love it. Esther is a favorite book of the Bible, retellings are a favorite, and anyone who knows me knows I am obsessed with all WWII facts, so together? I loved it. Some of the romantic content was a little much for me though it was okay. If you like reading about WWII you must read this book, as with all other books by Kate Breslin, she is one of my favorite need to read authors. ( )

Alemania, 1944. Stella se siente abandonada por Dios cuando, tras salvarse de ser fusilada en Dachau, cae en manos de un nuevo enemigo: el coronel Aric von Schmidt. Él la obliga a ser su secretaria y la lleva al campo de concentración de Theresienstadt, donde tiene que participar en el envío de judíos a Auschwitz en los trenes de la muerte. Mientras enfrenta el horror que se esconde tras los muros del campo, entre ella y el coronel nace una atracción que no puede aceptar. Él es un nazi y además... no sabe quién es ella en realidad. Dependerá de su valentía que triunfen el amor, la felicidad y la libertad. Dios la llevó a Theresiendstadt para cumplir una misión, pero ¿será capaz de llevarla a cabo?

I keep wondering if I should read yet another book about the Holocaust, but I was drawn to this book because of its parallel story of the book of Esther. I was thankful that there was a "happy ending," although it seemed like there wouldn't be when Hadassah thought Aric was dead. ( )

“For Such a Time” by Kate Breslin is quite possibly the best book I have ever read. Each page engages the reader to keep turning pages because this book is so hauntingly beautiful. Never have I felt so close to the characters in any book. The subject matter is a difficult one, the Jewish population of Theresienstadt “Transfer” camp in Czechoslovakia during WW II. The central characters are an SS Kommandant, Aric von Schmidt who has taken a young woman from the firing squad in Dachau and brought her to be his secretary. Unbeknownst to him, she is a Jewish woman with false papers. As Stella (Hadassah) comes to know Aric better, she understands that he is living a life of torment because of the tasks required of him as an SS officer.

Stella tries to help her people by cajoling her boss, Aric into trying to make their lives as prisoners a little better without giving herself away. She has visions of escaping and making a life again. She doesn’t count on falling in love with the enemy.

Without giving anything away, I savored each page I read and became a part of the plot myself. I could envision all that Ms. Breslin wrote about and felt in through my soul. I must admit to tears coursing down my face at times when the brutality and ruthlessness of some of the SS got to my very heart. I tried to slow down my reading because I didn’t want the story to end, but my fascination kept me going and I finished this book too quickly. It’s a book I just want to carry around with me. I cannot say enough good things about Kate Breslin’s work. I have read other books of hers and really hope that she continues to give her readers more of her.

I downloaded a free Kindle copy from NetGalley.com in return for my honest review. You can find this review on my blog at http://wp.me/p2pjIt-sp. Check out other reviews at http://imhookedonbooks.wordpress.com. I have also posted this review on Good Reads at https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/907637480 and on Amazon.com at https://www.amazon.com/review/R1J3SPP7XTKZWM. ( )

A very good book - an interesting retelling of the story of Esther set in Nazi Germany. ( )