Review & Giveaway: Out of the Ashes by Samantha Grosser


Out of the Ashes: A Novel of WWII by Samantha Grosser

Publication Date: August 4, 2022

Genre: Historical Fiction


England 1944. Amid the ruins of the Second World War, an illegal and tentative friendship begins.

War widow Clare Chapman is still grieving for her husband when the first German prisoners of war arrive in the village. Horrified by the presence of the enemy so close at hand, she knows it is only a matter of time until she is forced to face them.

German soldier Max Peterson has received no news of his family for almost two years when he arrives as a prisoner in England, and all he wants is to go home to Berlin to search for them. But meeting Clare Chapman in the village high street on a cold autumn morning changes everything. So begins an unexpected friendship.

Their secret doesn’t last. Shunned by family and friends for illegal fraternisation with the enemy, Clare risks losing all that she has. Then long-held secrets are brought to light and she must make a devastating choice.

In a world that has changed beyond recognition, can they find a way to build a future together, or will their happiness be destroyed by the burdens of the past?

An enthralling novel of love, forgiveness, and second chances perfect for fans of Deborah Swift, Sebastian Faulks and Ellen Feldman.

Available on Amazon


Review

⭐⭐⭐⭐

First off, I have to comment on this cover. I loved it the first time I saw it but now that I've read the book I see more just how perfect of a cover it is! Like the story it houses, the cover is simple yet beautiful and alluring.

Out of the Ashes is the first book in Samantha Grosser's new WWII series and features Clare Chapman, a school teacher in a small farming town. She gets word that her beloved husband, the loal Vicar who volunteered to be a Chaplain in the war has been killed by the Germans. The family is of course devastated, especially Clare's son and her mother-in-law. Clare's relationship with her mother-in-law is already on tenterhooks and things get worse when German POWs are sent to work on their farm as decreed by the government.

Max is one of the German POWs sent to work on the farm. He is in a foreign land with no word on his family is and the local town people are unwelcoming to the enemy strangers. One day Max helps save one of the town's children from drowning and Clare is intrigued by him. Between stolen glances and secret talks they soon develop feelings for each other. Which puts Clare in an extremely precarious position with her son and MIL who see every German as the killer of their loved one.

The relationship between Max and Clare unfolds nicely and I greatly enjoyed reading about the farm and the Chapman family. Grossman's writing flows easily - it's easy to pick it up and get sucked into the story! I highly recommend Out of the Ashes and I look forward to the next book in the series!


About the Author

 

Samantha Grosser is a very British author who doesn’t function without tea. Having spent many years teaching English in Asia and Australia, she has made a permanent home in Sydney, Australia, where she now lives with her husband, son, and a very small dog called Livvy. She is the author of wartime dramas Another Time and Place, The Officer’s Affair, and Out of the Ashes, and the historical fantasy series Web of Witches. When she isn’t writing or reading (which isn’t often) you can find her either doing yoga, going for long walks, or watching old movies.

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Giveaway

Enter to win a copy of Out of the Ashes by Samantha Grosser!

The giveaway is open internationally and ends on August 31st. You must be 18 or older to enter.

Out of the Ashes



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