This was another book I had really wanted to like, but didn't. My husband studied Bonhoeffer extensively in grad school. I had hoped this would be a more accessible approach to his life, but instead, I found it more repellant than attractive. I didn't much care for the protagonist, which made finishing the book a chore rather than a delight. I agonized over writing a less-than-complimentary review, but sadly, I simply didn't care for this book.

This. Book. Is. Painful.

You know, it is hard knowing what happened in history, but it is even harder to know what happened and read a book with the facts from the point of view of the historical figures.

I didn't read the whole book... I skimmed at points due to the painfulness of history. Barratt did a spectacular job and I'm sad that I didn't read every page but I just can't bear it!

For mature readers due to the subjects covered.

Dietrich Bonhoeffer is remembered for his theological writing and for his resistance to Hitler and the Nazis which cost him his life. Few of us know much about his private life. Only in his late thirties, Dietrich felt he was settled into his scholarly life. When Germany went to war and he began to learn of what Hitler was doing to the Jews, he joined the German Military, Abwehr, where he and others covertly worked to undermine Hitler and even planned his assassination, plans which failed. This devout minister struggled with his decisions and knew the dangers he faced if discovered, and partly because of this he did not foresee any personal relationships beside those with his close knit family. Then he met (or rather re-met) the 18 year old granddaughter of a dear friend Ruth von Kliest-Retzow. He had met Maria von Wedemeyer when she was just a child, but even then her spunky streak made an impression on him. Now grown, the young lady begins to take a place in his heart. Amidst danger, grief, and Maria's mother's refusal to accept Dietrich as a suitor, the two begin an unlikely love. It seems that books about WWII continue to abound, some add little to my understanding of that time. This one is an exception. Not only did it shed light onto the peril that those Germans who did not embrace the Nazi regime faced, it showed how a man of faith set aside his own needs to stand up against the evil of Hitler and his kind and later to pastor with his prison cell. Reading this novel in April 2020, when we all face a life we never imagined, it is easier to imagine unclear world Bonhoeffer, von Wedemeyer, and their families faced each day. I received a copy of this book from Netgalley. All opinions are mine. (

Amanda Barratt has written a page-turning and beautifully haunting love story of Bonhoeffer and his Maria von Wedemeyer in her novel My Dearest Dietrich. From page one the story and the characters spring to life through the story and the historical details, which have obviously and meticulously been researched to great lengths. Readers will feel as if they are right there with the characters, almost feeling like they are the characters. This is an amazing and powerful love story that shows the darkness of the time during WWII, as well as the deep emotions of true love. This novel has all the feels. Readers will be touched and powerfully moved by this beautiful and inspiring story!

Genre: historical, WWII
Publisher: Kregel Publications
Publication date: June 9, 2019
Number of pages: 360

First sentence: A dictatorship is like a snake. If you step on its tail, it will bite you.

My Dearest Dietrich is a fictionalized account of Dietrich Bonhoeffer and his fiancee Maria von Wedemeyer. Bonhoeffer is perhaps best known as a German theologian. But he was a theologian who was also part of the resistance--a group of men actively seeking to kill Adolf Hiter and wreck the plans of the Nazis.

For those completely unfamiliar with the man or the times, the prologue sets you up for the unhappy ending. Which I think is the best way to tackle it. While I knew going into it that Bonhoeffer's fate was not a "happy" one by fictional romance standards, I suppose there will always be readers who aren't quite as aware of history or theology. This is not the kind of ending you want to "surprise" you.

I wasn't reading this primarily for the romance. I was reading for the history. I think that makes a difference in how much you appreciate the story itself.

It is an emotional read--at times. Not every scene is emotional--nor should it be. There is something both ordinary and extraordinary about this one. If these two had lived in another time, another place--not Nazi Germany--their love story would be ordinary.

I definitely liked it. Though "like" is an odd word ANY time you're reading about the second world war. I am glad I read it and would recommend it.

It is fiction. I think that's crucial to remember.

Quotes:

Dietrich didn’t belong to her. He never had, much as she wanted to cling to him and keep him with her after every aching farewell. He was God’s. God had only gifted her with the blessing of being able to share in his life. His future didn’t rest with her, but with Him. She chafed against it. Once Dietrich had written that it was an easy thing to say Lord; the difficulty came in saying dear Lord with all one’s devotion. Never had she felt it more than now.

Could she trust God to do what He would with Dietrich’s life? With her own? Trust that He had a plan far greater than the finite mind could comprehend? “I can’t do it in my own strength. If You can help me, then I can … try.” She breathed the words, as a tiny flame sparked in her heart. Trust? Perhaps. God had a plan for Dietrich Bonhoeffer. Whether or not his future included her, she’d been privileged to share a little of his present. A remarkable man, a once-in-a-lifetime kind of person. He’d given others so much. He’d given her so much. No matter what the days ahead would bring, she wouldn’t exchange those spent while loving him.

My Dearest Dietrich is gorgeously written and impeccably researched. It makes Dietrich Bonhoeffer--a man I've read enough about to admire greatly--into a "real" man rather than just a pretty sweet historical figure. And it makes Maria a real and vibrant and lovable person, too. She's not just part of Bonhoeffer's narrative...she has her own rich journey. This history is vivid and heartbreaking. I'll admit I kept putting off reading the ending because I knew enough of Bonhoeffer's story to know where it was going...but once I got there, once I turned the last page, I knew the story was far from over—in reality and in my own heart. I can't possibly recommend this highly enough. A poignant and thoughtful masterpiece from Amanda Barratt!

Just a side note - I also really appreciated the author's addendum at the end, giving updates on what happened to various characters and letting us know which pieces of the story were fact (the majority were) and which were author liberties. She did a truly outstanding job not just incorporating real events, but making those events the story while weaving in just enough fiction to make this truly feel like a novel (and a romantic one, at that) versus, well, a recapping of history.

A beautiful and sorrowful love story during a pivotal time in history

When I first saw that there was an opportunity to read My Dearest Dietrich: A Novel of Dietrich Bonhoeffer’s Lost Love by author Amanda Barratt, I wasn’t interested. Mostly because this novel would be hard to read emotionally and learn more about the evils that happened during World War II. But I’m so glad I took a second look and decided to read it.

Before I read My Dearest Dietrich, I had basic knowledge of Dietrich Bonhoeffer, that he was a Christian pastor and had participated in a plot to have Adolph Hitler assassinated and that he was executed for his part in that conspiracy. But other than that, I didn’t know the details.

This book is wonderful. I learned about Dietrich Bonhoeffer’s life, family and his beloved fiancée Maria von Wedemeyer. How decent, God-fearing Germans citizens were impacted by what Hitler was doing. While not everyone was able to personally fight the evil things they saw happening, so many citizens were gravely impacted by the maniacal and brutal dictator and were just trying to survive. It was heartening to learn of the Bonhoeffer family, their friends and many others who sought, albeit unsuccessfully, to put an end to Hitler’s reign of evil.

In Dietrich and Maria’s story, I saw that love must be brave. It was inspiring and touching to see how Maria sought to be there for Dietrich, breathe life and hope into their future, even if it meant risking her own life. They managed to deepen and grow their relationship through letters and monthly one-hour visits at Tegel prison under the watchful eye of the guards. Dietrich, in turn, sought to protect Maria and his family and accepted the severe consequences of his actions.

I took my time reading My Dearest Dietrich because I didn’t want to rush by and miss some of the treasures contained therein. This is a beautiful love story between two very different, but uniquely suited, people during a pivotal time in history. Amanda Barratt did a wonderful job in writing this true and fictionalized, account of Dietrich and Maria’s love story.

I would like to thank Kregel Publications and NetGalley for a complimentary of the book and the opportunity to read My Dearest Dietrich by Amanda Barratt. It’s a love story to remember. I was no obligation to give a favorable review.

A well researched fictionalized account of Dietrich Bonhoeffer and his intended bride. Recounts the assassination attempts on Hitler although the focus is more on the love story than the conspiracy. I liked the brief references to Bonhoeffer' s theology.

Copy provided by the Publisher and NetGalley

My Thoughts:
•I have read several books about people who no longer live that have been fictionalized. No one but that person knows what they think and feel unless they communicate these things and someone writes them down verbatim as acknowledged truth. Private conversations between lovers are rarely passed on to other people because they are of a private nature. I state all of this to address the first point I have on this book. It is an educated guess as to what Bonhoeffer and Wedemeyer spoke about and felt. A huge help is from the book, Love Letters from Cell 92. I have not read this book, but it is the correspondence between them. These letters give a glimpse of their feelings and relationship, but do not give the totality. People may read My Dearest Dietrich and forget it is historical fiction.
•From what I’ve read about Dietrich, he was a reserved and private man. My Dearest Dietrich gives a solid view of those personality qualities. Maria was similar in temperament. When both of the main characters are reserved type people the book can be humdrum. Their personalities compliment one another and go together well, but to read about their relationship it is not as interesting.
•What I enjoyed reading is Bonhoeffer’s commitment, perseverance, and sacrifice to stop Hitler at all cost. This is the passion that is big in the book. Yes, I believe he loved Maria and was committed to her. The big story is his involvement in the plot and sacrifices made to thwart the Nazi regime.
Source: I received a complimentary copy from Kregel, but was not required to leave a positive review.

In My Dearest Dietrich, German pastor Dietrich Bonhoeffer, famous for his resistance to the Nazi regime, comforts a family friend, Maria von Wedemeyer, upon the death of her father and brother. Maria finds herself drawn to thirty-six year old Dietrich, despite their age difference and that he is constantly being watched by the Gestapo. Dietrich tries to keep himself detached from the young woman, knowing he might also lose his life or be imprisoned for his work in the conspiracy against the government. Maria’s conviction and intelligence deeply attract him, and despite their age differences, they form a romantic attachment and face serious risks. Will they have a happily-ever-after ending?

Based on detailed historical research, the ending is not a surprise. Bonhoeffer is imprisoned until the end of his life. Yet, their relationship inspires the reader, as they become more familiar with him through the letters he writes. One finds a man who is faithful to the Gospel yet longs for a happy future with a family, a man who risked his future to stand against evil. My Dearest Dietrich tells the story of love, courage, family, and faith.

Title: My Dearest Dietrich

Author: Amanda Barratt

Chapters: 37 plus epilogue

Pages: 356

Genre: Christian Historical fiction

Rating: 5 stars

My Dearest Dietrich is set in Germany during WWII so it is my no means a light hearted romance. And one that doesn't have a happy ending. But I guess you can say that about a lot of books set during WWII. But this is an historical fiction novel about Dietrich Bonhoeffer and the woman who loved him Maria Von Wedemeyer.

I knew who Dietrich was I've even read a few of his books. But I didn't know anything about Maria till I read this one. Now I want to read the book of their letters.

Reading this book though sad at times reminded me that were indeed Germans that stood up to Hitler and the Nazis even when it cost them everything.

Even though this is an emotional read have tissues handy. I would recommend that everyone read this. It's truly worth it and I normally don't read fiction books about war. I tend to stick to non-fiction accounts.



I received a copy of this book from the publisher through netgalley. I was not required to write a positive review. All opinions expressed are mine alone.

I wasn't planning on requesting this book, but when a Netgalley Widget from Kregel Blog Tours landed in my Inbox, I decided to go ahead, and I'm very glad I did.
I knew a little about Dietrich Boneoffer from movies and an audiobook I listened to years ago, and as such I knew a little about Maria, his young fiancé too. What I didn't know was the depth of his relationship with George Bell, the British Bishop of Chichester, who actually worked to try to get the German resistance efforts recognized internationally.

This novel though really bought the most famous part of Bonhoeffer's life, during the war years to life. Its meticulously researched, from his own letters, biographies about other sources, but is very well written and readable for all that.
It illustrates very well the theologian's struggles to reconcile his faith with his activities in the underground resistance and rebellion against the terrible evil of Nazism. The way the Christian should respond to tyranny and evil in their midst is one believers have wrestled with almost since the beginning, but it becomes more tangible here.

As the title suggests, the relationship between Dietrich and Maria is the central focus of this novel, although I would not call it a 'romance' in any traditional sense. The book that is, not their love. It describes the slow discovery of their love, and development of the relationship. Showing and telling of a true live forged in impossible times and amidst the nightmare or war and tyranny.
Its also a story of hope and submission: how Dietrich and Maria held each other in their hearts, since they spent much of their relationship apart. How his greatest ministry happened during his time in prison, when some of his best known and touching letters were written.

The book is this a worthy tribute to Dietrich and the woman he loved: a subject which has been covered a lot in History Books, biographies and movies, but not in fiction.
The further reading section at the end is useful to the reader who wishes to go further and learn more. Recommended.

Thanks to Kregel Publications for the Netgalley Ebook of this title. I was not required to write a positive review and all opinions expressed are my own.

I’m assuming most Christians know the basics on Dietrich Bonhoeffer — German Christian pastor who was part of a conspiracy to bring down Hitler; was found out, imprisoned, and executed in a concentration camp.

When I saw that a new novel was out which featured the relationship between Bonhoeffer and his fiancee, Maria von Wedemeyer, I was eager to read it (thanks, NetGalley, for a review e-copy).

We open with 18-year-old Maria working for a (fictional) Nazi family. “Nobody cried anymore. There was just too much sorrow and not enough time.” “Happy moments were like hummingbird wings, flying by. Crucial ones trudged on as if weighted with lead.”

She meets Dietrich while helping her grandmother recover from eye surgery. However, Dietrich is twice her age, and this gives everyone pause. This book mainly tells the story of the couple’s growing relationship. They become engaged, and shortly thereafter Dietrich is arrested and imprisoned for the remainder of his life.

“As a young theology student, he’d welcomed the prestige of being top of his class, the darling of all the professors. He’d wanted to make something of himself. The years, even these last months at Tegel (prison), had convinced him of the falsity of such a desire.”

I found this book well written overall. The sense of tension, especially in the scenes where Dietrich is arrested and when he and Maria have their final meeting, was excellent. I did, however, find the book to be a slow read overall; I’d expected a faster pace given the topic. And, I’m always pretty wary reading historical fiction such as this, with lots of dialogue. We can’t really know what any of these people would have said to each other. Be aware too that this is basically a story of a romance — you won’t learn a lot about the historical Dietrich Bonhoeffer.

Recommended? Maybe, depending on your reading goals.

Given the huge impact the writings of Dietrich Bonhoeffer have had on Christianity, he has obtained somewhat of a "Protestant Saint" status. Due to the myth and legend that exist concerning his life, many individuals do not think about the rest of his life and that he was a human being who had relationships and a finance. The new book My Dearest Dietrich: A Novel of Dietrich Bonhoeffer's Lost Love will change that.

My Dearest Dietrich is a heart-wrenching book simply because the reader knows the outcome from the beginning. Even if a reader is not familiar with the story, the first chapter sets up the outcome. However, Bonhoeffer and his eventual fiancee Maria experience numerous other obstacles that keep them from spending time together or even corresponding. Reading the story of how they are placed together and how their love grows even when others try to keep them apart in the midst of a horrific world war is a wonderful testimony of the power of love and God. This book is highly recommended and due to its subject matter would appeal to a larger audience than most traditional "Christian romance."

Author Amanda Barratt borrows heavily from the actual correspondence between Bonhoeffer and Maria von Wedemeyer as recorded in Love Letters from Cell 92. Many readers will wish to obtain a copy of this work to read as a follow-up to My Dearest Dietrich. While noting the story is a fictional account and indicating where the story line was "adjusted," Barratt certainly did her research for this book and lists several excellence resources for further reading.

I have mixed feelings about this book. It is very well written and very well researched. The characters were developed well. Barratt really gave a sense of the dilemma Christians felt when the leader of their country went horribly wrong. Some felt it was their duty to serve their country, such as in the military. Others felt they needed to stop Hitler, as did Bonhoefffer. I also got a very good sense of the pain and agony Christians experienced at the loss of their loved ones.

Part of the character development included dialogue and actions. Barratt notes at the end of the book that almost all of the events she portrayed actually happened. She said she did create a German military officer who tried to force Maria into a relationship.

And that bothers me a bit. Authors of historical fiction must imagine the thoughts, words and actions of real people, such as Barratt did with Bonhoeffer. As I read the book, I kept wondering if Bonhoeffer would really think that or say that or do that. It was a distraction for me.

Something else I found distracting was the odd use of a few German words in dialogue when nearly all of it was in English. I know they spoke German and the book is in English. When I read something like, “...vater and brother,” I wonder why Barratt would use the one German word yet not the one for brother. (2430/6248)

I do recommend this book as it portrays the dilemma Christians experience when the leader of the country goes wrong. One could have some good discussions around that issue. Just remember this is a novel.

I received a complimentary egalley of this book from the publisher. My comments are an independent and honest review.

“I hold your picture in my hand every night, and tell you lots of things—lots of ‘do you remembers,’ and ‘later ons’—so many of them that I finally can’t help believing that they’re only a small step away from the present. And then I tell you all the things that can’t be put into writing—certainly not if other people have to read my letters—but things you already know without my writing them down.” ~from Maria von Wedemeyer to Dietrich Bonhoeffer~

As a fan of Dietrich Bonhoeffer, I applaud Amanda Barratt for making his story available and relatable to all readers through this beautiful historical fiction novel!

Through her writing, Bonhoeffer’s admirable qualities—his bravery, commitment, eloquence, kindness, faithfulness—shine, yet we also see him as a man in love, hoping for a happy future surrounded by wife and children. This makes his willingness to risk his life and personal happiness in order to stand against evil even more poignant and powerful.

If you’re not familiar with the story, during WWII, Bonhoeffer, “a balding bachelor of thirty-six” fell in love Maria von Wedemeyer “a beautiful eighteen-year-old who could take her pick among any aristocratic young man she fancied.” Perhaps what made an impression on him was that the first time he met her, she was disheveled and mud-covered from taking a stand against the neighborhood bully to protect an innocent. Maria was a “muddy, Goethe-quoting girl who’d swept into the room, disordering it—and him—in a matter of seconds.”

As a man who “didn’t have a regular income, lived with his parents in Berlin and his aunt when in Munich” and had “written few books, preached lots of sermons, and now worked daily in a conspiracy that could just as easily get him killed as not,” Dietrich had little to offer her. Yet Maria found herself drawn to him.

Wise beyond her years, she at first believed: “Though she didn’t yet love him in the way of a woman on her wedding day, she knew beyond anything that she would.” However, through letters and visits to Dietrich while he was in prison, their bond grew. Maria claimed: “Is there a limit to how much one heart can miss another? If so, Dietrich Bonhoeffer, I haven’t found it.”

Their relationship shows how friendship can grow into love.

This is a thoroughly researched story of love, sacrifice, courage, family bonds, duty, romance, and—above all—faith. At times gripping, at times sweetly romantic, it’s a great read!

I’ve already started giving hard copies of this book as gifts. Can’t wait to share this story with my students!

Thanks to Amanda Barratt, NetGalley, and Kregel Publications for giving me the opportunity to read this story.

Quotes I like:
“I admire anyone seeking to defend the defenseless. Even if she did go about it in a rather … interesting manner.”

“‘Only from a peaceful, free, healed heart can anything good and right take place.’ A beautiful sentence. She wanted to own it for herself, to be peaceful, free, and healed when everything around her was at war, constrained, and broken.”

“We have been silent witnesses of evil deeds; we have been drenched by many storms; we have learnt the arts of equivocation and pretense; experience has made us suspicious of others and kept us from being truthful and open; intolerable conflicts have worn us down and even made us cynical. Are we still of any use? What we shall need is not geniuses, or cynics, or misanthropes, or clever tacticians, but plain, honest, straightforward men…. There remains for us an experience of incomparable value. We have for once learnt to see the great events of world history from below, from the perspective of the outcast, the suspects, the maltreated, the powerless, the oppressed, the reviled—in short, from the perspective of those who suffer.” ~Dietrich Bonhoeffer~

“Fear had imprisoned her. And she wanted nothing more than to rip off the chains . . . she wouldn’t withhold herself from contacting her fiancé any longer. If danger came to her, so be it. She was ready for it. They all faced danger daily. Wasn’t it right and good to meet it with those who mattered most?”

“She tilted her head to look at him. How different he seemed now, simply a man walking beside her instead of the great pastor in the pulpit. And she, no longer the little girl relegated to playing with her brothers and sisters, could be free to converse with him on equal terms. Tonight had the texture of hope in it, brought on perhaps by the presence of this man who seemed to emanate it. As if the fragrance in the air and the shades of the sky gave them permission to temporarily forget about all that went on in the world outside Klein-Krössin.”

“There was this church I attended. Abyssinian Baptist. Church in America is an entirely different experience than here in Germany . . . It was there that I learned, perhaps for the very first time, what it was to be not just a theologian but an actual Christian. Someone who took the gospel out of dusty pages and ancient cathedrals and applied it to day-to-day life and everyday people, while still maintaining the truth of that gospel, without attempting to dilute it into something weak and popular.”

“Their country was being destroyed. Not only by battle and bombs, but by an all-encompassing allegiance to a regime that spread its poison like a toxin through the country’s veins. Lethal. She didn’t want any part in it. Though she may be forced to continue her national service, she’d not let the Vogels rule her. She’d continue to feed Boris, tell the little girls bedtime stories about a Lord other than Adolf Hitler. She’d resist. Even in the small ways.”

“I don’t believe in allowing another to do what I cannot, simply to absolve myself of guilt. You asked if I would be willing to take up arms and assassinate Adolf Hitler?” Dietrich swallowed, throat suddenly dry. “I know I would have to resign from any position I held in the church. But ja, I would. Guilt must not be left to others, but taken upon ourselves.”

No history geek worth his or her salt hasn't heard of Dietrich Bonhoeffer. Including me. I knew the bare bones of his story, but there was a lot I didn't know. I knew nothing about Maria von Wedemeyer. Now I do!

I'd been looking forward to this story since I first heard that it was going to release. I've read several of Amanda Barratt's historical romance novellas and enjoyed them. This book did not disappoint. Barratt did a great job of putting the flesh on these historical figures. She shows a side of Bonhoeffer that the history books never could.

You don't have to be a WWII buff, or even that much of a history buff, to enjoy this novel. This story is about the people - not the history. If you know history, then you know the ending, but the getting there is a very good read.

A couple days after finishing this book, I am still wrecked. Words cannot do this novel justice because it’s such a heart-level story, but I’m going to try anyway.

As someone who grew up in the church, I knew of Dietrich Bonhoeffer as well as bits and pieces of his life and death. But in My Dearest Dietrich, Amanda Barratt’s immaculate research and stunning prose puts skin on this man, this paragon of faith. Seriously, how can an author write such a beautifully moving novel at twenty-three?

I admit, it’s hard to start a book when you already know there will be no happily ever after—at least not until eternity. But, as someone who would also never pick up a 600 page non-fiction tome about the man, this was an excellent education into the life of Dietrich—his faith, his family, his work in the resistance movement to rid Germany of Hitler and his tyranny, and his romance with young Maria von Wedemeyer. And don’t the people who sacrificed everything—those they loved most, their hopes and dreams of a future, their lives—deserve to have their stories told as much as, maybe even more than, those who survived?

Yes, I realize I am sharing very little about the actual content of this novel. One, because it’s one you have to savor, to experience, and to reflect on where your own heart and faith stand. It’s a book that will make you question if you would put everything on the line for the lives of others who have had their voices stolen away.

Do yourself a favor and block out an afternoon or evening to sit down with Dietrich and Maria because you will come out the other side with a full heart. And, like me, your list of people you hope to meet in heaven may grow by at least two (mine grew to include the entire Bonhoeffer and von Wedemeyer families).



Disclosure statement:
I receive complimentary books from publishers, publicists, and/or authors, including NetGalley. I am not required to write positive reviews. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.

*blows nose, dabs eyes, and takes a deep breath*

Wow. Where do I start? This book is beautifully written, impeccably researched, and as inspirational as it is heartbreaking. If you want to know the cost of discipleship, read this book. I mean, you could read Dietrich’s own words as well, but he LIVED that cost in a way most of us will never have to experience—Praise God! And reading his story—living his story—as it’s presented in these pages is a powerful experience that will never leave me, all the more so for the depth of love that grew between Dietrich and Maria at such a difficult time.

The choices that Dietrich, Maria, and their families had to make will also linger with me. It’s rare to find a story that gives the reader so much cause to consider what it would have been like to have been German and opposed to the Nazi regime. And if there was one thing that came through strongly as I read this novel, it was that there was no easy answer to the question of, “How should we respond?” In fact, the only answer was for each man and woman to prayerfully follow his or her own conscience, regardless of the cost—knowing full well that the cost would be high regardless.

Dietrich Bonhoeffer’s story is truly remarkable, and I cannot recommend this novel highly enough.

I received a copy of this novel from the publisher. This has not influenced the content of my review, which is my honest and unbiased opinion.

I do not have adequate words to do this book justice. It is beautiful, haunting, and reads like a love song with poetic prose. This is one story that I will not forget anytime soon.

I'd heard of Dietrich Bonhoeffer but didn't know much about him. I definitely didn't know he was a spy and I'd never heard of Maria von Wedemeyer. Their love story is one for the ages and clearly not one that is well known.

Living in WWII Germany had to be one of scariest places ever, and Ms. Barratt brings that across clearly. Both Dietrich and Maria are portrayed real and in full color for the reader. Ms. Barratt's research is evident on each page.

In our world today where our history keeps to remove the horror of the Holocaust books like Amanda Barratt's is sorely needed for not only the generation of today but future generation.

I highly recommend this book! It is a definite must read and will be on my list for the top books of 2019.

Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book via the publisher as a part of Amanda Barratt's street team. I was not required to write a review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.