Two men. Four continents. Joy, sorrow, jealousy, disappointment, and excitement. The Light After the War has it all. Two close friends, Edith and Vera, escape from a train bound for Auschwitz. They survive the war and move to Italy. Edith mourns for a love that is lost and Vera finds herself lost in love. Moving to South America, the women reviled their lives. Edith has her worst fears confirmed, twice, while Vera suffers both extreme joy and sorrow. It's a riveting read and you have to keep reading to see how it ends. I do wish the author had included a historical note about want parts pertained to her mother's story.

4.5 stars- 4 stars for a good story and another 0.5 stars for not being predictable!

This historical fiction is set immediately after WWII. Two Hungarian Jewish best friends survive the war and start their lives. With settings in Naples, NYC, and South America, this is not just another WWII survival story- it is a drama about two women in their 20-30's. There is sadness but this is not a terribly heavy book and some of the story elements actually surprised me (which is very hard to do.) I can not wait to give this one as gifts to other historical fiction lovers who are tired of the same old stories (out Feb 2020).

Thank you to NetGalley for the free, advance copy. I will happily read more like this.

Wonderfully written book about two friends, Edith and Vera, who escape on the train to Auschwitz. They have many good and bad times together. The book goes back and forth to their childhood, but it works and transitions easily. Hard to put down!
I received an ARC of this book from Netgalley. Thank you, Netgalley!
I also won a copy of this book from Goodreads!
All opinions are my own.

This book begins after the end of World War II with flashbacks to times before and during the war. It is the debut novel from this author and is based on her mother's life during and after the war. I read a lot of books about the WWII but have read very few about what life was like for the survivors after the war and this well written and well researched book answered a lot of the questions I had about how people worked to try to put normalcy back in their lives.

The book begins in 1946 when Vera and Edith, best friends since childhood, arrive in Naples. They had grown up in Budapest and managed to escape from a transport to Auschwitz. They had spent the last several years hiding out at a farm in Austria. Both women are happy to be alive and they know that they need to find jobs to survive. Vera is ready to go back to living again but Edith has been broken by her life during the war and losing the love of her life. They both find love until life interrupts their plans and they have a chance to go to America. When those plans get derailed, they end up moving to Caracas. They find jobs and hope for the future there and both of them flourish as long as they try not to think about the losses in their pasts. Will Vera and Edith be able to move forward and find love and joy in their lives or will their pasts continue to keep them find finding happiness?

This is a wonderful book about friendship, love and survival. I loved the strong friendship between the two women and their perseverance to create a better life for themselves. If you are a fan of WWII fiction, this is a book that you don't want to miss.

Thanks to the publisher for a copy of this book to read and review. All opinions are my own.

The Light After the War is an interesting love story, in post WW2 times. Spanning many countries and continents, two lifelong friends, whom survived the holocaust by jumping off the train to Auschwitz display deep loyalties and resilience. Thank you Net Galley, the publisher, and author for an ARC of this novel. All opinions are my own.

Probably 3 1/2 stars, but I'll round up. Based on events from the life of the author's mother, we follow Vera and Edith as they navigate during after WWII. From escaping the cattle cars on the way to Auschwitz, surviving on a farm during the war, then traveling to Italy, America, Venezuela and Sydney. While we mostly follow the two friends after the war, we do get flashbacks to times before and during that help give depth to the girls and their story. I liked learning about their families. I liked the friends they made along the way. I mostly liked Anton and the role he played in the story. I got a little frustrated once they arrived in Venezuela. This part of the story really felt forced to me and I had a hard time following and believing all that happened. The ending felt rushed as well.

While this wasn't necessarily the most poetic writing or maybe even most memorable characters, I still really enjoyed the ride and don't regret reading this one at all. I do want to learn how much of this is based on the author's mother and would love to learn more about her! If even parts of it are from her life, she must be a wonderful, strong woman!

Thank you NetGalley for an ARC for my honest opinion.

Best friends Edith and Vera escape a train bound for Auschwitz and end up hiding out on an Austrian farm until the end of the war. After they end up in Naples and one of them finds work with a handsome American diplomat their future looks rosy. A missed chance at love sends the girls to New York only to end up in South America. Based on a true story from the experiences of the author's mother it is a very lucky story for two young women destined to be another of the war's casualties. It seemed a bit too good to be true but will appeal to women who love a good romance rolled up in their historical fiction. It was interesting to see what some of the war refugees experienced after the turmoil. My thanks to the publisher for the advance copy.

I love reading WWII historical fiction novels, especially when they’re based on actual events. Anita Abriel’s debut novel tells the story of two close friends and their future after their harrowing escape from the train headed to Auschwitz.
I thoroughly enjoyed the writer’s style; her colorful characters and scenery brought the streets of Naples and Caracas to life. I feel that the ease that the girls moved through their dilemmas may somewhat underplay the actual historical events of that soulless era. They’re both beautiful and know it, they meet well-to-do and philanthropic people with ease, and other than the hard-knock they took jumping from the train, life has been fairly gentle on them both.
I hesitate with the rating of 3, I would prefer 3.5 if it was possible. I will gladly read more by Ms. Abriel because of her pleasant and witty writing style.
(I received an advance copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an unbiased review. Thank you to Atria and NetGalley for making it available.)

Vera and Edith have been best friends since childhood. It’s the year 1946, and they are Jewish women struggling to rebuild their lives are WWII.
They settle in Naples, and Vera secures a job at the American Embassy as Captain Wight’s secretary. Soon the two fall in love and endure a whirlwind romance. But then Captain Wight abruptly flees the country, leaving Vera devastated. Will she be able to pick up the pieces, or succumb to more suffering than she can possible endure?
This was not your average historical fiction - this story was a beautiful combination of suffering, loss, romance, and friendship. Life can change in an instant; fight for what’s important to you.
The friendship these women have endured so much. I think that’s what stuck out most to me - how the author captured this sacred relationship between Vera and Edith.
This story was loosely based on the author’s family history. I love that! I will highly recommend this novel to lovers of historical fiction when it is released.

A novel loosely based on the true story of the authors mother. A story of two Jewish Hungarian teenagers whom escape a truck bound for Auschwitz and survive through WW2. A story of loss, love, hope, and reunion - a well written novel that offers a glimpse into the unimaginable hardships fellow generations faced.

Thank you so much netgalley for this arc !
Inspired by the true story of two Jewish girls whose friendship spans across four continents and a decade ! I was immediately drawn to Vera and Edith, their bond and how they protected each other . Always there for one another no matter what . This is the story of friendship, love and courage to Move on with your life even when you have no clue where to go and how to even get there ! I kept wanting and hoping for them to find love so that they would live without the fear of what tomorrow would bring !
If you are a fan of historical fiction based on true people , this book is for you ! Be sure to grab your copy when is comes out March 2020! You will not be disappointed and I’m confident that, like me , you will grow attached to both Vera and Edith and wish you had someone like that in your lives !

An interesting story about the lifelong friendship between two friends. I enjoyed the glimpses into the past, life in Budapest and the train ride to Auschwitz. Edith was so immature compared to Vera. Both went through a lot, escaping from the train and hiding for a year but much of the story did not ring true. I would have liked more history.

Another excellent read! This story was a quick read for me but I attribute that to being on Christmas vacation and being able to actually sit and read for a few hours at a time or until my dog starts turning pages on my kindle with her nose.

In The Light After the War, we follow best friends Vera and Edith as they set out to start new lives after the end of WWII. Having been pushed off the train to Auschwitz by their mothers, the girls survive the war by hiding in the barn of a Good Samaritan. They meet an American captain who writes Vera a letter of recommendation that would send them to Naples, Italy. There Edith would mourn the loss of her love, Stefan and struggle to start anew. Vera would get a job at the American Embassy and fall in love with her boss, Anton who eventually proposes.

Just when things start to fall into place, they fall apart again when Anton disappears. The girls are forced to start over again and eventually find themselves in South America where Edith becomes a sought after dress designer and Vera meets and eventually marries Ricardo. Despite having moved on with her life, Vera never forgets the love she felt for Anton.

This story focuses heavily on Vera and her dedication to Edith. She always wants to make sure that her friend is taken care of especially since they are on their own. It’s a story of love and friendship with memories of the past woven in to enlighten the reader on why the girls behave the way they do post war. A light hearted read for those needing something cleanse the palate after reading a WWII dripping with raw emotion. Definitely recommend.

This is the story of 2 young Jewish women who escape a train bound for Auschwitz and hide until the war is over. They make their way to Italy but are foiled when trying to emigrate to the US and instead end up in Venezuela, where they make their life. One designs dresses and the other writes. They work hard and play hard...

I rate this book a 4/5 stars. The story started out interesting. It is about World War II. Then in the middle, it got a bit long. The main character always having struggles and being unsure of herself. There were a few times, where I thought something bad was going to happen, for example, when Vera found a gun in her drawer. I thought the story, may take a turn and the husband would end up dead and she would be accused of murder, or she would end up dead. That was not the case. The book was also written that I thought it may be nonfiction. The end was enjoyable, a happy ending. I was hoping it would end the way it did, but wasn't sure if it would.

The war is WWII and the time is after in Italy, the U.S., briefly, and South America. The refugees are two Jewish women from Hungary who have lost their families and only have each other. Their stories are reflective of real lives, I'm sure. For those who favor WWII fiction, you'll get a different aspect with the perspective of the post-war years.

And, yes, there is a romance or, rather a few romances, just as there would be in real life. We see women struggling to hold jobs in the face of chauvinism and attempting to rebuild a career after putting too much trust in a man. There's a lot to unpack here. Would be great for a book club discussion especially given that it concludes in South America and we get an interesting perspective on that culture!

A beautiful story of not only enduring friendship, but also of the remaining ravages of war and racism.
The character development was well written as well as the descriptions of the cities visited in this novel.

Most of the WWII books I've read dealt with events during the war, so it was a nice change to read a book taking place after the war. There are so many storied about the war, but those stories didn't end when the war did. There was a lot of aftermath that isn't discussed.

I enjoyed both Vera and Edith. They were too girls struggling with what happened to them, and trying to rebuild their lives the best they could. They had been through so much, but just because the war was over didn't mean the hardships were. I did get a little frustrated with Edith at times, but I still enjoyed her character overall. Vera was a good main character. She just wanted to get her life in order and move on from the past, but that was easier said than done. I liked Anton, but I really hate how he made the choice for Vera about their relationship. He didn't even give her a chance to decide. I hated Ricardo. I could tell from the moment he showed up that he was no good. I do think the book wrapped up a little too neatly though. It feels like the author wrote everything in Venezuela with Ricardo the way she did so she could have the perfect ending. It didn't quite sit right with me, but it wasn't a huge deterrent.

I do wish I knew what parts of the book were inspired by the author's mother. I would love to know which parts were part of her mothers life, and which parts were the author's storytelling. And I hope to read more books dealing with the aftermath of the war, whether they're fiction or non-fiction.

Thank you to NetGalley and Atria Books for providing me with an ARC of The Light After the War. In exchange I offer my unbiased review.

Based on the publisher’s blurb, I was very excited to receive an ARC for this Holocaust story based and inspired on true events. As fewer and fewer survivors are left to share their stories, I believe it’s vital to keep writing and reading about their experiences. This book however was more of a post Holocaust romance, which isn’t what I connect with as a reader.

The story of Edith’s and Vera’s harrowing escape from a bound train to Auschwitz and their incredible journey to freedom was inspiring and fascinating. There were many moments that brought me to tears and I was touched by their fierce loyalty and strength. This is another touching story of survival but I’m not sure there was anything new that I learned. Not to belittle this story or experience. I applaud the author for sharing her family’s personal history and I think readers who enjoy historical fiction with a romantic narrative will enjoy this book very much. The book is set post Holocaust but the need to survive is still a constant and real danger/ hardship that I think many readers often forget. Even though you may have survived the war, you’ve lost everyone and everything. It’s unbelievably devastating to start again. .

It has been a while since I have read a historical fiction novel, and it makes sense that I would jump back in with my go-to sub-genre of WWII Fiction. This one is different than many of the others I have read because it is about survivors after the war, and they travel to several different places trying to escape their past and start anew. I have two best friends and I can't imagine going through anything like the characters in this novel did, but I know that if I had my two closest friends on Earth with me, I would be able to get through it somehow and it is the same for Edith and Vera, who have been through way more than anyone should by the time they reach the end of their teens. This is an emotionally heavy book, but a page turner for sure. There are some glimmers of light in the end, but your heart will definitely be broken for both Edith and Vera several times over before you get there. I recommend this to anyone who enjoys historical fiction, WWII fiction, or stories of redemption.