"What I Left For You" by Liz Tolsma is a phenomenal novel. It's a dual timeline, set mostly in Poland and is so well written and researched! In the present timeline, a woman experiences a horrible loss and at the same time is looking for information on what may have happened to her grandma's sister during and after WWII. In the past timeline set in WWII, we hear her great-grandmother's story of what happened to her and the Lemko people of Poland.

This book brought out so many feelings and I was so invested in it I actually cried (in a good way). The descriptions of food made me, who is of Polish descent myself, crave pierogi and paczki which I never great to eat much anymore.. The book is also filled with so much encouraging and thought provoking faith content (mostly towards the end).

I felt a connection to this story through what I heard from my grandpa of Polish descent and while I don't believe he was Lemko, some of what happened to Helena in the story happened to his family. I do think anyone that reads this story will learn a lot about Polish WWII history. So much of what is written here in a fictional book is based on true history and Tolsma's epilogue explains fact from fiction very well.

Thank you to Barbour Publishing for the opportunity to read an ARC of this book. All opinions expressed are my own.

"No matter what, God"

I have just finished reading the last sentence and the author's notes on this book. As I try to write this review my eyes are filled with tears. What a powerful story. Liz Tolsma has hit me right in the heart with Helena's story. It is so much more than the heartrending story of a fictional character who suffered atrocities of World War II Dubne, Poland. This is the story of the Lemko people who were nearly wiped from the earth and taken from their homeland during the war and the days of occupation afterward. This was a reality that Lemko descendant Liz Tolsma has deeply researched in her own quest to know her background, ancestry and the incredible story of her people. This is a sad story but one that shows the strength, faith, love and devotion to God and community of the Lemko people.
To me Helena Kostyszak, one character, is representative of a very poor people who are rich in love, bravery, intelligence and character. Over the decades she knows intense sorrow and enduring friendship. There are precious characters and men who love her that add intensity to the suffering, sorrow and endless love in the story. Jerzy Bielski is one of them. I want you, the reader to experience them yourself.
I received an e-copy of this beautiful, heartbreaking story from Barbour Publishing via NetGalley. This is my heartfelt personal reaction and opinion of this story, a masterpiece in honor of the people of Lemkovnya, past and present.
There is also the story of modern-day character McKenna Muir, who after the shocking murder of a toddler, breaks away and travels to Poland in a search of her ancestry. This journey is reflective of Liz Tolsma's own research trip with her daughter.
I rate this story a five out of five. I recommend it for readers who enjoy learning more about history, World War II, faith-based fiction, and incredibly strong women. There is a vein of sadness throughout which is what the time period and world has given us in all reality. It is a terrible part of history that we need to be aware of. We can learn from the strength that was drawn upon with a drive and faith to survive.
Thank you, Liz Tolsma.
Triggers, while written in good taste there is, of course, violence, death and an 'unseen' rape in the story.
This book deserves to be an award winner.

In 1939 WWII, Helena rescues her dearest friend's daughter from the ghetto and certain death. She does all she can to protect her new daughter and her own mother, but it may not be enough.

In 2023, McKenna is devastated when one of children on her caseload is murdered. To try to assuage her own guilty feelings, she travels with her best friend to Poland to try to discover her family's hidden past.

When the past and the present collide with what McKenna learns, will all be well in her world now, or is the past too much to bear?

I highly recommend this book to anyone who love dual timeline, WWII, suspense, and a surprise HEA!

I received an early copy of this novel from the author. However, my review is my opinion and done of my own volition.

This dual-timeline story is heartbreaking. Full of the sorrows and brutality of man in both timelines; but also full of hope and peace. It reveals the ugliness of WWII and the suffering of the Lemko people. Helena and McKenna are both fantastic characters.
I loved that even after all the evil Helena saw and endured she could still say, “No matter what, God.” Such a beautiful reminder to us all.

This ARC was provided through NetGalley by the publisher. I was not required to give a positive review, rating and opinions are my own.

Echoes of the Past, Book 3, entitled "What I Left For You" by Liz Tolsma has got to be her best book yet. I have read several of her books, but this one really pulls at your heartstrings. This dual timeline of WW2 Poland & the present day begins with Helena & the terrifying events that take her through WW2 & the invasion of Poland. She suffers so much loss & almost loses her faith as well. In the present day, her granddaughter McKenna goes to Poland in search of family history. What she discovers will change all their lives. When you read about the present day Poland, it is so descriptive, its hard to believe what had happened there. It is truly a story of human endurance, forgiveness & faith. I couldn't put the book down, it is that good. "No Matter What, God." I was given a complimentary copy of this book by Barbour Publishing & was under no obligation to post a review.

No Matter what, God.

Two little girls - one in the Jewish ghetto in Krakow, Poland and one in Pittsburg, PA. Against all odds, one survives and the other does not.

Helena is a well-educated lady originally from the Lemko region of Poland. Her Jewish coworker is in the ghetto dying needing someone to step forward to care for her infant daughter. A choice must be made, but will it be the right one? Only time will tell.
McKenna is a social worker in Pittsburgh when one of her young charges is murdered. Hoping to deal with that sorrow as well as a broken engagement, she explores what she learned from a DNA test. Could this possibly give her a new direction for her life?

This incredibly well researched book will take you to places you might rather not learn about. However, looking back at history gives us the opportunity to change the choices we make today, ever remembering that God is in charge, whatever the outcome may be. An early copy of Echoes of the Past #3 was received through Barbour Publishing and NetGalley. These thoughts are my own and were in no way solicited.

This dual time story was a page turner for me. Helena went through so much living in Poland during World War II. Her life was in upheaval and the loss of those she loved was always heavy on her heart. In the current time, Helena's great-granddaughter McKenna searches for answers about her family's history while battling her own turmoil. A trip to Poland for McKenna will result in some uncovered secrets, some suprising discoveries and quest to grant her grandmother's wish.
Admittedly, some of the parts of cruel treatment were unsettling, but the strength it took to overcome the evil around her was Helena's greatest attribute. These same portions of the story were what made it a powerful and memorable novel that gives much historic information and firsthand experience of those affected by the oppression of war.
This is definitely worth reading. You may even stay up too late to reach that final page!

This book will tug at your heartstrings.
Set in WWII and present day, the author guides you through the tragedies of the past as well as the heartaches of the present.
I learned something new in this book, the history of the Lemko people. The author has Lemko descendants making this a personal book for her.
I highly recommend this read. It will teach you a lot.
I received a complimentary copy of this book. My opinions are my own.

What a difficult story to read! My heart was continually breaking for Helene and the trials she faced in her life. Helene constantly makes choices to help others to her own detriment but continues to trust in God. As other reviewers have mentioned, her statement “No matter what, God” is a running theme throughout the book. The author weaves Helene’s story into the story of her own great-granddaughter, McKenna, who is facing troubles of her own. There is so much heartache and loss in this story, but an underlying theme of redemption and hope.

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

The author does a fantastic job of intertwining the past and the present to make sure that the reader isn't overwhelmed by the story. I love that McKenna in the present day has such a desire to learn more about her genealogy. Her friend Taylor is such a gift to her. In the past we find Helena who is a heroine like no other as she combats the heinous acts committed during WWII. Jeezy, Pawel and Teena were also wonderful characters.

One of my favorite quotes was, "no matter what, God!". I love it and it reminded the characters in the book that no matter what God is with us.

Thanks to netgalley and Barbour Publishing for the arc. The review will be posted on my blog and netgalley 30 days prior to publication

This is a riveting page turner, I had to know how things turned out. A dual time, a great granddaughter in the present time, and her great grandmother living in Poland during the time of Evil, WWII.

We are with this young woman, as she tries to put her life together after devastating happenings, she and a dear friend journey for answers of what happened back during this horrible time, they head to Poland, and are looking for answers, including some surprise information from the Baba looking for someone very special!

This an eye opening read, and once they were safe, were they? This is also about the author and her family heritage, a small group of Polish Greek Russian, and how persecuted they were.

Be sure to read the extensive author's notes, insight as to where she come from!

I received this book through Net Galley and the Publisher Barbour, and was not required to give a positive review.

Helena rescues a friend's baby from a ghetto, but life is so uncertain for the Lemko people. In a dual timeline, the woman's great-grand daughter McKenna travels to Poland to find out more about her family. It’s a war story, so of course it’s grim, but it was a little too oppressive for me.
Helena has lots of questions about God’s fairness and love, but she learns that trust and faith are important no matter what. Good thoughts.

This is a very touching story though it can be difficult to read at times. It follows the lives of two women, Helena during World War II and McKenna in 2023. Helena is in Poland and her journey takes her from being a lecturer at the local college to traveling back home to being captured and sent to a work camp.Will she survive the war? McKenna is a social worker who has just learned of the death of a former child client, devastating her and wondering if she missed something. Her boss agrees to her taking a sabbatical. Feeling at loose ends she decides to trace her Polish heritage. Her grandmother drops a surprise on her when she asks her to try to find her sister that no one knew existed until McKenna’s great grandmother was dying. What will McKenna learn about her family? What surprises will she uncover?
I received an advance copy of this book through Netgalley in exchange for my honest review.

What an incredible read. What I Would Tell You is a dual timeliness novel set in Poland in WWII and in America and Poland in the present day. It tells the story of the Lemko Rusyn people, an ethnic group who I had not heard of and details their plight in the second world war.

The book is beautifully written but is a hard read for the pure fact that it covers such difficult topics of love, loss, heartbreak and many of the atrocities of WWII. Yet it is a captivating read and has such threads of hope amidst such difficult trials.

The phrase 'No matter what, God" truly summarises the hope that runs through the book.

There is no doubt that this story will stay with me for a long time.

Thanks to Barbour Publishers and Netgalley for the ARC.

A moving dual timeline story based on real history.
A young woman takes a much needed sabbatical from a stressful job to chase down her family's history in Poland. Tragic events shape the lives of her family in 1940's Eastern Europe, as the German Occupation in WWII scatters them. As she searches for the truth, she begins her own personal healing, and uncovers a picture of faith and hope in the ashes of her great grandmother's life.

This dual timeline story moved me to tears at times. It is well-written and researched, with a meaningful connection to the author's own family history. I love how she wove in the parts of her own genealogical research trips to Poland to find out the truth, and visited the actual places where they lived. The Lemko culture was something I had never heard of and their history was fascinating, though terribly tragic.

Helena's story was sad to read in parts, but it helped to see how her faith grew in her suffering, and carried her through. Her legacy of faith leaves the story on an uplifting note and made me think of my own family's thread of faith through many generations.

Recommend to readers who like inspirational stories based on real people and events, with faith. 4.5 stars

*•.¸♡ “No matter what, God.” ♡¸.•*

Within the first few pages I was hooked!

Author Liz Tolsma’s note at the start of the novel had me convinced I was in for a binge-read and I prepared myself. I was so excited to learn about an ethnic group I knew nothing about!

Tolsma has crafted a captivating dual timeline to explore the complicated history of Lemkovyna and the Lemko Rusyn people. In the 2023 Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania timeline, she introduces us to a social worker, McKenna Muir, and in her 1942 timeline set in Krakow, Poland, she introduces us to Helena Kostyszak. Uniting both women is the theme of broken family ties and the desire to link the past with the future in an effort to move forward. I was equally engaged with each story as Tolsma gave valuable insights and guidance (transcending time) for navigating life’s toughest challenges and showed how hope can guide us through the darkest times. I appreciated the focus on resilience and determination in both timelines.

𝐈 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐤 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐈’𝐥𝐥 𝐫𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐦𝐛𝐞𝐫 𝐦𝐨𝐬𝐭 𝐚𝐛𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐲 𝐚𝐫𝐞: (1) the anchor of family and (2) that during life’s challenges, sometimes we need to put our own needs aside and give our best to the greatest good. It’s a message our self-centered world needs to hear right now.

𝐓𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐛𝐨𝐨𝐤 𝐡𝐚𝐬 𝐥𝐞𝐟𝐭 𝐦𝐞 𝐥𝐨𝐧𝐠𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐨:
visit my friends in Krakow, try obwarzanek (Polish-style bagel), and learn more about the Lemko Rusyn people.

𝐇𝐨𝐰 𝐰𝐢𝐥𝐥 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐛𝐨𝐨𝐤 𝐢𝐧𝐟𝐥𝐮𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐦𝐞 𝐠𝐨𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐰𝐚𝐫𝐝?
Like Helena, I hope I remember to choose to see my trials/challenges as a means of building faith so that I can be strengthened through adversity.

Echoes of The Past is a powerful series and I hope you choose to read it.

I was gifted this copy by Barbour Publishing and NetGalley and was under no obligation to provide a review.

This is a hard read. I also read the first novel in the series - What I would Tell You. I agree these stories are so important to tell and share the faith of amazing people and how they made it through such a horrific time in history.

It’s a beautiful story with an uplifting ending but so sad. It’s fun to think about DNA and how our ancestors lived and the stories they could share. I highly recommend the whole series.

Having read novels of families being displaced during WW2, I was immediately hooked. The time era was the late 1930’s to the late 1940’s when Hitler was sanitizing Germany, Poland and anywhere he deemed people who were not Aryan. This is a story of a mama, Helena, searching for her little girl, Teena, when she was captured and put in a German work camp. Her child was hidden in a small village with Helena’s mother. Hunger, famine and cruelty was inflicted upon Helena’ and her people, The Lemkos. The book runs parallel with a young woman in 2023 who is searching for her family in Poland and is a direct descendant of Helena. It’s a great book and I enjoyed it, it’s so worth the read.

Book 3 in the Echoes of the Past series was a wonderfully poignant novel that had me in tears at many junctures. Helen Kostyszak is a minority in 1939 - a woman professor at a university in Krakow. When the Nazis enter and arrest the intelligentsia, she is spared because a fellow professor lies to protect her. When Helen has the opportunity to spirit away a Jewish friend's infant daughter in hopes of giving her a better life, she jumps at the chance and so begins a long and arduous journey filled with pain, heartache and loss. In 2023 McKenna Muir is a social worker who is dealing with her own struggles - a broken engagement as well as the death of a child client. When her best friend, Taylor, suggests she take a sabbatical and work on family genealogy - she jumps at the chance. Can she find answers to fulfill her baba's greatest desire and, in the process, find healing for herself? This amazing tale gripped me from the very start, and I was swept away to a land I knew nothing about. Such devastation and loss occurred during WWII and Liz Tolsma has woven a tale that brings light to a forgotten people group.

What I Left for You is another compelling, brilliantly executed dual-time line story in the Echoes of the Past series by this gifted storyteller. Both storylines are expertly crafted and intriguing and merge together beautifully. Amazing history and heart-tugging drama kept me glued to the pages. Real-life people, places, and events are integrated seamlessly into the fictional story with attention to historical detail that educates as well as entertains. Learning about the Lemko-Rusyn people group and their devastating experiences during and after World War II was heart-touching and soul-stirring. I love the wonderful, inspiring characters in both storylines with whom you can develop deep emotional connections as they navigate their difficult and uncertain circumstances. I greatly appreciate the strong faith theme of “No matter what, God” speaking of God’s sovereignty, steadfastness, and control over all situations. Of special interest is that McKenna’s genealogical quest in the modern-day story is based on the author’s own “journey of discovery about her family’s Lemko-Rusyn background.” The author’s notes at the end of the story and the glossary of Lemko-Rusyn words are a pleasing bonus. I love this story of heartache, hope, resilience, and courage and highly recommend it as a must read for historical romance fans.
I received a copy of this book from the publisher via Net Galley with no obligation to write a positive review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.