Author Liz Tolsma takes her readers through a whole gamut of emotions and a wealth of history in this well-researched novel. The reader will follow Helena’s WWII tale of persecution, terror, devastation, and perseverance through the horrible Nazi occupation and the Polish purge of the Lemko people. Helena is a fictional example of what real people lived through, and her faith in God through all of those tests is a challenge to everyone. McKenna’s modern day tale of life as a social worker shows the sometimes darker side of our current world, and how God truly does carry us through those times. Someday, like Helena and McKenna, we too will see that what men meant for evil, God means for good. This book is well-written, with good character development and such a good side-by-side plot. Readers experience all of the emotions felt by the characters, and I hope it serves to bring a light to the horrible atrocities that were committed against countless innocent people. May we never forget. I had never heard of the Lemko people until I read this book. How many other cultures and people groups have been lost to the ravages of war? We will never know, but this book does serve to share the Lemko people with the world, and I am glad to know of them now. I highly recommend this book. It will have the reader turning pages and staying up late to find out what happens next.

I received a copy of this book for review. The thoughts expressed here are wholly my own.

What I Left For You is a well written dual timeline book. I throughly enjoyed the plot.. The two time periods were woven together seamlessly. I definitely recommend this book. I received an advance ebook from the publisher and Netgalley. This is my unbiased review.

This books takes you on a long journey through the past and brings you to the present day in a dual time line story that will surely make a lasting impact on the reader. You will experience deep emotions including heartache and loss, ask the same questions that the characters ask, and receive encouragement and wisdom for your own life. The book has strong characters that demonstrate passion and the persistent drive for answers. The author also paints a great picture of the setting that has you wanting to see such views yourself and travel to that part of the world. Overall this book is not a light read, but perfect for those that love historical books, especially WWII. I love how different this WWII book is and how it focuses on a people group I was not aware of, and I was able to learn a little more about this time in history.

I received a complimentary copy through NetGalley and Barbour Publishing. I was not required to leave a positive review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Wow. More than 5 stars for this book! It touched my heart in so many ways. I was intrigued to read the book because I have Polish and Ukrainian grandparents. I'm sure that many of my family members endured similar devastating experiences.

The main characters are amazing! Helena reminds me so much of my grandmother. Her courage to face every day is commendable. She suffers so many losses and almost loses herself. Her faith in God is tested many times. McKenna reminds me of me! Her longing to figure out her past and to try and restore relationships is remarkable.

The imagery brings the countryside of Lemkovyna to life. I could see the hills dotted with sheep and hear the joyful laughter of the families living there.

There are so many difficult circumstances in the book. The devastating horrors of war, death, work camps, forced relocation, and families torn apart. There's also the amazing reminder that God is in control. "No matter what, God." Words to live by, words that bring peace.

I was provided a complimentary copy of the book from Barbour Publishing via Netgalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Imagine if your homeland was empied of people who were forced to leave and you were trying to find one of your relatives 75 years later?

The Lemkos of the Carpathian Mountains in southern Poland, Northern Slovakia and Western Ukraine had lived in their homeland fo since the 9th century and they had their own language, customs and religion.

The story begins with Helana and Jerzy in Krakow, Poland in 1944, they were rescuing a friends' baby from the ghetto where her mother, Risa was dying.

They smuggled the drugged baby Teena out in a big pocket and took her to Helenas' apartment.

The story jumps to Helenas' great granddaughter McKenna in 2023, as she is trying to locate Teena, who disappeared in 1948.

You will enjoy their harrowing journey through Nazi - occupied Poland as they are part of a brave partisan group during the late 1940's, you feel like you are there!

I really do not want to tell to much about this book, sinne it is number 3 in the series. But I feel that you have to read this books in correct order. I am always amazed how the author is able to connect the past and current time together, to make an amazing book. Have your handerchief ready. Thank you to netgalley for letting me read this e arc in exchange for an honest opinion

WHAT I LEFT FOR YOU by LIZ TOLSMA is a really interesting WW11 novel in which we see things, not only from the Polish angle, but we are introduced to the Lemko and their beautiful country of Lemkovyna in southern Poland. We see man’s inhumanity towards his fellow man, as, not only did the the Nazis treat them all as less than human, but after the war the Polish government treated the Lemko very badly, breaking up families and carting them off to Ukraine, destroying their houses and farms.
The characters are unforgettable. We see the strength and courage of Helena and Jerzy, both former lecturers at the Jagiellonium University, as they save Teena, a little Jewish baby from the Jewish ghetto, and take her to Dubne to bring up as their own child, and also as they join the Lemko partisans to get some of their people out of jail. We see Helena’s desperation as she is taken further and further away from her beloved mother and daughter……
It is heartbreaking to see the horrors of the German labour camps which are described in some detail.
In 2023, after a tragedy for which she feels largely to blame, and a broken engagement, McKenna and her best friend Taylor take a sabbatical in order to go to Poland and find the sister McKenna’s grandmother has never known. As they work with Filip and his agency in Krakow, the story unfolds. We are reminded of the fact that God can bring good out of all things…….
I am not going to tell you any more for fear of spoiling yor read.
There is a strong Christian message running through the story, from the Greek Orthodox church of the Lemko and the Catholic church, to simple Bible believing faith.
I highly recommend this inspirational and heartwarming novel.
I was given a free copy of the book by NetGalley from Barbour Publishing. The opinions in this review are completely my own.

What I Left for You by Liz Tolsma brings light to a small culture that has been erased by the Nazi's during World War II. She does a wonderful job at creating a story to show the lengths a mother would go to find her child again. Even put her own health at risk. Tolsma shows the horrors of a concentration camp with truth and grit. She does not shy away from the horrors inflicted on the bodies of these innocent people. The plot is not that much different than a lot of the World War II novels that I have read. Yes, Tolsma based it on true stories, and there are tons of them, but it is hard to be different when the plight was felt by so many of these people. The setting was definitely different with the small, uneducated people being forced to move and forget their heritage. Overall, What I left for You by Liz Tolsma was a World War II novel that tugged at the heart, but ends in a happily-ever-after meeting.

I received a complimentary copy of What I Left for You by Liz Tolsma from Barbour Publishing, but the opinions stared are all my own.