From Sand and Ash - Harmon, Amy Review & Synopsis

Synopsis Italy, 1943-Germany occupies much of the country, placing the Jewish population in grave danger during World War II. As children, Eva Rosselli and Angelo Bianco were raised like family but divided by circumstance and religion. As the years go by, the two find themselves falling in love. But the church calls to Angelo and, despite his deep feelings for Eva, he chooses the priesthood. Now, more than a decade later, Angelo is a Catholic priest and Eva is a woman with nowhere to turn. With the Gestapo closing in, Angelo hides Eva within the walls of a convent, where Eva discovers she is just one of many Jews being sheltered by the Catholic Church. But Eva can't quietly hide, waiting for deliverance, while Angelo risks everything to keep her safe. With the world at war and so many in need, Angelo and Eva face trial after trial, choice after agonizing choice, until fate and fortune finally collide, leaving them with the most difficult decision of all. Review Amy Harmon is a New York Times, Wall Street Journal, and USA Today bestselling author of ten novels, including the Whitney Award-winning The Law of Moses. Her historical novels, inspirational romances, and young adult books are now being published in twelve countries around the globe. A Goodreads Choice Award Finalist, Historical Fiction "I just finished and I can't stop crying. From Sand and Ash was phenomenal. The writing was brilliant, the love story was epic, and the depiction of events, gut-wrenching. I had to stop throughout to catch my breath." -Schmexy Girl Book Blog "Amy Harmon is a fresh and creative voice in fiction. I marvel at her ability to weave together a story that grips hold of my heart and my imagination." -Debbie Macomber, #1 New York Times bestselling author "I was mesmerized. It felt completely and utterly authentic, painstakingly balanced between history and fiction and faith. I barely took a breath." -Katy Regnery, New York Times bestselling author "Amy Harmon's love stories never cease to touch my heart, but From Sand and Ash touched my soul. Just a gorgeous masterpiece of a book." -Mia Sheridan, New York Times bestselling author "Beautiful and luscious. Tragic and harrowing. War. Love. Faith. Gorgeous prose around historical details. A Panzer tank through your heart, leaving dirt and rubble through which poppies bloom." -Suanne Laqueur, author of An Exaltation of Larks From Sand and Ash Italy, 1943--Germany occupies much of the country, placing the Jewish population in grave danger during World War II. As children, Eva Rosselli and Angelo Bianco were raised like family but divided by circumstance and religion. As the years go by, the two find themselves falling in love. But the church calls to Angelo and, despite his deep feelings for Eva, he chooses the priesthood. Now, more than a decade later, Angelo is a Catholic priest and Eva is a woman with nowhere to turn. With the Gestapo closing in, Angelo hides Eva within the walls of a convent, where Eva discovers she is just one of many Jews being sheltered by the Catholic Church. But Eva can't quietly hide, waiting for deliverance, while Angelo risks everything to keep her safe. With the world at war and so many in need, Angelo and Eva face trial after trial, choice after agonizing choice, until fate and fortune finally collide, leaving them with the most difficult decision of all. Italy, 1943--Germany occupies much of the country, placing the Jewish population in grave danger during World War II. As children, Eva Rosselli and Angelo Bianco were raised like family but divided by circumstance and religion." What the Wind Knows An Amazon Charts and Washington Post bestseller. In an unforgettable love story, a woman's impossible journey through the ages could change everything... Anne Gallagher grew up enchanted by her grandfather's stories of Ireland. Heartbroken at his death, she travels to his childhood home to spread his ashes. There, overcome with memories of the man she adored and consumed by a history she never knew, she is pulled into another time. The Ireland of 1921, teetering on the edge of war, is a dangerous place in which to awaken. But there Anne finds herself, hurt, disoriented, and under the care of Dr. Thomas Smith, guardian to a young boy who is oddly familiar. Mistaken for the boy's long-missing mother, Anne adopts her identity, convinced the woman's disappearance is connected to her own. As tensions rise, Thomas joins the struggle for Ireland's independence and Anne is drawn into the conflict beside him. Caught between history and her heart, she must decide whether she's willing to let go of the life she knew for a love she never thought she'd find. But in the end, is the choice actually hers to make? An Amazon Charts and Washington Post bestseller." The Songbook of Benny Lament A piano man in 1960s New York keeps to himself and away from his father's mob ties until his hit collaboration with Esther Mine thrusts him into a national spotlight that also stirs up issues with his father's associates. A piano man in 1960s New York keeps to himself and away from his father's mob ties until his hit collaboration with Esther Mine thrusts him into a national spotlight that also stirs up issues with his father's associates." A Girl Called Samson From New York Times bestselling author Amy Harmon comes the saga of a young woman who dares to chart her own destiny in life and love during the American Revolutionary War. In 1760, Deborah Samson is born to Puritan parents in Plympton, Massachusetts. When her father abandons the family and her mother is unable to support them, Deborah is bound out as an indentured servant. From that moment on, she yearns for a life of liberation and adventure. Twenty years later, as the American colonies begin to buckle in their battle for independence, Deborah, impassioned by the cause, disguises herself as a soldier and enlists in the Continental Army. Her impressive height and lanky build make her transformation a convincing one, and it isn't long before she finds herself confronting the horrors of war head-on. But as Deborah fights for her country's freedom, she must contend with the secret of who she is--and, ultimately, a surprising love she can't deny. From New York Times bestselling author Amy Harmon comes the saga of a young woman who dares to chart her own destiny in life and love during the American Revolutionary War." The Unknown Beloved From the bestselling author of Where the Lost Wander and What the Wind Knows comes the evocative story of two people whose paths collide against the backdrop of mystery, murder, and the Great Depression. Chicago, 1923: Ten-year-old Dani Flanagan returns home to find police swarming the house, her parents dead. Michael Malone, the young patrolman assigned to the case, discovers there's more to the situation--and to Dani Flanagan herself--than the authorities care to explore. Malone is told to shut his mouth, and Dani is sent away to live with her spinster aunts in Cleveland. Fifteen years later, Michael Malone is summoned to Cleveland to investigate a series of murders that have everyone stumped, including his friend and famed Prohibition agent Eliot Ness, now Cleveland's director of safety. There, in a city caught in the grip of a serial killer, Dani and Malone cross paths once again. Malone is drawn to Dani and her affinity for the dead and compassion for the destitute. It doesn't take long for him to realize that she could help him solve his case. As terror descends on the city and Malone and Dani confront the dark secrets that draw them together, it's a race to find the killer or risk becoming his next victims. "From the bestselling author of Where the Lost Wander and What the Wind Knows comes the evocative story of two people whose paths collide against the backdrop of mystery, murder, and the Great Depression."--Amazon.com." The Second Blind Son A lost girl and a blind boy discover their greatest strength is their bond with each other in a beguiling fantasy by the New York Times bestselling author of The First Girl Child. An insidious curse is weakening the Norse kingdom of Saylok, where no daughters have been born in years. Washing up on these plagued shores is Ghisla, an orphaned stowaway nursed back to health by Hod, a blind cave dweller. Named for a mysterious god, Hod is surrounded by prophecy. To Ghisla, he's a cherished new friend, but to Hod, the girl is much more. For when Ghisla sings, Hod can see. Unable to offer safe shelter, Hod urges Ghisla onward to become a daughter of the temple, where all the kingdom's girl children have been gathered. But because of a magical rune, the two cannot be separated, no matter the time or the distance. Now, subject to a ruthless king, Ghisla enters a desperate world of warring clan chieftains and catastrophic power struggles. Uncertain whom to trust, their bond strained by dangerous secrets and feuding loyalties, Ghisla and Hod must confront the prophecies that threaten Saylok while finding a way to save each other. Nursing Ghisia, an orphaned stowaway, with a prophecy surrounding her, back to health, Hod, a blind cave dweller, discovers that they cannot be separated and are both plunged into a desperate world of warring clan chieftains and ..." The Queen and the Cure Publication information from Amazon.com. Publication information from Amazon.com." Where the Lost Wander In this epic and haunting love story set on the Oregon Trail, a family and their unlikely protector find their way through peril, uncertainty, and loss. The Overland Trail, 1853: Naomi May never expected to be widowed at twenty. Eager to leave her grief behind, she sets off with her family for a life out West. On the trail, she forms an instant connection with John Lowry, a half-Pawnee man straddling two worlds and a stranger in both. But life in a wagon train is fraught with hardship, fear, and death. Even as John and Naomi are drawn to each other, the trials of the journey and their disparate pasts work to keep them apart. John's heritage gains them safe passage through hostile territory only to come between them as they seek to build a life together. When a horrific tragedy strikes, decimating Naomi's family and separating her from John, the promises they made are all they have left. Ripped apart, they can't turn back, they can't go on, and they can't let go. Both will have to make terrible sacrifices to find each other, save each other, and eventually...make peace with who they are. In this epic and haunting love story set on the Oregon Trail, a family and their unlikely protector find their way through peril, uncertainty, and loss." The First Girl Child From the New York Times bestselling author comes a breathtaking fantasy of a cursed kingdom, warring clans, and unexpected salvation. Bayr of Saylok, bastard son of a powerful and jealous chieftain, is haunted by the curse once leveled by his dying mother. Bartered, abandoned, and rarely loved, she plagued the land with her words: From this day forward, there will be no daughters in Saylok. Raised among the Keepers at Temple Hill, Bayr is gifted with inhuman strength. But he's also blessed with an all-too-human heart that beats with one purpose: to protect Alba, the first girl child born in nearly two decades and the salvation for a country at risk. Now the fate of Saylok lies with Alba and Bayr, whose bond grows deeper with every whisper of coming chaos. Charged with battling the enemies of their people, both within and without, Bayr is fueled further by the love of a girl who has defied the scourge of Saylok. What Bayr and Alba don't know is that they each threaten the king, a greedy man who built his throne on lies, murder, and betrayal. There is only one way to defend their land from the corruption that has overtaken it. By breaking the curse, they could defeat the king...but they could also destroy themselves. But he's also blessed with an all-too-human heart that beats with one purpose: to protect Alba, the first girl child born in nearly two decades and the salvation for a country at risk." Our Darkest Night TO SAVE THOSE SHE LOVES, SHE MUST MAKE THE ULTIMATE SACRIFICE. In Our Darkest Night, internationally bestselling author of The Gown, Jennifer Robson, tells an unforgettable story of terror, hope, love, and sacrifice, that vividly evokes the most perilous days of World War II. Inspired by true events. Perfect for readers of The Tattooist of Auschwitz by Heather Morris, The Child on Platform One by Gill Thompson and The Girl I Left Behind by Andie Newton. 'A tale of devastating simplicity and poignant sweetness' Kate Quinn 'A powerful, emotional, and unflinching story of love, sacrifice, and resilience' Chanel Cleeton 'Haunting and inspiring, heartbreaking and hopeful, this novel is unforgettable' Kristin Beck Venice, 1943: Under the Nazi occupation, life is increasingly perilous for Italian Jews. Antonina Mazin has but one hope to survive - to leave her beloved parents and hide in the countryside, posing as the bride of a man she has only just met. Nico Gerardi was studying for the priesthood until circumstances forced him to return home to run his family's farm. A moral and just man, he refuses to remain a bystander to Nazi and fascist atrocities. The only way to keep Nina safe - and protect secrets of his own - is to convince prying eyes that their sudden marriage is a love match. But farm life is not easy for a cultured city girl who dreams of becoming a doctor like her father, and Nico's provincial neighbours are wary of this soft, educated stranger. Even worse, their distrust is shared by a local Nazi official with a vendetta against Nico. As Nina and Nico come to know each other, their relationship deepens, transforming into much more than a charade. Yet both fear that every passing day brings them closer to being torn apart... Don't miss Jennifer's enthralling historical novel about one of the most famous wedding dresses of the twentieth century - Queen Elizabeth's wedding gown - and the fascinating women who made it. Perfect for anyone who's captivated by The Crown, The Gown 'will dazzle and delight' (Independent). ... Child by Rhys Bowen From Sand and Ash by Amy Harmon A Thread of Grace by Maria Doria Russell Beneath a Scarlet Sky by Mark Sullivan Websites: at Memoriale della Shoah di Milano: http://www.memorialeshoah.it Museo Ebraico di Venezia: ..."