The Edelweiss Sisters
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- Create Date：2021-06-20 08:31:04
- Update Date：2025-09-06
- Status：finish
- Author：Kate Hewitt
- ISBN：B08ZNNDWRB
- Environment：PC/Android/iPhone/iPad/Kindle
Reviews
Vikki Vaught
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This is a heartbreaking yet amazing novel with incredible characters。 I felt as if I was going through the ordeals the characters experienced。 I am so glad I found this fantastic book。 Happy reading and listening！
Anne
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The Edelweiss Sisters by Kate Hewitt is a World War II novel with a little different slant。 We are in the household of a happy family in Salzburg， Austria， comprised of a father， Madfred Eder， his wife， Hedwig， and adult daughters， Joanna， Birgit， and Lotte。 Joanna works in the house with her mother， Birgit in the clack shop with her father， and Lotte is in school。 The rumbling of the German takeover of Europe abound， but have not yet affected this city。 Slowly things， change。 Men come into the The Edelweiss Sisters by Kate Hewitt is a World War II novel with a little different slant。 We are in the household of a happy family in Salzburg， Austria， comprised of a father， Madfred Eder， his wife， Hedwig， and adult daughters， Joanna， Birgit， and Lotte。 Joanna works in the house with her mother， Birgit in the clack shop with her father， and Lotte is in school。 The rumbling of the German takeover of Europe abound， but have not yet affected this city。 Slowly things， change。 Men come into the lives of a couple of the sisters。 Lotte becomes a nun。 Birgit falls in love with an Austrian soldier， who eventually is forced to become a Nazi soldier。 Joanna falls in love with her father's apprentice， with secrets of his own。 This is a heart-breaking as well as heart-warming story of the war years for this small family。 Watching these women grow and mature over the 4-5 years of the war is a touching experience。 They share family ties， but are each so different， with their reactions and behaviors。 Joanna is so sturdy and solid; she can't imagine veering from the path。 Birgit is so turn between her beliefs， her friends， and the man she loves。 Lotte found her true vocation when she entered into religious orders。 Parents， have to watch， and love。 It is their lot in life。 The war affected everyone is Europe and beyond， not just those in the camps。 We tend to forget that sometimes。 Reading novels like this one tend to put that into perspective。 Waiting at home can be as bad as being in the thick of things。 Resisting， in any small way， can become its own vocation。 This was a touching and wonderful book which put much into perspective， war or not。 Hewitt hit it out of the park。 Read it。I was invited to read a free e-ARC of the Edelweiss Sisters by Netgalley。 All thoughts and opinions are mind。 #netgalley #theedelweissisters 。。。more
Yvonne
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Kate Hewitt's latest release opens in 1934 and introduces the Eder family: Manfred and Hedwig， and their three unmarried daughters， Johanna， Birgit and Lottie。Johanna is the eldest and feels stifled helping her mother to run the household。 She dreams of a more exciting life beyond the confines of her mother's kitchen。 If only her mother would allow it。 Eventually her mother relents and allows Johanna to take a secretarial course。 Little does Johanna envisage that her office skills will take her Kate Hewitt's latest release opens in 1934 and introduces the Eder family: Manfred and Hedwig， and their three unmarried daughters， Johanna， Birgit and Lottie。Johanna is the eldest and feels stifled helping her mother to run the household。 She dreams of a more exciting life beyond the confines of her mother's kitchen。 If only her mother would allow it。 Eventually her mother relents and allows Johanna to take a secretarial course。 Little does Johanna envisage that her office skills will take her to one of the Nazis' toughest labour camps。Birgit is apprenticed to her father， a clockmaker， and wishes to feel useful and valued。 She believes she has found her niche with the Resistance。 Her relationship with Werner Haas， a young officer in the Austrian army who supports Hitler's policies， could be dangerous or a potential asset。The youngest， Lottie， a student of music， seeks peace and tranquility in religion。 She is content to leave her family and embrace life in the local abbey， but here too the war intrudes。The home life of the Eders is happy， safe and comfortable。 Events across the border in Germany， where Hitler has risen to power， threaten this peaceful existence， but reunification and war are inevitable。 Soon there are German soldiers on the streets of Salzburg and tensions quickly escalate forcing the family to take sides。The unexpected arrival of Franz Weber， a Jew， to work and live with the Eders brings another disruption to their lives。 Birgit resents him for usurping her place with her father， while Johanna feels an instant attraction。With Jews being rounded up by the Nazis， it becomes too dangerous for Franz to remain with the Eders。 Plans are made for his escape using Birgit's contacts in the Resistance， but when these fail， the sisters are forced to make other arrangements that will take them into the heartland of the enemy。I enjoyed the slow build of this novel as we get to know the family， the dreams and aspirations of the three sisters and their reactions to the changes in their lives。Kate Hewitt does an excellent job of explaining the political situation while moving the narrative forward and she doesn't shy away from the unsavoury and distressing details of a world at war。The Edelweiss Sisters is a tale of love， courage， sacrifice and resilience。 There is plenty of adversity and heartbreak along the way for the three sisters， but the conclusion is heartwarming。 This is another top novel from an outstanding author of World War II fiction。I received a complimentary copy of this book as a participant in a blog tour。*https://adarngoodread。blogspot。com 。。。more
Jenna
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💫 Book Review 💫 The Edelweiss Sisters by Kate HewittMy 3rd book by the lovely Kate and one that brought me a historical fiction novel that centre’s around 3 sisters。 Told from the perspective of Brigit， Lotte and Johanna， we venture back into Austria where the family of a clockmaker is trying to find their way through war years by fighting against Nazi rule。 Johanna: the strong and helpful eldest is her mother’s right hand woman。 She falls in love with her fathers apprentice who happens to be Je 💫 Book Review 💫 The Edelweiss Sisters by Kate HewittMy 3rd book by the lovely Kate and one that brought me a historical fiction novel that centre’s around 3 sisters。 Told from the perspective of Brigit， Lotte and Johanna， we venture back into Austria where the family of a clockmaker is trying to find their way through war years by fighting against Nazi rule。 Johanna: the strong and helpful eldest is her mother’s right hand woman。 She falls in love with her fathers apprentice who happens to be Jewish。 Brigit: the middle daughter who is headstrong and feisty but finds herself falling in love with a Austrian solider。 She’ll have to choose between what she knows is right and now he blossoming love she has for Werner。 Lotte: the youngest girl of the family who receives a vocation to join the Abbey and become a nun。 All three women spoke to me in different ways。 Perhaps most of all that they all had ideas of what their lives would be or who they would fall in love with。。 and yet being thrown into the war meant they had a much bigger choice to make: save themselves or help others who had no life granted to them at all。 I really enjoyed this one。 The fun parts of the Von Trapp family made me smile as I loved that movie。 Well that and I was in the production of it in Toronto back in 1993！ 。。。more
wellreadtraveler
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The Edelweiss Sisters was a beautifully written story about three sisters who will risk everything to stand for what they believe。 Johanna， Birgit， and Lotte Eder have happy lives， thriving and making choices for their futures。 Johanna is the eldest and such a help to her mother。 Birgit is her fathers apprentice in his clock shop with hopes to one day take over the family business。 Sweet Lotte is in school with child like hopes and dreams。 The girls have noticed things are changing and people ar The Edelweiss Sisters was a beautifully written story about three sisters who will risk everything to stand for what they believe。 Johanna， Birgit， and Lotte Eder have happy lives， thriving and making choices for their futures。 Johanna is the eldest and such a help to her mother。 Birgit is her fathers apprentice in his clock shop with hopes to one day take over the family business。 Sweet Lotte is in school with child like hopes and dreams。 The girls have noticed things are changing and people are becoming fearful。 Birgit is speechless when a young man shows up and claims to be her fathers new apprentice。 How can that be？ Franz is kind and smart and Birgit can’t help but to like him。 Caring for Franz comes easy but having him at the shop will put her whole family in danger。 。。。more
Chelsea Rowlands
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The Edelweiss Sisters had me captivated from the start。 Three sisters， three unique stories and perspectives on the war， love and their own ideas of peace and sacrifice。Having never had a behind the scenes look into the Catholic Church and the process of becoming a nun， I was enthralled by Lotte’s storyline and journey to spiritual peace amidst the chaos in Austria during WWII。 For Joanna， I understood her inner turmoil in regards to her beau and believing the best in him， although it looked mor The Edelweiss Sisters had me captivated from the start。 Three sisters， three unique stories and perspectives on the war， love and their own ideas of peace and sacrifice。Having never had a behind the scenes look into the Catholic Church and the process of becoming a nun， I was enthralled by Lotte’s storyline and journey to spiritual peace amidst the chaos in Austria during WWII。 For Joanna， I understood her inner turmoil in regards to her beau and believing the best in him， although it looked more and more as if he was on the wrong side of things。 My heart hurt for her as she constantly had to determine if he could really have her trust。 Birgit’s story was one of heartbreak as well。 Knowing that at any moment， her love could be taken from her， she fought against the odds and the cultural norm to forge her relationship with a Jewish man。 Her storyline always had me on the edge of my seat， just waiting for the Gestapo to arrive。 Hewitt takes you on a heartbreaking， beautiful journey of three sisters just trying to survive and fight for the loves of their life。 Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for the ARC in exchange for an honest review。 。。。more
Carey Mundy
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I am a fan of Kate Hewitt books and this one was no exception。 It is the story of 3 Austrian sisters who live in Salzburg and their lives as they transverse WWII and the horror of war。
Devon Stringer
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Many thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the advanced copy of this book。 The following review is my own and was in no way influenced。This was an enjoyable， if fairly predictable， read。 A solid 3。5 stars。 The main characters are 3 sisters who are transitioning into adult life at the rise/peak of the Third Reich。 I enjoyed the perspective of Austrian nationals （instead of the usual German） as fascism raised it's head。 The three sisters allowed three unique stories to be told， and while I fou Many thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the advanced copy of this book。 The following review is my own and was in no way influenced。This was an enjoyable， if fairly predictable， read。 A solid 3。5 stars。 The main characters are 3 sisters who are transitioning into adult life at the rise/peak of the Third Reich。 I enjoyed the perspective of Austrian nationals （instead of the usual German） as fascism raised it's head。 The three sisters allowed three unique stories to be told， and while I found them all interesting （read the book in a day and a bit） I wasn't blown away by their perspectives or storylines。All in all， if you enjoy WW2 fiction/nonfiction you won't be disappointed to have read this！ 。。。more
Gloria Arthur
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⭐️4 。5 Stars⭐️The Edelweiss Sisters by Kate Hewitt was an absolute page turner for me！ What a heartrending and inspirational World War II epic this was and so beautifully written， a story of family， strength and sacrifice。Set in 1934， Salzburg Austria we have three sisters Johanna， Birgit and Lotte Eder who live with their parents Manfred and Hedwig， above their father’s clockmaking shop。 Their ordinary lives are about to change as a Nazi invasion is imminent。 Johanna the eldest and strongest th ⭐️4 。5 Stars⭐️The Edelweiss Sisters by Kate Hewitt was an absolute page turner for me！ What a heartrending and inspirational World War II epic this was and so beautifully written， a story of family， strength and sacrifice。Set in 1934， Salzburg Austria we have three sisters Johanna， Birgit and Lotte Eder who live with their parents Manfred and Hedwig， above their father’s clockmaking shop。 Their ordinary lives are about to change as a Nazi invasion is imminent。 Johanna the eldest and strongest thinks her life is uninteresting and wants something more than spending her life as kitchen helper to her mother， she dreams of attending a secretarial school to gain some independence。Birgit works in their father’s clockmaking shop alongside her father and feels invisible most of the time， she finds herself entering the world of the Resistance movement。 Her father hires Franz to work in the clockmaking shop as his apprentice， he’s Jewish and is soon included as part of their family。Lotte the youngest sister is the prettiest， most charming and musically talented。 Regardless of her love of music， to her family’s surprise she leaves her music studies to join the convent。Upon trying to get Franz safely to Switzerland two of the sisters wind up being caught， imprisoned and then later transferred to a prison camp。The characters were skillfully executed and evolved throughout the story。 My favourite part of the book was about the youngest daughter Lotte and her journey of joining the convent and of all of the sacrifices that came from that decision， it was so intriguing。It was so inspiring to see so many courageous young women involved in the ResistanceThe story also features the Von Trapp family， made famous by the Sound of Music！A must read for all historical fiction fans， if you’ve never read historical fiction before try this one as an intro， I’m sure you’ll love it。Publication Date June 2021Thank you NetGalley and Bookouture for a copy to ready and review。 。。。more
Page~Turners
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The first thing that drew me to this book was the stunning cover。 Once I saw that the author was Kate Hewitt， I knew it was going to be a fantastic story。 It quickly became unputdownable and a definite must read。 Hints of another war are wafting in the air， and Austrians are finding it difficult to avoid the unwanted changes around them。 Johanna， Birgit and Lotte Eder are three Austrian sisters that work in their family owned clockmaking shop。 When their father hires Franz to work in their clock The first thing that drew me to this book was the stunning cover。 Once I saw that the author was Kate Hewitt， I knew it was going to be a fantastic story。 It quickly became unputdownable and a definite must read。 Hints of another war are wafting in the air， and Austrians are finding it difficult to avoid the unwanted changes around them。 Johanna， Birgit and Lotte Eder are three Austrian sisters that work in their family owned clockmaking shop。 When their father hires Franz to work in their clock shop， Johanna is immediately drawn to him。 Then Johanna falls in love with Franz who is Jewish， and she soon realizes the danger it puts her family in。 Lotte joins the convent at Nonnberg Abbey and Birgit is secretly involved with the Resistance。 Johanna knows it’s up to her to protect Franz， and she depends on her sisters to help her。 I absolutely loved the way the author incorporated， my most favorite movie， The Sound of Music， into the storyline。 It was so amazing。 This heart-breaking， tearful and emotional story will have you hooked from the very first page。 It makes you feel like you are running through the hills of Austria。 The detailed description of Austria， overwhelmingly pulls you into the story。 Words cannot describe how absolutely wonderful this story was。 The personal connection with each character was so unbelievably amazing。 Read it with Kleenex nearby because you are sure to need it。 Thank you Kate Hewitt for such a great story， it is sure to stay with me for a long， long time。 I absolutely loved it and I can’t recommend it enough！！ WOW！ 。。。more
Natalie
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I love Kate Hewitts books so when this one came out I snatched it up。This is an emotional read about three sisters and their journey in nazi occupation Austria during world War 2。The story is told through the three sisters POV。This is a fast paced book that doesn't let go until its finished。 I love Kate Hewitts books so when this one came out I snatched it up。This is an emotional read about three sisters and their journey in nazi occupation Austria during world War 2。The story is told through the three sisters POV。This is a fast paced book that doesn't let go until its finished。 。。。more
Simone
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Thank you， Kate Hewitt， Bookouture， and Netgalley， for an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest opinion！Alrighty， can someone please tell me why it took me so long to find books by this author？ So far， I love every book I read by Kate Hewitt！！ There are so many WWII stories on the market and yet Kate Hewitt manages to still draw me in with her characters and story。 This one is set in Austria before and during WWII。 The story follows the three sisters from when their world in Austria was sti Thank you， Kate Hewitt， Bookouture， and Netgalley， for an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest opinion！Alrighty， can someone please tell me why it took me so long to find books by this author？ So far， I love every book I read by Kate Hewitt！！ There are so many WWII stories on the market and yet Kate Hewitt manages to still draw me in with her characters and story。 This one is set in Austria before and during WWII。 The story follows the three sisters from when their world in Austria was still a happy world without too many worries and concerns all the way to WWII Germany with all the hardships， heartbreak， and tears。 For me， the most heartbreaking story was the one of Lotte who joins the convent at Nonnberg Abbey and then makes a choice which will change her life forever and tests her faith in the most horrid way imaginable。 This book also contains a treat: you encounter Betsie ten Boom， a real person， i。e。， not a fictional character。 If you are familiar with WWII stories about heroic acts， you will most certainly have come across the name Corrie ten Boom。 Corrie and her family， including her sister Betsie， helped Jews to escape from the Nazis in the occupied Netherlands。 While the encounter between the sisters Lotte and Birgit and Betsie ten Boom is a figment of the author's imagination， this kind of encounter could definitely have occurred in real life since the Betsie in the book is very much like the real Betsie who lived during the Holocaust。 The role of Werner， Birgit's boyfriend， is a very interesting one as well。 I love how this particular character evolved over time。 I think he represents many Nazi followers of the time who fell for the Nazi propaganda and were thrown into a war that changed their lives forever。 I can't wait for Kate Hewitt's next book！ 。。。more
Sascha
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The Edelweiss Sisters by Kate Hewitt spans nearly a decade from the mid-30’s until the end of WWII， telling the story of three sisters， Johanna， Birgit， and Lotte， as they navigate their lives in Salzburg in the innocent days before the Nazi occupation and then in the tumultuous ones after。Although the sisters look similar with their blonde hair and blue eyes， they are as different as night and day。 Johanna feels stuck in her life as kitchen-helper to her mother。 She longs to be married and have The Edelweiss Sisters by Kate Hewitt spans nearly a decade from the mid-30’s until the end of WWII， telling the story of three sisters， Johanna， Birgit， and Lotte， as they navigate their lives in Salzburg in the innocent days before the Nazi occupation and then in the tumultuous ones after。Although the sisters look similar with their blonde hair and blue eyes， they are as different as night and day。 Johanna feels stuck in her life as kitchen-helper to her mother。 She longs to be married and have a family， but how can she meet anyone when she’s stuck in the kitchen all the time？ Birgit assists her father in his clock business but when he hires Franz as an apprentice， not acknowledging the work she does， she soon realizes that she is as invisible as she feels。 Lotte is the bright， pretty， cheerful one， the one who is attentive and loves peace， but she’s not happy as the family songbird。 She finds herself drawn to the calm of the nuns in the local abbey and sets out to determine if she has a vocation。As time passes， the women are tested， compelled to decide what is right and moral and just exactly what they should do when the confronted with the atrocities brought on by the inhumane Nazi regime。The Edelweiss Sisters was a gripping and emotional story that I picked up at every opportunity。 Hewitt depicted the sisters so realistically， especially regarding their foibles， and they were so self-aware that I felt like I was reading about real people。The fear and tension of the Nazi invasion was palpable especially compared to the pre-war scenes in which individuals believed that their lives would always be peaceful， that evil would not cross the border。 Hewitt ably took us to that time of suffering， fear， and heartbreak， making us feel and realize how little time it takes to change worlds–although perhaps this we realize after the past year。While The Edelweiss Sisters is quite different from the first Kate Hewitt novel I read， A Vicarage Wedding （see my review）， the two novels have made me a Kate Hewitt fan because of strong writing， excellent characterization， and a knack for on-point detail。 Keep tissues close by for this one。I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review。 。。。more
Chris Duncan
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Loved reading this book so much it seemed so real to me partly because ive been to salzburg and lots of the places mentioned so i could actually picture the story it was a brilliand read and definately 5 stars 。
Kerry Croucier
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Kate Hewitt consistently writes novels that are full of heart， beautiful characters， and emotion。 THE EDELWEISS SISTERS is no exception。 Set in Salzburg， Austria during WWII and revolving around three sisters and their differing experiences and paths taken as the Nazis move into Austria until they have to come together to protect those they love as they endure unbelievable hardships。With all the historical fiction I have read that taking place during WWII， this was the first set in Austria， and Kate Hewitt consistently writes novels that are full of heart， beautiful characters， and emotion。 THE EDELWEISS SISTERS is no exception。 Set in Salzburg， Austria during WWII and revolving around three sisters and their differing experiences and paths taken as the Nazis move into Austria until they have to come together to protect those they love as they endure unbelievable hardships。With all the historical fiction I have read that taking place during WWII， this was the first set in Austria， and it was interesting to see it from another perspective， and， especially， this one， given the history。 It was also fun to see the famous cameos in Salzburg。Hewitt’s novels became must-reads for me several years ago。 She develops realistic， three-dimensional characters that draw you into her well-written storylines。 Her writing will both break your heart and bring you to tears， as well as fill that same heart with joy。 Thank you to the publisher for an advanced reader’s copy of this novel。 All opinions are my own and freely given。#TheEdelweissSisters #kateHewitt #bookouture 。。。more
Wendy Robey
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An emotional story full of love， hope and family ties。 The three sisters are so different， yet come together to fight the common enemy。 This is a fast paced read covering the whole period of the war and at times felt a little rushed。 I really enjoyed the spirit of togetherness that the women shared and their strength was unquestionable。 Definitely worth a read。
Brenda
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Three sisters， Johanna， Birgit and Lotte Eder lived above the clockmaker’s shop in Salzburg， Austria， where their father took much pride in his work。 Birgit was helping him as an apprentice when a young man， Franz Weber， a Jew rescued from Vienna， arrived to start his apprenticeship。 Johanna helped their mother in the kitchen while wishing she could have more from her life。 The three sisters had been named the Edelweiss Sisters at a singing competition some years prior; their father had the edel Three sisters， Johanna， Birgit and Lotte Eder lived above the clockmaker’s shop in Salzburg， Austria， where their father took much pride in his work。 Birgit was helping him as an apprentice when a young man， Franz Weber， a Jew rescued from Vienna， arrived to start his apprenticeship。 Johanna helped their mother in the kitchen while wishing she could have more from her life。 The three sisters had been named the Edelweiss Sisters at a singing competition some years prior; their father had the edelweiss on his shop and gave the girls sprigs to wear on their clothes。When Lotte joined the convent at Nonnberg Abbey not far from their home， she welcomed the peace and serenity it brought。 Meanwhile Birgit had covertly joined the Resistance， not doing a lot to begin with but that soon changed。 When the Nazis took over Austria – the Anschlus – the fear people felt magnified， especially when the brown shirts raided the shops， putting signs on shop doors ‘No Jews Allowed’， branding the Jews as scum and non-citizens。 Nazis were everywhere， they received adulation from some， hatred from others。 Johanna and Franz knew their future was uncertain and when it came time for Franz to be spirited away， the three sisters worked to make that happen。 Would they manage to get Franz to the safety of Switzerland？ And what would their future be like with the Nazi brutality， cruelty and savagery now well known？The Edelweiss Sisters by Kate Hewitt is another brilliant historical offering which I devoured。 A different angle from the usual WW2 books， it was intriguing， heartbreaking， poignant and showed the courage of many， in this case the three sisters。 They were young and naïve when the Nazis arrived in their hometown – that soon changed as they found a strength they didn’t know they had。 Highly recommended。With thanks to NetGalley and Bookouture for my digital ARC to read in exchange for an honest review。 。。。more
Donna Beiderman
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The Edelweiss SistersKate Hewitt⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️What an emotional story set in Austria during WW2。 I felt deeply for the three Edelweiss sisters and loved the story telling through each of their different personalities。 While they are not Jewish they cannot sit back and watch what is happening so they help hide their father’s apprentice。 This is a beautifully written story that shows how love， loss and resilience can only make you stronger。 Sending a sincere thank you to Bookouture and NetGalley for t The Edelweiss SistersKate Hewitt⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️What an emotional story set in Austria during WW2。 I felt deeply for the three Edelweiss sisters and loved the story telling through each of their different personalities。 While they are not Jewish they cannot sit back and watch what is happening so they help hide their father’s apprentice。 This is a beautifully written story that shows how love， loss and resilience can only make you stronger。 Sending a sincere thank you to Bookouture and NetGalley for this advanced edition of The Edelweiss Sisters for my honest review。 I also love being part of the #BookOnTour #BlogTour！！ 。。。more
Robin Loves Reading
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This tragic yet compelling read follows three German sisters whose lives change drastically during World War II。 Life ceased to be normal for any Jewish person in Salzberg， which is where Johanna， Brigit and Lotte lived。 With loving parents， the sisters each played a different role。 When Johanna， who often felt invisible， begins to draw close to Franz， hired by her father as an apprentice in his clockmaker's shop， she sadly relaizes how different their prospects are， as Franz is Jewish。When the This tragic yet compelling read follows three German sisters whose lives change drastically during World War II。 Life ceased to be normal for any Jewish person in Salzberg， which is where Johanna， Brigit and Lotte lived。 With loving parents， the sisters each played a different role。 When Johanna， who often felt invisible， begins to draw close to Franz， hired by her father as an apprentice in his clockmaker's shop， she sadly relaizes how different their prospects are， as Franz is Jewish。When the Anschluss presses closer and closer， Brigit and Lotte each take vastly different directions in their lives。 Secretly， the resistance is taking place， and each of the girls take on roles to help as many Jeews as possible， despite the ultimate danger they will face if they are ever caught。When the sisters end up in different concentration camps， they experience horrid treatment due to their strong values， despite the bonds of love they had formed before they were imprisoned。 In fact， one of them fell in love with a German soldier， just as Johanna fell in love with Franz。 And another took an entirely different dictiron in life。 How will the sisters remain strong and surive the cruel treatment they and thousands of other individuals faced in those horrid camps？ With their loving parents stilll in Salzberb， their lives changed irrecovably as hope seemed like something very far away。 This story broke my heart， bringing tears and intense sadness as I read it。 The lessons in this story proved that love and courage can indeed make a person strong， so strong that surviving the worst possible treatment can indeed happen。 However， what occurred along the way as we see the amazing strength each sister had and how they managed to survive the best they could was just incredible。 One thing about historical fiction that I enjoy is the setting。 Reading about World War II does not bring happiness any way whatswever。 However， when reading a story that took place in Austria， especially when the sisters' story had a clear connection to my favorite movie of all time， The Sound of Music， which I have seen dozens of times， gave me more knowledge about that terrible time in history and how and why many different people ended up in concentration camps。 The reason for their imprisonments gave me a powerful history lesson。 I love how faith waas threaded through the pages of this powerful story making it even more compelling。 Kate Hewitt is a fabulous author and this book moved me into double digits with the books I have read by her， and each and every one， including this book， proved to be wonderful and inspiring reads。Many thanks to Bookouture and to NetGalley for this ARC for review。 This is my honest opinion。 。。。more
Victoria Wilks
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The Edelweiss Sister’s follows the story of three woman in Australia。 As the title suggests， Lotte， Birget and Johanna Eder are sisters， who share a somewhat content life with their father Manfred who is also a clockmaker， and their mother Hedwig。Each of the sisters have their own dreams they long to achieve。 Johanna helps her mother out with the housework， but she longs for the opportunity to embark on a typing course that will allow her some independence。 Birgit sees herself as being rather la The Edelweiss Sister’s follows the story of three woman in Australia。 As the title suggests， Lotte， Birget and Johanna Eder are sisters， who share a somewhat content life with their father Manfred who is also a clockmaker， and their mother Hedwig。Each of the sisters have their own dreams they long to achieve。 Johanna helps her mother out with the housework， but she longs for the opportunity to embark on a typing course that will allow her some independence。 Birgit sees herself as being rather lain looking， and often feels invisible as she doesn’t feel she stands out in any way， so she busies herself working alongside her father in his workshop。 Lotte， the youngest and some would argue the prettiest of the three siblings， realises that her true calling in life is to become a nun。As the sisters try to achieve their dreams in life， it is far from straightforward。 Brigit finds herself tangled up in the resistance movement and Johanna falls head over heels in love with her fathers apprentice Franz， who is a Jew。 Following the Anschulls， they find themselves putting their lives at risk in order to save Franz who has become dear to them， but this obviously has some rather dire consequences as they are then taken to the concentration camps where they suffer some truly inhumane treatment， something nightmares of made of。I have read all of Kate Hewitts books to date， and they never fail to capture my heart with her refreshing way with words， and the Edelweiss Sisters is another beautiful， emotionally driven story by this fantastic author。 The story is poignant and emphasises the resilience and strength that human kind possesses。 The characters are all wonderfully developed and have strong personalities and dreams they long to achieve in life。 The bond between the Eder family is truly moving， and encompasses the importance of having compassion and love for one another。Another brilliantly written， emotional read from the incredible Kate Hewitt。 。。。more
Jaffareadstoo
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In 1938， the Eder family are happily going about their daily lives， in the Austrian town of Salzburg。 Johanna， the eldest daughter helps her mother around the house， Birgit helps her father in the family clock making business， and the baby of the family， Lotte， gifted with a lovely singing voice， attends a music academy。 Life is simple for the Eders， honest toil and a willingness to help anyone is their mantra， that is until the first faint rumblings of war start to appear。 The arrival of Franz， In 1938， the Eder family are happily going about their daily lives， in the Austrian town of Salzburg。 Johanna， the eldest daughter helps her mother around the house， Birgit helps her father in the family clock making business， and the baby of the family， Lotte， gifted with a lovely singing voice， attends a music academy。 Life is simple for the Eders， honest toil and a willingness to help anyone is their mantra， that is until the first faint rumblings of war start to appear。 The arrival of Franz， a new apprentice in the clock shop， disturbs the equilibrium of the family， especially around Johanna， but with his gentle nature and quiet intelligence， Franz is soon included as part of the family。 However， trouble is looming and as war clouds start to gather over Austria， the Eder family are about to be tested in ways they could never have imagined。There is much to endure for the Eder Sisters， each of them have their own role to play and I enjoyed how the author brought together all of their individual stories， blending each one with care and compassion and fine attention to even the smallest of detail。 The situation in Austria， and more particularly， in Salzburg， is imaginatively described and this tumultuous time is brought to life with a keen eye for historical detail。 I loved the lighter references， early in the story， where there is a bit of an acknowledgement towards the Von Trapp family， who of course we know， from the iconic Sound of Music movie。 However， there are heartbreaking scenes too， especially towards the latter part of the novel when the story takes us into the horror of the concentration camps of Ravensbrück and Mauthausen。The Edelweiss Sisters is a heart-breaking WW2 saga which tugs away at your heartstrings whilst at the same time revealing a story of bravery， hope， faith and love， all set against a background of indescribable hatred， bigotry and war。 。。。more
Nel
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🎉📚ℍ𝔸ℙℙ𝕐 𝔹𝕆𝕆𝕂 𝔹𝕀ℝ𝕋ℍ𝔻𝔸𝕐📚🎉🤗Today is a big day for Kate Hewitt！ It is Pub Day for The Edelweiss Sisters， and boy are her readers in for an inspirational， yet heartrending story。⚡With powerful insight， this novel once again renewed my love for WWII Historical Fiction。 One main difference in this novel vs。 the mountains of others in the same genre is that Hewitt managed to humanize EVERYONE involved。 She allows her readers to gain an understanding， however small， of the ultimate suffering that even th 🎉📚ℍ𝔸ℙℙ𝕐 𝔹𝕆𝕆𝕂 𝔹𝕀ℝ𝕋ℍ𝔻𝔸𝕐📚🎉🤗Today is a big day for Kate Hewitt！ It is Pub Day for The Edelweiss Sisters， and boy are her readers in for an inspirational， yet heartrending story。⚡With powerful insight， this novel once again renewed my love for WWII Historical Fiction。 One main difference in this novel vs。 the mountains of others in the same genre is that Hewitt managed to humanize EVERYONE involved。 She allows her readers to gain an understanding， however small， of the ultimate suffering that even those in the Nazi party faced。 Don't get me wrong - this novel does not glorify or even focus on those people， and never does she condone what was done by them。 However， part of what makes her characters so endearing is their ability to see beyond what is directly in front of them and to offer mercy where there should be none。💯Since this story took place in Austria， I absolutely loved how the author included the Von Trapp family and Mother Abbess Virgilia Lutz （The Sound of Music） along with Corrie ten Boom （The Hiding Place）。 I thought that was just brilliant and is exactly why I adore Historical Fiction。🌷While I agree that there are hints of The Nightingale in this novel， I would say it stands alone as it's own powerful WWII Historical Fiction novel and is certainly worth your time。♥️Many thanks to Bookouture Publishing and NetGalley for gifting me with this advanced reader's copy in exchange for an honest review！👍You can read more of my reviews on my blog mamasgottaread。blogspot。com or follow me on Instagram @mamasgottaread ！ 。。。more
J_Mc 251
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I love this author。 Her characters are always fully formed， and their actions are natural and organic。 I feel like I have been set down in the middle of their lives， rather than watching from afar。 After a brief prologue set in 1945， the rest of the story is set in Austria， late 1930s， and told in alternating points of view of three sisters， Johanna， Birgit， and Lotte。 If you know anything about history， you can see the storm brewing from the beginning。 The women’s choices showcase the different I love this author。 Her characters are always fully formed， and their actions are natural and organic。 I feel like I have been set down in the middle of their lives， rather than watching from afar。 After a brief prologue set in 1945， the rest of the story is set in Austria， late 1930s， and told in alternating points of view of three sisters， Johanna， Birgit， and Lotte。 If you know anything about history， you can see the storm brewing from the beginning。 The women’s choices showcase the different perspectives people of the time had in the face of a crumbling world。 I also enjoyed drawing parallels not only to “The Sound of Music” （for obvious reasons） but also to “Fiddler on the Roof。” This book was intriguing， well-researched and creative – I couldn’t put it down。 For a detailed review， please visit Fireflies and Free Kicks。 Thank you to Bookouture and NetGalley for a digital ARC of the book。 。。。more
Sharon
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Review to follow
Ashley Scherbenske
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Beautiful story of three sisters living in Austria during World War Two。 We follow Johanna， Birgit， & Lotte’s lives as the world around them continues to change。 All three sisters chose very different paths in love but risk everything to keep each other safe。 The strength they have shown in dire situations is profound and yet heartbreaking too。 My heart ached for these sisters and their story。 I loved this！ The chapters alternated between characters which made it hard to put down。 It seems like Beautiful story of three sisters living in Austria during World War Two。 We follow Johanna， Birgit， & Lotte’s lives as the world around them continues to change。 All three sisters chose very different paths in love but risk everything to keep each other safe。 The strength they have shown in dire situations is profound and yet heartbreaking too。 My heart ached for these sisters and their story。 I loved this！ The chapters alternated between characters which made it hard to put down。 It seems like there is an abundance of historical fiction written about WW2， however this is a ‘must read’ if you love that genre。 It was riveting & emotional。 5 stars！！ Thanks to NetGalley & the publisher for the ARC。 。。。more
Karen Trosterud
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This was an emotional read！ Heartbreaking at times！ Highly highly recommend！ #netgalley
Lori
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Set in Salzburg Austria during WWII， The Edelweiss Sisters tells a richly woven tale of bravery， love， resilience， hope， survival and the power of humanity。The story is told from the different POVs of three sisters as they navigate their way through uncertainty， loss， heartache， destruction， betrayal and devastation during a period in history that was fueled by hatred， fear and greed。 I was inspired by the courage， strength and bravery these young ladies portrayed and the sacrifices they made as Set in Salzburg Austria during WWII， The Edelweiss Sisters tells a richly woven tale of bravery， love， resilience， hope， survival and the power of humanity。The story is told from the different POVs of three sisters as they navigate their way through uncertainty， loss， heartache， destruction， betrayal and devastation during a period in history that was fueled by hatred， fear and greed。 I was inspired by the courage， strength and bravery these young ladies portrayed and the sacrifices they made as part of the resistance movement。 Ordinary woman doing the extraordinary， they truly possessed such humility， compassion， resilience and strength to do what was right。Historical fiction is by far my favorite genre and the author really nailed this one with her storytelling and attention to detail。 The intertwining for of historical figures like the Von Trapp family and Corrie ten Boom brought a sense of believability to this fictional tale。 An overall wonderful read， this would make for a robust bookclub discussion。 Lovers of The Nightingale， From Sand and Ash， The Alice Network and All the Light We Cannot See will enjoy this。Thank you to Kate Hewitt， Bookouture and NetGalley for a chance to read this ARC that will publish 08JUN21。 It’s one that will stay with me for a while。 。。。more
Gitika Agrawal Goila
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Thanks to Netgalley and Bookouture for sharing the e-ARC in exchange for an honest review。 The book is set during the entire Second World War period in Salzburg， Austria。 With the war ominously close， there was a surge in resistance movements by communists and anti-Nazis within Austria。The story opens in 1934， three sisters - Johanna， Birgit and Lotte Eder lead a rather reposeful and contended life with clockmaker father Manfred and mother Hedwig。 Johanna helps her mother with household chores b Thanks to Netgalley and Bookouture for sharing the e-ARC in exchange for an honest review。 The book is set during the entire Second World War period in Salzburg， Austria。 With the war ominously close， there was a surge in resistance movements by communists and anti-Nazis within Austria。The story opens in 1934， three sisters - Johanna， Birgit and Lotte Eder lead a rather reposeful and contended life with clockmaker father Manfred and mother Hedwig。 Johanna helps her mother with household chores but yearns to be independent。 Birgit helps her father in the workshop。 She gets mixed up in the resistance movement。 Lotte， the youngest and the prettiest of the three， realises her calling to become a nun。 Johanna falls in love with her father's apprentice Franz， a Jew。 After the Anschluss， they imperilled their life to save Franz。 This led them to nightmarish concentration camps where they suffer inhumane treatment meted out to the inmates。 The Edelweiss Sisters is a poignant tale of sacrifice， the resiliency of the human spirit and faith。 It is a single timeline book which was a refreshing change from an overdose of dual timeline historical fiction。 Kate Hewitt has distinctly outlined all the characters particularly the Eder sisters。 I especially loved the character growth of Lotte， who in the face of all doom and gloom and adverse circumstances， held onto her faith。 The description of the plight of prisoners of war and Jews at concentration camps like Mauthausen and Ravensbruck was so well done that it conjured up the horrific images in front of the eyes。 It is definitely one of the best historical fiction I have read this year。 For detailed review read my blog https://nextonreadinglist。blogspot。co。。。 。。。more
Shravani B
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The Edelweiss Sisters is a world war two historical fiction set in Austria and is a story of the Eder family。 This story is a fiction but some locations and characters are real and woven very well。 Johanna， Brigit and Lotte are very different from each other in their ambitions and what they want from life。 But when circumstances arise in their life that requires them put their lives at risk for their loved ones and the community they pull through。 The author has beautifully brought all the chara The Edelweiss Sisters is a world war two historical fiction set in Austria and is a story of the Eder family。 This story is a fiction but some locations and characters are real and woven very well。 Johanna， Brigit and Lotte are very different from each other in their ambitions and what they want from life。 But when circumstances arise in their life that requires them put their lives at risk for their loved ones and the community they pull through。 The author has beautifully brought all the characters to life on paper and you start feeling the doubts， pain and love that these characters all going through。 Austria comes to life in this novel and I can see the beautiful landscape。 The Edelweiss Sisters is a wonderful historical fiction novel not to be missed。 。。。more
Lori Sinsel Harris
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