Robert Elmer

Dear Readers,

Many years ago I read Robert Elmer's Like Always. That is the book that made me fall in love with his writing. He also wrote Duet, which was this cute little story about an older couple that falls in love. I also think he was writing that wonderful love story fiction long before Nicholas Sparks or Charles Martin did. He just sets his in the Northwest instead of the south.

Wildflowers in Terezin is a very different setting for me as it is about Denmark during WWII. Now Robert has written several historical fiction books, but they were written for teens and I have never read them. Because of where this book it set it gave me a very different perspective on WWII again. I have been enjoying reading several of these books that have revisited this war, but from a different country than Germany or England.

The story starts with a strange meeting between Steffen Peterson and Hanne Abrahamsen. He is caught in the crossfire on the streets of Copenhagen and wakes up to find himself in the hospital. Hanne protects him from a Gestapo agent and suddenly their lives are connected. So far during the German occupation of Denmark Steffen has been determined to not pick sides and tries to avoid anything political. If there is a hint of the Danish underground he completely ignores it.

That is until Germany had declared that Denmark will be Judenrein - jew free. All jews are facing deportation including Hanne. How far is Steffen willing to go to save the woman he maybe falling in love with? Is he willing to give up his life to save people he doesn't even know?

This book once again reminded me how difficult it can be to stand up for the right thing. Sometimes standing up means risking your life or even the lives of those that you love. I know I have wondered why people - especially Christians - didn't stand up to the Nazis more. Why did they not draw the line in the sand and say no more. Well, because they had to choose between their own families and people they didn't know. It is a choice I hope and pray I never have to make and until I have to, I know I can not answer that question honestly.
Happy Reading