Living in a country involved in the midst of a great war would be difficult. For those living in Brussels during the Great War or WWI as it was known, difficulty became the word of the day, especially when their small towns were thrust into German occupation and they simply took what they wanted, be it women, children, or any goods they deemed necessary for their survival. It's been three long years dealing with the German occupation and at times, Evelyn Marche's family has had to endure German borders as well, most of them soldiers passing through. It has also given them some privileges as well since her family ran a small cafè, they now keep it open serving whatever is available to the Germans who come there. It offers Evelyn and her family a small respite from being further hassled by their presence in their small town.
It also has given Evelyn time to find ways to transport messages to the allies about the developments she learns of with so many German soldiers getting drunk on the beer that flows freely from their cafè. Her mother also has a hand in helping with the war effort with the way she crafts lace to be delivered by Evelyn to those who desperately need it. Evelyn is doing all she can to survive after losing her brother and sister when they were forced aboard a train, but has learned that they may have escaped and now live in France in the small town of Anor.
Her work as a Red Cross nurse has it benefits and as such, most German's don't question her comings and goings at all hours of the night, especially since receiving the Iron Cross in aiding saving one of their German officers. He now runs most of the staff at the hospital but has also seen to aiding Eveyln's family when he can. But his first and foremost call to duty is to Germany. When a plane crashes late one evening, Evelyn arrives to find the pilot has succumbed to his injuries but the passenger of the plane is her husband she believed had died three years ago. Now she will have to risk everything if she is to save him before they are both discovered as German spies.
I received High As The Heavens by Kate Breslin compliments of Baker Publishing Group and Net Galley. In accordance with the new FTC Guidelines for blogging and endorsements, you should assume that every book reviewed here at Reviews From The Heart was provided to the reviewer by the publisher, media group or the author for free and were received, unless specified otherwise. I love that so much about this novel is based on historical facts with just the simple changing of the character's names. The true story of three women were remarkable in their efforts to aid the allies with their messages about the Germans in the occupied territory. Most of all, I love Evelyn's efforts to not only save her husband but also to do what she could to reunite her family that had been torn apart from the war. For those that love historical or WWI fiction, then this is a novel for you. I'd give it a 4 out of 5 stars because in some places the story just seemed to go on too long. I was happy with how it ended and love the author's note at the end explaining the facts that went into creating this novel. Reader Discussion Questions are included at the conclusion of this novel which would make for a great book club selection.
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