A lovely book about love, loss, redemption, friendship and the capacity for human beings to start over and reinvent themselves.

I only have one critique of this compelling novel, it ended too soon!  I am a fan of Betsy Carter and have enjoyed her previous work, but I fell in love with the characters in WE WERE STRANGERS ONCE.  This is the story of German Jews forced to leave their good lives in Germany and start all over. The element that makes this so special is the interweaving of the story of Catrina, an Irish-American young woman who becomes part of the process of assimilation. 

The central character is Dr. Egon Schneider, a successful opthamologist in Germany forced to sell cheese in Washington Heights. It is there he meets Catrina and she becomes involved in his life. He transferred his medical knowledge into the treatment of local animals, and becomes known as "the Good Samaritan " but is almost deported for his efforts.  

By a fluke, President Roosevelt  himself, intervened and saved Egon. I breathed a sigh of relief and hoped this would mean the start of a new life for Egon, perhaps as a veteranarian. 

A solid group of German emigrees help establish the horrors of relocation to a new country, a new world.  We hope for their good fortune, especially the brilliant journalist, Meyer. The author skillfully relates each story, but never overwhelming the reader. 

This book is an excellent choice for book clubs and seminars about the effects of WW II on life in NYC.  It might even provoke a tours of the areas where these new immigrants came to live. 

Oh, if I just knew Egon and Catrina wound up happy, maybe with a baby, I would be completely happy.

A German Jewish family has to flee to the United States as World War II looms, but their lives will not be easy. A respected doctor must resort to selling cheese at a grocery store and a popular author becomes a walking billboard. The story of how these people maintain their dignity and find their way in a new land is nothing short of miraculous and serves as a reminder that our country has always taken in refugees and been the better for it