Hidden Among the Stars, by Melanie Dobson, is a compelling novel from the first page to the last. Once started, it is difficult to put this book down! Events of present day blend together effortlessly with events of eighty years ago to create a dual timeline story that is simply riveting. Elements of mystery, courage, and faith are thoughtfully intertwined in this well-researched novel. With excellent pacing that never tarries, important details are carefully revealed and hidden truths are uncovered as the story reaches its dramatic and satisfying conclusion.
In the face of dangerous circumstances and daunting secrets, the well-drawn characters in this novel possess an inner strength and determination that is profoundly inspiring. As they struggle with fear, loss, and uncertainty, the characters manage to cling to hope and strive for redemption. As it both conceals and reveals its mysteries, the castle setting itself also becomes an important character that cannot be overlooked. Furthermore, in the dim light of rejection, loss, and broken dreams, profound themes of perseverance, forgiveness, selflessness, sacrifice, and love shine brightly as beacons of hope and encouragement.
Hidden Among the Stars is an incredibly fascinating and moving novel. The absorbing mystery and enduring themes are intensely satisfying. It is extremely tender, emotional-stirring, and deeply thought-provoking. This book is well-written, engaging, and relevant. I recommend it wholeheartedly.
*I received a copy of this novel through Celebrate Lit and NetGalley. The review I have written is voluntary and contains opinions that are entirely my own.

Melanie Dobson has done it again. She has masterfully created a story of the past intermixed with a story of the present in such a way that readers cannot help but become entrenched in the lives of those discovered in the pages of Hidden Among the Stars. While not everyone will find these stories as enjoyable as this reviewer, those seeking deeper emotional connections with characters will be more than adequately rewarded. Perhaps it is wrong to state so boldly, but Melanie Dobson is an author that seems to hit her mark with every book she creates.

The story of the past takes place during the late 1830s and 1840s in Austria. This World War II/Holocaust tale is beautiful, harrowing and will linger in the minds of those who read it long after the last page is turned. Dobson handles the gruesome details in such a way as to provide the horror of the atrocities without the graphic descriptions. It is hard to imagine all that Max, Luzia and Annika endured, but their triumphs and crushing disappointments are very real.

Callie Randall is the modern protagonist and her thoughts and feelings jump off the pages of the book and into the reader's heart. Very willingly romantics will follow her as she unravels the stories of the past and creates her own story. This development of the modern Callie fills one with joy coupled with sadness as Callie discovers more about the lives of Annika, Max and Luzia. This is a potent, emotionally charged romance which is written in an almost poetic fashion. A great read, but be ready to feel emotionally exhausted by the end. Can't wait to see what Dobson writes next!

WOW! An incredible historical/contemporary time-slip novel!

Since much of this book is set in Austria in 1938 the story is very heavy. It is so well written that I was caught up in it and had trouble putting it down at times.

I loved all of the main characters. They all had understandable problems. Some of them were directly connected to Hitler’s rise to power in Austria. Others were typical girl and boy issues.

The two time periods were beautifully woven together. I was fascinated with the way the present time period was used to reveal parts of the historical period’s story.

I have watched the movie Bambi many times. I was intrigued by all of the information about the book and the author that were included in this novel. I had no idea that it was written by an Austrian.

I received a complimentary copy of this book through Celebrate Lit and NetGalley. I have chosen to write this review to express my personal opinion.

Wow! This story is addicting in the best way. From the first page I was hooked. A day later I finished the book. Ms. Dobson does the time-slip novel so well. The two time periods are interwoven so seemlessly. The movement of the story is at just the right pace to keep you guessing, learning new things, and falling more in love with the characters on every page. The writing is so well crafted, characters are deep and struggle with real life things in real life ways, and the locations described come to life in your imagination. It's like I visited the castle and the bookstore as I was reading. I loved the mystery, the history, the romance, and the family ties. I found myself reading it every chance I got. The only thing that slightly disappointed me was the ending. I wish it were drawn out a little more. There was such a huge culmination and it took a long time to get there (and every minute of it was excellent!). However, after you crest the hill it's like you fall so fast you feel like you need to go back and read it again because it zoomed by so fast. I felt sure I missed something... like some pages fell out of the book! I wanted more explanation. More story at the end. I loved the book so much I wanted just a bit more explanation. It felt too fast to me compared to the pace of the rest of the book. Overall the book was excellent. I couldn't put it down. I would definitely read it again! It's a keeper. It gets priority shelf space on my bookshelf for sure. Check it out. You won't be disappointed. I give it 5 out of 5 stars. 

I received a copy of this book from Celebrate Lit and Netgalley. This has in no way influenced my review. All thoughts are my own.

Hidden Among the Stars is a beautifully woven story between a historical past and a present-day filled with mystery. I loved the vivid descriptions of life in Austria during Hitler's regime. The flavor of those perilous times came through as emotions flowed through me. My heart ached for Annika, Max, and Luzia as they endured a life filled with pain and turmoil.

Callie, though content with her life running a bookstore with her sister, finds the courage to go to Austria and try to find Charlotte's relatives to unlock the mystery of her past. There were lots of surprises and twists that kept me turning the pages wanting to know what would happen next.

The story was full of intense mystery and suspense but was also a story of hope, faith, and deep love. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and look forward to reading more from the author. I highly recommend it.

“Some books, I think, can be like cats. No matter where they’re sent, they have this uncanny ability to find their way back home.”

This is the story of a book that finds so much more than its way back home. And if, as Callie Randall says at one point, tears are one of the greatest tributes of all, then I spent the last hour of this book paying it immense tribute. I cried anew for the atrocities committed under Hitler’s regime, I cried for the injustice, the cruelty, and the loss, and I cried for the bittersweet beauty that only intensified as the story drew to its conclusion.

I read the first quarter of this book in fits and starts, thanks to a busy few days, but the further I got into the story, the more spellbound I became—to the point where I knew I was just going to have to sit down and finish it or I wouldn’t be able to concentrate on anything else. I was desperate to know what happened to Annika, Max, and Luzia, but at the same time, I found the contrasting pace and feel of the contemporary story almost a relief. Although she’s not a charismatic character (unless she’s wearing her cape and her red-striped Story Girl socks while sharing her love of story with kids), I found myself appreciating Callie’s tendency toward contemplation, and I loved watching her gradually bloom under the right conditions. And the answers she uncovered only fed my hunger to know what happened to the historical characters. I love it when the two settings of a time-slip novel complement each other like that!

And the writing. I’m trying to pinpoint exactly what it was that captured me about the writing. I’m not sure I can, but I found myself highlighting all over the place. All these little nuggets that I wanted to come back to and think on later. The best I can do is to say that the writing was almost…musical at times, but effortlessly and unobtrusively so.

But I guess you’ve already got the idea that I loved this story, so perhaps that’s all I need to say, except that I will now be searching out more of Melanie Dobson’s books!

I received a copy of this novel from the publisher. This has not influenced my review, which is my honest and unbiased opinion.

This story is an enjoyable time-hop, and a great read for true book lovers. The MC in this story is co-owner (with her sister) of a charming little book shop. You know—the old-fashioned kind where there’s story time. I loved picturing myself in this shop, browsing through the used classics and listening to Callie talk about her love of them.

She and her sister log all the odd things they find left behind in used books they acquire, hoping to reunite many of the items with their rightful owners. Approaching her birthday, Callie stumbles upon an old edition meant to be a surprise gift from her sister. The real surprise is what she finds inside the book.

The 1930s edition of Bambi once belonged to a young girl named Annika. The former shop owner/surrogate mother of the sisters helps translate the notes she finds written to match the text of the book. Callie is sucked into the mystery of the notes and the story of Annika. She enlists the help of a college professor to learn the secrets hidden in the messages.

The book moves back and forth from present day to 1930s Austria, at the time Hitler’s troops have advanced into Annika’s city. It details the changes that follow in the lives of the teenaged friends as the Jewish population is being shunned and forced out of the only life they know.

You won’t get lost in this well-written time-hop. The pace is wonderful, and the settings delicious! I thoroughly enjoyed the suspense of Annika’s story—and of the present day characters. They were all well-developed and quite likeable.

This story has a strong religious current, though not overpowering of the story itself. A clean and solid read, I gave this book five stars. Hidden Among the Stars is the first book I’ve read by this author, but it will not be my last.

I'm an avid WWII Historical Fiction reader and I was drawn to this book because it deals with lost Jewish relics that the Nazis stole during their occupation.

There are two story lines, one during WWII and the other in modern day but I found the story during WWII much more compelling. Callie, in modern day, was a sweet main character but there wasn't much tension in her part of the book. There is a bit of romance that is dangled for the reader, but it mainly stays in the background which I appreciated. Callie is a book lover (yay!) who includes many quotes from her favourite childhood books in her dialogue. These were a cute addition and added tidbits of info but became so common that they began to interrupt the flow of her story line.

This is also a Christian Fiction read, and while some religious issues are addressed in Max and Annika's story line, this element is much more apparent in Callie's side of the story. There are some good twists in the WWII plot which keep the story trucking along and readers will enjoy seeing the pieces of the puzzle fit together. But I wasn't a fan of one of the big final twists … it just didn't seem probable. When I read it I went ’Wha?! Why?!'. I suppose I didn't think the reasoning given for the sacrifice was enough to warrant such a big act. That said, I think it would also make a good discussion in books groups, so I'll leave it at that.

This is a romantic, historical story set in two different time frames and though it is set in a tumultuous time, Hidden Among the Stars is a lighter read and will appeal to readers who enjoy Christian fiction infused with a historical setting.

A couple weeks ago I hit a major reading slump. Not saying I wasn't reading, I was reading several books at one time, and they were all good. But for me, a reading slump is when I don't have something that I'm totally involved with. I NEED a good "can't-put-me-down" read at all times!

Then, I started reading Hidden Among the Stars by Melanie Dobson. The first chapter just felt so-so. But when I got into chapter two, I found myself unable to stop! In the middle of a crazy move, and sending my son to kindergarten, I squeezed in time to read this book.

I love to read WWII fiction. It was such an amazing time in history. There were so many ordinary people who stepped up and said, "No, this is wrong." They fought against the evil and darkness of Hitler's regime. Many of them gave their lives for what they believed in. There are so many stories of heroism that can come from that time period, and there are many that will never be told.

Hidden Among the Stars is a dual-time story, and I love how it's woven together. I couldn't be sure of the outcome until the very end. I love a book that keeps me guessing!

The story opens in the Austrian mountains in 1938. Max Dornbach comes to his family's castle to hide the valuable possessions of his Jewish friends. The caretaker's daughter, Annika Knopf, helps him with his task. Annika has been in love with Max since they were small children, and she hopes to proves to him that she's an adult, now. But Max is interested in someone else in Vienna--a Jewish girl named Luzia Weiss. When Max brings Luzia to the castle, things become more complicated. Then, one dark night the unthinkable happens. The Nazis come for Luzia, and she disappears along with the treasure.

In modern-day Ohio Callie Randall is mostly happy with her life. She runs a bookstore with her sister, and writes a popular blog about children's book authors. An antique copy of Bambi finds its way to her, and leads her to Annika's story. Suddenly, a whole new world of possibilities opens up. If Callie can find the courage to pursue them, she may find a new life, a new love, and the answer to a friend's questions about family.

This story was so well-written! It moved seamlessly between the two time periods, weaving together a beautiful story of love and loyalty. Austria is one of my favorite settings for WWII stories. There's just something I admire about the people there, and their determination not to let evil win. Sure, there were many people who bought into the Nazi's scheme, but so many did not! I loved Max Dornbach and his determination to fight for right, even against his own father.

There are so many unforeseen twists and turns in this story. I never could figure it all out on my own! I have read a lot of fiction set in that time period, but I am still heartbroken every time I read about the atrocities committed against the Jewish people. Even in this book I saw different perspectives of things I've read about before, and I cried as I thought about those people who were tortured and killed just because of their heritage. I think we have to keep remembering these things, so we don't allow them to happen again.

Melanie Dobson has written several best-sellers already, but this is the first I've read. She has a unique style that I enjoyed very much. Hidden Among the Stars not only brought me out of my reading slump, it is one of my favorite books I've read this year. It's a truly amazing story about heroes, sacrifice and true love. I promise you don't want to miss it.

I received a free copy of this book from the publisher. All opinions are my own.

I know whenever I pick up a novel about World War Two that I will most likely be reading a story that has a lot of heartache and sorrow in it. I hadn’t, however, expected Hidden Among the Stars to affect me quite as powerfully as it did. A haunting, atmospheric tale of love and loss, this book will stay with you long after you have finished the last page.

Callie Randall might tell you she’s happy with her life, but that would be a lie. After her fiancé cheated on her and left her brokenhearted, she has retreated into the comfortable shell of routine, replacing happiness with a resigned contentment. She works at The Magic Balloon, the bookshop she owns with her sister; plays with her nephews, hosts story hour and manages her blog about items left inside used books. The blog isn’t very successful at reuniting owners with their forgotten pictures or letters but Callie loves doing it. Her most recent post regards a copy of Bambi with cryptic notes written in German beside the text.

Eighty years ago, there was a girl named Anika Knopf also suffering from a broken heart. A servant at a lavish estate in the Austrian countryside, she has been in love with the owner’s son, Max Dornbach, since they played together as young children. As young adults, their paths diverged, with Max attending a fancy school in Vienna and Anika staying in the countryside dusting and vacuuming his family’s summer home. She has never let go of her dream of marrying him, though; of having him fall in love with her when he comes back during the summer months.

When Hitler’s troops sweep into their country in 1938, everything changes. Max, furious with the Nazi’s invasion and appalled by their regime, begins to hide his Jewish friends’ most valuable possessions on the grounds of the estate. He enlists Anika’s help, knowing he can trust her to stay quiet and guard the treasure. But when Max brings Luzia Wies, the young Jewish woman he’s been in love with for years, to hide at the castle, it complicates everything and places their plan, and even their very lives, in jeopardy. Especially since Luzia has a particularly determined Austrian Nazi hunting for her. A man who just happens to hold a grudge against Max and the Dornbach family.

In the present, Callie is surprised to receive a call from Dr. Joshua Nemeth regarding the notes in Bambi. He is a professor of history, working on reuniting Jewish families with treasure that had been stolen from them during the Holocaust. He is very interested in the notes contained inside Callie’s book, as he believes they may hold valuable information about precious heirlooms hidden in the Austrian countryside. Answering that call changes Callie’s life and reveals a series of secrets kept for many, many years.

There is so much to praise in this novel. I loved the rich imagery used to create the story and evoke the setting. I felt very much as if were experiencing Austria for myself. I loved the way Ms. Dobson captures the emotions of a woman’s heart; Callie’s brokenness was so real for me as she worked through the last of the grief caused by her fiancé’s betrayal and opened herself to love again. I was also deeply impressed by the author’s ability to conjure a very real sense of fear in the reader. My shoulders tensed, and my gut clenched whenever I was reading the WWII portion of the story. We enter that phase of the tale as Austria is being plunged into the dark depths of Nazi occupation and it was horrifying to read about. While gruesome, gritty details are avoided, the terrible events are sketched sufficiently to elicit strong reactions.

I loved the two heroines. Callie, a thirty-year-old living in America, is a delightful introvert whose shy, quiet nature is charming rather than boring. Learning the history of why she is so cautious around people and seeing her open up and blossom under Josh’s attention is very gratifying.

This is woman’s fiction, so we don’t spend as much time with Josh as I would have liked, but his steady, mature nature was a great counterpart to Callie’s own subdued dignity. He was just enough of an adventurer to push her to take chances, but he wasn’t so different from her that I had concerns the relationship would be torn apart by their disparity.

Annika was easily my favorite part of the story. Aged just seventeen when our tale starts, she is a country girl in a time where no internet existed to bring the outside world to bear on her placid existence. She is simple in the best sense; unpretentious, hopeful, and idealistic, anxious to make the best of every situation. She is kind and open hearted, in spite of having a drunken, somewhat abusive father. She loves Max with a pure, sincere schoolgirl’s crush which doesn’t see any dark side to the object of her desire. Her devotion can be both touching and frightening since it has no limits and no thought to care for the self over the beloved. For me, her innocence is what made this story as poignant as it was. Watching someone that fresh and guileless live through the terrors of the occupation was truly chilling.

Max is perhaps my least favorite character. He’s young, though nowhere near as unsophisticated as Annika, so perhaps that explains some of his behavior. I felt the privilege and wealth he grew up with showed in almost his every action, and his love for Luzia seems selfish and entitled, as if he can’t imagine being denied something he wants. That seems to carry on throughout the book; an insistence to do things his way regardless of what others may preferr. Towards the end of the novel he shows growth in this area, but it was a case of too little, too late for me.

Luzia’s sole purpose in life is to survive. Other than that, she doesn’t have the luxury of emotion except for complete devotion to her family. I totally understood this and felt it was perfect and appropriate for the text. Given how systematically Luzia’s life is being destroyed, how determinedly she is being hunted, it was completely understandable for her to be in survival mode.

Few books are perfect and this one has a few very minor flaws. It’s an Inspirational novel and the conversation regarding God and suffering that takes place between Callie and Josh felt more like a public service announcement than a natural dialogue between two people. I had the same feeling regarding the conversation early in the novel about children and scary books, this time explaining why children shouldn’t read fearsome prose. Both, however, are mercifully brief and disrupt the story only for an instant.

If you are in the mood for a rich, evocative, emotional novel I am happy to recommend Hidden Among the Stars.

A wonderful story that sees Callie, a bookstore owner in small town America, being given an old copy of Felix Saltern's classic children's book "Bambi". Inside she finds the original owner's name, Annika, and also a list amongst the pages, written in German. The list seems to be of valuables such as ruby bracelets, candelabras and the like, but why are they in an old children's book? And who exactly was Annika?
We go back in time to Austria in 1938, where Annika is a caretaker, along with her father, of an estate in the lake region of Austria. The castle is owned by a wealthy Viennese family as their summer house. Annika is in love with the owner's son, Max, but does he share her love? Or is there another that has captured his heart?
We slide between the two stories as Callie, aided by university lecturer Josh, try to find out what happened to Annika, and what the list is for. She also wants to find any remaining members of Annika's family to return the book to them. Meanwhile, back in 1938 Austria is being taken over by Nazi Germany, and it is a dangerous time for many in Vienna...
Melanie Dobson weaves a marvellous tale of two women, separated by an ocean and 80 years, whose lives are brought together by a simple children's book. It is an enduring story, the terror of the Nazi regime and the lives of the Jewish people devastated during the holocaust. And what becomes of Annika? You'll just have to read this book to find out...
I was truly captivated by this book, devouring it in one day. I found myself racing through it to find out what happened to Annika and Max. Did they find happiness? Or did the war intervene? And what of Callie, leaving her sheltered life in the bookstore and venturing out of her comfort zone? All in all I found this book to be a remarkable story, recommended to all lovers of Historical Fiction and Family Sagas. I will definitely be seeking out more of this author's works. I rate it at 4.5 stars.
My thanks to NetGalley and Tyndale House Publishers for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Callie Randall has spent most of her time in the small bookstore that she owns with her sister. She knows the stories of others through the items they have left behind in books. She has dedicated some of her spare time to returning these lost items back to their rightful owners. When she comes across the first edition of Bambi, it allows her to be free and experience life. The book belonged to Annika Knopf, who lived in Austria during World War II. She was the daughter of the caretaker of a castle own by the Dornbach family and had a deep crush on the son Max. Max was involved in some activities that would be deemed dangerous not only for himself but also for anyone who was caught helping. Annika offers as much help as she can including taking in and caring for Luiza Weiss, a Jewish violinist who cares deeply for Max. Luiza was brought to the castle in order to be protected from sent to a concentration camp. The name Luiza Weiss also means something to Callie as the name is printed in a book owned by Charlotte. Charlotte previously owned the bookstore and took Callie and her sister in when they had nobody.

This story happens to have multiple points of views. The present is told by Callie, while the past is told in the third person. The story is well paced with a good amount of plot twists and turns that keeps the reader's attention. The author very well described the setting so much that you could picture yourself in the hillside of Austria or in the small bookshop in the present. The description of the setting feels very plausible and very real. They include descriptions of objects of importance that help tell the story. There are two different romances in the story. They are mostly part of the subplot but feel very plausible and real. There is the love triangle between Max, Annika and Luiza in the past and the modern relationship between Josh and Callie.

Yes, I would recommend this book. It is an excellent use of the past and incorporating it into the future but also facts of history. The story is well written, you are able to connect with the characters of both time periods as well as their settings.

4.5 stars

I've read other books by Melanie Dobson, so I had high hopes for this book, and I wasn't disappointed. (Plus, I love books of this genre!)

The book blends current day, small-town life with Austria at the beginning of the German occupation. Dobson weaves a beautiful dual-time story that explores one of the most evil times in history. The present-day characters try to right some of the wrongs of the past, and it all starts with a children's book that could be the key to unlocking the past.

Dobson's novel is well-researched, so it educates the reader along with entertaining them. It highlights some of the sacrifices people made, as well as the suffering they endured. There is a romance angle, as well, but it is not the key focus (and I was happy about that). The book is a bit longer than some, but every word was well-utilized. Many books of this genre focus on concentration camps, whereas this one focuses on the possessions the Jews owned and what happened to them. Dobson has crafted a tale that is the perfect blend of history, mystery, and romance, making it one of my favorite reads of 2018 so far.

This review was posted on Goodreads, and I'll post on Amazon after the book is released.

Disclaimer: I received a complimentary copy from NetGalley, but I wasn't required to leave a positive review.

WWII is the main stage for so many historical fictions--it still has all of the hidden gems needed to make interesting and catching stories. And in recent years, we've fallen in love in the media with very true retellings. Hidden Among the Stars is a brilliant and enticing mix of both.

Based off of a real castle and true history of hiding valuables for the persecuted Jews, Dobson provides us with a realistic feeling tale of good Christians just trying to do what's right by their Jewish brothers and sisters in a world gone mad--an Austria they no longer recognize.

While it could almost be read as a YA with the age of the main characters falling in their late teens, it is anything but. It beckons us to stand up to injustice. It begs us to remember. And it weaves a tale that will stick with you for days.

While we focus mostly on Annika in WWII, we also are introduced to Callie in present times. A loving woman, hurt and hiding behind her funky socks and Story Girl persona, she is given an antique book. Inside this beautifully old copy of Bambi, she finds a list of items that nearly matches the print written along the story.

Hidden in places adults would never think to look, children did what they could to stand up to the regime and Callie is left to piece all of the broken pieces of the puzzle together 80 years later.

While honest in its portrayal, the twist with a time slip and focusing on Callie means that you're still left with what feels like a hopeful ending. You are crushed throughout by the horrors Hitler visited on Austria, but it isn't the end. If you loved The Lilac Girls, you will adore this one.

Thank you to NetGalley, Melanie Dobson, and Tyndale House Publishing for this free ARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed herein are my own.

Hidden Among the Stars is yet another fabulous book by Melanie Dobson. It gives me another reason why she is among my favorite list of must read authors. She has the talent of keeping a reader engaged, want to keep turning the pages and have a hard time putting a book down. I love time slip novels and she has definitely mastered on how to write them. Like always, there is an element of mystery and suspense where the reader does not find out how it is solved until the last few pages. I could not have predicted how it all worked out in the end.
Hidden Among the Stars gets a well deserved 5 plus stars from me. I would give it 100 stars if I could. It is one of the favorite books I have read for the year.
I most definitely highly highly recommend Hidden Among the Stars.
I received this book from the publisher. This review is 100% my own honest opinion.

Make no bones about it, there is a reason Melanie Dobson is an award winning author!

This beautifully excecuted time- slip novel weaves together the story of two lives.

1930: HItler has invaded Austria and the Jewish people are being striped of all their possessions. The occupation has made everyone question friends and neighbours, loyalities where not what they once were. Annika lives with her father the caretaker of Schloss Schwansee castle owned by Max Dornbach's family. Annika is head over heels for Max. He is completely oblivious to anything other than friendship as they have spent their summers growing up together. Max decides to help his Jewish friends and hides their family heirlooms with the help of Annika....

Present day : Callie, lives a quiet life in a quiet town running a small book store with her sister. She loves books and passes her love of reading ( I love when she quotes from different children's books) on to her youngest customers through a story time held every Saturday at the store. When Callie receives an old copy of Bambi for her birthday from her sister she discovers a name written inside as well as some sort of list documented within the pages of the book. Callie cannot rest until she finds out more about this person and what this list might be.

Dobson's attention to historical detail is amazing.I felt like I was emotionally connected to these characters and a bystander watching every aspect of this heart wrenching story unfold..

This is definitely my favourite book this year! I can't wait to get tucked into her previous works.

Thank you to Net Galley and Tyndale House Publishers for the advance copy.

"Sometimes I wonder where God is in the midst of such heartache."

This is one of my favorite books of 2018. Written in a dual time line, the present day and 1938-1938 Austria, it is tremendous, unforgettable and heart-rending. A story of hidden treasure, loves lost and hearts mended.

The time is 1938 Austria and Hitler has just overran the country, even changing its name. Max Dornbach and his family live in a castle on the banks of a beautiful lake in a village called Hallstatt. Annika Knopf is his childhood friend and her father is the caretaker of the estate. Max has decided to hide treasures from Jews from the Nazis and Annika determines to help him. Luzia Weiss is a Jewish violinist and Max is in love with her, although Annika loves Max. Very quickly the situation changes in Austria and no one feels safe anymore. Their lives are in jeopardy near constantly.

Present day: Callie Randall runs a small book shop with her sister. Her life is quiet, she is the Story Girl who reads to children in the shop once a week and she likes it that way. She is given a rare, old copy of Bambi by her sister for her birthday. She discovers handwriting, a list of some sort, inside the book and also the name 'Annika Knopf' inside the cover. Callie begins to wonder if she could trace this woman's life and find out what this mysterious list is about. Callie also has a dear friend, an older woman named Charlotte, who was taken from a French orphanage during the war. Charlotte has a book with the name Luzia Weiss inside. These people whose lives are intertwined begin to overtake Callie. When she is offered a chance to go to Austria, she agrees, in hopes of finding out more of their story.

Melanie Dobson has done a superb job with this novel, managing to plumb the depths of human emotion and bringing us to the edge of ourselves as we wonder how in the world such evil could exist in our world at one time. I was captivated till the end. Highly recommended.

*My thanks to the publisher for a copy of this book via Net Galley. My opinions are entirely my own.

Once again, Melanie Dobson has proved herself as an amazingly talented author! I was introduced to her writing through her book Catching the Wind earlier this year, and she has once again written a masterpiece. As with any other book taking place during WWII, the story will slowly break your heart, then attempt to sew some of the pieces back together. Families that survived the war carried their scars (both physical and emotional) with them as painful reminders of their pasts, but no one really escaped whole. They slowly learned how to live life again despite the gaping holes in their hearts.

Hidden Among the Stars flips between the late 1930's and the present day. It's told in first-person through Callie, and third person through Annika, Max, and Luzia. Each character's perspective adds another layer to the pain and complexity of just how devastating the war was and how it had a lasting impact on the generations following. I can only imagine how emotional it was for Melanie to write this story considering how emotional it was reading it.

I can't share specific details or else I'd be spoiling, but something that really struck me in this story was people's abilities to make selfless decisions even at the risk of death. It's no secret that today we live in a "ME" world. To some, thinking of others first is even a foreign concept. How natural do those feelings really come though? Do we care about ourselves first and others second? If given the choice between saving ourselves and saving another, would we even have to think? Thankfully I've never had to face a situation like that, but my hope would be that I wouldn't think selfishly. My hope would be that death wouldn't scare me. If I'm being honest though, it terrifies me. There are many told and untold stories of people during WWII and the Holocaust who gave up their own lives to save others. It's their stories that deserve to be told, and it's their voices that deserve to be heard.

Hopefully the more people learn of history, the less likely it is to be repeated. Melanie Dobson has written a raw, heart-wrenching story of love and loss in WWII. I honestly don't think I can recommend it enough! I also recommend checking out some of her other stories that take place during the same time period. One thing is for sure though, Melanie Dobson knows how to write a story that you feel and not just read words on a page.

*I received a complimentary copy of this book from CelebrateLit Tours and the author through NetGalley. I was not required to give a positive review. Thoughts and opinions expressed are mine alone.

HIDDEN AMONG THE STARS by MELANIE DOBSON is such a special book that I really cannot recommend it highly enough. It is a historical romance novel which takes place in 1938/39 in Austria at the time of Hitler's take over of that country, and also in the present, when Callie Randall, known by the children at the book store, run by herself and her sister Brie, as Story Girl, finds something interesting amongst the pages of an old German copy of Bambi..
Through her research into what she finds in this old book, she meets Dr Josh Nemeth and his daughter Ella, and they join forces to try and find the hidden treasure. She overcomes her fear of the unknown and of letting people get close to her by traveling to Lake Hallstatt to try and find out what happened to her very dear friend Charlotte's mother, a mystery which seems somehow tied in with what is hidden in the pages of this copy of Bambi.
The author's obvious love for the Jews and horror at the atrocities meted out to them by Hitler and the Third Reich, as well as the way the truth of Scripture is woven throughout the book, really spoke to me. Jesus is portrayed here as the greatest of all Jews, who willingly died to save us and to bring hope to this crazy world, where hatred so often reigns in men's hearts. We see how different people deal,with the evil that is suddenly in their world - some indifferent or too afraid to help, and others prepared to make huge sacrifices.
The importance of reading, especially for children, is also close to my heart, as are Austria and Vienna, where I have seen the Judenplatz as well as many other places that are mentioned in the book. I also love the fact that Callie is a blogger and researches the authors of the children's books in her store. I also like the way music runs through the story. The characters are very real and the author makes us feel what they are feeling. This is a book that I will definitely read more than once.
I was given a free copy of the book by Tyndale House Publishers. The opinions in this review are completely my own.

Hidden Among the Stars is a well written inspirational romance. Two time periods and two cast of characters woven together a fantastic tale. Highly recommend. I received an arc from the publisher via Netgalley and this is my unbiased review.