A story that takes place after World War II has concluded and this young Jewish family is moving to the United States to join family that is already there and start a new path in a very foreign place. I have read many many books set during the World War II and this one was just an ok one. I didn't connect with any the characters and had no drive to find out what was coming next and that for me makes or breaks a book for me.

While I know an author doesn't have much influence on the title, for me this one didn't set this book up well and I think another character should have been the main character with this title on the header.

i read this book mostly on audiobook and while I enjoyed the narrator, and that she tried to do a few different accents and voices to cover some of the characters. She was entertaining and while I didn't enjoy the book, I would listen to her read another book.

I enjoyed this book. I can’t really pin point what I liked best; I just found it to be a good read. It flowed well, the story was well written, the journey was one that I looked forward to reading, and there were a few parts that would catch my breath.

The story, in short, follows a husband, his wife, and their twin daughters; who left Poland to come to America. The parents have a dark history surrounding the Holocaust and they come to America to live with a long lost distant cousin who had come to America years before Aron and his family.

The family resides in a neighborhood with other refugees and that tends to stir dark memories for Aron. He does not like to speak of the past while other refugees are more open to share, others keep their own dark secret, and some deny their ancestry.

We get to see the twin girls grow from newborn to individual young ladies. With most twins, they are as different as two strangers can be, yet are each other’s best friend and support through their life. Bronka is much more empathetic and catches on to what is occurring in her surroundings – spoken or unspoken – and it affects her life as well as those who experienced the darkness first hand (rather similar to myself).

Initially, the title of the book seemed odd to me, but once you figure it out; it sticks with you. As with the characters in the book, the “Takeaway Men” makes me shudder and will definitely be a name (and book title) I will always remember.

I really did enjoy this novel and could see myself reading this again (something I don’t typically do). It’s also a book that I think my oldest daughter may enjoy reading as well.

It is definitely a different genre than I am usually reading, but one that I enjoyed. It has definitely piqued my interest further into research of the Holocaust as well as other memories that were mentioned in the book that I have not heard of before.

Let’s just say; I recommend this read!

This book was incredibly sad, as it has to do with a family immigrating to America after surviving the holocaust. I read it in 3 different sittings - it can make you get all in your feelings so it deserves 4 stars.

Thanks netgalley for giving me the pdf so that I can share my thoughts and opinions with y'all 🧡

I would like to thank SparkPress Publishing and the Netgalley website for allowing me to read this book.

The story takes place during World War II, during the Holocaust, when the twins Bronka and Johanna Lubinski arrive with their parents in the United States. They will have a hard time adjusting to American cultures and will be afraid of the cold war. Except that many years later a Nazi is discovered hidden in their community who will bring the Holocaust out of his shadow. As they grow older, the twins wonder about their past, their parents and want answers. Except that these memories turn out to be harder to accept than anything else.

A book read in one sitting, so much so that I was hooked on the story, so moving in certain passages, gripping, captivating, addictive, full of suspense and twists and turns with very endearing characters.

The Takeaway Men is a powerful novel following a family that has immigrated to the US after the horrors of WWII. We learn about the horrors of WWII, the affect on families both during and post WWII and the stressors of adjusting to a new culture and country.

Aron and Judy have an incredibly past – Judy was not born Jewish but fell in love with Aron and did everything she could to protect him from the Nazis. With Judy’s help, Aron escapes the Holocaust but loses so much including his immediate family. The two marry and give birth to twin girls in one of the camps in Europe before they leave for the US (such a blessing of life!). Both see the birth of the girls as a blessing and they know that they will do anything to protect their girls.

When the family moves to the US, they are met with a bit of a culture shock. Aron struggles with his own history and religion is followed differently in the US, something he is not used to. Judy has her own struggles as she was not born Jewish and is worried that people will find out and shun her and her daughters. She also hides her own family history, embarrassed and worried that this would change the way people think about her. The twin girls want nothing more than to fit in with their peers but they notice the difference – their clothes are different, their Father speaks with a thick accent and their peers tease them. Their parents have done everything they could to hide the war from them and what happened during the Holocaust, but they did so at the expense of not telling them anything about their family, the lives that were lost and their own experiences that have caused them trauma.

I very much enjoyed this novel, I cried and I laughed. My heart went out to these parents who wanted nothing but a fresh start for their girls but inadvertently cause a new set of problems. We also learn about the other characters in their lives, who have their own struggles post WWII. Each character has their own way of dealing with the past, denial, talking about it, hiding it, etc. It was a truly beautiful story of hope, love, and pushing forward that I could not put down.

Not many HF novels deal with the immediate aftermath of WW2, especially for immigrants, so I was immediately intrigued by this book!

The Lubinski family arrive in the US from a Polish displaced persons’ camp, each carrying their own scars. Aaron grapples with the loss of his entire family to the Nazi death camps. Judy, his wife, has a secret of her own she has not told anyone about. And whilst the twins Bronka and Johanna were born after the war, they are scarred by their father’s dark moods and post traumatic stress responses. The book follows the family as they adapt to their new life in a foreign country. As kids are apt to do, the girls settle in quickly whilst the parents – especially Aaron – find it a lot more difficult to leave the past behind.

With a keen eye for detail and subtle nuances, Ain’s exploration of Jewish life in the US in the aftermath of WW2 was both interesting as touching. It made me reflect on many of the themes it touched on, such as the after-effects of trauma, even on the next generation, who have only experienced the horror second-hand, through stories and their parents’ reaction to situations. It was interesting to see how many holocaust survivors wanted to shield their children from the horror they had endured by keeping their pasts hidden, which ultimately led to division and referred trauma, whilst others were open about discussing the past.

I think I would have become more immersed in the novel if it had focused on the Lubinskis rather than including many side characters, which led to some emotional detachment on my part. And whilst it was interesting to see the interconnection of the different families, I was never quite as invested in those chapters as I was in the twins’. However, THE TAKEAWAY MEN made me reflect on many of my encounters with holocaust survivors through my work, which mirrored some of the actions and feelings of different characters in the book.

All in all, THE TAKEAWAY MEN was an interesting and touching character study of Jewish immigrant life in the US after WW2, and I appreciated the topics the author highlighted in her story, especially the after-effects of trauma on future generations.

An interesting and, sometimes, moving account of a family's new life after surviving the Holocaust. I think I would have enjoyed the book more if it had just focused on the Lubinski's and not jumped to other characters' stories which were never fully developed or resolved. I also would have liked to know more about the family's life once the twins knew the real history of their parents' lives in Poland. The ending was very abrupt and it felt like there was still much more to say.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with a free e-copy of this book in exchange for my honest .

Starting a new life in New York after leaving post Holocaust Europe is not easy for the Lubinski family, including twins Bronka and JoJo. Accepting their differences is difficult for many of their neighbors and acquaintances, forcing the whole family to adjust their thinking and lifestyle. Thought provoking and well worth the read.

Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for an advanced copy....

The Takeaway Men was an intriguing historical fiction novel. I have read a lot of WW2 genre books lately, so it is hard to find something refreshing or something that has a new take on a subject I read about a lot. I really enjoyed this book, and it was hard to believe it was from a debut. Sometimes I had a little trouble discerning who was talking at the time, but it wasn't horrible. I hope to see more from Meryl Ain soon.

A smooth and insightful historical fiction novel about a family adjusting to American culture after being victims to the horrors of the Holocaust and keeping it a secret from their daughters in an attempt to protect and move on from their past.

As I reflect on the overall novel, I really appreciated how readers were able to see each family members inner battles and thoughts on fitting into the American culture and the history of the Jews. We read perspectives from children to growing up as teenagers to adults. It wasn't an intense or emotional read which was nice since a lot of novels with this theme cane be. The ending I found abrupt but overall, I truly enjoyed this read and would describe it as a page turner.

For Meryl Ain's first novel she hit it out of the park. I loved the historical accuracy of the events that occurred. She made each character come alive and I loved the story that knitted this masterpiece all together.

Aron and Judy Lubinski, survive the war years in Poland 🇵🇱, but when, a year after the war was over, and the Jews are still the victims of a horrific “pogrom” in their hometown of Kielce , they decide it is time to move on. They go to a DP camp in Germany 🇩🇪, where they officially marry, &, 1 year later, Judy gives birth to Bronka and Johanna, twin girls. Not long after, the family is crossing the Atlantic, to settle in Bellerose, (Queens) N.Y., in the home of a cousin (& his 2nd wife), who are glad to be able to help out family.
The Lubinskis arrive in NY in late 1948. On the surface, the future looks rosey 🌹. Aron and Judy have secrets, about the war, that they prefer to keep to themselves. But soon enough, the twins learn about Hitler & concentration camps in school, & want to know their parents story (their “secrets”).

The “takeaway men” (of the title), took Lenore, a neighbor, away (very early one morning), because they suspected she was involved with Julius and Esther Rosenberg (suspected “Russian spies”. This was truly frightening, especially for Lenore’s young daughter, Mindy, not to mention, the neighbors. Then the twins are taught to “crouch and hide” (under their school desks) in case the Russians drop “the bomb”. Where’s the peace ☮️ they expected?
Author Meryl Ain has been obsessed with the holocaust since she first learned about Anne Frank as a young girl growing up in Queens. Together with her huband, they interviewed 30 survivors of the Holocaust & recorded their memories in their book “The Living Legacies: Legacies that Last”.
What does the author hope readers take away after reading this book? She hopes we consider the following:
What is our responsibility towards others? What do we do when we see evil? How do we treat people who are different? These questions, says Meryl Ain, are just as relevant today as they were ~75 years ago. She also questions how religious identity is determined. Is it fluid? Is it by blood line? Is it what you are born into?
The Takeaway Men is a 📚 that makes you appreciate what life was like for the survivors, arriving in the USA after the War. I am still thinking about this book. #5⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

This was a very good read. Two sisters have to make their way in America after leaving a displaced person's camp in Europe after the death and destruction caused by the Nazis during World War 2. Bronka and Johanna Lubinski, together with their parents are from Poland, but Poland post WW2 was not a place people wanted to live so they departed for the USa. Everything was new. Life was different, a struggle but happy too. We follow the girls as they begin to live as US citizens, how they feel about the Holocaust and Nazis and about their feelings towards their own parents. Historical fiction is one of my preferred reading genres and this didn't disappoint. It was well written and well researched. I would recommend.

Aron and Edyta Lubinski have survived the horrors of Poland during World War II. Edyta risked her life to relocate children and then hid Aron away in her attic. After the War, Aron and Edyta don't feel comfortable in Poland and find their way to a Displaced Persons Camp where Edyta converts to Judaism and gives birth to twin girls, Bronka and Johanna. Aron and Edyta find a way to the United States where they live with Aron's relatives, Izzy and Faye. Once in America Aron delves deeper into his religion and attempts to forget about the horrors of his past, never talking about his story. Dyta strives to be the best Jewish wife she can be while Johanna and Bronka find their place in American culture. The girls grow up knowing they are Jewish, but without any knowledge of their parent's past. As Communism stretches into their neighborhood, the family witnesses a Jewish neighbor being arrested for ties to Communism and Aron is immediately reminded of his time in Poland. His fear transfers to his daughter Bronka who yearns for the full story while Johanna takes a more carefree approach to life. When the truth of their parent's past comes through, Bronka and Johanna are shocked while Aron and Edyta must finally come forth with the secrets of their family.

The Takeaway Men is an insightful and heartfelt look into the experiences of Jewish immigrants after World War II. Aron and Dyta's experience was unique, although no less harrowing than many of their Jewish neighbors in New York. It was interesting to see the different approaches to dealing with the trauma that each family experienced during the War from constantly telling everyone they meet their experiences, to trying to enact revenge, and trying to hide their experiences from everyone. The effects of Aron's fear and shame was apparent through Bronka's panic attacks and showed just how lasting trauma can be. It was really thought provoking to see the similarities drawn between the arrests for Communism in America and for being Jewish in Europe. The story was told from the third person point of view in order to incorporate everyone's very different experiences; however, through this lens, I didn't feel like I connected with anyone. At the end, I was happy that the truth had come out, but I did wish that I could see the effects of this on the twins.

This book was received for free in return for an honest review.

This book focuses on twin sisters that arrive in the United States from a Displaced Persons Camp with the Holocaust still fresh in their minds. The author obviously researched this time period, as the writing is accurate to the time and the characters struggles are ones that would have been experienced by new immigrants to America back then. This was a great book!

Thank you SparkPress via Netgalley for a free e-copy in exchange for an honest review.

We follow a family during the aftermath of WWII, This is a coming of age story after one of the darkest times in History. I enjoyed this book and the concept was different from what I have read before in this era.

The heartbreaking realities of how people were treated, specifically the Jewish people is hard to read about. When you combine what they have gone through and how this affects raising children, it's hard to read. Most of them have PTSD and can't get the help they are needing.

The majority of the story is from Bronka and Johanna's perspective as they grow up. Twin girls whose parents lived through very rough times. The girls not only have a rough time being immigrants but also dealing with their Father's pain that he refuses to talk about. The parents keep things away from the girls, what they had gone through, who was Hitler, and what happened in WWII. This is their story to tell when the time is right.

I enjoyed the story but I do wish the writing had done a lot more showing then telling me what was happening. Overall recommend this one!

This book is a stirring and unforgettable novel looking into the experiences of Jewish immigrants during and after World War II.

Watching the immigrants adjust to life in America after so much horror shows their tremendous resilience and faith in their own customs. The Takeaway Men is a character-driven story with a compelling array of people. However, due to the number of characters in the book, I could not connect to any one person.

I want to commend the author for cleverly weaving in several historical elements, including politics, communism, religion and other prejudices prevalent in society, that were going on at the time. In addition, I learned about Jewish customs and some Yiddish words which are also included in the glossary at the end of the book.

Overall, this is a notable and emotional book about the history of Jewish immigration in post-war America.

Thank you to Ms. Ain for giving me the opportunity to read this book with no expectation of a positive review.

This was a well written, well researched book about how a Jewish family searched to bring normalcy into their lives by immigrating to America to attempt to eradicate their memories of their treatment by the Nazis during WWII.

The Lubinski family - parents and four year old twin daughters move to New York City from a DP camp in Europe to live with cousins and start a new life after surviving the horrors of Europe during WWII. They move into a Jewish neighborhood where many of the families have been affected by the war but each chooses to handle it differently - some will never talk about it and others want to make sure that their past is known. In the Lubinski family, Aron, the father, doesn't want to tell anyone, especially his daughters about his past or the loss of his entire family. He has trouble acclimating to America and retains many of his old ways. His wife, Judy, feels like they should tell their daughters the family history but agrees to keep it a secret at her husband's demands. The twin girls grown up and become totally acclimated to the American life. When they first hear about Hitler at school, they have no idea who he was or the damage he caused and had to go home and ask their parents. Secrets can't remain hidden and when they find out the truth years later, they are totally shocked and they react differently to the secrets of their parents' past.

This book is a different look at WWII. The readers get a look at the long term after effect of the war on a Jewish family that barely survived and mentally re-live much of it their heads. The author did excellent research on the Jewish immigrants during this time period and wrote wonderful characters to convey their reality as they tried to start new lives.

If you enjoy WWII historical fiction read this book to get an intimate look at the long term effects on the survivors of the Holocaust.

Thank you to netgalley and the publisher for the arc of Takeaway men by Meryl Ain,

This follows 2 sisters over 2 decades in two different 2 continents

It began in Kielce, Poland in August of the yeat 1942 where Edita smuggles Jewish children out of the Ghetto and hides Jewish adults in their attic upstairs unknown to her father or she would be in trouble, Her father is a Polish policemen who supported the Nazis against the Jews..... The story is based around the twin sisters Johanna and Bronka who immigrated to the United states from Poland in 1951 to Bellerose in New York.

4 stars!

2 stars. Unfortunately I couldn’t get into this book. I normally love WWII stories but I only made it about 25% through and I was bored. I’m sad to say that because the description sounded so good.

Thanks to NetGalley and SparkPress for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.