We all know I am a sucker for a historical fiction! Here is my latest one, thanks to @netgalley. Comes out Tuesday!
In 1943, Eva is spending her summer in Sopron, Hungary while she plans her wedding. She didn’t expect to meet Aleandro, a charming Romani fiddler. Soon they fall deeply in love but soon a separated by a brutal act. This book follows both characters throughout WWII, 1956 Hungarian Uprising, to the 1990s.
I love a book where I can learn a little. While I have read lots of WWII books, I think this is the first one set in Hungary and I didn’t know anything about the 1956 uprising. I flew though this book. I am not a huge love triangle fan, and this one included one. It lost some for me there since I wasn’t really rooting for Aleandro. Overall, I enjoyed this one!

Historical Fiction is one of my favourite genres and ever since I read and enjoyed Roxanne Veletzos' debut The Girl They Left Behind in 2018, I've been eager for her to write another book.

Her latest book, When The Summer Was Ours publishes this coming week and follows young star-crossed lovers who live near Budapest, Hungary in the mid 1940's. Eva is a well-to-do young woman who is engaged to a doctor and Aleandro is a Romani artist who becomes Eva's unexpected love interest. Veletzos shows the couple's struggles, how the Romani were treated at the time and the atmosphere in Hungary during WWII and afterwards when the country was under Soviet occupation.

As with her previous book, my favourite part of the book was Veletzos' focus on the aftereffects of the war and that despite the end of a war, people continue to struggle for years. The main characters each have their own flaws, but Aleandro easily outshone Eva who was a hard character to connect with. The story itself is sweet (if a bit predictable), slowly paced and unfortunately falls victim to 'too much telling and not enough showing'. This is a story filled with tragedy and ill-fated lovers, but the emotional elements felt skimmed over leaving me with a story that didn't have the impact I was anticipating.

When The Summer Was Ours is a Historical Fiction read with themes of romance and resiliency that stays on the lighter side of the genre. While it fell a bit short for me in its emotion and grit, it gives readers an interesting perspective and I feel this lighter historical fiction read will appeal to fans of Kristin Harmel, Kelly Rimmer and Natasha Lester.

My sincere thanks to Atria Books for my advanced copy of this book given in exchange for my honest review.

It’s 1943 and twenty-year old Eva is preparing to marry Eduard, a kind young doctor who is working for the Red Cross as Germany expands its occupation across Europe. Eva has lived a sheltered, charmed life in Bucharest, Hungary. With her wedding approaching, Eva travels to her family’s country estate in Sopron for the summer. There she meets Aleandro, a young, charming Romani (“gypsy”) who is a fiddler and an artist. While they are from two different social classes, they form a close bond and fall in love. Yet their time together is short-lived and they are separated. The Germans soon overtake Hungary and the Nazis deport all people deemed undesirable, including the Romani.

Eva has no choice but to try and rebuild her life and vows to help others. Aleandro and his family cannot escape Nazi persecution but his memory of Eva gives him the will to survive. This beautiful story takes the reader from the horrors of the war, to post-war Hungary and the struggles the country continued to face.

When the Summer Was Ours is a heartbreaking story of two people torn apart by circumstance. It is rare for a book centered around World War Two to reflect the experiences in Hungary and tell of the Romani people, which makes this book especially interesting. Author Roxanne Veletzos, through extensive research and family history, does an excellent job creating a sense of what people were experiencing during and after the war. And keeps us wondering if the two people who loved so deeply will ever see each other again.

Pack some Kleenex and enjoy.

Rated 4.25 stars.

This is a love story that begins in Hungary, 1943. As Eva’s wedding date approaches, she goes to relax at her family’s country home. While there she befriends a gypsy who sweeps her off her feet. A tragic event and World War II then interrupts their lives and Eva is left with neither man in her life, at least for a little while. Whereas their lives all go in different directions, eventually their paths will cross again. But which man is her heart’s true love? Time will tell.

This is the first WW II historical fiction I’ve read that takes place in Hungary. The city streets of Budapest and the small country town of Sopron make a beautiful setting, especially for a love story. There is sadness and heartbreak but there is also love, courage, and determination. I definitely recommend this one.

Thank you to Atria Books and NetGalley for an advance copy in exchange for an honest review.

I really wanted to love this book. However, I felt that I could predict many aspects of the plot and that made me lose interest in the story. The characters had so much potential, but I felt like sometimes they fell a bit flat. Maybe it was just because the story took place over such a long period of time, but some of the decisions and actions of the characters seemed to be instant rather than gradually developed with conflict.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Another World War II book, but set in a country that I haven't read a ton about and really felt war adjacent then full on Nazi Germany war book. Eva Cesar comes from a great family and while she had last her mother, she wants for little and is waiting for her betrothed to come home, but a chance meeting with an artist will send her life down an unlikely path.

While this book took place a lot during this time period, there were parts that took it to a post war place and while Hungary had post war occupation and some other things that were interesting to learn while reading this book, it didn't feel like the typical war book only in that separated characters at times for different reasons.

Eva was a great character to follow. She was right down the middle - not too innocent where you rolled your eyes at her idealism, but not jaded in that she had hope for the future. I loved the ups and downs that she went through and while at times I may have disagreed with the decisions she made, I still enjoyed reading her story.

And while I am caught up with her two novels, I have hopes that she keeps coming out with more and more historical novels with women at the center.

When the Summer Was Our is a heartfelt historical romance by Roxanne Veletzos.
If you enjoy stories that take place during World War II, you will enjoy this one, especially as it's set in Hungary.
This is a story of Eva who falls in love while engaged to another man.
It's a story of class differences, and choosing between love or financial stability.
This story is riveting and I was engrossed throughout.
Two lovers separated by war. Enough said. Be prepared to cry.
In the end, it's a beautiful story that left me feeling every emotion. And it crushed my heart completely.
I definitely recommend this one when you're in the mood for an emotional war time love story.
This story fully explores that the world is a cruel place and we all do what we have to do to survive.

Thanks to Atria/Washington Square Press for an advanced copy of When the Summer Was Ours.

I was drawn to this by the Hungarian background from WWII to the Uprising in 1956 as I love reading historical fiction for areas I'm not as familiar.

I struggled with this one as it was such a slow beginning and I never really cared for the main character Eva so I never became invested in the book. I DNFd it at about 45% in.

Thoroughly enjoyed this title, though I was doubtful at first thinking it might be simply another predictable romance with a bit of history thrown in. Anything but! The characters were all quite real, with flaws and strengths. All set against the accurately portrayed reality of Hungary during and after WWII.

I enjoyed this novel over a weekend vacation because it was so full of heart. The historical aspects add to the heartbreak and character building and make for a compelling plot. I’m thankful for what I learned about Budapest during and after the war as I learned lots. I most enjoyed the depth of character in the book’s protagonist Eva.

This was a really sweet love story told during WW2. We follow our main character, Eva throughout the war and after as she navigates relationships with 2 different men. I could feel her struggle and love for her daughter throughout the novel. My heart broke for her as she was balancing many different decisions throughout the book. When the Summer was Ours was just an okay story to me. It never wow’d me, but I was definitely interested in seeing where it was going.

Thank you to NetGalley and Atria Books for the opportunity to read and review this novel.

I could not put this book down and stayed up way too late to finish this. The story started during the last few years of WWII in Hungary and then followed the 2 main characters for the remainder of their lives. I loved both Eva and Aleandro's characters and their alternating points of view. Like any WWII novel, this book was heartbreaking and tough to read at times, but had a message of hope that life can always begin again. I haven't read many WWII novels that take place in Hungary, so that was an interesting perspective for me to learn about as well. Thank you to Netgalley and Atria Books for the ARC.

The Hallmark Channel proudly presents: WORLD WAR II.

This book is...not for me. For starters, SHOW don't TELL. Again, this is a book that had the potential to be an in-depth saga, but the majority of it is written passively. Characters don't interact--they think about the one time they interacted and the reader is just forced to assume that feelings are generally felt. Everything is glossed over. The characters are flat stereotypes: perfect cinnamon roll falls in love with high society girl WHO WANTS MORE out of her life but TRADGEDY forces them apart and she instead marries the stuffed animal who does nothing but support her dreams and ambitions, but doesn't inspire THAT SPARK...

There's no depth to this. 300 pages of World War II, Dachau, and Soviet occupation, and it's as shallow as a puddle.

I love historical fiction novels, especially those with a strong romance theme. I was also drawn to this book because it was told from a point of view that I hadn't read before. Thank you, NetGalley.

This book gripped my heart! The characters were so well developed and likeable that I prayed for a turn of events and their good fortune throughout the entire book. The town of Sopron and the other places in Hungary were like characters themselves in how well I was able to visualize them. Roxanne Veletzos really knows how to awaken your senses with her words to bring you right into the setting with her characters to see, hear, taste, smell and touch everything they experience. By the end, I was sobbing uncontrollably and filled with so many emotions. That is a sign of a well done book, a book that makes you live and breathe the characters' journeys so much so that you feel what they feel. This story was very fast paced and I was so wrapped up in the book that I finished it in less than 36 hours. I devoured it and long for more from this author!

I also appreciate that Roxanne uses true events in Hungarian history and from her family background to weave her beautiful tales.

A beautiful story about the impact of World War II and it's aftermath on the people of Hungary. When the Summer Was Ours is historical fiction unlike any that I've read before; following Eva Cesar and detailing the impact of World War II on lesser known places such as Budapest and Sopron as well as the impact on the Romani Culture of Hungary, this story captivated me instantly. A heartbreaking story of love, resilience and the sacrifices we make to save those we love. The Notebook meets Tattooist of Auschwitz meets Lilac Girls, this is a fantastic novel for any romance or historical fiction lover.

What I loved:

I've not read much about the Romani culture or their experience during WWII and Veletzos beautifully captured their culture while making me want to learn more.

Eva's character is strong and smart and uses those traits to make a positive impact on the world. She has no problem sacrificing her own safety or security for those she loves and it was profound to read about. I'm always here for a strong heroine.

The relationship between Rufus and Aleandro. Veletzos beautifully wrote about the power of human connection and relationships as a tool for belonging and survival.

A heartbreaking story of lives interrupted during WWII.

The time is 1943 in Sopron, Hungary. Eva spends the summer in Sopron awaiting her marriage to Eduard, a Red Cross doctor. A chance meeting with a young fiddle player named Aleandro changes everything and sets in motion choices for Eva that will last the rest of her life.

The story follows Aleandro through Dachau concentration camp and Eva through her time surviving in Hungary and rebuilding her life.

Although she has a good life with Eduard and loves him she never forgets the love she found with Aleandro and it is never far from her mind. Aleandro meanwhile tries to rebuild his life in America after the camp is librated and the war is over, but no one ever is the same as Eva. As his friend Rudolf told him in the camp "The body is just a vessel, It is the mind that cannot be destroyed."

The story is heartbreaking and sad from beginning to end. I loved the descriptions of the country of Hungary and the places described in the book. It was very interesting about the hospital during the war and the uprising against the Soviets after the war was over. I learned some new history.

The book was true to life, the characters were very well written and relatable to the story. Dora the maid that befriended Eva, the domineering father, and the two men in Eva's life, Aleandro and Eduard.

I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book and I would recommend it.

Thanks to Roxanne Veletzos, Atria Books and NetGalley for providing me with a complimentary copy for my honest review.

Reviews posted
Goodreads: July 25, 2021
Storygraph: July 25, 2021
TikTok @meghanlew_: July 25,2021

I have such mixed feelings on this book. Part of me really likes and the other thinks it was really boring. Seriously I almost DNFed it after the first quarter, luckily it did get better.

The first half of the book seemed to drag on forever. Also during this time I did not care or have any attachment to the main character Eva. Actually if I’m being honest there was never a point in the book that I cared for her story. On the other hand Aleandor’s story was completely captivating and I cared more about his family and struggles than about the romance.

While the romance was the main focus of the book, I really could care less about it. No matter what was happening to the characters I didn’t care if they ended up together or not. For me wha really shined about this book was showing the different struggles people have during a time of war. And how each person deals with things differently.

I also enjoyed the time jumps in this book. I think I showed that just because the fighting of a war is over doesn’t actually mean it is over. And that the trauma that comes with war will last decades.

Overall I think the book was just okay. Nothing about it really blew me out of the water or touched me heart. The pacing was just okay and the only one of the main characters really shown.

Thanks to NetGalley for an ARC of this book.

The characters were interesting to learn about and they felt very flawed and real. I felt like I could connect with them as people and not just as characters

I think the way that this story was divided into multiple parts was a little jarring, I would have preferred fewer parts and more depth in general.

It was interesting to see WW2 from another point of view, one that often isn't depicted.

This five-star read is definitely a book to be savoured, observed and appreciated! Set in WW2 Hungary and the turbulent days of the Hungarian Revolution, “When The Summer Was Ours” is a tale of survival, reinvention and the indestructible resilience of first love.

In the summer of 1943, Eva César arrives at her aristocratic family’s estate in the village of Sopron to enjoy her last days as a single woman. Looking forward to escaping her domineering father, Eva spends her time planning her wedding to a Red Cross Doctor, Eduard Kovaks.

Her life takes a change of direction one summer afternoon when she meets Aleandro Szabo, a charming Romani fiddler and artist. Separated by class, circumstance and tragedy, the destiny of these two star-crossed lovers is reshaped and the impact is echoed in three generations of women.

Veletzsos writes so beautifully. Her words seep into your soul affecting every cell and bone in your body; you forget about everything else in life while you are hanging out with Eva and Aleandro. I didn’t want the engrossing tale to end despite feeling the loss and heart ache. The author draws on early experience living in Eastern Europe and bases her characters on real life people; Dr. Andras Seibrigir as Eduard Kovaks, and Kalman Aron as Aleandro Szabo.

I love historical fiction and was excited to read this book set during the Hungarian uprising – a setting rarely used in wartime fiction. I learned about the Romani; not only of their bohemian existence but also of their cruel fate during WW2. One quarter of Europe’s Roma reportedly perished at the hands of the Nazis.

From rural Hungary in the early 1940s, to Budapest in the late 1980s, to modern-day New York city, this is an epic tale of the impact of war on civilian life, the toll of secrets, the endurance of the human spirit and a reminder that renewal can spring from the ashes. It needs to be on your radar come August 24, 2021.

I was gifted this advance copy by Roxanne Veletzos, Atria Books and NetGalley and was under no obligation to provide a review.