This is a very interesting read. We hear about Japanese (and other ethnic groups) held in interment camps during WWII, but most have not heard of the German prisoners of war shipped to America and used as field laborers in place of the men off fighting in the war.
This book gives a glimpse into the world of American women and young boys needing POWs to help bring in crops.
America, overall, treated POWs according to the Geneva convention rules. But tyrants, like Hitler and the Japanese could care less about rules.
Also, it’s good to bear in mind that Germans captured early in the war may not have known about or condoned the horrific death camps that came later.
While Hitler fought for the perfect Aryan race, he himself was Austrian and had darker coloring. Desperate for manpower, Hitler “cleansed” Germans who has some Jewish blood to continue his fight.

Season of my Enemy was part of the Heroines of WWII series but is a read alone novel. My father-in-law served in the US Navy during WWII, so all books about that time interest me, and this one was no exception. I learned some new things. Most did not know that some of the captured German soldiers were sent to the US to work in farm fields and canning factories. Help was scarce with so many men in the service overseas.
In this story the O’Brien’s utilized German prisoners to help with the harvest on their farm. The two oldest sons are away at war and there is only Fannie and seventeen year old Jerry to do the work. Although there was no problem with trouble in reality, this author used it to make an interesting and suspenseful storyline. Sabotage begins to happen around the farm but the O’Briens try to look on it as accidental until the ultimate betrayal. Most of the prisoners on their farm are hard workers and thrive under the kindness of the family. But there is one or two….hmmm. An enjoyable time well spent in the reading and I absolutely loved the cover on this book!
I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher through Celebrate Lit but was not required to write a review positive or otherwise.

World War II has changed everything in Fannie’s life. She doesn’t want to complain, however, she didn’t quite sign up to be a farmer. By helping on her family farm, she doesn’t expect the enemy joining her in bringing in the harvest. She has very mixed feelings whether she can trust them. When she gets to know some of them, she realized they are people just like her.

I have read quite a bit about WWII, which I enjoy learning more about. However, I had never heard of the German prisoners helping on farms. As mentioned in the author’s note, the records were destroyed so it isn’t a well-known concept. I was very intrigued by the story and really enjoyed it.

The book was not predictable, which I thoroughly enjoy. One of the biggest compliment I can give an author is the idea that I still think about the book many weeks after I have read it. This book definitely fit the bill for that one. I really enjoyed it!

I would definitely recommend this book. I received a complimentary copy of this book. All opinions are my own and I was not required to leave a positive review.

This fabulous, well-written novel shows aspects of World War II of which I was previously unaware. The author brought to life what it was like for women and children to run the farm, and I learned even more in the Author’s Note. I was blessed by the spiritual lessons that are as relevant today as in the 1940’s. Characters are well defined, as is the setting of the Wisconsin farming community.

Fannie’s older brothers were fighting in Europe when their father passed away. One of her brothers, Dale, had been captured and sent to a German prison camp, and the military didn’t know where Cal was. Fannie, her mother, and her younger siblings, Jerry and Patsy, worked hard to keep the family farm operating. Fannie stopped attending the college for teachers and reduced the hours she worked at the library to handle many of the farm chores. It was interesting to learn about different crops, and I loved the Cobblestones of Confidence Pathway!

There were few, if any, migrant workers in Wisconsin in 1944. German prisoners of war being held at a nearby camp were made available to farms and canneries that needed their labor. At least one guard was at each place using PWs. There were strict rules for their behavior and work. Fannie’s mom arranged for prisoners of war to help maintain and harvest crops. Fannie was angry that her mother would have men on their farm who could have been responsible for Cal’s disappearance or Dale’s capture. Realistically, there was no other way to get the work done. She honored her mother and coordinated the work.

Two of the prisoners were older, Wolf, who had been captain of the PWs, and Leo. Jerry was able to set aside his anger and get along with the men, even with the language difference. Patsy, only thirteen, was usually restricted to the house when prisoners were there, only coming outdoors to bring water or snacks. Fannie saw how hard the soldiers worked and how Jerry got along with them, so she lowered her defenses a bit. Even with unusual occurrences, she found herself interested in one of the men who showed kindness and respect to them, and they began a tentative friendship. Some started to learn English, and some attended their church. Fannie learned more about the men and their families, even praying for them when realizing that, just as Americans were drafted into service, many German soldiers fought because they were required to serve.

This novel is well worth reading for those who appreciate women’s WWII fiction! Fannie and her family immediately pulled me in to the story, and I appreciated Fannie’s feelings. She was horrified when seeing newsreels about the German internment and prison camps. I honestly don’t know how I would respond, especially if I had a loved one in a prison camp, but I don’t think grace would have been my first response. I was very pleased with the conclusion in every way. This novel made me think, as well as showed my attitudes in need of adjusting. I highly recommend this novel, and the rest of Barbour’s Heroines of WWII series to women of all ages who appreciate historical Christian fiction of WWII with sound spiritual lessons and appealing, engaging characters.

From a thankful heart: I received a copy of this novel from the publisher through Celebrate Lit and NetGalley, and this is my honest review.

Season of My Enemy is the first book I’ve read by Naomi Musch. Based on this, I’m not sure I want to read another one. Season of My Enemy takes place in Wisconsin during World War II and is clearly well-researched. Ms. Musch also brings to life the scenery and it is very easy to see the setting and imagine what the characters look like.

However, the story starts off slowly and doesn’t really gain much momentum. The main characters are Fannie O’Brien, a farmer’s daughter in Wisconsin, and Wolfgang Kloninger, a German Prisoner of War who is working on her farm with some other prisoners, and there are some accidents that may or may not be sabotage.

I didn’t actually know that the Germans held prisoner in the US during World War II helped on farms and in factories, so that is an interesting historical detail. Ms. Musch has clearly done a lot of research and it helps the story feel more authentic.

There is a POV in the story that ruins the suspense of the accidents happening on the farm. I also wasn’t concerned that the story wouldn’t have a happy ending. Ms. Musch is a good writer and the characters feel alive, but there were no stakes. Honestly, I was more interested in what happened to her brothers, who are both off fighting in the war when the book opens.

“I know that evil men will have their just reward. I can’t judge the whole human race or even a small part of it by them. None of us can. There were Americans who did wrong too. It was war, and things like that happen in war. Awful things. Things that I hope to God some of those fellows will repent of. But it’s war. And it’s over.”

The above quote is the thesis of the book. It’s a book about the costs of war, at home and at war, and how we are all just humans trying our best. It’s a good message and Ms. Musch clearly gets that point across in the story.

I give this book 3 out of 5 stars. It’s well-written and well-researched, but the suspense of the accidents doesn’t materialize and I didn’t find the characters that interesting.

**I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher, Barbour Books, through CelebrateLit and NetGalley. All opinions are my own.**

Season of My Enemy is written by Naomi Musch. This is part of the Heroines of World War II series that is written by multiple authors. I have really enjoyed this series. I have read all of the books included. They are all stand alone books. I love how well the historic facts are woven into the stories.

In this one, we are transported to a farm in Wisconisn. Fannie and her family have reluctantly taken on German Prisoners of War to assist with their crops. Fannie's dad passed away and her two older brothers are overseas. Their crops are their livelihood and they know they need the extra hands to make deadlines happen. Fannie finds herself disliking them as soon as they arrive. What she starts to realize is that they are human beings too - and some of them did not want to serve, but were told. She slowly finds herself disliking them less and less.

Then a sabotage act happens. Can she strust these men? Especially Captain Wolf who has started to warm her heart. Will her family's farm be ruined? What about Captain Wolf and his men as they slowly start realizing the horrors that the Nazis have done.

I really loved this story. I was pulled in within the first few pages and did not want to put it down. I liked seeing World War II from a farm in Wisconsin. Farmers had to deal with all sorts of new obstacles. I felt the story was historically accurate. The characters are well written. I could see the scenes play in my head.

Thank you to the author, publisher and Celebrate Lit for allowing me to be a part of this tour - all thoughts are my own.

“vIctory BegIns on the Farm! overalls are your unIForm!”

“They are my enemies, no matter how many courtesies we share or how hard they work. I must never forget it.”

Wow!! I had never read anything by Naomi Musch before Season of My Enemy, but what a powerful book that tells of some of the unknown history of the home front during WWII. Part of Barbour’s Heroines of WWII series, Musch tells of a Wisconsin farm family, whose father has died and oldest brothers are serving in Europe. Unable to keep the farm running on their own, the O’Brien family is forced to ask for workers from the local German PW(prisoner of war) camp to help with the harvest.

Most of us are quite familiar with “love your neighbor,” and “treat others the way you want to be treated,” but Musch forces us to place ourselves in each family member’s shoes: the mother, Fannie, Jerry, Patsy, and others. How would we react to being dependent on the enemy? Could we trust them? Could we see the PWs as individuals, caught up in something bigger than themselves, or would we, like Fannie, endeavor to hold on to hatred and prejudice?

I loved the reality of the family’s struggle. Just as I would think they all overcoming their fears, events or people would influence them to hold onto their deep bitterness.

I also loved the mom’s path of cobblestones. What a wonderful idea!!

If you like a strong, well-told story of those left behind at home in WWII, you will enjoy this story of uncovered history, faith, slight romance, and intrigue!

I received a copy of this book from the author through Celebrate Lit via NetGalley. No positive review was required, and all opinions are my own.

Notable Quotables:

“We are not involved in a war of ideals. It is a war of hatred.”

“Pray for me, Jerry. I want to believe the best—concerning most of them anyway. They seem like us. Just men stuck in a bad situation.”

“Showing kindness might be the best way to keep them all safe.”

“I pray for all of them. I pray for peace.” “That’s how you manage, isn’t it?”

“Such hatred is a poison, and there is nothing about it that can be understood…”
“Only God can change the heart of man.”

I knew some World War II prisoners of war were brought to the United States, but I didn’t realize they were hired out to work on farms, under guard, of course. In this compelling historical novel, a Wisconsin farm family must seek help from German POWs in order to survive. Could they truly trust these enemies, or will these men try to sabotage the US war efforts? So plunge into this unconventional war story and explore the nuances of relationships among family, friends, and former enemies. The realistic characters and intriguing plot add depth to the touching story from the pages of history. Can one of the prisoners hope to find love with an American farm girl? The uncertainty of the future makes things seem topsy-turvy, and who knows what to expect? This book would make a good choice for a book club discussion. I received a copy from Celebrate Lit. all opinions are my own.

This story was another unique World War II novel that takes place on a Wisconsin farm instead of out on the battlefields. Fannie's dreams of being a teacher and just about everything else has come to a complete stop. War has come and even though she is in the United States, it has touched her family. Fannie is trying her best with her mother and two younger siblings to keep their farm going. Her late father loved the land, but the workers are few. That is until her mother decides to let the local German POW's do the needed work on the farm.

Fannie is not sure about this set up, even though they desperately need the help. She is not fond of these prisoners as one of her brothers is a prisoner of theirs's and her other brother is missing due to this war with the Germans. However, Fannie does learn that not all of these men are cut from the same cloth and so little by little she lets go of her prejudice.

This was an interesting story of a family's survival here in the State's and the author's notes on the POW's prison camps here in the USA was chock full of historical information that I was not fully aware of. I enjoyed this different perspective on the war.

I was provided a copy of this novel from the publisher. I was not required to post a positive review and all views and opinions are my own.

We have to let that be our flame - the flame to keep going in spite of the war.

It was interesting to learn that many farms in the USA used German POWs to work their fields and harvest the crops. After all, with most of the young men and many of the fathers seeking victory in Europe or the Pacific theater, there were no workers to plant and gather except the women and children. The food was obviously needed at home and also on the frontlines.

How was one to know who could be trusted and who they should be wary of? This dilemma faced Fannie and her young brother, Jerry, the only ones left on the farm in Wisconsin besides their mother and young sister. With a great deal of detail, the author shows us what was involved in this venture and how easily it could have turned out differently if the workers had nefarious ideas. Another chance to learn about the Heroines of WWII, this story brings history to life.

An early copy was received through Barbour Publishing, CelebrateLit and NetGalley. These thoughts and impressions are my own and were in no way solicited.

3.5 Stars

In Season of My Enemy, Naomi Musch not only brings readers to life in the states during World War II but also delivers a story of growth and letting go of resentments for the characters.

Two of Fannie’s brothers are fighting in the war leaving her and her younger brother to keep their Wisconsin farm running. When their mother decides to bring in some help through German POWs, Fannie isn’t happy about it. These men were, after all, on the opposite side of the war as her family.
Musch does a good job of showing both the opposition to the workers and those who support the work the men are doing through a few characters. As Fannie and her family work alongside the men, her heart begins to change toward them.

For myself, the romance wasn’t a developed as I would have preferred. The main characters hardly talk to each other through half of the book and then are separated later. It’s not impossible for someone to fall in love with someone they watch and discover is a good person or to fall in love through letters, I just wanted more.

Overall, Season of My Enemy gives readers a lesson in measuring a man by his character and not his nationality and of being willing to admit our prejudices and change them.

Disclosure statement: I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book and was not required to write a positive or negative review. All opinions are my own.

If there was ever a book that needed to be made into a movie this is the one. I can’t express all the emotions I went through as the story unfolded before me. There are many historical fiction books out there about WWII but never one that shares both sides so well as this one does. The author held my attention from the beginning page till the very last word that ended the story. I loved how the author captures both sides of the war in a way I’ve never read before.

Fannie was such a strong character with determination to keep her family’s farm running while her two brothers were off at war. I was very surprised about the PW camps that were in Wisconsin where Germans were being held. I love when an author unearths little known historical facts that unveil details many do not know about. I can understand why Fannie was not pleased to learn that German prisoners were coming to the farm to help them harvest their crops. It would be unsettling to have your enemy on your land and feel safe.

While I did like the way her family was willing to have the prisoners work on the farm, I was a bit hesitant for Fannie as I could sense her uneasiness. Reading over the author’s notes at the end opened my eyes to what both sides went through. Fannie can feel some of the prisoners stare at her in a way that made her feel uncomfortable. It was hard to read how a few of the prisoners had unclean thoughts about her and her younger sister. This part of the story bothered me yet I knew that it had most likely happened to women who worked beside the prisoners during the war.

The prejudice is very evident in the story and the author exposes it in a way that everyone can relate to. Fannie finds herself trying not to think of the workers as humans but only the enemy who is there to do hard labor. With Fannie’s brother coming home from the war, it was hard to keep peace between the prisoners and her brother. The hate in his heart for them is very much felt as he sits on the porch with a weapon ready for anything. This is where the author opens the door for readers to examine their hearts as it is apparent that there is danger soon to come.

I don’t want to share anything more that happens in the story so that I don’t ruin the impact it will have on many. There is an emphasis on faith as well as trust in the story that flows with an illustration of what prejudice can do to a person’s heart. The details of how both American and German soldiers were treated in prison camps is hard to read. Yet the truth is needed to forgive our enemies and find that love conquers all. It has been years since this war took place but I can see that even today prejudice still exists. One thing I remember vividly in the story was that some of the men who were fighting in the war didn’t agree with what their side was doing. The horrible treatment in some of the camps were thought to be inhumane. My point is this, when will we forgive our ancestors and learn to live together in harmony like God designed us to do? Why must we continue to treat others with hate for something that happened years ago? Will we ever see the day when we work together without prejudice?

I received a copy of this book from Celebrate Lit. The review is my own opinion.

Did you know 371.000 German prisoners of war were in camps in the United States during World War II? You will enjoy learning about a group of men from one camp who were "hired" to do farm work while the family's older sons were overseas fighting in the war! I admired Fannie who leaves college to do what would have been men's work and supervise work on the farm. Fannie's mother is mourning the sudden death of her husband and dealing with not hearing from her two sons who are overseas while keeping her home together for her three younger children. The prisoners and Americans both have mixed emotions about each other as they wonder who to trust. I recommend Season of My Enemy to others. I received a copy of the book from Barbour Publishing and NetGalley. This is my honest opinion.

A tale of family, faith, and friendship on the home front of Wisconsin.

Fannie and her family are working hard to keep their family farm afloat while 2 of her brothers are away, and the recent death of her father. To help fill the gaps their absences have left they take on a group of German POW workers. This book does a good job of showing the sacrifices that the families at home made during the war. Fannie is hard working and does her best to give others the benefit of the doubt, I liked how she helped her younger siblings, as well as how they grew up with the responsibilities of the farm.

Overall this was an an enjoyable read, I loved how the O'Brien family worked together and was especially impressed with how Jerry grew up over the course of the story. A little slower to start for me, but picked up as I became more invested in the characters. A wonderful historical read full of faith, family and friendship.

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own

Season of My Enemy was a book I took a chance on liking. I have never read anything by Naomi Musch before, but this sounded like it would be an interesting story, so I gave it a go. I ended up really enjoying this book, and I’ll be interested to read more by this author in the future.
Fannie was doing her best to hold the farm together with the help of her younger brother Jerry. Last year, she had been a beautiful young lady in normal school. Now, with her two older brothers overseas, one a prisoner of the Germans and the other missing in action, and her father dead, life was much different. How could they possibly keep up with all the work on their farm in Wisconsin, supplying vegetables to the canneries? Mom came up with a solution. Despite her objections, Fannie found herself working alongside German prisoners of war.
There is no way Fannie could trust these PWs. They were part of the nation that had made her lose her brothers and her father! As the summer went on, however, she found herself watching and admiring the leader of their German crew, despite her determination to remain aloof. Mysterious problems made her wonder…. What was going on?

I find it very interesting that it is hard to find information about the German POWs working on farms in the United States. I do remember hearing, when I was a little girl, that that had happened in my area of Michigan.  The way I remember hearing it, the German prisoners were used for cheap labor on farms, picking fruits and vegetables. After the war, after they went back to Europe, Mexican migrant workers started coming to take up the slack. In Season of My Enemy, it was the other way around, which makes me wonder whether it was different in Wisconsin, or whether I remember wrong, or whether this author got something confused a little bit. Anyway, I found the story very interesting on a number of levels. Of course, I enjoy the history part of it, because that’s who I am. I also liked seeing how Fannie’s perspective of the PWs changed, and how she learned to forgive and to see past stereotypes to view people as they really were.

I received a review copy of this book from NetGalley, and these are my honest thoughts about it.
WARNING: Chapter 7: Jeepers. Chapter 12: Gee. Chapter 15: the darn beans. Chapter 21: a man attacks a girl. Chapter 28 (last page): a kiss is described.

Interesting and Heartwarming:
What a delightful book! The story was unique and moved along at a good pace. As with the rest of this series, I enjoyed seeing a less well known aspect of the war and this time it was German POW farm labourers working in the USA.
I enjoyed the bit of mystery and suspense with the saboteur but overall it was the personal interactions that shone the brightest. I liked that it revealed the conflicted feelings that many people must have had during that time. It was great that it didn't shy away from pondering difficult questions, yet there was still a touch of peace and hope that glittered throughout and kept the book from becoming too dreary or heavy. There was a light Christian thread which could have been developed more, however as it stands this book could be enjoyed by people of all faiths.
I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review. All opinions expressed are solely my own.

Book: Season of My Enemy

Series:Heroines of WWII
Author: Naomi Musch
Publisher: Barbour Publishing
Publishing Date: June 1, 2022

My interest in this book: The cover first grabbed my attention and Naomi Musch is a new author for me. The back cover copy also grabbed my attention: Only last year Fannie O’Brien’s future shone bright, despite the war pounding Europe. Since her father’s sudden death however, with one older brother captured and the other missing, Fannie has had to handle the work of three men on their 200-acre farm, with only her mother and two younger siblings to help. That is until eight German prisoners arrive as laborers and, as Fannie feared, trouble comes with them.

Crops take precedence, even as accidents and mishaps happen around the farm. Are they leading to something more sinister? Suspicion grows that a saboteur may be among them. Fannie is especially leery of the handsome German captain who seems intent on cracking her defenses. Can she manage the farm and hold her family together through these turbulent times, all while keeping the prisoners—and her heart—in line?

Type of book: WWII America, Wisconsin; Historical Fiction

Favorite quote: "It was as though her mind was so full, she couldn't sort through it all, and just that single world leaked out to make space."

When I finished the book I felt: satisfied.

Overall: Tension! I love a book that gives me a lot of tension and Naomi and her team did a fantastic job building the it up on multiple fronts. You get relational tensions, you get cultural tension, you get personal tension, reader tension. (Maybe I should start rating books on their tension level instead of just star ratings, I love it so much.) Yes, there were some editorial things (her "heart screamed," word/voices "brushed" her; one "head hoping" moment; and a few other "I don't think that would happen" moments), but overall this is a fine read. I would recommend it to friends.

Bookshelf worthy? YES.

Teenability: This is a clean read for both parent and teen.

Extras: https://www.pinterest.com/nmusch/seas...

Thank you to Barbour for the advance copy in order to do an honest review.

This was a great book…I’ve read a lot of WW2 novels but this is the first one I’ve read about German prisoners working. I never knew that happened, so it was great to read about. This book is about a family whose two sons are off fighting in the war, and the ones left on the farm need help bringing in the crops. The Germans from the near by prison come to work. There’s a lot of distrust on both sides, though they all have suffered and dealt with war in different ways.
This is a page turner and a very enjoyable read! I would defiantly read another book by Naomi Dawn Musch…Her writing style has the perfect flow for me!

Very descriptive novel, I found a little slow to start and wondered where the story was heading. But I soon found that I didn’t want to put it down. Loved all the Characters except Leo! Loved the way Naomi pulled the conflict of the characters together and how the boys learned from working together. A great read with good research to ensue the reader feels they are in the script.

This was a interesting book. It was about a girl named Fannie who was only 16 and her family. It was after her father died. She had to help plant crops to help raise money. She had from the PWs help to plant crops to help keep the farm growing.. cal one of her brothers just back from the war at first he was deaf that was a hard lesson for them how to cope with a deaf person who was in a war. Eventually as they all worked together they helped keep thr crops alive and to keep the farm alive.