Star Crossed by Heather Dune Macadam and Simon Worrell is based on the true life story of Annette Zelman. Annette , the daughter of a Jewish tailor, met her Romeo, Jean Jausion, at the Cafe de Flore while attending art school in Paris. Jausion was a Catholic poet/journalist and neither family was happy about the relationship. When they announced their plans to marry, his family could not accept this Jewish girl as the wife of their beloved son. Jason’s father reported her to the authorities as a means of preventing the marriage. Annette was arrested and deported to Auschwitz where she stayed until her death. Jean was determined to find her and bring her home but he was killed (or committed suicide) during his search.

I was a little disappointed with this book simply because I didn’t feel it came across as represented. I was expecting more on the actual love story of the two lovers and less on the history of the times. I would recommend this book to those wanting a non fiction WWII tale. Not having heard Annette Zelman’s story before, it was interesting to hear about the social conditions in Paris at the time. Not what I was expecting but good none the less.

this was a beautifully done history novel, I enjoyed everything that I read. It had a great writing style and was able to keep me invested from chapter to chapter. I was glad I was able to read this and thought this was well done. Heather Dune Macadam and Simon Worrall had a beautiful writing style and I look forward to reading more from this team.

"Providing the family’s anchor in the turbulent seas of the world’s multiple crises was Kaila, the perfect foil to her flamboyant husband. She practiced a laissez-faire parenting style. “My mother was always very laid-back,” Michele remembers. “‘Go and ask your father,’ she would always say. Nothing bothered her. Even with all the chaos in the apartment, she remained unflustered.”