This was a beautiful book that transported me to 19th-century Switzerland. I didn't realise that Peter and Amalia Britt were real people who lived in Switzerland and immigrated to the United States.

My favourite part of this book was the focus on women’s roles in society and how it was often correlated with religion. I liked the way the author explored the lack of control and autonomy women experienced and that they were required to obey God, their father and their husband with little regard for their own wants and desires.

Overall, I enjoyed this book and the way the author was able to create a beautiful, yet heartbreaking, story of life in a small village in the Swiss Alps.

This is the first in what is to be an historical fiction series, Where Lost Dreams Awaken, inspired by the lives of Amalia Grob and Peter Britt.

In 1840s Glarus, Switzerland, Amalia meets Peter. Even though she is just approaching her teens, she knows she loves him and wants to marry him. Unfortunately, in those days, a young woman had to have her father’s permission to marry. Herr Grob is a stern, devout man who wants his daughter to make the best match possible to secure her future, and Peter is not it. As she matures, Amalia’s love for Peter only grows. When her father learns of their plans to marry, he forbids it, and she ends up marrying her cousin, Karl Grob. Meanwhile, the destructive foehn winds wreak havoc on the livelihoods of many in the local community, prompting some to seek salvation in emigration to America.

Atmospheric, beautifully descriptive, and well researched, the author paints an accurate portrait of those times. As a Swiss descendant with numerous visits to Switzerland, I was impressed by the enduring relevance of many of the traditions depicted in the book. Indeed, I find myself indulging in a slice of birnbrot whenever I return to the country.

For a captivating and immersive narrative that delves into the life of the Swiss mountains in the 19th century, accompanied by a heartwarming true-life romance saga, don’t miss this charming read. I look forward to the next installment, eager to read of the remarkable journeys of Amalia Grob and Peter Britt, who went on to become a noted photographer and vintner in Oregon.