4 and 1 / 2 stars

This is a remarkable book.

Stephanie a forty-something advertising executive and mother of two goes to a 1940’s reenactment fair with her son and husband. On a whim she purchases some old love letters from the World War II. Amongst them she finds a letter from a mother pleading for assistance for her family. It was written from a concentration camp in France. She has a young son called Isadore who is just four years old.

She investigates and eventually meets up with Isadore, called “Izzy” by his friends. He is a charming seventy-five year old man who lives just two hours away from Stephanie. They become fast friends.

Stephanie comes to help Izzy find some peace with his past. She takes him to meet the French woman who rescued him from the camps. But he still doesn’t know what happened to his parents. He only knows, and Stephanie can only find out that they were shipped to Auschwitz.

This book takes the reader on a delightful journey through remembrance and friendship. With them come all the pain, joy and nostalgia the making of such memories can bring.

The book is very well written and plotted. I simply loved it! The story moves along apace and the transitions are well done. I am anxiously looking forward to reading the next book that Ms. Smolkin publishes.

I want to thank Netgalley and Linda Smolkin for forwarding to me a copy of this most wonderful book to read.