A Writer's Review of “For Such a Time” by Kate Breslin

{My Review}

 For Such A Time was the very last book I read before giving birth to my firstborn at the end of March... so I apologize that my review is a little late... and that my blog looks as though it's been abandoned. 

I am still reading--and now that I'm no longer pregnant--writing again. I actually had a very difficult time concentrating on writing AND reading while I was pregnant. Part of it was that I have ADD in the first place... but then there was the whole brain-shrinkage thing that happens when a woman's body is building a new human. So yeah, I didn't have a very productive last nine months. It was so hard to get into books--even ones by my favorite authors. But I still tried. And in that trying, I decided to read a bunch of debut authors. 

Kate Breslin wasn't anyone I'd ever heard of before, but once I saw her book cover advertised and read the description of the novel, I knew I needed to read it. It's a story set in the time of WWII based on the story of Esther in the Bible. And believe it or not, the hero is actually a Nazi officer in charge of sending Jews from his concentration camp to Auschwitz. 

I read the first few chapters of For Such a Time online at a website called Scribd.com after I saw it advertised on Facebook by one of my friends. I seriously did not want to stop reading. I was hooked and I knew I needed to find a way to get my hands on the book so I could finish it. Fortunately, I was offered a copy soon after and basically devoured it the day it came in the mail. 

I don't think there was anything I didn't like about this book--which doesn't usually happen. It's written so deeply I could hardly remember from when I read those first chapters whether it was written in third person or first person POV. The characterization of Stella was so flawless... she was everything she needed to be in her particular kind of situation... and yet it was completely believable that she--a fair-haired Jew with false papers--would somehow fall in love with Aric the Nazi officer. I loved how the author took such a moving story from the Bible and rewrote it into another time. It was perfect.   

For Such a Time by Kate Breslin currently has a rating of 4.38 out of 5 stars (from 73 ratings) on Goodreads. I was given a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This book came out April 1, 2014.
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{About For Such a Time}

In 1944, blonde and blue-eyed Jewess Hadassah Benjamin feels abandoned by God when she is saved from a firing squad only to be handed over to a new enemy. Pressed into service by SS-Kommandant Colonel Aric von Schmidt at the transit camp of Theresienstadt in Czechoslovakia, she is able to hide behind the false identity of Stella Muller. However, in order to survive and maintain her cover as Aric's secretary, she is forced to stand by as her own people are sent to Auschwitz.

Suspecting her employer is a man of hidden depths and sympathies, Stella cautiously appeals to him on behalf of those in the camp. Aric's compassion gives her hope, and she finds herself battling a growing attraction for this man she knows she should despise as an enemy.

Stella pours herself into her efforts to keep even some of the camp's prisoners safe, but she risks the revelation of her true identity with every attempt. When her bravery brings her to the point of the ultimate sacrifice, she has only her faith to lean upon. Perhaps God has placed her there for such a time as this, but how can she save her people when she is unable to save herself?

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{About the Author}

A Florida girl and former bookseller, Kate Breslin migrated to the Pacific Northwest where she lives with her husband and a very spoiled cat named Coco. Kate has written travel articles, published award-winning poetry, and her first manuscript was an RWA Golden Heart finalist. FOR SUCH A TIME is her debut novel; now that she's writing inspirational romance, Kate enjoys creating stories that show how God's love can bring two hearts together. When not plotting the next novel, Kate can be found with her nose in a book or taking long nature walks in Washington's many beautiful forests. She also likes to travel and see new places--great for finding the next story idea!
 
She'd love to hear from you! Please stop by and say hello at www.katebreslin.com.

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Romantic Times Book Reviews Top Pick -- “Breslin's debut novel is a must read. The compassionate soul of the protagonist set against the horrific background of WWII concentration camps provides a hauntingly beautiful portrait of the best and worst of mankind. From the first page to the last, readers will be captivated by this story.”