Chasing Shadows by Lynn Austin

 The incomparable Lynn Austin is back with a WWII-era novel that left this reader sobbing and feeling all the emotions. Chasing Shadows is one that I didn't want to rush through and took about a week to read. This, from a reader who can devour a book in a day. It was rich in history, weaving facts with fiction, creating a deep story that reminds us how bad things can get when dictators are allowed to push their agendas. 

Three women, tied together through blood and friendship, all doing what they can to survive and help others survive. Pushed further than they thing they are able to be. I can't imagine what was witnessed during this time but this book gives a vague idea of the horror that was imposed on millions. 

Millions.

It's unreal to think of but important to remember. My tears are nothing compared to what they went through.

From the back cover:

The lives of three women change instantly when the Nazis invade the neutral Netherlands, forcing them into a complicated dance of choice and consequence. 

Lena is a wife and mother who farms alongside her husband in the tranquil countryside. Her faith has always been her compass, but can she remain steadfast when the questions grow increasingly complex and the answers could mean the difference between life and death?

Lena's daughter Ans has recently moved to the bustling city of Leiden, filled with romantic notions of a new job and a young Dutch police officer. But when she is drawn into Resistance work, her idealism collides with the dangerous reality that comes with fighting the enemy. 

Miriam is a young Jewish violinist who immigrated for the safely Holland offered. She finds love in her new country, but as her family settles in Leiden, the events that follow will test them in ways she never imagined.

The Nazi invasion propels these women into paths that cross in unexpected, sometimes-heartbreaking ways. Yet the story that unfolds illuminates the surprising endurance of the human spirit and power of faith and love to carry us through.

This book is coming soon from Tyndale.