The Deepest Pit
The Good German Girl by Erica Marie Hogan is a very powerful historical novel that will consume you as you read.
The novel is set in 1944 alternating between the voices of an American soldier and a German girl. The reader travels from Omaha beach eastwards and from Berlin to Auschwitz. An invisible thread unites the two main characters.
Not all Germans were Nazis and not all Americans were honourable. Berlin was a terrible place to live. It was a place of fear, suspicion and ever decreasing liberties. The atmosphere of terror was palpable. The Germany of the leading lady’s childhood was gone. They were “drowning in the fear of what Germany has become.”
Within the novel there were close friendships. “If you stay, I stay… I will always be with you, as you promised you would always be with me.” This echoes the bond between Ruth and Naomi in the Bible.
As Christians we carry the spirit of God within us. Even in Auschwitz we can shine His light in the dark. “God was here, my friend. In you.” Even in Auschwitz there were pockets of goodness.
Auschwitz was a pit of hell. The reader ‘sees’ the horrors through the power of Erica Marie Hogan’s descriptions – the reality would have been far worse than we can ever imagine.
We all need to have hope to keep going. Hope is always found in a person – sometimes it is in our fellow man, it is always found in Jesus.
The Good German Girl was such a powerful read. I have been deeply affected by its content. It is not a pleasant read but it is a necessary one. We need to keep the memory of the six million innocents alive. Thank you Erica Marie Hogan for writing this book.
I received this book for free. A favourable review was not required and all views expressed are my own.
JULIA WILSON
About the Book
Book: The Good German Girl
Author: Erica Marie Hogan
Genre: Historical Romance
Release date: April 15, 2021
Omaha Beach
June 6, 1944
When battle-hardened Private Bernie Russell witnesses a fellow soldier shoot a young German boy with his hands up, he’s shaken to his very core. Then, as that same boy is dying, he presses a packet of photographs and letters into Bernie’s hand and utters three words in English.
It must end.
After having the letters translated, he discovers they were written by the soldier’s twin sister and the photographs within the packet reveal evidence of Hitler’s plan to wipe out the Jews.
Berlin, Germany
Margot Raskopf is a young art teacher, forced to conform to the education Hitler has designed. Then, when one of her sources with the underground resistance receives a letter for her from an American soldier, she’s shocked and filled with renewed hope. But Margot has been harboring a secret. In her house she hides a young Jewish woman she’s known since childhood, risking being discovered by the gestapo with each passing day.
As they begin a dangerous correspondence, both Margot and Bernie embark on treacherous journeys. One taking Bernie across Europe and right into Germany. Another taking Margot through the gates of Auschwitz … and under the scrutiny of Josef Mengele.
Click here to get your copy!
About the Author
From as far back as she can remember, Erica Marie Hogan loved to write. When she was a little girl she adored make believe, but gradually her imagination became too big to restrict it to playtime and so, she wrote.
Erica was born and raised for nine years on Orient Point, Long Island, New York. After that she moved with her family to Virginia and, finally, to Texas where she now lives. She was homeschooled, is an avid reader, and a member of American Christian Fiction Writers. She lives to plot new stories, enjoys a good tear-jerker, and chocolate is her cure for any ailment.
Erica’s wish is to continue to write stories that not only drop her readers into the middle of historical time periods, but also to show the ability to rise up out of adversity and tragedy in hope, faith, love, and strength. When it comes to genre, she has no limits.
Along with The Winter Queen Series Erica’s World War I standalone novel, The Lost Generation, is also available now from Elk Lake Publishing, Inc.
More from Erica
There are two things I love in a good story. History and Romance. And when the two come together? Well, I’m sold.
Hi, I’m Erica Marie Hogan, the author of The Good German Girl, book one in a Historical Fiction series called A League of Extraordinary Women. When I set out to write a novel based during World War II, I never imagined The Good German Girl would be the end result. I started with an idea about a young German woman living in Berlin who wants to fight back against Hitler’s rule. This mustard seed of an idea took me on a journey through the battles at Omaha Beach, Aachen, Germany & the Battle of the Bulge. It took me through the gates of Auschwitz and right into Josef Mengele’s lab.
This little idea took me on a quest for love in the most horrible of circumstances. Where war and death divided two people who should be enemies but, through a miraculous correspondence, found each other and knew in their hearts they were meant to save each other. The Good German Girl is a Historical Fiction novel about the tragedy of World War II with the gentle beginnings of an epic love woven through the pages. I hope you enjoy the story of Margot Raskopf and Bernie Russell as much as I enjoyed writing about them!
Blog Stops
Rebecca Tews, April 17
Musings of a Sassy Bookish Mama, April 18
A Modern Day Fairy Tale, April 19
Genesis 5020, April 19
Connie’s History Classroom, April 20
Ashley’s Clean Book Reviews, April 21
Where Faith and Books Meet, April 21
Locks, Hooks and Books, April 22
Texas Book-aholic, April 23
Christian Bookaholic , April 23
Betti Mace, April 24
For Him and My Family, April 25
Maidens for Modesty, April 25
deb’s Book Review, April 26
Inklings and notions, April 27
Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, April 28
Mary Hake, April 28
Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, April 29
Happily Managing a Household of Boys, April 30
Maureen Timerman, April 30
Giveaway
To celebrate her tour, Erica is giving away the grand prize package of $25 Amazon gift card and a paperback copy of the book!!
Be sure to comment on the blog stops for nine extra entries into the giveaway! Click the link below to enter.
https://promosimple.com/ps/10ad0/the-good-german-girl-celebration-tour-giveaway
This sounds like a fascinating read!
Excellent review! Sounds like a must read. Thank you for sharing.