Hello
lovelies! It gives me great pleasure
today to host Sharon Struth and her new book, “Saving Anna”! For other stops on her Goddess Fish
Promotions Book Tour, please click on the banner above or any of the images in
this post.
Be
sure to make it to the end of this post to enter to win a $10 Amazon or Barnes
and Noble Gift Card!! Also, come back
daily to interact with Sharon and to increase your chances of winning!
Thanks
for stopping by! Wishing you lots of
luck in this fabulous giveaway!
Saving Anna
by Sharon Struth
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GENRE: Women's Fiction
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BLURB:
Germany’s sparkling Rhineland is the perfect place for a fresh
start…
Warming
people’s hearts with true accounts of kindness is what columnist Anna Kelly
does best. But no one knows the private misery she endures in her abusive
marriage. Still, leaving is difficult—until a deeply personal bequest from a
beloved elderly neighbor compels Anna to travel to Germany. There she begins an
unexpected adventure of paying it forward that will take her far from her
complicated life in Brooklyn.
Arriving
in the historic and picturesque city of Mainz, on the breathtaking Rhine River,
Anna settles in at a cozy guesthouse filled with colorful residents. But
fulfilling her task will require the help of a translator and knowledgeable
guide.
Josef
Schmitt will gladly shuttle the American visitor around if it distracts him
from his dark thoughts. Ever since a serious accident sidelined him at the
local excursions company, he’s been unable to forget the pain he caused or
forgive himself. Now, accompanying Anna on her mission takes them both to
surprising places—and they just may find the courage to truly set themselves
free…
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EXCERPT THREE:
In
two days, Patrick would return to LaGuardia airport and take a cab directly to
his office at Goldman Sachs. The lawyer said he’d have the divorce papers
served there around lunchtime. By then, she’d already be on another continent.
Far away from the physical abuse he’d want to inflict on her once the papers
were in his hands. Of that, she felt certain. He’d smacked her around for
lesser infractions, starting just days after they’d returned from their
honeymoon.
Even
though she would be leaving the country to stay safe, he deserved a note. A
note would be easier than a conversation.
At
the kitchen island, she found a pad and steadied a pen on the paper.
Dear
Patrick,
If
you’re reading this, it means you’re back from Florida and have realized I’m
not here.
Anna
ripped the page off the small legal pad, crumpled it into a ball, and tossed it
on the marble island. She wrote for a living and could do better.
Dear
Patrick,
For
the past two years, I’ve begged you to get help. I understand your father hurt
you, but I can no longer accept your past as an excuse for hurting me. ME! The
person who always loved you, tried to help you, accepted your many, many
apologies. You say you love me, but your actions speak otherwise. I no longer
love you. You bully me, make me afraid, and refuse to let me to see my friends
and family—
She
ripped the paper off the pad and tore it in half. Too much. She’d spoken these
words to him many times after he’d calm down, her speeches always soliciting
remorse-filled apologies she’d blindly believed for the first year of their
marriage. The second year, she’d grown skeptical, but continued to cover the
bruises and lie to anybody who happened to see one. Now, she despised him.
The
clock on the wall showed it was time to leave. She pressed the pen to the paper
and the words flowed easily this time.
Dear
Patrick,
By
now you’ve been served the divorce papers and know I’m leaving you. Please seek
help and do not look for me. If you are calm when I return, we can talk.
Otherwise, you will deal with my attorney.
Anna
She
propped the note next to a bowl of fruit, where they always left messages they
wanted the other to see…
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BOOK REVIEW:
When
I first read the book blurb, I knew I just had to read this book. Not only was this book written by one of my
favorite authors, Mrs. Struth – as I had previously read, reviewed, and totally
loved her book last year, Bella Luna –
I felt an instant draw to this book.
This
book is about Anna, who is getting away from an abusive marriage and is leaving
the USA for a trip to Germany. Anna’s elderly
neighbor, Isaak, also, helping to get Anna away from her abusive husband, had
tasked her with a dying request to help him find the man who had long ago saved
his family from the Nazi’s. Anna’s been
looking for the perfect out and with Isaak’s help and him relying on her, she
knows now is the time she must go.
Anna
arrives in beautiful Mainz, Germany and quickly realizes she will need help
getting around the city. Anna hires
Josef to drive her around town and translate for her. After some interesting adventures and long hours
together, Anna and Josef seem to hit it off.
It seems obvious that Josef is also hiding some of his own past emotional
demons, but that shared bond only brings them closer as these two characters
find love, healing, and so much more in one another.
I
really liked the main characters, Anna and Josef! They were realistic, genuine, and relatable. I really enjoyed watching these two
characters develop a relationship. They
both were severely emotionally damaged and were drowning in their grief and heartache. But the more time they spent together you
could see a glimmer of light get through as they started to heal. They were good for each other. And isn’t that what we all want in a partner? Someone that makes us whole? Makes us a better person?
It is
clear Mrs. Struth does not know how to write a boring, cookie-cutter character. She writes her characters with depth, that have
emotional baggage, are dealing with real-life struggles, and are working on
over-coming personal obstacles. She
writes real-life characters that face real-world problems. Which is one of the reasons I love her books,
because I know when I read it, I will be able to easily connect with the
characters and possibly even grow with the characters in the story.
As someone
who has personal experience with Domestic Violence, I appreciate books, like
this one, that provide an honest insight into that world and even shine light
on how walking away isn’t as easy as some people think. I appreciate that Anna’s and Patrick’s abusive
relationship was not downplayed or sugar-coated. Also, that this book showed how Domestic
Violence doesn’t just affect the couple – it also affects the family, friends,
neighbors, and other loved ones.
I enjoyed
the history lessons that were weaved throughout the book and learning more
about WWII and the impact of the Nazi’s in Germany. There were some very sad stories that were
hard to hear. It’s still unbelievable
what happened there!
I
loved the detailed scenes and beautiful descriptions of the landscape that made
me feel like I was right there in the car with Anna and Josef overlooking the
Rhine River! I have never been to
Germany, but I think after reading this book it will definitely be on my travel
bucket list!
Furthermore,
I also enjoyed reading the passages with the German customs and traditions. It is clear, Mrs. Struth is familiar with
German Culture and was able to add them into fun and interesting scenes while
showing a strong knowledge of the area.
This
book hits on so many topics such as friendship, love, romance, hope, faith, kindness,
growth, healing, forgiveness, new beginnings, second chances, fresh starts, overcoming
obstacles, support, determination, domestic violence, respect, compassion, integrity,
and so much more.
This
book is book three in the A Sweet Life Novel Book Series. However, it can be read as a standalone. I had not read the first two books before
reading this book, however, as much as I’ve enjoyed reading this book I definitely
wish I had.
I
would absolutely recommend this book, this book series, and this author as I
was truly impressed with the quality of writing, intriguing storylines, and
excellent character development! I will
definitely be checking out the other books in this series and other works by
this author!
Did you find this review helpful?
If so, please, please, please mark it as helpful on Amazon here:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/review/RJW7BCM1ELJ6U
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AUTHOR BIO:
Sharon Struth believes
you’re never too old to pursue a dream. The Hourglass, her debut novel, was a
finalist in the National Readers’ Choice Awards for Best First Book. She is the
author of the popular Blue Moon Lake Novels, which include Share the Moon.
When
she’s not working, she and her husband happily sip their way through the scenic
towns of the Connecticut Wine Trail, travel the world, and enjoy spending time
with their precious pets and two grown daughters. She writes from the
friendliest place she’s ever lived, Bethel, Connecticut. For essays, please
visit www.sharonstruth.com or visit her blog,
Musings from the Middle more information, including where to find her published
Ages & More at www.sharonstruth.wordpress.com.
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CONNECT WITH SHARON:
Website:
Blog:
Email:
sharon@sharonstruth.com
Newsletter:
Facebook:
Twitter:
Google+:
BookBub Author Page:
BookBub Book Page:
Goodreads Author Page:
Goodreads Book Page:
Amazon Author Page:
Kensington Books Author Page:
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BOOK BUY LINKS:
Amazon Kindle:
Amazon Paperback:
Barnes and Noble:
Kobo:
Apple iBooks:
Google Play:
The Book Depository:
BAM! Books-A-Million:
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GIVEAWAY INFO:
Sharon will be awarding a $10 Amazon or B/N GC
to a randomly drawn winner via Rafflecopter during the tour.
**This post contains affiliate links and if clicked and a
purchase made I may receive a small commission to help support this blog. This does not cost you anything, it just
helps pay for all those awesome giveaways on here.**
This contest is sponsored
by a third party. Fabulous and Brunette is a registered host of Goddess Fish
Promotions. Prizes are given away by the
sponsors and not Fabulous and Brunette. The featured author and Goddess Fish
Promotions are solely responsible for the giveaway prize.
Sharon ~ Welcome back! It is great to have you here again! Congrats on your new book and good luck on the book tour! I really enjoyed reading and reviewing your book, thanks for providing the copy! :)
ReplyDeleteHi Ally! It's wonderful to be back! Thank you for taking the time to reviewing Saving Anna, and for hosting me today. I'm so glad you enjoy my books. It really makes my day when someone shares that with me <3.
DeleteAnd I'm especially thrilled you enjoyed Saving Anna so much. It was a book very close to my heart as I have German family and have heard first hand what it was like during the war, even stories of my father-in-laws family helping their jewish friends get out. Thank you again :-)
Thanks for hosting!
ReplyDeleteGreat book, loved reading the exerpt. Thanks for sharing it with us
ReplyDeleteSounds like a great read.
ReplyDeleteGreat post and I appreciate getting to find out about another great book. Thanks for all you do and for the hard work you put into this. Greatly appreciated!
ReplyDeleteI would love to read your book.
ReplyDelete