Snow On The Tulips by Liz Tolsma, Book review (and GIVEAWAY link!)

Publisher: Thomas Nelson (August 6, 2013)

ISBN-13: 978-1401689100

Synopsis:

 A stranger’s life hangs in the balance. But to save him is to risk everything.

The war is drawing to a close, but the Nazis still occupy part of the Netherlands. After the losses she’s endured, war widow Cornelia is only a shadow of the woman she once was. She fights now to protect her younger brother, Johan, who lives in hiding.
When Johan brings Gerrit Laninga, a wounded Dutch Resistance member, to Cornelia’s doorstep, their  ives are forever altered. Although scared of the consequences of harboring a wanted man, Cornelia’s faith won’t let her turn him out. 

As she nurses Gerrit back to health, she is drawn to his fierce passion and ideals, and notices a shift within herself. Gerrit’s intensity challenges her, making her want to live fully, despite the fear that constrains her. When the opportunity to join him in the Resistance presents itself, Cornelia must summon every ounce of courage imaginable.
She is as terrified of loving Gerrit as she is of losing him. But as the winter landscape thaws, so too does her heart. Will she get a second chance at true love? She fears their story will end before it even begins.


Here are my thoughts:

Inspired by actual events Snow on the Tulips takes you to the Netherlands almost at the very end of the war.
Author Liz Tolsma begins her novel Snow on the Tulips with a bittersweet dedication to the Dutch resistance workers who gave their lives on 11 April 1945 in Dronriip, Friesland and to Gerard de Jong, the one man who survived that day!

She goes on with a careful rendering of the pervasive atmosphere created by a brutal occupation which violated the very neutrality Dutch people hoped would spare their country.

Throughout her narrative the author describes the day to day routine people adhered to in hopes to survive yet another day until liberation. Some believes it was their duty to obey Nazi ruling whilst others defied them at every turn, sometimes at a cost no one would imagine. 
What makes it a beautiful story is the faith that permeates throughout the plot line, so simple yet almost miraculous in those trying times!

Cornelia has lost everything she held dear to her heart but for her younger brother Johann whom she has been hiding in her home. 
Surviving a summary execution Gerritt Laninga is given an asylum in the de Vries' home albeit against all of Cornelia's instincts as the enemy is searching for him throughout the village and if found, he will bring certain death to all of them.

I found the story amazing for all the myriad of details Liz Tolsma brings to light, the careful dialect glossary and the solid faith reflected in lives threatened every day. The fact it is happening merely a few weeks or days before Liberation makes it even more intense.

This is a story you will not want to miss, a portion of history not so well known but only more so true!
The plot line flows so well I was sorry to see the end! 
For those of you who are part of a reading group, there is a very good good guide included!
And...an except of Liz Tolsma's next novel 'Daisies Last Forever'.

5 Stars!!

(Source HERE)

Landing page: 

 http://litfusegroup.com/author/ltolsma

About the Author:

Liz Tolsma has lived in Wisconsin most of her life, and she now resides next to a farm field with her husband, their son, and their two daughters. Add a dog and a cat to that mix and there's always something going on at their house. 
She's spent time teaching second grade, writing advertising for a real estate company, and working as a church secretary, but she always dreamed of becoming an author. 
When not busy putting words to paper, she enjoys reading, walking, working in her large perennial garden, kayaking, and camping with her family.

Visit her website (HERE).

Liz Tolsma is celebrating the release of her novel, 

Snow on the Tulips, 

by giving away an Amazon Reading Pack to one lucky winner. 

Find out what readers are saying about the book here.

  One winner will receive:

• A $50 Amazon gift card
• Snow on the Tulips by Liz Tolsma

Enter today by clicking one of the icons below. But hurry, the giveaway ends on November 16th. Winner will be announced November 18th at Liz's blog.

Don't miss a moment of the fun; enter today and be sure to stop by Liz's blog on the 18th to see if you won. (Or, better yet, subscribe to her blog and have the winner announcement delivered to your inbox! Just enter your email address on the left sidebar of her blog.)

I received a copy of this title from LITFUSE as part of their blogger review program.  I am disclosing this in accordance with the FTC 16 CFR, Part 255 'Guides concerning the use of endorsements and testimonials in advertising. I was not asked to write a positive review and all opinions expressed are entirely my own.