Lauren Fox writes a beautiful and compelling story that pulls you into the emotional life of each character. I found that I could not wrench myself from the story’s grasp until the very last page.
Annelise is a dreamer: imagining her future while working at her parents' popular bakery in Feldenheim, Germany, anticipating all the delicious possibilities yet to come. There are rumors that anti-Jewish sentiment is on the rise, but Annelise and her parents can't quite believe that it will affect them; they're hardly religious at all. But as Annelise falls in love, marries, and gives birth to her daughter, the dangers grow closer: a brick thrown through her window; a childhood friend who cuts ties with her; customers refusing to patronize the bakery. Luckily Annelise and her husband are given the chance to leave for America, but they must go without her parents, whose future and safety are uncertain.
Two generations later, in a small Midwestern city, Annelise's granddaughter, Clare, is a young woman newly in love. But when she stumbles upon a trove of her grandmother's letters from Germany, she sees the history of her family's sacrifices in a new light, and suddenly she's faced with an impossible choice: the past, or her future.
Send for Me is a haunting story that deals with family bonds during Hitler’s rise in Germany. Fox’s vivid prose set the stage for the rising pressure and fear of this time period. I found myself knee deep in the emotions of the characters as they made difficult and life altering decisions that ultimately lead to separation, and strained relationships between generations of mothers and daughters.
Fox gave her book even more depth with the artful inclusion of letters written and sent from Germany during the war between the family. These letters were heart wrenching, but so very eye opening. I found myself thinking about my own family relationships, and how my own son will be venturing out into the world on his own in a few short years.
This is a beautiful story that brings together multiple generations. I appreciated how the plot shows a current generation realizing the struggles and sacrifices made by the generations before them. Send for Me was a fast paced read that hooked me from the beginning chapter and had me holding on to the characters even after I finished the last page. Pick up you copy of this book today! I cannot recommend it enough.
Thank you NetGalley and Doubleday Publishing for the gifted digital copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.
