Today, I am a blog tour stop for the book When the Skies Rained Freedom by Annette Oppenlander. I am thankful that this book came my way via this blog tour with an opportunity for a giveaway for my readers.

A book blog tour from Goddess Fish Promotions. Thank you to the author, publisher, and Goddess Fish Promotions for including me on this tour.

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When the Skies Rained Freedom

Book Info

Blurb

Captivating, gripping and relentlessly authentic…inspired by eyewitness accounts.

To this day, the Berlin airlift presents one of the most dramatic and daring historic events of post WWII Germany, pinning east against west, and cementing the Cold War against Soviet Russia. Without the help of America’s brave pilots, two million Berliners would’ve been lost to Stalin’s dictatorial regime, the future of Europe may have turned out entirely different.

Berlin, May 1945: As the war finally ends, Lotte Berger’s apartment lies in rubble, her mother suffers a breakdown after an assault by Russian soldiers, and both, Lotte’s father and fiancé are missing in Russia. Only when Mitch Cameron, an American pilot, comes to her aid after an accident, does she regain hope. Just as they are growing closer, Lotte’s fiancé reappears under suspicious circumstances…

Berlin, June 1948: Lotte has fought her way through the aftermath of WWII and a devastating loss, when Russia’s dictator, Josef Stalin, decides to take over West Berlin. By cutting off supply lines, electricity and travel, he is willing to starve two million Berliners and force the U.S., Britain and France out. But the western allies, led by President Truman, decide to do the impossible: support Berlin from the air. Thus begins a turbulent and seemingly futile attempt to rescue West Berlin. Willing to do her part, Lotte lands a job as a translator at the American-run Tempelhof Airport. Even if her love is long lost, she can at least dream about Mitch helping to free Berlin…

Excerpt

(Excerpt provided by the author/publisher for use in this post.)

Lotte

How fragile life is. Snuffed out in an instant, erased by the millions—the essence of war. Oh, how I hate it, that faceless, cruel war that has taken everything I hold dear. And yet, in its aftermath, when it was finally over, I rose from the rubble along with my fellow Berliners, to live and fight another hour, another day—a lifetime.

Berlin, September 1948

I look up as the sky darkens with another low-flying plane. American cargo planes, large and seemingly too heavy to remain in the air, colossal hunks of steel, are here to save us. They carry everything from sugar to dried potatoes to oil and coal, everything to supply the three western-occupied sectors of Berlin.

The air is balmy, a mild day with lots of sunshine, a last remnant of summer, yet the droning sounds above send shivers up my back like icy gusts in winter. It has been nearly three and a half years since Berlin saw its last bomb attacks—attacks that lasted for years and many of us survived only by a miracle, hiding in basements among the wreckage.

The air vibrates as another plane passes overhead. My hand slides into the pocket of my dress to find the brass button, wrapped in my father’s handkerchief. I run a forefinger over its surface and though I cannot see it, I could draw the eagle’s wings in the dark. Maybe he is up there right now, flying overhead. Would I know, would the button I’m carrying somehow submit a signal, some invisible wave? Nonsense, I scold myself. Why do I bother?

Review

I always find myself drawn to historical novels, and even more so when they are set in WWII. Despite the fact that these stories are sure to tug at my heartstrings throughout and leave me teary-eyed often, I cannot stop reading them.

When the Skies Rained Freedom proved to be no different. While I initially planned to read just enough of the book to write a review of the book due to delays in getting started with reading it, I found that once I started, I could not stop.

Inspired by true accounts, Oppenlander weaves hope, heartbreak, and heartwarming moments as well to write a compelling and unputdownable narrative. I especially found the look at the lives of Berliners and the details of the Berlin airlift in this post-war time eye-opening. It was certainly something that I had not read about before.

Oppenlander’s compelling and powerful narrative skillfully strings together romance, family, friendships, humanity, resilience, courage, pain, and more making this read an emotional rollercoaster of sorts. It is a hard read but a must-read as well offering a look at an important point in history.

So I totally and highly recommend this! I am thrilled that Annette Oppenlander has more books written set in this time, and look forward to reading them all.

Disclaimer: Thanks to the author and Goddess Fish Promotions Book Tours for the advanced review copy of the book.

About Annette Oppenlander

Oppenlander’s bestselling true WWII story, Surviving the Fatherland, received eight nominations/awards. Uniquely, Oppenlander weaves actual historical figures and events into her plots, giving readers a flavor of true history while enjoying a good story. 

Oppenlander shares her knowledge through writing workshops at colleges, libraries, festivals and schools. She also offers vivid presentations and author visits. The mother of fraternal twins and a son, she now lives with her husband and mutt Zelda in Germany.

Website | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads | Amazon | Instagram | Pinterest

Giveaway!

Annette Oppenlander will be awarding a $15 Amazon or Barnes and Noble GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour. Check out the other tour stops and comment; the more you comment, the better your chances of winning.

Full Tour Schedule:

January 3: The Avid Reader
January 3: Gina Rae Mitchell
January 10: Archaeolibrarian – I Dig Good Books!
January 10: Guatemala Paula Loves to Read
January 17: Lady In Read Writes
January 24: Sandra’s Book Club
January 24: Novels Alive

a Rafflecopter giveaway

If you would like to review books for Goddess Fish Promotions, please click the link below:

Goddess Fish Virtual Book Tour Host

And Now, the End of This Post

Dear reader, do let me know if you entered the giveaway. Also, does this book appeal to you? Do you have any recommendations for similar reads – fiction/nonfiction? Looking forward to hearing this and any other thoughts on this post from you