Lana’s War by Anita Abriel. (2020).
**4 out of 5 stars**
Paris, 1943: Lana is rushing to tell her husband she is pregnant when she witnesses his murder by a Gestapo officer for hiding a Jewish girl in a piano. Overcome with grief, Lana suffers a miscarriage. A few months later Lana is approached to join the Resistance on the French Riviera. As the daughter of a Russian countess, she has the perfect background to infiltrate the community which includes the Nazi officer who killed her husband. Her cover story makes her the mistress of a wealthy Swiss playboy, Guy. Together they are an effective team but Lana doesn’t count on becoming attached to a young Jewish girl or falling in love with Guy…
This historical WWII fiction novel was a great read that I really enjoyed. Lana is a young woman who experiences unimaginable heartache in the first chapter when she not only witnesses her husband’s murder, but also suffers a miscarriage. She later uses this pain to give her strength when she is approached to join the Resistance. Her cover story pairs her with Guy, who has his own hidden heartache. I’m going to respectfully point out that yes, their backstories are on the dramatic side, but it honestly works really well in this book and gives both characters a plausible reason to be willing to put their lives on the line to save the lives of the Jewish. This storyline has a compelling mixture of suspense and historical fiction, with a side of romance, and it makes for engaging reading.
I have no doubt that those readers who enjoy wartime historical fiction would really appreciate this novel.
