I have just finished reading a book that I would highly recommend to anyone who is interested in the Lebensborn program that Heinrich Himmler began during World War II. Michele Phoenix has written a book that has two distinct stories that are also interrelated. Tangled Ashes is the story of romance, intrigue, recovery, and history. Readers will find themselves immersed in France during the renovation of a chateau in the present day and at other times in France during the occupation of German forces at the same chateau. The storyline follows the lives of two French girls who begin working at the chateau during the occupation as well as the German officers at the chateau. It also follows the story of the angry, alcoholic contractor who is in charge of the present day renovations as his path crosses with the nanny and children of the owners.
Marie and Elise are young French girls who begin working at the chateau before it becomes the site of one of the Lebensborn programs. The Lebensborn program provided maternity homes to wives of the SS and to unmarried women. It also was a program that espoused the ideology of perfecting the race with racially pure children. Elise falls in love with a German stable boy and begins to embrace the ideology. She becomes pregnant and a resident of the chateau rather than an employee.
Becker (Marshall Becker) is both battling demons from his past and heads the renovation team of the chateau. Jade comes face-to-face with Becker and forces him to battle those demons and overcome them with her confrontational style of “friendship.” While all of this is going on, there are also late night happenings, a reclusive old man living in the gatehouse, and a French interior designer who clashes with Becker.
This story is filled with so much to capture your interest! It is a wonderful story both in the past and present of the chateau. I received this book free for review from Handlebar Marketing.
Reading for Inspiration 