It was an idyllic summer. Until they had to escape.

France, 1943.

Forced to flee war ravaged Poland, Sara and her parents are offered refuge in a beautiful but dilapidated house in the French Alps. It seems the perfect hideaway, despite haunting traces of the previous occupants who left in haste. But shadows soon fall over Sara's blissful summer, and her blossoming romance with local villager Alain. As the Nazis close in, the family is forced to make a harrowing choice that could drive them apart forever, while Sara's own bid for freedom risks several lives.

Will Sara be reunited with those she loves? And can she ever find her way back to Alain?

By turns poignant and atmospheric, this is the compelling novel from Sunday Times bestselling author Carol Drinkwater about the power of first love and courage in our darkest hours.

'A lovely novel. A moving story of love and friendship with a wonderful sense of place' KATE MOSSE
'A terrific story ... skilfully written and heart-rending' MIRIAM MARGOLYES

'A virtual hug of a tale; warm, and engaging, and tender' JOANNE HARRIS

'Romantic, evocative, and pulse racingly dramatic' WENDY HOLDEN

'An emotional and moving read' FIONA VALPY

'I love Carol Drinkwater's writing . . . So evocative of the south of France - you can almost smell the maquis . . . Engrossing' Reader Review

'Carol skilfully draws us in to the beautiful Alpes Maritimes region of France to tell the story of Sara . . . the writing is evocative and Sara's story is both moving and inspiring' Sheila O'Flanagan, bestselling author of The Women Who Ran Away

'I enjoyed it very much . . . it's her best' Elizabeth Buchan, author of The Museum of Broken Promises

'A wonderful, enjoyable novel with courage and survival at its heart' Elizabeth Chadwick, author of The Wild Hunt series

'One not to be missed ... tells a part of history that should never be forgotten' Shirley Dickson, author of The Lost Children