The Orphan's Mother by Marion Kummerow

Books

*AD-gifted: I received a copy of The Orphan’s Mother in exchange for this post. Affiliate links are marked with a*

I just can’t get enough of Marion Kummerow’s books! They are fantastic! I’ve now read and reviewed:

Today I’m sharing my review of *The Orphan’s Mother, an utterly unforgettable and devastating story.

The Orphan's Mother by Marion Kummerow - Book Review

Book Description

1945, the German-Polish border: With Nazis on one side and Soviet forces approaching on the other, a mother and her little boy are torn apart, and so begins an unforgettable tale of courage, heartbreak and motherhood in wartime.

“If you ever get lost, Jacob, you need to stay where you are and wait, because I’ll come looking for you. And I’ll always find you.”

In the icy grip of winter, Emma is trying to escape Poland, with her two young children and little more than the clothes on their backs. With the Russian Red Army advancing, she knows their safety relies on them crossing the border. She swears to herself that she’ll do whatever it takes to keep their family together.

But before they can reach the border, her little boy Jacob falls ill, his once-sparkling blue eyes getting dimmer with each moment that passes. And Emma knows she has to get him to a hospital, where she hands him to a kind nurse.

She feels sure they will be reunited the next day. But then the bombing starts. And when she reaches the hospital again, she finds it deserted, her darling son gone.

Though her heart tells her she has to stay and find him, she faces an impossible choice. She would risk her own life for Jacob in a heartbeat, but as her daughter Sophie’s cold, little hand slips into her own, Emma is forced to make a heartbreaking decision. Unable to find any trace of her beloved son, she knows she must at least get her daughter to safety.

But she can never forget the promise she made to her little boy. That if they were ever separated, she’d come looking for him. That she’d always find him.

Whatever the danger, whatever the risk. She knows what she has to do. Because there is nothing stronger than a mother’s love…

What I Thought

The Orphan’s Mother is heartbreaking. Emma is a courageous mum of two children, older Sophie and Jacob 4. She has to make a decision no mum of multiple children should ever make and that is to choose between them. She is in between a rock and a hard place as she leaves a poorly Jacob at the hospital doors. Whatever she does will lead to the biggest mum guilt there is. But she won’t forget her promise and that is to find him if they ever got separated. Which in turn leads Emma on a mission of many years.

Jacob is taken in by a Polish nurse called Irene who wants a child of her own. After many years of bringing him up, she secretly hopes he is hers to stay. But this isn’t so. The Red Cross is reuniting lost children with their families and they come calling. Poor Jacob doesn’t really remember much of his previous life and now he is to be reunited with his German birth mum.

The story focuses on Emma and Irene. It’s full of sadness, and hope with heartwarming moments. A wonderful read, fast-paced and cleverly written for many fans of historical WWII novels. The Orphan’s Mother is partly based on a true story.

Thanks to Bookouture and Netgalley for my copy.

Where Can I Buy?

The Orphan’s Mother is available to buy from *Amazon.

Author Bio

Marion Kummerow was born and raised in Germany before she set out to “discover the world” and lived in various countries. In 1999 she returned to Germany and settled down in Munich where she’s now living with her family.

Inspired by the true story about her grandparents, who belonged to the German resistance and fought against the Nazi regime, she started writing historical fiction, set during World War II. Her books are filled with raw emotions, fierce loyalty and resilience. She loves to put her characters through the mangle, making them reach deep within to find the strength to face moral dilemmas, take difficult decisions or fight for what is right. And she never forgets to include humor and undying love in her books, because ultimately love is what makes the world go round.