Goddess Fish Promotions Presents

So Close to Heaven
by Annette Oppenlander

A randomly drawn winner will receive a $15 Amazon/BN GC – Enter Below

A harrowing tale of a single woman’s fight to preserve her beloved abbey, a tale of courage and perserverance – based on a true story.

South Tirol, Sabiona Abbey, 1796: Magdalena, a Benedictine nun, lives with her fellow sisters at Sabiona Abbey, a secluded monastery atop a cliff high above the Eisack valley and only reachable by a strenuous climb. In this simple life of work, prayer and reading, Magdalena feels safe from the world, assured that her secret will remain hidden forever.

Until one-hundred-seventy Tirolian soldiers demand entry, Napoleon’s army is almost upon them. As the world, Magdalena has so carefully built, crumbles, she must make a choice: leave the abbey to join her sisters at the bishop’s summer residence or fight to save it—even if it may cost her everything.

5 out of 5

Wow. Oppenlander has a unique voice and wonderful way of describing things so that you not only see the scenes unfolding, but hear, smell, and feel them too. Some moments put a lump in my throat and made my stomach twist, but I just could not stop reading. Magdalena is an amazing character. She feels real in a way I lack the words to explain. She’s strong, smart, and determined, and even in the face of fear and overwhelming odds she stays true to herself. I got so caught up in this story that it was many hours later before I came up for air. Saying I’d recommend this would be an understatement.

The girl’s long dark hair clings to her face and back. Rain hammers the ground with such intensity, the drops jump up as if possessed. The sound of rushing water fills the air, brooks and rivulets gurgle and splash on their race to the valley. It is dark, so dark, the girl picks her steps carefully, like a blind person on an unknown road. Yet she knows these hills, these paths, the breathtaking vistas of these alpine pastures. Knows them like only somebody who has grown up here can.

Somewhere in the distance, lightning flashes, illuminates a sheer rock wall rising into the heavens, the stunted gnarly trees below like stubby black arms. The air is cold up here, much colder than in the valley where the girl came from. She is not dressed for this, the fabric of her skirt heavy with water, her blouse and bodice too thin to keep out the wind. She wears no coat, no bag or pack, not even decent shoes.

Yet the girl does not seem to notice. She walks slowly, dreamlike, yet with purpose. It is the place she left that gives her this purpose. It is spring, April, a month when nature up here still pivots between winter and summer. Snow clings to the tops, and the rain is not far from freezing. In good weather, these peaks kiss the sky, a sky that takes on a blue as deep as the Caribbean Sea, so clear, it almost scorches the eyes.

Amazon | Goodreads

Annette Oppenlander is an award-winning writer, literary coach and educator. As a bestselling historical novelist, Oppenlander is known for her authentic characters and stories based on true events, coming alive in well-researched settings. Having lived in Germany the first half of her life and the second half in various parts in the U.S., Oppenlander inspires readers by illuminating story questions as relevant today as they were in the past. 

Oppenlander’s bestselling true WWII story, Surviving the Fatherland, received multiple nominations/awards. The recently translated German version received the silver Skoutz Award 2020. 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 dog Zelda in Germany.

Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | Pinterest
Website | Blog | Amazon

Follow the tour here
The more posts you comment on, the more entries you get!