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Coal Dreams
by Annette Oppenlander

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An emotional insight into the fate of the more than twenty million forced laborers in Hitler’s Third Reich—an impossible love for a German woman and the endurance of the human spirit to find a way to freedom.

Bochum, Germany, April 1943: While her husband has been at war for three years, twenty-five-year-old Marie Heinrich ekes out a living on a small farm. Her goats, whose milk and cheese help her survive, are her pride and joy. Until the SS confiscates the animals and Marie is forced to take a job at the nearby Schwarzenberg coal mine. Lyon, France, April 1943: Adrien Rocheau’s shoulder wound from the war has barely healed, when the SS arrests and forces him on a train to Germany. In Bochum, he is assigned to the Schwarzenberg mine. Since he speaks fluent German—his mother is from Alsace—he occasionally escapes the claustrophobic pit as a translator. With Adrien’s support, Marie, who registers the newly arrived forced laborers, finds a way to communicate with the strangers.

Grateful for his help, she slips the Frenchman a little bread and a spare shirt. But socializing with foreign workers is strictly forbidden and punishable by law. While Adrien and his comrades slave away up to fourteen hours a day and quickly grow weaker, Marie searches for a way to help the men. If only it weren’t for her spying neighbor and her controlling boss.

5 out of 5

This book transports you back in time and tugs at your heartstrings. Oppenlander does an amazing job bringing the setting and harsh realities of the war to life before the reader’s eyes, and it’s clear that a lot of research has gone into this book. It’s a unique look into the harsh realities of what life was like for those who weren’t actively persecuted by the Nazis, but also weren’t joining up to serve in the military voluntarily. Marie takes great chances with what she does, and I admire her strength, even in the face of such danger. It’s heartwarming to see how big of a difference even an ordinary person can make in extraordinary circumstances. I loved Adrien’s character, and how determined he was, even with the odds stacked against him. Although it feels odd to call a historical fiction novel set during wartime slice-of-life, that’s really what this is – it takes you into the lives of ordinary men and women doing their best to survive in some horrible circumstances.

Lyon, France, April 1943

Adrien

Adrien embraced his fiancée, Ava. “I’ll be quick.” He loved burying his nose deep in her coppery red hair, an easy feat since he was a head taller than her. 

“Just be careful—the Boche have informers everywhere,” whispered Ava. 

Adrien’s mouth twisted into a smile. “Don’t worry, I’ll be back in no time.” He wanted to add that he would go mad if he couldn’t do something to fight the Nazis. Three years ago, they had overrun the country like locusts and taken what they wanted. Last year, the Gestapo and SS had joined forces to persecute Jews and resistance fighters. 

Relieved to escape Ava’s worried gaze, Adrien hurried down the cobbled street. His best friend, François, lived under the roof of a house in the old part of Lyon, just a stone’s throw from the Saône. 

“Come on,” Adrien whispered after ringing the bell. He looked nervously down the alley, but the narrow street seemed to be deserted. These days, most of the locals hurried home after work to avoid running into their German oppressors. 

François greeted him with a smirk. Nothing fazed him, and even now, after three years of war, he still looked a little pudgy around the middle. Although at twenty-seven he was barely a year older than Adrien, his black hair was thinning at the temples. “Damn Boche can slide down my hump. They’ve left us alone so far.”

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 of 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 eight nominations/awards. Uniquely, Oppenlander weaves actual historical figures and events into her plots, giving readers a flavor of true history while enjoying a captivating 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 Kromfohrländer Archie in the beautiful Münsterland in Germany.

Website: annetteoppenlander.com
Facebook: facebook.com/annetteoppenlanderauthor
Pinterest: annoppenlander
Instagram: @annette.oppenlander
Blog: annetteoppenlander.com/blog/
Amazon: amazon.com/Annette-Oppenlander/e/B00W8QRTJ4/

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