Author: Anna Schmidt
Publisher: Barbour Publishing, Inc.
ISBN: 978-1-62029-140-5

“Besides I was raised to believe that the inner Light that guides us all dwells in every person. We have only to be still and wait, and eventually God will show us the way,” Beth explains to Josef in Anna Schmidt’s novel, All God’s Children.

The first book in the Peacemakers’ series, this three hundred and twenty page paperback is targeted toward readers who enjoy historical fiction involving World War Two in Germany, especially related to Quakers or the White Rose, an underground group that denounced Hitler. With no profanity or sexual scenes, there is some minor violence.

In this war tome, it is 1942 and American born German Beth Bridgewater has been living in Munich for eight years. Being a Quaker, she feels it is necessary to stay in Germany to help her ailing aunt and professor uncle take care of their eight year old daughter while war erupts in the Nazi-based city.

When her uncle offers the handsome Josef Buch, a medical student at the nearby university, room and board in their apartment attic, she is captivated yet wary of the patriotic man whose father is a high-ranking Gestapo official.

Being brought up to have silent prayer time to seek the consensus of the inner Light’s guidance, the family of Friends tries to decipher how to passively protect their country. While her uncle and Josef choose helping the White Rose nonviolent resistance, she wants to help all God’s children escape from the everyday terrors of wartime life.

Although Beth only assists one family, she is determined place the greater good of the group over personal needs as Josef, her relatives, and she are tried and tested on their faith, beliefs, and love for one another.

Through Beth’s own selflessness, Josef’s determination, and her uncle and aunt’s perception, war is the focal point not only in Munich, Germany; it includes Sobibor, Poland and Bornholm, Denmark. With historical places and a few factual people, the Quaker religion is expressed and explained even though the family no longer has the counsel of a “clearness committee” for guidance.

With a few lagging pivotal time periods and some confusion on the story line being about rescuing children or Beth and Josef learning to be still and know God’s direction, the author easily sets up future books in the series.

This book was furnished through The Book Club Network Inc. in lieu of an unbiased review.

Follow Here To Purchase ALL GOD'S CHILDREN (The Peacemakers)