For the Wittgenstein family, the summer of 1915 was a time of both prosperity and unease, as the guns of war sound in the distance. But for eldest daughter Beata, it was a time of awakening. By glimmering Lake Geneva, the quiet Jewish beauty met a young French officer and fell in love. Knowing that her parents would never accept her marriage to a Catholic, Beata followed her heart anyway. As the two built a new life together, Beata's past would stay with her, and when Europe faces war once again, Beata must watch in horror as Hitler's terror threatens her family-even her daughter Amadea, who has taken on the vows of a Carmelite nun. As family and friends are swept away without a trace, Amadea is forced into hiding. Thus begins a harrowing journey of survival, first in the Nazi death camps and then as she escapes into the heart of the French resistance and finds a renewed sense of purpose. In the darkest moments of fear, Amada will feel her mother's loving strength as the voices of lost loved ones echo powerfully in her life. She will meet an extraordinary man, British secret agent Rupert Montgomery, who will help her discover her place in an unbreakable chain between generations...between her lost family and her future. From the elegant rituals of Europe's prewar aristocracy to the brutal desperation of Germany's death camps, Danielle Steel draws us into a vanished world, weaving an intricate tapestry of a mother's love, a daughter's courage...and the unwavering faith that sustained them-even in history's darkest hour.

Author Biography

has been hailed as one of the world's most popular authors, with over 530 million copies of her novels sold. Her many international bestsellers include Second Chance, Ransom, Safe Harbour, Johnny Angel, Dating Game, Answered Prayers, Sunset in St. Tropez, and other highly acclaimed novels. She is also the author of His Bright Light, the story of her son Nick Traina's life and death. Visit the Danielle Steel Web Site at www.daniellesteel.com.