I've read a few other Kristin Hannah books, and she's very respected as an author. This doesn't seem to be listed as "Audible Only" yet my library (and my backup) did not have the audio. I had recently re-joined KU, and it was included there, with text and audio. I really didn't read the blurb, didn't know what the book was about as I started it up.

When I first started the book, it wasn't really clicking for me. I had to consult the kindle copy after the first bit. There was a prologue (1972) then chapter one jumped to the year 2000. I just had to double check that the MC in chapter one was one of the young girls in the prologue (yes, she was). Then chapter two, total switch in POV (to the other daughter). It just seemed jumpy, and I wasn't really connecting to the characters, none of them were super likeable.

There was a timeline-ish shift/story shift, when the mother started telling the fairytale of the prince and the peasant girl. This "story" became more of the book than then present timeline. I don't think it's a spoiler (I've now read the blurb) to say that the "fairytale" is actually a true story, during WW2, in Leningrad. I've read a LOT of WW2 books, and this perspective isn't as common.

For the first half of the book, I was thinking it would just be a 3 or 4* book, but by the end, I was really wrapped up in the story, very emotionally attached, and really liked how it wrapped up, so ... 5* for me. Would definitely recommend. I felt like I learned some things as well.