Snow on the Tulips

World War II is nearly always a draw for readers, and Tolsma’s tale, based on events in her family’s past, adds an appealing note of authenticity. Set in Holland in early 1945, Cornelia de Vries is tired of war, of loss, of terror. But when her brother Johan Kooistra brings home a wounded Dutch Resistance fighter, Cornelia must work through her fear. She wants to guard her heart, but Gerrit Laninga, whose bravery inspires her, begins to awaken feelings she thought were as dead as her husband, who was killed on the night of their ill-timed wedding, when the Ger-mans invaded the Netherlands. But can Cornelia conquer her misgivings to do her part for the Resistance? Tolsma does a good job recreating the Netherlands during WWII and placing her readers in the midst of the turmoil, danger, and bravery that filled those last days before the end of the war. Agent: Tamela Hancock Murray, Steve Laube Agency. (Aug. 6)