Saving Anna

WOMEN'S FICTION:  Anna Kelly is a well-known columnist whose heart-felt true stories of kindness remind her readers of the power of the human heart. What no one knows, however, is the private misery that is her abusive marriage. When a bequest from an old friend compels Anna to travel to Germany on a personal mission, she takes the opportunity to leave her husband.  In doing so, she begins to find herself – but is she brave enough to start again?

Josef Schmitt is still trying to recover from the shattering automobile accident that left his passenger dead and himself with serious wounds. When the opportunity comes to shuttle an American woman around on her quest, he takes the chance and finds himself falling for the kind-hearted woman with the sad eyes.  As these two broken people begin to journey towards healing, they learn that life still has a way of surprising you.

“Saving Anna” is a lovely journey, starring two appealing characters with believable backstories and a genuine chemistry that heats up the prose. Genuine, every-day courage is on full display here: Ms. Struth treats the always uncomfortable subject of domestic violence with sensitivity, and Josef’s survivor’s guilt is also given fair treatment. Germany’s sparkling Rhineland, with its quaint little cities and fairy-tale castles, is the setting for this story of healing and hope. It’s a refreshing change from the usual locations for romantic novels and Ms. Struth’s descriptive settings will have readers longing to take a journey of their own. “Saving Anna” is a convivial story with a satisfyingly hopeful happily ever after.  

Janice Martin