Ruta Sepetys is a can’t-miss author for me. I have read all of her previous books and love each one. I think she may be classified as a YA author, but ignore that, because adults will thoroughly enjoy her books also. Each of her books puts the reader in the midst of a different historical event and period. For example, a couple are set in WWII. One is set in Spain at the time of Franco’s rule. This book shows us Romania in the late 1980s, under Communist rule, when everyone was under intense pressure to inform on friends, neighbors, even loved ones. I always learn so much when I read a Sepetys novel. But, most of all, my heart is touched, because her characters are human, loveable, and very relatable. It is easy to imagine yourself walking alongside the characters and struggling with the same decisions. These are regular people doing their best in impossible situations. Grab some tissues and enjoy!