Almost Autumn is set in the snow covered streets of Oslo, Norway, in October 1942. a 15 yr. old Jewish girl, Ilse Stern is waiting to meet Hermann Rod, the boy-next-door who she’s had a crush on forever, to go on their first date.  But Hermann can’t make it. Ilse is completely unaware that Hermann is secretly working for the Resistance, helping Jews flee Norway to escape the Nazis.  Hermann tell lies to everyone he cares about: his parents, his boss, and to Ilse, to keep his secret hidden.

This story is tense with pressure building as  life under the German occupation becomes  more difficult, particularly for Jewish families like Ilse’s. The mood of secrecy, uncertainty, and fear in World War II Norway creates a moving story of sorrow, chance, and first love.

Almost Autumn won numerous awards in Norway when it was released there. Now an English translation is available, and I would recommend it to those interested in the Holocaust and the Resistance, as well as historical romance fiction.