“A heartbreaking and bittersweet novel about the need for queer joy even in the midst of the horrors of war. The ending had me in tears.”—Malinda Lo, New York Times bestselling and National Book Award–winning author of Last Night at the Telegraph Club
For fans of Ruta Sepetys and Malinda Lo, a heart-wrenching queer historical YA romance set in the Swing Youth movement of World War II Berlin
Charlotte Kraus would follow Angelika Haas anywhere. Which is how she finds herself in an underground club one Friday night the summer before World War II, dancing to contraband American jazz and swing music, suddenly feeling that anything might be possible.
Unable to resist the allure of sharing this secret with Geli, Charlie returns to the club again and again, despite the dangers of breaking the Nazi Party’s rules. Soon, terrified by the tightening vise of Hitler’s power, Charlie and the other Swingjugend are drawn to larger and larger acts of rebellion. But the war will test how much they are willing to risk—and to lose.
From the critically acclaimed author of Who I Was with Her, this beautifully told story of hope, love, and resistance will captivate readers of Girl in the Blue Coat and Last Night at the Telegraph Club.
- A Heartbreaking Sapphic Romance: Charlotte would follow the brilliant, charismatic Angelika Haas anywhere—even into the secret, contraband world of the Swingjugend, where her loyalty and love will be put to the ultimate test.
- Forbidden Jazz & Swing: In the underground clubs of 1930s Berlin, American jazz is more than just music. For Charlie and Geli, it’s a dangerous and exhilarating act of rebellion against the tightening vise of the Nazi party.
- A Vivid WWII Setting: Perfect for fans of Ruta Sepetys and Malinda Lo, this novel plunges readers into the heart of Berlin just as the world is about to catch fire, capturing the terror and hope of coming of age during wartime.
- A Story of Resistance: From dancing in secret to larger acts of defiance, this is an unforgettable story about the need for queer joy and the incredible risks the Swing Youth took to fight for what they believed in.
