From Booklist
Hauf's newest novel portrays a lusty but complicated wartime romance between the beautiful and carefree Josephine Lalique and her longtime friend, Matthieu Bouchet. What Josephine does not know is that her heartfelt love letters have been sent to the wrong man, an illiterate but handsome oaf named Julien Delacroche, who asks Matthieu to write his replies for him. Josephine falls in love with these letters, and with Julien, not realizing that it is Matthieu who loves her. And it gets worse: years before, Julien's father murdered Matthieu's father out of his love for Matthieu's mother. Julien's father was hung for his crime, and over the years Julien developed a morbid desire for revenge against Matthieu and his family. Hauf's characters are quite likable, and all the intricate twists and surprises of the plot create delectable suspense, leading, ultimately, to a happy ending for all concerned.
Katherine Duren
