Description

Grand Prize Winner of Goethe Award in Late Historical Fiction

Finalist of the Illinois Soon To Be Famous Author Contest

Can music heal a broken soul?

Cast out from her home after her mother's death, orphan Abigail Jones wanders around her English town on Christmas Eve of 1809. Desperately trying to suppress her cough—the same that killed her mother—Abigail begs for coins on the freezing cold streets. With the help of the medical student, Oli Higgins, she recovers and avoids being sent to the cruel orphanage. Oli then reveals his secret: he is hiding his Jewish identity and his birth name, David Fridman, to pursue his chosen profession. He brings her into his devout, loving Jewish home. Over time, she embraces her found family and discovers her talent for music.

When she grows up, Abigail is caught between two worlds; not Christian enough for the Gentiles, but as a non-Jew, she has no hope of marrying David, the man she dreams of. His mother matchmakes him with eligible girls and doesn't notice Abigail's jealousy. Instead, David's brother notices Abigail.

Her attempt to capture David's heart fails when his true love appears in town. Heartbroken, Abigail hastily accepts another man's marriage proposal and plans a double wedding with David's bride. On the big day, guilt and misery drive her to take drastic actions.

Can her family save her?

Perfect for book clubs! Fans of A Girl with a Knife will recognize familiar characters and meet new ones.

Author bio:
Alina Rubin is an IT professional and a mom, who, during the pandemic, wrote her first novel. Writing became her passion, and her characters took her on a journey beyond her wildest dreams.

Her debut novel, A Girl with a Knife, won the Illinois Soon to Be Famous Author Award.

Alina obtained a B.S. and M.S. in Business and Information Technology from DePaul University. She lives near Chicago with her husband and daughter. She enjoys yoga, hiking, and traveling.

"Alina Rubin is an up-and-coming star in the realm of historical fiction. She is a determined and talented writer who knows how to bring history to life through her courageous main characters." — Colin Mustful, author, historian, editor, and founder of History Through Fiction.