The Hard Way Home

The Star and the Shamrock, Book 3

By: Jean Grainger

Narrated by: Siobhan Waring

Dublin 1950

Liesl Bannon has never felt like she was truly at home anywhere, not since her mother placed her and her brother Erich on the last Kindertransport out of Berlin in 1939. She’d been so much more fortunate than most Jews, saved from the horrors of the Nazi regime. Being adopted by Elizabeth and Daniel Lieber meant she and Erich spent the war in Northern Ireland, safe and loved, but Liesl always knew something was missing.

When an opportunity to return to Berlin to represent her university presents itself, she is so torn. Should she go back to the city that rejected her and her family, would it be too harrowing, or would it feel like home?

In Berlin, a chance encounter with an old family friend sparked emotions for Liesl that she’d suppressed since she was a child. She finds herself desperately wanting to go back to those carefree days before Hitler, when life made sense, but why was her family so set against her return? Was it because they were worried about her as they claimed, or was there a darker, more sinister reason?

The Hard Way Home is the heart wrenching third book in the best-selling Star and the Shamrock series.

©2022 Gold Harp Media (P)2023 Jean Grainger

A fascinating story

I have been immersed in this fascinating and informative story. It has made me aware of the challenges faced by German Jews and how some survived by strength and “the kindness of strangers”.

Five Star Plus

I don’t think I’ll ever forget this series. I loved hearing about people helping others & daring to do the right thing! Thank you so much for the hours of excellent entertainment.

Can’t wait for the next!

I enjoyed this book which is the third in a series of four, just as much the first two. Onto the fourth.

Anti-semitism In Ireland

This is a great 3rd book of a series. Liesl finds first love in college, but is devastated by his family’s anti-semitism and his lack of support. She travels to Berlin for a debate competition and discovers a childhood friend. The story is full of grown-up choices of finding who you really are and where home is found. Full of love and support. While listening, tears streamed down my face as we flew home fro NY.

The ability of the reader to convey all the characters was wonderful

I’m interested in WWII history and I have learned so much about how Europe and Ireland in particular suffered and made it through that time