Review of When Stars Dream at Midnight (The Midnight Stars Saga #3) by Tess Thompson

 

Unveiled truths. Unrequited love. A world torn apart.

Mireille

When war threatened Europe, my parents sent me from our vineyard in France to safety in America, where I found a new life, with friends who become family. But even in a land untouched by the bombs, the shadows of war loomed over my heart. As secrets from my past emerge and the world around me is torn apart, I must confront the grief of loss, the weight of duty, and the delicate balance between love and loyalty.

Peter

I’ve always stood in the background—quiet, loyal, and resigned to love a woman I could never have. While her heart belonged to my best friend, mine was hers, a silent devotion that I buried beneath duty and the horrors of war. When tragedy sends me home, scarred and broken, I don’t expect to find healing in the life I left behind. But as grief turns into something deeper, I must decide if I have the courage to face a future shaped by love, hope, and loss.

The third installment in the Midnight Stars Saga follows Mireille Perrin, the baby Estelle entrusted to her twin sister Mauve in When Stars Fall at Midnight. Now grown and navigating the heartache of war, Mireille’s journey will unearth family truths, test her resilience, and challenge her heart in ways she never expected.

In this American Historical romance, Tess Thompson delivers a heartwarming, sweeping family saga filled with long- buried family secrets, unspoken desires, and characters torn between love and duty. A clean wartime that explores the power of second chances and healing nature of love is perfect for fans of 1940s historical fiction and WWII love stories. This sweet, inspirational tale will tug at heartstrings while reminding readers of the enduring resilience of the human spirit.

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**My thoughts**

Every time I feel like I have read Tess Thompson's best historical book, she brings me another one like this. I have a new favorite. And as I am always saying with her books, I'm surprised because I am typically NOT a fan of historical romances. 

Granted, this one takes place during WWII, which is one of my favorite time periods in history to study. I cannot imagine living during that time, watching families get ripped apart and humanity disappearing into evil. I am intrigued by the strength of those who resisted and persisted. This saga builds upon the first two installments, which were the story of Mireille's birth mother, yet somehow grips me even tighter. It also begs to be turned into a miniseries on a streaming platform.

Mireille was raised by her bio mom's twin sister in the south of France. [You'll want to read the first two books to better understand Stella's story, but it isn't necessary to appreciate this book.] And now she is returning to America, to stay safe as Hitler starts to take over France. Her father is Jewish, thus making her family a particular target.

This poor girl is completely uprooted from the vineyard that she has known and loved her whole life and transplanted onto a foreign land. She is fortunate to land a benevolent roommate at school who adopts her into the family, thus setting Mireille on her crash course of love and resistance during one of the most trying times in our history.

She will love and lose and love some more. Her path doesn't go on a straight line, instead meandering a bit to find its way to the ending you are waiting for. I felt like I was standing by her side as she went through every experience. I faced her fears, embraced her challenges, and loved all of her loves. I rejoiced in her happiness and cried alongside her in her grief.

Dare I hope for more in this world?

Well done, yet again, Ms. Thompson!