Shortlisted for the RSL Christopher Bland Prize and the RNA Historical Romantic Novel Award 2021

'A compelling tale of forbidden love set in 1930's Leipzig' Independent

'Terrifying, yet tender. I loved it' Irish Examiner

'Heart-breaking, thought-provoking story' Adele Parks
'I nearly drowned and Walter rescued me. That changes everything.'
Leipzig, 1930s Germany

Hetty Heinrich is a perfect German child. Her father is an SS officer, her brother in the Luftwaffe, herself a member of the BDM. She believes resolutely in her country, and the man who runs it.

Until Walter changes everything. Blond-haired, blue-eyed, perfect in every way Walter. The boy who saved her life. A Jew.

Anti-semitism is growing by the day, and neighbours, friends and family members are turning on one another. As Hetty falls deeper in love with a man who is against all she has been taught, she begins to fight against her country, her family and herself. Hetty will have to risk everything to save Walter, even if it means sacrificing herself...

Perfect for fans of The Tattooist of Auschwitz and The Book Thief.
Why people love People Like Us:
'People Like Us is also a reminder that - even in the darkest times - the extraordinary power of love can light the way' Fiona Valpy

'A powerful, unforgettable love story' Gill Paul

'A heartbreaking, beautiful story' Jenny Ashcroft

'This is historical fiction at its absolute best' Liz Trenow

'An outstanding and heart-breaking story of Nazism seen from the 'other side': blind indoctrination is transformed into true heroism by the power of love' Sharon Maas, author of The Violin Maker's Daughter

'People Like Us is part romance, part character study, part call to arms' Lizzie Page

'People Like Us is an incredibly moving, utterly captivating, beautiful story of love, courage, and the strength of the human spirit. It was both heartbreaking and hopeful at once. The ending had me in tears' Rhiannon Navin

'A heartbreaking and thought-provoking story about forbidden love during Nazi Germany. Had me gripped to the very end' Luke Allnutt, author of We Own the Sky

'Beautiful and absorbing - a vital story of kindness, and a reminder that humanity can flourish in the darkest of times' Caroline Hulse, author of The Adults

Louise Fein is the author of People Like Us, her debut novel. It is a story of forbidden love and the brainwashing of a nation, set in 1930's Leipzig, and was inspired by the experiences of her family who fled Leipzig as refugees in 1933. The novel has been published in thirteen territories and has been shortlisted for the RSL Christopher Bland Prize 2021, as well as for the RNA Historical Novel of the Year award 2021. Her second novel, The Hidden Child, is set in 1920's England and tells the story of a couple who are ardent supporters of the burgeoning Eugenics movement, until their own daughter turns out to be not quite perfect. She holds an MA in creative writing from St Mary's University, London, and lives in Surrey with her family.