The Morning Gift

Reach for this book when your teenager is beginning to grapple with the complexities of history, the weight of global injustice, and the idea that doing the right thing often requires a complicated sacrifice. Set against the harrowing backdrop of the Nazi annexation of Austria, it follows Ruth, a brilliant young Jewish woman, and Quinton, a British academic who enters into a marriage of convenience to save her life. While the core is a sophisticated romance, the book serves as a profound entry point for discussing the refugee experience and the moral courage of upstanders. It is ideal for mature readers aged 12 and up who appreciate historical depth, wit, and stories where intellectual passion is as important as emotional connection. Parents will find it a comforting yet realistic way to explore how individuals can maintain their dignity and humanity when their world is being dismantled by political forces.