Bright One

By: Lisajoy Sachs

Narrated by: Alice Sockett

When desperate choices mean the difference between life and death. Inspired by true events, Bright One tells the story of Jetti Finkelthal, Lisajoy Sachs' great-grandmother. In Czernowitz, Romania, this young Jewish mother is forced to face impossible choices as the world begins to collapse around her. As antisemitism tightens its grip and war edges ever closer, Jetti holds fast to her daughter, Berta, with the fragile belief that love and courage might still carve a way through the darkness. Inspired by her grandmother's letters, photographs, and family oral histories, Sachs revives a story both intimate and universal-stitched with the fabric of daily life, the pull of memory, and the quiet heroism of women who refused to yield to despair.

Told with vivid, sensory detail, the novel unfolds as if you are walking beside the characters, witnessing what they see and sharing what they feel. Through Jetti's resilience and sacrifices, Bright One reveals the enduring strength of family ties and the shadow of trauma that lingers across generations. It is a story of survival, of loss, and of the unbreakable connection between mother and child.

For listeners captivated by historical fiction that lingers long after the finale, Bright One offers a profoundly human portrait of love tested by history's darkest hours.

BOOK ONE of the BRIGHT ONE SERIES

BOOK TWO, GOLDEN FLIGHT releasing Summer 2026.

©2025, 2026 Lisajoy Sachs (P)2026 Lisajoy Sachs

Critic reviews

"A touching tale not to be missed for fans of The Child Who Lived by Ellie Midwood and Sophie's Choice by Wiliam Styron." -- HFC Reviews

Loved it!

The story was great and she really brought the characters to life. I can't wait for book 2 to come out!

Beautiful and Sad. I need book 2.

I would like to thank the author, Lisajoy Sachs for allowing me the opportunity to participate in the ARC and ALC team for Bright One.

First, the audio narration of Bright One is very well done. Alice’s voice is clear, melodic and engaging. I enjoyed listening to her at a variety of speeds.

This is a beautiful story of a Jewish woman who is impacted by trauma and PTSD of a WWII soldier. It is a story of betrayal, grief, healing, family and love. Then of the hard decisions that Jewish women of the time were made to endure. I was broken hearted.

This story will continue in another installment and my heart holds high hopes for the happiness of the characters I bonded with in Bright One.

Please, Lisajoy. Don’t break my heart again.

Captivating and warm story

Stories like these need to be told. I loved the voice of the narrator and really can’t wait for the next book in the series. I was chosen by the author as an early listener, and so glad I did. If you are looking for historical fiction based on a true family story this is a good one, the perspective is from a different side and not extremely brutal and also takes place in Romania interwar, so it’s different from most written at this time.

A Beautiful and Unforgettable Audiobook!

Lisajoy Sachs writes about her personal family history in this historical fiction novel that you won't soon forget. The audiobook is perfectly recorded and paced. The sound quality is impeccable. I loved the narrator's voices and choices for each character. Fans of historical fiction will adore this book. I feel like I haven't seen enough books about Romania set after World War One. This is a fantastic book and audiobook.

Amazing

I came across Lisa Joy Sachs on a FB feed and received a code for a free redemption code for this audiobook but started reading it beforehand and was camping so actually bought the audiobook to finish. Audiobook was as amazing as reading the book.

Bright One feels less like reading a historical fiction novel and more like sitting beside generations of women telling the truth of their family’s survival. Inspired by the real stories, letters, and journals of the Finkelthal family passed down through the author’s grandmother.

At the center is Jetti, surrounded by devastating family loss, heartbreak, grief, and periods of crushing depression, yet the novel never loses sight of hope.

Berta, “bright one”,became such a powerful symbol throughout the story. After being abandoned by her husband Joel, Jetta’s journey could have easily become one only about sorrow. Instead, Berta represents survival, growth, and the idea that light can still break through even the darkest seasons.

What stood out most was how vividly written everything felt. The atmosphere, the heartbreak, the family bonds, i was completely immersed in that time period, feeling every ounce of fear, grief, love, and determination alongside them. The emotional depth never felt forced, it felt lived.

More than anything, Bright One is a story about rising above unimaginable hardship while still holding tightly to love, family, and hope. A beautiful testament to perseverance, resilience, and the strength passed down through generations.

I am such a fan of historical fiction but this book hit differently knowing these people were based on a real family. I am in immediate need of the next book