Only the Beautiful

By: Susan Meissner

Narrated by: Xe Sands, Jorjeana Marie

Length: 12 hrs and 28 mins

Publisher's summary

A Best Historical Fiction of Spring Pick by Amazon, PopSugar, AARP, and BookBub!

A heartrending story about a young mother’s fight to keep her daughter, and the terrible injustice that tears them apart, by the USA Today bestselling author of The Nature of Fragile Things and The Last Year of the War.

California, 1938—When she loses her parents in an accident, sixteen-year-old Rosanne is taken in by the owners of the vineyard where she has lived her whole life as the vinedresser’s daughter. She moves into Celine and Truman Calvert’s spacious house with a secret, however—Rosie sees colors when she hears sound. She promised her mother she’d never reveal her little-understood ability to anyone, but the weight of her isolation and grief prove too much for her. Driven by her loneliness she not only breaks the vow to her mother, but in a desperate moment lets down her guard and ends up pregnant. Banished by the Calverts, Rosanne believes she is bound for a home for unwed mothers. But she soon finds out she is not going to a home of any kind, but to a place that seeks to forcibly take her baby – and the chance for any future babies – from her.

Austria, 1947—After witnessing firsthand Adolf Hitler’s brutal pursuit of hereditary purity—especially with regard to “different children”—Helen Calvert, Truman’s sister, is ready to return to America for good. But when she arrives at her brother’s peaceful vineyard after decades working abroad, she is shocked to learn what really happened nine years earlier to the vinedresser’s daughter, a girl whom Helen had long ago befriended. In her determination to find Rosanne, Helen discovers a shocking American eugenics program—and learns that that while the war had been won in Europe, there are still terrifying battles to be fought at home.

©2023 Susan Meissner (P)2023 Penguin Audio

Critic reviews

“Only the Beautiful is an emotional journey of grief, hope, and second chances… Meissner pulls no punches in comparing America’s treatment of people with disabilities with the Nazis’ actions a few years later, leaving the reader with the emphatic message that everyone has a moral obligation to speak out against governments doing horrible things. This one resonates.” – Historical Novels Review

“Susan Meissner is a master of the genre…[Only the Beautiful] is set in 1930s California and explores our country’s brief but troubling fascination with eugenics via the story of Helen.” – San Diego Union-Tribute

"Uncovers the horrors of eugenics movements through the stories of two women in 20th-century America.” – PopSugar

Captivating story telling the story of innocents who were victims of the Eugenics movement

A must read for all Americans. It’s history. The story entranced me and the writing is superb. I enjoyed the performance very much too.

Wow!

Such a great read. So heartbreaking at times, but completely eye opening. So well written. I love her style of writing, with the flashbacks and relating two different stories. All her books have been amazing! I will be visiting Sonoma Valley soon!

Extremely enlightening on deep social topics.

I feel into these characters. They are realistic and depending on them tug at your heart. Satisfying ending. Details of living during WW2 in Europe was very interesting and important. Truly enjoyed the story- feel I gained knowledge on events I wasn’t aware that occurred during the war in the USA. Thought provoking.

Entertaining, thought provoking and overall great listen

A great listen, well written and interesting story. The two stories and time lines are woven together beautifully.
The narrator was excellent.

The BEST

This is hands down the best book I’ve read in years. It captivated me from the start and changed me forever!

Outstanding book!

I looked forward to listening to this any opportunity I could get. It was very well done and eye-opening.

So well written and read !

The audible book was so well read that I could really feel the emotions of each character. It was an emotional but powerful story. I truly enjoyed the author’s style of writing.

Exceptional on all levels

I rarely leave reviews but I was so captured by this story. The writing was superb and the narration was so on point. I highly recommend this book.

Seeing the world in colors…

SPOILERS


Rosie’s character capture my heart from the very start. Relating with her on such a personal level. I was once an unwed, pregnant 19 year old, who struggled all throughout school, feeling and seeing the world a bit differently than the majority of my peers. My soul ached as I imagined what it would have looked like if my own life had unfolded decades before it did. Before the scientific studies, awareness and understanding of those who learn and experience things a bit “differently.” Rosie’s beautiful mind weaving the journey that went hand and hand with fear threaded in hope. The wanting to be loved, to know love. The wanting to have freedom and choices. Then the ripping away of both.


Helen, the nurturing Aunt we all need. I couldn’t fathom connecting with another character in this book in the way I did Rosie but when Helen came on the scene in part two, she completely captivated me. Captured me in a way that inspired me to keep my soul soft through struggles. To love the forgotten ones. To heal from heartbreak and turn it into healing for others. Her tenacity mixed with tenderness. Her aching love for Brigitta. I wept with her on that rug floor grieving the death of a sweet soul stolen by the eugenics horrific ideologies.

May we all fight and figure things out like Rosie. Love and empathize like Helen. Smile like Brigitta did and have resilience like Amaryllis.

Wow, amazing, heartfelt..just a joy to listen to..

So many messages to take away from this book. Highly recommend. It’s well worth it