“Stranded Serenade” by Lisi Lopez
Heart, history, purpose, and a background of jazz. Stranded Serenade drops us into WWII Europe with a big band trumpeter stranded behind enemy lines, where music, resistance, and unexpected love become a lifeline for survival. This is a book that has us reflecting on and learning more about pivotal moments in history and how they shaped our world and communities today.
The narrative: about Stranded Serenade
Big band leader George Alton is a name everyone knows in America as he reaches new heights of fame. But he can’t ignore the deep feeling he has — a need to serve across the pond, not in battle, but through his music and support of the Allied troops. En route to his next location, George’s plane crashes in Germany. Injured and alone, a tavern-keeper brings George to his quiet German town to keep him hidden. And as he adjusts to a life of survival, he’s drawn to the local Resistance, and a young German woman captures his heart.
The nightcap
Pop a bottle! Lisi recommends Pol Roger Champagne to accompany this read. Not only did she learn it was one of Winston Churchill’s favorites during her research, but finding her writing voice and sharing her stories with the world are both worth celebrating.
In the episode
Get to know Lisi in our episode of Narratives & Nightcaps. We talk about:
How Lisi balances creative freedom with real historical events
An engineer by training, Lisi shares how she rediscovered her writing voice through advocacy articles for her son
Making historical fiction books a part of broader conversations about history (NOTE — she has another book coming out in April focusing on Cuban history!)
Listen or watch to the full author interview on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and YouTube Podcasts
Purchase your copy here.