On October 28, 1940, Mussolini provides Greek Prime Minister Ioannis Metaxas with an ultimatum-either allow Axis forces to occupy their country or face war-and Greece's response is swift: "Oxi!" they say. "No!" In a small village nestled against the radiant waters of the Aegean Sea, Alexei, the son of a local fisherman, and his best friend Costa-who were both born on the same night eighteen years earlier and have been like brothers ever since-leave their homes, like all the other young men in their village and throughout Greece, to bravely fight for their country. But before they go, Alexei asks Philia, the girl he's loved his entire life, to marry him, which sets into motion events that will change the lives of these three and their family and friends forever, beginning an unforgettable story of courage, survival, sacrifice, and the strength of the human spirit. A spellbinding novel and sweeping epic, Once We Were Here introduces listeners not only to the heart-pounding dangers and horrors of war but also to the heart-breaking emotions and sacrifices of those who fight and whose lives war intrudes upon.