I have just read this story over the past 3 days unable to put it down and I just had to let you know this has been my favourite ever fanfiction to date and I have read thousands over several genres. Can not wait to read more of your work. Yvonne x

I just re-read this story over the past week or so, and once again enjoyed it immensely and wanted to let you know that. Thank you, once more! :)

Another great chapter. I laughed out loud at this line:
And as a man who so desired his intended, as far as he was concerned, his children could stuff it.

Just discovering this story! I'm intrigued by the first chapter. Love how protective Georg is of Maria and interesting to see how hard it was for Maria during the engagement. I thought that was very realistic but not something you read much. The time and place shifts are also interesting. I feel like i got more insight into things as after reading the second part, from the first part you can tell that Maria has at least grown used to the gossip once married. Not that it's pleasant for her, but her strength comes through in that once married, she can at least deal with it with humor or irritation.

WOW. Just...wow.
This story is so intricate and amazing and just...no words.
I love this little recap of everyone and everything. I figured there would be another baby on the way, but I didn't expect it to be number four, or for you to do what you did with the boys, in veering completely away from reality.
Love how Georg insisted little Rosemarie give him his pin.
Full happiness, but not quite perfection, and therefore completely realistic.

UNBELIEVABLE Cass, really.

Beautiful. And those last two lines sum up this story perfectly. They're we're they are because they love each other.
Love how all this chapter was was Rosemarie's birth, but we saw it from every possible angle. Starting with Georg holding his daughter while Maria slept and then covering what happened after he arrived, to go back to the present for a moment before diving into Maria's side, and then finally when they were both there.
Georg's thought about how Maria was all but back to her old self so soon was great - of course she'd never stopped, she'd been in labour for hours before she mentioned anything.
Love Rosemarie's parents talking to her in German at the very beginning, and the perfection of the caul as it related to sailors.
And of course, Maria's talking about Georg's opportunity as soon as possible. What a wonderful thing that he can have his cake and eat it, too.
Beautiful, beautiful, beautiful

I am seriously blown away at how amazing this is, and I really wonder how you managed to write it all, with the insane timelines.
'Eyes did reflect light as well as they refracted it' - WOW!
Love how, now that the time for Maria to get ready to fulfill her promise about the baby gets closer she gets more worried, but at the same time amazed. The way Marta's question just shocked her, even though it was completely unrelated was the perfect way to show it.
And I love how bringing up the issue of citizenship brought up two issues - what it could mean for the boys AND how much life here means to Maria, even though, as Georg points out, going back to Austria is not an impossibility.
So of course they have a spat - that's what they do.
And I'm rather intrigued about this letter...

And, wow, what a complete 180 this part was, with Maria all but pushing Georg out the door to take up the work he'd been offered. Her point about how he could not have completely dismissed it, because he still had the letter was great, and even after he'd promised he'd go through with it, she's packing a suitcase to make sure.
And then, with Georg out of the way, she's called on Alexandra and her daughters for company. I really loved the moment with Marta; how desperately she wants to help, but is more worried now than before given what happened when she went with Louisa, and Maria tells her she can help her just as much, if not more, without having to be in the room.

Ah, getting back to finishing this story...
I love family bonding. And it's so beautiful how much happiness can come out of such small things. Love Maria saying she cannot judge Liesl for her actions because at times like these, propriety is strained, and that, had things gone slightly differently she might've done much the same thing.
Really like how that fed into Louisa's reveal that Henry wants to marry her; and their trip to see State Fair was adorable - I love Rogers and Hammerstein nods included in TSOM fics -, and the way Louisa asked Georg if he was alright, something that he hadn't really been asked or thought about in a long time, was very beautiful.

Oh, my. The '44 part was beautiful.
Love how different Maria and Georg's reactions to the war are, and of course, how Maria doesn't even blink before comforting Lilian when she walks into the shop. To the point where she asks her to tea with the other ladies.
Her reflection on what Lilian had told her, and the conversation that came up when she mentioned it to Georg was just...wonderful. Especially the 'reprise' of the 'Is that why you came back.' Also loved how when asking if life gets any easier, she asked him to lie to her. And yet, when he'd finished talking, they realised maybe, in some ways, it wasn't that far from the truth after all.
And oh my, what an ending.

As a reader who only starts reading fics that are officially announced 'complete', I was just delighted to see that very label appear on this seemingly endless story of yours. I spent the last two weeks or so reading from beginning to end, and I really enjoyed this a lot. I think you get the characters quite right indeed, and in addition you also managed to create original characters of your own that were actually truly interesting, which is something very few fic authors manage to achieve in my humble opinion.
Thanks for all the hard work on this story, I know I will be reading it again in the future for sure!

I’m really enjoying this story! Such great writing. The only thing I do wish it was written chronologically. It’s a bit hard to follow with all the timeline jumping. But SUCH a marvellous and unique fic

You did beautifully with this story (and I realise I have yet to finish it, but I also know those last few chapters will not change my thoughts) and like you said, I think the simplicity is in the story’s complexity, and it will forever be one of the most intricate stories I will read

I'm a bit sad to see "COMPLETE" on the list of stories page now, although I knew it must come to an end sometime. I've loved this story - it's the first FF I ever read and l would be so thrilled to get notification that a new chapter was up. I would have to insist that I finish whatever task I had for that day before l read it, and not just drop everything and read it straight away (although I sometimes did just that). I've read the whole story several times, often going back to the beginning while reading the new chapters as well - reading from both ends if you like. I've no doubt that it will remain one of my favourites and I'll read it many times. Wonderful writing. I hope you are planning more stories. Thank you!

I have followed this story for so long and I cannot tell you how incredible it is! I could write paragraphs upon paragraphs about it - I really could. You are a true creative genius! I look forward to your future works and thank you for creating this wonderful story! It is, by far, one of my all-time favourites!

Fabulous.
Love that we got to see about Kurt here, and how much of it was from his perspective directly. He really was, in so many ways, caught in the middle of everything, and in a way that only Maria can see sometimes. Love how after their conversation, he all-but-instantly decided to start things by going down to the blacksmith's.
The way Maria confronted Georg about his actions towards his son was great; especially that she wasn't expecting him to change, but was expecting him to try to understand Kurt more.
And how that led to Georg thinking over being a father, and how he wished he could be better, or have a second chance, but that did not come from having another child. That Maria already was a mother, and if he never had any children with her, that was okay.

Love how this was another one of those reflection, dream-like chapters, because for the first half all Maria is actually doing is sitting at the table.
How much everyone is looking after and looking out for her is wonderful, but I love the moment where Maria commented that at this point, Max was really the only one who felt completely genuine.
Love how half of the kids didn't have names for a long time (though I do recall an earlier chapter where Gretl was the one called Margarete.)
Georg's comment about being ready for the baby from as soon as he knew, because that was what Maria needed was beautiful.
And now they're off on this new start together.

Fantastic.
Boy, they got a lot of people into that chalet. But given the ultimate goal, it's probably a good starting point.
You really got the atmosphere of such a celebration down, and I thought it flowed beautifully; from Brigitta's announcement about the lodge including a subtle nod to little ones, which led to Friedrich and Hannah's announcement, which then led to Maria discovering Liesl's news.
Love how, when Liesl admitting what had happened, Maria told her she wasn't going to judge her, and that it truly is a wonderful gift. And love how Liesl said they wanted to make sure Maria was okay before they broke the news.
And in true von Trapp style, there was music. Love Liesl appearing at the end for the singing and Brigitta bringing out the violin. And how she said she loved playing, but it wasn't enough for her to keep the instrument.

Really like how '42 was almost told in a dream-like way. The visit from the governor is something Maria doesn't really remember, so we see into her mind for a large part of the section, showing just how much everything has changed from the very beginning, both in life, and in love. And then when Georg breaks her reverie they rush off together, because he know exactly what she was thinking.
And even with that, the war is still ever-present, with points about people being called to service and Maria comforting Laverne when that exact thing happens to her.