A pickpocket turned lady and a prince with a forgotten past find love in the most unexpected place…
Juliet Dash, orphan and former pickpocket, yearns to leave her troubled past behind. So when she arrives in British Columbia and takes a respectable job working for a pair of society sisters who offer to give her etiquette lessons, she’s one step closer to that dream. But when an unexpected encounter with an unconscious man turns her world upside down, Juliet must choose between her heart and her aspirations.
Weary of the pressure of royal life, Prince Henry Graighton longs for solace and anonymity. But when tragedy strikes and his brother winds up dead, Henry finds himself thrust into the role of heir apparent, leaving him to struggle with the weight of his grief and unwanted responsibility. And when Henry is kidnapped, he narrowly escapes with his life…but loses his memories in the process. In his darkest hour, a beacon of hope emerges in the form of Juliet, his savior and the key to unlocking his forgotten past.
With danger lurking at every turn and the weight of Henry’s royal duties looming over them, can their budding romance withstand the trials that lie ahead, or will Juliet be forced to sacrifice her own happiness for the sake of Henry’s kingdom?
MY THOUGHTS
I loved the Bride Ships: New Voyages series. This is the fourth and final book in it. Each book features a different woman who has sailed on a journey to a new start leaving bad memories behind.
It’s always fun to meet up with characters from previous books in a current read and see how things have progressed for them. Full of surprising twists and turns this is a faith filled Christian fiction series that kept me reading late into the night.
I was so happy to see our young couple get their magical fairytale like ending. I enjoyed seeing our characters grow and mature as life lessons were learned and accepted.
I was given a complimentary copy of this book. All opinions expressed are my own.
MEET THE AUTHOR
Jody Hedlund is the best-selling author of over fifty books and is the winner of numerous awards. She writes sweet, clean romances with plenty of sizzle (but without the spice).
344 pages WaterBrook publisher Publication date October 19, 2021
ABOUT THE BOOK
Her voice made her a riverboat’s darling—and its prisoner. Now she’s singing her way to freedom in this powerful novel from the bestselling author of The Librarian of Boone’s Hollow.
“[An] enjoyable faith-filled adventure . . . Sawyer’s episodic narrative and rich assortment of characters fighting for freedom provide the story with many twists and unexpected side-plots.”—Publishers Weekly
Indentured servant Fanny Beck has been forced to sing for riverboat passengers since she was a girl. All she wants is to live a quiet, humble life with her family as soon as her seven-year contract is over. So when she discovers that the captain has no intention of releasing her, she seizes a sudden opportunity to escape—an impulse that leads Fanny to a group of enslaved people who are on their own dangerous quest for liberty. . . .
Widower Walter Kuhn is overwhelmed by his responsibilities to his farm and young daughter, and now his mail-order bride hasn’t arrived. Could a beautiful stranger seeking work be the answer to his prayers? . . .
After the star performer of the River Peacock is presumed drowned, Sloan Kirkpatrick, the riverboat’s captain, sets off to find her replacement. However, his journey will bring him face to face with his own past—and a deeper understanding of what it truly means to be free. . . .
Uplifting, inspiring, and grounded in biblical truth, Freedom’s Song is a story for every reader who has longed for physical, emotional, or spiritual delivery.
MY THOUGHTS
The book was slow to start but once it got rolling it became a great story. Forced to sing on a riverboat as a young girl because of her melodious voice by her father he unknowingly signs her over for many years. She wants a simple life, one far away from the riverboat and its customers.
An accident one night on the boat grants her freedom as she’s washed ashore. The people she finds are also seeking freedom of another kind. The book was full of excitement and adventure of many kinds from being prisoner on a riverboat to being on the run, the unknown and the uncertainty that goes with this.
I loved seeing the enthusiasm and fortitude Fanny has despite all the hardships she has faced and continues to face. great reading with an exciting plot.
I was given a complimentary copy of this book. All opinions expressed are my own.
THE AUTHOR
Award-winning, bestselling author Kim Vogel Sawyer is a wife, mother, gramma, chocolate-lover, cat-petter, and–most importantly–a daughter of the King! With more than 1.5 million books in print in seven different languages, Kim enjoys a full-time writing and speaking ministry. Her “gentle stories of hope” are loved by readers and reviewers alike. Kim and her retired military husband, Don, reside on the plains of Kansas, the setting for many of her novels.
423 pages HQ Digital publisher Pub Date Oct 05 2021
ABOUT THE BOOK
Munich: Smoke filled the air.
Lilli Sternberg’s quickening heart sounded an alarm as she rounded the street corner. Lifting her gaze to the rooftops, a roaring blaze of thick flames engulfed the side of the building and joined the stars to fill the black sky. Her father’s shop was no more.
Lilli Sternberg longs to be a ballet dancer. But outside the sanctuary of the theatre, Munich is no longer a place for dreams.
The Nazi party are gaining power and the threats to Jewish families increasing. Even Lilli’s family shop was torched because of their faith.
When Lilli meets Captain Marco Zeiller during a chance encounter, her heart soars. He is the perfect gentleman and her love for him feels like a bright hope under a bleak sky.
But battle lines are being drawn, and Marco has been spotted by the Reich as an officer with potential. Lilli means more to him than anything and he knows he must find a way out.
With their lives on the line, will Marco and Lilli survive the growing Nazi threat, or do they risk losing everything in the fight to be free?
An absolutely gripping and emotional historical fiction novel about love, courage and betrayal for fans of My Name is Eva and A Woman of War
MY THOUGHTS
Incredible fiction detailing decades of time covering war, love, surprises resilience and sacrifices like no others. Loosely based on real events and actual people I learned a lot and was very impressed with what I read. Highly recommended.
I was given a complimentary copy of this book. All opinions expressed are my own.
MEET THE AUTHOR
When I was five years old, I visited the dungeons of an old castle with my parents. The guide was telling us about the oubliette, the place where they threw prisoners and literally forgot about them. Without warning he turned the light off, plunging the space into darkness. We were blind for a few moments. But instead of terrifying me, the experience had the opposite effect. I wanted to know more about people, lives, events from the past. So,from a very early age, I loved history: buildings, books, stories.
I went on to read History at Oxford University and qualified as a journalist and editor, contributing to several national publications such as The Times and The Telegraph. I also acted as a literary publicist for the English TV presenter and novelist Pam Rhodes.
Winning a European-wide screenplay writing competition led to the optioning of a screenplay. (Here’s where the history comes in.) Set in 18th century England, it highlighted what has to be one of the most fascinating periods of England’s past. The screenplay languished in what’s known as development hell, but I was determined to tell some of the stories I’d discovered during my researches into the period. The result is “The Anatomist’s Apprentice,” the first of a series of Dr Thomas Silkstone Mysteries – stories from late 18th century England that are based on true events.
Until December 2010 I was editor of a regional glossy magazine and was regularly heard on BBC local radio. As well interviewing dozens of celebrities, I interviewed writers at literary events in front of audiences. My most recent interviews were with Oscar winner Julian Fellowes (who wrote the screenplay for Downton Abbey), Barbara Taylor Bradford and Hollywood legend Leslie Caron.
304 pages Bethany House Publishers March 04,2025 publication date
ABOUT THE BOOK
Heartache has left them emotionally desolate, but traces of love and healing could forge a future.
In the wake of a harsh winter, Micah Hamilton and Charlotte Aldrich are grappling with loss and guilt after the disaster that took the lives of their loved ones. Struggling to cope with his grief, Micah abandons his father’s dreams of a prosperous ranch and cuts himself off from the rest of the world.
Charlotte has loved Micah her entire life and is determined not to lose him as well. With her mother’s help, she begins coaxing Micah to live again. Despite their enduring heartache, the affection between them deepens, but just as Charlotte thinks her dreams may come true, a scorned suitor threatens everything she holds dear. Micah and Charlotte must embark on a journey of healing and renewal to build a life founded on faith, hope, and love.
MY THOUGHTS
I am always excited to see a new book by the author and this is the first in The Hope of Cheyenne series.
Micah Hamilton and Charlotte Aldrich have known each other since childhood, and she has loved him just as long. Even as a child she said she was going to marry him someday, but her father has other plans and makes plans for her to marry a man who she doesn’t love. He thinks he is doing the right thing as this man has money and will take her away from the ranch and give her a life of luxury. All she wants is to run a ranch along with her husband and be a rancher’s wife, just like her mother who has happily lived this lifestyle.
The winter of 1887 outside of Cheyenne, Wyoming was particularly rough, not fit for man or beast. Devastatingly a significant number of open range cattle died due to record breaking temperatures and heavy snow in the Great Plains region. The author described this very well, the tragedy and many ranchers and their hands died as well trying to save the cattle. This time period is referred to as “The Great Die-Up.”
After the death of Max’s father during this time period he becomes a shell of himself. Dealing with grief, second chances, and sweet romance and is a Christian fiction historical romance.
The restorative power of faith in a well-developed story line with characters I’ll look forward to reading more about in the next book in the series.
I was given a complimentary copy of this book. All opinions expressed are my own.
MEET THE AUTHOR
Tracie Peterson is the bestselling, award-winning author of more than one hundred books. Tracie also teaches writing workshops at a variety of conferences on subjects such as inspirational romance and historical research. She and her family live in Montana.
382 pages Bookouture publisher September 10, 2021 publication date
ABOUT THE BOOK
Italy, 1943. In the hills outside Naples, the silver moon shines brightly on a whitewashed farmhouse. An urgent knock on the door breaks the silence: and in that moment, one young woman’s act of incredible bravery changes the course of the war.
For Carmela del Bosco, a farm girl in a remote Italian village, sheltering an English spy is the most dangerous thing she could do. If she’s caught by the fascists it would be the end, especially for her beloved grandmother sleeping soundly upstairs. But taking in the pleading brown eyes of the man calling himself Sebastiano slumped at her door, and his terrible injuries inflicted by the Nazi occupiers, Carmela remembers how Nonna always taught her right from wrong. Risking everything, she hides him in a ruined tower on the edge of the farm.
Each day Carmela tends his wounds, and the passion that kindles between them is a light in the darkest time. Sebastiano has information that could end the war, and needs her help to send it. But tracking down fellow members of the resistenza in the mountains meansrisking her life and bringing danger to everyone she knows.
Carmela knows she must find the courage to do what’s right for her country. But if she leaves the farm, will she ever see her beloved nonna again? And will her sacrifice tear her away from the only man she’s ever loved, forever?
An absolutely stunning and heartbreaking historical novel about the impossible choices people are forced to make in wartime. Fans of The Nightingale, All the Light We Cannot See and Rhys Bowen will be captivated.
MY THOUGHTS
Italy, 1943. In the hills outside Naples. Carmela del Bosco must forget, what has happened seems a lifetime ago but that’s easier said than done.
Her slumber disturbed in the early morning at her Nonna’s farm where she lives, a man, badly beaten, an English spy on the run from Nazi occupiers. Calling himself Sebastiano, Carmela hides him in a ruined tower on the farm property. His discovery could put not only her but her Nonna and all residents of the farmhouse in grave danger.
As time goes on, they admit to having feeling for each other. He begs her to leave the farm and get a message out that could end the war. She’ll need to track down fellow members of the resistenza leaving her family members alone and vulnerable especially her Nonna. Will she ever see her again or her new love?
Danger abounds, found around every corner. The tension doesn’t let up over the whole book. Utterly heartbreaking. The author grabs your attention and doesn’t let go.
I was given a complimentary copy of this book. All opinions expressed are my own.
MEET THE AUTHOR
Natalie is a RITA nominated, USA Today best-selling author of ten historical novels: The Dress Thief, The Milliner’s Secret, The Wardrobe Mistress, A Gown of Thorns, The Secret Vow and The Paris Girl (featuring sisters, Katya and Tatiana.) Two further novels are set in southern Italy: Into the Burning Dawn and The Italian Girl’s Secret, both featuring young women facing tough choices.
The Girl with the Yellow Star takes the reader to wartime Cornwall and introduces Gwenna and little Lotti, the motherless child who comes unexpectedly into her life. The Locket is a split timeline novel featuring Irene, a country girl living next door to a new American airbase and her grandaughter Ruby who uncovers Irene’s lost past. The Paris Inheritance is her latest novel, a split timeline between an English painter caught in Paris by enemy occupation and Hope, an Englishwoman who comes to France looking for a new life. Both women are on the knife edge of life-changing events. Natalie writes page turning stories of wartime, love and challenging choices.
From February 2025, look out for Natalie’s country house crime novels under the name Kay Blythe. One and the same, Natalie/Kay aims to delight the reader with immersive, twisty historical adventure. Happy reading!
449 pages Bookouture publisher July 9, 2021 publication date
ABOUT THE BOOK
As a terrible war creeps ever closer, one young woman desperately tries to protect those she loves…
1940. When Rosie loses her mother and is sent to Sri Lanka to live with her mother’s friend Silvia and her three sons, her world changes in a heartbeat. As she is absorbed into the bosom of a noisy family, with boys she loves like brothers, she begins to feel at home.
But the war in Europe is heading for Asia. Searching for comfort from the bleak news and the bombings, Rosie meets a heroic soldier on leave, and falls in love for the first time. Yet the war will not stop for passion; he must move on, and she must say goodbye, knowing she might never see him again.
Meanwhile, one by one, the men she considers brothers leave to fight for their island paradise. As she waits in anguish for letters that never come, tortured by stories of torpedoed ships and massacres of innocent families, she realises that she, too, must do her bit.
Rosie volunteers to work in military intelligence, keeping secrets that will help those she loves and protect her island home. But then two telegrams arrive with the chilling words ‘missing believed captured’ and ‘missing believed dead’. Who of those that she loves will survive the devastating war, and who will she lose?
An emotional and heartbreaking read with rich historical detail set against the backdrop of Sri Lanka during World War Two. Fans of Hazel Gaynor, Fiona Valpy, Kristin Hannah and Clare Flynn will be swept away by Those I Have Lost.
MY THOUGHTS
Taking place in India and what we now know as Sri Lanka. 1940 India. This is Rosie’s story. She has suddenly lost her mother as a young girl. This coming-of-age story is a heartbreaker. Her father cannot properly care for her, and she is sent to live with a woman, her mother’s best friend “Aunty” and her three sons in Sri Lanka.
Told in time periods before and during the war. The men, some gladly leave the island to do their part as Europe is being torn apart by the maddening bombs flying.
Devastated, her first love is mia and she feels as though life for her will never be the same. When all she has known winds up in chaos and devastation can she possibly go on? Secrets are sometimes more hurtful when found out. Tragic but beyond the darkness is another day, another day full of hope and the possibility of light shining again.
I was given a complimentary copy of this book. All opinions expressed are my own.
MEET THE AUTHOR
Sharon Maas was born into a prominent political family in Georgetown, Guyana, in 1951. She was educated in England, Guyana, and, later, Germany. After leaving school, she worked as a trainee reporter with the Guyana Graphic in Georgetown and later wrote feature articles for the Sunday Chronicle as a staff journalist.
Her first novel, Of Marriageable Age, is set in Guyana and India and was published by HarperCollins in 1999. In 2014 she moved to Bookouture, and now has ten novels under her belt. Her books span continents, cultures, and eras. From the sugar plantations of colonial British Guiana in South America, to the French battlefields of World War Two, to the present-day brothels of Mumbai and the rice-fields and villages of South India, Sharon never runs out of stories for the armchair traveller.
400 pages Bethany House publishers Publication date December 3, 2024
ABOUT THE BOOK
A surprise homecoming tests the bonds of sisterhood as a hidden past comes to light . . .
Disgraced eldest sister Claire Summers has been living in exile as companion to a stern great-aunt in Scotland. About to lose her place and longing to be reconciled with her estranged family, Claire sees an advertisement from someone looking for a “respectable female partner” in a Sidmouth boarding house. Is it a sign? She answers the ad, hoping she has not made another reckless mistake. When she meets the handsome, secretive proprietor, she wonders what he’s hiding and if he’s any more trustworthy than the nobleman who betrayed her years ago. Claire is drawn to him even though she fears he will reject her when he discovers her genteel façade hides a less-than-respectable past.
Meanwhile, the Summers family learns their great-aunt has died and Claire has disappeared without a word. The sisters rally together to find their lost sibling, but will their unexpected reunion heal old wounds and rekindle their bonds . . . or deepen the divide?
Return to the captivating Devonshire coast as the Summers sisters navigate romance, second chances, and the enduring strength of sisterhood in the face of adversity.
MY THOUGHTS
t’s always such a treat to read a book by the author and I’m already looking forward to the Christmas release in this series coming out in September. This is the third of what I believe to be a four-book series.
I’ve enjoyed getting to know the five sisters and their widowed mother. I’d suggest reading the other two books in the series to catch up on the back story, meeting all the sisters and getting to know their personalities. The author’s books are wonderful, and her storytelling abilities have evolved over the years making for such compelling stories that I’m sure not to miss.
How exciting that the book started out taking place in Scotland. I’ve really enjoyed the Regency spin she puts on her books. We have romance, forgiveness, strong faith. We have a reunion with the oldest sister and after a troubling past it was so nice to see such strong sisterly bonds are still there as they are there to support her.
Great descriptions and as with the other books I could imagine the rugged seaside coast. Looking forward to the other sister’s stories soon. Great wrap up of this story as it kept me glued to its pages.
I was given a complimentary copy of this book. All opinions expressed are my own
MEET THE AUTHOR
Julie Klassen loves all things Jane—Jane Eyre and Jane Austen. She worked in publishing for sixteen years and now writes full time. Three of her novels have won the Christy Award for Historical Romance. She has also won the Minnesota Book Award, the Midwest Book Award, and Christian Retailing’s BEST Award. Julie is a graduate of the University of Illinois. She and her husband have two sons and live in St. Paul, Minnesota. Visit http://www.julieklassen.com and talesfromivyhill.com for more information.
416 pages Publisher Revell Publication date January 21, 2025
ABOUT THE BOOK
Virigina plantation life is all she has ever known. But could the life she was meant to live be waiting on a distant shore?
In 1774, Juliet Catesby lives with her father and sister at Royal Vale, the James River plantation founded by her Virginia family over a century before. Indigo cultivation is her foremost concern, though its export tethers her family to the powerful Buchanan clan of Glasgow, Scotland.
When the heir of the Buchanan firm arrives on their shores, Juliet discovers that her father has arranged for one of his daughters to marry the Scot as a means of canceling the family’s crippling debt. Confident it will be her younger, lovelier sister, Juliet is appalled when Leith Buchanan selects her instead.
Despite her initial refusal, Juliet realizes that fleeing Virginia is her only choice after finding herself in the midst of a scandal. The ship just leaving the harbor for Glasgow is her only hope. But she will soon realize that being part of the complex and calculating Buchanan clan is not the sanctuary she imagined–and the man who saved her from ruin is the very one she must now save in return.
MY THOUGHTS
What an exciting journey I took while reading this book. The author always writes fascinating well researched historical fiction this one taking us from the tobacco fields of Virginia to Scotland.
Rich in history, the James River plantation in Virgina is home to Juliet Catesby, her sister and father. Indigo is cultivated on their plantation along with other crops common in 1774. Unknown to Juliet the plantation is not faring well, and her father is in terrible debt.
A member of the Buchanan clan of Glasgow, Scotland arrives on the shores to marry one of the plantation daughters. Juliet surely believes it’ll be her younger sister.
Leith Buchanan is a widower with two young children after his wife’s passing, he knows he will not marry without love this time. The sea voyages I really enjoy reading about. Lots of detail that could have you envisioning yourself on this long journey.
As Juliet and Leith spend more time in each other’s company we can see this will become a lifelong journey of faith, love and hope. Another excellent story by the author.
I was given a complimentary copy of this book. All opinions expressed are my own.
MEET THE AUTHOR
Bestselling, award-winning author, Laura Frantz, has been writing stories since age seven. She is passionate about all things historical, particularly the 18th-century and her novels often incorporate Scottish themes that reflect her family heritage. She is a direct descendant of George Hume, Wedderburn Castle, Berwickshire, Scotland, who was exiled to the American colonies for his role in the Jacobite Rebellion of 1715, settled in Virginia, and is credited with teaching George Washington surveying in the years 1748-1750. Proud of her heritage, she is also a Daughter of the American Revolution. Though she will always consider Kentucky home, she and her husband live in Washington State.
According to Publishers Weekly, “Frantz has done her historical homework.” With her signature attention to historical detail and emotional depth, she is represented by Janet Kobobel Grant, Literary Agent & Founder, Books & Such Literary Agency of Santa Rosa, California. Foreign language editions include French, Dutch, Spanish, Slovakian, German & Polish.
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384 pages Gallery Books Publication date July 6, 2021
ABOUT THE BOOK
The New York Times bestselling author of the “heart-stopping tale of survival and heroism” (People) The Book of Lost Names returns with an evocative coming-of-age World War II story about a young woman who uses her knowledge of the wilderness to help Jewish refugees escape the Nazis—until a secret from her past threatens everything.
After being stolen from her wealthy German parents and raised in the unforgiving wilderness of eastern Europe, a young woman finds herself alone in 1941 after her kidnapper dies. Her solitary existence is interrupted, however, when she happens upon a group of Jews fleeing the Nazi terror. Stunned to learn what’s happening in the outside world, she vows to teach the group all she can about surviving in the forest—and in turn, they teach her some surprising lessons about opening her heart after years of isolation. But when she is betrayed and escapes into a German-occupied village, her past and present come together in a shocking collision that could change everything.
Inspired by incredible true stories of survival against staggering odds, and suffused with the journey-from-the-wilderness elements that made Where the Crawdads Sing a worldwide phenomenon, The Forest of Vanishing Stars is a heart-wrenching and suspenseful novel from the #1 internationally bestselling author whose writing has been hailed as “sweeping and magnificent” (Fiona Davis, New York Times bestselling author), “immersive and evocative” (Publishers Weekly), and “gripping” (Tampa Bay Times).
MY THOUGHTS
My heart just aches for these characters. Another WWII book heavily researched based on facts. This one takes place mainly amongst the forest of Poland.
Yona was just a babe at two years old when she was stolen from her crib in her nursery from her wealthy German parents by an old woman of the forest. As she grew, she only knew living off the land and spent her life with only her kidnapper who trained her up in her ways. The woman was Jewish but not overly religious.
It was fascinating reading how they lived in seclusion in the woods moving from spot to spot often so as to stay undetected. Eating mushrooms, berries and drinking from freshwater streams sometimes two miles away. The forest animals were her playmates. She was trained in herbal healing and how to defend herself with a knife if needed.
Asking about her parents her kidnapper only tells her that her parents were evil. After her captor dies, she is curious about human company and goes to the edge of the forest where she sees Jews from the ghetto, some are hurt. She has healing powers and knows her herbs. This group is fleeing for their lives from the Nazis, and she promises to teach them all she knows as they escape into the forest. Feeling kinship with the Jews as she was raised by one though German herself.
I have never read a book with so many wilderness aspects, the book was absolutely mesmerizing, and I couldn’t put it down. Being in isolation for so many years she makes some unexpected discoveries about herself as she helps this group of people.
Will she ever want to return to civilization though? Once again, I learned so much from the author’s notes in the back of the book about the Polish people and their struggles during WWII. Such heroes selflessly giving of themselves for the good of all. Just amazing!
I was given a complimentary copy of this book. All opinions expressed are my own.
MEET THE AUTHOR
Kristin has been writing professionally since the age of 16, when she began her career as a sportswriter, covering Major League Baseball and NHL hockey for a local magazine in Tampa Bay, Florida in the late 1990s. In addition to a long magazine writing career, primarily writing and reporting for PEOPLE magazine (as well as articles published in numerous other magazines, including American Baby, Men’s Health, Woman’s Day, and more), Kristin was also a frequent contributor to the national television morning show The Daily Buzz. She sold her first novel in 2004, and it debuted in February 2006.
Kristin was born just outside Boston, Massachusetts and spent her childhood there, as well as in Worthington, Ohio, and St. Petersburg, Florida. After graduating with a degree in journalism (with a minor in Spanish) from the University of Florida, she spent time living in Paris and Los Angeles and now lives in Orlando, with her husband and young son. She is also the co-founder and co-host of the popular weekly web show and podcast Friends & Fiction.
March is a great month to read historical fiction, and I hope you’re enjoying the books I’m choosing. Have a wonderful day.
371 pages Thomas Nelson publisher Publication date June 1, 2021
ABOUT THE BOOK
Libraries are being ransacked. France is torn apart by war. A French librarian is determined to resist. Told through smuggled letters to an author, an ordinary librarian describes the brutal Nazi occupation of her small coastal village and the extraordinary measures she takes to fight back.
Saint-Malo, France: August 1939. Jocelyn and Antoine are childhood sweethearts, but just after they marry, Antoine is drafted to fight against Germany. As World War II rages, Jocelyn uses her position as a librarian in her town of Saint-Malo to comfort and encourage her community with books. Jocelyn begins to write secret letters smuggled to a famous Parisian author, telling her story in the hope that it will someday reach the outside world.
France falls and the Nazis occupy Jocelyn’s town, turning it into a fortress. The townspeople try passive resistance, but the German commander ruthlessly begins to destroy part of the city’s libraries. Books deemed unsuitable by the Nazis are burnt or stolen, and priceless knowledge is lost.
Risking arrest and even her life, Jocelyn manages to hide some of the books while desperately waiting to receive news from her husband Antoine, now a prisoner in a German camp.
Jocelyn’s mission unfolds in her letters: to protect the people of Saint-Malo and the books they hold so dear. Mario Escobar brings to life the occupied city in sweeping and romantic prose, re-creating the history of those who sacrificed all to care for the people they loved.
Includes discussion questions for book clubs, a historical timeline, and notes from the author.
World War II historical fiction inspired by true events.
MY THOUGHTS
I have read many of the author’s books. They are incredible. Incredible sounds like such a lame word to use to describe the author’s books though, they are just that great and I highly recommend all of them.
World War II historical fiction inspired by true events. Many of the characters are also based on actual people just with the names changed. There are thousands of WWII books, and this is one of them but no matter how many I read I find deep satisfaction in them because I love history and always learn something new about this subject as each book seems to cover a different angle of the war and it’s going on’s.
Saint-Malo, France: August 1939: With her husband away at war against the Germans, French wife Jocelyn is meticulously dedicated to her position as a librarian in her town of Saint-Malo. She encourages others to find comfort in the books as their librarian when they’re not in shelters as the bombs rain down.
As with all wars there is a madman in charge, Hitler who commands his puppets to do his dirty work. They feel so powerful abusing commoners and kidnapping the Jews. They think nothing of abusing women and children. There really are a lot of heartbreaking scenes in the book, but it’s all based on fact and is something we should never forget as we honor those who gave their lives in one way or another during the war or just helping others out around them.
Librarian Joycelyn writes letters of her life to an author of her ordinary life before and after the Nazi occupation so though she may not escape the terror her letters will, and others may know how she fought for all and the importance of her library.
It also broke my heart to read of the brutality she faces many times over by the Nazis as she tries to protect the books banned by the Germans. These books faced being ripped up, bombing and fire. The author really brings these troubling times to life as we see terror but also so much bravery despite knowing what they would face. Excellent!
I was given a complimentary copy of this book. All opinions expressed are my own.
MEET THE AUTHOR
Mario Escobar has a master’s degree in modern history and has written numerous books and articles that delve into the depths of church history, the struggle of sectarian groups, and the discovery and colonization of the Americas. Escobar, who makes his home in Madrid, Spain, is passionate about history and its mysteries.
Autor Betseller con miles de libros vendidos en todo el mundo. Sus obras han sido traducidas al chino, japonés, inglés, ruso, portugués, danés, francés, italiano, checo, polaco, serbio, entre otros idiomas. Novelista, ensayista y conferenciante. Licenciado en Historia y Diplomado en Estudios Avanzados en la especialidad de Historia Moderna, ha escrito numerosos artículos y libros sobre la Inquisición, la Reforma Protestante y las sectas religiosas.
Ganador Premio Empik 2020
Publica asiduamente en las revistas Más Allá y National Geographic Historia
Apasionado por la historia y sus enigmas ha estudiado en profundidad la Historia de la Iglesia, los distintos grupos sectarios que han luchado en su seno, el descubrimiento y colonizacíón de América; especializándose en la vida de personajes heterodoxos españoles y americanos.
Su primera obra, Conspiración Maine 2006, fue un éxito. Le siguieron El mesías Ario (2007), El secreto de los Assassini (2008) y la Profecía de Aztlán (2009). Todas ellas parte de la saga protagonizada por Hércules Guzmán Fox, George Lincoln y Alicia Mantorella.
Su libro Francisco. El primer papa latinoamericano ha sido traducido a 12 idiomas, entre ellos el chino, inglés, francés, italiano, portugues, japonés, danés, etc.
Sol rojo sobre Hiroshima (2009) y El País de las lágrimas (2010) son sus obras más intimistas. También ha publicado ensayos como Martín Luther King (2006) e Historia de la Masonería en Estados Unidos (2009). Los doce legados de Steve Jobs (2012). La biografía del papa Francisco. El primer papa latinoamericano (2013). La Saga Ione (2013) o la Serie Apocalipsis (2012).Saga Misión Verne (2013)El libro más exitoso en España es El Círculo (Top 10 de Amazon).
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