About The Book
Paris, 1941. As we drive down the cobbled street, I take in the red banners with swastikas covering every building. Suddenly a group of guards appears. I duck beneath the window of the car, and my heart thumps as my hand jumps to my chest. But I’m not wearing my yellow star now, I left it with my sister. Tears well in my eyes. Will I ever see her again?
1939. Standing in front of the orphanage’s imposing stone walls, eleven-year-old Jewish twins Helga and Ruth shiver with fear. The war has taken their mother and father, their home in Berlin has been turned to rubble, but their soft, dark eyes meet and Helga gives Ruth a reassuring smile. They should be safe here together.
Yet every day bombs fly overhead. And when Ruth becomes desperately unwell, the girls are torn apart. As war rages on, will they ever find each other?
Paris, 1990. When Naomi moves to Paris, she hopes the city will help her find herself again. But whilst exploring the antique markets in the early morning sun, she is shocked to discover a duplicate of a photograph her mother Helga has on her mantelpiece back in London of a magnificent vine-covered villa on the outskirts of the city. Naomi soon discovers it was used as an orphanage during the Second World War. But why was the photo so precious to her mother?
When Naomi tells her mother what she’s found, Helga is furious. She begs Naomi to leave the orphanage alone. But Naomi is already desperate to discover the truth about her mother and the secrets of the other forgotten children of Montmorency. If Naomi learns the heart-shattering mistake her mother made, it will change their lives forever. But if she leaves the secrets in the past, Helga will never find out what happened to her sister…
Breathtaking and unputdownable, this story is about courage, hope and the resilience of the human spirit, perfect for fans of Before We Were Yours, Sold on a Monday and The Orphan’s Tale.
My Thoughts
The Forgotten Children by Ann Bennett captivated me as I read it. It is a gripping and heartbreaking story. Such an excellent story! Swirled amongst the dual timeline you'll find a historical fiction story filled with sadness as you feel empathy for our young Helga in the earlier timeline. A very trying, scary and confusing time for a young person to have to experience during the war. Due to circumstances she had to move around a lot and didn't have the security of a good home environment. In a later time frame, we meet her daughter, who would really love to know about her mother's past and her experiences. Helga, due to her tragedies will not share her story with her daughter and it's causing such a tension in their relationship. Many secrets are being kept; can this mother daughter bond be broken by omission of truths? I very much enjoyed reading Helga's backstory, it's so tragic but yet I could see why she wanted this kept secret and to not bring it to mind again. We get a harsh insight into the darker side of war and how it affected the innocent children. Will her daughter make a breakthrough with her mother? The ending was superb, the light shines through in such a beautiful way! I loved this book! Pub Date 18 May 2023 I was given a complimentary copy of this book. All opinions expressed are my own.
Buy link: https://geni.us/B0BW4C5W7Wsocial
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About the author
Ann Bennett is the author of several historical novels about the second world war in South East Asia, inspired by her father’s experience as a prisoner of the Japanese on the Thai-Burma railway. She has a Law degree and works full time as a lawyer, but is fascinated by India and South East Asia. Since her early twenties she has spent as much time as possible travelling in the region. She’s married with three sons and lives in Surrey.
Author social media:
Website
https://www.bambooheart.co.uk/
Facebook URL
https://www.facebook.com/ann.bennett.104
Instagram URL
https://www.instagram.com/annbennettrann
Twitter URL
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