YOURS CHLOE: August 2024

Review: What the Lady Wants by Emma Orchard*

*I received a copy of this book in eBook format in return for this review. All reviews published on Yours, Chloe are completely honest and my own, and are in now way influenced by the gifting opportunity. This review is being posted as part of the What The Lady Wants blog tour hosted by Rachel's Random Resources.

Title: What The Lady Wants
Author: Emma Orchard
Genre: Historical Romance

Trigger warnings: Death Of A Spouse (references to a past event), Depression, Infertility, Unexpected Pregnancy

Rating: ★★★★

Spice Level: 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️ (Explicit Open Door)

Autumn, 1816...

Lady Ashby is grieving the death of her beloved husband, just two years earlier. Although still young and beautiful, Isabella is resolved never to marry again, and plans to leave London, return to her parents’ Yorkshire house, and resign from society before the year is over. But first, she wants one more taste of life…

Isabella has written a list, the contents of which, if discovered, would create a scandal that neither she nor her family would recover from. A list of things she would like to experience, just once more, before she surrenders herself to the life of a widow. And she knows just the man to help her: her friend, handsome and honourable Captain Leo Winterton.

But Captain Winterton has a secret of his own. He is in love with Isabella – and when she makes her most improper proposal to him, he is powerless to resist her, even if she is resolved never to love again. Can he persuade her they are destined to be together? Or will their impropriety be discovered, to the ruin of both?

What The Lady Wants is the latest compelling regency romance from author Emma Orchard and the third instalment of her The Runaway Heiress series. After taking part in the blog tour for the last book in the series A Duke Of One’s Own earlier this year (click here to read my review) and getting a little brief introduction to Isabella within the book, I was eagerly awaiting the release of What The Lady Wants and it certainly did not disappoint.

Isabella and Leo had great chemistry and the spicy scenes were fantastic! The idea of a spicy bucket list captured my attention immediately and it worked really well in the story. I was craving a chance to see the list in full, out of pure curiosity, but liked the touch of starting each chapter with a reference to which item on the list the couple would cross off within it. It was brilliant to see the idea of this list initiated by the woman in the scenario, particularly with this being a regency romance, as it goes against the societal expectations surrounding sex and relationships (particularly with regards to women) that were seen at the time. Isabella and Leo spend most of the novel sneaking around, hiding their escapades from everyone around them, and this secretive element added a nice touch to the narrative.

One of my favourite things about both Isabella and Leo, and really all of the characters we’ve met in the series, is that they feel real. Everything isn’t all romance and sunshine all the time as they’re human and they will sometimes speak without thinking and hurt those around them. But in Isabella and Leo we saw the maturity that I always look for in romance novel characters, where they’re adult enough to talk through any miscommunications and resolve issues together. One of my favourite things about A Duke Of One’s Own was the great communication we saw between the two lovers within spicy scenes so it was fantastic to see this continued in What The Lady Wants. I think communication was particularly important in this book given that the plot centered around two people becoming intimate together for the first time and then exploring new sexual experiences together, so I was really pleased it featured so heavily in the dialogue.

I really liked Isabella as a protagonist. She has good character development over the course of the book, gradually starting to properly heal from the trauma of her husband’s death and opening herself up to the idea of loving again. Leo was a great MMC and I loved the exploration of the ‘he falls first and harder’ trope though him. It’s one of my favourite romance tropes and it was really well written.

The LGBTQIA+ representation we’ve seen within the rest of the series continues which was great to see. We also had some good mental health representation through the exploration of Isabella’s depression following the death of her husband two years earlier.

I also liked that we saw the return of the protagonists from the earlier books as supporting characters within this one so we got a chance to check in with them again, especially as they’re all linked to either Isabella or Leo through familial ties. Their little matchmaking plot was a nice inclusion too.

Overall, What The Lady Wants is another fantastic steamy regency romp from Emma Orchard and a great addition to the The Runaway Heiress series.

Review: The Secret Keeper by Renita D'Silva*

*I received a copy of this book in eBook format via NetGalley in return for this review. All reviews published on Yours, Chloe are completely honest and my own, and are in now way influenced by the gifting opportunity. This review is being posted as part of the The Secret Keeper blog tour hosted by Rachel's Random Resources.

Title: The Secret Keeper
Author: Renita D'Silva
Genre: Historical Fiction

Trigger warnings: War, Suicide, Death Of A Parent, References To An Affair

Rating: ★★★★

1938: Rani, the bright and spirited daughter of an Indian Crown Prince, leads a privileged if lonely life.

Longing for freedom and purpose, she escapes the confines of her father’s palace and meets Prasad – a poor young man – with whom she falls deeply in love. But her plan to gain her father’s approval for the match disastrously backfires.

Estranged from her family and haunted by guilt, Rani’s path takes her from Cambridge to Bletchley Park and a new world of intrigue and secrets. Against the backdrop of war, Rani finds comfort and a sense of belonging with fellow codebreaker William and his young son. Could they heal her heart and become the family she craves?

Then Prasad reappears – and past and present collide, shattering Rani’s fragile happiness. As retribution for the hurt she caused him, he demands she pass him secrets from Bletchley. But at what cost?

Torn between her past and her present, love and loyalty, Rani must face up to a heart-wrenching sacrifice . . .

The Secret Keeper is the latest novel from historical fiction author Renita D’Silva. This is a captivating story exploring themes of love, loyalty, choices and secrets, set against the fascinating backdrop of Bletchley Park and its top-secret code-breaking during the Second World War.

This was my first-time reading anything from Renita D’Silva but her engaging writing style hooked me from the first chapter and I’m now looking forward to reading her other books. The history was clearly well-researched, particularly around the work they did at Bletchley Park.

At the heart of The Secret Keeper is the idea of secrets. Our story is told through a dual timeline narrative, alternating between the third-person perspectives of Rani, in the 1930s and 40s, and Esme in the 1990s. The connection between the two women is gradually revealed over the course of the novel and this worked really well. Readers are left on the edge of their seats, trying to piece together the puzzle pieces of the story before they are revealed.

The fast-paced narrative was maintained by short and snappy chapters and I liked the addition of some of the narrative being told through letters Rani is writing to her family in India. Renita D’Silva’s captivating storytelling made the different settings of the novel come alive on the page, particularly the winding corridors and elaborate gardens and rooms in the Indian palace.

I really enjoyed the chapters set in India and how events there eventually followed Rani to her new life in England. This aspect of the plot really sets The Secret Keeper apart from other fiction books about Bletchley Park. The exploration of the difference in values, regarding gender roles in particular, between Asia and Western countries was really interesting.

Rani was a great protagonist. She was headstrong, feisty and very much felt like a woman ahead of her time. Esme was another brilliant character and I really liked the character development we saw in her over the course of the story. Both timelines had some brilliant supporting characters, some which appear in both timelines but I won’t say anything further to avoid spoiling the secrets of the book. I will say though that little Andrew was my favourite character; he just lit up every page he was on.

Overall, The Secret Keeper is a fantastic piece of World War Two historical fiction and a story which will truly stay with readers for some time. This is a brilliant introduction to Renita D'Silva's writing for me and I can't wait to read more of her work.

Review: Let the Games Begin by Rufaro Faith Mazarura*

Title: Let The Games Begin
Author: Rufaro Faith Mazarura
Genre: Romance

Trigger warnings: Death Of A Parent, Anxiety/Panic Attacks

Rating: ★★★★

Spice Level: 🌶️🌶️ (Closed Door)

It’s the Athens 2024 Olympics and Zeke and Olivia are there to win.

Zeke Moyo is the star athlete of Team GB. He’s in Athens to claim the title of fastest man in the world.

Olivia Nkomo has landed a career-making internship, finally earning her seat at the table.

Then Zeke and Olivia collide – literally – on the first day of the games, and something unexpected begins.

But the competition is stirring up uncomfortable memories from Zeke’s past. And Olivia’s dream job is turning into a nightmare.

Will love become a hurdle? Or could running beside the right person change the whole game?

Let The Games Begin is the debut romance novel from author Rufaro Faith Mazarura. Set against the backdrop of the 2024 Olympic Games – but a fictional version set in Athens rather than the Paris games we’ve just seen – this fun, flirty and fast-burn romance is the perfect summer read for 2024.

Olivia was a fiery, head-strong and determined FMC who I really want to be friends with. Zeke was a charming and funny MMC who I fell in love with very quickly. I liked the pairing of the two of them, especially the mild enemies-to-lovers plot and the fact that Zeke fell first and harder. They had good chemistry, great banter and I loved that they could both be their authentic selves with each other. The forced proximity chapters where they (mild spoiler alert) get trapped in a lift together were some of my favourites in the book. I would however have liked to have seen more interactions between the two of them to build their relationship further. They didn’t really spend that much time together on-page and this made it hard at times to fully root for their relationship.

Through Zeke’s character we have anxiety and panic attack representation and it was honestly one of the best portrayals of panic attacks in particular that I’ve ever read. As someone who has experienced panic attacks and anxiety for over fifteen years, this is a subject that is very close to me and it warms my heart when it’s represented well in fiction. I particularly liked the exploration of the physical effects of panic attacks; this was very powerful. Zeke also attends therapy throughout the book and although he’s reluctant about it at first, he opens up to the idea and the benefits of therapy over the course of the book. We love to see therapy representation within fiction, especially therapy-positive representation so this was a brilliant inclusion. It’s also really impactful to see mental health difficulties affecting all people, even athletes at the top of their game.

There is also a great cast of supporting characters. I loved both Aditi and Haruki who are Olivia and Zeke’s best friends respectively. Olivia and Aditi had a brilliant strong female friendship and were fiercely supportive of one another. Haruki was a total sweetheart who was also a brilliant friend to Zeke. We also have some good LGBTQIA+ rep through one of the characters. Whilst I won’t name them in this review to avoid spoilers, I will say that they are one of the athletes competing in the games. This was particularly impactful as it provided a commentary on the fact that, although the Paris 2024 Olympics has reportedly set a record for having the most athletes who are openly LGBTQIA+, we still have a long way to go in truly opening up the world of professional sport to the queer community. The book also explored the idea of privilege through the character of Lars, who truly made me physically angry every time he appeared.

I would say that this book does overall read as more of a YA novel than an adult romance. Although both protagonists were in their mid-twenties, they generally read as younger and I’d also say that the fact that this was a closed-door romance didn’t help with this. But this didn’t impact on my overall enjoyment of the novel at all, it’s just a note for any other potential readers.

Overall, Let The Games Begin is a fun and flirty romance which is an easy-read, perfect for a beach-read this summer. It’s a great debut from Rufaro Faith Mazarura and I can’t wait to see what comes next from her.

Review: If I Can Save One Child by Amanda Lees*

Title: If I Can Save One Child
Author: Amanda Lees
Genre: Historical Fiction

Trigger warnings: War, Guns, References To The Holocaust

Rating: ★★★★★

France, 1942: Robert curls sleepily into me, his tiny hand grasping mine like a lifeline. He’s been so brave, this little boy who has been through the unimaginable. As his eyes close, I wonder how much longer we can go on. But I promised to save him. And I can’t give up now…

Young linguist Elisabeth has been working for the British secret service since the war began, rescuing downed pilots and Jewish refugees. Now the Gestapo are on her trail: her next mission must be her last. Or she may never see the white cliffs of Dover again.

But she can’t even think about abandoning her post when so many remain in danger. So when daredevil fellow agent Guy arrives with a frantic plea, there was never any doubt that Elisabeth would help. Somewhere in occupied France is a little boy, the last survivor of a Jewish orphanage, desperately trying to make his way to safety. They have to save him.

Elisabeth knows the mission may be suicide. But she also knows she could never live with herself if she didn’t try to save this child. And so she and Guy set off on one last journey together, into the mountains. For freedom – for this child – they’ll risk it all…

If I Can Save One Child is the latest breathtaking novel from historical fiction author Amanda Lees. This page-turning story explores themes of survival, courage, hope, sacrifice and love of all types, set against the backdrop of Nazi-occupied France.

Amanda Lees is one of my favourite authors in the Second World War historical fiction genre due to her incredible ability to craft compelling, emotive and powerful stories packed full of meticulously researched history, so I was eagerly awaiting the release of If I Can Save One Child and it only exceeded my incredibly high expectations. There is genuinely nothing I can fault with any of her books I’ve read so far, she’s an absolute star of the genre.

I was truly captivated from the gripping prologue and this carried on throughout the entire novel, which I read in a single day. Personally, I adore the use of short and snappy chapters in all of her books as it helps to maintain a fast-paced narrative which is packed full of tension. This tension puts you on the edge of your seat from the very first page and the story takes so many twists and turns that you never know what is going to happen next; that is some of the true magic of Amanda Lees’ stories. The vivid setting descriptions brought the French settings to life on the page, leaving you as the reader feeling like you’re actually hiding out in the caves with the characters or sitting with them in the various safehouses they frequent.

Elisabeth was a courageous and strong female protagonist who was beautifully written. I also loved Guy’s character and will admit that I fell in love with him very quickly. The way that the two of them were willing to risk their lives to try and save a child was beautiful and a powerful tribute to the real men and women who were part of the SOE and the French resistance, including those who ran the escape lines out of France. I loved the historical romance element we had through Elisabeth and Guy’s characters. It was included in the story in a way which was impactful yet didn’t take away from the drama of the main plot line. It really provided a sign of hope and light against the darkness they were facing.

Overall, If I Can Save One Child is a really powerful story which is undoubtedly one of the best pieces of historical fiction writing I’ve ever read. Amanda Lees is one of the true queens of the genre and I can’t wait to see what comes next from her.

Review: The Seamstress of Auschwitz by C. K. McAdam*

Title: The Seamstress of Auschwitz
Author: C.K. McAdam
Genre: Historical Fiction

Trigger warnings: War, The Holocaust, Antisemitism, Guns, Death Of Children (including babies), Death Of Parents, Death Of Siblings, Executions

Rating: ★★★★

Germany, 1932

Sara Schönflies, a young Jewish woman from a line of gifted tailors and seamstresses, finds her world shattered by the rise of the Nazi regime.

When Sara and her sisters are transferred to the Auschwitz-Birkenau death camp, their talent becomes a lifeline. Their survival hinges on sewing beautiful dresses for the wives of SS officers and Nazi dignitaries.

Amidst the horrors and suffering, Sara's determination, her sisters' unwavering courage, unyielding defiance, and the unexpected friendship with a member of the Sonderkommando become beacons of hope.

From displaced persons camps to the distant shores of Palestine, Sara's heartrending journey continues as she searches relentlessly for the man who had once saved her life.

The Seamstress Of Auschwitz is a new and incredibly powerful Second World War historical fiction novel from author C. K. McAdam. This was my first time reading anything from the author and I believe hers is a newer voice in the genre but she has a compelling writing style which has crafted an unforgettable story.

Told through a first-person narrative, we follow Sara and her family through their time in Ravensbrück and then Auschwitz as they depend heavily on their skills as seamstresses to survive. It’s an incredibly emotional and harrowing story which had me sobbing at times and is a brilliant tribute to the bravery, determination and resilience of those in the concentration camps.

The chapters prior to the family being arrested were also very good and they touched on subjects such as the Kindertransport. We often see historical fiction novels covering what was happening in the larger cities in Germany so it was interesting to have the story initially set in a smaller town, just south of Hamburg.

This is a very fast-paced story which is on the shorter side. This did mean that at times it lacked the depth I wanted certain chapters to have, particularly those exploring the deaths of Sara’s different family members. It felt at times like those deaths happened, many of them very traumatically, but the plot just moved on regardless. I can understand to a degree that that was ultimately life in the concentration camps; people died and everyone else just had to carry on and try and stay alive themselves, but ultimately I do think that we did need greater depth in these scenes to do them justice.

Overall, The Seamstress Of Auschwitz is a powerful and compelling story which is a strong addition to the Second World War historical fiction genre. I’m excited to see what comes next from C. K. McAdam.

Review: The War Orphan by Anna Stuart*

Title: The War Orphan
Author: Anna Stuart
Genre: Historical Fiction

Trigger warnings: War, Antisemitism, The Holocaust, Death Of A Child, Road Traffic Accident (Car and Cyclist)

Rating: ★★★★★

1945, Auschwitz: I stumble out of the gates, tightly grasping the hands of two smaller children. Hunger swirls in my stomach and the barren landscape swims before my eyes. I can barely believe it. We’re free. We survived. But what happens now…

Sixteen-year-old Tasha Ancel turns to take one last look at the imposing place that stole her freedom and her childhood. She has no idea how she continued to live when so many others did not. For the first time in months, her heart beats with hope for her future and that of the smaller children who cling to her now.

Tasha was torn from her mother’s arms by an SS guard days before the gates of Auschwitz opened. Now she only has a lock of her mother’s fiery hair. Desperate to be reunited, Tasha asks everyone she meets if they’ve seen a woman with flame-red hair. But with so many people trying to locate their loved ones in the chaotic aftermath of war finding her feels like an impossible task.

Officially an orphan, Tasha is given the chance to start a new life in the Lake District in England. She knows her mother would want her to take the opportunity but she can’t bear the thought of leaving Poland without her.

Tasha must make a heartbreaking decision: will she stay in war-ravaged Europe and cling on to the hope that the person she loves most in the world is alive, or take a long journey across the sea towards an uncertain future?

The War Orphan is another powerful and heart-wrenching Second World War novel from historical fiction author Anna Stuart and the third instalment of her ‘Women of War’ series. This is a really powerful story of survival, found family and hope, based on the true stories of the Windermere children.

After reading and absolutely adoring the last book in the series The Midwife Of Berlin last year (click here to read my review), I was highly anticipating the release of The War Orphan and it only exceeded my high expectations. This is part of the Women of War series but it works brilliantly as a standalone story too (although the entire series is a must-read for fans of the genre).

The story is told through a third-person dual-POV narrative, sharing the stories of both Tasha and Alice, one of the adults running the programme in Windermere. With the narrative primarily taking place after the end of the war, the exploration of the trauma and grief experienced by Holocaust survivors is really hard hitting but incredibly powerful. It was also really interesting, yet completely heartbreaking, from a children’s psychology perspective to see the portrayal of the impact it had on the children who were too young remember life outside of the concentration camps. We follow the group of children from the liberation of Auschwitz to being flown over to the UK and settling in Windermere, gradually starting the difficult journey of beginning to recover from the trauma from the horrors they had been exposed to in the concentration camps. It was a difficult read to see the lasting impact it had on the children, with them suffering from traumatic flashbacks and even imitating the horrific behaviours they’d seen through their imaginative play and art because they don’t know anything else anymore.

As we’ve come to expect from Anna Stuart, the history was clearly meticulously researched. I found the historical notes section at the end of the book to be really fascinating as it went through the history behind the book, including the stories of all of the real individuals the characters had been based on.

Alice was a fantastic strong female protagonist who was compassionate, completely selfless and based on an incredible real woman. I loved the relationship she built with Tasha throughout the course of the story. Tasha was a feisty, strong-willed and stubborn character whose blossoming relationship with Georg was a beautiful read. We also get to meet a fantastic ensemble of children who come to Windermere with Tasha and Georg, all with their own stories.

Overall, The War Orphan is a really powerful and compelling story which is as equally heartwarming as it is heartbreaking at times. It is a must-read for historical fiction readers or anyone who wants to know more about the Windermere programme. I am highly anticipating the release of the fourth book of Anna Stuart’s ‘Women of War’ series ‘The Resistance Sisters’ which is due to be released on 19^th August 2024.

Review: The Paris Affair by Victoria Cornwall*

Title: The Paris Affair
Author: Victoria Cornwall
Genre: Historical Fiction

Trigger warnings: War, Cancer, Death Of A Parent, Boating Accident, Death Of A Spouse, Death Of A Child, References To Torture, Guns, War

Rating: ★★★

Born to a French mother and an English father, Charlotte Bray has always felt like an outsider in her small Cornish fishing village. She spends her days on her father’s fishing boat, helping to feed a nation at war.

But the war brings devastation, and it’s not long until it reaches Charlotte’s front door. Her world is rocked and forever changed by tragedy. With nothing left to lose, she accepts a mysterious invitation to work for the War Office as a spy. Nothing is as it seems, and she finds herself in Nazi-occupied Paris with a new identity.

Charlotte begins working under the sombre but handsome Frenchman Pierre Lesieur. But do his allegiances lie elsewhere? With the Gestapo at every corner and networks falling all around her, Charlotte feels danger closing in on her.

And nothing is more dangerous than her growing feelings for Pierre. Charlotte has been taught how to defend herself from the enemy. But not how to protect her heart . . .

The Paris Affair is the latest book from author Victoria Cornwall, exploring themes such as bravery, betrayal and love after loss set against the backdrop of Nazi-occupied Paris.

I’d like to split my review into two as I believe the first two thirds of the story were significantly stronger than the final third.

To start with what I enjoyed about the book, The chapters exploring Charlotte’s SOE training were very interesting and well-researched. I liked her relationship with the girls she trained with, Isabelle and Jeanne, and would be interested to see if Victoria Cornwall plans on exploring their stories in other books, as the little insights we got into their SOE work seemed really interesting.

I also liked the chapters following Charlotte entering France and starting to establish herself in Paris. The setting descriptions were very vivid and made Paris come alive on the page.

Charlotte was a courageous female protagonist who was very likeable. I liked the Cornish fishing village setting the book opens with and the way that fishing gave Charlotte some of the valuable skills that would end up aiding her in her SOE training and then work as an agent in France. I perhaps would have liked her grief at the loss of her father to have been explored in even greater depth though.

I did also like Pierre as a character and although it did take time to warm to him, I can only assume that was the intention as he was written to be a secretive and grumpy character with a complicated backstory. I thought the exploration of his grief following the death of his wife and young child were a real asset to the story, particularly seeing him gradually open himself up to getting romantically and emotionally involved with someone else. One thing I was disappointed with was the fact that his interesting relationship with the Nazis wasn’t explored in the full depth I was craving, particularly as it was given such a prominent reference in the book synopsis.

This next section of the review will contain spoilers. Although I try to avoid this in my reviews it is necessary to explain my point unfortunately.

Unfortunately, around two thirds into the story the narrative started to feel very disjointed. We see Charlotte – or Marie as she is known whilst she is undercover in France - get arrested by the Gestapo and then meet her again one week later when Pierre manages to talk them into releasing her. Skipping past her interrogation and torture whilst imprisoned meant that we lost our connection with her as the protagonist, particularly as her experiences at the Gestapo HQ should have had a marked impact on her character for the rest of the story. It should also be said that she recovered from her interrogation unrealistically quickly. Anyone who has done any research into how the Gestapo treated those they had arrested on suspicion of being SOE agents would know that she wouldn’t be up and well enough to be galivanting around Paris on romantic dates after less than a week. This was a real turning point where it felt like the novel became more about the romance plot than substance, which really missed the mark for me. I think if you are going to include a romantic element in a historical fiction novel of this nature you have to find the line between where it aids the plot and where it just completely takes over from the rest of the story. Unfortunately, it did feel like this was missed in The Paris Affair. It felt like the SOE agent plot was too complex to be competing with the romance – which should ultimately have only been a subplot rather than are the forefront of the story – and it therefore meant that the main story couldn’t be explored in the depth it needed to be. From what I can see of Victoria Cornwall’s other books it seems like the only other book set during the Second World War was set in the UK with the protagonist working on the Homefront and having a romance with a soldier stationed nearby. In that kind of historical fiction novel it is more natural for the romance to be at the forefront of the plot but in setting a book in Nazi-occupied France and having a protagonist as an SOE agent – whose average life expectancy in occupied France was just six weeks – you need to put the action and tension of their work as the primary focus of the story or you risk (as happened in this case) not ultimately doing the story justice.

I did also start to find the plot very predictable at this point, particularly who was betraying their circuit of SOE agents. Everything also became very convenient for Charlotte and Pierre, such as the events as they are trying to escape back to England, so any real tension was really lacking and I did roll my eyes at several points. This was an ultimately disappointing way to end the book as, as I said at the start of the review, the first two thirds of the story were much stronger.

Overall, The Paris Affair was a 3* read for me. Some fans of Second World War historical fiction and historical romances might enjoy it as a relatively easy read but for me it really needed more substance than it had. I do think that Victoria Cornwall has great potential as a historical fiction author without romance needing to be at the forefront of the plot, but a decision ultimately needs to be made as to whether or not action or romance is the primary focus.

Review: The Midwife's Child by Amanda Lees*

Title: The Midwife's Child
Author: Amanda Lees
Genre: Historical Fiction

Trigger warnings: War, The Holocaust, Execution, Hanging, Guns, Starvation, Eugenics

Rating: ★★★★★

‘Save her,’ she begs, drawing her last, quavering breaths. ‘Save my baby. Find her father. And reunite them.’ Both of our tears fall on the tiny creature in my arms, only minutes old and already in terrible danger. There’s never any doubt – of course I’ll do all I can. But will it be enough?

Auschwitz, January 1945: forced on a terrifying death march from the notorious concentration camp, midwife and former secret agent Maggie must find the strength to protect the tiny baby girl her dying friend left to her care. Only weeks old, little Leah is in terrible danger – from the Nazis, from the freezing weather, from starvation.

So when a company of soldiers led by brave Captain Jamie Maclean rescues the marching women, Maggie’s relief knows no bounds. But it soon turns to astonishment when Jamie vows to help Maggie reunite Leah with her father – he has fallen in love with Maggie, and will do everything in his power to assist her.

Maggie can’t yet trust her own, budding, feelings. But she accepts Jamie’s help, and slowly starts to dream of a life together. Until Maggie gets the news every survivor dreads. The most fearsome Nazi of all, Dr Mengele, the terror of Auschwitz, has escaped – and she may be the only person strong enough to track him down.

Looking at baby Leah’s trusting eyes, Maggie’s heart is torn. But she has to find Mengele and bring him to justice. Can she succeed on the most terrifying mission of her life, when so many others have failed? And if she does, will she find her way back home to the ones she loves, or will the heartbreak of everything she has suffered destroy any chance of happiness, forever?

In The Midwife’s Child, author Amanda Lees brings us yet another incredibly powerful Second World War historical fiction novel. This is the third instalment of her WW2 Resistance series but works well as a standalone story too, and it was my introduction to the series. Reading The Midwife’s Child has made me excited to venture into the earlier two books in the series too though, to get to know Maggie’s SOE colleagues on a deeper level having met them within this book.

Amanda Lees is very quickly becoming one of my absolute favourite historical fiction authors. Her compelling storytelling captures your emotions from the very first page and immerses you in the story, taking you on an emotional rollercoaster of a journey through beautifully crafted tension, utterly heartbreaking moments and also heartwarming scenes of compassion, selflessness and light amongst the utter darkness of the subject matter.

The story of The Midwife’s Child is told through a fractured timeline. The majority of the narrative is set after the liberation of Auschwitz and throughout the gradual liberation of Western Europe, with some chapters providing flashbacks to Maggie’s experience in Auschwitz. This structure worked really well and the chapters are short and snappy which facilitates a fast-paced narrative packed full of tension.

This is a difficult read, covering some of the darkest topics in Second World War history such as the evil experiments Mengele conducted at Auschwitz, including those on children. It’s an utterly heart-wrenching story which had me sobbing throughout but it does also feature some really heartwarming moments of communities starting to reunite and rebuild after the atrocities of the Holocaust. Amanda Lees has an incredible storytelling ability which always evokes the most intense emotional responses I’ve experienced as a reader, even as someone who regularly reads very hard-hitting historical fiction novels. I’d highly recommend having tissues to hand when you start reading!

One of the most powerful aspects to the plot is its exploration of survivor’s guilt and the psychological trauma experienced by the Holocaust survivors. This is an aspect of the history I find particularly fascinating as so many books (both fiction and non-fiction) stop at the liberation of the camps and don’t delve further into the lives of survivors after that. Holocaust survivor experiences are something we could never even attempt to understand fully but exploring this through meticulously researched stories such as The Midwife’s Child is a small step in that direction, so this aspect to the story was particularly powerful.

Amanda Lees writes strong female characters exceptionally well and we have a really courageous one in Maggie. She was selfless, compassionate, headstrong and fiercely determined throughout the story. Jamie was another courageous and well-written character who complimented Maggie well and I really enjoyed the historical romance element to the story we had through their characters.

Overall, The Midwife’s Child is a really powerful story which is truly going to stay with me for a long time. It is a must-read for all Second World War historical fiction readers.

Review: The Secret Sister by Liz Trenow*

Title: The Secret Sister
Author: Liz Trenow
Genre: Historical Fiction

Trigger warnings: War, PTSD, Suicidal Thoughts, Racism, Alcoholism

Rating: ★★★★

Lizzie tried to put herself into her brother’s shoes, imagining how she might feel facing those same dangers he’d witnessed. Scared as anything, she thought. But if that was what was needed to win the war, she’d do it. As she looked at herself in the mirror, wearing her brother’s coat, she knew in that moment what she must do to protect him.

England, 1944: As Lizzie looks around her twin brother’s room, she’s in a state of shock. In the middle of the night Ed vanished, leaving no forwarding address. Lizzie knows that he was tormented daily by what he witnessed at Dunkirk four years before, helping his father steer their tiny boat to rescue thousands of injured soldiers. He was never the same after that.

Then, Ed’s call-up letter arrives. Instead of being assigned to one of the forces, he’s been told to report for work at a coal mine – one of fifty thousand ‘Bevin boys’ chosen to help produce the fuel to power the nation through the war. If he fails to turn up he will be arrested and tried as a deserter. Staring at his abandoned clothes and knowing how alike they are, Lizzie realises there is a way to save him.

Arriving for training, she meets a fellow Bevin boy named Peter and is instantly drawn to his quiet, thoughtful nature, so unlike the other men who share her dormitory. And as the two start to adapt to their new lives underground, they develop a strong bond.

Lizzie knows the risks she is taking to save her brother. If she grows too close to Peter her secret will almost certainly be revealed, and they will both be imprisoned. But with the war raging and her beloved country at risk, how much is Lizzie prepared to sacrifice to save those she loves the most?

The Secret Sister is an emotional story of courage, strength, sibling bonds and a sister’s sacrifice from historical fiction author Liz Trenow. This was my first time reading anything from the author, despite many of her books sitting on my TBR list for many years but I instantly connected with her compelling storytelling about a fascinating yet little-known area of Second World War history.

Despite considering myself well-read around the Second World War, I hadn’t heard of the Bevin boys and their contribution to the war effort before. As explored in the epilogue in particular, they are very much some of the forgotten heroes of the Second World War so it was wonderful to see them featured within historical fiction.

I would say that The Secret Sister does read as more of a YA historical fiction novel than one for adult readers. This was partially down to the age of the protagonists who both read as very young and immature at times. It also is generally more light-hearted than other novels in the genre, making it more suited to younger readers who have an interest in the Second World War but perhaps couldn’t cope with more of the darker subject matters you can see in adult historical fiction reads.

Both Lizzie and Ed were well written characters whose strong sibling bond was clear throughout. I liked that we got to explore both of their perspectives in different ways throughout the narrative. There is also a great cast of supporting characters. I particularly loved Peter as a character and the exploration of conscientious objectors we got through him. His blossoming relationship with Lizzie was well-written and felt authentic to their ages. Lizzie and Ed’s family were also well-written and I liked their family dynamic. I would however have liked the wider supporting characters to have been explored in greater depth, particularly the other Bevin boys Lizzie trains with and the other miners working in the colliery she’s later assigned to.

The mental health representation we have through Ed’s character was a real highlight of the book. Following his experiences supporting the Dunkirk evacuation when he was still just a child, Ed is clearly experiencing what modern society will know as PTSD. This is explored very well in the book, with us hearing both from Ed directly and also from the outside perspective of his sister Lizzie, at a time where PTSD was not recognised in the way it is today.

The ending does feel very abrupt which was a shame. We do get some resolution in the epilogue but I would have liked the ending to overall have been explored in a greater amount of depth in order to tie the narrative off better.

Overall, The Secret Sister is a compelling and easy read for fans of historical fiction. This would be particularly ideal for teenage/young adult readers of the genre or anyone with an interest in the Bevin boys and conscientious objectors.

Review: The German Mother by Debbie Rix*

Title: The German Mother
Author: Debbie Rix
Genre: Historical Fiction

Trigger warnings: War, Antisemitism, Violence, Death Of A Parent, Death Of A Spouse, Cancer, Prostitution, References To Abortion, Miscarriage, Eugenics, Suicide

Rating: ★★★★★

A missing child. A mother’s heartbreaking journey.

1941, Germany: I stroke the blonde curl away from my daughter’s face and my heart swells. I never imagined having children and I never thought I’d love someone this much. Clara is the most precious thing to me. I whisper to her I will do everything I can to keep her safe.

Before the war began, I had everything – an attentive husband, three adorable children, and the perfect house. But all that changed in an instant.

My beautiful Clara, with her blue eyes and porcelain features, started having fits. I haven’t been able to sleep properly since they started, because I know children with illnesses like hers are being stolen away in the night.

I refuse to give my little girl up. She should be with her family. I can’t bear the thought of her being taken from me.

My husband, influenced by his connections high up in the Nazi Party, says we have to tell the truth and follow the rules. I beg him to help me protect her, but I don’t trust him. He’s changed so much from the man I once loved.

Then I see a man in uniform outside my door. They’ve come for her.

My child is wrenched from our home, and I sink to the floor as she’s carried away.

But I vow to find her… no matter what it takes.

The German Mother is a heart-wrenching novel from historical fiction author Debbie Rix. This was my first time reading anything from the author, despite many of her books sitting on my TBR list for many years, but her compelling writing absolutely captivated me from very first page right through the emotional narrative until the very last page.

This is not an easy read, particularly as one of our protagonists Minki sits very close to the heart of the Nazi party through her husband’s role within Goebbels’ propaganda department. But it did make the story particularly interesting as we get to see that not even high-ranking Nazi party members were immune from their policies against disabled people. The exploration of the politics of the journalism sector in 1930s Germany was also really interesting, particularly as we follow the introduction of increasing censorship.

This is a longer novel, of just over 500 pages long. Although this is longer than the novels I tend to gravitate towards, I was really glad the story was given this amount of page space as it really allowed the long-timeline narrative to be explored in the depth it deserved. We first meet the characters in 1920 and follow their lives right up through to the immediate aftermath of the Second World War in 1945. Although there are jumps forward in time between each part of the novel, having such an extensive timeline meant that we got to follow Minki and Leila through many of their key life events such as completing university, starting their careers, meeting their future spouses, getting married and then becoming mothers. Following these characters on their individual journeys over twenty-five years of their lives, and also seeing how their friendship evolved over time, really helped us as readers to build a strong connection to both women.

Both Minki and Leila were courageous and strong female protagonists. It was not always easy to follow Minki’s story as she develops quite a complaisant attitude to the Nazi regime until the potential impact on her family becomes apparent. But over the course of the book she opens her eyes to the reality of the regime and the wild, headstrong Minki we’d met at the beginning of the book started to return. I really connected with Leila as a character too and she had her own really emotional story which was really powerful.

Including such an extensive timeline also meant that the story features many key events in the rise of the Nazis and then the Second World War. This included the Beer Hall Putsch, the 1930 German federal election, Hitler becoming Chancellor in 1933, the introduction of censorship laws in Germany, the Reichstag Fire and subsequent Reichstag Fire Decree, book burnings and the opening of Dachau (one of the first concentration camps built by Nazi Germany). As a true twentieth century/ Second World War history geek I absolutely loved how much history was packed into The German Mother and it was all clearly impeccably researched by Debbie Rix.

Overall, The German Mother was most definitely one of my favourite Second World War historical fiction novels I’ve ever read. Although it is not an easy read, and one which completely captured my emotions and had me sobbing on regular occasions, it’s a definite must-read for fans of the genre and a story which will stay with readers for a long time.

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