Review: The Girl From Sicily by Siobhan Daiko*

*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 Girl From Sicily blog tour hosted by Rachel's Random Resources.

Title: The Girl From Sicily
Author: Siobhan Daiko
Genre: Historical Fiction

Trigger warnings:  War, Guns, Violence, Mafia, Death Threats

Rating: ★★★★  

Lucia loved her brother Dinu to the depths of her soul, but she also worried about him. He was intelligent yet ambitious, resilient yet hot-headed, and there was a dark side to him that could lead him into terrible trouble one day.

Sicily, 1943: Lucia and her twin brother Dinu have always been inseparable, but their bond is threatened when Gero, the son of close family friends in America, arrives in their village. Although she finds herself developing feelings for him, Lucia worries about Gero’s dangerous connections and their influence on her brother.

As the chaos of World War II closes in, Lucia must navigate love and loyalty to make a difficult choice. Will she risk that the consequences of her decision could bring untold horrors and affect her family for decades to come?

2005: When Jess inherits a baglio, an ancient feudal farmhouse in Sicily, from the grandmother she never knew, she’s determined to uncover the truth about her family’s hidden past. Following the death of her parents and on the brink of divorce, Jess travels to the island alone. There, with the help of a charming Sicilian, she embarks on a quest to unearth a web of long-buried secrets.

But answers come at a price, and Jess must decide if she’s ready to confront a truth that could change everything…

The Girl From Sicily is the latest fascinating historical fiction novel from author Siobhan Daiko. This is a compelling and easy read exploring themes of secrets, family relationships, history and romance set against the beautiful and mysterious backdrop of Sicily during the second world war, post-war and in the early 21^st century.

When I started this book, I was expecting something similar to Siobhan Daiko’s previous books focusing on the Italian resistance but the story unfolded into a heart-wrenching tale about multiple generations of a family torn apart by the Sicilian mafia. I was captivated by the mysteries of the story as Jess tries to uncover her family history, a difficult task when up against the strict rules regarding secrets practised by Sicilian society.

Our story is told through a carefully constructed multi-POV narrative, primarily focusing on the perspectives of Lucia and her granddaughter Jess but we also get to see the perspectives of Lucia’s twin brother Dinu and her daughter Carula too. I loved the use of a dual-timeline, particularly the way subtle parallels between the two timelines were woven into the story.

Siobhan Daiko is one of my must-read historical fiction authors so I was very excited to be able to take part in the blog tour for The Girl From Sicily and it certainly did not disappoint. I have reviewed three of her previous novels here on Yours, Chloe - The Tuscan Orphan, The Girl From Venice and Daughters of Tuscany – and I will link them at the end of the post.

When you read a book by Siobhan Daiko, you’re almost guaranteed to find beautifully written strong female characters and Lucia and Jess in The Girl From Sicily are certainly no exception. I particularly found the exploration of Lucia’s relationship and bond with her twin brother Dinu to be fascinating, especially as it would play such a key role in the plot of the story. The romance subplots in both timelines were also well written and a nice inclusion.

Overall, this is a really interesting and easy read for fans of World War Two and 20^th century historical fiction, especially those with a key interest in Sicilian history.

Click here to read my review of The Tuscan Orphan by Siobhan Daiko.

Click here to read my review of The Girl From Venice by Siobhan Daiko.

Click here to read my review of Daughters of Tuscany by Siobhan Daiko

Review: The Confessions of a Lady by Darcy McGuire*

*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 The Confessions Of A Lady blog tour hosted by Rachel's Random Resources.

Title: The Confessions Of A Lady
Author: Darcy McGuire
Genre: Historical Romance

Trigger warnings:  References To Physical Abuse By A Parent, References To Alcoholism, Violence, Assault, Drugging, Kidnap, Guns, References To Sex Trafficking

Rating: ★★★★★

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

Dare she risk her secrets?

In the world of upstairs/downstairs, Housemaid Penny Smith anticipates her employer’s needs and blends into the background making her the perfect spy for the prime minister against a suspected member of the Devil’s Sons. There’s only one problem. When she meets the guilty marquess, his actions don’t match the evidence against him. Lord William Renquist defies her every expectation and sets her traitorous heart racing.

Lord William Renquist, Marquess of Stoneway and secret spy to Queen Victoria, must infiltrate the Devil’s Sons, tearing the brotherhood apart from the inside. His mission – to bring evil men to justice while atoning for the sins of his family, proving honour is stronger than tainted blood. There’s only one problem. A canny maid who is always in the right place at the wrong time and who deliciously challenges his every order.

Liam and Penny are unknowingly playing a dangerous game from opposite sides of justice. And at a masked ball, forbidden attraction burns into something far more complex as their secrets spin into daring confessions. This battle against their enemy will only be won if Penny and Liam can work together. But can a maid from downstairs ever trust an upstairs marquess?

The Confessions Of A Lady is the latest historical romance from author Darcy McGuire and the third instalment of her series The Queen's Deadly Damsels. This is another brilliant spicy Victorian romance with a fantastic crime element to it too.

Darcy McGuire has quickly become one of my favourite historical fiction authors as she has an incredible storytelling ability and always crafts a perfectly paced narrative which beautifully blends romantic moments with the high tension crime elements that are also central to the plot.

At the heart of this series is really strong female characters and Penny was no exception. She was a total badass and I really liked the choice to make her illiterate because she was really smart and this really showed that there’s so much more to intelligence than literacy. The scene where Penny demands that Liam treat her as his equal – far from the norm in Victorian society – was particularly impactful and showed beautifully how much she grew in the novel into an even stronger woman who really understood her own value.

I’ve said it before but the absolute feminist icon that is Lady Philippa Winterbourne, the mentor to all of the Queen’s deadly damsels, is one of my favourite strong female characters to have ever graced the pages of a historical fiction novel. I didn’t think it was possible but I fell in love with her even more in this novel. Although this book works well as a standalone story, I’d recommend also reading the rest of the The Queen's Deadly Damsels series as the protagonists from both earlier books feature heavily within this one and I personally really enjoyed being familiar with them prior to reading this book.

Liam was also a brilliant MMC, who I challenge any reader not to fall completely in love with particularly if you’re a fellow sucker for the ‘touch her and you die’ trope.

Penny and Liam had brilliant chemistry and there was a great dynamic between the two of them. I’ve not read anything focusing on this upstairs/downstairs trope before but found it really interesting and it worked really well in the context of this book.

We have several brilliant spicy scenes and they navigated the contrast of experience between Penny as a virgin FMC and Liam as a more experienced and older MMC very well. I particularly enjoyed the emphasis on consent, which was great to see within a historical romance and very important given the power imbalance that naturally existed with Liam being Penny’s employer.

Overall, this is yet another incredible historical romance novel from Darcy McGuire and a must read for fans of the historical romance and historical crime genres alike, particularly if you’re after something with an overall really feminist feel.

Review: The Paris Dancer by Nicola Rayner*

 *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 Paris Dancer blog tour hosted by Rachel's Random Resources.

Title: The Paris Dancer
Author: Nicola Rayner
Genre: Historical Fiction

Trigger warnings:  War, The Holocaust, Antisemitism, Guns, Homophobic Violence, Murder Of Children

Rating: ★★★★   

A heart-wrenching and unforgettable story of courage, friendship and resistance, inspired by the incredible true story of a Jewish ballroom dancer in Paris during WWII, perfect for fans of The Paris Library.

Paris, 1938. Annie Mayer arrives in France with dreams of becoming a ballerina. But when the war reaches Paris, she's forced to keep her Jewish heritage a secret. Then a fellow dancer offers her a lifeline: a ballroom partnership that gives her a new identity. Together, Annie and her partner captivate audiences across occupied Europe, using her newfound fame and alias to aid the Resistance.

New York, 2012. Miriam, haunted by her past, travels from London to New York to settle her great-aunt Esther’s estate. Among Esther’s belongings, she discovers notebooks detailing a secret family history and the story of a brave dancer who risked everything to help Jewish families during the war.

As Miriam uncovers Esther’s life in Europe, she realises the story has been left for her to finish. Grappling with loss and the possibility of new love, Miriam must find the strength to reconcile her past and embrace her future.

The Paris Dancer is the latest novel from author Nicola Rayner and her debut venture into the wonderful genre that is historical fiction. This is a beautiful story of sisterhood, love and loss, set between Nazi-occupied Paris and New York in 2012.

Nicola Rayner has crafted a fantastic multi-layered story through a dual-timeline narrative. The parallels between the two timelines were well written and really added to the story. I really enjoyed joining Mim in her journey to discover more about her great aunt’s life during the war, gradually piecing together the clues we’re given through her chapters.

There’s a powerful exploration of grief throughout the book, in both timelines. Mim’s grief was particularly well written and I loved following her story of life after loss, as she navigates both her grief and the guilt she feels regarding it.

A passion for dance permeates through the story and this was truly beautiful, really setting The Paris Dancer apart from other stories set in occupied France. I really enjoyed getting to explore a range of beautiful dance styles through Mim’s story as Lucky introduces her to them to find the one which resonates with her.

Overall this is a fantastic piece of World War Two historical fiction and perfect for those with a love of dance.

Review: The Viscount And The Thief 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 The Viscount And The Thief blog tour hosted by Rachel's Random Resources.

Title: The Viscount And The Thief
Author: Emma Orchard
Genre: Historical Romance

Trigger warnings:  References To Suicide

Rating: ★★★★

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

Spring, 1811... A stranger arrives at Wyverne Hall

Sophie Delavallois is the new companion to the ageing Dowager Marchioness, but she also has another reason for coming to the infamous Wyverne mansion, one that will shake the family to their core.

Lord Drake left his childhood home many years ago, and only returns now to see his beloved grandmother. He takes little interest in the goings on of the house, until the arrival of Mademoiselle Delavallois. There’s something about her that he can’t put his finger on; it's as if he’s seen her before, but surely, that is not possible…

Sophie is also drawn to Drake, but he is a Wyverne, and she cannot allow herself to fall for him, because her intentions towards the family are resolute – revenge. But inside the walls of Wyverne Hall, she discovers the rumours about the family barely scratch the surface, and she can’t escape the dangerous allure of the Viscount.

Once her plans are set in motion, will he be her saviour or her ruin?

The Viscount And The Thief is the latest compelling regency romance from author Emma Orchard. Emma Orchard has very quickly become one of my standout authors within the regency romance genre so I was highly anticipating the release of The Viscount And The Thief and it certainly did not disappoint.

One of the things which I think really sets Emma Orchard apart from other regency romance authors is what an incredible storyteller and wordsmith she is. Her compelling writing immerses you in the setting of Wyverne Hall and the narrative was perfectly paced, leaving the reader hooked from cover to cover.

The focus of the narrative is shared between the blossoming romance between Sophie and Rafe and Sophie’s plans to steal back her family heirloom, driven by a desire for revenge against Rafe’s father. This second aspect to the plot really added something different to a genre which more typically focuses on the world of debutantes and balls. I was on the edge of my seat waiting to see if Sophie would succeed in her revenge and if Rafe would be a useful ally or her ruin.

Emma Orchard writes strong female protagonists beautifully and Sophie was no exception. She was feisty, headstrong and far from the typical wallflower you often see in a regency romance. Our handsome MMC is Rafe, Lord Drake. He initially appeared as your typically brooding regency hero but had a beautiful sweet side to him under the surface. The way he talked to and about Sophie just warmed my heart.

Sophie and Rafe had brilliant chemistry and the sexual tension between the two of them was palpable, particularly in the earlier chapters when they are trying to resist their mutual attraction. The spicy scenes were well written, varied and well placed throughout the plot.

In terms of supporting characters, I really warmed to the Dowager who is both Rafe’s grandmother and the woman Sophie becomes the companion to as her way of getting access to the house to enact her revenge plot. Despite her being elderly she was very quick-witted and became a great ally to Sophie. The antagonists were brilliantly written too and both Lord and Lady Wyverne made my skin crawl. 

Overall, The Viscount And The Thief is another fantastic steamy regency romp from Emma Orchard, perfect if you like a crime element to your books and a good long-overdue revenge plot against someone who most definitely deserved it.

Review: The Girl With The Red Ribbon by Carly Schabowski*

 *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 Girl With The Red Ribbon blog tour hosted by Rachel's Random Resources.

Title: The Girl With The Red Ribbon
Author: Carly Schabowski
Genre: Historical Fiction

Trigger warnings:  War, Bombs, Guns, Antisemitism, Vague References To Rape, References To Mental Health Hospitals, References To Death In Childbirth

Rating: ★★★★  

1939, Poland. An extraordinary young woman vows revenge on the Nazis after her family are murdered…

Ania hears the explosion of gunshots before she sees the Nazi soldiers approach her beloved home. Her family don’t have time to run, but she does. Hiding nearby, she listens to her sister’s screams and – stroking the red ribbon she keeps tied around her wrist – she begins to plot her revenge…

Taunted her whole life for being smarter than anyone else in the village, now living in war-torn Poland, being governed by Nazis who think Poles are subhuman and women only good for one thing… Ania now only has her wits to rely on, if she's going to survive.

But then she comes across a group of misfits all rejected by the resistance movement for bringing too much risk with them – a scarred Jewish man, a madwoman, a gypsy, and a quiet, handsome Russian soldier. And Ania realizes she alone has the power to unite them. Together, they will destroy each and every one of the people who took everything from her.

The Nazis have no idea what – or who – they are up against. And they’re about to discover that no one should cross a woman who has nothing to lose…

Inspired by an incredible true story from the author’s own family, comes an absolutely gripping story about courage and sacrifice in the darkest days of war.

The Girl With The Red Ribbon is the latest novel from historical fiction author Carly Schabowski. This is an incredibly powerful story exploring themes of courage, found family, resilience and survival.

This was my first time reading anything from Carly Schabowski but she is a truly marvellous storyteller and incredibly talented wordsmith. Symbolism is used throughout the book in a really powerful way and I particularly liked the focus on wind being something which brings life but also takes it away.

This is an incredibly emotional read. We get a brief sense of what is to come, particularly for Ania, through the early chapter sharing Benjamin’s perspective in 1969, but the rest of the story takes the reader on an emotional and at times tear-jerking journey. Carly Schabowski’s compelling writing style had me hooked from cover to cover and I was completely captivated by the story.

Our story is told through a dual-POV narrative which worked really well and allowed us to see things from not only Ania’s perspective but also Benjamin’s. His POV is structured around his much older self looking back on his wartime experiences so we have occasional chapters set in 1969 as well as the main 1939-1943 timeline and this was really powerful.

Ania was a brilliant and really complex protagonist. Very early on in the book it became clear to me that Ania was autistic – albeit it is not identified as such in the book and she is merely labelled as ‘different’. The chapters focusing on Ania’s perspective were very cleverly crafted to feel authentic to the typical autistic experience of the world, evidenced by how quickly I – as an autistic woman myself – identified that Ania would today be considered autistic and began to immediately resonate with her experiences. Ania goes on a brilliant journey throughout the book, finding a real purpose in her resistance work and seeking revenge against the Nazis for all they’ve done to her and her family. Her emotional detachment to her experiences doesn’t always make for an easy read but it is definitely an impactful one.

There’s a beautiful found family element to the story, with this gang of people who were outcasted by society for different reasons finding a home with each other. Similarly to Ania, all of these four characters were complex, multi-dimensional and really well written. It was brilliant following them trying to survive in war-torn Poland and gradually starting to complete resistance activities against their Nazi occupiers. I loved the way that Wanda, Gosia and Aleksi, and particularly Benjamin, treated Ania and didn’t see her as less than because of her neurodivergence. This was a refreshing read particularly after the way the earlier chapters focused on Ania being seen as less-than and challenging by her family, who simply saw her differences as something which needed to be fixed.

Overall, The Girl With The Red Ribbon is a beautifully written and powerful piece of historical fiction which is a must-read for fans of the genre, particularly those who are neurodivergent or ‘different’ in some way themselves.

Review: The Island Girls by Rachel Sweasey*

 *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 Island Girls blog tour hosted by Rachel's Random Resources.

Title: The Island Girls
Author: Rachel Sweasey
Genre: Historical Fiction

Trigger warnings:  War, Bombs, Guns, Death Of A Spouse, Death Of A Child, References To Rape, References To Domestic Abuse/Violence, References To Cancer

Rating: ★★★★ 

1941: For the townspeople of Poole on the Dorset coast, the war feels like it's right on their doorstep. And with more and more men leaving to fight, one fisherman’s daughter is determined to do whatever she can to help. Peggy volunteers to use her skills on the water to work with the flying boats alongside the RAF based in the harbour. But when she is asked to undertake a special mission, she will have to make a terrible choice – between her duty to her country and her only chance of happiness.

1998: Rebekah has travelled halfway around the world to take up a role on Brownsea Island. This tiny island off the coast of England is a treasure trove of natural wonder, but it still carries the scars of fighting. And when Rebekah discovers a lost letter from the war, hidden all this time, she becomes determined to deliver it, fifty years later.

But the idyllic Dorset harbour hides many more secrets, and Rebekah’s search for the truth will change her life in ways she never imagined possible…

The Island Girls is the latest compelling historical fiction novel from author Rachel Sweasey. This is a beautiful story exploring themes of love, sacrifice, secrets and fresh starts, all set against the backdrop of Dorset in both wartime and the 1990s.

Our narrative is made up of multiple timelines sharing the stories of multiple people, all of which interweave. It was fun to try and piece the stories together gradually as the novel progresses, predicting how the different individuals we meet were connected. The story does primarily focus on two women: Peggy – in 1941 – and Rebekah – in 1998. They were brilliant strong female characters and both women have a romantic arc to their individual stories which was a really nice addition.  

This was my first time reading anything from Rachel Sweasey but her engaging writing style had me hooked from the prologue and now I’m looking forward to reading her other books. The narrative was well paced and the split between the different timelines was perfect. The history was all well-researched and provided a really interesting insight into the British Overseas Airways Corporation (BOAC) and the work they did during the war.

The Island Girls does generally feel more light-hearted than other World War Two historical fiction works of a similar nature. Whilst there are still lots of gripping moments and touches of darker topics – outlined in the content warnings at the beginning of my review – the setting of the home front and multi-timeline aspect means that this is ideal for historical fiction readers who want a refreshing break from reading harder-hitting novels in the genre, whilst not sacrificing the compelling writing style and history-packed narrative we love the genre for.

Rachel Sweasey’s love for her hometown of Poole was clear through her vivid setting descriptions of the beautiful landscape of the Dorset coast, particularly around Brownsea Island.  Similarly to Dorset (where the majority of the narrative is set) the other settings we visit – Rotterdam and Brisbane respectively – were also described in a truly beautiful way which made each setting come alive on the page.

Overall, The Island Girls is a brilliant addition to the historical fiction genre. This beautiful story, spanning multiple decades and continents, is a must-read and one which will stay with readers for some time. 

Review: A Lady's Lesson in Scandal by Darcy McGuire*

*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 A Lady's Lesson In Scandal blog tour hosted by Rachel's Random Resources.

Title: A Lady's Lesson In Scandal
Author: Darcy McGuire
Genre: Historical Romance

Trigger warnings:  Sex Trafficking, Hanging Frequent References to Torture, Abuse By Parents,
Physical Abuse, Emotional Abuse, Homophobia, References To Death Of A Parent, Brief References To Death Of A Sibling, Implied Sexual Abuse By A Parent (of a side character)

Rating: ★★★★★

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

Wallflower at risk of ruin…

Secret femme-fatale in training Millicent Whittenburg needs to escape her unpleasant betrothal. Taking matters into her own hands, she plans her eventual ruin! Then she can disappear from society to carry out the Queen’s deadly missions. Step 1: seduce the one man who despises marriage more than her!

However, she hugely underestimates her target. Major General Beaufort Drake. Fearsome private investigator, he’s notoriously cold and visibly battle scarred. But Millie’s scandalously public kiss awakens a deeply suppressed desire in Drake. Instead of allowing them both to succumb to shame he does the unthinkable, and offers for her hand in a convenient marriage.

Nothing prepares them for the fireworks when a fearless damsel collides with a dangerous Major General! And as their secret missions align they face their hardest test on the glittering battlefield – a week long wedding house party where there is nowhere to escape…only new and wicked lessons to be learnt!

A Lady's Lesson in Scandal is the latest historical romance from author Darcy McGuire and the second instalment of her series The Queen's Deadly Damsels. This novel is the perfect blend of the historical romance and crime thriller genres, set against the backdrop of Victorian England. Packed full of strong female characters and page-turning drama, in this beautiful age-gap romance we see a swoon-worthy ex-soldier, who bears both physical and mental battle scars, meet his match in an intelligent and witty wallflower who has her own secrets: she’s a secret femme-fatale in training for Queen Victoria herself.

This was my first time reading anything from Darcy McGuire and I was completely enthralled by her compelling writing style to the point that I could barely put the book down and read it in nearly a single sitting. Darcy McGuire has an incredible storytelling ability and her brilliant world building made the setting come alive on the page, remaining authentic to the time period in which the book is set. All of the beautifully written characters were so complex and I loved the choices to include little snippets of first-person writing throughout the narrative as insights into Millie and Beau’s internal dialogue amongst the rest of the third-person narrative, it really helped to make them really multidimensional characters we are readers could really connect with. The narrative was perfect-paced narrative which took so many unexpected twists and turns I really had no idea what would come next, particularly with regards to the crime element of the plot.

Millie was an absolutely brilliant protagonist and the definition of as strong female character. She was strong-willed, so intelligent and really fought against societal expectations of her because of her gender. I warmed to her instantly and it was brilliant to see her grow throughout the book. Our MMC is Major General Beaufort Drake, known to his friends as Beau. He was a beautifully written and very complex character I’d challenge any reader not to fall in love with immediately; I know I definitely did. He was the perfect match for Millie and I loved the many similarities we gradually began to see between the two of them, including their past traumas, and the way this formed the foundations for their relationship. They had brilliant banter, constantly verbally sparring throughout the book. If as a reader you love the trope of a MMC really looking after a FMC you will particularly adore Beau and this formed some of my favourite scenes in the entire book. This is a spicy romance and this aspect to the plot was beautifully written. I also loved how the characters navigated their different experiences levels when it came to intimacy and getting to see Beau introduce Millie to her own sexual pleasure.

Millie is just one of a whole host of strong female characters we see throughout A Lady's Lesson in Scandal and a particular shoutout must be given to Lady Philippa Winterbourne, Millie’s mentor and one of my favourite characters I’ve ever met in a book. I also particularly adored young Billy as a supporting character and he had me smiling every time he appeared in a scene. Darcy McGuire also writes antagonists incredibly well. Whilst I won’t go into detail about some of the antagonists and risk spoiling the whodunnit element, I will say that the character of Patricia was particularly vile. She is Millie’s cruel, heartless and abusive stepmother (please see the content warnings at the beginning of this review) who made me shudder every time she appeared on the page.

Although this is the second book in the The Queen's Deadly Damsels series, this was my introduction to it and to Darcy McGuire’s writing as a whole. It does still work fantastically as a standalone story but it has also made me really excited to read the first book ‘The Secret Life of a Lady’ to delve deeper into the romance of Lady Hannah Simmons and Duke Robert Killian, who both played supporting roles in the plot of this book. I am also now eagerly anticipating the release of the third book which is due to be published next year. I do already have my predictions for who this next book will feature as a protagonist and I’m very excited to see where Darcy McGuire takes the rest of the series.

Overall, A Lady's Lesson in Scandal is bar far the best historical romance we’ve seen this year and an absolute must-read for fans of the genre, especially those who are also partial to a crime thriller plotline that keeps you on your toes throughout.

Review: Sisters of the Resistance by Jina Bacarr*

 *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 Sisters Of The Resistance blog tour hosted by Rachel's Random Resources.

Title: Sisters Of The Resistance
Author: Jina Bacarr
Genre: Historical Fiction

Trigger warnings:  Rape, Sexual Assault, Sexual Violence, War, Antisemitism, The Holocaust, Guns, References To Suicide

Rating: ★★★★   

Paris, 1942: Two sisters in Paris had their lives torn apart. Now they must choose – save themselves, or fight the Nazis to the very end…

I’d given up everything to fight for the Resistance. But nothing prepared me for discovering my sister was a traitor. Kept by a Nazi SS officer, outwardly she barely resembles my beloved Justine anymore.

But I guessed her secret. About her beautiful, fragile little child. The baby she’ll do anything to protect. And I believe that deep down she still knows what is right.

As the Nazis threaten everything we ever held dear, I know I have one chance. I must convince her to betray the evil she seems to have chosen. I need her to find her true self once more.

Because I need her to join the fight…

Could you choose your country – and what is right – over the person you once loved more than anyone in the world?

Unmissable, heartbreaking, gripping WW2 fiction, perfect for fans of Soraya M. Lane, Ellie Midwood and Jean Grainger.

Sisters of the Resistance is the latest novel from historical fiction author Jina Bacarr and the gripping finale to her Wartime Paris Sisters series. This is an incredibly powerful and hard-hitting story about sexual violence during the Second World War, set in Nazi-occupied Paris.

I had the privilege of taking part in the blog tour for the first book in the series Sisters At War back in 2023 (click here to read my review) and it was one of my standout reads from the year so I had high hopes for this second and final instalment and it certainly did not disappoint.

Although this is the second book in a duology, you don’t need to have read Sisters At War to be able to follow the story. Jina Bacarr has done a wonderful job of starting this book in a way which reintroduces the story to previous readers and brings new readers up to speed on the heartbreaking experiences of the Beaufort sisters. I’ve never before seen a sequel open in a way which recaps the earlier events in such a thorough yet captivating way, starting exactly where the previous story finished; it was a brilliant start to the book. Whilst this book can be read as a standalone, I would still highly highly recommend reading Sisters At War too to experience this heartbreaking story in it’s entirety.

Sisters of the Resistance is told through a dual POV narrative, sharing the perspectives of both Justine and Eve. The plot was perfectly paced and gripping from the very beginning. Jina Bacarr writes tension beautifully and takes the reader on an emotional journey through so many twists and turns. I read the majority of the book in a single sitting as I just couldn’t put it down.

Justine and Eve were fantastic strong female protagonists with so much depth to them. They both really mature over the course of the two books, but particularly within this one. It’s heartbreaking that they, like millions of other young adults impacted by the Second World War, were forced to grow up far too quickly due to their horrific wartime experiences. The sisters are both so courageous and I really enjoyed the historical romance plots they each hand.

As the focus of Sisters of the Resistance (and the earlier book Sisters At War) is the horrific experiences of sexual violence and rape that was the reality for so many women in Nazi-occupied countries, it is an incredibly hard-hitting story. It’s very clear throughout (and explored in the author’s afterword) that Jina Bacarr has drawn on her own traumatic experiences in writing Justine’s story and this has created a very raw and powerful narrative which brought tears to my eyes on several occasions. In Sisters of the Resistance we see Justine beginning to overcome the shame and fear she had experienced since she was first raped and this was particularly powerful, especially towards the end of the book when she begins to use her experiences to support other women.

Overall, Sisters of the Resistance is yet another really powerful story from Jina Bacarr and a brilliant ending to the gut-wrenching series. This is a truly must-read novel for Second World War historical fiction readers.

Review: The Last Bookshop in Prague by Helen Parusel*

*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 Last Bookshop In Prague blog tour hosted by Rachel's Random Resources.

Title: The Last Bookshop In Prague
Author: Helen Parusel
Genre: Historical Fiction

Trigger warnings:  War, Antisemitism, The Holocaust, Guns

Rating: ★★★★★   

Was she incredibly brave or incredibly stupid? Neither. Just a bookshop girl doing what she could against her country’s oppressors.

The banned books club was only the beginning; a place for the women of Prague to come together and share the tales the Germans wanted to silence.

For bookshop owner, Jana, doing the right thing was never a question. So when opportunity comes to help the resistance, she offers herself – and her bookshop. Using her window displays as covert signals and hiding secret codes in book marks, she’ll do all in her power to help.

But the arrival of two people in her bookshop will change everything: a young Jewish boy with nowhere else to turn, and a fascist police captain Jana can’t read at all. In a time where secrets are currency and stories can be fatal, will she know who to trust?

A heart-wrenching and powerful story of courage, tenacity and love. Fans of Suzanne Goldring, Mandy Robotham and Debbie Rix will devour this unforgettable novel.

The Last Bookshop in Prague is the latest compelling Second World War historical fiction novel from author Helen Parusel. This powerful story explores themes of bravery, survival, fighting for what’s right and the power of books, set against the backdrop of Nazi-occupied Prague in the final three years of the war.

Helen Parusel has quickly become one of my standout authors within the genre, with both of her previous novels being definite five star reads and some of my favourites of the past couple of years (click here to read my reviews: The Austrian Bride and A Mother’s War), so I had high hopes for The Last Bookshop in Prague and it certainly did not disappoint. The narrative is fast-paced, maintained by short and snappy chapters which will grip readers from cover to cover, just like it did me.

As usual with Helen Parusel’s books, the history was impeccably researched. This book covers some really interesting aspects of Second World War history which I haven’t seen featured within historical fiction before (despite considering myself very well-read within the genre), including the assassination of Reinhard Heydrich and the events that followed including the Nazi manhunt for the assailants and the horrific Lidice and Ležáky massacres. The final chapters of the book also feature the Prague uprising, which again I’ve not seen covered in other historical fiction so it was fantastic to learn about it through Jana’s eyes.

At the heart of this story is really strong female characters, lead by Jana who was a fantastic protagonist. She was really emotionally intelligent and had brilliant character development throughout the novel into someone who was even more courageous and confident. I loved her relationships with both her dad and her grandmother (who was a strong female character in herself and a brilliant role model for Jana) and the roles they both played in the story. There are also strong female supporting characters in Jana’s friends, her fellow resistance fighter Nela, the women she helps throughout the story and the young characters of Yveta and Maddie. The male characters were brilliantly written too, including the primary Nazi antagonists who made my skin crawl every time they appeared.

There’s also a lovely historical romance element to the story which was a great addition that I really enjoyed. I think that Helen Parusel completely nailed the blend of having this romantic element whilst not letting it take away from the hard-hitting nature of the rest of the plot.

I loved the setting of the bookshop and the role books continuously played throughout the story, bringing people together in even the darkest of times. The story explores banned books, a topic it’s ridiculous is still so relevant in the 21^st century, and I loved that quotes from different banned books were used as passcodes between resistance members, a detail I can’t believe I didn’t initially spot!

Overall, The Last Bookshop in Prague is yet another incredibly powerful novel from Helen Parusel, further cementing her as one of my favourite historical fiction authors of all time. This is a must-read for fans of the genre or anyone who wants to venture into the wonderful world of Second World War historical fiction.