⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ The Resistance Girl by Mandy Robotham offers a fresh take on WWII fiction by shifting the setting to Nazi-occupied Norway. It was a welcome change to step outside the usual France-or-England narrative and experience the war from a different vantage point. The icy backdrop, secret missions, and quiet acts of defiance give this story a unique atmosphere. The plot centers on a young woman drawn into the resistance after a personal tragedy. She’s not a superhero, but her courage feels real—and that grounded strength gives the book its heartbeat. There’s a romantic subplot that adds warmth, though at times it overshadows the larger wartime stakes. A few secondary characters […]
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Dual‑Timeline Tale of WWI and WWII Wrens
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (4 stars) If you enjoy wartime fiction with strong female leads, add The Call of the Wrens to your reading list. Jenni L. Walsh takes us on a ride—literally—through two world wars with dual heroines who sign up for the Women’s Royal Naval Service, better known as the Wrens. Marion is an orphan in WWI who finds purpose as a motorcycle dispatch rider. Evelyn is a wealthy young woman in WWII, born with a clubfoot and aching to break free from expectations. Their stories are told in alternating timelines, and I found both characters really likeable and well-drawn. I was especially moved by how their paths ultimately connect in a meaningful […]
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A Bold, Beautiful Shift for Baldacci
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Strangers in Time is a refreshing change of pace for David Baldacci—and an absolute triumph. Best known for his pulse-pounding thrillers, Baldacci trades high-tech espionage for wartime Europe, and the result is a deeply human, emotionally rich novel that’s hard to put down. Set during World War II, this story isn’t just about battles and strategy. It’s about people—flawed, brave, complicated people—thrown into impossible circumstances. Baldacci’s gift for plotting is still here, but this time he leans hard into character. The relationships feel real, the dialogue is sharp, and the stakes are personal in all the right ways. He doesn’t just recreate the era—he brings it to life with […]
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Three Timelines, One Tough Choice
★★★★½ Gabrielle Meyer’s In This Moment is book two in the Timeless series, and once again, she nails it. Maggie lives three full lives in 1861, 1941, and 2001—waking up in a different era each day. She’s a nurse in every life, but each role comes with its own joys and heartbreaks. On her 21st birthday, she must choose just one life to keep… and lose the other two forever. No pressure. These books are always so heartwarming. Meyer writes with such heart and care, I wish she could crank them out faster. Her ability to make each timeline feel vivid and authentic is impressive—she clearly did her homework on […]
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Pippa Latour’s Astonishing WWII Memoir
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️½ rounded up to 5 What a story! I’ve read my share of WWII spy novels—some gripping, some not—but The Last Secret Agent is something else entirely. It’s not a novel. It’s the real-life account of Pippa Latour, the last surviving British female spy from Churchill’s Special Operations Executive, finally telling her story after decades of silence. Pippa parachuted into Nazi-occupied France at 23, posed as a teenage soap seller, and risked her life to send 135 coded messages to London. No gadgets. No backup. Just grit, silk hair ribbons, and nerves of steel. She worked alone, passed through Gestapo checkpoints, and survived—one of the few who did. What makes […]
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A Stirring Journey of Faith, Friendship, and Finding Peace After War
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Long Way Home by Lynn Austin is a beautifully written novel that tugs at the heart and offers a hopeful message about healing after trauma. Set in the wake of World War II, the story follows Jimmy Barnett, a shell-shocked veteran confined to a VA hospital, and Grace, a quiet young woman determined to uncover the truth behind his silence. As Grace digs into Jimmy’s past, she uncovers a moving tale of love, sacrifice, and the unseen wounds soldiers carry home. The book also weaves in a second powerful storyline: that of Gisela Wolff, a young Jewish woman trying to survive the horrors of Nazi Germany. Her family’s journey—from […]
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A Bookshop, a few Mitfords, and a Slow-Paced Novel
Let’s start with what worked: The Mayfair Bookshop has a great hook—London, WWII, a charming bookshop, and a spotlight on Nancy Mitford. The historical setting is rich, and the real-life Mitford drama adds some sparkle. If you’re already a fan of Nancy and her scandal-prone sisters, you might find the behind-the-scenes stuff intriguing. There’s gossip, heartbreak, and the war looming in the background, which makes for decent historical fiction. But here’s the thing: the dual timeline structure doesn’t quite balance. Nancy’s chapters are clearly the main event, while the present-day storyline feels like filler. Lucy, the modern book curator, just didn’t do it for me. Her quest to uncover a […]
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Under the Golden Sun Shines with Love, Resilience, and a Stunning Australian Setting
Jenny Ashcroft’s Under the Golden Sun is both heartwarming and heartbreaking, a breathtaking historical novel filled with love, resilience, and the beauty of second chances. From the moment we meet Rose Hamilton, a young woman searching for purpose, we’re swept away on an unforgettable journey from war-torn England to the sun-drenched landscapes of Australia. Tasked with escorting young orphan Walter to his family, Rose embarks on an adventure that reshapes her understanding of love and belonging. Walter, with his heartbreaking past, is more than just a child in her care—their bond is deeply moving. The novel beautifully captures their shared sorrows and joys, as well as the rich customs and […]
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Ambitious WWII Novel Falls Short of Its Potential
M.B. Henry’s All the Lights Above Us aims to capture the chaos and courage of D-Day through the perspectives of five women from vastly different backgrounds. The novel gives a unique take on the historic invasion by focusing on a single day, June 6, 1944, but ultimately, it falls short of being a standout in the crowded WWII historical fiction genre. The premise is intriguing: a Nazi propagandist questioning her choices, a resistance fighter seeking her parents, a Gestapo officer planning betrayal, a medical volunteer overwhelmed by casualties, and a British woman forced to house enemy soldiers. Their experiences highlight the vast reach of the war and the moral dilemmas […]
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A Journey Through Love and Loss in Venice
Rhys Bowen’s The Venice Sketchbook is an emotional dual-timeline novel filled with love, loss, and hidden truths. When Caroline Grant’s beloved great-aunt Lettie passes away, she leaves behind a cryptic inheritance—a sketchbook, three keys, and one last word: “Venice.” As Caroline embarks on a journey to scatter Lettie’s ashes in the city she loved, she uncovers a decades-old story of passion and sacrifice. In 1938, art teacher Juliet Browning arrives in Venice, reconnecting with Leonardo Da Rossi, the man she loves but cannot have. As war looms over Europe, impossible circumstances test their star-crossed romance, forcing Juliet to make heart-wrenching choices. The novel weaves together Caroline’s modern-day search for answers […]
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