A LIGHT TO GUIDE US HOME

MY THOUGHTS:

It’s 1943 and the Nazis have taken over France.  Valérie Hallez is engaged and instead of making wedding plans she is hoping that she will see her fiancé Philippe again.  Philippe is fighting the Nazis in Italy.  As the war rages on across Europe, Valérie works for the resistance helping Jewish children cross the border to safety.  Valérie is their only hope of surviving through this horrible time.  Clara is an orphan that has lost her family to the Germans and Valérie does everything she possibly can to protect her and keep her safe.  Clara is in possession of a very important Nazi document.  Valérie begins searching for Clara but she isn’t the only one looking for Clara.  Just when Valérie thinks she has located Clara she gets bad news about her fiancé Philippe.  She has some very difficult decisions to make and some tough choices.

A Light to Guide Us Home by Dianne Haley was an extremely emotional historical fiction.  This novel is the second installment in The Resistance Girl Series.  This story was a very deep read and it was unputdownable.  My heart broke for Valérie and her story of compassion and love that she had for the orphans and her support for the resistance.  Valérie is a very strong character with a big heart.  I cried many tears while reading this story and was heartbroken through to the end.  This is definitely one of my top reads for the year.  If you are looking for a phenomenal historical fiction that grabs you by the heart strings from the first page to the very last, this story is for you.  I highly recommend it!!

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Rating: 5 out of 5.

DESCRIPTION:

A LIGHT TO GUIDE US HOME

Author:  Dianne Haley 
Publisher: Bookouture
Publication Date: April 26, 2023
Pages: 277

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‘Please, you must get Clara out of France!’ cried the woman, her voice breaking in desperation. ‘She’s only thirteen and her parents have been taken to a death camp. Can you save her before it is too late?’

1943, Nazi-occupied France: Valérie Hallez clings to the hope that she will soon reunite with her beloved fiancé, Philippe, fighting the Nazis in Italy. Until that day comes, she risks her life helping Jewish children flee across the border with the resistance, but each tear-stained face breaks her heart a little more.

So, when she learns of little lost Clara, anorphan whose family has been torn apart by the German occupation, and is asked to rescue her, she jumps at the chance to save another innocent life. But she isn’t the only one searching for the young girl…

Because brave Clara is carrying a crucial Nazi document. And the secrets it holds could change the course of the war forever.

Frantically trying to stay one step ahead of the Gestapo, Valérie traces Clara to an isolated children’s home– but she is too late. German soldiers have already raided the building.

Her relief when she hears that Clara escaped is short lived, as there’s not a whisper of her whereabouts. And just when she’s about to start on her search, devastating news reaches her about Philippe.

Shattered by the thought that Philippe may never come home, Valérie tries to pull the pieces of her broken heart back together. She knows there’s a little girl lost out there who needs her. So, she must make the hardest choice of all. Even if she can’t save her dearest love, can she save poor Clara – and help her end this terrible war?

ABOUT DIANNE HALEY

Originally from the north of Scotland, Dianne now lives with her husband in Edinburgh and has two grown-up children. After a thirty-year business career in London and Edinburgh when Dianne wrote between projects, she is now writing full-time.

Dianne and her family have been visiting the area round Lake Geneva since 1992 and love the Alps in all seasons. The inspiration for her series set in WW2 Switzerland came from a drive through Geneva’s old town on a rainy October evening, the cobbled lanes a perfect setting for secrets and hiding places.

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A SECRET AT THE COTTAGE BY THE LOCH

MY THOUGHTS:

A Secret at the Cottage by the Loch by Kennedy Kerr was a wonderful return to Loch Cameron.  The rolling Scottish Hills is where Liz feels the most at home.  It’s the only place where she can let down her guard and release everything that worries her.  After an unexpected break-up and a horrible tragedy, she welcomes the change of her new job running the local Whiskey Distillery.  The villagers treat Liz like family, and she loves them as if she has known them forever.  She soon meets Ben Douglas who owns the distillery.  Ben spends time with Liz, showing her around the beautiful town of Loch Cameron and the surrounding countryside.  The more time they spend together the closer they become and their friendship is what Liz needs to get over her recent past.  But when Ben tells Liz that he intends to sell his family’s distillery, Liz feels like her new beginning is quickly slipping away.  Can she change Ben’s mind and save her new found life or will she lose that too?

I couldn’t wait to return to Loch Cameron.  A Secret at the Cottage by the Loch is the second installment of the Loch Cameron Series.  I could almost feel the salt in the air from the sea and the beautiful rolling hills of Scotland played out in my mind’s eye like a movie.  Please, please make this series a movie.  I love stories of second chances and new beginnings in new places.  This emotional story was both uplifting and inspiring.  I highly recommend it.

DESCRIPTION:

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Rating: 5 out of 

A SECRET AT THE COTTAGE BY THE LOCH
Author:  Kennedy Kerr
Publisher: Bookouture 
Publication Date: April 21, 2023
Pages: 325
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The endless green and purple of the Scottish hills stretch as far as Liz can see, curving up around the loch to meet the wide blue sky. She takes a deep breath and hopes this beautiful place will help hide her secrets… 

When thirty-seven-year-old Liz Parsons first sets eyes on the cosy, whitewashed cottage perched on the edge of the loch, she feels the knot in her chest begin to unwind. After a terrible tragedy and sudden break-up, she’s looking forward to putting the past behind her and focusing on her new job running the tiny Loch Cameron Whisky Distillery, nestled between the highland hills.

With the villagers welcoming her with open arms, she meets ruggedly handsome distillery owner Ben Douglas and feels inspired by his passion for the history of the local area. Although Liz and Ben have very different ideas for the future of the business, their hectic days spill over into long walks exploring the wild landscape, and Liz feels lighter for the first time in months.

When Ben confesses he is considering selling his family’s legacy, Liz is desperate to change his mind. The small community relies on the distillery for jobs and tourism, and she can’t let her newfound friends lose their livelihoods.

But just as she hears whispers in town that there’s more to Ben’s story, she receives a letter at the cottage that could change her future. The thick paper and faded postmark are a heart-wrenching reminder of the life she left behind. 

Can she trust Ben with the shocking truth about her past? Or will she be forced to pick up the pieces of her broken heart and run away from Loch Cameron forever?

ABOUT KENNEDY KERR

Kennedy Kerr is a British fiction author. She adores beaches, lochs and stone circles, and loves writing about small communities, mysteries and family secrets. She has a very cuddly cat called Twinkle who spends her days sleeping: Kennedy aspires to having Twinkle’s nap schedule one day.

Kennedy also loves cooking and baking all types of food, which is almost as much fun as eating it. Her favourite foods include (but are not limited to) Indian food, Victoria sponge, breakfast pastries with coffee and sushi. The only thing she’s not particularly keen on is artichoke, and she’d eat it, anyway.

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THE POLISH DAUGHTER

MY THOUGHTS:

Poland, 1944: As the war rages on across Europe, so many lives have been changed forever.  This brutal time has torn apart families never to be put back together again.  Julia’s father is a high-ranking Polish Officer who moved his family out of Warsaw to keep them safe.  But when he is missing in action, Julia returns to Warsaw to not just fight for the resistance but to also search for her father.  Soon Julia returns to her home and she is trapped in the streets by the Nazis.  They are grabbing people and whisking them away.  Julia recognizes her childhood sweetheart Nikolaj dressed in his Nazi uniform, but how could that be?  How could Nikolaj be with the Germans during this horrible war?  But when she has an opportunity to talk with him alone, he explains to her that he is a resistance spy posing as a German officer.  She wonders if it’s the truth and can she trust him.

Gosia Nealon is an exceptional author that writes well beyond her years.   

This Polish Daughter is the third installment in The Secret Resistance Series.  I loved this book, I think it was my most favorite of the series.  The courage and sacrifice of people during this horrible time, always amazes me.  I was enthralled with this story from the beginning to the very last page.  It was impossible to put the book down and as I turned each page I found myself on the edge of my seat.  As my heart rate quickened I was so emotional, and couldn’t hold back the tears.  I was inspired by this heartbreaking story and I highly recommend it.  

Rating: 5 out of 5.

DESCRIPTION:

THE POLISH DAUGHTER
Author: Gosia Nealon 
Publisher:  Bookouture
Publication Date: April 21, 2023
Pages: 288 
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Poland, 1944: Armed men line the streets and herd us forward as they pull people from the crowd. My heart pounds as I hear a familiar cry. They have my best friend. I desperately push through to her, to save her. But we are too densely packed in. I can’t hold back my sobs as she disappears from sight. I am too late…

When war broke out, Julia’s father, a high-ranking Polish officer, took her from Warsaw to keep her safe. Now her father is missing in action, Julia has returned home to find him and fight for the resistance—but the city is more dangerous than she ever thought it could be.

When she is trapped in the ghetto, Nazis shoving people into the streets all around her, Julia can only watch in horror as her dearest friend is dragged away. It seems she is about to suffer the same awful fate, until her childhood sweetheart, Nikolaj, appears in enemy uniform and stops the guards with one word.

Surely the boy Julia remembers would never side with the Germans? In the safety of his private room, he explains he is a resistance spy within the ranks of Nazi officers. But the longer he keeps her in the barracks, surrounded by his soldiers, the more Julia grows uneasy about the man she once knew…

Half-Jewish and with her father a wanted man, how safe can she be behind enemy lines? And, not knowing who to trust, will she ever be able to reunite with her captured friend, and her beloved father—or will the war tear them apart forever?

ABOUT GOSIA NEALON

While Gosia Nealon is a proud New Yorker, she was born and raised in Poland. Her journey to the Big Apple revealed a wealth of cultural differences, but also the values that connect us all. Like the fierce desire to protect family, find love, and ultimately, discover who we are and why we’re here. 

Gosia’s award-winning short stories have always delved into life’s biggest questions, but it was the drama, sacrifice, and tragedy of WWII that led her to pen her debut novel, which won a gold medal in the 2022 Independent Publisher Book Awards (IPPY).  Growing up in Poland, Gosia heard many firsthand accounts of the war, told from a perspective rarely captured in mainstream literature. She was compelled to breathe life into two young people falling in love in the midst of the most terrifying conflict of our time. When Gosia isn’t tapping away at her laptop, she’s often walking the streets of New York. With her husband and two young sons in tow, they search for the most succulent pierogi, transporting them back to the cobbled streets of her childhood.

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THE AMERICAN WIFE

MY THOUGHTS:

Vienna, 1937 Kitty leaves her life in America and searches for a diplomatic job in Austria.  She becomes engaged to Edgar, an Austrian diplomat.  Europe isn’t exactly what she expected and that makes her homesick for her life in America.  Kitty meets and becomes friends with Judith, who is also the woman designing Kitty’s wedding dress.  Judith introduces Kitty to what Vienna really is about.  The culture and the best things about Vienna and the people that live there.  Soon after Edgar and Kitty get married, the world around them changes drastically and it doesn’t take long for life to take a toll on their marriage.  They begin to grow apart, and then the Nazis’ come for Judith because she is Jewish.  As a diplomat’s wife, Kitty knows of only one way to save her friend, but it would mean betraying her husband, Edgar.  Kitty is at an impossible crossroad, does she save Judith or does she betray her husband?

This heartbreaking story of new beginnings, love, friendship and loss was enthralling.  I felt a connection to the characters in the story and as I dove into the pages, my heart was beating faster and faster.  The people that lived during this era were very courageous in what they had to do in order to survive such a terrible time.  This story was both inspiring and gripping as I flipped page after page.  Make sure you keep the Kleenex box nearby because you will surely need it.  It was hooked from the very first chapter.  This fantastic read is one that I highly recommend. 

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Rating: 

DESCRIPTION:

THE AMERICAN WIFE

Author:  Chrystyna Lucyk-Berger 
Publisher: Bookouture 
Publication Date: April 14, 2023 
Pages: 340 
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With her heart in her mouth, Kitty let herself into her husband’s private study. She knew where he kept the papers that might save her dearest friend from the Nazis. She just had to steal them…

Vienna, 1937. When beautiful American Kitty becomes engaged to Austrian diplomat Edgar, she finds herself thrown into a very different world in Europe, and soon longs for home. But when the woman designing her wedding dress, Judith, takes Kitty under her wing, she sees the city of Vienna in a new light – a city of culture and music that she can explore with her new friend.

But when the Nazis come, the fact that Judith is Jewish means she is no longer safe. Kitty knows that as a diplomat’s wife she can steal the papers that will allow her closest friend to escape to safety, but will it mean betraying the love of her life?

Except that Edgar has grown distant and secretive since she joined him in Europe and, when war breaks out, Kitty wonders which side her husband is really on. And, as she prepares to betray him, Kitty begins to fear that she doesn’t really know the man she married at all.

Facing an impossible choice between her dearest friend and the man she loves, Kitty knows she must be brave, and do the right thing, no matter the personal cost…

ABOUT CHRYSTYNA LUCYK-BERGER

Chrystyna Lucyk-Berger was born in Minnesota in 1969. A first-generation American of Ukrainian immigrants, she grew up in the culture-rich neighborhood of “Nordeast” Minneapolis. Inspired by her second-grade teacher, her writing career began with short stories, then morphed into travel narratives, and eventually novels. She has worked as a journalist and as a managing editor for a magazine publisher before jumping the editor’s desk and pursuing her dreams of writing and traveling. In 2000, she moved to western Austria and established her own communications training company. She has won several awards for her short stories and novels and now primarily writes historical fiction.

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THE IRISH HOUSE

MY THOUGHTS:

Marianne is returning to Kilteelagh House and her grandmother Collie, is no longer there.  Collie has passed away and she had only one request from Marianne.  Collie wants Marianne to leave her life in New York and move to Kilteelagh House.  Ireland is the last place Marianne would find herself living.  But, Marianne can’t deny her grandmother’s last wish and so she packs up and moves from New York to Ireland.  She is heartbroken from losing her grandmother but will take care of her cousins as her Collie asked.  Soon after arriving at Kilteelagh house Marianne meets Jack and they quickly become friends.  She can’t help but think that Collie’s plan all along for Marianne was for her to not only raise her cousins but also to find love. 

The Irish House by Ann O’Loughlin was a wonderful, heartwarming and emotional read.  This amazing story of love, loss, and family was both uplifting and inspiring.  I loved the characters and the detailed description of the Irish coast was fabulous.  It made me want to pack my bags and board the next flight to Ireland.   This is a new to me author and I really enjoyed her writing style.  I was hooked from the first page to the last and this unputdownable book is one that I will recommend over and over again.  I loved it!!!

DESCRIPTION:

THE IRISH HOUSE
Author:  Ann O’Loughlin

Publisher:  Bookouture

Publication Date: April 14, 2023 
Pages: 369 
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My dearest Marianne, have you ever completely loved one person? What I am about to tell you now, I have told no one…

Beautiful Kilteelagh House in Ireland, with its avenue of trees and its acres of wildflowers, was somewhere Marianne thought she’d never be again. At least, not without her beloved grandmother Collie. But when Collie passes away, she has just one request – for Marianne to leave behind her glamorous life in New York and to raise Collie’s orphaned granddaughters in the wild Irish countryside. Heartbroken and determined to fulfil her grandmother’s dying wish, Marianne has no choice but to say yes…

All Marianne and her cousins have left is each other, and letters from Collie that keep arriving from beyond the grave. They become a lifeline for Marianne, and she soon realises that her grandmother still has a lot to still teach her. And after a chance encounter with gorgeous local handyman Jack, Marianne wonders if Collie believed being back at Kilteelagh House would help her find love, too?

Soon, Marianne can’t help but begin to fall in love with this place that is so full of memories, of secrets, and perhaps even a little bit of Irish magic. But then out of the blue, a letter from Collie arrives that changes everything…

Will Marianne ever be able to decide where her heart truly belongs? Or will she have to run away from the only people who have ever truly understood her?

ABOUT ANN O’LOUGHLIN

Ann is the Irish author of five novels and has been translated into eleven languages. Her first novel The Ballroom Cafe was also an ebook bestseller and in the top 20 bestselling books of 2015 on Amazon UK. Ann loves to write and often gets up at 5am to get the words down, before starting her other job of writing as a news reporter. A leading journalist in Ireland, Ann has covered all major news events in a long career with Independent Newspapers, Ireland. She is now a senior journalist with the Irish Examiner specializing in legal issues. Ann has also lived in India. Originally from the west of Ireland she now lives on the east coast with her husband and family.

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THE BERLIN WIFE

MY THOUGHTS:

Germany, 1938: Edith and Julius fall head over heels in love with each the very moment they meet.  It was love at first sight, and Julius would do anything for Edith, including marrying her at the very first opportunity they have.  They are enjoying their new life together as husband and wife, with grand ballrooms and the high society parties for Berlin’s elite.  But when the Nazi’s begin to close in on the Jewish community, Edith and Julius’ life begins to crumble.  Edith’s brother Joseph enlists as an SS Officer and soon her entire family abandons them.  Edith knows she will eventually lose her husband to the custody of the Nazi’s, but she is bound and determined to protect him no matter what the cost is.

Wow what a whirlwind of a story.  I was so enamored with this wonderful book I can’t even begin to describe it.  First of all, it was completely unputdownable.  Do not start reading this book if you can’t finish it at once.  I completely lost track of time as I was pulled into this story, flipping through the pages at such a rapid speed, that I couldn’t stop.  This emotional book so descriptive of Germany that I felt like I was actually in Germany.  My heartbeat was faster and faster as my breath stopped completely while waiting to read what was going to happen next.   This phenomenal read will definitely keep your attention while cheering on Edith and Julius.  Thank you Marion Kummerow for a wonderful story of courage, hope and faith during one of the darkest times in history.  I was very inspired from beginning to end and I highly recommend it!!

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Rating: 5 out of 5.

DESCRIPTION:

THE BERLIN WIFE
Author:  Marion Kummerow

Publisher:  Bookouture

Publication Date: April 11, 2023 
Pages: 286 
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Germany, 1938. ‘No,’ she cries out as she falls to the floor, fear clutching desperately at her chest, ‘They can’t have taken him, they can’t have taken my husband.’ As her tear-filled eyes dart wildly around the empty room, she realises she has no one to turn to. She is his only hope. But how can she possibly save him?

When shy, beautiful Edith first met Jewish-born Julius it was love at first sight. Julius swept her off her feet, whisking her from humble beginnings into the sparkling society and glittering ballrooms of Berlin’s powerful elite. It felt like all her dreams had come true.

But her perfect world begins to crack with rumblings of the Nazi party growing in power and influence. Every day there are new laws to strip Jews of their money and their freedom. And there are even more frightening rumours, of horrifying camps, and people disappearing in the night…

Then when Edith’s own brother Joseph enlists as an SS officer, and her whole family turn their backs on them, she knows that it is only a matter of time before they come for her husband. She pleads with Julius that their only chance is to run away and start again. Who cares about worldly possessions if they can still be together, their lives intact? But despite everything, he refuses to believe he is in danger.

Then one terrible night, the sounds of cries and breaking glass ring out across the city as the Nazis wreak their destruction. Edith’s worst fears have been realised— Julius has been taken.

For so long, Edith has led a sheltered life, secluded from the real world. But the only way to save her beloved husband is to defy the Nazis and put herself in grave danger. Can she draw on every bit of strength she has to fight for love and save him… or is she already too late?

ABOUT MARION KUMMEROW

Marion Kummerow is a USA Today Bestselling author of historical fiction.

She was born and raised in Germany, before she set out to “discover the world” and lived in various countries. After many years abroad she returned to Germany and settled down in Munich where she’s now living with her husband and two children.

After dipping her toes with non-fiction books, she finally tackled the project dear to her heart. UNRELENTING is the story about her grandparents, who belonged to the German resistance and fought against the Nazi regime. It’s a book about resilience, love and the courage to stand up and do the right thing. Since then she has started writing the War Girl Series. Intended as a trilogy, she grew so fond of the characters that she’s now plotting book 12 in the series.

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