REVIEW: Garden of Secrets by Suzanne Kelman

Garden of Secrets by Suzanne Kelman

Genre: Historical fiction, Contemporary fiction, WW2, Dual timeline

Read: 10th April 2022

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Published: 13th April 2022

★★★★ 4 stars

DESCRIPTION:

1940, England: A heart-breaking, unforgettable and powerful story about love, wartime secrets, and betrayal. Perfect for fans of Rhys Bowen’s The Victory Garden and Kristin Hannah’s The Nightingale.

When Anya is sent to rural England to work as a spy, she’s glad to escape a terrifying situation at home in war-torn Russia. But as she settles into life as a land girl, she fears she’s made a terrible mistake.

With her life at risk every day, she can only turn to her fellow informer, Nikolai, who she finds herself impossibly drawn to. They both desperately want to join the fight against the Nazis and when they are told Russia has switched allegiance, they start to believe their love might stand a chance.

But no one can ever know their secret history, and being together puts them in the gravest danger. So they devise a plan. If they’re ever separated, they will find their way back to each other. They just have to follow a series of secret coded messages. Clues no one else could possibly understand. Starting with a small key, left in the place that has become most precious to them: the secret garden.

Now, England: When Laura agrees to restore a beautiful garden in the grounds of an English stately home she sees the opportunity for a new start, away from heartbreak. But when she finds a box buried under the weeping willow tree, she is spellbound by its contents – a key and a cryptic note. As she begins to piece together the fragments of a love story that stretches across wartime Europe, Laura doesn’t realise it, but she is embarking on an unforgettable journey. One which will change her own life forever.

MY REVIEW:

I am excited to be taking part in the #BooksOnTour #BlogTour for Suzanne Kelman's heartbreaking dual timeline tale GARDEN OF SECRETS.

“Under the shade of the weeping willow, she could see a sparkle of silver… She reached out to it and felt a tremor through her body, knowing instantly: this was a secret, and somebody hid it here in this garden…”

I have devoured every tale penned by Suzanne Kelman since the equally heartbreaking "A View Across the Rooftops" and each tale is just as heartbreaking, as well as poignant, as the last. GARDEN OF SECRETS tells of a a secret buried in the lush walled garden of Hatworth Manor in Norfolk during the war that wasn't uncovered for another seventy five years...and set the pace for this wonderful dual timeline story that will have you reaching for the tissues.

Russia 1941: Twenty two year old Anya Baranov finds herself left with nothing after the tragic death of her mother and the learing eyes of her step-father who wants to marry her off to someone loyal to Stalin and with enough wealth to keep him in the lap of luxury to which he sees himself. But Anya refuses to be bartered off and when her step-father offers her another alternative, Anya makes her escape in the dead of night and joins the Russian secret service where she meets Nickolai Petroff, a man with his own reasons for aligning himself with the NKVD. They train together as agents for Russia before they are sent to England to spy for the Germans, as they prepare to invade Britain. Neither of them really wants to be a spy but they both have compelling reasons to escape and soon they find themselves in too deep that they see no way out.

Together they are sent to Hatworth Manor in Norfolk where Anya is to work as  Land Girl and Nickolai as a footman, although they have had their identities anglicised to Annie Stone and Nicholas Brown. As Anya makes her way to Hatworth to join the Land Girls there, she meets bubbly and vivacious Millie and, despite preferring to keep to herself, soon becomes fast friends with the likeable young woman. When Nickolai arrives at Hatworth some days later, Anya knows they must maintain a level of secrecy by keeping their distance. Each one has a specific role to play but neither one is comfortable with this fact as they become closer and even less so when Anya feels a bond of friendship with her Land Girl comrades. How can she betray them? Her only friends?

Flung together, Anya and Nickolai are drawn to one another and find they cannot fight the attraction they feel for one another. In the chaos of war, a romance blossoms between them and they meet nightly in their secret garden, the walled garden, where they grow together. In the midst of ambiguity when they hear the disturbing news that Germany has invaded Russia, their supposed Allies, Anya and Nickolai wonder what this means for them and their mission? And in the shadow of uncertainty, they make a plan and a promise for the future...should the tendrils of war reach them and they need to flee.

Norfolk, present day: En route from betrayal, Laura has escaped London to work on restoring the beautiful gardens of Hatworth Manor, staying with two old friends - Simon and Alicia - in their cottage on the estate and where Simon is estate manager. Flinging herself into her work to forget the troubles she left behind, Laura uncovers a silver cigarette box containing a small key and a mysterious message beneath an uprooted willow tree in the once beautiful walled garden. Puzzled by her find and wondering what it means, Laura resolves to uncover its mystery.

The cryptic message was written on a torn piece of ration card and alludes to someone called "Grace Mere". The ration card itself would have been a precious commodity during the war so leaving a message on it implies a sense of urgency because no one would tear up something that important unless they had to. And who was Grace Mere? Laura decides to dig into Hatworth's history to see if she can make some sense of the mystery she's uncovered which leads her to Jamie, a handsome artist who lives in a cottage that had somehow played a part in her mystery.

As Laura and Jamie delve into the past, they come up against several obstacles - one of which from Laura's recent past set on reclaiming her - but are both dogged in their determination to uncover the truth. But how can they follow a trail that is seventy five years old? Can they find who the little silver box belongs to? What the key unlocks? Who the cryptic message is for? And will they discover who Annie Stone was and why she fled Hatworth Manor one night and the same night a footman disappeared, never to be seen again?

Although the story was slow to start, it picked up pace about 40% in once Anya and Nickolai's mission was set in motion as I found the foundations laid in Russia to be a little lagging. Up to this point, it was Laura's timeline that interested me the most but soon Anya and Nickolai's overtook hers as the featured story and I found myself enthralled in the trail left behind and the double life the couple were reluctantly living. There is romance in both timelines and both are overshadowed by their past or their present in each respective case.

I loved each of the characters as they were incredibly easy to like. Anya, Nickolai, Laura and Jamie. Even the secondary characters such as Millie in the past and Simon and Alicia in the present were a delight. I didn't much like Liam. He was too arrogant for my liking and the assumption that he continued to make despite Laura spending the past few months telling him otherwise. I would have liked to hear what happened to him, though, in the end and more of Jamie's past would have been welcome as well. Especially considering he told Laura that if they were to have a relationship of any kind that there were to be no secrets and to be up front yet his past was only hinted at and something he never elaborated on whilst Laura poured out her deepest secret at the first opportunity. 

The garden at Hatworth is a character in itself, playing such a a major role in both the past and present, that it is only fitting it featured as the title of this timeslip novel. I could really picture myself there with the beautifully scented roses and the willow tree, apple tree, the swing and even the treehouse (although I doubt I could climb up there now...)

Usually in dual timeline tales, the contemporary present day is more diluted and overshadowed by the past story. But in this case it started out the other way around with Laura's story well-crafted and Anya's the more diluted one. However, the roles were reversed soon enough as the past became entwined with the present. I love dual timeline tales and am easily lost to the past and present storylines. The alternating chapters between Laura, Anya and Nickolai are so well written that the reader is so immersed that we feel as if we are watching the entire story play out in real time. 

My only complaint is the long winded way in which the story begins, particularly with Anya and Nickolai. I can see why it was told that way but it really slowed the pace down and the only reason I continued was because I am familiar with Ms Kelman's outstanding writing ability that I knew it would get better. By 20% I've usually given up, but Laura thankfully kept me engaged long enough until Anya and Nickolai's story picked up around 45% and took over. I knew I would be rewarded in the end...it was just a slow beginning, in my opinion. And although the ending was satisfying, I found it a little lacking for reasons I can't disclose due to spoilers. It ended with a promise of something when I would have preferred something a little more tangible is all I can say. But it was still a delightful read.

In summing up, GARDEN OF SECRETS is a heartwarming and heartbreaking tale in equal measures despite its slow start. And perfect for fans of Kate Morton, Kathleen McGurl and Lorna Cook.  And like all Suzanne Kelman books, I highly recommend.

I would like to thank #SuzanneKelman, #NetGalley and #Bookouture for an ARC of #GardenOfSecrets in exchange for an honest review.

MEET THE AUTHOR:

Suzanne Kelman is an Amazon International Bestselling author in America, United Kingdom, Canada, and Australia. Her WW2 historical fiction books "A View Across the Rooftops" and "When We Were Brave," together have sold over 150,000 copies and are published by Bookouture - an imprint for Hachette U.K. Her third WW2 Book, Under A Sky on Fire, publishes October 13th, 2020. Kelman's books have also been translated into five languages.

She is also the author of the bestselling book, "The Rejected Writers' Book Club", published by Lake Union, which is the first book in the Southlea Bay series. Other books in the series include, "Rejected Writers Take the Stage" and "The Rejected Writers' Christmas Wedding".

Kelman is an award-winning writer/screenwriter whose accolades include the Best Comedy Feature Screenplay Award from the L.A. International Film Festival, the Gold Award from the California Film Awards, and the Van Gogh Award from the Amsterdam Film Festival.

In 2015 her script, Held, was recognized by the Academy of Motion Pictures and was shortlisted to the top ten in the Academy Of Motion Pictures Nichols Fellowship competition.

As well as a screenwriter and a published author, Suzanne is also a playwright, and her award-winning comedy play, "Over My Dead Body", had its World Premiere at Outcast Theatre in Washington, Fall 2019.

Born in the United Kingdom, Suzanne now resides in Washington State.

Social Media links:

Website | Twitter | Facebook | Instagram | Goodreads

PUBLISHER:

Stay up to date with upcoming releases from Bookouture by following them on these social media accounts.

Twitter | Facebook | Instagram

REVIEW: When the Nightingale Sings by Suzanne Kelman

When the Nightingale Sings by Suzanne Kelman

Genre: Historical fiction, Wartime fiction, True story, WW2

Read: 20th October 2021

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Published: 21st October 2021

★★★★ 4 stars

DESCRIPTION:

1937, Europe and America. Based on a true story, this powerful novel about wartime courage and extraordinary friendship, tells how two women changed the fate of the Second World War and the course of history.

When an impossibly shy young woman named Judy Morgan finishes her studies in Physics at Cambridge University, it is with dreams of changing the world for the better.

Meanwhile, a beautiful, young Jewish woman decides to flee her beloved Austria, changing her name to Hedy Lamarr, and risking everything to get to America, as far away from the Nazi threat as possible.

A powerful friendship is formed when the two women meet in pre-war London—with Judy’s passion for science a perfect match for Hedy’s brilliant talent for invention. So when the world is gripped by a war that nobody could have imagined in their worst nightmares, both Hedy and Judy know they must act now.

As their lives repeatedly collide, in Cambridge, California, Pearl Harbor and beyond—throwing both their lives into danger and tragedy—Judy and Hedy both find themselves seeking ways to end the war.

But neither of them will know that one of them is on a path of tragedy. A path that could change the outcome of the war, but also threaten their friendship forever…

Fans of The Ragged Edge of Night, My Name is Eva and Beneath a Scarlet Sky, will love this unforgettable story about love, courage and devastation set in World War Two Britain, Hollywood and Pearl Harbor. Based on two true stories of amazing ‘hidden women’ who changed the world, this novel shows the power of friendship in the darkest hours of history.

MY REVIEW:

I am excited to be taking part in the #BooksOnTour #BlogTour for Suzanne Kelman's unforgettable story of friendship and courage WHEN THE NIGHTINGALE SINGS.

This story begins in part in Cambridge where a young Welsh physicist studied for a degree she was not permitted to receive, gaining only a certificate to confirm her completion of studies. She went on to work at the Cavendish Lab in Cambridge, developing the technology to confuse the enemy through radar during WW2. That woman was Joan Curran, who was portrayed in this heartwarming and heartbreaking story as Judy Morgan. A woman of great courage, great spirit and great mind who found a special kinship in someone who loved science as she did. Someone who was known as "the most beautiful woman in the world" but largely unknown for the technology she herself invented.

Hedwig Keisler was an unknown Jewish woman from Austria, escaping not only the approaching Nazi regime but a husband with ties to the Third Reich. She found her way to Hollywood via London where she became known as "the most beautiful woman in the world" but she wanted to be known for than that. She had an analytical mind and an interest in physics and invention. It was her and a fellow inventor who came up with the idea of signal hopping - the very foundation upon which Bluetooth, WiFi and cellular technology is based. However, being a woman made it difficult for such innovations to be taken seriously and her "invention" was shelved until the patent ran out, which therefore meant she was largely unrecognised for the design and received no royalties for which she was entitled. She was finally recognised for it in the 1990s but died in 2000 without any royalties. That technology today is worth billions and billions of USD and it was all down to an idea that a woman came up with based upon a piano that plays itself in the 1940s. That woman was the famous actress Hedy Lamarr.

Both women made significant discoveries which would aid the Allies in the fight against the enemy but struggled to be taken seriously or recognised for their worth. Kelman has written before accounts based on true events and fictionalised them but each story is a powerful tale of courage, strength and resilience. WHEN THE NIGHINGALE SINGS is one such story in which a friendship is forged between two women who fought against the odds to be recognised for who they were and on their own merits.

At the beginning of the story, we meet an elderly woman now in her 80s ruminating over the years since past as she prepares for an honourary award of a degree she earned sixty years ago. Although now frail, Judy Jenkins ponders over what has gone before and longs for a reconciliation with her closest friend with whom she had lost contact just before victory over the Japanese was declared in 1945. So many years, so many memories, so much has already passed...but one thing Judy longest for before she too left this earth was to reconcile with Hedy. Just one more time.

Cambridge 1937: Young and shy student Judy Morgan was feeling excited and nervous about completing her studies. She knew she would not be awarded a degree, although she'd earned it, but her greatest wish now was to get a job at the Cavendish Laboratory as a research scientist. En route home to Wales, she decides to visit the Science Museum in London which she has never seen and there she meets Hedwig. The two women find a kinship in one another over their shared love of science and invention and spend an interesting afternoon in a cafe sharing thoughts and ideas. But as the time ticks on, Judy is aware of the last train home to Cardiff is approaching and bids farewell to Hedwig. Before parting, the women exchange addresses with the firm intention to correspond with one another.

Judy returns to Wales and to a letter awaiting her, offering her a position at the Cavendish Lab. She is ecstatic and upon arriving back in Cambridge to begin her new job she is shocked at the attitude of the man she is to be working under, Professor Finnegan, who believes a woman's place is in the home. He pairs her with Tom Jenkins, a similarly shy and self-confident man, but the two form a working relationship that soon becomes a friendship before Tom stutteringly proposes. Judy, of course, accepts and shares her exciting news with Hedwig in her next letter. But life isn't to be easy for Judy - neither in the professional nor the personal front and her struggles soon pave the way for an even bigger event that will change her life.

Austria 1937: Trapped in a loveless marriage to a cruel man, Hedwig Kiesler escapes its confines one night with the help of her maid. She flees first to Paris where she catches up with best friend Stefan, a journalist, before travelling to London in the hope to become an actress. There she meets Judy at the Science Museum and sees in her a woman with whom she shares more than just an interest. It was with a fleeting thought that she suggested they exchange addresses so as to correspond with someone who appreciated her mind and for who she was - more than just a face.

Using most of her the money she could glean from selling some jewellery her maid had expertly sewn into her coat, she bought a passage on the Normandie for America where she attracted the attention of Louis B. Mayer who immediately signed her up with a seven year contract with MGM Studios upon arriving in Los Angeles. But her name was a bit of a mouthful. And it was then that Hedy Lamarr was born.

Over the years, Hedy made a name for herself filming opposite already established and well-known Hollywood names such as Clark Gable and Jimmy Stewart. But she longed to find someone to love her just for her. She rushed into a second marriage after a whirlwind romance with a scriptwriter lasting only two years. She swore off marriage instead focusing on her career but jumped into another marriage with a British actor she'd worked alongside in her first Hollywood movie Algiers some years before. That too didn't last and Hedy was once again left bereft.

Through it all she had her friendship with Judy and was thrilled when she and husband Tom moved to the US to work outside Berkeley on a top secret project for the US military. But in a cruel twist of fate, the two women came face to face with something that came between them and threatened to destroy their friendship. Both Judy and Hedy were strong and resilient and rose above whatever life threw at them, but each of them continued to struggle with things neither of them could or would share...except with each other. Except they couldn't. And so life went on...

I've been a fan of Suzanne Kelman since her historical WW2 fiction debut "A View Across the Rooftops" and have enjoyed each of them since. Well-researched and in a mix of fact and fiction, she weaves a heartbreaking tale of two women who struggled to be recognised for more than who they were seen as. WHEN THE NIGHTINGALE SINGS is an epic tale of their friendship, their resilience, courage and strength in a time when women were not recognised as individuals. While some of the scientific parts went over my head a little, I was still able to appreciate their contributions in the efforts both women made in the inventions of chaff (Judy aka Joan Curran) and signal hopping (Hedy Lamarr).

Of course, I knew the name Hedy Lamarr but I soon found myself googling several times to learn a little bit more about her since I only knew her as a famous Hollywood actress of the 30s and 40s. But as I was to discover, she certainly was more than just "the most beautiful woman in the world". WHEN THE NIGHTINGALE SINGS brings both women's story to life in a heartbreaking way as they each fought battles of their own.

A story of life-long friendships, love, resilience and courage against the backdrop of war, WHEN THE NIGHTINGALE SINGS is a fascinating re-telling of two women's fight to be more than they are seen as, their friendship and the inventions they developed that changed the world.

Perfect for fans of historical wartime fiction and those interested in reading about the unsung heroes of history.

I would like to thank #SuzanneKelman, #NetGalley and #Bookouture for an ARC of #WhenTheNightingaleSings in exchange for an honest review.

MEET THE AUTHOR:

Suzanne Kelman is an Amazon International Bestselling author in America, United Kingdom, Canada, and Australia. Her WW2 historical fiction books "A View Across the Rooftops" and "When We Were Brave," together have sold over 150,000 copies and are published by Bookouture - an imprint for Hachette U.K. Her third WW2 Book, Under A Sky on Fire, publishes October 13th, 2020. Kelman's books have also been translated into five languages.

She is also the author of the bestselling book, "The Rejected Writers' Book Club", published by Lake Union, which is the first book in the Southlea Bay series. Other books in the series include, "Rejected Writers Take the Stage" and "The Rejected Writers' Christmas Wedding".

Kelman is an award-winning writer/screenwriter whose accolades include the Best Comedy Feature Screenplay Award from the L.A. International Film Festival, the Gold Award from the California Film Awards, and the Van Gogh Award from the Amsterdam Film Festival.

In 2015 her script, Held, was recognized by the Academy of Motion Pictures and was shortlisted to the top ten in the Academy Of Motion Pictures Nichols Fellowship competition.

As well as a screenwriter and a published author, Suzanne is also a playwright, and her award-winning comedy play, "Over My Dead Body", had its World Premiere at Outcast Theatre in Washington, Fall 2019.

Born in the United Kingdom, Suzanne now resides in Washington State.

Social Media links:

Website | Twitter | Facebook | Instagram | Goodreads

PUBLISHER:

Stay up to date with upcoming releases from Bookouture by following them on these social media accounts.

Twitter | Facebook | Instagram

REVIEW: Under a Sky on Fire by Suzanne Kelman

 

Under a Sky on Fire by Suzanne Kelman

Genre: Historical fiction, WW2

Read: 11th October 2020

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Published: 13th October 2020

★★★★★ 5 stars

DESCRIPTION:

The child stood in the road wearing a blue flannel nightie, her feet bare and dirt-splattered. Her blonde flyaway hair was golden, aglow from the fires that lit her up from behind. Stumbling over, Lizzie reached her side. The little girl’s eyes were closed, her palms facing upwards. If she’d been in church, you would have thought she was praying.

 

September 1940, London

As the German Luftwaffe begin a terrifying bombing campaign that will come to be known as the Blitz, thousands are evacuated to safety. But Lizzie Mackenzie finds herself heading towards London.

 

She knows she must help in the war effort. But she has another reason for leaving the security of her Scottish village: the illegitimate child she gave up for adoption nearly five years before is somewhere in the city. And – as the bombs rain down – she will stop at nothing to find her and make sure her little girl is safe.

 

Then she finds herself trapped in a dark theatre during a bombing raid, where she meets Pilot Officer Jack Henson. Against all her instincts, she falls in love. But what chance is there for that love to flourish? Because if he discovers the secret shame of her past, he may never forgive her. And with Jack facing the enemy every day in the sky, and Lizzie’s job guiding pilots into battle – life and love has never felt so fragile.

 

Until a chance encounter with a little orphaned girl changes everything, forcing Lizzie to ask herself what truly matters. Because, in the darkest days of war, every life counts. And – when tragedy strikes – saving one child’s life might just give Lizzie a reason to survive…

 

An unforgettable story about sacrifice, love and heartbreak set in World War Two London during the Blitz. If you liked All the Light We Cannot See, My Name is Eva and A Fire Sparkling, you will love Under a Sky on Fire.

MY REVIEW:

I am excited to be taking part in the #BooksOnTour #BlogTour for Suzanne Kelman's new heartbreaking historical WW2 tale UNDER A SKY ON FIRE.

As an avid fan of Suzanne Kelman's historical fiction, I jumped at the chance to take part in the blog tour. I have loved her two previous books so I knew I wouldn't be disappointed with this one either. And I wasn't. 

UNDER A SKY ON FIRE is an amazing tale set during one of the darkest times Britons faced during WW2. The Blitz. OMG! I felt the fear and the terror within the pages as if I was there living it. I think why it stands out to me so much is because my dad was a very young child during the Blitz and even just the sound of an air raid siren now brings it all back to him...and I can see the distress it causes him to relive it through just a sound. It would have been a frightening time for anyone but for a 2 to 3 year old child (he was 2 when the Blitz began and 3 when it stopped), it would have been terrifying. So whenever I read stories that bring to life the Blitz, I see my dad there as a terrified young boy. And that brings me to tears.

A story of endurance, tenacity, love and friendship, UNDER A SKY ON FIRE is a story of three women playing their part in the war effort. They meet by pure chance and begin a friendship that lasts a lifetime. Together they share their hardships, their good times, their laughter and their tears. It is about those at home helping to keep their lads' spirits up and those who are left to pick up the pieces the war spits out. It is heartbreaking but it is also heartwarming. I laughed and I cried and by the end I felt I had lived those lives alongside those women.

From the highlands of Scotland, Lizzie Mackenzie embarks on a new journey as she travels to London to join the Women's Auxiliary Air Force, carrying with her a secret shame as she set out to start a new life. When the train pulls into Birmingham, she is joined by Diana Downes who, against her father's wishes, leaves her life behind for one in the WAAF. Both women are nervous as they begin their journey but are thankful to have found each other before arriving in London. They bunk together for their six weeks of training before they are issued with their new positions, which were individually chosen based on their levels of fitness, academia and strengths. Lizzie was thrilled to find herself assigned as a plotter to Kenley airfield while Diana's task was with the barrage balloons.

Despite working and living in different parts of the city, the two women would spend their leave together visiting London's sights or cafes. One evening after a day of brutal training, Diana wanted nothing more than to collapse into bed and sleep for 12 hours. But Lizzie was filled with the excitement of being in the city and coaxed Diana into heading into London and maybe go to the pictures. It was when a woman had come in late, sat next to Lizzie and then at the end inadvertently left with her scarf, that Lizzie caught up with her outside and the women introduced themselves. Julia was ever so apologetic and offered to take the two women to a nearby cafe by way of apology. Upon leaving to catch their respective buses, they discovered that they'd missed the last bus that would take them back to barracks. So Julia offered them a room at her place for the night...and even the luxury of a bath!

From that moment on the three women became close friends. Whilst Lizzie and Diana were in the WAAF, Julia worked as a typist in Churchill's war rooms...even transcribing letters and speeches from the big man himself. She was married but her husband John was away fighting and her two children, Maggie and Tom, she had sent to the Cotswolds to stay with her Aunt Rosalyn for their own safety. London was becoming a hotspot for Hitler's bombs and it was no place for a child. But that didn't stop Julia from feeling guilty about sending them away...especially when Tom was so sensitive and was missing her terribly.

Throughout the course of their work with the WAAF, Lizzie and Diana managed to find love in the midst of war. Lizzie found herself trapped in a theatre one night during a performance and met the handsome RAF Squadron Leader, Jack Henson. After spending the night in darkness in the theatre basement, along with other patrons, Jack invited Lizzie to a dance the following week to which she accepted. When Diana was hauled out of bed one night to fill in as sentry, she didn't bother getting dressed but rather pulled a pair of oilskin trousers on, a mac over her nightie and a scarf over her curlers before setting off for her post. She didn't expect to meet Corporal Len Shelley, whom she thought looked like Cary Grant, at four o'clock in the morning in the rain whilst manning the sentry box. She didn't expect to fall in love with him either. But love can be found in the strangest of circumstances in wartime. And for both women, those snatched moments and hours of happiness bring a contentment that can only be appreciated in wartime.

But Lizzie's secret could potentially derail her new-found happiness. What will Jack do when she reveals she has a daughter? Will he be like her parents and the folk of the Isle of Barra in the Outer Hebrides, from which she came, and reject her as "soiled goods"? Or will he understand her predicament and help her search for "Annie"?

But when Lizzie comes across a lost little girl in the debris of rubble after a raid, she doesn't hesitate to rescue her. She asks the girl's name, where her parents are, where she is from...but the little girl doesn't speak. Instead she throws her arms around Lizzie and stays nestled in the safety of her arms. Lizzie takes her home to Julia's, where she now lives after a raid destroyed her barracks, and the women try to coax the little girl to speak. They take her to the Red Cross and register her as found in the hope of finding her family, but there are so many children that Lizzie decides to take her home, leaving her address should the girl's family found. 

One day, Lizzie plays a little game with her to coax her into telling them her name...by drawing the letters of her name in Lizzie's hand. When the little girl draws an "A" Lizzie's heart leaps. Could this be her "Annie", the name she secretly gave her baby? She asks is her name Annie and the little girl shakes her head and continues...with a "b". Lizzie asks "Abigail" and the little girl nods. Now they have a name for the child but she still refuses to speak. After months living with them, sleeping alongside Lizzie in her bed, too afraid she'd lose her, and Abigail was a fixture in the house. Julia and Lizzie loved having her there and Lizzie knew she was growing attached to the little girl. 

So when the WVS (Women's Voluntary Service) knocked to say that all orphaned/abandoned children were to be sent to an orphanage in Wales, Lizzie was devastated. She knew Abigail wouldn't cope there...but she was not her child and she had no legal say in her future. When the day came when she had to bid her farewell on the train platform, Abigail wouldn't let her go but the WVS woman was unsympathetic and prized her free. Lizzie was devastated...but even moreso when as she left, the siren sounded for a raid and when it was over she left the shelter to find the train station decimated and Abigail's train still on the platform. Lizzie screamed in horror. Where was Abigail?

There is so much to this story that just fills you with an overwhelming abundance of emotions. From love to loss, from triumph to tragedy, from happiness to heartbreak...that as the reader, you cannot come through UNDER A SKY ON FIRE unscathed. It will encapsulate you that you will feel that you have lived it too. Whether you identify with Lizzie, Diana or Julia, you will finish this book having walked in their shoes alongside them.

I loved each woman's story but it was Lizzie's that I found the most heartbreaking as she searches for a lost child and finds a bittersweet love. I cried buckets for her and her tragedies. And I loved how she featured at the end in the epilogue, which gave every piece of closure to each story that a reader needs. It was beautiful and it was perfect.

I must admit to googling every so often for some of the aspects of the story...for example the barrage balloons. Although Suzanne Kelman described them thoroughly I still had trouble picturing them because to me balloons are round. So I googled them to see what they looked like and how they actually worked. I loved that Kelman was incredibly descriptive in the workings of the balloons but I was amazed at the video footage I came across of them in action. Kelman was thorough in her descriptions of the workings of plotting, barrage balloons and even Julia's work in Churchill's war office. Imagine transcribing a speech with Churchill sitting up in bed in his jammies! That image made me chuckle. And always with his trademark cigar.

By the end of the story I was so moved and in tears, even my dog scarpered (as he doesn't do tears - they frighten him...lol) But I do recommend that you read Suzanne Kelman's "afterword" that sheds a little more light to the story and how it came about. Of course, I shed even more tears again.

One thing that has always been clear, whether it be through fiction or historical fact, the British people were stoic and remarkable in their strength and their perseverance through all they endured. I cannot imagine living through being bombed day after day and night after night for eight long months, the first of which was 57 days straight out of 58. The staying power of those people to pick themselves up and keep going throughout it all is remarkable. Just the mere thought of it brings me to tears as I think of my own dad as a terrified 2 year old throughout the Blitz. The mere thought is terrifying.

A heartbreaking yet heartwarming story, UNDER A SKY ON FIRE will have you reaching for the tissues as you share in the tenacity of these three young women living "under a sky on fire".

As with all Suzanne Kelman's books, I highly recommend UNDER A SKY ON FIRE. It's a story that will remain with you for a long time to come. I cannot wait for her next book.

I would like to thank #SuzanneKelman, #NetGalley and #Bookouture for an ARC of #UnderASKyOnFire in exchange for an honest review.

MEET THE AUTHOR:

Suzanne Kelman is an Amazon International Bestselling author in America, United Kingdom, Canada, and Australia. Her WW2 historical fiction books "A View Across the Rooftops" and "When We Were Brave," together have sold over 150,000 copies and are published by Bookouture - an imprint for Hachette U.K. Her third WW2 Book, Under A Sky on Fire, publishes October 13th, 2020. Kelman's books have also been translated into five languages.

She is also the author of the bestselling book, "The Rejected Writers' Book Club", published by Lake Union, which is the first book in the Southlea Bay series. Other books in the series include, "Rejected Writers Take the Stage" and "The Rejected Writers' Christmas Wedding".

Kelman is an award-winning writer/screenwriter whose accolades include the Best Comedy Feature Screenplay Award from the L.A. International Film Festival, the Gold Award from the California Film Awards, and the Van Gogh Award from the Amsterdam Film Festival.

In 2015 her script, Held, was recognized by the Academy of Motion Pictures and was shortlisted to the top ten in the Academy Of Motion Pictures Nichols Fellowship competition.

As well as a screenwriter and a published author, Suzanne is also a playwright, and her award-winning comedy play, "Over My Dead Body", had its World Premiere at Outcast Theatre in Washington, Fall 2019.

Born in the United Kingdom, Suzanne now resides in Washington State.

Social Media links:

Website | Twitter | Facebook | Instagram | Goodreads

PUBLISHER:

Stay up to date with upcoming releases from Bookouture by following them on these social media accounts.

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REVIEW: When We Were Brave by Suzanne Kelman (ARC)

When We Were Brave by Suzanne Kelman

Genre: Historical fiction, WW2, Dual timeline

Read: 4th June 2020

Goodreads

Purchase: Amazon

(publication date: 24th February 2020)

★★★★★ 5 stars

Having enjoyed Suzanne Kelman's historical debut "A View Across the Rooftops", I was excited to read WHEN WE WERE BRAVE. I wasn't sure what to expect as I am not a fan of espionage or spy stories but this was so much more than that...and I loved it! By the end, I had tears streaming down my face thinking how sad it was and yet how wonderful. Recommended for fans of "My Name is Eva", it is similar in part but also very different.

Present day, London: Sophie Hamilton attends the opening of a WW2 exhibition that she helped put together when she comes across a photo that she had seen many times before. But now as it stands on display in a life-size format, she is drawn to a woman in the background exiting a building beside one that had been decimated in a raid. The woman bears a striking resemblance to both herself and her late mother Alice...but who could she be? Taking a quick snap on her phone, Sophie visits her grandmother and shows her the photo, asking her what she makes of it. Her grandmother pales...and reluctantly tells her the story of her great-aunt Vivi who shamed the family when she escaped with a German POW, therefore branding her a traitor.

Sophie decides the only way to solve the mystery is to visit the family estate in Cornwall where her great uncle Tom still lives with his daughter Jean. However, her uncle has dementia and while some days are lucid others are not. So when Jean tells Sophie about Vivienne Hamilton, her uncle's memories of his traitorous sister reach the surface for but a moment as he relives the shame. As Sophie explores the village and its museum, she comes to see how they too view the name Vivienne Hamilton with contempt.

Cornwall, 1944: With many large country houses used as hospitals or convalescent homes during WW2, the Hamilton family estate opened its doors to wounded soldiers in much need of medical treatment. Vivienne Hamilton worked as a nurse in her family home while her father and younger brothers, Tom and John, lived upstairs. Her older sister Caroline had already emigrated to Canada, so it was up to Vivienne to serve her country in the best way that she could.

One night whilst walking the grounds, she saw a plane fall from the sky in to the sea. She rang the local constables and ran to the beach to assist. An unconscious man was pulled from the water and taken straight up to the house. When he woke, he spoke French, a language Vivi was fluent in and learnt that he was part of the Resistance movement she had worked with the previous year. But when his suitcase is later recovered, it is revealed that he is actually a Nazi in High Command - a Major Marcus Vonstein. Immediately taken into custody, Vonstein is handcuffed and a guard posted outside his door. But one night, Vivi not only helps Vonstein escape but she flees with him by boat to France, her family never seeing her again.

After visiting her family estate, Sophie begins to question what really happened 75 years ago...because the photograph that began her quest for the truth doesn't fit with the story as it is known. The building that Vivi is seen leaving in that old photo was the address associated with the SOE, a secret spy network set up by Churchill. A place she had no reason to be taken at a time right before she disappeared. But as Sophie delved deeper she discovered that Vivi had trained and worked as a spy for the SOE in France for a month but upon immediate retrieval her first mission was deemed a disaster and she was signed off as being unsuitable as a spy. Vivi then returned home to Cornwall where she put herself to use as a nurse in the hospital. So what happened to make her flee with a German Nazi officer?

Her own personal life a disaster after the death of her mother and baby daughter then the collapse of her relationship with her partner Matt, Sophie focuses on uncovering the truth about her great aunt Vivi - whether it be to exonerate her or confirm what is already known to be true. Travelling from Cornwall to France and then Germany, nothing can prepare Sophie for what she is about to uncover.

A dual timeline story from both Sophie and Vivi's perspectives, WHEN WE WERE BRAVE is a heartbreaking tale of love, betrayal, bravery and sacrifice. As secrets are revealed bit by bit through both women's stories, I was mesmerised and found myself holding my breath in anticipation of what will be uncovered. The piece de resistance is the Epilogue which had me literally in tears.

WHEN WE WERE BRAVE had me captivated from beginning to end with every turn of the page. Whether it was Sophie's or Vivi's narrative, I was completely mesmerised and found each journey equally heartbreaking. I cannot imagine what it was like to put one's life at risk in such a way for the greater good to save others. It does not bear thinking about what life was truly like during wartime. There is still so much we don't know from WW2 that we are still learning and WHEN WE WERE BRAVE simply reveals another facet of one of history's darkest times.

A heartbreaking yet compelling story, WHEN WE WERE BRAVE is an absorbing and well researched story into the real events of the spy network that operated in France during WW2 and the days leading up to D-Day, which I ironically write this on its 76th anniversary. While it is essentially a fictional story, the events behind it are real inspiring us to remember the bravery and courage of all those people who, during WW2, upon which this is based.

Just as the author's previous book "A View Across the Rooftops" was certainly one I will never forget, WHEN WE WERE BRAVE is one I will not forget either. Both are incredibly powerful heartbreaking stories that will remain with you long after you left them behind. If you haven't read either, then I recommend getting yourself a copy. You will not be disappointed.

An outstanding 5+ star read I have no hesitation recommending to historical fiction fans!!

I would like to thank #SuzanneKelman, #NetGalley and #Bookouture for an ARC of #WhenWeWereBrave in exchange for an honest review.

REVIEW: A View Across the Rooftops by Suzanne Kelman (ARC)

A View Across the Rooftops by Suzanne Kelman

Genre: Historical fiction

Read: 17th November 2019

Goodreads

Purchase: Amazon

(publication date: 25th October 2019)

★★★★★ 5 stars

As a fan of WW2 fiction, A VIEW ACROSS THE ROOFTOPS is unlike any other I have read. A touching tale of love, hope, courage and betrayal in Nazi-occupied Amsterdam, it is evocative, emotional, unsettling and yet it is hauntingly beautiful.

It's 1941 and the Nazi's have invaded Amsterdam, taking it over and setting up occupation in the name of the Fuhrer. There are German soldiers at every turn making the Dutch town a dangerous place to live. Radios were confiscated, food, clothes and medicine were in short supply and with their city under complete rule of the Nazis, the people were isolated from the outside world.

Professor Josef Held has never gotten over the loss of his beloved wife Sarah who died 20 years ago whilst giving birth to their first child. He has barely lived in the time since, refusing to forgive himself for letting it happen. By day he teaches advanced mathematics at the university and by night he sits at home alone with his cat, eating a plain and simple meal and listening to his neighbour play her piano. He has no intention of letting anyone else into his world...this existence in which he lives until the day he rejoins his beloved Sarah.

A sympathetic and compassionate man, Josef does not think of himself as brave. He has no intention of involving himself in the war around him. He just wants his life to remain as simple as possible. And yet, one night his life is changed forever when the Nazis come for his neighbour, Mrs Epstein, who both delighted and soothed his soul every evening with her beautiful piano. She begs him to help her but is wretched from his arms by the Nazis and shot. Josef is horrified and speechless. But more than that...he feels an incredible guilt as the Nazis thanked him for his good work. He knew then that he had a hand in his neighbour's demise when he told his niece Ingrid of his Jewish neighbour who played the piano, teaching local children how to play. And now Josef must live with what he has done.

Michael Blum is a young Jewish man and a student of Josef's at the university. He is a dreamer, a romantic, a poet and cares nothing for mathematics...but is following his father's aspirations to study numbers in the belief that he would make something of himself. But Michael comes up against adversity when Jews are banned from attending classes and in a final act of defiance completes his last exam with the writings of Josef's late wife's favourite poets, Rilke.

Michael wants nothing more than to live a quiet life on his girlfriend Elke's houseboat, writing poetry and making love. But when his childhood friend David comes knocking frantically, the Gestapo hot on his heels, Michael then attempts to escape the city...but David is killed. With frantic promises to Elke, Michael flees to the one person he feels he can trust.

When Josef hears the insistent banging on his door he worries that the Nazis have returned after shooting his neighbour in cold blood. But upon opening his door he is surprised to find his former student Michael, terrified and shaking...and a Jew on the run for his life. Without thinking twice, Josef offers Michael safe shelter in his attic for the night. But things become far too dangerous and fearing his house is under watch, Josef concedes that Michael must stay if he is to survive. This is especially true with Ingrid working with the Third Reich and dating a high level SS officer - Major Heinrich von Strauss - putting his life at an even greater risk. But after the death of his neighbour, the Major was of the firm belief that Josef was "one of the good Dutch". Indeed he was...just not in the way the Major thought.

Then there is Ingrid. As Josef's niece, she was orphaned at a young age when Josef himself was still grieving the loss of his own wife and was unable to take on the care of the little girl. So she was sent to live with relatives and attend boarding school...leaving Josef feeling guilty that he should've been there for Ingrid in her younger years. Now she is an adult and excited about her new job with the Third Reich. Josef is mortified. But Ingrid is naive in her knowledge of the Nazis, believing she is on the path to a better life - a richer life - with Heinrich by her side.

Meanwhile there are elements of romance throughout. While in the shadowy quiet of his secret room, Michael regales Josef with stories of his beautiful fearless girlfriend Elke, with whom he insists that not even the Nazis will come between. But Elke is a non-Jewish Dutch woman and their relationship is strictly forbidden. Furthermore, there is also Hannah Porter who works at the university where Josef teaches. Completely unaware that Hannah is interested in him, Josef surprisingly finds himself also intrigued by her but believes her to be a married woman so refuses to pay any heed to his attraction. But Hannah, who lives with her aging mother Clara, is a widow and tries in vain to capture the attentions of the somewhat aloof and indifferent professor. But given the troubled times in which they live, was it wise to embark on a new relationship?

A VIEW ACROSS THE ROOFTOPS is not a fast paced tale and yet it is so beautifully told that you find yourself so immersed within the story that you devour it all too quickly. I read it in two sittings, staying up till 3.30am until I turned the final page.

A haunting tale, A VIEW ACROSS THE ROOFTOPS is unlike any WW2 historical novel. Every character draws you in as you invest yourself in each of their stories, whether they be good or bad, devouring it all with baited breath. Josef's heroic actions, Michael's strength, Ingrid's naivete, Elke's fearlessness, Hannah's courage, even Heinrich's insidiousness. By the end, I was left both heartbroken and satisfied.

A VIEW ACROSS THE ROOFTOPS is not just another Holocaust or WW2 story. It is something else entirely. Poignant, moving, tragic and heartbreaking but it is also inspiring, beautiful and hopeful. You will need a box of tissues for this one...but you won't regret it.

I would like to thank #SuzanneKelman, #NetGalley and #Bookouture for an ARC of #AViewAcrossTheRooftops in exchange for an honest review.