Tropical Girl Reads

1944, Amersfoort Concentration Camp, Holland. Based on a true story, the unforgettable tale of two young lovers who risked everything to keep hope alive in the very depths of hell.

On a cold, dark day in a tiny Dutch village, Saskia and her boyfriend Frans watch as Nazi soldiers force thousands of prisoners towards Amersfoort Concentration Camp. Their hearts break as they see the desperate faces of innocent men and women and realise that the war is closer to them than it’s ever been before…

Saskia’s father’s shop is raided when the guards suspect that he is Jewish, and Frans is soon forced to enter the concentration camp every day to collect scraps of food as it’s the only way to feed the animals on his family’s farm. But despite the growing fear the couple feel, when a prisoner begs Frans to send a letter to his beloved reassuring her he is alive, they know they must risk everything to help him. They smuggle his letter out, right under the noses of the Nazis. And eventually they ferry hundreds of messages for prisoners, bringing them hope in the darkest moments of their lives.

But every letter Frans gets out of the camp puts him in even more danger.

And every reply Saskia manages to collect is a risk.

And then Saskia is led into Kamp Amersfoort and is forced to wear a yellow star.

Inside, she cannot ignore the pain of the other prisoners, and Frans knows she will be putting herself in more danger to help them – attracting the attention of the guards. The couple know they must act. Everyone says it’s impossible to escape the camp, but it’s the only option they have left. Their love has kept them together but is it enough to help them survive?

No. of pages- 240 pages

Date published:- will be published on 15th September 2021

Genre:- Historical Fiction

Rating:-

Many Holocaust books are based on true stories and this book is one of those stories–based in a Dutch concentration camp during the Nazi rule in Netherlands. This is a story between two lovers–whose life changed when the Nazis marched into Netherlands.

What makes this story truly a gem to read?

–This story is indeed a truly heartbreaking and emotional read. There were some tear jerking moments in the book and not only that–the love story between Saskia and Frans is so emotional and cute.
–The writing was intense and the author did a good job making the reader glued to the story and making the reader feel like they are a part of this ordeal.
–The fact that this book is based on the true story makes this book more precious and as usual, you wouldn’t believe that such brutality existed during that time–particularly the treatment towards the Jews.
–The story is told from the perspectives of Franz, Saskia and Theo. Franz visits the the concentration camp with the intention of feeding the cattle at the camp and gets involved in passing the letters between Theo and another girl named Anneliese.
–This is really a touching story–beware some parts will make you cry!

Overall, this is an emotional read, page turner and unputdownable that will make you cry till the end!

Thank you Netgalley and Bookouture for the ARC. The review is based on my honest opinion only.

Imogen Matthews writes novels based on untold stories about Holland during the German occupation in World War 2. Some stories she discovered by chance, others are based on her Dutch mother’s own experiences of hardship and survival during the Hunger Winter of 1944-45.

Her first novel, The Hidden Village, is set in the Veluwe woods, a beautiful part of Holland that Imogen has visited frequently over the past 30 years. It was in these woods that she discovered the story of the real hidden village which provided shelter in underground huts for Jews during WW2. Imogen retells the story of the hidden village with characters drawn from real life and from her imagination.

Within weeks of publication in 2017, The Hidden Village became an international bestseller, ranking highly in Amazon’s most-read book lists.

Launching on December 6, 2019: the sequel, Hidden in the Shadows, has the pace of a thriller yet is also a love story about two young people who are brutally torn apart and must find a way to be together against all odds.

Imogen lives in the University town of Oxford and likes to write outside, hidden away in the beautiful gardens of Oxford colleges or in a secluded spot at Waterperry gardens.

The Hidden Village and Hidden in the Shadows are published by Amsterdam Publishers, based in the Netherlands.
THe Hidden Village audiobook was recorded by BAFTA-nominated actor Liam Gerrard, and produced by New York based Essential Audiobooks.

Italy, 1943. In the hills outside Naples, the silver moon shines brightly on a whitewashed farmhouse. An urgent knock on the door breaks the silence: and in that moment, one young woman’s act of incredible bravery changes the course of the war.

For Carmela del Bosco, a farm girl in a remote Italian village, sheltering an English spy is the most dangerous thing she could do. If she’s caught by the fascists it would be the end, especially for her beloved grandmother sleeping soundly upstairs. But taking in the pleading brown eyes of the man calling himself Sebastiano slumped at her door, and his terrible injuries inflicted by the Nazi occupiers, Carmela remembers how Nonna always taught her right from wrong. Risking everything, she hides him in a ruined tower on the edge of the farm.

Each day Carmela tends his wounds, and the passion that kindles between them is a light in the darkest time. Sebastiano has information that could end the war, and needs her help to send it. But tracking down fellow members of the resistenza in the mountains meansrisking her life and bringing danger to everyone she knows.

Carmela knows she must find the courage to do what’s right for her country. But if she leaves the farm, will she ever see her beloved nonna again? And will her sacrifice tear her away from the only man she’s ever loved, forever?

No. of pages:- 306 pages

Publisher:- Bookouture

Date publisher:- will be published on September 10th 2021

Genre:- Historical Fiction

Rating:- 4.5/5 stars

Checklist

Is the historical fiction based on WWII? Check
Is it based about the brave women during WWII? Check
Did I enjoy the novel? Absolutely check!

Set in Naples in 1943, the story starts with a girl named Carmela who hides an English spy named Sebastiano who happened to be the half brother of Danielo. Italy is a fascist country and a firm Nazi supporter so if Carmela is caught, she will be sentenced to death. The story talks about this brave woman, who risked her own life to help the English spy .

I have to say, I really like the author’s style of writing. The vivid descriptions of the places in Naples and around Italy makes me as a reader feel like I am in the part of this story with Carmella. I really like the plot of the story and it always amazed me these brave young women like Carmella would risk their own lives to fight against the Nazis. As a result, the author did a good job writing this story beautifully. I do like the names of the dog and donkey–Renzo the dog. Overall, this story is captivating, emotional that will draw you the reader to the story! Another thing I liked about this book is the slow budding romance between Carmella and Sebastiano.

If you want to read a book based on WWII, I would highly recommend this book–will not leave you disappointed!

Thank you Netgalley and Bookouture for the ARC. The review is based on my honest opinion only.

Natalie is a RITA nominated, USA Today Bestselling author of six novels: The Dress Thief, The Milliner’s Secret (re-titled “The Girl who Dreamed of Paris”), The Wardrobe Mistress, Summer in the Vineyards, The Secret Vow and most recently, The Paris Girl. Look out for a heartwrenching WW2 inspired novel set in Italy, due out Autumn 2020.

Visit her website at https://www.nataliemegevans.uk

Natalie Meg Evans has had a varied career, first as an actor in London’s fringe theatre, then as a PR exec and company director and finally, dream achieved, as a full-time writer. She lives with two very lively dogs in rural mid Suffolk.

Natalie has collected numerous awards for her writing including the UK’s Harry Bowling Prize (2012). The Dress Thief was nominated for a coveted RITA Award by Romance Writers of America and it won the Greek Public Book award for the best foreign novel; also, the UK’s Festival of Romance readers award (where readers rather than industry professionals select and judge). The Milliner’s Secret was shortlisted for the same award.

Natalie was also nominated for the coveted Daphne du Maurier award and was named a finalist for a Romance Writers of America Golden Heart award.

Natalie’s titles are available as Spoken Word. She loves to hear from readers.

Hide Karl in plain sight.
That was the idea. It was meant to be foolproof.

Who would think of finding an Aryan-looking Jewish child in the household of a high-ranking Nazi officer?
What could possibly go wrong?

When four-year-old Karl, Kara’s son, suddenly disappears, Kara’s worst fear becomes her painful reality. Has someone seen through her cover?

An increasingly frustrating search for the missing boy ensues. Kara is succored by Oskar, an SS officer who would do anything to have Kara’s love. His compassion is in stark contrast to his office’s macabre nature.

As her world is turned upside down, the grim nature of the Third Reich becomes much more apparent to Kara. The rot has eaten deep into many German hearts, even that of her beloved sister Anka.

As a fog of fear and evil envelops Kara’s life, the hope of a love she had always ached for stirs ever so slightly.

How far would one go to get a hold of what they so desperately want?

Will Kara see her son ever again?

Date published:- will be published on 19th September 2021

Genre:- Historical Fiction

Rating:-

I have been waiting eagerly for the second book of the series Jews, The Third Reich and Web of Secrets series and was so mighty excited when I got the ARC from the author herself!!!

Note:- If you have not read My Son’s Secret, the first book of the series, then you must read that book before reading The Stolen Child.

So in the previous book, we see Kara leaving her son Karl behind with a babysitter only after returning did she find out that both the babysitter and Karl are missing, the first book ending with Abram in Auschwitz concentration camp.

This book follows the story after Karl goes missing. Oskar, the Nazi officer with whom Kara gets acquainted through her sister Anka and brother-in-law Ludwig, using his own connections helps Kara to find her son–which he eventually succeed. And Kara soon starts falling for Oskar, which make her conflicted with her own feelings as she still loved Abram. But throughout this book, we see Oskar’s facade, the brutal treatment towards Jews and Polish, indifference to their feelings. As a person who did Holocaust history in school and later on in college, I have read all those brutal atrocities and treatments committed by the Nazis towards the Jews so reading this book, the author gave us a picture of both sides–what it is to live as a German during the war and what it is to live as a Jew or Pole during the war. While the Germans with connections as high ranking Nazi officials lived a life of luxury, on the other hand, Jews and Poles lived in a life of fear and hate instilled in their minds. So kudos to the author, who did a good job painting that image, which was realistic and actually happened in real life! Naturally, I feel hatred towards Oskar, Anka and Ludwig for their blind faith towards Hitler and I am glad that Kara did not succumb to it, probably due to the fact that she still loved Abram. I just feel like I was living during that time and I actually felt so scared for Kara–will Oskak find out her secret? What’s going to happen? This book was literally unputdownable and I manage to finish this book within two days!

Besides that, the writing was really great and I was engrossed in the book, from the first chapter till the end. And the end….wow!!!! Now I cannot wait for the third and final book to come soon! Will Abram and Kara get back together? What’s going to happen to Oskar and Kara once when the war is coming to an end? We shall see if these questions are answered in the next and final book!

Many thanks to Netgalley and the author for providing me the ARC. The review is based on my honest opinion only.

I am an USA Today Best Selling Author of Historical Jewish Fiction mainly set during World War 2. My father was Romany and my mother was Jewish, When I was very young I learned about the Holocaust. I couldn’t understand how something like this could happen. So, I began to research and learn more. I met with survivors. I even met with children and grandchildren of SS officers. But I still had no answers. I cannot say that I have all of the answers to all of my questions even now. But what I do know is that soon all of the survivors will be gone. Their message must be remembered, the sacrifices that they made must not be forgotten. And so I humbly and with the utmost humility I try to tell their stories. It is painful, but I must convey the darkness and horror of the time, However, I also want the world to know and celebrate the unsung heroes. Because there were many ordinary people who acted in heroic ways. I realize that writing these books is a great responsibility. I pray every day that I am able to do this correctly. I am trying to reach out and touch many people, not with the message of the horrors but with the promise of hope. I thank you from the bottom of my heart for considering my work. It is an honor that I never take lightly.

I send you many blessings, Roberta