Reviews

Man, this was a wonderful surprise! This is the story of an American widow going 'under cover' in Nazi occupied France during WWII. There is so much that this book offers. If you like historical fiction about WWII then this is the book for you.

Many thanks to Netgalley and Lake Union Publishing for this advanced readers copy. This book is due to release on April 1, 2021.

kripareads's review against another edition

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medium-paced

3.5

This was a great story of some of the female spies involved in the Allied resistance efforts in WW2. The storytelling was great but the narrator of the audiobook was not my favorite. I found myself drifting off periodically and having to wrench my mind back to the narration and rewind to find out what I missed. Overall, a good story with all the elements. Danger, romance, thrills, heartbreak and the knowledge that although fabricated, still very much rooted in real events.

jenbsbooks's review against another edition

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4.0

I liked this a lot. It kept my interest all the way though ... I'm just not sure how much I'll remember, and if it will stand out in my memory from all the other WW2 novelizations out there. Here the focus was "women as spies" and it was interesting. I especially appreciated the Author's Notes at the end, on what was based on fact, and some of the different real-life women used for inspiration for the characters here. I feel like I learned a little more of the history (wireless operators, some random tidbits about Christian Dior, John Wayne) but am not sure I know the difference between the OSS, the SOE, etc.

This was all 1st person, Anna's POV - past tense. Chronological, dates listed in some of the chapter headings (just basic numerical chapters in the TOC). Included in KindleUnlimited, read and listen (text and audio) I went with the audio and enjoyed the narrator. Her voice was familiar, I had heard her before. I don't speak French, but some of the French accent/dialog sounded properly done to my untrained ear (better than my imagination). I stopped and made a few highlights. Clean, no proFanity, and while some sex happened, it was closed door. I'd give it a thumbs up for anyone interested in WW2 fiction, especially about women's roles. There was some romance, but not as much as in this author's other work The Beantown Girls.

dulci_is_booked's review against another edition

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3.0

A good book with a good plot and characters, but wasn't a page turner for me.

milkklotz's review against another edition

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adventurous emotional informative slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes

3.5

The pace of the book finally picked up in the last fourth. In the early part of the book, Anna reviewed her conflicted feelings (self doubt, yearning for adventure, guilt) ad nauseum...I felt I was stuck in a Hallmark movie plot! I wanted to give myself permission to leave the bin unfinished, but I stuck it out. I am glad that I did.
The historical aspect of the fiction was realistic and informative. The characters and character development a bit less so. Romance in war time is complicated enough. I don't really feel that Healey's complicated romantic relationships in the story were really necessary.

staciek3's review against another edition

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4.0

This was so good that I had a hard time putting it down. My sister picked this as a buddy read, and we both really enjoyed it and got sucked in right away. It was interesting to read the real stories behind the OSS and many of the women who risked their lives to help aid the resistance in France during WWII.

kdurham2's review against another edition

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4.0

Check out the full review at Kritters Ramblings

Anna Cavanaugh lost her husband early in the war as he was in the Pacific as a doctor and had an accident. Being a widow she decides that she wants to support herself and contribute to the war efforts. Working with a family friend she ends up in the OSS as it is in the beginning stages and gets really invested in their mission with the war.

From the US to France, this book was on the move constantly and for being the length that it is, the story kept moving and I couldn't put it down. Anna was always in the thick of things and I loved how the story didn't take a breath. I really enjoyed reading about how the war affects the decisions you make and you really can't make promises to anyone because you can't promise tomorrow.

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