Elaine Stock

The story is mostly set in Poland during the WWII and deals with friendship in adversity. There is some antisemitism and violence, but there is little in the way of day-to-day struggles or Holocaust horrors. There is actually not much action over the course of the story, which follows 2 female characters (and their families) for around 30 years. Unfortunately, I did not connect with either woman, and the ending was predictable and felt abrupt. I found the book long and slow-going, and heavy in dialogue. It had the same level of detail and the uneven pacing that I see in sagas, (which I don’t have the patience for reading!) On the plus side, I appreciate that one of the main characters was deaf, (which I expect is an under-represented population in fiction).
I won a free copy of this book (thanks to the author & publisher!) and am voluntarily providing an honest review.… (plus d'informations)

Elaine Stock has completed her Resilient Women of WWII with another strong book about two women who become friends and work together to fight against the Nazi hatred that had taken over Germany.

Edith lives with her sister and her mother in Amsterdam. Their father has been arrested and they are in fear of being arrested even though they have forged papers and live their lives as Christians. Their mother, Herta, decides to send both girls into hiding for their safety knowing that she may never see them again. Edith changes her name to Elsa and goes into hiding at a farm where several young people are staying. The farmer is only keeping them for the money that he gets from the resistance and he has raped Edith and several of the other girls living there. When she escapes, she flees to the nearest big city. She falls and hurts her ankle and is not able to continue her escape. She's befriended by Erich, a young man she knows nothing about and he takes her to his palatial home in Germany to recover. Once there, she feels that she has jumped from the frying pan into the fire. Erich's parents are staunch Nazis and she has no idea if Erich is a Nazi and if her life is in danger. After her recovery from her broken ankle, she's asked to be the teacher for two younger twins and is sent to room with Adela in a basement room. There the two women from totally different backgrounds become friends.

Vonni lived with her family in Czechoslovakia and left the family compound to try to find her father. As a member of the Roma group, she knows that her life is in danger because the Nazis are always on the lookout for the people they refer to as gypsies to send them to the camps. Her search for her father takes her to Vienna. When she gets sick, she is befriended by a young Jewish couple with two small children and takes the name Adela. When the Nazis start rounding up Jewish people in Vienna, the young couple disappear and Vonni is left alone. She's befriended by a young German man who takes her to his family home to recover and they hire her as a maid.

So now we have Elsa and Adela living in a palatial estate in the heart of Germany, both in fear of being found out that they are not the people they profess to be. What's worse is that the owner of the estate and his wife are strong and loyal members of the Nazi party. Are the two sons also Nazis who will turn in the two young girls or are they part of the resistance who will help them escape? When they flee to Vienna, they are scared that they will be discovered by the Nazis at the check points along the trip. Their trip to Vienna is a real nail biter and kept me turning the pages in hopes that they would remain safe.

This third book in the trilogy features two women who become friends and become stronger and more resilient as they work together to find a safe place. The author has done extensive research and its apparent on every page. This book could be read as a standalone with minimal confusion but there is a relationship between one of the women and her parents from book 2 that may caused some questions. My recommendation is to read all three of the books in the series in order for maximum enjoyment.

I read a lot of World War II fiction and this is one of the best series that I've read. All three books feature strong women from very different backgrounds who became friends and work to help each other stay safe.… (plus d'informations)

Book Review…Our Daughters' Last Hope by Elaine Stock

Amsterdam, the Netherlands 1940

When Herta and Julia's husbands go missing, one accused falsely of crimes and the other to fight on behalf of the Nazis, Herta, despite the heartache, takes charge and places her daughters into hiding believing they'll keep safe. Meanwhile, Julia, as the only parent home, chooses to redefine family. These unexpected developments bring Herta and Julia together... until their true identities surface and they're thrown into dangerous consequences that could harm not only them but their daughters.

This is the second book in the Resilient Women of WWII and while it can be read as a standalone the first book is about Herta and her family so I do recommend reading it first. Despite it being about a dark time in history it was a good read. The characters are wonderful. They are raw and real. You can actually feel their feelings and it adds to the experience. The pace isn't fast or slow, it just flows well with the story. It's a great read that is about love, family, surviving and more! Thank you Historical Fiction Virtual Book Tours and Elaine Stock for sharing this book with me!… (plus d'informations)

This new book begins right where book one ended. Herta (Aanya) and her family have been turned away from the United States in 1939 and sent back to Europe. Instead of going back to their home in Germany, they decide to settle their family in Amsterdam where they feel that they'll be safe from Hitler's plan to eradicate the Jewish population. Herta and Kurt and their two daughters lived peacefully in Amsterdam until the Spring of 1940, when the Germans invade the Netherlands. They realize that they are in danger because they are Jewish so they all got forged papers and started to live as a Christian family.

Julia, her husband and two daughters have roots in Amsterdam for generations. After the invasion, her husband sides strongly with the Nazis and works very hard to become part of their alliance with the police. Julia is mainly concerned with her children and getting food on the table and keep her daughters safe She doesn't share his anti-Jewish beliefs but is unable to express her opinions without worrying about him abusing her in his anger.

When Herta and Julia meet, they both are keeping major secrets. Herta has sent her two daughters to safety outside the country and her husband has disappeared. Julia offers her a home and because she has nowhere else to go, she accepts. As the two women become closer they start to help the resistance doing jobs that could not only harm them but their daughters will also be in danger.

Can these two women remain friends when they each learn the secrets that are being hidden. Will they be able to continue their help to the resistance and will their friendship help them survive during a war that is full of hatred?? Can they continue to trust each other?

Elaine Stock has done considerable research and her characters perfectly reflect what was going on at this time. Her two main characters are well written with all of their flaws apparent. The friendship between these two women was strong and they were both braver and more resilient than they knew. I won't soon forget Herta and Julia and how the strength of their friendship protected not only their families but also other people who were in danger.

Book Three in this series is due to publish in the Spring of 2023 and I can't wait to read it and be taken back into the world that Elaine Stock creates for her readers that is full of friendship and love despite the hardships going on in the world.… (plus d'informations)