Publisher: Bookouture
Format: ebook and paperback
Genre: Historical Fiction
Synopsis
He is German. She is English. Their countries are enemies. Can love bring them together? Inspired by an incredible true story, this is a sweeping tale about the power of hope in the face of war and the legacy of an impossible choice.
1946, Norfolk, England: Grief and fear spill over in Fran’s small village when German prisoners of war are sent to the nearby camp. After the death of her beloved brother on the front lines, Fran cannot see the new arrivals as anything but his killers.
When one of the mines the Germans are clearing from the beach explodes, Fran is thrown into the path of prisoner Thomas as they rush to help the wounded. Thomas’s kind, artistic nature and his bravery, putting himself in danger to save others, changes everything for Fran. She realises he is a boy just like her brother and was forced to fight in a war he never believed in.
From that day on, there is something powerful and unspoken connecting Fran and Thomas. But as battle lines are drawn across Europe and tensions within the village reach breaking point, they could be about to unleash something neither of them can control…
1989, Berlin: Tiffany arrives in Berlin from London, just as the wall that divided a nation finally falls. With only a few words of German, she celebrates with strangers in the streets, and crosses the border between West and East. In her pocket is a crumpled letter addressed to her grandmother, yellowed with age, that has led her in search of a wartime secret with the power to change her future…
A book that you will carry with you long after having turned the final page. Fans of Fiona Valpy, The Forgotten Village and The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society will be absolutely gripped from the very beginning until the final, heart-stopping conclusion of this unforgettable wartime story.
My Thoughts
After the excitement of the Berlin Wall coming down, the story goes back to the harsh winter of 1946/47, to a small village on the coast of Norfolk where the locals have gathered to watch German prisoners of war march to the nearby camp. Their presence rouses anger and hatred, and the grief still felt over the loss of loved ones.
Fran Taylor works in the office at the camp. Her interaction with the prisoners, especially with Thomas who speaks English, changes her views of the Germans. Instead of blaming them for her brother's death, she sees them as young men like her brother, forced into the war but not liking it. Christmas becomes a time of attempted reconciliation between the villagers and the Germans, but Fran and Thomas must still keep their relationship secret. The new year brings promise of change, but also news that forces Thomas to make a heartbreaking decision.
Apart from the main plot involving Fran and Thomas's relationship and anti-German sentiment, there are a number of subplots that enrich the story and highlight other consequences of the war. Shell shock, a war-time love affair and the unforeseen ramifications of a mother's selfish act infuse drama and heartache into an already emotionally charged tale.
World War II fiction is one of my favourite war novel genres, especially novels that showcase life on the home front at that time. In The English Girl, Sarah Mitchell skillfully weaves a moving love story into a world struggling with the after effects of the war. It engaged me from the intriguing start to the heart-warming conclusion. I look forward to reading more from this author.
Where to Purchase
Amazon • Apple • Kobo: • Google •
Meet the Author
Now she lives in Norfolk again, this time with her husband and three almost-grown-up children, where she combines writing with some legal work – and thanking her enormous number of lucky stars.
Connect with Sarah: Twitter
Blog Tour Schedule
No comments:
Post a Comment