It was a very compelling, interesting and sometimes dramatic reading, set in the period of German occupation in France. As soon as you start reading, you immediately become attached to Arlette, Francine Henry, Gilbert, Saul and you can not get away from the pages.
Arlette lives in the south of France and works in the countryside with her father Henry and her brother Gilbert. Her mother died when she was a child. Their life is quiet despite their country being at war. France signs the armistice with Germany and is the end of their tranquility and security. They receive continuous visits from the police, confiscate the harvest, suffer verbal and physical violence. Gilbert doesn't accept it and leaves to fight with the resistance. So they need help on the farm and arrives Saul, a young and charming Jewish man who is immediately in tune with Arlette. But the Nazis occupy their home .............
Arlette is a strong, loyal, courageous woman, very attached to her father and brother. The author has been very good to make us participate in the various emotions that the characters feel during the story: fear, love, joy, pain. And the Blaise family has been very strong, despite fear and hunger has never given up their principles.
It's wonderfully well written, very engaging, realistic and full of emotions: there are moments very sweet and romantic, others hard and heartbreaking.
Highly recommended, a truly brilliant and exciting story from the first to the last page.

What an amazing story.
I really loved the characters. Arlette was well drawn, her character was very believable and the author describes life during the war in an effortless manner. I found some of the chapters very true to life, they clearly depicted the atrocities that happened and the lives that the people of france lived during the war.

I loved the love story between Arlette and Saul, along with the relationships Arlette had with her family and friends.

Great book. I look forward to what this author writes next

Arlette's Story is an emotional novel about life for a farmer's daughter in a village near Limoges during the war and occupation. Arlette is naïve to begin with when war breaks out, but we follow her as she matures from an innocent girl to a strong, independent young lady. She is resilient, brave and experiences far more than she should, thanks to the harsh way farming families were treated by the occupying Germans.
When the Germans arrive, Arlette draws the unwelcome attention of the Komandant, and as her grandmother wisely said, “no good will come of this”, but despite the risks involved she was able, up to a point, to use the situation to her advantage. Life was extremely hard, those she loved were forced away, tearing her family apart, their food and animals were requisitioned and despite rationing there was often nothing left to buy in the village shops. They also lived with deceit, hiding knowledge of the underground movement, knowing the harsh consequences involved if they were discovered.
I became rather attached to Arlette, who always remained strong despite facing tragedy more than once, and knowing the real history of where she lived, I wasn’t searching for a happy ending. Although upsetting in places, this is a beautifully written, well researched novel, that showed a real empathy for what life was like not too far from where I live in France now.
Arlette stayed in my head long after I finished reading her story and if you’re a lover of historical fiction, I’m sure you will enjoy this book too.

Arlette lives a simple life on a farm in the French countryside when WW2 breaks out, at first it seems that they will not be affected too much but once Paris falls to the Germans life starts to change and they are shocked when all of their crops are requisitioned. Arlette's brother Gilbert cannot accept the situation and leaves to join the resistance meaning the have to take on a Jewish refugee to help on the farm. Arlette is soon smitten with Saul but what trouble will that cause.... especially when the Nazis move into the manor next door and Kommandant takes a shine to Arlette!

A great story that you can't put down following the story throughout the war years and the atrocities that Arlette and her family had to live through. I will definitely be looking for future books by this author.

Well I'm not sure where to start with my review other than to say what an emotional and heartfelt story this is! This book was written in such a way that I felt as if I was right there with the characters experiencing everything with them. It's safe to say that I felt a range of emotions when reading and this is always a sign of an expertly told story. History is something that I have always been interested in and Angela Barton easily brought the past to life with this vivid story. Showing both the horrific events but also the hope that the people had to cling to along with surviving. It was all handled sensitively showing devastating events along with the effects left on the people living through it all.

Arlette is a character who will leave you thinking about her long after finishing this book. This story shows her life change in unimaginable ways along with experiencing a beautiful romance that also places everyone in a extremely dangerous situation. With heartbreakingly tense moments that had me turning the pages but also feeling trepidation over what was going to happen next.

Arlette's Story is not only vivid but is a truly emotional story that will grab hold of you until the very last page. Love, family and hope are all themes in this captivating story that I couldn't put down.

Five stars from me!

With thanks to Rachel at Rachel's Random Resources for my copy.

This is an absolutely gorgeous story!

The writing this book made the story really special. It is a brilliantly woven tale that takes you through a full range of emotions. It really helps to justice to a well researched and well thought out story that will play with your heartstrings.

The main characters are excellent and they work so well together. The scene setting is great and you do feel as though you have been transported back to walk the streets the characters do. It really is a lovely book.

I am lucky to have been born well after WWII and can only imagine what it must have been like for the people affected at the time, an excellent book that really brings home just how horrific it must have been...

Five stars from me - and it is one that I will be recommending again and again!

A wonderfully written historical tale of love, war, sacrifice and redemption, Arlette’s Story is Angela Barton’s exceptional debut novel. Beautifully told, superbly evocative and searingly emotional, Arlette’s Story is an affecting and engrossing historical novel set during the Second World War readers will not easily forget.

In 1940, the world has been divided yet again by a cruel and ruthless war that has claimed multiple lives and killed not just a generation of brave men and women who have given up their life for their countries, but the hopes, dreams and aspirations of the weary and exhausted who wonder whether this war will ever end. Yet, in the idyllic French countryside near the small town of Oradour Sur Glane where Arlette Blaise lives with her family, the war seems to be happening on another planet. While Arlette and her family, friends and neighbours are fully aware of the anguish and misery which the war has brought with it, they are comforted by the fact that the occupying forces are far away in the north of the country, and surely, could never encroach on their serene and perfectly ordered existence…or can they?

When Saul Epstein, a Jew who had been driven from his home by the Nazis, arrives at the farm, Arlette realises that her peaceful existence might just have disappeared forever. Saul is a brave, intelligent and courageous man who had been forced to leave his life in Paris behind. At Oradour Sur Glane, Saul must work as hard as he can to stay alive, but not even back-breaking work and heart-breaking sacrifice can heal the pain in his heart or diminish the rage and anger which threatens to consume him on a daily basis due to his unjustly being persecuted for his faith by the Nazis. Yet, what Saul never imagined was that he would find himself falling head over heels in love with French girl Arlette Blaise who stirs feelings and emotions deep within him he had thought long buried. But theirs is a love that is forbidden and illicit for danger and death stalk Saul’s every move purely because he is a Jew…

As the war shows no sign of abating and Saul and Arlette’s love grows with each passing day, is a future for the two of them possible? Will the war succeed in claiming their lives and destroying their love for one another once for and for all? And will there ever be light at the end of the tunnel?

Arlette’s Story is a magnificent story that is simply mesmerizing! Angela Barton is a wonderful writer who has a wonderful gift for bringing the past to colourful and vivid life and for transporting the reader back to wartime rural France with ease and flair. Arlette’s Story is a powerful, compelling, spellbinding and poignant love story, but it is also a heart-wrenching tale of survival, courage and healing that will stay with me forever.

It is hard to believe that Arlette’s Story is Angela Barton’s first novel as she writes so beautifully, lyrically and poetically. Her characters are believable and humane, her story gripping and compulsive and the emotions in this book powerful and honest.

A superbly written historical novel that I wholeheartedly recommend, Arlette’s Story is one of the best debut novels you will read this year.

The beautiful cover on this book hints that this book will be special from the very start and I was not disappointed.

Set in France during World War Two the author has created a wonderful set of characters who are believable and easy to engage with. Throughout, our sympathies lie with the people of France and the reader is with them every step of the way as their lives are impacted so horrendously by the invasion of the Nazis into their small, quiet, rural town.

There were times during my reading of this heart wrenching novel that the fear, hunger and desperation of the characters was palpable. The author has evoked the surroundings and lives of these families extremely well and has created a tense and anxious atmosphere in her telling of this story.

Ultimately, this is a book of love and hope; courage and survival; and the recognition that life will never be the same again. It is through Arlette's story that we see how a naive young girl can transform into a strong and courageous woman.

This is a well crafted and sensitive novel and demonstrates that this debut author is one to watch as I am certain that we can look forward to great things from the pen of Ms. Barton.

5☆ A Poignant Must Read for historic fans

Arlette’s Story is a beautifully poignant WWII story.

When German invaded France, Arlette's life was about to change. France would never be the same for her again.
Change is heart breaking especially when it's from the effects of war.

This is a beautifully written emotive story, It tugged on my heartstrings, it was rich in history, drama, it was uplifting. The relationships between characters were perfectly written, I felt for the characters they was believable and relatable

WWII is one of my favourite eras to read. So when I starting reading I felt drawn into the reality of the war times and the emotions and heartache that came with it.

This is Angela's Debut novel and I have to say I'm very excited to read more from her.

Thank you to Rachel Random Resources for this copy which I reviewed honestly and voluntarily.

Just stop a moment and absorb the exquisite cover, poppies are always so poignant, the image of a girl standing alone amidst the flowers just spoke to me and urged me to read Arlette’s Story.

Set in World War 2 the threat of invasion is filling the hearts of those in the South of France with fear. Arlette and her family have felt safe running their farm, a quiet, simple life until the Germans move through.

Whatever I say about this book is never going to give it the full justice it deserves, the author has immense skill, she can pull the reader into the minds of the characters to such a point that you are there living with them. The sights, sounds, smells all permeate the pages.

A loving family, Arlette, her brother, father and Grandma work the farm, tragedy has already taken the mother’s life. While farm labourers were exempt from joining up, brother Gilbert still felt he should do his bit in the war, much to the horror of his family. Arlette’s best friend Francine had a sweet spot for Gilbert and as teenagers the girls would talk about all their hopes, dreams and secrets and being rather naive they whispered about the concept of love.

Because Gilbert had left the farm an extra helping hand was needed, Saul arrives and very quickly Arlette is smitten .. the problem is Saul is a Jew, so in great danger from the German forces.

As the story progresses and the tension mounts the reader is swept up in all the passion, fear, heartache and violence. How do you hold yourself and you family, friends and love ones together in such dreadful times while coping with rationing and a true fight for survival?

The levels of emotions unfurl as you read each page faster than the last in the desperate need to find out what happens. I cannot tell you how intense the writing is. I found this to be an historical education as well as a beautiful love story almost swept away by the evil hands of the Nazis. The sheer brutality, humiliation and visions of horror they inflict on innocent humans is beyond comprehension.

I read this from cover to cover extremely fast, time stood still as my emotions took a hammering, tears of joy or desperation fought their way down my cheeks. I loved the entire family all in their own way have found a place in my hear and will remain there for ages after finishing reading about them. Arlette’s Story gets all the stars and more .. this will be in my top books list of the year for sure.

I encourage anybody who enjoys a brilliant story full of history and emotion to read this now!

My thanks to the author, publisher, netgalley and Rachel from Random Resource’s for my copy which I read and reviewed voluntarily.

Arlette and Francine have their whole life ahead of them. They love to picnic in their favourite spot and wonder who they'll fall in love with, how happy they'll be ... then the German army comes to Montverre.

Life changes dramatically as the Germans introduce curfews, rationing and limitations on just about everything.

Gilbert, Arlette's brother, refuses to just sit back. He has other plans and leaves the family home, giving rise to the arrival of Saul - a Jewish trainee doctor - to help around the farm.

Inevitably, Arlette and Saul begin to chat  ... and romance blossoms. But just as Arlette begins to imagine how wonderful her life could be, the German authorities demand all Jews be turned in. Not only can she not turn Saul over to the authorities, she cannot ask him to leave - knowing full well the fate awaiting him should he be caught. The solution is one that puts them all at risk.

When Arlette is forced to work daily at the manor house (the German Army HQ) keeping  that secret become even more dangerous, especially in times where people can be 'persuaded' to tell on their neighbours for an extra loaf of stale bread.

The atrocities of life in occupied France are not ignored in this beautifully written story. The author doesn't mask the awfulness of those times; she treats those scenes - particularly at Oradour-sur-Glane - with the utmost respect, but the extent of the cruelty that occurred therefore still makes for uncomfortable reading (as it should).

I visited Oradour a few years ago, and witnessed the Singer sewing machine and the doctor's abandoned car. The ghost-like sensation of that village is chilling. The author has woven those details meticulously in her story, giving the reader a fabulous, yet heart-wrenching story. We can only hope that history, told in this captivating way, will ensure such events never happen again.

This is a wonderful story, told with heart and sensitivity. I cannot recommend it highly enough to fans of WWII historical fiction, and to those who can enjoy a challenging romance set against the backdrop of occupied France.

With a stunning cover, “Arlette’s Story” is an amazing and heartbreaking novel set in France during World War II. It’s about Arlette, her family and friends and how their lives changed by the events caused by the war and German occupation of France. It’s about how they pulled together and tried to survive despite everything they witnessed and were subjected to.

I don’t think I have ever read that many stories set during WWII, but I have read a lot of articles and seen documentaries, plus my brother has always had a fascination with that time period so we sometimes talk about it.

[Reading this story played with my feelings a bit. Especially because my grandparents were immigrants in France and dad and some of his sisters and brother were born there, and I still have family there, which means I feel a connection with France. So, reading this book made me think about that, about every family living in fear and just trying to survive. Portugal managed to remain neutral throughout the war despite extraordinary pressures from both sides, so I can’t fulling understand the struggles, but we were ruled by a dictatorship, and about that I know a lot of stories of trying to survive, stay out of prison and having no freedom of speech. Plus a lot of people were able to escape to Portugal during WWII.]

That’s why this book was kind of heartbreaking and amazing uplifting to me. It made me thing about all the History classes I had about WWII and about Portuguese history at that time. Even though it’s a historical fiction novel, I know that this story could be real, because terrible things have happened during that time.

This story is about Arlette Blaise, her family, friends and neighbors. It’s about everything change from the moment Nazis arrive to the small-town Arlette, family and friends lived in, and how the peace they felt they had, just disappears.

Another reason why I was touched by this story and I it made me remember all the stories I had listen to and think about World’s History, and Portugal’s too, is because Angela Barton knows how to capture the emotion not only in the way the characters act but in the descriptions. The hardship, the lack of food, the fear, the struggles to survive and the secrets… The constant threat of exposure made me stay at the edge of my seat, read to jump or to just scream.

My heart was going crazy sometimes and I almost couldn’t put the book down and go to sleep, and when I finally could open my eyes enough I decided to just sleep, and in the morning, I woke up ready to go back to reading.

Not only was the suspense and the emotions one of the things I loved, but also the moments of love, friendship, family strength and faith, those were some of the uplifting moments that made me love the story even more.

I totally recommend this book to everyone that likes to read historical fiction and have an interest in the WWII period.

[Thank you to Angela Barton, Rachel from Rachel's Random Resources, and NetGalley for the ebook copy of this book. It was a pleasure to give my honest review in exchange.]

My first historical novel set during WWII, Arlette's Story is both heartbreaking and uplifting as she and her family and friends come to terms and endure life during the German occupation of France.

Arlette Blaise, her family and neighbours feel comforted by the fact the German forces were only occupying the north of their country. Set in idyllic surroundings, Oradour-sur-Glane had nothing to offer the foreign invaders. When a Jewish man arrives, driven from his home, they welcome him to work alongside her father on their farm. Everything is fine until the Nazis arrive in the small town and peace as they know it evaporates.

Heart-wrenching, the author captures the emotion of time as the horrors of living in an occupied country unfold. The hardship; lack of food and essentials become part of life as everyone struggles to make the best of a dire situation. Secrets are kept, but with a constant threat of exposure, everyone is always on high alert, living on their nerves to preserve what little they have and to save those close to their hearts.

Yet, there are moments of blind faith and wisdom, where everyone believes the occupation will be over sooner rather than later. Life goes on, but will it ever be the same again?

Arlette and Saul's story is as beautiful as it is sad. Their endearing and enduring love conquers all, but not without tragedy. With a torn conscience, Arlette wants to act defiantly in protest but bends to the will of the Germans to try to provide and protect those who rely on her. Her unwavering bravery is not for the faint-hearted and not without consequences.

Overall, a very commendable début novel by Ms Barton. Her writing enabled me to I enjoyed the picturesque scenes she painted as well as the cold realities of a community trying to survive during oppressive times. Therefore I'll definitely be looking for future titles from her in the future.

4.5 stars

***arc generously received courtesy of Ruby Fiction via NetGalley***

Well written novel of a woman first facing and then coping with WWII in rural France. Fans of historical fiction might recognize the basic bones of the plot but Barton has created lovely characters in Arlene and Saul, a Jewish man hired by Arlette's father Henri to help with their farm. The tension slowly ramps up as the Nazis move in and take over. This has ups and downs and will pull at the heart strings. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC.

A simply stunning cover and a beautifully written story of life in France during World War II for a French family and how their lives were changed by the events, and how they pulled together to survive despite the horrific things they witnessed and were subjected to.

Arlette is the main character and lives on the family farm in the South of the country, far away from where the real action of the War is taking place and they carry on as normal convinced the fighting won't ever reach them. How wrong they can be.

Soon the effects of War begin to take hold with rationing and food shortages and although they try to provide everything they need on the farm it isn't always possible, but they are helped by the appearance of a young Jewish man who begins to work on the farm and as Arlette spends more time with Saul, the more she falls for him.

Life gets considerably worse when the Germans arrive in the area and it was often heartbreaking to read the way they treated everyone, their brutality and the whole tragedy of the situation that innocent people found themselves enduring. Arlette went through so much but still found the strength to keep going no matter what and that was inspiring to read.

It was a tough read at times but sensitively dealt with and such a fascinating story that I strongly recommend.

It is world war II. Even though conditions are hard, everyone can still depend on their farm animals and gardens to keep food on the table. In Arlette's small community whispers of the war getting closer to them is heard. Arlette has taken her deceased mother's place as cook, house keeper, and gardener. She also helps with the wheat farming and other chores. They are all very busy, her father and her brother. As times passes the Germans are camped on their doorstep. Stock and fruits and vegetables and all the wheat has been confiscated. They are left to scratch for food to survive. The atrocities she sees happen in her community to friends, family and neighbors is unfathomable. Eill.she survive this war?
I enjoyed this book immensely. It had genuine characters and the storyline was smooth and came together well. I would recommend this book.

Arlette and her best friend Francine were sure the war wouldn’t affect them in the south of France – occupation was in the north. Arlette and her father, Henri ran their little farm, along with her brother Gilbert. The crops were bountiful, and harvesting had just completed when the Germans arrived, demanding all crops to feed their troops. The war had arrived.

With Gilbert gone, Henri hired a young Jewish man to help with the chores, who had had to flee his home. Saul Epstein was a kind and gentle man, and Arlette found herself beginning to care for him. But with danger in the form of Germans at the nearby manor, Arlette knew Saul wasn’t safe.

What would happen to their tranquil countryside existence? The brutality of the Germans shocked the quiet, peaceful French people – how could one human be so cruel to another?

Arlette’s Story is the debut novel by Angela Barton and I found it an exceptional read. Another WWII story, yes, but from the French perspective. The occupation of France; the betrayal of his people by Pétain; the horrors inflicted – all combined with a beautiful, compassionate story of Arlette, her family and friends, made Arlette’s Story one to remember and recommend.

With thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for my digital ARC to read and review.