Henry Budge is a spunky 92 year old that escapes his rehab hospital. He goes to France for the 70th anniversary of D-Day. Henry is also looking for Elodie, a French Resistance fighter that he fell in love with. Please read this book, it is fantastic.

This is a very sweet book and well written and would be a great addition to my personal library but not that of my classroom. However it does bring up a good point- what is truth and what is the truth we remember it to be? Those can sometimes be different thoughts.
Thank you netgalley for the ARC

You can't help but fall in love with Henry Bridge, the protagonist of this book. It's a sentimental and heartwarming story about a WWII paratrooper who's now 90 years old and reflecting on the relationships that shaped his life. Such a great twist on typical historical fiction. I loved it!

4.5 stars. Oh, gosh, the story, it is beautiful . I initially wanted to read this because my grandfather fought during WWII, but Henry's tale quickly enveloped me into its own spell. The writing is masterful and effortlessly brings you into the story, both past and present. I don't like to post spoilers, so I will simply leave it at this, and add that this is one author I will definitely read again.

Is it enough to say that this book had some of the most beautiful prose describing some of the most horrific episodes of World War II?!

Henry Budge is 92 years old and maneuvering with difficulty. He has some wonderful stories to tell and this one is about a love found and lost on the battlefields of France in 1944. It is a story that teaches us “The pleasure of love lasts only a moment; the grief of love lasts a lifetime.” The story also pays tribute to the courageous men and women of the Resistance and especially those who tried to save the children by transporting them over the Pyrenees.

There is humor, tongue-in-cheek dialog, heartbreak, fear, murder, mayhem and maybe a few too many references to the gibbous moon. There are honest and extraordinary descriptions of the Battle of the Bulge and other parachute jumps that went horribly wrong. There is a hard look at whether it is desertion to turn away from your orders to help others in great need. I found myself reaching for my tissues as tears flowed freely. When I finished the book in the evening I thought I had put it to rest but I found that I was thinking about it as I woke up and it is still with me.

Thank you NetGalley and Blank Slate Press for a copy.

For me this is a book of two halves. In the first half I wasn't really connecting with the WW2 storyline, although I love to read about this time. I didn't really see how Harry and Elodie fell in love so quickly, she would have been mixing with a lot of men during that time and I didn't see what was so special about Henry that made her fall in love with him! Anyway, by about the midway point I did feel the connection between them as they helped the children escape. By about 3/4 of the way in I couldn't put the book down as I was desperate to know what happened to the children and how Henry would find France after 70 years. This would make a great film.

In 2014 Boston, 92-year-old Henry Budge, a retired, widowed history professor and WWII veteran, wants to attend the 70th D-Day ceremonies in France. But when he gets shot in the street doing a good Samaritan deed, and ends up in hospital and in rehab, his family vehemently opposes his travel plans.

In 1944 Henry is parachuted behind enemy lines and, after being injured, is cared for by a young Frenchwoman, Élodie, a resistance fighter. Henry falls in love with Élodie and not only assists her in resistance operations but also, evading German troops and taking great risks, they escort groups of young Jewish children across the Pyrenees to safety in Spain. Henry also gambles on being charged with desertion. Hence, Henry is so adamant about going to France that even though the doctors forbid him to fly, he decides to cross the Atlantic by ship. Booking sea and train passages and hotels secretly from his laptop, he steals away from his hospital’s convalescence room.

In the reader’s guide, Norman Gautreau indicates that he conceived the idea for this novel from several sources, particularly the true story of Bernard Jordan, an 89-year-old British veteran who escaped from a nursing home to attend the 70th commemoration of the D-Day landings, in which he’d taken part. The novel is superbly written, and although there are frequent time shifts between the present day and the war years, and even flashbacks within them, the interesting plot keeps the story moving forward. Some real-life people appear in the story, such as the Catalan cellist Pablo Casals and former President Obama, making his speech at Omaha Beach during the 2014 D-Day ceremonies. Moonlight plays a significant role in the narrative. Gautreau’s haunting images of the simultaneous shining of moonlight on the different theaters of the war and the “reflection from the dark side” are awe-inspiring.

This review appeared in the HNR Issue 88 (May 2019)

Breathtaking! A story that stays with you long after you’ve closed the back cover!

This book was a privilege to read. I’ll be honest and say that when I first saw the title, I thought it was a novel about Apollo 11 because that’s a big news story recently.. But, it turns out that it begins with another event that recently had a major anniversary of its own—D-Day.

What I found was a beautifully written character by the name of Henry...who lived two lives. One up to and just a little bit past WWII and another from that point on to the present. He’s on a quest to find closure to the life he lived up until the end of the war. It had a beginning and middle and the end...well, it just wasn’t one he could sit with so he’s determined to put his mind and heart at peace as he enters his mid 90’s. Along on this journey is his faithful granddaughter Callie, who manages to pull a story out of him that no one had ever been able to do before.

Each page flows seamlessly into the next. The jump from past to present is effortless. This book should be made into a movie! I would be waiting with great anticipation for its release. I’m so grateful to have stumbled upon it and to have been able to go on Henry’s journey with him. Thank you Mr. Gautreaux for this amazing tale.

This is a wonderful story of love and loss in 1944 Nazi occupied France. Henry Budge, a young American is parachuted into Normandy in preparation for D-day but something goes wrong and he is dropped in the wrong place and injured. Rescued by a French resistance group, he is taken with them and tended by a yong woman called Élodie, a young violinist who has been helping allied soldiers escape to Spain over the Pyrenees. Now aged 92, Henry has never forgotten Élodie and their time together in France. After the war he met his wife Anna and together raised a family, but after she died his thoughts have returned to his first love, Élodie and he plans to travel to Normandy for the 70th anniversary of D-day.

As Henry plans his trip to France and plots to escape from his family and the rehab hospital where he is recovering from a serious injury, he reminisces on his time in France 70 years ago and knows he needs to find some closure by going to Normandy. Gautreau has created a wonderful character in this feisty 92 year old with a sense of humor and independent spirit. Élodie seems to be too perfect to be true, but given that they were only together for a short time and the strain under which they lived, always on the run, I think Henry can be forgiven for having idolised her. I enjoyed Guatreau's lovely prose and loved the ending of the book, although there did seem to be rather a lot of coincidences falling into place, but that can be forgiven as it all made for a beautiful book. 4.5 stars

Thank you NetGalley and Blank Slate Press for this arc.

Based on this book's blurb, I was expecting a very different story. It should definitely be classified as a romance.

It was an evenly paced read and easy to follow through the flip-flopping between the present and Henry's "flashbacks". I was hoping for a wider historical view of WWII, but it was pretty limited to Henry's escape from the German troops. In the present time, Henry seemed to be a likeable and blunt spoken character and I can't fault anyone who wants to escape a rehab nursing home. Henry was the only character that felt even the least little bit real to me. Overall, this was the story of Henry's yearning for Elodie over 70 years. An unrequited romance. Elodie was presented as a real wonder woman -- able to do anything and completely fantasized. The ending was so sappy, I had to suck a lemon. But that's me. Overall, if sweet romance stories are your thing, this was a good read.

92 year old Henry is by far the best part of this book. His younger self and Elodie were entertaining but much less believable. The next major character, the moon, brought an interesting perspective to the story. I debated between 3 and 4 stars but although I thought the writing was a bit trite at times and that some of the characters and plot lines weren't believable, I was still pulled right into the story and enjoyed reading every page; hence 4 stars. It is also a good historical read to commemorate DDay and to pay homage to the incredible soldiers who were dropped into Normandy - to those that died trying to root out evil and to those who survived and went on to fight and win the war and to those who helped save so many while risking and at times sacrificing their own lives.

One warning: there are a handful of very violent and hard to read scenes.

Thank you to NetGalley for providing me an early release in exchange for an honest and fair review.

Right now I'm feeling mystified about the author Norman G Gautreau and the lack of Goodread ratings for his books.    Having only just finished his latest title 'The Light From The Darkside Of The Moon' I was delighted to see he had four earlier titles.  I loved everything about this book - the intelligent writing, the characters, the story, the way I was emotionally engaged and moved by his words- and actually I thought I was late to the party in discovering this excellent author.    So imagine my surprise when I discovered his earlier books had been reviewed by only a handful of readers, not the thousands I'd expected.    If I'm able to get my hands on any of his other books I feel compelled to read them, if only to satisfy my curiosity.    I cannot believe an author of this calibre does not have a huge following.

We meet Henry Budge the 92 year old protagonist of The Light From The Darkside Of The Moon as he is planning to travel to France for the events commemorating 70 years since the D-Day landings he was part of.   He tells his story through his journal in which he reflects on his memories of Elodie, his first true love and their combined efforts to escort refugee children over the Pyrénées and help them escape to freedom.      His journal is helping him to face up to the grief he's suppressed his entire adult life.  Not only of his experiences in war but of the loss of his Elodie (pronounced Ay Low Dee <i>"A three-note song. A melody</i>." )As his narrative seamlessly alternates between the present day and the past we come to understand the type of man he is and has always been.  An intelligent man full of compassion and humanity.   As one character puts it <i> ".... at their core, people like us remain constant. And in a time of war, people exist almost solely at their core.”</i>   .

We meet his family, his children, grand children and great grand children.    We learn that true love never dies.    We come to appreciate the difficulties of aging and the fine balance between wanting independence and the growing need for assistance.   More than that we get yet another reminder of the brutality of war, the senseless losses, the families split apart, the hunger, and the fears.   This was a beautifully written book and it's one I wholeheartedly recommend.   

Congratulations and thanks to the author, Blank Slate Press and NetGalley for the opportunity of reading this digital ARC in exchange for an honest review which it was my pleasure to provide.

4.5 stars rounded up on Goodreads.

A lovely and well written book about a love that transcends time. Henry Budge is an U.S. Army paratrooper who jumps into occupied France. He is rescued by a Resistance fighter named Elodie. She nurses him back to health and they fall in love. He helps her take Jewish children over the Pyrenees Mountains into Spain to survive the Nazis. The story is told from Henry’s viewpoint in two time frames. His voice is well written, and he is immediately likable to the reader. He is 92 years old, and he wants to get to the 70th anniversary celebration of D-Day in France. I won’t give anything else away, but it is a wonderfully told story that I could not put down. I highly recommend this book. hank you net Galley for the free e-copy of this book.

OMG, I love Henry Budge! Don’t call him 92 years young, he earned it. “It took a lot of years to get here”. And he’s more concerned about his lost dog than his own health. And make sure you speak proper English around him, no mixing plural possessive pronouns with singular pronouns.

The story goes back and forth between Henry parachuting into France on D Day, being wounded and found by French Resistance fighters and the present day (2014). Gautreau does a beautiful job of making the uninitiated understand the torment of a war veteran, even 70 years later. He has also done a great job describing the earlier period, as Henry and Eloise travel to the south and eventually lead children over the Pyrenees. Their story makes you realize how many good souls there were, willing to risk their own safety to help others.

This book will capture your heart. Yes, the ending is sappy and unbelievable. And I didn’t care. I cried. I recommend this to anyone who is a fan of historical fiction. It’s not perfect, there are a few unresolved storylines (like Private John True).

My thanks to netgalley and Blank Slate Press for an advance copy of this book. The book was actually published on May 21, 2019 so it is already available.

4.5 stars rounded to 4 stars

OK people, where are you on this book? I am only the 8th person in the world to review it, and I’m scratching my head as to why that is. Just look at that gorgeous cover and that swoon-worthy title. Oh my. Those are what grabbed me first. I then found the review by a most trusted Goodreads buddy Ms. Angela M, and I was sold.

The author of this book has previously written several novels, one of which (Sea Room) has won a couple of awards, but for some reason people aren’t reading them. I think I will give them a try.

The Light From the Dark Side of the Moon is a wonderful story. It is told in dual timelines-- the present when our narrator, Henry Budge, is 92 years old and 1944 France when Henry is 20. Henry’s wonderful wife Anna with whom he has completed a wonderful life has died, and Henry has gone through the grieving process for her. He now finds himself grieving for and haunted by memories of his first love, Elodie, a musician and French resistance fighter who saved his life in 1944 when he was injured while being dropped into Normandy. Henry never had any sort of closure with Elodie, and he feels compelled to return to France to attend the 70th anniversary D-Day ceremonies in hopes that returning to Europe can in some way heal the relentless angst he is harboring. He also has regrets about his role in the war, another thing Henry wishes to somehow come to terms with.

As we journey with Henry as he remembers the past we get a good look at Nazi-occupied France. I especially liked the insight we get as these courageous people involved with the Resistance escorted people out of France, across the Pyrenees into Spain. What chances they took and how they all suffered, especially the children involved! I would have loved more detail from the children’s perspectives, but this is such a rich character study of the two lead cast members, the author couldn’t possibly have fit in much more.

I fell for Henry right off the bat, and the love and respect I felt for him bound me to this book. There has been some criticism from other readers regarding the ending. That it is too pat, too predictable, a bit unrealistic. Yes, I agree. But I also accept all that and pronounce the ending perfect, at least for me.

I also want to mention Mr. Gautreau’s wonderful prose and his knack for beautifully describing a scene without using an abundance of words. Well done, sir!

This book has a bit of something for everyone. We get well written characters, a compelling and suspenseful plot, a sweet yet subtle romance, an opportunity to learn new details about the war of all wars, and a reminder of the sheer unselfishness and unfathomable courage of the people who put their own lives at stake to help those in need. I have heard that many younger people in our country know next to nothing about this war. I encourage everyone reading this review, especially those who are not big fans of nonfiction, to pick up a few of these historical fiction novels set during World War II and discuss them with others. It’s an easy and captivating way to learn about the war, and more importantly, to keep alive the memories of the massive suffering, the sacrifices, and the courageous humanitarianism of the people who lived during this dreadful era.

I recommend The Light From the Dark Side of the Moon to everyone. Of note, as of this writing, this novel is still available on Net Galley with the archive date yet to be set.

I wish to thank Net Galley, Blank Slate Press, and Mr. Norman Gautreau for an advanced review copy of this novel. Opinions are mine alone and are not biased in any way.

The Light From the Dark Side of the Moon is my new favorite Norman G. Gautreau novel. It is one of those books that seem to end all too quickly. Reading this novel is pure pleasure due to the simple beauty of the prose. This is about Henry Budge, a 92-year-old WWII veteran who was a paratrooper in France in 1944. The story moves from present-day Boston to France during the war. Henry leaves an American rehabilitation hospital to travel to D-Day ceremonies, 70 years after he was last there. He wants to honour the memory of Élodie, a French resistance fighter he has loved most of his life. Henry's memories inform the reader about what happened during the war: the two lovers fought against the German onslaught and saved many Jewish children from the Holocaust by bringing them to safety on foot across the French countryside. After all this time, Élodie has remained in Henry's heart. This is a beautiful story about two people finding love during some of the most horrible circumstances ever. Highly recommended. Thank you to Blank Slate Press and NetGalley for the e-ARC in exchange for an honest review

Historical fiction is my favorite genre and I am frequently drawn to WWII stories, most of which reflect the horrors of the war, the destruction of many homes and churches, synagogues, towns and cities, the loss of so many lives, the awful deaths, the horrific holocaust. But many of them also reflect not only the courage of those who died, but of those who fought, of those who resisted the Nazis, of those who risked their lives to save young Jewish children. Several days ago marked the 75th anniversary of D-Day. This book is about a man who was there that day on Omaha Beach and wants to commemorate the 70th anniversary, find some closure for the loss of a woman he loved back then. I thought it would be good to read this in commemoration of the 75th anniversary and I’m glad I did.

This is more than just a sentimental story of an old man trying to recapture his past. It’s a story of war and the flashbacks are descriptive and painful and powerful depicting that in Normandy where a young Henry Budge lands. It is also a love story as Henry meet a young woman, Élodie of the French resistance. This is a fantastic telling of a story using alternating past and present narratives and one of the best using this type of narrative that I’ve read. The changes in time and place feel seamless. The past sections beautifully illustrate why going back to France means so much to Henry as he remembers what happened there. The writing is beautiful as Élodie and Henry’s relationship grows as they move away from the fighting to become protectors, bringing children on a harrowing journey to safety.

The ending was beautiful and tearful. This would have been five stars if not for a couple of things that felt a little unrealistic and a little too pat. But I still found it to be an amazing depiction of this time in history and recommend it to those who love historical fiction.

I received an advanced copy of this book from Blank Slate Press through NetGalley.

“If prayers are truly made of sound, the air will be filled with the splash of waterfalls and the joyful cries of free children gamboling in the surf and the singing of the women gathering bananas and hibiscus flowers….. this is just one little excerpt to show you how beautiful the writing is. What a sweet sweet gem of a book.
G.H. Budge (Henry) and Elodie stole the show in this home run of a book. I immediately fell in love with Henry, this 92-year-old cantankerous kind hearted sweet man. His only wish is to attend the 70th Anniversary of the D-Day invasion in Normandy, and to find closure after a lifetime of dreaming and yearning for the love of his life. Not that his wife, Anna, of many years was also not a true love, but Henry shows us that it is possible to have two loves in a lifetime.
The entire story is told by Henry, he switches between remembering his time in the war and his present circumstances. His time during the war is one of the best descriptive versions of war-time that I have read. I loved the way this story was told; it was like we were right there with Henry all the time. I highly recommend. This story has it all, love, loss, heartache, fun, laughter, humor and most of all, hope….
This one gets 5*****’s. I was given an advanced copy from Blank Slate Press and Net Galley for my honest review.

Norman C. Gautreau In The Light From the Dark Side of the Moon relates the story of a WWII veteran, alternating between his present life at age 90 and his past war experiences. Although at points it is a bit beyond belief, it is still interesting and well told.

The Light From the Dark Side of the Moon is a fascinating story of a world war II veterans history, loves and delusions. Its an interesting plot in which 92 year old Henry makes his way to France for the ceremonies of the 70th observance of D-Day to address the grief of lost love. My thanks to Netgalley, the publisher and the author for an advance copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review. #TheLightFromTheDarkSideOfTheMoon