This is Meghan Holloway's debut and she is off to a great start. Told mainly from the POV of Rhys Gravenor as his searches for his missing son in war torn France.

This was quite the journey for Rhys as he is aided and be friended with Charlotte (an ambulance driver) and Otto, a stray dog. Not only does Rhys learn much about his son, Owain's, role these last few years but Rhys also reminiscences over the past which was carefully woven throughout this story.

The author stayed true to history, her research is evident. Her characters are memorable and well written. Once More the Breach is a story of parental love and heartache. There is danger and mystery, betrayal and surprises. Definitely a story that was enjoyable to read with a writing style that was engaging.

A great debut and an author I will be reading more of.

In 1944 Rhys Gravenor, a Welsh man, is searching for his son Owain. They had a falling out and Owain left to join the war. Rhys made his way to Paris in search of his son. Along his journey, Rhys meets an ambulance driver Charlotte and a dog named Otro. They both become his travel companions. The plot of this book was really captivating and inspiring. This is about family, regret, and bravery.

A deliciously dark and gripping historical fiction, Once More Unto the Breach is a must-read!

It takes place during WWII and shows us the love of a father and what he will do to find him.

Rhys follows his son's trail from Paris to the perilous streets of Vichy to the starving mobs in Lyon to the treacherous Alps. But Rhys is not the only one searching for his son. In a race of his own, a relentless enemy stalks him across the country and will stop at nothing to find the young man first. The country is in tatters, no one is trustworthy, and Rhys must unravel the mystery of his son's wartime actions in the desperate hope of finding him before it's too late. Too late to mend the frayed bond between them. Too late to beg his forgiveness. Too late to bring him home alive.

I can't wait to read more from this author.

I was really looking forward to reading this book. I am a huge fan of books focused on WWII. Plius the book was touted as being for fans of The Nightingale. But, alas, I was not that impressed. One of the positive aspects of the book, though, is that it covered the time period after the war. So the information provided was interesting. However, the graphic violence was a little too much to handle. The flashbacks were a little distracting and kept the book from flowing well.

Thank you to NetGalley and Polis Books for my advanced review copy. All opinions and thoughts are my own.

This was a powerful WWII historical fiction read. Rhys is a Welsh sheep farmer who’s son, Owain, is missing. Rhys goes to liberated France to search for him. Rhys’ love for his son drives the book forward.
It was hard to put down once I started, 5 stars.

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

ONCE MORE UNTO THE BREACH is a beautifully written book. Holloway’s descriptions are gorgeous. And wow, this is an emotional read! The beginning is a slow burn but I was quickly wrapped up in following Rhys’ search for his son in the midst of WWII. The resolution was both satisfying and honest; I appreciated that Holloway did not make light of what the characters survived in order to wrap the ending up in too perfect a bow.

Trigger Warnings: rape, child death, torture

Thank you Polis Books and NetGalley for the ARC! The opinions in this review are honest and my own. #OnceMoreUntoTheBreach #historical #thriller #mystery

Incredible! I loved Once More Unto the Breach - suspense, action, history - it had everything! Definitely recommend. I put this one off because I felt I'd had my fill of WWII stories but this was a unique page turner.

Once More Unto the Breach by Megan Holloway

Brief Summary: Rhys is on a search for his son in the immediate aftermath of WWII in France. His search starts in the alleys of Paris where he meets Charlotte an ambulance driver who joins him to Vinchy, Lyon, and finally to the Alps. Along the way we learn about his relationship with his son, his son’s work, and their many narrow brushes with danger as someone is following them in hopes of finding him first. I was excited to read this book as an enthusiast of WWII fiction especially when it was said to be for fans of the Nightengale, one of my all time favorites!

Highlights: This is an incredibly action-packed historical thriller with some very graphic and violent scenes. I enjoyed learning about the immediate aftermath, as most WWII fiction book storylines end around the time the war does. At times events were unlikely or coincidental. I did like learning about ways they saved both art and children during the war. There were plenty of lies, secrets, and suspense to hold my interest. This is a quick and easy read.

Explanation of Rating: 3.5/5; interesting storyline that held my interest but did not enjoy the graphic violence.

Thank you to Net Galley and Polis Books for an ARC of this novel in exchange for an honest review

Rhys Gravenor is a veteran of World War I and came home to Wales to raise a family and sheep. Years later, he finds himself in Paris during its liberation with a message from his son. He is on a quest to find him. He gets some unexpected help from Charlotte, an American ambulance driver. This quest leads him all over Europe and Rhys is not the only one hunting his son. During his search he discover the secrets his son was hiding and that just increases his urgency to find his son before it is too late to mend their broken relationship.

I don’t want to say too much about the plot due to spoilers, but this one was not what I expected – in a good way. I went into this book knowing it was a World War II historical fiction. I didn’t expect the mystery aspect and the suspense that came along with this story. I had to keep reading to see what would happen next and to try to figure out what drove this father and son apart to begin with. And while this was suspenseful and full of mystery, it was also a story of a father having to come to terms with his own flaws. This was a fabulous read and if you enjoy reading things from the World War II era, this one is definitely for you. Four out of Five stars for me.

Thanks to Polis Books and Netgalley for providing a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you for the opportunity to read this. I will be posting a full review to Goodreads, Amazon, and Instagram.

An excellent. Book of historical fiction a story that kept me turning the pages.I highly recommend this novel .#netgalley#polisbooks

An absolutely interesting Historical Fiction (novel), which is completely engrossing and deeply evolving. The best thing about this novel is the fact that facts blend with fiction so nicely that one never finds it an exhaustive read, however, it is definitely absorbing and evolves as the story moves forward. Multiple times throughout the novel there is the use of different languages, which in itself never becomes a hindrance in the reading process. In the end as a reader, I felt, understood, realized and accepted the fact that this is a neatly written novel, which is very well edited. A lost must have gone into the research work when mention has been about historical facts and also it's detailed. However, this never slackens the pace of storytelling, which in itself is commendable. Two tracks run parallel to each other. One is that of how the world outside is changing and the other one is the fact that the story which begins on an interesting note continues along the same track in a steadfast manner. The end is interesting, the plot moves in the right direction and as a reader, I can read it as a thriller or a historical fiction. However, I will always read it as historical fiction, if and when I read it again. A terrific read. A must-read for those, who are always interesting in reading something different.

Rhys is searching war-torn France for his missing son. After leaving each other on unhappy terms, Rhys arrives with a letter from his son and a determination to find him no matter what. Charlie is an ambulance driver who is a little more involved than Rhys could ever have expected. They take on the search together amidst danger and discover insights into what Rhys' son has been involved in.

Can't decide between 3 1/2 and 4 stars. This is labeled as a historical thriller. I suppose there is a small element of that in this book. While I enjoyed the story overall, I didn't feel as involved in the character's lives as I had hoped. It was an interesting look at WWII in France- the resistance that was trying to save art from getting into the hands of the Germans. I liked it, didn't love it.

Thank you NetGalley for an ARC for my honest review.

I really enjoyed reading this book! Historical Fiction is one of my favorite genres and this one did not disappoint. I found this story very interesting and compelling. Highly Recommend!

This book is a compelling historical thriller which kept me turning pages long into the night. The characters were well-written and there was a lot of action.

Once More Unto the Breach tells the story of a father searching for his son in WW2 France. Rhys, the father enlists the help of an American nurse, Charlotte, who drives an ambulance for the Allies. In their search for Rhys son, Owain, they encounter many barbaric actions of the Germans that have occupied France. They find out that Owain has joined the French Resistance to help get Jewish children to safety and out of France. As Rys and Charlotte search for Owain, a despicable German named Henri is also tracking Owain who he thinks is hiding art. The story is action packed with many close calls. The author does a good job on characterization and building the suspense to keep the reader moving toward the conclusion.
I thank NetGalley and Polis Books for allowing me to read and give an honest review.

I absolutely loved this book. It grabbed my attention from the start and kept it the entire way through. I've read a lot of WWII books, and I have to say this is one of my favorites.

A brutal, vivid tale of war, family, and survival centered around Rhys, a Welsh Shepherd, and his search for his son. It takes a bit of effort to follow the excessive use of conversation, but the end result is worth it. This is an enjoyable and satisfying read for fans of historical fiction and World War II.

“Once More unto the Breach” by Meghan Holloway is yet another book in the popular WWII historical fiction genre. But this novel definitely stands on its own. It is as much mystery and suspense as war and romance.

The plot of “Once More unto the Breach” was intricate and completely original, as was the cast of characters: Rhys, a Welsh farmer and former soldier from the Great War seeks his son after a rift tore them apart. Along the way, he meets an American woman who drives an ambulance. She is enigmatic and charming. There is also a dog, Nazis, Parisians, nuns, and a vicious killer.

The one thing that I struggled with as I read this book was keeping track of what was happening—and when. There were a lot of flashbacks, memories from Rhys’s past that came up without warning. They were italicized, but I often had to stop and take stock of what was happening. Likewise, the author used a lot of dialogue in the characters’ languages. Welsh, English, French, and German were used frequently. This could add to the confusion as they were also in italics.

Minor confusion, aside, I loved the plot and the characters in this book. I also appreciated that it wasn’t your typical WWII English vs Nazis story. There were other players in the war and getting to know them in “Once More unto the Breach” was a pleasure.

I give “Once More unto the Breach” 4 stars!

Thank you to Polis Books and NetGalley for providing me with an Advance Reader Copy of “Once More unto the Breach” in exchange for an honest review.

No matter how much WW2 fiction I cannot get enough! Holloway's book is a thriller set against the backdrop of WW2. Rhys's journey to find his son is poignant and touching. While the added suspense of the enemy also closing in provides some much appreciated tension in the story. Looking forward to reading more of Holloway's works