I enjoyed this one, but I wouldn't say that I loved it. It felt like there was something missing, but overall it was good.

While I commend this author for the complex plot and imaginative characters, I had a very difficult time engaging with it due to the stilted dialogue employed. The main characters, Charlotte Dubois, from the American South, and Rhys Gravenor, a Welsh veteran of the Great War, spoke with the exact same voice and neither one of them ever used a contraction throughout the entire book. Regardless of the action-packed plot, the exciting time period and setting, and the super-charged, ultra-evil villain, I just could not get past the dialogue, as much as I tried. I sincerely wish the book could be edited with some more believable prose developed before publication because I believe the story has promise. Just not as is. I found myself inwardly rewording each exchange of conversation between Charlie and Rhys just to complete the book.

Once More Unto the Breach is a different war story than you have probably read. The story revolves are Rhys, a sheep herder from Wales. Rhys receives a letter from his son Owain and it leads him on an adventure. Back at the beginning of WWII Rhys kicks his son out of his house and towards the end of the war he gets an unexpected letter that traveled through multiple countries and took several years to arrive. Rhys's only response is to go to France, in the middle of a German retreat, and find his boy.

Over the course of a few weeks Rhys goes on an adventure with an American woman, Charlotte. He starts in Paris and makes his way to Vichy, the Swiss Alps, and Lyon. While his only goal is to bring his son home, he ends up learning about the man his boy has become.

This book is a good solid three for me (an I liked). The story was unique and read very quickly but it is very short. You learn a lot about Rhys and Owain through dreams and flashbacks that Rhys has. While I understand their importance I found them more distracting than anything. They seemed a little disjointed spanning from Rhys's time in WWI to the day he kicks his son out in the late 30s but they are not linear so it becomes difficult to follow them at times.

If you are a historical fiction reader or want a different WWII story definitely pick this one up because you will probably enjoy it.

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: <spoiler> rape, child death, torture </spoiler>

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

Wonderfully haunting story that stays true to the real events that it draws from. The characters will stay with you for a lifetime, and it is one you will want to pick up and read time and time again.

Once More Unto the Breach is a WW2 historical fiction thriller about a Welsh father named Rhys searching for his son. I enjoyed this novel. It was refreshing to read something of this genre that just told a good story without any crazy coincidences or unbelievable characters. Lately so much of historical fiction has been falling into these patterns, and it was nice to not see that here.

Charlotte was great and I liked everything about her. There is another character named Henri that gets introduced that I was hoping to learn more about. He seemed very interesting but I never got to know much about him.

Thank you to Meghan Holloway, Netgalley and Polis Books for the advanced reading copy. 3.5/5 stars.

What a emotional, edge of your seat thriller. My goodness this book is amazing, I know I say that a lot, but this is something very special. I am a huge fan of WW2 era fiction, and I have read an awful lot of fiction from this genre to know that Once More Into The Breach is a masterpiece of story telling.

Set at the end of WW2, the story is told through the eyes of WW1 veteran and now farmer; Rhys who has set out to war torn France to find his son. Which is far easier said then done, as Rhys is still traumatised from his own experience in the trenches during the Great War, he is still feeling the affects, there are periods of confusion where he is transported back and he is left scared and broken, which is why he was adamant that he would never return to France. That is until his son goes missing, he puts his own personal thoughts and anguish to one side and takes a step into the big unknown.

Once there is meets mysterious and enigmatic Charlotte, who is not all that she appears to be, I love that as soon as we meet Charlotte, there is just this feeling you get that something isn’t quite right about her, she has secrets and even though I do like her I was always thinking that she is out for herself, she has motives in everything she does and she knows far more then she claims.

Rhys and Charlotte set of on their journey of discovery through war torn France, at every turn there is something that stands in their way to find the answers to the questions that keep filtering through Rhys’ mind, he is desperate to find his son or find out what happened to him and then the other questions start emerging as what exactly did Owain do in France during the war? And What is Charlotte’s motives in helping him? Their journey is full of action and intrigue, of secrets, lies and suspense.

Meghan Holloway is an incredible narrator, she hooks you from that first dramatic and emotional page right to the last, her play with words is mesmerizing it was literally like being inside of Rhys’ head, you feel each and every emotion, his pain, his terror, his confusion, especially in the snap shots into his life during WW1, the way being in the trenches impacted on his life is heart-breaking. This fine woman has got a real gift, her passion and love of the story and her need to tell Rhys’ story is evident.

This is a real page turner, it has a constant undercurrent of fear and anguish throughout th book, mostly from Rhys, he broke my heart. He is a genuinely lovely man, he feels a lot of emotions that build up from fear and pain, to love for his son, the need to do what is right, his is scared by his own emotions especially when we have flashbacks into his past. But, what is the most refreshing about this is that the hero is just a regular man who has left his farm in Wales to go out and find his son.

This book is a must read for anyone who loves WW2 historical fiction, if you love the likes of Pam Jenoff, Alison Richman and Kate Mosse’s; Citadel then this is the book you need to read, I cannot wait to see what comes next from Meghan Holloway.

Gorgeous and highly recommended!

Once More Unto the Breach
by Meghan Holloway

Polis Books

Historical Fiction , Mystery & Thrillers

Pub Date 24 May 2019

I am reviewing a copy of Of Once Unto the Breach through Polis Books and Netgalley:

Once More Unto the Breach is a powerful historical thriller set against a World War 2 backdrop about a Father who will stop at nothing to find his son.

Gravenor a veteran of the Great War and a Welsh sheep farmer arrives in Paris as the city’s liberation is happening he carries in his pocket a worn letter that may have arrived years to late. He follows the footsteps of his missing son across the war torn country he struggles to come to terms with what drew a wedge between them.
He is joined by an American Ambulance driver Charlotte Dubois a woman with secrets of her own, Rhys discovers that even as liberation has swept across France, the war is far from over. He realizes too that his own war has only just started. He is haunted by memories of battles he fought before and hampered at every turn by danger and betrayal. In a race against time and war, Rhys follows his son’s trail from Paris to the dangerous 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 find that Once More Unto the Breach is a powerfully written book full of action and suspense and is worthy of five out of five stars!

Happy Reading!

During the Allied liberation of Europe Rhys Gravenor, a Welsh farmer, travels to France looking for his son in Once More Unto the Breach. With the help of American ambulance driver Charlotte Dubois he sets off on a roadtrip across the country following clues and encountering one dangerous situation after another.

The novel was off to the races before we ever got to know the main characters or their motivations. And the plot hinges on a too convenient and improbable meeting at the beginning of the novel.

Once More Unto the Breach (digital galley, Polis Books) has promise but is, unfortunately, full of stiff dialogue and it’s not really clear why Rhys is so desperately looking for his son. After all, he’s just one of millions wrapped up in WWII and displaced from their families. What makes this situation and relationship so unique that it was worth commencing a search during wartime?

Told with equal parts passion and tenderness, this novel about a father's search for his son is engaging and inspiring.

Very well-written historical fiction, set in WWII. As Rhys searches for his son Owain in war torn France, he joins up with well-developed characters to aid in his search. Fast paced and engaging, I recommend this book highly.

This took me a little while to get into, I think because things weren't explained in great detail. But as you continue to read you are drip fed nuggets and things start to make sense. Therefore from about a third of the way in I went from begrudgingly reading it to not being able to put it down! It is grim in places, as you would expect from WW2 novel and yet parts are really uplifting, one part especially put me in mind of 'The Sound of Music'! I would recommend this book but if you find the beginning a bit 'meh' just give it until about 30% in and you are in for a treat!

What a superb 5* read. Historical fiction, especially from the WWI&WWII eras have become my favorite genre and I’m sure it’s because of the quality and uniqueness of the storytelling. I am a richer person for it. I’d like to thank the author, publisher and Net Galley for the ARC! This is a multi-layered historical thriller that the author tells and successfully manages to weave seamlessly together. It revolves around a Welsh sheep farmer Rhys and his search in France for his estranged son Owain , a CO during WWII. Themes of hate, love, despair, frustration, forgiveness and redemption flowed in a fast paced plot. I loved it!

Historical fiction, I thought, was not my cup of tea. Ponderous, I thought. Heavily loaded with pedantic sidebars telling me a generational history of minutiae.

Wrong. Wrong. Again wrong.

Holloway's take on historical fiction is splendid. The author, also a researcher and information specialist, spent two years researching prior to starting the novel. She chose to tell of a recent historical period, WWII. The lead characters are captivating. The pace is any thing but ponderous, fast paced, it pulls the reader into the drama of France during the Allies invasion and liberation. This period could not be more timely as the Allies will be celebrating the 75 Anniversary of D Day on June 6, 2019.

Rhys, a Welsh veteran of WWI, is dismayed when his son, Owain, talks of becoming a Contentious Objector - one who would be part of the war effort, but would not train or engage in killing. Rhys speaks harshly, unthinkingly. Soon Owain has left Wales and is working somewhere in France. It is 1940, Germany has occupied France.

Flash forward to 1944. Rhys has come to search for his lost son. He meets Charlotte, known as Charlie. She is an American ambulance driver, fearlessly she rescues Rhys from a severe beating.
They form an agreement to jointly search for Owain. The journey takes them across France encountering many a hazard. Rhys' determination combined with Charlie's contacts make the trek possible. Risks, near death exploits, and plenty of cliff hangers will leave readers staying up late to finish just one more chapter. I will be looking for more from Meghan Holloway.

Full disclosure: I received a copy of this novel from netgalley and Polis books in exchange for an unbiased review. Thank you for the opportunity.

4.5 Stars for this epic WW2 tale set in France! For fans of historical fiction, especially WW2 historical fiction, this is a must-read. The main character is a WW1 veteran (now sheep-herder) from Wales who travels to France during WW2 in search of answers as to what happened to his estranged son. In France, he meets and is aided in his endeavors by a woman who also has secrets of her own. The story is heart-breaking and beautiful as the reader learns how far a father will go for his son. Readers of Beneath a Scarlet Sky and The Nightingale will surely love this book as well!

The above review is also pending with Amazon.com for their approval before posting

What an emotional read! For those of you that like WWII Historical Fiction, this is another one to add to your To Be Read list.
This is one of those books that catches your attention from the very first few pages and then never lets it go.
Meghan Holloway did her research in order to capture the authenticity of the emotional and physical struggles the characters face, and it really shows. It's a fast read and a page turner. Looking forward to reading more by Meghan Holloway in the future.

What a wild ride! At first I thought this book was a little slow and I wasn't connecting with the characters or the circumstances and dialogue, but at about 30% it really got rolling! Switching back and forth from present to past, the author really gives a great, round depiction of the father and why he goes through such lengths to find his son in war-torn France.
It seemed as though there were "narrow misses" at every plot build and that really made me want to come back for more! The reason I gave the book 4 and not 5 stars merely was my own lack of investment in the story and thus not gravitating toward it for the first 30%.
As a debut novel I am so happy for this author and her triumph that is her first published work!

The beginning of the novel was captivating but as the story progressed I lost interest. And I wanted soooo badly to love it but I couldn’t.

I cannot determine one aspect of the novel that I disliked as it was a culmination of many little things.

I found the characters unbelievable and dull. Rhys was too much of a hero and a villain all rolled in one. He was a hero for going to a war zone to look for his son he had disowned but he was a villain because he killed without thought or feeling. He would break a German soldiers neck and then with the next breath plan their next moves. It was scary and unbelievable.

Charlotte felt like she was just written to interact with Rhys as she had no real personality. The only character I actually enjoyed reading about was Henri and he was supposed to be the bad guy. But I found he had the most personality and depth to him, he was so evil that you couldn’t help but secretly root for him.

The plot was hard to process as they were in a war zone but rarely got attacked. The plot felt inconsistent as I was never sure where they were. One area was filled with Germans but a few kilometers away there was Americans. And there was no boundary between the two areas, they only way the reader knew which area was controlled by either side was when Rhys and Charlotte ran into which soldiers.

I also didn’t like how Rhys always seemed to be at the right time at the right moment. He was around to save the Nun from rape, he was there to get the children to safety and he was there to find the bodies. Perfect timing at all the right times. The plot should have focused on one task: the search for Rhys's son.

The writing style was okay but nothing to go crazy about. I liked the description as it really painted a beautiful picture of the scenery and landscape.

Overall I had hoped to love the novel but instead I ended up disliking it. I had to force myself to finish it and I really didn't care whether Rhys found his son or not. No character left any impact on me. To leave this review on a positive note: I loved the cover.

Thankyou to NetGalley, Polis Books and the author, Meghan Holloway for the opportunity to read a digital copy of Once More Unto The Breach in exchange for an honest and unbiased opinion.
This book provides such a good read. It was beautifully written with remarkable attention to detail.
I was hooked from the start and totally immersed into the characters.
Well worth a read.

“Once More Unto the Breach” is a fast-paced, action packed, historical thriller set in France during WWII. Rhys is a Welsh sheep farmer who goes on a dangerous and often horrifying journey to find his son, Owain. While in France, he is joined by an American woman, Charlie, and a courageous poodle named, Otto. The trio treks through war torn country in search of Owain, while experiencing some terrifying and heart-wrenching situations. While reading this book I was literally sitting on the edge of my seat as the action developed. There was not one dull moment in this story, and I will admit that my eyes were “sweating” few times. I loved all the characters, Otto being my favorite of course, and I was a little sad when the story ended. I went through some withdrawals after finishing this novel, and I definitely wanted more of Rhys, Charlie, and adorable Otto.

I highly recommend this book to all the historical fiction lovers. Although the writing is not overly descriptive and poetic, which is often true for historical fiction novels, I think the writing style worked well because of the captivating and fast moving action in this book.

Thank you NetGalley, Polis Books, and the author, talented Meghan Holloway, for giving me an opportunity to read this wonderful, action packed book in exchange for my honest opinion.