This novel is based on the inspiring and moving love story of Ilse Stein, a German Jew, and Willy Schultz, a Luftwaffe Captain in the Minsk ghetto, who risked his life to save the one he loved the most.
This is a very emotional read, A stunning tribute to love and life.

Based on a true story, this Holocaust navel is about struggles to stay alive, and finding forbidden love during this time. Ellie Midwood did a wonderful job recreating the love story between IIse and Willy, a German Jew and a Captain that found love during the Holocaust and how they struggled during it.

This historical novel is the true story of Isle Stein, a Jewish Woman, and Willy Schultz, a Luftwaffe soldier, set in Minsk, Byelorussia during WWII. I have read many WWII novels about ghettos or concentration camps usually taking place in Germany, but never one which had a ghetto inhabited by Russian communists and German Jews, so this was an interesting story for me. The communists and Jews were kept separate but Lisa and isle strike up a friendship. Lisa is involved with the Partisans who worked to help people escape. The story is about love and friendship during a most difficult time. Most of the characters are based on real people. I found the novel to be one of the better historical fiction about ghettos nvand look forward to reading the first and third in the series. Thanks to NetGalley for a preview of this novel.

What a wonderful story I love books by this author and she does Amazing Storys it's in every single book she writes..
This is the story of Ilse Stein and Willy Schultz.. Willie does what he can to keep Ilsa, alive along with her two sisters after they have been ripped from their homes.. the Jews had no rights back in those days the girls and their mother and father were put on a train to be shipped off to a place that well not a place anyone would want to go father passed before they got where they were going and he was just tossed off like common garbage never had a place to go and say your last goodbyes to your father... when you get to your destination your mother is ripped from your life.. and then your Journey Begins the things that you and your sisters will go through..I Truly Loved Every Moment of this Book.
Thank you Ellie Midwood.
Thank you Netgally for allowing me to read this arc..

If you love historical stories or even become intrigued by the Holocaust, you should check out this love story amongst the horror. 

As you can probably guess from the content, it's not a light read in any way. We do feel the emotions, tragedy, and violence of the time, but being able to have a romance in all of it made it a little easier to read. 

It's a story of survival. A story beautifully written giving this 5 out of 5 stars. 

It's definitely a different vibe than I am used to reading, but every word was worth it! Don't forget the tissues..

A new standalone novel taking place during the Holocaust.

In this story we follow Ilse who after a mostly carefree childhood is shipped off with her family to Minsk Ghetto. It shows the absolute horrors of life in the ghetto, but also that love and friendship spring and flourish in the most unexpected places.

Ilse is wonderful characters. Smart and strong. She dreams, but is also very practical and fierce to the people she loves.

War isn’t black and white, just as people aren’t either. There are good on bad people of both sides. One of my favorite lines was “ Who would have thought that words could hold so much power, to stir so much hatred that it would eventually lead to genocide?”.

This story is based on the inspiring story of a German family deported to a Minsk ghetto in 1941. A story about a woman’s fight to stay alive during on of the most horrific periods in history.. The writing is gorgeous and the characters feel so real like you could almost reach out and touch them.

I highly recommend this book if historical fiction is your genre. This book brings the good the bad and everything in between to light. It’s beautiful,, chilling and terrifying and most of all hopeful. I loved this story even thru the tears at time.

Ellie Midwood is a new author to me, but I will definitely be searching out some of her other writing. The love between a German Jew and a Luftwaffe captain is poignantly explored, bringing all of the heartache that is expected during the Nazi regime. Haunting, and recommended.

No Woman’s Land by Ellie Midwood is an excellent historical fiction novel that is based on true events in Minsk/Eastern Occupied lands by Germany during the time period roughy 1941-1943.
This was a fascinating story, more so after getting to read the Author’s very informative note at the end allowing the reader the insight to know what was true to fact and history, and what few liberties for the sake of the novel were added.
I enjoyed the relationship of Ilse and Willy and I did find their budding romance and chemistry vividly and appropriately reproduced for the reader. I found myself rooting for them and on the edge of my seat towards the end of the novel. I enjoyed where the Author finished the book, however I now am looking up information to find out the continuation of their story. I hope it ends positively despite the mounting odds.

Being Jewish myself, these novels and bits of history are vital to not only keeping our people from being forgotten and lost, but also gives one hope that despite the atrocities that have been hurled our way, we are resilient and strong, and will hold fast to our history, heritage, faith, and fellow human beings so that this will hopefully never be repeated.

This is a great book.

5/5 stars

Thank you NetGalley and Ellie Midwood for this amazing ARC and in return I am submitting my unbiased and voluntary review and opinion.

I am submitting this to my GR account and Amazon accounts immediately. Links provided below under Add Links in NetGalley.

Ellie Midwood grew up hearing her grandfather, Junior Sargent in the 2nd Guards Take Army of the First Belorussian Front, tell of his experiences on the frontline. From those stories and her love of history, No Woman's Land was written. it is the story of Ilse Stein and Willy Schultz who met in Minsk in 1942. Ilse is a Jew whose family was transported from Frankfurt to Minsk. Her father died on the train, and upon their arrival her mother was shuttled immediately to the "killing" van. Ilse and her sisters live in the Jewish ghetto and were part of Germany's forced labor. One day, Ilse was taking to work in Willy's building. When she answered a question, Willy took an instant liking to her, and they grew to love each other. They want to escape so they can be free and plan a future.

It is the story of the Minsk ghetto, it's underground, and the resistance in the forests around Minsk. it is the story of the Germans who were stationed there. Some of the Germans take delight in persecuting and killing the Jews; were ready for the killing to end. It is the story of love and courage in the midst of some of the worst times in history. If you enjoy reading novels based on true stories, you'll enjoy this one.

I was allowed to read this book on Net Galley. They do not require me to give a good review.

I read this in one sitting. It is very compelling and takes place during the holocaust. It is a little all over the place but the heart of this novel is a romance. Thank you to netgalley for the ARC.

This ARC was courtesy of netgalley - all thoughts and opinions are mine and unbiased

My fave 2 genres - historical fiction and romance.

I absolutely loved this - couldn't put it down and read it in 1 sitting

Dark and evocative - wonderfully written - I was drawn in from the very beginning - another late night finishing a book!!

Highly recommended

Great summer read

This was a dark, haunting book, which is to be expected considering the subject matter. It's beautifully written and it was hard not to imagine the horrific circumstances that people had to try to survive through. It is also a story of hope and resistance and that's what keeps you reading on. Highly recommend.

Ilse Stein and her family are Germans in 1941. That is, until the rights of the German Jews are stripped, leaving them without land, without a home. Ilse and her sisters are transported to the Minsk Ghetto. The trip was difficult and they are left with nothing in the Minsk winter. Determined that her and her sister will survive, Ilse works diligently at the tasks given to her by the people who took everything away. While in the Ghetto Ilse befriends Rivka, a member of the underground resistance. Ilse begins to take part in small acts of resistance to help their survival. However, after a massacre of most of their work group performed by the SS, hope seems lost. A Luftwaffe officer, Willy Shultz takes over the group and shows favor toward Ilse. Willy does everything he can to keep them together and offers Ilse food and clothing to take back to the girls. As Ilse and Willy spend time together, their affection grows. However, the situation they are in has tremendous consequences for their emotions. Ilse and Willy must find out how to navigate much more than their feelings for each other as the war rages on and their futures become unclear.

Based on a true story, No Woman's Land is an emotional historical romance. Right from the beginning, the slow spread of hate and anti-Antisemitism is shown through Ilse's eyes. The writing shows the gradual but deliberate spread of hate and how easily it caught on and and became normalized to make an entire people were made to feel less than others and eventually kill them off. Unfortunately, this is still a good lesson for today. As Ilse watches what is happening around her, she is upset at being treated differently, but feels thankful at times that she isn't treated as poorly as other Jews. Once Ilse and her family were moved out of their homes, the writing very accurately portrayed what people went through in transport and in the Ghetto. The pogroms in the Ghettos were bloody, violent and senseless. Ilse, Willy and Rivka showed tremendous strength and hope through the worst of times. I was fascinated to learn about the amazing members of the Resistance within the Ghetto and the surrounding towns as well as the German soldiers who used their power to help where they could. Ilse and Willy's love grew gradually in the darkest of times and in the sweetest of ways; the effortless writing conveyed the magnitude of the many emotions seamlessly. Overall, No Woman's Land is an astounding story of hope, bravery, resistance, resilience and love.

This book was received for free in return for an honest review.