“Helping them makes me feel like I can bring some light to the world, even in the midst of all the darkness”

What a wonderful read. I’m usually not one for reading historical fiction, but I couldn’t put this book down.
She was so resilient. To understand what is happening, and create a way to survive in such a short time. Survival was key and she knew that the fastest way to survive was to get as far away as possible.
I never knew what a large role forging documents was during this time, but it makes sense now. It’s astonishing seeing just how many people it takes to work together to just save one person.
This book had me speed reading just to see what happens next. With the plot twists and unexpected Appearances, I couldn’t read it fast enough. I haven’t read this author before but I loved her style of writing and will start to read her books.

“She doesn’t understand what it means to love books so passionately that you would die without them, that you would simply stop breathing, stop existing.”

Eva Traube is forced to leave Paris with her mother after her father, a Polish Jew, is arrested in 1942. They wind up living in a small town where she is pegged for her skilled forging work. She then is enlisted to start forging papers for others, including Jewish children feeling to Switzerland. But while she must give them new names for their fake documents, Eva finds a way to preserve the real names of the children who are too young to remember.

Flash forward to 2005, when Eva discovers a magazine article featuring The Book of Lost Names in a picture — a book she hasn’t seen in 65 years! Seeing the book reminds her of her past and all of the good and bad memories during that time — you’ll just have to read this to find out what happens!

I read this one over the course of 2 days! The story was so captivating, and I loved learning more about WWII and Eva’s job as a forger. It was heartbreaking, yet hopeful, and that ENDING! That’s all I’ll say 🤫🤐

Read if you enjoy
📔Historical fiction
📔WWII settings
📔Feeling EMOTIONS
📔Dual timelines
📔The Nightingale

What a wonderful book! I loved the characters and their bravery in trying to help do what was right and to help children escape from Nazi occupied France during WWII. Based on some true stories about forgers making new documents so that escapes were possible, I learned some things and found this fascinating. I was rooting for Eva and Remy to succeed and survive! Such a heart-warming story of hope and possibility.

he Book of Lost Names ⠀
💜💜💜💜💜/5 ⠀
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Just when I think I’m completely burnt out with WWll novels along comes The Book of Lost Names! Wow. Wow. Wow! I don’t cry about books very often, but this novel got me there. I spent the last 15% reading through my own tears! (Who am I?!) I felt all the emotions for this perfect book and I fell HARD for these characters, my friends. My heart absolutely broke and BURST for them during this story. Kristin Harmel wrote this breathtaking novel so beautifully. 💜⠀
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There are a lot of WWll novels out there. I’ve read quite a bit of them, but what I love the most about them is what I’m able to learn from them. This war has such depth. There’s quite a bit going on and it’s taking place all over the world. The Book of Lost Names focused on forgery and how it served a purpose during the war. We follow Eva and her mother as they escape being captured by the Germans. They are able to find refuge in a small town where Eva finds herself to be quite good at forging documents for young children making their way to safety. ⠀
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This book is captivating and beautiful. It’s romantic and deceptive. It’s resilient and brave. It’s The Nightingale mixed with The Alice Network. Please grab this one on July 21st. If you enjoy some historical fiction then you NEED this one! ❤⠀

The Book of Lost Names is my second book by Kristin Harmel. It is a WWII historical fiction book that gives an inside look at how the documents were forged for Jewish children and others to seek refuge in Switzerland.

It has a past/present format, but I did find the present format to be a bit lacking. Also, the main character's mother drove me completely bonkers and every time she had dialogue I cringed - thankfully it wasn't too often.

Overall, I think the majority of WWII historical fiction fans will enjoy this book. It is fairly fast paced and you do want to find out how it ends. 3.5/5⭐️

This is a beautifully written, completely amazing story. I love reading about a new-to-me perspective on WWII.

I loved the sassy, determined main character and the people she creates relationships with. I highly recommend this to anyone that loves historical fiction!

This review is based upon an advance reader copy of the book. Thank you to NetGalley and Gallery books for the opportunity to read this story.

The best word to describe this book is AMAZING! I read a lot of WWII historical fiction and The Book of Lost Names is the best one that I have read in a long time.

As a graduate student in 1942, Eva was forced to flee Paris after the arrest of her father, a Polish Jew. Finding refuge in a small mountain town in the Free Zone, she begins forging identity documents for Jewish children fleeing to neutral Switzerland. But erasing people comes with a price, and along with a mysterious, handsome forger named Rémy, Eva decides she must find a way to preserve the real names of the children who are too young to remember who they really are. The records they keep in The Book of Lost Names will become even more vital when the resistance cell they work for is betrayed and Rémy disappears.

The characters in this story are so alive that they almost leap out of the page: Eva, Rémy, Pere Clement, Genevieve and others. They come together to create a story that is both heartbreaking and up lifting. A story filled with hope, love, loss and the determination to go on, even in the face of adversity.
I am in awe of the author’s ability to create a story with details so rich that you feel you are embedded within the book; seeing the flowers in the windowbox, hearing the crunch of snow underfoot, feeling the fear of discovery and always hoping that at least some can be saved.

This story will stay with me a long time and has earned a well deserved place on my list of most favorite books ever. A definite must read for fans of WWII historical fiction.

Thank you to NetGalley and Gallery Books for an ARC of this book! Release date - July 21, 2020

Wow! I wasn't sure what to expect from this book but honestly, I have read a lot of WW2 books but very few I have liked this much.

The characters! I absolutely fell for Eva and Rémy and Père Clément and all the others. They came alive and was so invested in their stories. Even the characters we only get a small glimpse of, like the children Eva meets only briefly, were so fleshed out and real and I am so curious what happened to them.

The storyline! Even though a large chunk of the story is about forging documents, I was so interested. I have never read about this aspect of the rebellion during WW2 but it was such an important part of the fight. Without forged documents many refugees would never have made it past their front step, much less to safety. And of course, the love story had me rooting for Eva and Rémy despite so many obstacles, despite knowing how everything turns out in the 2005 chapters.

The history! WW2 is one of my favorite times in history to read about. So many atrocious things were done to innocent people and books like this really bring those stories to life.

This was an absolutely emotional, well-written book. I was unexpectedly sobbing by the end. Seriously, I highly recommend it. If you liked The Nightingale, you will like this book. I want to read all of Kristin Harmel's books now.

NetGalley ARC | Rarely a book brings me to ugly tears, but The Book Of Lost Names most definitely did. I wasn't even sure that I was going to be that invested in this novel (only because I've been reading WAY too much WW2 historical fiction lately), but I couldn't have been more wrong.

I love that Harmel examines different parts of WW2 and brings them to light and life. In The Book Of Lost Names, Harmel focuses on the forgers that helped create identity documents so that children could escape the Nazis and flee into Switzerland.

I wasn't expecting a gripping and beautiful romance filled with themes about identity, religion, family, and selflessness for the good of the nation and others. This is definitely one of my favorite books of 2020. Granted, I am not sure that everyone's outcome was realistic, but I won't complain. I felt like I lived in France with them.

You can read the full review on The Uncorked Librarian: https://www.theuncorkedlibrarian.com/july-2020-book-releases/

Thank you so much to the author and publisher for providing me with a free advanced copy in exchange for a fair and honest review.

An absolutely enthralling and captivating read by Kristin Harmel. The lead characters in the Book of Lost Names easily win their way into your mind and heart. I loved how the book had some chapters taking place in the present although most are in the past. This book makes a place for itself in your heart and stays with you long after you turn the last page. Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for allowing me to read this book in exchange for an honest review.

This is a beautifully written story that captured my attention and heart from the very first pages!

Eva is 86 years old when she sees “her book” staring back at her in an open magazine. It is her book, she can hardly believe her eyes and before she knows it she is on a flight to Berlin to see it in person.

More than sixty years earlier Eva is 23 years old when her world crashes around her. She and her family are living in Paris when her dad is forcibly removed from their home sending Eva and her mom fleeing to safety. They find solace in a small town where Eva plunges into the world of forfeiting identifications for children who need new identities in order to save their lives.

This book is a story of survival, endurance, and bravery. It emphasizes the importance of the forger during the war and the danger they put themselves in, all in an effort to save others. It is an intricate network of men and women all working together. They have to rely on and trust each other with their lives as well as those they are trying to save.

Kristin Harmel is a favorite author of mine. She never fails to wow me with amazing stories and I cannot wait to see what she writes next!

A read that will linger and is full of emotions, mostly who will make it out alive!
A horrendous time in Europe and a hate for a religion that held no bounds, they cared not the age or sex of the individual and the infection spread to many sadly, no mater their religion or place in society. While there were those eager to turn in their fellow man, there were others that were willing to give their own lives to save others.
This story focus on a young woman Eve, and her struggle to survive, but what an amazing life she ends up living, and the sacrifices she makes, and we go along to meet others that come on her path. We are introduced to talented people whom are forgers, and what a vital part they played in the resistance and saving lives.
There are times when you will need tissues, and others will make you sigh, and there are a few chuckles here, and many moments of heart in your throat!
Make sure to read the author's notes at the end, and now I want to read some of her previous books, this one was that good!

I received this book through Net Galley and the Publisher Gallery Books, and was not required to give a positive review.

Thank you to netgalley.com for this ARC in exchange for a review.

I have read several of Kristin Harmel's previous books and have enjoyed them. This book did not disappoint. While it is another novel taking place in France during WWII, it focuses on a topic I hadn't read anything about previously. The story focused on forgers who work with the resistance in France against the Nazis. There is a love story intertwined as well as flash forward scenes to the current day.

I read the book in a little over a day, that is how engrossed I was in the story and to find out how it ended.

I look forward to more books by this author.

This book is like ice cream on a hot day. A welcome escape and the flavor is more vivid in its warm setting. Eva is a lovely surprise. Her work in forging documents during the resistance saved hundreds of lives. What a fitting way to use her artistic talents in the fight for France. Adding in the code work in "The Book of Lost Names" was a brilliant device to show Eva's heart for all those who were having to assume new identities to escape the Nazis. That book is front and center at the beginning and the end of the book giving delightful symmetry to the narrative. My favorite Kristin Harmel book since discovering "The Sweetness of Forgetting." Highly recommended.

Thank you to Gallery Books and to NetGalley for a DRC in exchange for an honest review.

I was not familiar with this author prior to reading. The premise, characters and back story were enjoyable. But I wasn't prepared for the religious nature of the book. Mainly because it was sooo repetitive and it really distracted me from the story.

Just like in the The Winemaker’s Wife, Kristin Harmel has opened up a new facet of WWII history to readers with this story. Diving into the word of forgery is jarring for Eva, the character in this novel, but graceful for readers and Harmel guides you through the unexpected twists and turns of Nazi occupied France. Eva has to grapple with what is safe, what is wise, and what does being true to yourself look like. She has a skill for forging, but she doesn’t want to help erase the Jewish heritage of a generation of French Jewish children fleeing to Switzerland with false papers. Establishing The Book of Lost Names is her solution to preserving identities and making sure those who are too young to remember will have a chance of reconnecting with their past.

Harmel is especially good at portraying the interactions between characters. You feel the push or pull of relationships as you encounter them. Readers of historical fiction will fly through pages to find out the resolution to the story.

I love when I can devour a book in two days. The Book of Lost names has moving relationships. , A mother and daughter relationship that I could identify with, and a powerful love story. I have never given thought to the importance of forged documents during World War II and how these “artists” saved so many lives. This is a story that keeps the memory of the Holocaust alive, and I’m grateful to Netgalley for,giving me the opportunity to read it.

This review will be posted on the below-mentioned blog and other social media on July13.
Book Title: The Book of Lost Names

Author: Kristin Harmel

Genre: Historical Fiction

Publishing Date: 21 July 2020




Line Summary:

Inspired by an astonishing true story from World War II, this book is about a young woman with a talent for forgery helps hundreds of Jewish children flee the Nazis

My Review:

Wow! What a lovely historical fiction! After “ The Nightingale “ I was looking for a similar WWII related book and this one is amazing! Though I liked the nightingale more than this, I enjoyed this too! The story was emotional and heart wrenching! The characters were heroic! The narration was fluid and crisp. Some chapters were raising my heartbeat and I was hastily turning pages to find out what happened next! But other than that few chapters its a slow-paced story for its setting! For a world war 2 related book it lacks bold adventuresome scenes but replaced them with emotional ones. I couldn’t ignore that some scenes were similar to "The Nightingale! But the climax was astonishing!!! A must-read brilliant historical fiction! 

Thoughts while reading :
This book satisfies my historical fiction thirst after "The Nightingale ". One of the things I admired in both books was the heroine oriented story, in spite of its war-related setting.

I was so mad at Eva's mother at each and every stage. And I wish Eva should have stand up for herself. And what about all the characters defend her mom?

Sometimes I felt the story lacks in bold adventurous scenes and so it fails to be a page-turner. Definitely, you need a little bit of patience to finish some chapters.

I could guess the traitor from the beginning when things going wrong! so not much surprise there, which I believe very important to keep the story's upbeat and so failed to do so!

Without mentioning the war's real cruelty and atrocities it tough to understand the importance of the forgery works unless you read or know about it from other books/sources. The book failed to make us understand it.

The initial America scene and the unsung unknown hero of war were much similar scenes from "The Nightingale".

Though it’s unbelievable I loved that emotional climax. Finally happy tears and reunion.

It is 2005. Eva Traube Abrams, 86, works in a Florida library. One day she sees a magazine article with a picture of a book, a religious book she has not seen since 1944, a book she named The Book of Lost Names. She immediately jumps on a plane and heads to Berlin and to the library where this picture was taken. The German library is trying to reunite books that had been looted by the Nazis during the war with their owners. Flashback to 1942. Eva is living with her parents, Polish Jews, in Paris where they had moved to give their daughter a better life. One night, while Eva and her mother are watching their neighbor’s children, her father is arrested and sent East to the forced labor camps. Eva and her mother flee Paris winding up in the small French town of Aurignon where Eva is united with Remy working in a small anteroom in a Catholic church forging documents to help children escape to Switzerland. In order to remember the real names of the children they create documents for, the create a code which is “hidden” with this religious book. A moving story of the hardships, fear, and utter despair of the people of France during the war, well-written with good characters and plenty of tension as well as story twists. This is the first book I have read by Kristin Harmel, and it will not be the last. Her forte seems to be historical fiction centered around WWII, a genre I truly enjoy. My thanks to Gallery Books and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review the ARC of this book.

I was expecting a dry, perhaps more informative tale of a young woman navigating her way through Nazi France. What I got with Kristin Harmel's work was so much more.

This tale follows the breathtaking and heartbreaking saga of Eva Traube as she pauses her own escape to dedicate her life to forging documents. I was hooked from start to finish. The shift from first person present to third person past was hard to grasp at first, but I found myself rooting for Eva and Remy as the story progressed. So often have I read stories of someone escaping from the Nazi regime but this work was unique in that it focused on the sacrifice of someone who worked on smuggling people over the borders to Switzerland.