This was a beautifully written, incredibly moving book. I had no idea the role that forgers played in WWII.  Once I started reading this book, I couldn’t put it down. I highly recommend it, 5 stars.

Thanks to Gallery Books and NetGalley for the ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This book is sooooo good! I loved getting to know more about Eva and her amazing feat during WW3.

Thank you @netgalley and @gallery books!

I was in such a deep romance only mood that I forgot about my love for historical fiction! So thank you Kristin for getting me back to my other love. ❤️

A book, looted from its owner by Nazi Germany, has found its way into the hands of a man who wants to find its owner and return it.  Eva, by chance sees a picture of the book in a newspaper article, as she is working in the library and recognizes her book and embarks on a journey to retrieve this important possession. Follow her from Nazi Germany to where she is today through this powerful read. 

For those, like me, who love books based on actual historical events this is a book you don’t want to miss.  Powerfully written, one of my top 3 reads for 2020. 

Thank you NetGalley, Kristin Harmel and Simon & Schustsr for this edition and hearing my honest review. Looking forward to reading more with you
#partner

What would you do to save those you loved?
What would you do to save complete strangers?
These questions and many more are answered in The Book of Lost Names, the story inspired by true events, of a young woman who not only navigates her way through WWII to keep herself alive, but many Jewish children the allies were trying to save. 
The courage it took to even consider stepping forward and helping at this level must have been astounding and as I read, my heart pounded, hoping no one would get caught. 
What an emotional roller coaster ride but so worth it. 
Heartbreaking and inspiring.

This is the first book that I read by Kristin Harmel.  I thought it was excellent.  This is one of my favorite genres and tropes, so I was excited to start The Book of Lost Names.  I was a tad skeptical having also read The Nightingale this year, but Harmel did not disappoint.

In the beginning, Ava was a bit naive.  I feared that it would carry out through the book, but she quickly became pretty savvy.  Ava quickly became a brave woman that I admire. 

The writing was engaging and had right amount of description.  This book covered it all: romance, danger, betrayal, loyalty, family, obligation, and most of all love. If you enjoyed The Nightingale, you will likely enjoy this story as well.

Thank you to NetGalley and Gallery Books for providing me with a free electronic copy in exchange for an honest review.

A beautiful story about a horrible time in history.  The story of Eva Traube who as a young Jewis woman, herself trying to avoid persecution,  becomes a forger helping many people escape France for Switzerland.  Well written with endearing characters, we see bravery and resilience in everyone.  A wonderful story.

The Book of Lost Names by Kristin Harmel is such a well-written historical fiction novel. I was so engrossed in the story that I read it one sitting. I highly recommend this one. It’s actually been a while since I’ve read a historical fiction novel too. And this was such a great one to pick up.

Eva is a very compelling protagonist and you root for her in every step of her journey. She has so much courage throughout the story and grows quite a bit. There is a romance in this one that is a bit understated compared to others in the genre and I really liked how it was handled. But by far, the most engaging parts are dedicated to the document forgers.

WWII historical fiction will always have an important place in the book world. This is one of this novels that will stick with you long after you finish the last page.

Wonderfully different story about the Holocaust times. Good character development and overall good story. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher.

3.5 Stars 
I have read a lot of WWII historical fiction. A lot. The first I remember was Mila 18 by Leon Uris, which set quite a high bar. So, it is difficult for me not to compare this novel to many other outstanding novels about this era. With that in mind, while I enjoyed this book and couldn't put it down, it felt light and a little fluffy. It lacked urgency and drama this is typical for this genre. Even the climactic run to Switzerland didn't feel particularly harrowing. I also found many of the themes a little anachronistic. A 1940's homemaker worried about "finding herself" outside of marriage? That seemed entirely out of place, especially given the circumstances. I also found it difficult to believe the mother would blame her daughter, who she was allegedly very close with, for her husband's imprisonment, as if the Nazis and war had nothing at all to do with it. And, don't get me started on the total lack of discretion or caution from Eva...breaking down in front of a prison where she could have easily been grabbed by one of the many guards, using people's real names, speaking openly about her forgery and escape plans in places where she could be overheard, visiting the children's hidden location openly, etc. She displayed exactly zero spycraft. All that said, I did enjoy the relationship between Eva and Remy and Eva's relationship with the priest and how they each changed her and helped her understand both herself and her place in the world in a more in-depth way. The writing was clear and descriptive. And, I loved that the book featured a female protagonist. For me, The Book of Lost Names was a lovely love story with a side of forgery.
Many thanks to NetGalley, Edelweiss, Gallery Books and Kristin Harmel for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This was an absolutely fantastic book!  I finished reading it a few days ago and am still finding myself thinking about it!  That, to me, is a sign of a great book.  Characters are very well-developed - they truly felt like real people; and the plot is very well-written.  The story itself is very interesting.  I learned a few things about the Resistance Movement against Nazi Germany during WWII that I did not previously know.  The book made me consider the bravery of many during this troubling time in history.  This is the first book I've read by this author, but I would definitely consider reading more by her as I enjoyed this one immensely!

I received a free copy of this book through Net Galley and this is my honest review.

I love historical fiction ,especially WWII. The Book of Lost Names was lovely, and the history of coding and forging was clearly well researched and fascinating to read about. 

Eva's relationship with her mother was probably my favorite part of the story. Her mother's pain at losing her identity is clear, and I've rarely read something from that perspective before, which made me appreciate it even more.

I love historical fiction and this is one of the best I have read in a long time, perfect for and world war II readers

Kristin Harmel is one of my favorite authors--I always love her books, and they give me all the feels. This book was no exception. Beautifully written, and I got lost in the story right from the first chapter. This book is a must not only for those who love WW2 historical fiction, but for book lovers as well.  This is an emotional, beautiful, thought provoking book right up until the last page. I could not stop reading this book and had to know what happened. The book does switch between the WW2 time frame and 1995-both Eva's perspectives. This format can frustrate me sometimes, but in this case it was perfectly done and was necessary in the story. This is a fantastic book that is absolutely  one of my favorites of the year!
 
"Once you've fallen in love with books, their presence can make you feel at home anywhere, even in places where you shouldn't belong."

Eva Traube, a Jewish forger in WWII, used the Fibonacci sequence to code the names of Jewish children so that they wouldn’t be forgotten. Years later, The Book of Lost Names is found in Berlin, and no one can understand the code.

Kristin Harmel is one of my favorite authors and has written such a memorable story so different from the ones I have read of hers before.  It is a historical romance fiction. The story is about Eva whose family is Jewish and they have to leave Paris because the Germans were coming in and taking the Jews hostage.  Eva and her mother luckily happened to be at a neighbors' house the night the Germans came in and took her father into hostage. Fearing for their safety, Eva created fake documents allowing her and her mother to escape to another city in order to get to Switzerland.  Eva ends up helping out in this town to create fake documents for kids who are without their families and to be able to access getting across safely to Switzerland.  Eva meets this man who she works side by side for many years named Remy and the two get close and fall in love. Remy ends up going out in the field to help in the underground and he and Eva lose contact with each other.  The writing is amazing, and real; I could feel what  the main character had to go though in this dark period in history,  the horrible feeling of not belonging and hiding is so believable.  Very well written, and engaging, moved smoothly and kept me intrigued.  I highly recommend it to others.
I appreciate the opportunity to review this advance copy received by NetGalley.

A powerful novel of sacrifice and determination to help others through WWII.  I greatly enjoyed the characters in this book -- full of strong qualities.  There were many good and unexpected twists in the characters.

4.5 stars

The Book of Lost Names by Kristin Harmel has the classic historical fiction trope of a past and present timeline. In 1942, Eva Traube flees Paris as she is a Polish Jew and finds refuge in a free zone. In the present, Eva sees in the newspaper that her treasured book of lost names has been found amongst other books looted by the Nazis. I loved this historical fiction because it contained enough uplifting aspects to balance out the tragedy. I would love a sequel concerning more of the information within the book of lost names and how that might play out in the present day.

I adored this book! Kristin Harmel is on my very short list of go-to authors. I was swept up in this story about a brave Jewish girl doing her best to do the right thing.  I felt her fear, her heartache, her loss and her happiness. I always enjoy books by this author.

Set as a frame story, we begin with Eva Traube Abrams, who comes across a photograph in a magazine while working in the library of a book she hasn’t seen for sixty-five years.  The book in the photo, now housed in Berlin, baffles researchers not because of the printed text, but because of the hand-written code within.  The religious text was believed to have been taken from France during World War II by Nazis, and the researchers are reaching out to find any leads to crack this mystery code.  

Flash back to 1942, Eva is a graduate student in Paris who is forced to flee to the Free Zone because of her father’s Jewish heritage.  In a small mountain town in the north near Switzerland, Eva discovers she has a knack for forgery, and creates hundreds of false identity papers for Jewish families fleeing persecution.    With the help of a handsome forger named Remy, Eva creates The Book of Lost Names, which is actually a book within a book of code naming all of the families she forges papers for and their true identities.  

This book really resonated with me long after I finished reading it, and to find out it was based on a true story made it all the more extraordinary.  It is truly a tale of good standing up in the face of evil.  I highly recommend reading this one!

A powerful true story that tells the story of a young woman who helped to escape Jewish children from the evil hands of the Nazis.  She is a master forger and is brave in undertaking a labor of love and sacrifice during turbulent times.  A must read.