This was a most enjoyable read. I have read a lot of WWII novels but never one on the Chanel Islands. The author has a wonderful writing style that pulls you in where you come to care about the characters and their sacrifices during the occupation. The entire story is believable, realistic and you can feel the hunger, picture the soldiers and envision the destruction. Even the run in the stockings and the pig. 
Definately one of the better war novels I have read. If you like historical fiction, you will enjoy this one. 
I was given the opportunity to read an ARC from Harlequin and NetGalley for my honest unbiased review. This one comes in with 5 stars

I had certain expectations going into the book and knowing it was a historical fiction novel set during world war two. I was surprised I didn't get the heavy baggage I'm used to so that was nice. In fact, I'm tempted to say this felt more like a romance novel, which isn't bad. I think it set up a good storyline and it made me curious as to how many relationships like this may have existed and how people coped, after all, as Hedy mentions it, you're "sleeping with the enemy". One of the characters names Dorothea grew on me and she actually ended up being my favorite. Had no complaints, an easy read and you get immersed in the relationships

With thanks to NetGalley for an early copy in return for an honest review.

I would give the book 3.5 stars, but rounded up to 4 stars. Historical fiction is one of my favorite genres, particularly books set in WW2 and I always appreciate when I am able to learn something new from the book. This book is set on the island of Jersey, in the Channel Islands, and the story of how they were abandoned by the British Government and occupied by the Germans for five years. It was fascinating to learn about the resistance activities of the island's inhabitants through the stories of Hedy and Dorothea. Will definitely be doing additional research on Jersey during WW2.

This is the kind of book that grabs my interest quickly and makes me want to do more research right away. The fictionalized story took place on the island of Jersey, one of the Channel Islands who to this day are loyal to Britain while having their own currency and government. In 2015 my husband and I chose to visit the Channel Islands, drawn there primarily by my interest in the history of the Second World War as it affected these Islands. The British made the decision to withdraw all forces from the Islands at the onset of the war basically leaving the door open for the Germans to walk right in and take over. It could have been done without a shot being fired, but somehow the Germans failed to get the message leading to bombings in the harbours and death of locals. Through the years of Occupation, the Germans always believed the British would try to get the islands back and they built extensive fortifications around the coasts that can still be seen and explored to this day. During our visit there we learned a lot about what life was like, visited the underground hospitals, stayed in the hotel mentioned in the novel where the Germans had been. We were able to speak to an old woman who had been evacuated from the island at the age of five and to an older gentleman who had been a young teen who stayed throughout the occupation. He spoke of the starvation that both islanders and Germans faced as the war dragged on and told how they would never have survived without the Red Cross boxes, many of which came from Canada.

Although this story is fictionalized, it tells the story of real individuals and is extremely well researched. It was originally published in Europe under the title Hedy's War. Hedwig Bercu Goldenberg was a Romanian Jew who came to the Channel Islands to escape the persecution Jews were facing in Europe. As the novel begins, the evacuation of many Islanders to England is past and Hedy's employers are also gone leaving her on her own. Her heritage made it so that she could not go with them and the bombing of the harbour is underway. She has one friend, Anton Weber, a man from Austria who is also fairly new to the Islands and who works as a baker. He becomes involved with a local girl, Dorothea Le Brocq, who he eventually married just as he is conscripted by the Occupying forces. In the novel, the reader gets a real feeling of how such a marriage would have been treated by locals.

Hedy is forced to register with a member of the local States (government), and the islander refused to accept her explanation that she was not Jewish, only her step-father was, thus she ends up with papers labelled with a red J. Dorothea suggests she apply to work as a translator for the Germans and although Hedy hates the idea, her need for income gave her little choice. Upon being hired she decided to steal petrol coupons as a form of resistance and as a Mitzvah, gives them to a local doctor so he can visit his patients. Through her job Hedy also meets Kurt, a German officer, also conscripted and certainly not a Nazi. Their story as it unfolds is fascinating and terrifying. The accuracy of the details provided by the author add areal depth to the tale. None of the characters are perfect. They have their flaws (as do we all), but the main characters all chose to resist in their own way.

Some reviewers found cause to critique because Dorothea is painted as flighty and Hedy is at times seen as arrogant. I think it is important to remember while reading that Hedy's life was always at risk once the Germans arrived so any of what she perceived as lack of discretion on another's part would have been terrifying. She had to stay out of the limelight. Also, although the bones of the story are true, it was impossible for the author to know exactly what the relationships were like. What is true is that both women were in relationships with men who were perceived as enemy and when Hedy's life was in imminent danger, Dorothea hid her for 18 months in her home sharing starvation rations with her. As a reader I found this book very hard to put down.

As soon as I finished reading I started searching the internet. I came across pictures of both women and lots of information including that Dorothea Le Brocq Weber was posthumously named Righteous Among the Nations by Yad Vashem and was also honoured by the UK. You can read more about it here: https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe...

I would highly recommend this book to others and, once one can safely travel again would recommend the Channel Islands as a great place to visit!

Many thanks to #NetGalley and the publisher Harlequin for allowing me to read an advanced copy. The opinions expressed are entirely my own.

Screenwriter, Jenny Lecoat’s debut novel, The Girl From The Channel Islands, to be published February 2, 2021, is inspired by the true story of Hedwig Bercu and Dorothea Le Brocq. In 2016, Dorothea was posthumously awarded the Hero of the Holocaust Medal for acts of courage and self-sacrifice to help Jewish people. 

Born in Jersey, Lecoat masterfully brings Jersey alive for her readers as she clearly knows the coast, tide patterns, the layout of the island and the little-known backstreet accesses. Despite being a native, Lecoat has written a neutral account of her island community struggling under the force of Nazi oppression. Missing from her writing is the vilification of the Germans and the veneration of the British. It’s a refreshing outlook as we all know there is both good and evil on both sides of the war. Highlighting Kurt’s (a real-life figure) actions, Lecoat brings to light that ordinary people are capable of cruelty or courage depending on what choice they make. 

Lecoat writes about a Romeo and Juliet forbidden romance between Hedy, a Jew in hiding, and a German officer, Kurt Neumann. The plot is full of stolen moments, emotion, intrigue, and danger. As you can imagine, their relationship is a dangerous one, and the consequences of being caught are a matter of life and death. Avoiding capture for 18 months is a true test of the human spirit. Hedy’s acts of resilience were phenomenal; she was starving, weak and yet she kept going. This love against all odds story will maintain your interest. 
Wonderfully written and steeped in rich historical detail, this novel is of significant interest to historical fiction lovers and readers of WW2 based fiction. A five-star read.

*This book has previously been published as ‘Hedy’s War’ and ‘The Viennese Girl.’

I have read ‘The German Nurse’ also set in the Channel Islands during WW2, but this far surpasses my previous read in terms of characterization and its ability to maintain investment in the plot.

I would like to give The Girl from the Channel Islands by Jenny Lecoat 3.5 stars but rounded up to 4 stars. This turned out to be a solid historical fiction novel about the inhabitants of Jersey in the Channel Islands, who were basically abandoned by the British government when German forces landed there and occupied the Islands during World War II from 1940 through 1945. 

The book's protagonist is Hedy Bercu, who has fled to Jersey two years prior to escape the Nazis there, only to be under their rule again. She tries to live below the radar as a much-needed translator for the Germans. She becomes involved with a German officer just as she and her only friend are struggling to survive and avoid starving to death. The plot was suspenseful and filled with tension. I felt the characterization was a bit flat. I didn't feel that I knew Hedy very well, and I wish her character had been developed more thoroughly.

I was not a fan of the book's structure because the narrative seemed choppy.  There were short paragraphs with many of them jumping ahead in time and then back-tracking to explain what had happened in the interim. 

I see that the author was born on Jersey, Channel Islands and her parents participated in resistance activity while living under German occupation. That gives her some real credibility in telling this story, which was both mesmerizing and terrifying. I am continually amazed at what people who lived through war were forced to endure and how many of them did so with courage and grace.

I will recommend this to readers who want to read World War II fiction that takes place in a unique setting.

Thank you to Graydon House, Harlequin and NetGalley for the digital ARC in exchange for my honest review.

A story of life on the Channel Islands during World War 2.  The relationships built during a tough time in history.

I enjoyed reading this book.  The characters were well developed and the book was easy to read and follow. I had not previously read anything about the Channel Islands during WWII.  This story shows what lengths one will go to in order to survive under difficult circumstances.  I was somewhat bothered by the relationship that developed between the main character and the German officer, although I'm sure it did happen during wartime.

The Girl from the Channel Islands
A WWII Novel
by Jenny Lecoat
HARLEQUIN – Trade Publishing (U.S. & Canada)
Graydon House
Historical Fiction | Women's Fiction
Pub Date 02 Feb 2021   |   Archive Date 03 Mar 2021

New author for me.  I read a lot of historical fiction and I like this time period.  That being said, it was not the book for me.  I found the writing bland and I cannot recommend it.  Thanks to Harlequin and NetGalley for the ARC. 

3 star

This is the kind of book I can really get into. There is the setting of the Channel Islands during the German occupation and the author builds the world so perfectly. There is an illicit affair, lies covered up, and the constant fear of being found out. And there is love and friendship.

Hedy is an immigrant from Austria, living on Jersey during the start of WWII. She is also Jewish. 

When the Germans invade, she is forced to register. But as the occupation goes on and there is no hope for work, she takes a translating job with the Germans. It is there that she meets Kurt, a German officer, and they begin a clandestine relationship. 

I thoroughly enjoyed this book, all the characters so fleshed out, and the setting of both place and time.

My thanks to Harlequin and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Based on the true story of a young Jewish woman Hedy Bercu, who escaped Vienna,and fled to the Channel Island of Jersey. She had a job, food on the table, and felt relatively safe. In 1940, with the German invasion upon them, Hedy and many of the other residents of the island discovered they couldn’t leave. They didn’t have enough boats or time to evacuate the whole population of Jersey, and many people were left behind. Hedy's employers did get away and Hedy stayed behind.  The Germans took over the island with no resistance. Jersey was cut off from England for five years. Life on Jersey was difficult.  The Germans had so many rules and everything was a punishable offense. The locals did everything they could to survive. Food, clothes, shoes, petrol, cars, fire wood and medical supplies all became scarce. No one seemed to care about the residents of this island. 

Hedy found work as a translator working for the Germans. As conditions worsened, she devised ways to steal from them. Hedy had a friend in Dory, whose husband was conscripted to serve in the German military, and her other friend was Kurt, a German soldier, who did not believe in the German cause. She and the other residents of Jersey perpetually lived on the edge. 

 This story reminded me of The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Society and the German occupation of Guernsey Island.

The Girl from the Channel Islands, written by Jenny Lecoat ,was a readable novel. Thanks Net Galley for allowing me the chance to read this historical fiction novel. The characters were well developed, but I found the situations sometimes hard to believe. The fact that a Nazi officer would risk his life and reputation to save a Jew was unbelievable in this particular situation. The novel takes place during WWII, when The Channel Islands surrounding Great Britain were invaded by the Nazis. The usual situations of depravations of food, clothing, heat, etc and of course registration of all citizens by nationality and religion occurred. Yes, there were moving and extremely tense and historically accurate representations within the novel, but I found many situations just not that believable. I’m not sorry I read the book, and if you have no knowledge of the invasion of the islands during the war, then you should read this book. If you have a broad experience of reading this genre though, you might choose another novel.

Channel Islands, 1940. Hedy is a Jew who escaped Austrian Anschluss to the island of Jersey.

This story gives a good sense of place. We get to know the island. It also brings historical facts of events during WWII pertaining to the island, which was occupied by German forces and forgotten by the rest of the world. Thus, the citizens of the island were left to fend for themselves. The risk people took to save another human being.

It’s interesting, but I found the style of writing descriptive, slowing the pace.

It seems as the story is strictly focused on relating linear events, giving very short snippets (not too many) of who Hedy was or others. It doesn’t feel like you’re getting to know the characters. I also missed expression of feelings. Thus, missing a depth in this story.

I like straight forward stories. A lot of times, they turn out to be much more interesting than complex plots. But you need depth, which is brought by character development.

What I enjoyed for example was the tiny acts of sabotage by Hedy and a Nazi officer Kurt. Those are moments that give some depth. But those are very brief moments.

Another World War II book, but unlike the other one I read this month, this one had a hopeful vibe throughout.  Hedy Bercu is living on the island of Jersey and she thought she had escaped the wrath of the Nazi regime, only to find them taking over everything.  The interesting part is she ends up taking a translating job inside the German offices and she can see the beast from inside and maybe even do a little damage.

What the synopsis doesn't tell you and what I loved most about the book was the relationships that Hedy relies on to keep going through this difficult time, both a friendship and a romantic relationship are what keep Hedy going and keep each of them fighting for another day.  These were the glittering stars that kept me reading with all the horribleness that they were surrounded by.  

I think the big difference between this book and the other one was that in this book the reader isn't taken into a concentration camp and I am aware that they existed and were horrifying, seeing the war from this different perspective was nice and allowed me to see the hope that some people could keep while dealing with extreme circumstances.  

After finishing the book and doing research, it was interesting to see the author is not only an actress but was born in Jersey where the book was set and her parents were raised during the German occupation, so this book really came from her heart and I felt it.

Interesting story about a young Jewish woman during the German occupation of the Channel Islands in WWII. The courage Hedy had to blend in and help the resistance while working as a translator for the Germans was admirable. This story is an example of things people were forced to do to survive during this time. Also shows the cruelty of the Nazis and their dogmatic crusade. Recommended

Title:  The Girl from the Channel Islands
Author: Jenny Lecoat 
Genre:  Historical fiction
Rating:  4 out of 5

The year is 1940, and the world is torn apart by war. In June of that year, Hitler’s army captures the Channel Islands—the only part of Great Britain occupied by German forces. Abandoned by Mr. Churchill, forgotten by the Allies and cut off from all help, the Islands’ situation is increasingly desperate.

Hedy Bercu is a young Jewish girl who fled Vienna for the island of Jersey two years earlier during the Anschluss, only to find herself trapped by the Nazis once more—this time with no escape. Her only hope is to make herself invaluable to the Germans by working as a translator, hiding in plain sight with the help of her friends and community—and a sympathetic German officer. But as the war intensifies, rations dwindle and neighbors are increasingly suspicious of one another. Hedy’s life is in greater danger every day. It will take a definitive, daring act to save her from certain deportation to the concentration camps.

I don’t think I’ve read anything about World War II in the Channel Islands, so this was something new for me, as was the German officer who wasn’t a Nazi (most of the historical fiction set during this time that I’ve read just portrays all German soldiers as monsters). 

This time period is so hard to read about. The atrocities Hedy went through and witnessed are terrible, but she comes through with her hope and her spirits intact. I found this to be an excellent read.

Jenny Lecoat was born in the Channel Islands. The Girl from the Channel Islands is her new novel.

(Galley courtesy of Harlequin/Graydon House in exchange for an honest review.)

(Blog link live 1/26.)

I enjoyed learning a part of WW II history I wasn’t aware of. The book told of a love story that evolved during the challenging times and traumatic circumstances of the German occupation in Jersey. The protagonist, Hedy, has particular difficulty because she is Jewish and has no idea what became of her family since she moved to Jersey from Austria at the start of the war. The book is engaging although drags a bit in descriptions. I found myself skipping over these portions. Still, it is a beautiful story of survival.

Hedy left Vienna for the Channel Islands to escape German Occupation during WWII, but her safety is in jeopardy since the Germans are now occupying this British territory.

While settling in, Hedy has kept her identity hidden, but when they were questioning residents, the Germans found out she was Jewish.

Since Hedy speaks both English and German, she keeps herself safe or safe for the most part by working as a translator in the German offices.  Only the hiring officer knows she is Jewish.

She is always in danger of being discovered and deported to the concentration camps since she works with the German officers, and someone is always ready to reveal information.

While working there, Hedy falls in love with a German officer causing danger for both of them.  Will their love survive?

THE GIRL FROM THE CHANNEL ISLANDS is based on true events and has tension throughout especially because you are amazed at how Hedy kept herself under the radar.

I didn't know of this occupation, deportation of the citizens of Jersey by the Germans, or Churchill's ignoring of this territory.

Ms. Lecoat did a marvelous job of describing events, feelings, and the hope and desperation the residents of the Channel Islands lived with.

A beautifully written, well-researched read.

This book was given to me by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Many, many books have been written about WWII and all of the many places where the war was fought.  This one focuses on the Channel Islands, under British rule, and further focuses on Hedy, a Jewish woman, Kurt, a Nazi officer who, despite all odds, fall in love.  Both Hedy and Kurt acknowledge the danger of their relationship, especially as both are further involved in minor acts of sabotage against the Germans.  As a backdrop for the story, the author does a great job detailing the many deprivations and indignities perpetrated against the Islanders during the occupation.  When rations were cut to almost nothing, her description made me feel hungry, too.  Recommended reading for those interested in historical fiction of this period.

The Girl from the Channel Islands by Jenny Lecoat was an interesting novel.  I was unaware that German troops had taken over some of the islands in the English Channel and had set up a command post there.  It this novel we follow Hedy Bercu, who fled from Vienna to escape being taken as a Jew.  She is living a quiet life until the Germans invade.
She hides her Judaism and, because she speaks German and English, she is hired as an translator and is silently working against them.  She becomes friends with a German soldier who is trapped in his situation with the German army.  They try to help each other.  Hedy has to rely on the community of the Channel Islands who loathe the German occupation and who are very disappointed that Britain overlooks their plight.  The affection between the German and the Jew is a dangerous route that they take.
I enjoyed this novel because there was always a chance that either or both of these supposedly enemies of each other would be found out.  The consequences of that would be deadly.  The author kept me reading long into the night as I read this riveting and well-constructed novel.