This was a heartfelt, poignant and beautifully told story of enduring love in the most hopeless of circumstances. The characters have survived the absolute worst in WWII Poland yet the persevere and manage to hold onto their humanity. The wording was poetic at times and the characters touched my heart. An excellent addition to WWII fiction.

Thank you to the publisher, Harlequin Trade Publishing, and NetGalley for providing me with an eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

The year is 1942 and Elzbieta leads a relatively comfortable life in her family’s Warsaw apartment. While she is aware of the rising tension on the streets, she has never thought much about what the conditions are like for the people in the Jewish ghetto just a short distance away. When she accidentally finds out that her neighbour Sara, a nurse, is part of an underground movement that rescues children from inside the ghetto and finds them new homes, she insists on helping, seeing this as a way she can help. For the Gorka family behind the walls, despite the horrific conditions they have to endure, their sole consolation is that their family is still together. With food and resources running out quickly though, they face the impossible decision of giving away their newborn daughter Eleonora or watch her starve to death. With disturbing rumours of mass deportations in the air, time is quickly running out for them to decide. Roman Gorka’s anger mounts by the day, seeking to fight back against the many injustices perpetrated upon them, and this is the final straw that pushes him to join the rebellion that is building. But Elzbieta and her family have secrets of their own and if Roman’s recklessness draws attention to them and Sara’s operation, everyone will be at risk.

WWII novels have become one of my favourite historical fiction eras to read over the past year or two. Despite the ubiquity of novels in this genre, each one somehow manages to add a new perspective and this book was no exception. In fact, the stories narrated through this book were all entirely new to me, from the children being smuggled out to safety to the uprising inside the Warsaw ghetto. The writing is wonderful and the detail with which these events are described shows the level of research that must have gone into this book.

This was a completely heartbreaking story and a darker read than most I’ve come across, but it had its warmer moments too. The characters in this book were so realistic – complicated and flawed as they struggle to find the strength to overcome some truly terrible circumstances. It was easy at times, to forget they were only 16 and 13, as they felt so much older on page – especially Roman, forced by the war to grow up too soon. Elzbieta, though she hates the Germans, is quite naive as to the true situation for the Jews and has her eyes opened on her first trip behind the walls, and draws upon courage she never knew she had to help the resistance. It was good that the POVs alternated between Elzbieta and Roman, as it allowed the reader to follow both characters as they embarked upon different, but equally dangerous endeavours.

This was my first time reading a book by this author, and I was very impressed with it. Kelly Rimmer has excellently portrayed the struggles of the people in occupied Poland on both sides of the wall. This was quite an emotional and admittedly depressing read at times, but it was nice that it had a semi-happy ending which is something of a rarity in this genre! I’m really looking forward to checking out her other books, particularly The Things We Cannot Say. I would highly recommend this book for fans of WWII novels.

What can I say it was wonderful. Full of action and drew you in from the start. I felt so emotional reading this book I had to keep going into the early hours of the morning to see what the outcome would be. Loved it!

The Warsaw Orphan was an absolutely wonderful novel! I’ve read my share of novels based in the WWII time period, and I always hesitate to read another one, but I am so incredibly glad that I read this. It was beautifully written and incredibly powerful. I have no doubt that this will be an award winner and will become a movie one day. It was emotional, moving, heart-wrenching.

Elzbeita is an easy character to root for, to be proud of, to feel inspired by. A true heroine, a woman standing up for what she believes in, despite the dangers she faced along the way.

Kelly Rimmer is a talented author known for writing riveting, thoughtful, and inspirational novels, and she has another one to add to the list. This will be another bestseller and it is well-deserved. An absolute must-read!

Another captivating historical fiction from Kelly Rimmer! I was such a fan of The Things We Cannot Say, and was ecstatic that I was given another opportunity to read her newest historical fiction.

The Warsaw Orphan introduces Elzbieta, a young teen who lives outside of the ghetto housing Jewish people in the 1940s. Elzbetas befriends Sara, a nurse, who soon invites Elzbieta to accompany her into the ghetto. Getting beyond the walls is nothing but challenging, and learning about what is on the other side is horrifying. Conditions for everyone are challenging at this time, and Elzbieta is determined to help any way that she can. Living inside the ghetto is Roman, and soon Elzbieta and Roman find kinship within each other, but Roman also has a deep seeded need to rebel.

This novel is emotional, but unputdownable. Another slam dunk for Kelly Rimmer, who swept me away in the well developed characters and lengths they are willing to go to help those they love. Such a great read! For any fan of historical fiction!

Thank you to Graydon House and Kelly Rimmer for providing me with an advanced reader copy in exchange for my honest review.

As I have mentioned in prior reviews, this genre is not always for the faint of heart. Most of the novels I have read focus on WWII in some aspect. That’s obviously because it is a gold mine of stories, experiences, and there is no end to the characters that can be fashioned from real life people.
Of those novels, many are also set in the concentration camps, or capture the Nazi regime in some other fashion. Although the brutality and depravity of the party is well-known, it is still often difficult to fathom the depths of hatred and callousness exhibited by human beings.
That is what makes books like this hard to read at times. It’s not because the story or writing is bad, but more that the relentless reminder of the horrors perpetrated on innocent people is often stomach churning.
That is what I found to be the case with this book.
Set in the Polish ghettos, the story largely belongs to Emilia and Roman, two people on either side of the walls erected by the Nazis, but with the common goal of saving children from being shipped to the “work camps” (yes, we know what those really are).
There are a lot of people to keep track of in the story, which made for slow reading at times. I don’t know if I wasn’t concentrating enough, but I found myself forgetting who people were and needing to go back in the story to clarify.
The author obviously felt a passion for the subject matter, because it was incredibly detailed and seemingly impeccably researched. I think it was that level of detail that gave it the authenticity that made it difficult at times (if that makes sense).
Another thing that many of these books often have in common, though, are the dual messages of hope in the face of terror and how the bravery of an ordinary person can make an enormous impact on people.
Both of those are on full display in this story.
I know I have been general in this review, but it would be impossible to recount the plot points and good and bad details of everything. I will just repeat that it is very well-written, with lots of gut-wrenching detail, and more than a glimpse at the extraordinary people who fought a tide of hatred.
Not light beach reading, to be sure. But it shouldn’t be missed.

It’s 1942, and teenage Elzbieta lives in the middle of German-occupied Warsaw. She dislikes the Germans for many reasons and is keeping a huge secret from everyone. She is not happy that her parents won't let her leave the apartment of courtyard, so she keeps her visits to her neighbour Sara, a secret. She ends up helping Sara, who is working with the underground to rescue Jewish children from the ghetto. The other main character is Roman, a Catholic Jew, who is living in the ghetto with his family. As the war rages on, Roman and his family are in danger of being deported to "The Camps" and Elzbieta finds herself falling in love with him. What is next for Warsaw, its civilians and the Jewish people who are living in hiding? Life was harsh in the war years with the Germans, and then the Soviets took the independence from the Polish people. Would they survive this second occupation?

This is a story that had me an emotional wreck. Elzbieta was such a strong character and only just a teenager. She risked her life, the wrath of her parents and her heart on a regular basis. Once the war ended, there was still so much that she had to deal with. Tragedy struck more than once, yet she still had faith and prayed to God. Roman suffered so much. Losing his family, putting himself in danger on a regular basis and fighting for justice and freedom took over his life, yet he still loved Elzbieta. Could she save him? There were many characters in this book that showed such strength, love and justice that I wanted to meet them all. The character of Sara was based on Irena Sendler, and if you have not read anything about her, there are some great books sharing her story. I do not want to give away the story, so will not say anything else about the plot, except to say that is is well-written and written with emotion.

This is a story of war, family, survival, and love. There are themes of justice, revenge, compassion, sacrifice, friendship, bravery, risk-taking, suffering, devotion to family, love, hope, and survival. One quote that really spoke to me dealt with how to free Poland: "You defeat one bad man and another is there, ready to take his place. You need to fight the ideas that lead to bad men in the first place." Kelly Rimmer has written another informative, heartbreaking historical novel about the power of human spirit. It will provoke all kinds of emotions as you travel with Elzbieta and Roman on their journey. The publisher generously provided me with a copy of this book upon request. The rating and opinions shared are my own.

Set in Warsaw during WWII and featuring two storylines that intersect. Elzbieta is a young teenager living in Warsaw and barely tolerating the presence of the German soldiers who occupy the city. She makes friends with her neighbor Sara and eventually ends up working with her.

There is a large ghetto in Warsaw housing Jewish citizens, and we meet the Gorka family there. There are three children, a baby – Eleanora – who is not thriving due to the lack of nutritious food; Dawidek; and Roman, the eldest son. The parents are struggling to keep the family together and the father, Samuel, continues to hold out hope that the Germans will show some humanity despite the constant evacuations of families out of the ghetto.

Elzbieta’s work with Sara takes her into the ghetto and it was tense every time she went through the checkpoints. It was difficult to read about the terrible conditions within the ghetto and the acts of others that tried to save as many children as possible. Roman and Elzbieta have a tumultuous first meeting.

This book reminded me of the Warsaw Uprising in the summer of 1944 and the horrible loss of life and destruction of much of Warsaw afterwards. Roman is deeply involved in the Resistance efforts, and I couldn’t help but root for them, despite the overwhelming odds.

This story speaks to the resilience of the Polish people, who went from German occupation to the Soviets moving in. Roman wants to keep fighting until Poland is free, but when will that happen? I did like the way this one wrapped up, but I didn't want to say goodbye to these characters.

This is my fourth book from Kelly Rimmer and I want to read all her back titles!

Roman and his family are barely surviving in the Jewish ghetto in Warsaw. There are so many things that have to fall into place every day just for them to stay alive. And when the round ups start, so do the agonizing decisions on whether to stay together or separate as a family.

Then there is Emilia. She is a very young polish girl. She is determined to help the poor children in the ghetto. She puts her life at risk many times to get these young children out. She meets Roman because of his family decisions and it sets these two on a course that will change their whole lives.

Kelly Rimmer brought to life the tragedy surrounding the Jewish ghetto. The starvation and the struggle to survive is all too real in this story. But, how these people made such agonizing decisions just astounds me. This read will stay with me for quite a while.

Now, the ONLY reason this is not getting a 5 star rating, is the beginning was just a tad too slow for me. But that ending…it was SPOT ON!

Need a heart wrenching, well researched WWII read with strong characters…THIS IS IT! Grab your copy today!

I received this novel from the publisher for a honest review.

Really enjoyed it. Emilia found the perfect parents in Truda and Mateusz. It was interesting to read about Warsaw during WWII. I understand how Emilia felt seeing people ride a Ferris wheel right next to the Jewish ghetto wall. What happened to Emilia in Lodz was scary and heartbreaking. The Polish people traded one monster (Nazis) for another (Soviet soldiers.) Loved Sarah. She was a great friend to Emilia and helped so many people. She put her life in danger everyday trying to save children. Roman was my least favorite character. I understand he was angry. Who wouldn't be angry with how he was treated and made to live!! He was brave but also impulsive and wanted to keep fighting even when his loved ones wanted him to stop. I hated when he didn't want to accept Emilia's decision and didn't want to be around her family. I knew he would eventually come around. The book is definitely emotional.

Definitely recommend the book, especially if you enjoy historical fiction. I didn't realize that some of the people mentioned were characters in “The Things We Cannot Say.” Enjoyed the story, characters and writing style. Look forward to reading more books by the author.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from HARLEQUIN – Trade Publishing (U.S. & Canada) through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Excuse me while I try to piece my broken heart back together again!! Kelly Rimmer is an auto-buy author for me and I was so excited to get my hands on her new book this week! This is a heavy story about life in Warsaw Poland under Nazi occupation and follows Elzbieta (who fans may remember from The things we cannot say). Elzbieta is relatively removed from the tragedy going on in the Jewish ghetto until she meets Sara, her neighbor and starts helping her get Jewish children to freedom. While doing this work she meets Roman and his family and the two strike a friendship that eventually turns into something more. The journey they go on to get their 'happy ending' is fraught with heartbreaking tragedy and loss but Rimmer does such a great job showing the many different experiences and ways people chose to act during an unspeakable time (both the brave and the ugly). I cannot recommend this one more, especially for fans of WWII historical fiction or books like The light of days, The woman with the blue star or The things we cannot say. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for my e-ARC.

CW: rape, some graphic violence, death of loved ones

Just when I think I have read all of the World War II books and I knew everything about all of the people affected by this war, I read another one that gives an unique perspective that makes me see it from a different view.

Two young people live in two different worlds that are mere miles apart. One is living in the Jewish ghetto in Warsaw and the other is living in a nice apartment on the other side of the wall. Their lives will intersect and they will impact each other more than either could imagine. Roman is living in the Jewish ghetto with his family, but he himself is only half Jewish and could pass as he doesn't have the typical physical traits. Elzbieta is living "free" in Warsaw with a family that has taken her in and she waits to help in any way she can.

I have read a few books that feature moments in a Jewish ghetto, unsure if it was Warsaw particularly, but no book has had so much of the book take place there and really shown the living conditions that took place and the misinformation that was spreading about life in the ghetto or the life of those who were leaving it. I appreciated the way the author really presented life and it felt very real, almost too real and hard to read.

And the other big lesson I learned from this book was the life in Poland after the Germans left. While the people were glad they (the Germans) left, life under Soviet control wasn't any better if not worse for many. I was really unaware of this whole moment in time for Poland and it was eye opening to see that life was just fine after the Germans left at least not for Poland.

This was another one of those really hard to read World War II books, but worth it to learn something new in an entertaining way.

A few weeks ago, I asked myself a question: why do I keep reading World War II books if they make me cry? The answer? These books always end in hope. The Warsaw Orphan is no exception though the author adds more tragedy that seems forced into the story.

In the Spring of 1942, the Jewish Ghetto is overcrowded and people are dying in the streets, Roman as a job at one of the last few Jewish factories and works hard to supply food for his family. Things begin to escalate as the German take away more and more Jews to other camps—camps no one has ever come back from. Emilia lives on the Polish side of Warsaw. Going by Elzbieta, she desires to do something for the Jews on the other side of the wall. She begins working with her neighbor Sara helping move children outside the wall. As the Germans become stricter with all residents-Jewish or not- both character's lives change in ways they never would have expected.

Kelly Rimmer tries to cram every almost every tragedy that happened during the war. While many are easy to slip in as secondary tragicomedies. Rimmer pushed too much on Emilia. While I have no doubt that these things happened, it didn't read organically at that point. It doesn't help that the ending is mostly summarized missing the emotional charge as the first three-fourths of the story.

That being said, the rest of the of enjoyable. I always learn new things that happened during the war. Rimmer tells her story through the eyes of a character I haven't read before a Jewish orphan raised outside the ghetto. This was a unique, history-based perception that gave a new look at what the war was like. Her chapters are also switched out with Roman an orphan on the other side of the wall. This gives great contrast and depth to the story.

Overall, I enjoyed three-fourths of the story. I felt like the last tragedy was too much and not organic to the tale but loved getting to know the characters.

This is a heartbreakingly all too real WW2 novel. It is the story of Elzbieta Rabinek and her efforts to smuggle children out of the ghetto. Roman Gorka's family must give up Roman's newborn baby sister or watch her starve. Roman and Elzbieta find love in these terrible times. This story is heartbreaking but yet hopeful and you need to keep reading until the very end. I received an advanced readers copy and all opinions are my own.

THE WARSAW ORPHAN by Kelly Rimmer is an emotional historical fiction story featuring a young Polish girl and her family and friend’s struggles to survive set in occupied Warsaw during WWII.

Elizbieta Rabinek is living with her mother and father just outside the ghetto walls in Warsaw, Poland. She has a secret. Her mother and father have adopted her and are keeping her safe after the murder of her father and brother by the German’s for helping Jews. She befriends a nurse named Sara who lives in the apartment across the hall and discovers that Sara is doing more than just public health rounds in the ghetto.

Sara and fellow public health workers are smuggling children out of the ghetto and Elizbieta is determined to help. Sara is trying to help the Gorka family and this is when Elizbieta meets their son, Roman. Roman is at the youth center when his family is rounded up and sent on the train to the camp. All Roman feels is hate and he is set on the path of revenge.

From the German occupation through the Russian invasion Elizbieta and Roman fight to survive and reclaim the life they once knew.

This is a well written story of family, survival, hope and love in a time of atrocities, starvation and war. Elizabieta has such courage throughout this story to face what she sees and experiences during the several years covered in this book. All of the characters in this book are diverse, fully developed and believable. The author’s research is evident in the plot and storyline.

I recommend this historical fiction novel and the author.

Read if you like: WW2 stories, Polish history.
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This book had a bit of a slow start but once the two protagonists met, I was hooked and I could not put it down.
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Emilia must conceal her identity from the Germans but she wants to get involved with other people helping Jewish children. Roman wants to help his family but he and his family are Jewish so they are struggling. Both characters experience German brutality in Poland. I really loved Emilia and Roman and loved reading about their experiences.
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CW: sexual assault and rape, violence, death, fighting, the Holocaust.

To say that I cried from page 1 through the end of the book is not an exaggeration. A beautiful, well written (and researched) story about WWII Poland - the unthinkable brutality that two different teens experienced as Jews in the Warsaw ghetto and those on the outside of the wall.

A story of friendship, survival, family and love. The strength and bravery of those suffering and the strangers who risked their lives to save others from the horrors of WWII. Honestly, it was one of the most heart wrenching books, however one of the most incredible I have read this year. For anyone who loves historical fiction, please make sure to read this book.

Title: The Warsaw Orphan
Author: Kelly Rimmer
Genre: Historical fiction
Rating: 4 out of 5

In the spring of 1942, young Elzbieta Rabinek is aware of the swiftly growing discord just beyond the courtyard of her comfortable Warsaw home. She has no fondness for the Germans who patrol her streets and impose their curfews, but has never given much thought to what goes on behind the walls that contain her Jewish neighbors. She knows all too well about German brutality--and that it's the reason she must conceal her true identity. But in befriending Sara, a nurse who shares her apartment floor, Elzbieta makes a discovery that propels her into a dangerous world of deception and heroism.

Using Sara's credentials to smuggle children out of the ghetto brings Elzbieta face-to-face with the reality of the war behind its walls, and to the plight of the Gorka family, who must make the impossible decision to give up their newborn daughter or watch her starve. For Roman Gorka, this final injustice stirs him to rebellion with a zeal not even his newfound love for Elzbieta can suppress. But his recklessness brings unwanted attention to Sara's cause, unwittingly putting Elzbieta and her family in harm's way until one violent act threatens to destroy their chance at freedom forever.

I’ve read a number of books about World War II, but I’m not sure I’ve ever read one set in Warsaw. With the different points-of-view, the reader sees what life is like inside the ghetto, but what it looks like outside the ghetto, too. This was an engrossing read, and although not a light or happy one, there were some glimmers of light peeking through.

I recommend this read, for illustrating a slightly different aspect of the World War II tragedy. The characters are believable and I was invested in what happened to them and how they learned and grew from their experiences.

Kelly Rimmer is a bestselling author. The Warsaw Orphan is her newest novel.

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

(Blog link live 6/7.)

This was an interesting story loosely based on real events in Warsaw, Poland during World War II. At times, the story is quite emotional and Rimmer does not hold back describing the war-time atrocities, bleakness and terror that were felt on the streets of Warsaw during Nazi rule.

The story has a slower pace, and I was most impressed by Rimmer's depiction of the era - from the German propaganda, rumours, and their ruthless actions, to the fear of the Polish people which were balanced with glimpses of joy, family and friendship. I was captivated by these vivid, emotional descriptions, but found the story itself to sometimes feel heavy with dialogue and, at times, I found that the voices of Elzbieta and Roman blended together.

The characters were well-developed with good depth and a few that weren't likable but had believable faults, showcasing different aspects of the war. The story is told through the POVs of Elzbieta and Roman, young people who deal with events and emotions quite differently. Through their eyes, readers feel the despair and desperation of the Jewish people living within the ghetto walls and those trying to help them escape. The ending is satisfying and quite neatly done, but I would have loved an epilogue to see how things turned out.

This is a poignant story that doesn't hold back as it describes the atrocities inflicted against the Warsaw Jewish community and those who tried to aid them. While it is often brutal in its telling, Rimmer also gives her readers glimpses of joy, family and friendship and strong themes of courage, strength, and resiliency. Recommended for Historical Fiction fans! Look for it June 1, 2021!


Disclaimer: My sincere thanks to Graydon House for my advanced copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

I have traveled to Warsaw, visited the site of the Ghetto, and seen the monument to the Warsaw Uprising. But Rimmer's book made those events during World War II come to life in ways that the monuments did not. The best fiction does this—tells truths through story. A very engaging read.