The Secrets We Left Behind creates an instantly intimate glance inside the lives of 4 distinctly different people trying to survive during the war. All of the characters have survival as their motivation (both their own survival and the others) but go about it in very different ways. Realistic brutality and casualties are woven into the story of these people as they try their best to protect their country, each other, and themselves. I couldn't wait to finish it and then was sorry it was over!

I flew through this novel by Soraya M. Lane. THE SECRETS WE LEFT BEHIND kept me engrossed and turning the pages. Focusing on three women in 1940 France, alternating the narrative from each viewpoint, the story kept me on the edge of my seat.
Cate was my favorite character, and, I feel, the most well-developed. She was strong and determined, as she worked as a nurse left behind when the English evacuated Dunkirk, fleeing with Jack, a patient, as the German’s came to the hospital. Instead of heading for the beach, they head to a town Jack felt was safe. Unfortunately, they literally walked into trouble, but lucky for them, Elise and Addy had already witnessed a tragedy at the hands of the Germans and had their own secret, grudgingly helping Cate and Jack. They live with a delicate balance, each with their own secrets, as they work to find a way to get their hidden English citizens out of the country. There were parts that made me smile and others that ripped my heart out. Addy frustrated me with her blind faith, especially when it came to the German officer, refusing to believe what her eyes had seen. Elise was frustrating as well, but her actions were more understandable given the situation and all that she had lost already.
Lane does a wonderful job bring another perspective of the happenings of WWII into focus. Grab a cup of tea and settle into this one.
#TheSecretsWeLeftBehind #SorayaMLee #LakeUnionPublishing

Title: The Secrets We Left Behind
Author: Soraya M. Lane
Genre: Historical Fiction
Rating: 4 out of 5

Occupied France, 1940. When the staff at a field hospital draw straws to find out who will join the evacuation from Dunkirk, Nurse Cate is left behind. But when the Nazis arrive to claim prisoners of war, she takes her chance and flees into the night, taking one patient with her.

Fifty miles away, the surrendering soldiers of the Royal Norfolk Regiment are shot dead by the advancing Germans. Beneath the pile of bodies two men survive, crawling to the safety of a nearby farmhouse, where sisters Elise and Adelaide risk their lives to take them in. When Cate, too, arrives at their door with her injured soldier, the pressure mounts.

The sisters are risking everything to keep their visitors safe. But with the Nazis coming ever closer and relationships in the farmhouse intensifying, they must all question the sacrifices they are willing to make for the lives of others. How far will they go for family, friendship, and love?

I enjoyed this read! I liked the characters a lot, and they were realistic and people to root for. Except maybe Adelaide, who I kind of wanted to smack in the back of the head. I was never sure how this was going to turn out, so it wasn’t predictable to me, and the writing was excellent, with a setting that I enjoyed reading more about.

Soraya M. Lane lives in New Zealand. The Secrets We Left Behind is her newest novel.

(Galley courtesy of Lake Union Publishing in exchange for an honest review.)

(Blog link live 5/26.)

Just fabulous for lovers of historical fiction, especially set in France.

A true page turner that pulls you in and makes you fall in love with the characters.

Quick paced and once invested you are flying through the pages. Very interesting to read about Dunkirk and the flight of the British/French forces as well as additional atrocities done by the Germans. The Secrets We Left Behind is a highly compelling story, one that I could simply not put down once I started reading! I was instantly invested in the characters of this story, brave women and men living in a constant state of fear and uncertainty as the Nazis take control of France in the spring of 1940. Cate is a British nurse who is left behind at an evacuation hospital as the British are being rescued from Dunkirk, escaping the Nazis with a critically wounded soldier. Elise and Adelaide are French sisters who suddenly find themselves providing refuge to wounded British soldiers of their own, even as the Nazis are taking over their town, placing themselves in grave danger. Soraya M. Lane, the author of “The Secrets We Left Behind” has written a captivating, intriguing, and intense novel. The genre for this novel is historical fiction. The author has based many true facts in this amazing novel. The timeline for this story is 1940- 1946 and goes to the past when it pertains to the characters or events. The location for this story is set in France. The setting is during World War Two in France, as the Germans are advancing, and the British are retreating. The author describes her dramatic characters as complex and complicated. Some are good and some are evil. Some are brave and courageous. This is a memorable and thought-provoking novel of the tragedies of war, that I would highly recommend to other readers. Definitely would recommend this book.

Thank you to Netgalley, the publisher and author for the ARC for an honest review.

What a fantastic story of love, determination, and family. A book that jumps right into action as soon as you open it and you can’t stop turning the pages. You immediately get attached to the characters and get anxious as they try to navigate occupied France knowing each day is a life or death situation. What a phenomenal book! Thanks to NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing for the advanced copy

I found this to be an exciting story set in Dunkirk, France and the weeks following the devastation there. Young men and women helping each other to survive in an impossible situation. Some realistic and likeable characters. Good story.

After having read numerous historical fiction novels about World War II, I didn't think it was possible to find another that captured my interest as much as The Secrets We Left Behind did. I learned about the evacuation of Dunkirk, an aspect that I wasn't very familiar with. It was easy to connect to the various characters, and I was quickly turning the pages to see what would happen next. My emotions ran the gambit from sorrow to joy by the end of the book. Thanks so much to NetGalley and Lake Union Publishers for the advance copy to read and review. I will definitely be adding the rest of Soraya Lane's historical novels to my TBR list.

I really enjoyed this book! I have always been draw to books centered around world war 2. I really loved how the book was separated into character chapters. I love to see the whole story from the point of view of each character.

The characters had good development and were very likeable. The ending was very great as well. Such a beautiful story about the power of love and sacrifice.

The author has written about a bunch of 📚 books.
⚘This is my 2nd interface with the author's work.
As with all her books, much of this story is based on fact.

⚘315 pages, 26 Chapters.

Do you feel, empathy & the desire to help others selflessly, has gone for a toss in today's world?
Do you like covers with real life models?

⚘Lake Union Publishing, Soraya M Lane.

⚘Release Date: 20th May 2021, Happy Pub Day!🎉

⚘Historical/ Contemporary Fiction

⚘How far will they go for family, friendship, and love?
___________
Occupied France, 1940. When the staff at a field hospital draw straws to find out who will join the evacuation from Dunkirk, Nurse Cate is left behind. But when the Nazis arrive to claim prisoners of war, she takes her chance and flees into the night, taking one patient with her.

Fifty miles away, the surrendering soldiers of the Royal Norfolk Regiment are shot dead by the advancing Germans. Beneath the pile of bodies two men survive, crawling to the safety of a nearby farmhouse, where sisters Elise and Adelaide risk their lives to take them in. When Cate, too, arrives at their door with her injured soldier, the pressure mounts.

🔥The sisters are risking everything to keep their visitors safe.

But with the Nazis coming ever closer and relationships in the farmhouse intensifying, they must all question the sacrifices they are willing to make for the lives of others.

How far will they go for family, friendship, and love?
____________
⚘Taking few facts from history & imagining the state, feelings & emotions of the people, way back..almost more than half a century & building a picturesque, believable fictional world..is so commendable.
Beautiful articulation of words with a powerful narrative, in tandem to ensure a lasting impact.
You'll finish the read with a heavy but satiated heart, one which is calm & at peace.

#noorthebookwormreviews
#thesecretsweleftbehind
#netgalley

I really enjoyed this book. Memorable characters, exciting action and a satisfying ending.
Occupied France, 1940. When the staff at a field hospital draw straws to find out who will join the evacuation from Dunkirk, Nurse Cate is left behind. But when the Nazis arrive to claim prisoners of war, she takes her chance and flees into the night, taking one patient with her.
Fifty miles away, the surrendering soldiers of the Royal Norfolk Regiment are shot dead by the advancing Germans. Beneath the pile of bodies two men survive, crawling to the safety of a nearby farmhouse, where sisters Elise and Adelaide risk their lives to take them in. When Cate, too, arrives at their door with her injured soldier, the pressure mounts.
Historical fiction readers especially those that enjoy WII genre books will enjoy this one.

Synopsis -

In 1940, during the time of Dunkirk evacuation, a British Nurse, Cate is left behind in a hospital, when the Nazis take control of France. She manages to flee with an injured soldier Jack and by luck runs into the home of the two sisters – Elise and Adelaide in Le Paradis, who have just witnessed the massacre of the surrendered soldiers of the Royal Norfolk Regiment right in front of their home.

Forced to take in a couple of surviving soldiers, along with Cate and Jack, the sisters find themselves in an impossible situation of needing to protect themselves and their visitors. It all comes down to how much would be at stake to do so.

Review -

This book drew me in surprisingly quickly. The endurance and presence of mind of Nurse Cate was really impressive and her character moved me deeply. The fierce love between the sisters and the kind of sacrifices they were willing to make for each other, reminded me of “The Nightingale” by Kristin Hannah.

Brought together unexpectedly, all of them begin to draw comfort from each other, going on to form life-long bonds and friendships. The author did a fine job of portraying the emotions and their states of mind, by giving us a peek into their past which made me connect better with them. It was heart-wrenchingly painful to know how much each of them had lost to the war and the sheer will it took to just survive.

The book attempts to shed light on the state of women during this time – the nurses, doctors and orderlies who were unfortunately left behind . The author’s imagination takes us through their journeys of finding unexpected love and friendships, dealing with the deep visceral pain of loss, yet managing to display heroic patriotism to save others.

I loved the setting of this book around the real events of Le Paradis massacre and Dunkirk. This was not an easy read, but definitely worth it, especially if you are a fan of historical fiction around WWII.

Thanks to NetGalley and Amazon UK publishing for providing me with the ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

The writing in this story is so exquisite! Through Lanes writing, I am drawn in to witness the awful events and feel the raw emotions. There is sorrow and much love. I love a historical fiction that opens a true story and places you in it with real and authentic emotions to perhaps have a glimmer of what the people suffered and the fear of what they lived through. Soraya Lane has done a superb job of just that!

I have been a fan of Soraya Lane for over 10 years and each book gets better, this being her best absolutely! I love historical fiction and this is one of the best I’ve read recently.
I love multiple pov books and this one is told through the eyes of Cate, Elise, and Adelaide. Strong women who have heartbreaking, romantic and suspenseful stories to tell.
I’d recommend picking this one up if you enjoy WWII fiction, it’s out now!

Thanks to NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing for my advanced ebook copy.

Soraya M. Lane, the author of “The Secrets We Left Behind” has written a captivating, intriguing, and intense novel. The genre for this novel is historical fiction. The author has based many true facts in this amazing novel. The timeline for this story is 1940- 1946 and goes to the past when it pertains to the characters or events. The location for this story is set in France. The setting is during World War Two in France, as the Germans are advancing, and the British are retreating. The author describes her dramatic characters as complex and complicated. Some are good and some are evil. Some are brave and courageous. This is a memorable and thought-provoking novel of the tragedies of war, that I would highly recommend to other readers.

As the Germans approach the hospital in France, where the British doctors and nurses draw straws to see who will be able to leave and who will be left behind to take care of the wounded and sick soldiers. One nurse stays behind and manages to get a wounded soldier out of the hospital, and hide. Another nurse “borrows” an ambulance to try to help remove the wounded patients.

Not far away, many British soldiers that are in a barn lift a white flag to surrender, and as they are leaving the barn in an orderly manner, they are shot to death by the Germans. In a house nearby, two sisters looking out the window look in horror as this happens. The sisters answer the knocks to their door, to find two injured British soldiers, and they take them in. Not long after, the nurse and patient find themselves at the same house.

The head Gestapo Commander has an attraction for one of the sisters, and there is constant danger and tension for the hidden English soldiers and nurse.

The author discusses the importance of friendship, loyalty, communication, peace, and hope.

I have read all books by this author and this one was an amazing story! So loved these strong women characters! Highly recommend...

Well written WWll Historical Fiction, kept me interested throughout the story. Characters were well written and likable.
4 stars

Thank You to NetGalley and the Author and publisher for a copy of this book. Opinions expressed are my own.

The Secrets We Left Behind is a powerful story of love and loss, hope and sacrifice, courage and survival in France, 1940.

The author has undertaken thorough research on the historical facts of the Le Paradis massacre and the Dunkirk evacuations, then successfully penned a novel that I would highly recommend without any hesitation. It is the first time I have read any of Soraya Lane’s work and I would happily read other novels of hers.

All of the characters are wonderfully depicted, the pace is good and the story flows really well between the different viewpoints. The novel has a wonderful ending which gives the reader a sense of closure on each of the main characters.

There are lots of great historical fiction novels published now, but I have never before read about the Le Paradis massacre. Not only does The Secrets We Left Behind bring this horrific event to light, but the author successfully portrays three brave women who fought to save their own lives, and the lives of others.

I am grateful to Amazon Publishing UK and Lake Union Publishing, via NetGalley for an advance digital copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Very well written and poignant WWII story, starting with the evacuation at Dunkirk and then transitioning to Le Paradis, France. British nurse Cate and French sisters Elise and Adelaide work together to keep their soldiers and themselves safe and hidden as France falls to Germany.
Parts of this story were brutal and gruesome realities of war. I hoped for the best for all the characters, as they were all likeable, but that wouldn't have been realistic. It was a good book, and I loved the historical aspects explained in the author's note at the end. This is a great book if you are interested in a more truthful but still fictional historical WWII story.

I was fascinated by The Secrets We Left Behind! There are so many stories based on WWII, but this tale excelled at capturing your hope for the women and men that find themselves hiding in Le Paradis, France, not far from Dunkirk.
Soraya M. Lane craftily reveals some of the most brave women during the war. They are based on real characters and real events that occurred. The characters came alive as I read, and I couldn't put the book down because I had to know what would happen next! The British Nurses, Cate and Lilly, exhibit courage under fear I could not imagine. French sisters Elise and Addy are headstrong in their own right, but their love for one another allows them to make decisions that go beyond just saving themselves. The bonds of friendship and trust are tested many times, and it is a beautiful story that is revealed when the outcomes are made clear.
Though this was a pretty quick read, I highly recommend it. Add to your TBR pile right away!
I received a complimentary copy of this book and the opinions expressed are completely my own.