This book was incredibly atmospheric and I couldn't stop reading. I had to know what happened to these characters and those they were trying to protect.

What a story. I’ve read several WWII books, some of them by this author. They always grieve me at the atrocities that occurred during the war. This book was unique as it follows Nellie, a photo journalist for the Chicago Tribune as she sneaks into France to cover the war. She connects with Jean Paul and they find a sweet little girl in hiding. She has Downs Syndrome. The Nazis would not hesitate to kill her because she was not perfect in their eyes. As they do what they can to save her, they end up at a convent. They have other children to try and save that are hidden at the convent. It’s a dangerous journey to get them to Switzerland and safety. Definitely makes you think about how these children were treated then and today. The author did an amazing job telling this story. I have the ebook, but listened to the audio version. The narrator chosen is excellent in my opinion. Highly recommend this one.

Wonderful book! As it tells the story of WWII thru the eyes of a French resistance fighter and a female American journalist, it also weaves in the reliance on God by the characters. His provision and presence were evident throughout the novel, but not always in the way hoped for, as man’s evil was also seen. I found the bravery of Nellie, the journalist, to be fascinating and alarming; how she could not just stay safe but always pushed the envelope, or was very foolish, and often was just moments from mortal danger. I really enjoyed reading this book and highly recommend it. I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Barbour has an amazing series of books out called Heroines of WW11, of which this is one.
These are brave women who risk it all for a very important cause during the time period of WW11.
The author writes with a passion for her work rarely seen now a days.
Immaculately researched we find a photojournalist who is bored with her assignments in London as she photographs mothers standing in ration lines. Wanting more and to make a difference she jumps at the chance to go to France.
We can feel the tension in the story as the Nazis are here and they are determined to wipe out every "insignificant person".
Determined to get to the front line photojournalist, Nellie enlists Jean-Paul Breslau of the French underground but there are many detrimental happenings in the pathway including finding a sweet, hidden special needs child.
Nellie will do everything in her power including giving her life to keep the children safe from the advancing Nazis.
Absolutely amazing book. I have read many WW11 books but none quite like this. This story will stay with me!
I also enjoyed reading the author notes at the back of the book telling which part of the story was based on truth. Fascinating, I've learned a lot reading this book.

Pub Date 01 Oct 2021
I was given a complimentary copy of this book. Thank you.
All opinions expressed are my own.

Liz Tolsma crafts a compelling and suspenseful historical romance with her latest release, A Picture of Hope.

Though I have enjoyed the Liz Tolsma novels I’ve read in the past, this one surpassed them all.

With rich descriptions, Tolsma drops you into war-torn Europe amid the threat of Nazis. With captivating characters like Jean-Paul and Nellie, it’s easy to get drawn into the story. I found myself engrossed as Jean-Paul and Nellie tried to evade the Nazis and get the child they found to safety. Just when I thought the characters might get a break, something would happen. Tolsma definitely knows how to up the suspense.

I also enjoyed the romantic arc. Nellie and Jean-Paul’s relationship could be considered slow-burn, though the novel takes place in a couple of months. I liked seeing their reluctant friendship form first then turn into respect and love.

The spiritual arc proved to be a timeless reminder about God’s ability to overcome evil. I loved the discussions between the characters as they struggled to reconcile a loving God with the evil in the world. Sister Maria-Theresa’s sage reminders about this fallen world and the hope we have in God will touch Christian readers.

Overall, A Picture of Hope is a captivating and compelling WWII novel historical romance and suspense fans will love.

A Picture of Hope by Liz Tolsma is part of the Heroines of WWll series. US photojournalist, Nellie Wilkerson wants to be part of the action not stuck in London. When she gets the opportunity to travel to France, she is overjoyed. Nellie meets Jean-Paul Breslau of the French underground and he agrees to take her to the front lines. On the way they find a special needs girl who has lost her family. Taking her to a safe place is now their top priority. This was a great story. Full of intrigue and suspense. Nellie found ways to accomplish her dreams in the midst of turmoil and uncertainty. Jean-Paul was a true hero. Together, they made a great team!


I received this book from the author for my honest review.

A Picture of Hope
by Liz Tolsma
Pub Date 01 Oct 2021 | Archive Date 01 Dec 2021
Barbour Publishing, Inc. Barbour Fiction
Christian | Historical Fiction | Romance


I am reviewing a copy of A Picture of Hope through Barbour Publishing Inc, Barbour Fiction and NetGalley:




Nellie Wilkerson is a journalist who has spent the bulk of the war in London, photographing mothers standing in milk lines, but she’s bored so jumps at the chance to go to France, where the allied forces have only recently landed. There she enlists Jean-Paul Breslau of the French underground to take her to the frontlines. It is there they come upon an Orphaned little girl name Claire, the only surviving memory of her family and town, after the Nazi’s killed them all.





Soon Nellie and Jean Paul get Claire to a Covenant that they heard takes children like Claire, but it isn’t long after they get there that they learn that the Nazi’s want to liquidate the Nuns and if the nuns are taken away, the children will be too and will certainly be killed, because these Mongloid Children would certainly be considered to be undesirable in the Nazi’s twisted idea of perfection, they wouldn’t be considered pure Aryans.




A power novel set in World War 2 France, A Picture of Hope is a must read for fans of historical fiction, especially fans of fiction set in World War 2.



I give A Picture of Hope five out of five stars!



Happy Reading!

It was my first book by Liz Toslman and it was great experience.
It's a historical fiction during World War II.
For me, first 30% of the book was slowly.
But after, it was a good rhythm, full of tension and a lot of things happened.
I shipped Nellie and Jean-Paul since their first encounter.
I loved the three nuns: Sr. Maria-Theresa, Sr. Raphael and Sr. Angelica. I don't know if the author has a religion but I really like the way she wrote them. I was very surprised because religious people usually are portrayed in books or in films in a bad way. But not in this book. As a catholic, I really appreciated it. So well done, author!
I especially loved Sr. Maria-Theresa. Her wisdom and faith despite all she had been through was incredibly inspiring.
Claire and the children was so lovely. It was important to showed the prejudice that they suffered.
The romance was beautiful and made me happy.
I'm looking forward to read any future books of the author.
Thank you Netgalley and publisher for free ARC in exchange of honest review. All thoughs are my own.

Nellie had a heart for children with Down’s Syndrome, but her headstrong, reckless behavior made it hard to warm up to her. Occupied France was a lot different from England; she seemed not to acknowledge how perilous life was around the Gestapo.
Jean-Paul, a resistance fighter with a nasty German father, understood the danger and courageously stayed with her to keep her alive. Sister Maria Theresa was a jewel.
The story moved along quickly. Sometimes it felt rushed, like there was too much to include in a prescribed number of pages.

"Evil is strong. It has no boundaries." Only by God's goodness and grace is it contained. But someday, it will be eliminated. Wiped away forever."

Set in Nazi-occupied Normandy, France during World War 2, Journalist Nellie Wilkerson has jumped a troop ship to reach France in order to report back to the U.S. the atrocities taking place in France. When she stumbles across a convent run by 3 nuns caring for several special needs children, she vows she will help get them across the border to France. But how will she ever manage 3 elderly nuns and 3 special needs children?

This was such a moving story as Nellie goes on an unforgettable journey to rescue these children. Her love and caring for each of these special needs children can't help but warm your heart. The band of friends she collects along the way add to the depth of this amazing journey. Tolsma is a master storyteller and intertwines a story full of suspense, romance and mystery. Yet each step of the journey fills the reader with hope that this journey through such war-torn, dangerous country will succeed and these children will be saved.

**I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley. Opinions are mine alone. I was not compensated for this review.

I'm not always a fan of World War II era but A Picture of Hope was great! Journalist Nellie Wilkerson was one brave woman who was determined to get to the front lines one way or another! Nellie and Jean-Paul, who is helping her get to the front lines, have experienced horrible things as children but they let those experiences make them better people now. They see and experience terrible atrocities and rescue a special-needs child but it isn't easy keeping her safe as they try to get her out of France. I learned much about the horrors caused by Hitler. I recommend A Picture of Hope to others. I received an advance copy of the book from the author, Liz Tolsma and Barbour Publishing. This is my honest opinion.

A Picture of Hope by Liz Tolsma had me on the edge of my seat from first page to last! Inspired by actual events and people, this is the second book in the Heroines of WWII series from Barbour Books and is the author's best novel to date.

The premise: In 1944, Nellie, an American photojournalist stationed in London, feels called to photograph the destruction of France by Germany to enable Americans to understand the brutality of the Nazis. When requests for women to travel to France are denied, Nellie sneaks in and arrives during the Normandy landings at Omaha Beach and is shocked by all she witnesses.

While attempting to connect with American soldiers, Nellie meets Jean-Paul, a member of the French Resistance. They travel through a French village as Nazis murder all 600+ of its residents; the only survivor is a young girl with Down Syndrome named Claire. Their attempts to rescue her lead them on a harrowing journey that had me turning the pages to see how it ended.

Note: The term Mongoloid is used throughout the novel to be historically accurate. The author put great thought into this decision, which has personal impact as her daughter has Down Syndrome.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Barbour Publishing and was under no obligation to post a review.

A highly entertaining and important book. Tolsma portrays an amazing talent in writing. Excited to see more of their work.

A Picture of Hope is a World War 11 fiction story. Liz started writing in 2011. She has been an award finalist twice. A Picture of Hope is well researched and described. The reader will feel like they can picture life towards the end of World War 11. The description of DDay on Normandy is so detailed and complete. The reader will understand the grief and sorrow of so many men lost during that time. Nellie plays several roles in this story . She starts out as a photojournalist mostly in London. She wants Americans to understand the realities of the war. She next poses as a nurse to be part of the scenes during Dday and get more pictures. Her next role is being part of the resistance movement in an underground way to protect mongoloid children who the Nazis will not give any chance of survival because they are not perfect. It is wonderful to see her heart for these mongoloid children who are so at risk and not cared for at that time. She went out of her way to keep these children safe and even risked her own life. The Nazis thought nothing about killing these mongoloid children. Their actions seemed so heartless. These children are more helpless than other children. She brought a mongoloid child with another person who was part of the resistance movement to a convent . This convent was in France and was a safe haven for mongoloid children from the Nazis. Nellie and the Nuns went to all kinds of measures to protect the children. This book is a fast paced page turner. It is hard to put down. Thank you to the publisher and Liz Tolesma for allowing me to read and review this book. I would highly recommend this book and I am looking forward to the next book in the series.

American journalist Nellie Wilkerson has spent her time in England, taking photos of mothers waiting in ration lines and she wants to be on the front-line. The big push is about to happen, all the male journalist are going to land in France with the allied troops, and General Eisenhower doesn’t want a bunch of women journalists getting in the way. They write a letter to the general, informing him women want a women’s prospective of the war, and they have send their husbands, brothers and sons to fight!

The Prague is a hospital ship leaving for Normandy, Nellie sneaks on board and nothing could prepare her for what she witnesses at Omaha beach. Nellie’s taking photos to send back to the Chicago Tribute, she finds herself close to the action and German soldiers are still patrolling nearby. She meets resistance fighter Jean-Paul Breslau, he and Nellie end up traveling through the French countryside together.

They come across a little girl hiding in some bushes, they sneak into the town and what the Germans are doing is truly barbaric. They can’t leave little Claire, an orphaned child with special needs on her own, and they take her to a nearby convent. Here they meet three dedicated nuns, Sister Maria-Theresa, Sister Angelica and Sister Raphael. With the Germans in pursuit, Nellie and Jean-Paul need to get to safety in Switzerland, taking the nuns and three young special needs children with them on the dangerous journey.

A Picture of Hope by Liz Tolsma, is based on true facts, while filled with the horror of what the Germans did during WW II, it’s also an uplifting story, about believing in what they are doing is good, god is always with them and guiding them on the right path. I received a copy of this book from NetGalley and Barbour Fiction in exchange for an honest review, I highly recommend reading this enlightening book, and five stars from me. I have shared and posted my review on Goodreads, Amazon Australia, Barnes & Noble, Kobo, Edelweiss, Twitter, my Facebook page and my blog on 06/10/2021.

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced copy of this book. I enjoyed the book and learned some things I didn't know. The journey the characters went through was intense, and kept you on the edge of your seat.

While I enjoyed the setting of this novel I had a hard time connecting with the heroine. I didn’t always agree with her choices and that made it hard for me to root for her.

A Picture of Hope by Liz Tolsma is one of a series of books about heroines of WWII.
This heroine, Nellie Wilkerson is a headstrong American photo-journalist who is on assignment in France. She feels "left out" of the actual happenings of the war, being a woman, and finds her way to Normandy and the throws of the war. After a harrowing time there posing as a nurse, she makes her way alone in the French countryside. This is the first WWII fiction I have read that addresses the fact that not only did the Nazis seek to destroy the Jewish people, but targeted all those who were deemed "undesirable or imperfect". Nellie comes across a village being destroyed by the Nazis and meets Claire, a small girl with Dow Syndrome (Mongoloid). As she is trying to help Claire and figure out where to go next Nellie meets Jean-Paul, a French resistance fighter. Together this trio begin an action packed, touching and faith filled journey to not only help Claire, but to help the sisters of a monastery who are also hiding two little boys with Down Syndrome and those French citizens enduring the cruelty of the Nazi regime. Struggling with all the evil that is all around them, they chose to look for God's grace and hope and love. Nellie & Jean-Paul find healing and redemption from the tragedies and triumphs their lives have brought them. Loved this book and recommend it highly. Thank you to Barbour Fiction and NetGalley for this advanced copy to read and review. #APictureofHope #NetGalley

It’s 1944 and WWII has gotten into full swing. A horrible time for everyone, it was especially horrible for the beautiful, special children who were being “exterminated” by Germany. And author Liz Tolsma does not shy away from writing about it.

Tolsma’s books are always well researched. I learn a lot by reading them, and definitely not in a dry textbook style. Beautifully written, A Picture of Hope takes us through the pain and the love born out of this time in history. Yes, there was much evil but there was more good and we see that in Nellie and Jean-Paul’s journey.

If you enjoy historical fiction from this time period then you will really enjoy A Picture of Hope, because that’s exactly what the author writes. Hope.

I received a complimentary copy of this book but was not required to leave a review.

One step ahead of danger! That’s were Liz Tolsma keeps readers moving in her novel A Picture of Hope. This was my first Tolsma novel, and it did not disappoint. With Nazis around every corner, hunting down children deemed unworthy, as well as other innocents, this story had many breathless moments interspersed with gentle, introspective ones. Some of the historical events mentioned were hard to read for their total evil, yet importantly included. At times, during this story of resistance, I wanted to shake the impetuous heroine, yet it was her very nature that allowed her the bravery to act when necessary, and to come to the rescue of many other characters, children and elderly alike. I liked the hero, Jean-Paul, for his intelligence and fearlessness, and I thought the relationship with his father especially enriching to the tale. If you enjoy WWII fiction, be sure and add A Picture of Hope to your reading list.