Cover Image: All That We Have Lost

All That We Have Lost

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Member Reviews

Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher, and the author for giving me a free eARC of this book to read in exchange for my review!

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All that we have Lost is a deeply emotional and utterly heartbreaking story which crosses the era's between past and present.
I do love a duel timeline and this one is superb, set between 2019 and 1944 and follows Simone as she tries to find a new life in the midst of such heartbreak and sadness and loss.
It will captivate and enthral you as much as it has you reaching for the tissues, a mesmerising and wonderful story, a definite must-read for any historical fiction reader!

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Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for my digital copy in exchange for an honest review. I requested this book because I loved the cover and it had something to do with France...while I have never been there, I have been drawn to it my whole life. This was an AMAZING read...I pretty much loved everything about it...and unbeknownst to me, this was not my first book my this author...I have read one other and I also gave it five stars...I will read whatever she comes out with.

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Wow where do I start
This story had everything from start to finish. The dual timelines had me hooked, especially Simone in WWII and the severe injustices she and her family experienced. The outcome I felt was quite predictable but that didn't take anything away from the story.
This was a really good book and I will be looking out for more from this author

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Papa always told us that to be brave doesn't mean you have no fear.
It just means you can move forwards in spite of that fear.

I love that the description of the book started off with this. It is so true and so important. Again this book falls into the dual timelines that I love. So much these ladies go through. Simply put this was a really good book.

I voluntarily reviewed a copy of this book provided by NetGalley

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I absolutely adored this book from start to finish and it has been one of my favourite reads of the year. I can’t wait to read from the author in the future!

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Loved Simone's sections, not so much a fan of Imogen's. I'm not sure why but I just struggled to get into it and found it quite boring and drawn out whereas Simone's sections were gripping and engaging.

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Another wonderful read from the aithor. Evocation and emotional, with great plot and characters. Highly recommended.

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Historical fiction at it’s best. Winner of the Jackie Collins Award for Romantic Thrillers 2022. Additionally the author has this story with duel time line.It spans from World War ll to the war ravaged Chateau in 2019…..
Thank you for the advance copy,
#Netgalley, # Susanne Fortin, and # Ana & Aries

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I have said that I am tired of WWII books, but I am glad I read this one. Told in two timelines in France current day and WWII - the story is a British woman, recently widowed, who decides to buy a chateau in France and restore it. The local people are not too happy about her arrival. She has to figure out why and change their perceptions. A good read.

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Thank you to NetGalley, Aria Fiction, & Independent Publishers Group for the opportunity to read and review this book before it's publication date! This in no way affected my review, opinions are my own.

DNF @ 18%, 75pgs

Unfortunately this one didn't have enough going for it to keep me interested. That being said, her books have very high ratings on Goodreads, and I did read and thoroughly enjoy The Forgotten Life of Arthur Pettinger, so definitely give that one a try even if this one doesn't work for you!

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Flipping back and forth between Simone in 1944 and Imogen in 2019 Brittany, this book follows the story of resistance in Britanny during WW2 specifically events around a chatau that burned down toward the end of the war that Imogen buys and restores in 2019.

It took me a while to understand the connection between the 2 timeliness but once I did I found the story both educational and engaging. The characters were believable and well presented.

Overall a great read, highly recommended

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Francophiles and fans of The Nightingale and The Winemaker's Wife will enjoy this dual timeline novel, in which new widow Imogen finds a beautiful abandoned chateau and starts to rebuild her life among its ruins. Back in 1944 the chateau was the scene of wartime devastation; many years later its up to Imogen to uncover the truth about the ghosts of the past.

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Readers who enjoy heart-wrenching and emotional dual timeline dramas will love best-selling author Suzanne Fortin’s latest novel, All That We Have Lost.

Imogen and her husband had always dreamed of settling in France and making a new life for themselves in this beautiful country. However, all of their hopes and dreams for the future had been cruelly dashed by a heart-breaking twist of fate. Now a widow, Imogen vows to honour her husband’s wishes and decides to take the leap and move to France by herself. When she finds a beautiful abandoned château, Imogen thinks that she has found the perfect place to start over and rebuild her life. However, among the ruins of her new home, she quickly realizes that all isn’t as idyllic as she had previously thought. The locals won’t go anywhere near the château and when a mystery from the past rears its head, Imogen finds herself desperate for answers and determined to uncover the secrets that have haunted her house for decades.

Years earlier, in 1944, a determined Simone Varon vowed to do whatever it takes to avoid the German soldiers that had come to her village and wreaked havoc over everybody’s lives. Simone doesn’t want to come within a hair’s breadth of these cruel and unforgiving soldiers – until one of them begins to leave medicine bottles for her sick brother. Could there be more to these enemy soldiers than Simone had previously thought? As a tentative friendship develops between her and the German soldier, Simone is surprised when her feelings for him blossom into something far deeper, but when the Resistance come calling, she finds herself torn between duty and her heart’s desire…

In the present day as Imogen begins to restore the chateau, will she manage to put old ghosts to rest and make a fresh start for herself in France? Or will past sins continue to exert their malevolent hold over her future?

All That We Have Lost is a beautifully written, wonderfully absorbing and highly atmospheric dual timeline novel that tugs at the heartstrings and will bring a tear to the eye of even the most jaded of readers. Suzanne Fortin writes so powerfully and sensitively about love, loss, grief, hope and healing and readers will be completely and utterly immersed in this compulsively readable page-turner.

Evocative, enthralling and enjoyable, Suzanne Fortin’s All That We Have Lost is an emotionally satisfying dual timeline tale readers won’t forget in a hurry.

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Often with split time novels, I have a marked preference for the historical storyline. Not so with Suzanne Fortin’s All That We Have Lost, and that speaks to the skill of the writer in creating a relatable character living in a small French village in 1944, and filling me with dread over her interactions with the occupying Germans. While in the modern day storyline, the narrative was not immediately as immersive or main characters as personable, but discovering the reasons behind the continued animosity towards both the English widow renovating the local chateau and the French architect who is assisting her.

And that is how you write a compelling split-time, World War II to modern day, story – a careful balance of dread and anticipation, a well developed sense of time and place, strong main characters in each timeline with teased out connections, and heavy subject matter balanced by moments of hope. Recommended.

This review refers to a digital galley I voluntarily read via NetGalley, courtesy of the publisher. A positive review was not required and all opinions expressed are my own.

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How the characters and the chateau fit into both stories will become evident as you read the stories. The book is a tearjerker and tragic but also romantic and uplifting in spots. It is written beautifully with vivid descriptions of the chateau and the gardens and of the small French town both past and present. It holds a bit of history and a bit of the beauty of the French countryside. It was an interesting book to read and I would recommend it.

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This was a brilliant read and is being featured on my blog for my quick star reviews feature, which I have created on my blog so I can catch up with all the books I have read and therefore review.
See www.chellsandbooks.wordpress.com.

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A beautiful historical read, with lovely prose and a gripping storyline. It kept me enthralled until the end. Definitely recommend.

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Thank you Suzanne Fortin for a well written and engaging story of lost love and moving on with life to fulfil shared dreams.
I hadn’t read books by this author previously, nor am I a fan of historical fiction, but I became connected and interested in both the story and the characters. The conflicting emotions, different timelines and journey’s traveled held my interest.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

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This was a dual timeline and both parts of the story kept me interested. I found it to be well paced and well written with interesting characters

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