For me this was just another WW2 resistance novel. It takes place in a different location than others I’ve read. It’s told in dual timelines and at times I had a hard time keeping the two straight. I enjoyed the story but didn’t just love it like others.
Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for the early copy

I’ve long been drawn to this small but vital moment in history. Gyland’s vivid telling of it is both heartbreaking and heartwarming, showing that community and decency can prevail, no matter how small the community and how large the adversary.

Loved this book. I've read a few books about this subject recently so I was expecting to like it. I really enjoyed it though. The story and characters were absolutely fantastic.

Just like say what an interesting book, set in Denmark during ww2 and present day.
Finding her grandmother's old diary was quite a revolation, and as the story unfolds we Learn more.
I can highly recommend for anyone interested in ww2 goings on.

Another amazing World War Two story which is so vivid and real that I thought I was there! .

Thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for letting me read an advance copy of this book in exchange for my feedback.

2018: Cecilie Lund is cleaning out her grandmother Inger’s flat, in the cellar she makes an unexpected discovery, armed with one clue and she contacts David Nathan. He lives in Palestine and Cecilie hopes he might be able to help her solve the mystery, he shares so much more and she learns of her grandmother’s wartime experiences.

1943: David Nathan is sitting in a synagogue in Copenhagen when the rabbi announces all Danish Jews will be arrested by the Nazi’s in early October, taken to the harbor and loaded onto boats. With only a couple of days notice of the secret deportations, the Jewish population disappear, and are in hiding all over the country. The citizens of Denmark perceived the German’s actions towards their Jewish friends and neighbors as abhorrent and did what they could to help them. The Germans didn’t have the capacity to search everywhere, and unlike other countries under their rule, they didn’t have local informants.

1943: Inger Bredhal a bookbinder, she moves to Helsingør, and is staying with her Aunty Marie, Uncle Poul and sharing a room with her cousin Gudrun. Inger receives a letter from her mother, she’s shocked by the news, and she starts helping the resistance via her job. She meets a Jewish man called David Nathan, he was once a care free student and wanted to be a lawyer. Now, he’s in hiding and waiting for his sick mother Rebecka to be well enough to travel and hopefully they can make the short boat journey to Sweden and to safety.

The Helsingør Sewing club/The Day The Germans Came is a dual timeline story and it’s based on true facts of how the people of Denmark saved ninety five percent of the Jewish population from being sent to concentration camps. Ella Gyland has skillfully written a narrative that describes how a country, despite years of German rule and enduring terrible hardship, the citizens did what was morally right, and they remained united and it’s truly inspirational.

I received a copy of this book from NetGalley and HarperCollins UK in exchange for an honest review, a unique WW II historical fiction story, the characters of Inger, Cecilie, David and Rafi are my favourite, you do discover the reason for the books title and five stars from me.

One of the most incredible stories from WW2, is how the majority of Danish Jews were saved from the Holocaust, right under the noses of the Gestapo and SS. Ordinary Danes risked everything to rescue friends, neighbours and total strangers to safety in Sweden. They did it with great risk to themselves and to their own families.
In The Helsingør Sewing Club, this story comes to life when Cecilie Lund finds something in her late grandmothers flat. It leads her to a meeting with a man who knew her grandmother in 1943, and she discovers just how brave she was.
Ella Gyland writes with warmth and respect, but also doesn't hide the realities of just how dangerous and risky it was. The story is beautifully written, with no sentimentality or exaggerations, giving the events even more of an impact. It's so moving and painful to read at times, but it's also impossible not to keep reading!
The research is fenomenal, and I can only imagine the work! I love the characters and how their story is told. It's sad and brutal, but also hopeful and an inspiration for how everyone can make a difference. If you love historical novels, this is the one you don't want to miss.

An engaging book set in dual time lines exploring the role of the Danes and the support of Jews in world war two.
I enjoyed Ella Gyland's style and found this an easy read. The character's were well developed, the story based on true events and honestly written.

Thank you netgalley for my copy of this novel

Part modern romance, part history set in World War II. This is both a fascinating insight into how the Danish population saved so many Jewish lives and a believable modern day love affair. Perfect New Year reading

Thank you to the publishers for a review copy.
This is a novel inspired by the true stories of Danish bravery in helping Jews escape from Denmark during world war 2.
While clearing out her deceased grandmother's effects Ceceille finds an old diary that reveals her part in helping Jewish people escape to Sweden. One of those people returns to Denmark along with his carer, from Israel, and meets up with Cecille.
The majority of the book deals with revelations in the diary set in 1943 while a subplot, set in the present day, deals with the relationship between Cecille and the visitors from Israel.
The atmosphere of occupied Denmark is conveyed very well and the dangers they faced in helping fellow human beings are extremely well portrayed . I thoroughly enjoyed the historical part of the book but was not convinced by the modern-day episodes. I can see however how they could appeal to other readers.

I loved this book! I've read many historical fiction novels set in WWII but this is the first novel that tells the story of how and why the people in Denmark saved their Jewish community from the Nazis. Like most historical novels these days The Helsinger Sewing Club is told in the dual timeline format. Sometimes that works well. Sometimes it doesn’t. Ella Gyland got it right, as the story flowed easily from 1943 to 2018 and back again.

I was torn between a four and five star rating, though. I opted for the four stars because at times, the romances overshadowed the history, and there were too many loose threads that should have been tied up before the story ended. I wanted to know what happened to some of the characters that I felt played a vital role in telling the story. That said, the characters were all endearing to me. I don’t feel the need to include them in my review as the synopsis of The Helsinger Sewing Club provides an overview of the story. I want the reader to “meet” Inger, David, Gudrun, Bodil, Neils, Uncle Poul and Aunt Marie and the resistance fighters on their own terms.

The story of how the Danish people rallied to protect their Jewish neighbors is beautifully written. Gyland described their personal relationships with sensitivity, bringing her characters to life with their loves, fears, anger and joy. Her words captured the kindness and generosity of the Danish people who refused to bow to the Nazis lies and propaganda, and remained steadfast in their determination to save their Jewish friends and neighbors. And, happily, they were quite successful in their endeavors.

The history of the resistance fighters was inspiring and I believe quite accurate. Gyland's good writing had me on edge as members of the resistance planned and plotted and made their moves under cover of darkness. The Nazi regime is impossible to portray in a positive light and Gyland didn't mince words in describing their mean-spirited actions and words. Even the character of Oskar, the German soldier who appeared to possess a softer side, turned out to be a Nazi, pure and true.

Sadly, the romances kept intruding on the main focus of the story. I found myself skipping over some of the more obvious connections. I must say every attraction was apparent from the first meeting.
The ending was sweet and, yes, I shed a tear or two. Telling the story of Ingrid and David through her diary was a brilliant touch that worked well in highlighting this moving piece of history.

I regret there was not an Author’s Notes section at the end as I’d have liked to know what motived Ella Gyland to write this book and how she researched the subject. I want to thank NetGalley and HarperCollins UK, One More Chapter for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

A beautiful novel, with a dual timeline - told from Inger's point of view during WWII in 1943, and her granddaughter's in 2018. Based on true facts, it covers the people in Helsingor helping Danish Jews escape the Nazi occupation.

Cecelie is clearing out her grandmother's apartment after her death, and finds some hidden jewellery. She gets in contact with David Nathan, the son of the owner named with the jewellery, and he and his great-grandson Rafi visit her in Denmark to accept the return of the items. They find a hidden diary with the jewels, and between Cecelie's reading and David's insights, they describe the events of 1943.

A fascinating story, about something I'll admit I knew nothing about. I would absolutely recommend this book.

A heart wrenching story based on true facts. A story of thee brave Danish people-an. helped save their German neighbors during Ww2.The characters are so well written they come alive .This is historical fiction at its best .Will be recommending #netgalley#harpercollinsukchapterbook

The Helsingor Sewing Club by Ella Gyland was a great first book to start off 2022! A dual timeline story set in Denmark in both 1943 and 2018. The storyline from WWII tells the story of Inger, her extended family and members of the Danish resistance who helped bring Danish jews to safety in Sweden during the Danish occupation. In 2018, not long after Inger’s death, her granddaughter Cecilie discovers jewellery as she is sorting her grandmother’s belongings, and with it a journal, allowing her to uncover just how brave a woman her grandmother was.

I thought this book was well-written and covered a topic I have not had the opportunity to read much about, the bravery and resilience of the Danish people in saving their Jewish neighbours during the Nazi occupation in WWII.

Thank you to NetGalley and HarperCollins UK, One More Chapter for an eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

An exciting novel that had memorable characters, and held my interest because of the well done historical aspects. It was a sad story , but also inspirational. The courage of those Danish citizens who attempted to rescue their Jewish neighbors was vivid.. I appreciated how the author created a link between time periods of WW2 and modern day. I would read this author again. I liked the title. My only wish is I would have appreciated author's notes to give a few historical statistics.

The Helsingor Sewing Club
I have read many books about the Nazi occupation of France in WWII and the resistance movement but this is the first time that I have read one about the Danish occupation. It’s a country that I know very little about and so I was eager to read this book and learn more about its history.
The book has a dual timeline as it is set in 1943 and also in Copenhagen in 2018. Cecile is clearing out her Grandmother’s belongings and comes across some jewellery. Hidden underneath is a diary written by her Grandmother Inger, during 1943. This details her role in the Danish resistance and how she helped the Danish jews escape to Sweden.
I really enjoyed the historical side of the novel especially as it is based heavily on real events and features real historical figures such as Erling Kaier. The book clearly shows how closely the group worked together to help the Jewish people escape and there is a good range of different characters. Inger and her family are vividly written and I also liked how the character of the German. Oscar, was portrayed. The perils of the work undertaken by Inger and her friends and relatives are clear and the book doesn’t shrink from the consequences. Not all the characters survive. I loved the determination showed by Inger and the others to do whatever they could to help their fellow Danes.
I love books with dual timelines and liked how we meet David in 1943 and also in 2018. Cecile’s growing attraction to David’s grandson reflects her grandmother’s relationship with David in the earlier time.
I would have liked a bit more detail about Gudrun as her story felt a bit incomplete but overall, this is an enjoyable and well written story.
Thank you to Net Galley and the publishers for providing this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

I have read a lot of historical fiction set in this time period, but this is the first one that takes place in Denmark.

In 1943, Inger moves to a small town and becomes part of the resistance, helping to move displaced Jews to Sweden.
In 2018, Inger’s granddaughter Ceceile is tasked with clearing her basement after her death. Hidden in a cupboard she finds some jewellery bearing someone else’s name. How have these Jewels ended up here? Cecelie is determined to find out!


This book is frustratingly light on some details and irritatingly heavy on others. We got the point about Ceceile’s fertility at the first mention, it didn’t need repeating! And then Gudrun’s story was shockingly hazy. What about her poor fiancé? It felt very much like the author was trying to keep in vaguely romantic at all times whereas it needed a little more substance for my taste.

It is nicely paced and I did enjoy reading about the history in this time period- I found the 1943 sections much more valuable than the 2018 ones but I do love a dual timeline so I can live with that!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for my copy of this book.

4+

In August 2018 in Helsingør Cecilie Lund is clearing out her grandmother Inger Jensen’s flat, a woman she sadly misses as her Marmor embraced life to the full. In the cellar Cecilie makes an astonishing discovery which makes her realise her grandmother was hiding a big secret.

By September 1943 Nazi Germany’s grip on Denmark is tightening. Whilst attending the synagogue in Copenhagen David Nathan‘s rabbi imparts worrying news that all Danish Jews are to be arrested. Meanwhile, in Helsingør young Inger Bredhal becomes increasingly involved in the resistance to the occupation and then in the endeavour to save Denmark‘s Jewish citizens. The story is principally told in the 1943 timeline but flashes forward to 2018 where the timelines connect beautifully with an ending that warms your heart.

I knew the incredible story of how the Danes saved the bulk of their jewish friends and neighbours but this novel personalises it very well. If you don’t know anything about it then this well written novel is a very good place to start. The Danish attitude to its integrated Jewish citizens is a lesson in humanity and this comes across strongly in the narrative. Solidarity, strength of character, bravery, ingenuity and the power of right is very moving. This is demonstrated by several of the characters.

The wartime situation is done very well, the dangers and the pressures felt throughout Denmark but especially here in Helsingør (the Elsinore in Hamlet). There are some excellent characters especially in 1943, as well as Inger there is her cousin Gudrun and her friend Bodil and all their storylines are good ones. It builds so well as the Gestapo net closes, its tense, exciting (in an awful way obviously), almost breathtaking and there is heartbreak.

Finally, in the midst of the tragedy of World War II this story is a beacon of light.This is a very good historical novel which is based on a true story and one which I recommend.

With thanks to NetGalley and especially to HarperCollins, One More Chapter for the much appreciated arc in return for an honest review.

The Helsingør Sewing Club is inspired by stories of the Danes helping Jews to safety during the German occupation of Denmark in WW2. Gyland is a superb storyteller and I was hooked from the very start - the book bounces between 1943 and 2018 and its not immediately apparent how the two timelines are connected. The main characters - Cecilie, David and Rafi, Inger and her family and colleagues - are beautifully portrayed and their relationships develop throughout the book.
I loved this book and will definitely be recommending it to others.
With thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for this ARC in return for an honest review.

An interesting novel set during the German occupation of Denmark during WW2. It’s not often one comes across a book set in this country, where generally little is known of the Danes work in assisting Jewish refugees to safety in Sweden. It’s a book of two halves; 1943 and 2018 which merge as the granddaughter of the key character in the former story learns of her recently departed grandmother’s life and loves during the war years. A good storyline, for the most part narrated by a young woman who becomes an asset to the resistance. An quick easy read, a bit skimpy on detail, that essentially is about strength, commitment and love. Enjoyable but predicted.

My thanks to NetGalley and One More Chapter / Harper Collins for this early copy in exchange for an honest review.