“Brave For Me” is the first book in a series by Elaine Johns. I found the premise interesting - a German POW meeting up with a UK military driver. I knew, from other reviewer’s comments, that this book also touched upon societal treatment of unwed mothers during the 1940s and how kindness is always appreciated. Reading the Author’s Note, I gained insight into why Ms. Johns wrote this book and what she hoped, through historical fiction, to show/explain to the reader. I think she did a great job researching Rosemundy House along with information about the ATS. The writing was engaging and her characters interesting. I most likely will read the next book in the series as I felt the history part was enjoyable. While I would recommend this book, it was not a book I loved; it felt a bit too long in some places, and I'm not a fan of instalove and miscommunication tropes. But, this was a quick and engaging read. A 3.5 read, rounded up to 4 stars.

This was a fabulous book. I enjoyed every single page and was sorry when I finished it. Five stars definitely to the author. I hope she writes more like this. My thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for giving me the opportunity to read this book in return for an honest review.

I throughly enjoyed this book and devoured it in one sitting. Fantastic characters, a wonderful story of friendship and heartache. I felt the emotions and found myself smiling at the end. First book I've read by this author, but it won't be the last.

Love at (almost) first sight is put on hold when Maddie and Rudi each deal with the effects of WWII. Maddie is a wonderfully complex character even though she is so young and, at times, naïve. I enjoyed reading about the friendships she made during the war. The story focuses much less on Rudi. As a POW, he is in camps for much of the novel. Maddie had her own heartbreaking struggles and hardships, typical of what women suffered during the war. Great WWII women's fiction that closely follows historical facts!

This Cornish wartime story will warm your heart! Choosing to focus on the positive things that result from war, author Elaine Johns examines the kindness and humanity people show each other. She highlights how townsfolk pulled together, fostered courage in each other, and learned to add humour to each situation.

Madeline Brady and Rudi Fischer are on opposite sides of the war, meant to be enemies, but instead of feeling hate for each other, they feel an attraction. The timing is wrong, yet these two prove that love truly does conquer all.

Johns also examines how society treated the unwed mothers and shows that despite her treatment, Maddie exemplified resilience and self-respect. It would be easy to become bitter, but Maddie showed that the experience made her a better person. We could all learn from Maddie’s attitude. Our circumstances don’t need to determine our attitude.

Featuring loyalty, secrets, and the power of love, this heartwarming read brings light to the dark days of war and examines what it means to be brave, not only for ourselves, but also for others.

I was gifted this advance copy by Elaine Johns, Bookouture and NetGalley and was under no obligation to provide a review.

A huge thank you to the author and the publisher,Bookouture, for sharing an ARC of this book with me through Netgalley!!

“Rudi Fisher wanted to protect this lovely woman, this stranger he had only just met and never even spoken to”

Wow !!!
A heart-breaking historical fiction novel set during the times of ww2, when two people find each other in the worst possible time but the best possible way !!!
Maddie and Rudi are two of a kind and the feeling that blossoms in them is so pure, so amazing, so strong … it makes you believe in love again even if at the worst possible timing !!
This is a story where it all evolved around war and what it meant to be a soldier, trying to fight for your own country and what you most believed in.
The hardships they both go through, especially Maddie, are terrible to read about but at the same time, they’re all so true and I believe reliable for an entire generation of people who had to live through all of it, in the same way.

“Regret … is only something you have when you are too frightened to try new things”

This book showed, in such a great way, what it means to live day by day, never taking anything for granted and trying to enjoy the chances and the opportunities life can give you, right when you’re least expecting it!!
The writing style was simple enough to make me read the book without problems but very accurate in the mentions of dates and places.
And the characters portrayed in this story are some very interesting, at times controversial, people … basically they’re very real!!
And the ending … just want to say thank you to the author for making THAT happen!!
I really liked this story and I honestly cannot wait for it to be out!!

“The small things were important”

This is a great book of historical fiction...the author is gifted at writing a cannot put down novel. It would make a great movie. Thanks to the publisher for the electronic copy for review. Thanks to Netgalley for sending it. The characters are life like...some likable...some maybe not so much...the intrigue...what will happen next? Enjoy