CODE NAME SAPPHIRE by Pam Jenoff is a historical fiction story of two cousins set in Brussels during WWII. It is based on the true story of Belgium resistance fighters stopping a train bound for Auschwitz and assisting in the escape of Jewish people from the cattle cars. It also begins with the fictionalized, but true story of a ship of Jewish refugees refused landing in Cuba and returned to Europe.

Hannah Martel has lost everything. Her fiancée is killed by the Nazis, she has miscarried their baby, and she is wanted for her drawings of seditious cartoons. When the ship to Cuba she is on is refused landing, her hoped for salvation disappears. Her last hope is her cousin, Lily who lives with her surgeon husband and young son in Brussels. While she is happy to be reunited with her cousin, the Germans have recently invaded Belgium and Hannah is afraid for her life and wants to leave Europe.

Hannah is able to make contact with a resistance network called the Sapphire Line, run by Micheline and her brother Matteo. She joins the group with the promise from Micheline to get her out of the country for her help. When Lily and her family are arrested and slated for deportation to Auschwitz because of a mistake on Hannah’s part, Hannah must decide how much she is willing to risk and sacrifice to save those she loves.

This is a story with so many plot twists and harrowing circumstances that I just kept turning the pages. The historical facts that this novel is based on were well researched. Hannah and Lily at first represented the two differing lines of thought for Jewish people during the German occupation, those who wanted to or tried to leave and those who thought they could ride out the occupation in their homes, but none were safe. While I liked Hannah and Lily, I was really drawn to Micheline. I usually love a romantic element in a story, but the triangle in this story I could have done without. This is still a book I read from start to surprising conclusion.

I recommend this gripping historical fiction tale.

Courage. Pam Jenoff’s newest historical fiction novel made me think about the courage of everyday people doing extraordinary things during WWII. This story centers around young women cousins who become involved with the resistance’s operations to rescue downed British airmen in Belgium. Never thinking about themselves or their personal danger, they courageously arrange for the safe passage of these men.
Pam Jenoff’s research into historical events is second to none. She weaves the story into the historical setting in a most believable way, writing characters who feel true in every way.
I’ve read many of Pam Jenoff’s WWII historical fiction novels and this is one of her best. Historical fiction gives us insight into worlds we could never know, allowing us to marvel at the courage of people who came before us.

This book was a nail‐biter, heartbreaking, and character driven. Pam Jenoff is one of my favorite authors because she brings the characters and their situations alive with her words.
The story opens with Hannah and, her husband trying to get out of Germany when he is quickly killed and,she loses her unborn baby. Hannah is so distraught she doesn't know what to do. She decides to try to get to America, so she boards a boat going to Cuba. More tragedy strikes when the boat is turned away, and they are forced to sail back to Europe. Hannah ends up gaining refuge in Brussels because she knows her cousin Lily lives there with her family and, so they let her off the boat. Hannah and Lily have not kept in touch, and they have been estranged for many years. Hannah feels that she is still in danger so she tells Lily that she must escape and try to make it to America as soon as possible. Lily thinks Hannah should keep her head down and stay where she's at. Lily doesn't like doing things above the law. Hannah however, quickly finds people working to help the resistance and she asks for help. The head of Sapphire which helps downed airmen is Micheline and she agrees to help if Hannah helps them.
This book was so fast paced and without much effort you are drawn to the pages and are falling in love with each character. This was such an original work about the war.

4.5 Stars

Welcome to my stop on the Harlequin Trade Publishing Winter 2023 Historical Fiction Blog Tour. Thanks #NetGalley @HTPBooks @ParkRowBooks for a complimentary e ARC of #CodeNameSapphire upon my request. All opinions are my own.

Hannah has escaped from Nazi-occupied Europe, but her ship bound for America is turned away and she is forced to follow an alternative plan. When the ship stops in Brussels, she hopes that her cousin Lily will vouch for her and take her in. Fearful that her past will catch up to her and that the Nazis are hunting her, she turns to the Resistance Movement (the Sapphire Line) led by Micheline and Mateo for help. Unfortunately, Hannah makes a mistake that puts Lily and her family at risk of arrest and ultimate deportation to Auschwitz. Can she save the people she loves? Has she jeopardized the Sapphire Line? Will anyone escape?

Reading about spying and resistance movements is always a fascinating element of WWII history. In Code Name Sapphire we learn how the Sapphire Line (inspired by the Comet Line) rescued downed pilots, and about the sabotage of a train on its way to Auschwitz, liberating as many prisoners as possible. Other books I’ve read about brave women spies or women in resistance movements include Code Name Helene, The Invisible Woman, Resistance Women, The Alice Network, The Nightingale, The Last Train to London, the Winter Orphans, The Postmistress of Paris, The Daughters of War, The Book of Lost Names, and Sisters of Night and Fog.

The nature of spying and resistance adds generous sides of thriller, intensity, and tension to the story as we fear for Hannah, the safety of her family, and members of the resistance.

Code Name Sapphire is enhanced through the unique perspectives of Hannah, Lily, and Micheline.

Compelling themes include resilience, bravery, risk-taking, sacrifice, courage, difficult choices, betrayal, sisterhood, hope, and survival.

I’m recommending this powerful and memorable story for fans of WWII historical fiction, for readers who appreciate stories of brave women in the Resistance Movement, and for those who love sides of thriller with their histfic stories.

Content Consideration: war atrocities, violence, detention camp horrors, dismal situations

This is my first time reading a Pam Jenoff novel, and the well-researched history behind it does not disappoint. The plot itself is compelling and the storytelling is top-notch. So why the three stars? While the characters were richly drawn and the dialog was excellent, there wasn’t an emotional pull for me to any of them. Perhaps they were a bit too realistically flawed. Nevertheless, I look forward to giving another Jenoff novel a try.

*Thank you to @netgalley and the publisher for the complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Pam Jenoff does not disappoint! This is a WWII page turner that keeps you on the edge of your seat. You can always know the research and thought that has gone into her writing and storytelling. I always look forward to her next book.

Review will be posted on 2/9/23

Hannah Martel and her fiancé, Issac, printed satiric cartoons from an underground newspaper in Berlin in 1942. Unfortunately, Issac is killed by Nazis and this leaves Hannah on the run. She boards a ship bound for America, but the ship isn't allowed entrance and it returns to Europe. Hannah finds solace at her cousin Lily's in Brussels and while there she learns about the resistance. The Sapphire Line, a resistance group, is run by Micheline and even though Hannah would love to be out of Europe, she realizes that if she can't be in America, she will help. Things get very dangerous for Lily's family and this leaves Hannah in a tough spot. Does she have what it takes to save them? Pam Jenoff's Code Name Sapphire is based on real-life events and is a well-researched historical novel that fans of the time period will appreciate.

Jenoff is known for her memorable WWII novels and this one is no different. It tugged on my heartstrings and while Code Name Sapphire didn't pack the emotional punch like her other novels, it was still a moving read and a reminder of how women and courageous people have stepped up to the plate time and time again. It's inspiring.

Thank you to NetGalley, Harlequin Trade Publishing, and Pam Jenoff for the eARC of this book in exchange for my honest opinion and review.

This was my first Pam Jenoff book that I've read and I have to say – I was greatly disappointed! I have a few other Pam Jenoff books on my TBR list, and I'm still eager to read them because I can honestly say she has a gift for storytelling. She has a wonderful gift of finding some of the lesser-known events that happened in WWII and creating epic stories around them. Not only can I tell that from reading just one of her books, but from other reviews that I have read from friends I've made through GoodReads.

What fell short for me wasn't the storyline. I hadn't read a WWII Historical Fiction that was based in Belgium, let alone Brussels, so to hear more about the Nazi Occupation in Belgium was educational for me. Jenoff did a wonderful job of connecting history to fiction and crafting a compelling story. However, I was completely disoriented by the love triangle between Hannah, Lily, and Matteo. It felt as if it wasn't completely thought out. And, I was very confused by Lily and Matteo's reuniting. It just didn't feel all that necessary, and I think I would have preferred if Jenoff had gone in another direction with it all.

While reading, I almost felt a sense of guilt by not being able to get through the story and it took me a good 2.5 weeks to get through books – some days not reading at all since I wasn't so captivated by the book. I'm looking forward to reading other books by Jenoff but I think if I didn't feel the need to finish each of my WWII stories, I would have DNF'd this book.

Title: Code Name Sapphire
Author: Pam Jenoff
Genre: historical fiction
Rating: 4.0 out of 5

1942. Hannah Martel has narrowly escaped Nazi Germany after her fiancé was killed in a pogrom. When her ship bound for America is turned away at port, she has nowhere to go but to her cousin Lily, who lives with her family in Brussels. Fearful for her life, Hannah is desperate to get out of occupied Europe. But with no safe way to leave, she must return to the dangerous underground work she thought she had left behind.

Seeking help, Hannah joins the Sapphire Line, a secret resistance network led by a mysterious woman named Micheline and her enigmatic brother Matteo. But when a grave mistake causes Lily’s family to be arrested and slated for deportation to Auschwitz, Hannah finds herself torn between her loyalties. How much is Hannah willing to sacrifice to save the people she loves? Inspired by incredible true stories of courage and sacrifice, Code Name Sapphire is a powerful novel about love, family and the unshakable resilience of women in even the hardest of times.

I enjoyed this WWII fiction—one of my favorite reading genres—but I did find bits of it pretty sad (not surprising, considering). I liked Hannah, but found her frustrating at times, too. I would have liked to have seen more of her paintings in the novel. Lily annoyed me about half the time, so she wasn’t my favorite, but I enjoyed the relationship between the cousins.

Pam Jenoff is a bestselling author. Code Name Sapphire is her newest novel.

(Galley courtesy of Harlequin/Park Row in exchange for an honest review.)

Pam Jenoff is one of my go-to authors so I was really looking forward to reading this book as well. I was not disappointed! The writing is superb and sucked me into the story from the beginning! I couldn’t put it down because I had to know what happened next. Many incidents in the book reminded me of other historical fiction books I’ve read, but it was still a great read. If you love stories about WWII, you will enjoy this book!

Thank you to NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing for the ARC in exchange for my honest review!

Another great read

I have read all of Ms Janoff's books and they are just brilliant. As with much WW2 fiction, they have their heartbreaking and violent moments, but, this book, "Code Name Sapphire", nevertheless, keeps a positive tone and has a relatively happy ending. I learn so much about what happened during the war, something that my parents didn't talk about. I highly recommend this book (and the rest of Ms Janoff's books).

Thank you to the publisher who lent me a time-constrained e-arc via Netgalley. This review is optional and my own opinion.

Pam Jenoff is one of my favorite voices in WWII historical fiction, so I was thrilled to receive an e-arc of her newest, CODE NAME SAPPHIRE. I didn't know much about the brave souls who helped people escape from trains bound for Auschwitz, so I am so glad Pam wrote this story to shed light on that lesser-known piece of history from this time period.

I found the characters to be frustrating throughout, but I know that was purposeful. There were times I just wanted to shake Hannah and Lily to help them come to their senses, but their poor decisions and lack of understanding of one another is ultimately what led them to the situations they were in. I cried at a few points throughout, and I know that my connection to Lily as a mother made this an even more impactful read for me.

I wish I would have gotten a little more from Michelene throughout — I feel like she's the character I didn't fully know. But overall this is an impactful new addition to Pam's roster of books and to WWII historical fiction, one that I think lovers of the genre will really enjoy.

At the beginning of War World II, Hannah thought she escaped Nazi rule when she boarded a ship bound for South America. However, her ship was turned away from the port and she and many others found themselves sailing back to Europe. Luckily, they docked in Brussels, where Hannah’s cousin, Lily, and her family lived. Fearing for her life, Hannah was determined to escape Europe. The only way out would be to integrate with the underground resistance work she wanted to leave behind. Hannah connected with Mateo and Micheline and in exchange for getting out of the country, Hannah must join The Sapphire Line. When a mistake causes Lily and her family to be arrested, Hannah will stop at nothing to break her family out.

Some of the best WWII era historical fiction have one thing in common and that is the main characters are strong, resilient women. Code Name Sapphire falls right into this category. I love the strong characters in this book. These women are heroes of this era. I thoroughly enjoyed the three different points of view and the three different voices in this book. There was even a bit of romantic drama thrown in.

Thank you Net Galley, Harlequin Trade publishing, Park Row and Pam Jenoff for the advanced copy for my honest review.

Pam Jenoff is the queen of historical fiction! I have loved all of her books and this one is no exception! Another wonderful book set during WW2. This book is told by 3 incredibly brave women, Hannah, Lily, and Micheline. I truly loved the characters in the book and the descriptions have you in WW2 Germany with the women. I received an advanced readers copy and all opinions are my own.

As a bonafide fan of Pam Jenoff, I feel I must say that I haven’t found a book by her I don’t like. It’s quite possible I am not slightly biased because I fully expect every book to be just as good. With that said, this book was just as good.


What I love about this book is the absolute reality of the situation. Nothing is sugar coated in Jenoff’s books and Code Name Sapphire is no different. From the first page, the seriousness of the jobs being done and what is at stake is shown in the pages. You feel that intensity, the stress building as people are moved through cities that would easily turn them over to be sent to a concentration camp. I think that is what I loved the most about this book. It’s an incredibly sad story and time in our history, but the way Jenoff doesn’t lessen that severity in her writing while other authors sometimes try and lessen the blow to the reader. I think we need to read that harshness of the world back then. The writing in this book is real, raw, and dark.

With that I also really like the characters in this book. I love reading about people who did heroic things without much of a possibility of a reward in the end. There was far more chance of being caught, tortured, or killed for helping people trying to escape Hitler’s reign. The characters in this book risk it all for little reward. It’s fascinating to know real people like these people exist and I appreciate being able to read such stories.

As usual Jenoff’s writing is flawless and the story flowed nicely while keeping me on the edge of my seat. I was extremely stressed out most of it, but in the most delicious book-reading way. As usual, Jenoff has delivered yet another heart stopping, heartbreaking, hopeful book that kept me interested until the very end. You do not have to ask me twice. I will be reading every book Jenoff writes with high expectations.

Another incredible historical fiction book by Pam Jenoff. The strong female characters, the heartbreaking story, the very clear and well researched topic. Jenoff does an amazing job at sucking you into the story from page one and disappointing you when the book ends. Anyone who is a fan of historical fiction, especially when the main characters are strong, powerful women, I would highly recommend this book!

Hannah escaped Nazi Germany after her husband was killed. Her ship bound for the USA was turned away, she went to her cousin Lily in Brussels. Desperate to leave occupied Europe, Hannah finds herself a part of the Sapphire Line, a secret resistance network led by a woman named Micheline and her brother Mateo. When a mistake leads her family to be deported to Auschwitz, Hannah finds herself torn between her loyalties and making sacrifices for those she loves.

PUB DAY: February 7, 2023

Thank you netgalley for my advanced reader copy

Once again Pam Jenoff has illuminated a lesser known event of WWII through her historical fiction. As usual, Jenoff does not shy away from honestly describing the brutalities inflicted by the Nazis, and this book can be very sobering in that. Strong characters and a quick plot make this a page turner.

Code Name Sapphire is Pam Jenoff’s new historical novel. The enthralling plot begins in 1942 and revolves around three young women who risk their lives to help others. Micheline directs the Sapphire Line, a busy Belgian segment of an underground resistance group that leads downed British airmen across Belgium and occupied France to freedom. Her brother Matteo is also an integral part of the group.
As a Jewish artist living in Berlin Hannah and her partner Isaac waged their own war against the Nazis. Hannah drew popular anti-fascist cartoons using a pseudonym and Isaac printed and distributed the underground newspapers they appeared in. After Isaac is killed for his resistance activities Hannah flees on a ship to Cuba. Tragically her boat is turned away from Havana Harbor, but Belgium agrees to accept those passengers with local relatives. Hannah is saved by her dear cousin Lily who welcomes Hannah into the beautiful home she shares with her husband and son. Lily is ignorant of Hannah’s former activities, but Hannah knows that her presence is a serious threat to her cousin’s family. A chance meeting with Matteo leads Hannah to Micheline and the women reach an agreement. Micheline will help Hannah escape if she initially works for the Sapphire Line. Lily is shocked when she sees Matteo, the true love she left behind, with Hannah. She is also angry when she learns of Hannah’s dangerous past and the risky work she is doing for Micheline’s group. Hannah steals Lily’s identification card to use as cover when delivering messages for the Sapphire Line. When Hannah loses the card, she knows the consequences could be devastating for Lily and her family. Would Hannah be able to rescue them if needed? Shockingly, as the Sapphire Line’s success quickly plummets, Micheline is convinced there is a betrayer at the highest level of her group.
Code Name Sapphire’s fascinating characters and thrilling plot are what make this novel a true gem.

A well written book about something we all wonder-why didn't more people stand up and fight the Nazis? The futility of trying is very real but the hope that one person can really make a difference is the struggle portrayed by the characters. Can we live with ourselves if we do not try to make a difference in the world when we see injustice?

Code Name Sapphire by Pam Jenoff is a moving historical fiction set during WWII.

Inspired by true stories, this novel follows three woman, Micheline, Hannah and Lily and Resistance efforts to liberate a train of people on the way to Auschwitz.

An amazing story of courage.