What a breathtaking historical romance! Set in Norway, the main character, Hedda, is horribly abused by her husband. With a young son to protect from dangers of the approaching German army, she takes an enormous risk by trying to escape. Their harrowing journey on foot and by boat ends as the boat crashes on the rocky shores of the Shetland Islands. The boat had been hit by a German fighter plane and was capsizing on the Island of Fiskersay. British airman Bill Gaither is one of the RAF men who rescue Hedda and Eirick.
Fiskersay is a rugged place with few inhabitants other than the British RAF forces operating a radar station. Besides the radar station, it has one tiny town. The weather can be ferocious “For the first forty-eight hours, the weather was so bad I couldn’t get off the station. …. the wind trying to knock you off your feet and sleet-filled rain soaking through to your underclothes in minutes if you’d been foolish enough to forget your mac.” (Pg. 170)
There are constant attacks by German bombers which appear to be linked to an unidentified island traitor. And slowly but surely, Hedda and Bill fall in love. “Our eyes met, and I felt my heart do the same odd little jump it had when I came across her and Eirick setting outside the hut the other day.” (Pg94)
The main characters in the story are very well developed, especially since the chapters switch back and forth from the first-person voices of Bill and Hedda.
The constant drama and fast momentum of the story makes it difficult to put down. Like other reviewers have mentioned, Girl from Norway could be a wonderful movie.

The Girl From Norway is a captivating WW2 novel told from the perspectives of Hedda, the titular heroine escaping her Nazi-occupied home in Norway in grave danger with her young son, and Bill, an injured and haunted Canadian ex-pilot who is stationed in the Shetland islands.
I found it very difficult to put this book down, the pace is fantastic and every page that I turned kept bringing more details of the characters that I found compelling. The writing is wonderful and explores all the tragedy, stress and peril of the war years, as well as the bravery of individual normal people living within the countries involved.
An endearing and moving tale of escape and hope even in the darkest of times.

I knew very little about about what occurred in Norway and the nearby Scottish Islands during WWII.
Things in occupied Norway were grim. For Hedda and her young son, her "difficult" husband made things even grimmer. After her work carrying messages is discovered Hedda and her son go on the run, eventually landing on a remote island. Bill, a radio operator for the RAF is assigned to the same island after an accident. They have each left a troubled past behind. On this remote island they have a chance to find new futures.
This is a review of an ARC provided by NetGalley.

This was a lovely historical fiction romance that was different from any other WWII book I’ve read! I really enjoyed both POV’s, and loved to see both of the main characters growth throughout the novel. I also really enjoyed that it was primarily set on the Shetland Islands. Would definitely recommend this to someone who is looking for a historical fiction love story!

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for this eARC!

This book is well-researched. The story was entertaining and kept my interest. This was a good read and I'd recommend it to anyone interested in ww2 stories.

As an avid reader of WW2 fiction, I was excited to see something that wasn’t the same old same old London/Paris/Berlin plot. The way this author blended fact and fiction, the way I am desperate to visit the far northern reaches of the Shetland Islands now? Gorgeous. I also loved that this story wasn’t about your typical WW2 hero and heroine, but instead, two people who were older, and had lived through a few experiences already. Happily recommend this one to fans of WW2 fiction!

I was provided an ARC copy of this book through Netgalley. My thanks to the publisher and the author for providing it to me.

In 1942, Hedda and her six year old son, Eirick, are attempting to flee an abusive husband and the Nazi occupied Norway. They arrive barely alive on the rocky shores of the
Shetland Islands. Bill, a disgraced Airman in the RAF who has been stationed in the Shetland Islands as a radar operator, rescues them. Could Bill and Hedda be what each other need to heal after the war.

The first part of the book read like a true WW2 historical fiction novel with danger and intrigue. The second half, I felt, transitioned into more of a romance novel, moving a little slower, but still engaging. Not knowing much about Norway and how it weathered WW2, I loved getting the new perspective. While the characters were well developed, I would have liked more between the two main characters. I felt like ending was a little too buttoned up.

Brilliant read - thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for allowing me to read and review it.

Shetland is a place close to my heart and somewhere on my bucket list to visit. Norway was a stunning country to visit so it immediately appealed to me.

The characters were all easy to relate to. The description of life living under German occupation in Norway was graphic. If anything it would have been nice for this part of the book to have been a bit longer.

The story did leave me with a few queries such as how many days was the sea voyage and as they were nailed in did they have access to food and water and sufficient oxygen?!

I enjoyed the description of life in Shetland and how the two main characters lives intertwined. I had sussed out who was the spy long before it was revealed in the book!

All in all an enjoyable read and I will continue to look for more from this author. Thank you!

Absolutely enjoyed this book! It was a great WWII romance, with twists and turns that I loved. Loved the depth of the main characters and their development throughout this face paced read. Perfect for anyone who love an historical fiction romance with some action a dash of mystery and great characters!

The title is a bit misleading because the "girl" is Hedda who is in her mid-twenties and has already been battered by life. I only mention this because this book is excellent and so much more than the cover might suggest. The story takes off like a rocket in the first few pages and the supersonic ride lasts until the final page. No matter what you enjoy in historical fiction, you'll find it in this book...Nazi occupation of Norway, the Resistance, the Shetland Bus, and a spy traitor. Adding to the tension, throw in the incredible Arctic setting of Kirkenes, Norway, the northernmost Shetland Islands of Scotland, and wicked weather.

As exciting as the plot is, the characters truly make the story. Hedda's terror is palpable as she tries to escape with her 6-year-old son, alone and with nowhere to turn. Hedda must escape not only the Nazis but also her brutal, abusive husband. The psyche of an abused woman is perfectly portrayed here by the author. The other lead character, Bill, is a Canadian and a crew member of an RAF heavy bomber. When this story begins in 1943, he is battling his own demons from flying many missions. All of the characters in this book felt like real people, making me care about each one of them. I highly recommend this exceptional book...I loved it.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Aria for the opportunity to read this ARC. This review is my own.

This was a very well researched book which was evident in the plot. The characters were interesting, with interesting stories. The plot was great , all the things that I love in a book. Historical fiction, romance, family and mystery. However, it didn't fully grab me. I wanted to continue reading but felt it was just a little slow. However a very solid 3.5/5.

What I loved about this book other than the story line, was definitely the character development throughout the story as well as the realness of the story. I felt like I was being told by an elderly couple how their young spirits met and fell in love. It was the perfect dash of romance, mystery and thrill!

Truly enjoyed the story of The Girl from Norway. A book I would highly recommend. Emma Pass shows how a mother will go to the ends of the earth to save her child. Running from the Nazis Hedda goes through insurmountable odds to bring her son to safety. I enjoyed how the characters were woven together and how we see their relationships build. I've always enjoyed books written about WWII but in countries other than Germany or Poland. Getting a glimpse into what life was like in a country like Norway opens up a different history that many people do not understand or know much about. Overall, this book was great and I will definitely recommend it to others!

The Girl from Norway by Emma Pass is an extraordinary novel! I would love to see this book turn into a movie one day, I think it would make a great WWII/Romance movie! The main character Hedda, escapes Nazi-Occupied Norway with her young son Eirich, not only to escape from the Germans, but also to escape from an abusive and loveless marriage. After risking their lives to escape and arrive in the safety of the Island of Fiskersay in Scotland,
Bill is a former radio transmitter from the Canadian branch of the RAF who after a mistake on-duty, he finds himself grounded and working on the Island of Fiskersay. When Bill and Hedda's paths cross, there is no denying that there is an instant spark between the two. But Bill is engaged to a woman named Rose back home and Hedda is still legally married to her abuser. Before they can begin to understand their feelings, there is determined to be a spy and traitor on the island, and suddenly everyone is skeptical of everyone.

What I loved about this book other than the story line, was definitely the character development throughout the story as well as the realness of the story. I felt like I was being told by an elderly couple how their young spirits met and fell in love. It was the perfect dash of romance, mystery and thrill!

This was just beautiful - the fear of the dash to escape the Germans in Norway, the slow building of a life as the untrusted stranger, all whilst the war plays out. Some great scenes of how hard daily life was for those with little more to their name than hope and perhaps a second chance at love.

A heart breaking and enchanting look at the hard choices the people of Norway had to make under Nazi occupation and the costs of their choices.

The Girl from Norway by Emma Pass sucked me in from the first page. I've always had an interest in historical fiction, but this book is now at the top of my list.

The book starts with a family that is in the middle of the German army overtaking the city that they are living in. Hedda, the main character, and her son, Eirik, have a difficult home life and are very meek and timid people. As circumstances change, they find themselves having to relocate. They find themselves on the island of Fiskersay and start to establish a life here.

Bill, a solder with RAF is posted on Fiskersay. He has a hard past as well due to the war and carries with him loads of guilt. We see his character develop when he gets into a relationship with Rose, a traveling entertainer/singer for the military.

As the story unfolds, Bill, Hedda and Eirik are tested more than people should ever have to be tested in their life. Hedda and Bill start to form a relationship, but are soon pulled apart from each other as Bill is being sent to a different post. Despite their current relationship status with other people, they are determined to figure out a future with each other in it.

As the war comes to a close, Hedda is busy working and establishing a safe life for herself and Eirik. Bill is working as well. Due to different locations, and ever-shifting events as the war closes, it makes communication difficult.

The Girl from Norway shows that love will go to all ends of the earth. Just because circumstances make life difficult, love will still prevail.

Highly recommend The Girl from Norway if you're a fan of historical wwii fiction!

Thank you to #emmapassauthor Aria & Aries Publication for letting me read this arc!

I grew up with a dad who is obsessed with WWII documentaries. I know weird facts about WWII that have come in handy during school exams or trivia competitions. But I didn't know about what the Germans did to Norway. This book has made me want to research what happened in Norway during WWII, the same as how I wanted to know more about the Channel Islands after I read The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society.

If you're a WWII buff and enjoy historical romance, then this book is for you.

A great way to spend a few hours on a wet Good Friday