I love WWII and I really enjoy all the new stories that have been coming out the last few years about bits of history that we hadn't heard about. Particularly, I've been fascinated by the stories of American and British women who trained with the Special Operations Executive and then went into France to assist the Resistance.

I absolutely loved Code Name Hélène by Ariel Lawhon and Erika Robuck's The Invisible Woman and unfortunately every other book about female spies has to live up to them. It's a high standard and when I started The Womane with No Name I wasn't sure if it would measure up.

I had trouble connecting with the main character Yvonne Rudellat. I don't think we would have been friends if I had met her. She was a real person unlike some of the other women I've read about she is older - in her mid-40s. She wasn't allowed to parachute into France like the other agents. They felt she was too fragile.

While her bones may have been fragile her spirit and determination were not.

The book lacked tension through most of the story. There should have been tension and worry about whether the characters would survive. But I didn't really feel that even knowing that the Germans are on her trail. Towards the end, I did start to worry about the characters.

Usually when I read a WWII story, at some point in my reading my curiosity gets the best of me and I have to go searching for information on the characters. But I never got that itch and didn't even realize Yvonne was a real person until I read the notes at the end of the book.

I really wasn't sure if it was going to meet the bar I set but somewhere around the halfway mark I didn't want to put the book down. I read through this novel pretty quickly. I do believe I will remember Yvonne along side Nancy and Virginia.

If you are looking for something to read for Women's History Month, but don't want to read nonfiction, then you should pick up this book.

My review will be published at Girl Who Reads on Monday - https://www.girl-who-reads.com/2024/03/the-woman-with-no-name-by-audrey-blake.html

• The Woman with No Name was the third book I read from Audrey Blake and I loved it although this was not part of the series. I am delighted that this author duo continues to write about strong determined women. I enjoyed this book and its deep dive into the French Resistance.

• This story is thrilling! Excitement around every turn. Yvonne is a wonderful character that I was rooting for throughout the book. The plot is very well laid out to keep the reader going.

• Thank you Netgalley, Audrey Blake and Sourcebooks Landmark for this e-arc. The Woman with No Name is out in the world for you to go grab.

I can recognize that this is a well written book, however I don’t think I am the target demographic for it. I look for historical romance with more emotional aspects and this one was more action forward. This will be a 5 star read to the right reader.

**4.5/5 Stars, Rounded Up**

I stumbled on Audrey Blake quite by chance; Blake’s first novel came up as a suggested read on Amazon. Yes, I know “Audrey Blake” is technically two authors, but it’s easier to write the review referencing “Audrey Blake” as one person. I am a WWII history buff. I just finished watching Apple TV’s new series, Masters of the Air, and I loved every minute of it. There’s not a doubt in my mind that the era features the Greatest Generation. The Woman with No Name by Audrey Blake fictionalizes the story of a French resistant I never knew to exist. Beautifully, Blake captures the intensity of working behind the scenes against an evil unlike any we’ve known. I pray with all my heart we will never stoop to those utter depths of inhumanity again.

After a Nazi bombing hits her home, Yvonne Rudellat is determined to make a difference for her home country: France. Britain’s Special Operations Executive (SOE) sees her French fluency as an asset and trains her to be implanted behind enemy lines. The goal—to create a network that will sabotage the Nazi regime. Even when faced with pushback, Yvonne keeps her eye on the goal and never stops. When faced with an obstacle, she goes over, under, or around it. And even when the worst happens, Yvonne never opens her mouth. Never betrays those who trusted her with their lives.

The Woman with No Name by Audrey Blake features two timelines: Yvonne’s training and her resistance work in France. We see snippets from the past that influence Yvonne’s present and eventually, her future. Blake takes an unknown (to me) real person—Yvonne Rudellat—and makes me want to investigate her further. I have already requested her biography from my library. Yvonne, Pierre, and all the others are more than mere characters on the page. Audrey Blake wonderfully describes the challenges the network faced, the relationships forged, and the doubts often confronted. The SOE hesitated, at first, to deploy Yvonne because of her small stature and age. She proved them all wrong.

I only had a couple complaints about the novel. I didn’t like Blake’s created character, Max. His chapters didn’t have as much power behind them. They did demonstrate the government’s search for the resistance movement—specifically, for Yvonne and Pierre. But…I don’t know, Max’s chapters didn’t do it for me. Secondly, The Woman with No Name has an (appropriately) abrupt ending. It worked for the novel—and I imagine something similar happened in real life—but it hurt my heart!

WWII. Espionage. Good characters. A hint of feminism. The Woman with No Name is a wonderful read for any historical fiction fan.

♦️When Yvonne Rudellat's home was bombed during the Second World War, that was the final nail in the coffin. Having lived under the same roof with her estranged husband, at his mercy, for several years, she seemed to have no purpose in life. Her daughter, Jackie, was already busy with some war operations. When she decided to end her life, she was offered an opportunity of a lifetime; to work as Britain's first SOE agent and help the French resistance in fighting against the Germans. After undergoing a fierce training, she landed in France with a new identity. With her perseverance and power to go unnoticed, she soon became the leader of a resistant group. Her sabotaging activities  became a concern for the Germans, who started searching for "the woman with no name". This novel is based on her story.

💥It is a historical fiction based on the Second World War. The author has created a brilliant picture of the situation in France during the same. I was spellbound after reading about the risks taken by those, fighting against the Germans. The author also gives us an idea about the aggressive training undergone by the SOE agents. They were even instructed to  swallow cyanide if caught by the Germans, lest they cannot endure anymore torture and spill the beans.

💥Yvonne Rudellat was a real life example of "It's never too late to pursue your dreams". The story of her journey in becoming the first female SOE agent deserves praise. Due to her determination, she was able to lead dangerous missions against the Germans despite being middle-aged.

💥This was an enjoyable read for me. It has brought to life, the life and deeds of a woman who was lost in history. I will surely recommend this book to all those who are interested in historical fiction.

I was delighted to read the latest novel by duo authors Audrey Blake after enjoying their previous novels. I enjoy how the authors focus on fierce, strong female protagonists in each story they write and The Woman with No Name was no exception. Based on true events during the Second World War the story centers on Yvonne Redellet, Britain's first female Special Operations Executive. Once deployed in France, Yvonne, with a large ensemble of resistance fighters, strategically and bravely set the Nazi occupation on fire as master saboteurs. 


I found the first 2/3 of the story a bit slow and keeping track of the large ensemble of characters proved a bit difficult. There were multiple times where I had to go back and reread/listen to parts of the story get my bearings. There was also a bit of bouncing around in timelines, and occasional third person narrations by other characters that felt a little bit disjointed in the flow of the story. I am so happy that I kept on with it, however, because I was rewarded with an exciting last third. The pace picked up at this point and the ending had me on the edge of my seat. The authors' notes at the end are a must-read and made me appreciate the meticulous research that the authors put into telling this story.

A game changer is a woman who takes the impossible and filets it with a mighty force.

Audrey Blake centers her novel around an actual woman named Yvonne Rudellat. Yvonne was born outside of Paris and then later moved to London. The Prologue itself is of high interest as Blake frames a car accident in 1928 that changed Yvonne forever.

Switch gears and we're now in London during the Blitz in 1942. Taking shelter underground is a daily occurrence. Yvonne wishes to do more. Much more. She becomes a commissioned volunteer as a First Aid Yeoman. Being fluent in French is an asset that couldn't be denied. Yvonne pushes the envelope and takes the name Jacqueline Viallat. She's been rigidly trained to assist the Vichy government of resistance in France.

As readers, we'll find "Jacqueline" and her arrival in France as low key. She rides her bicycle through the streets and sits in cafes. Bikes used no gasoline and could be hidden quite easily in a pinch.

And then comes an incident that calls up Jacqueline's inner powers. She's become the first female sabotage agent and an ace with explosives. One needs to consider that Yvonne Rudellat was an actual woman living during these times fighting against the Nazi occupation in France. And as age becomes an issue in the scheme of things, Yvonne was 45 years old at the time. Moreover, it boggles the mind to think of all those that are nameless who fought to the death to make a difference. The Woman with No Name is a tribute to the brave and the daring who refused to sit by and let Evil take their place at the table of Life.

I received a copy of this book through NetGalley for an honest review. My thanks to Sourcebooks Landmark and to Audrey Blake for the opportunity.

Ⓑⓞⓞⓚ Ⓡⓔⓥⓘⓔⓦ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

𝕋𝕙𝕖 𝕎𝕠𝕞𝕒𝕟 𝕨𝕚𝕥𝕙 ℕ𝕠 ℕ𝕒𝕞𝕖
𝗔𝘂𝗱𝗿𝗲𝘆 𝗕𝗹𝗮𝗸𝗲
Historical Fiction
384 pages
𝑷𝒖𝒃 𝑫𝒂𝒚: March 12, 2024

Sʜᴏᴿᴛ Sʏɴᴏᴘsɪs
Divorcee Yvonne Rudellat feels lost after her daughter is grown. She decides to train to become part of the as the first woman to become a British sabotage agent & part of the SOE (Special Operations Executive).
She is sent to France, where she accomplishes much more than expected.

Mʸ Tᴴᴼᵁᴳᴴᵀs
First, this is based on real people and the dangerous and brave things they did to help defeat the Nazis. The MC was unequivocally more courageous than you’d think possible, especially for a woman in that time period. She forged forward through challenges I couldn’t imagine, staring danger in the eye the entire time.

The chapters switch between the present and the past, partly detailing her SOE training. Each chapter lists a place and date to help the reader keep the story straight.

This is a super insightful and informative story. We learn what happened to Yvonne after this story ends by reading a letter written to her daughter. It puts all she did into perspective.

💕Thank you to NetGalley, the author, and the publisher for providing this ebook for me to read and review.

Thank you Netgalley for this ARC of The Woman with No Name by Audrey Blake.

Ok, I have a lot of guilt about this, but it's a DNF for me. I tried reading to it, and then I tried listening to it. I just couldn't get into it. I'm sure it's a great book, but I was never able to get into it, and I love WWII stories.

This book was amazing! It is a historical fiction book about Yvonne Rudellet, who I found out from the author’s notes was a real person and several events in the book were based on actual events that Yvonne was involved in. After her home is bombed and she feels like she has no purpose in life, she gets recruited to become part of the resistance in the war. The story goes back and forth between 2 main timelines, when she was in training and when she was in the field. It had many nail biting moments and I was rooting for Yvonne throughout the story. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.

This book is based on a real story. It was definitely an engaging read that I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend to fans of character-driven historical fiction with strong female protagonists.

This was my first time reading this author and I would be interested to read more from her in the future.

I really enjoyed the synopsis. I feel like the book was dragged out more than it needed to be. I wanted to love it but I just couldn’t.

The Woman with No Name is a well-written story of courage and bravery, friendship and strength.

The author has done an excellent job of researching the true story of Yvonne Rudellat, the Special Operations Executive (SOE), the training that was undertaken and the French Resistance - both the people involved and their courageous acts. I did encounter some elements of confusion early on in the story - perhaps because there are so many characters and due to the organisation of the story which moves around a lot. However, I found this improved as the book progressed and the ending in particular was rather moving.

Thank you to the publisher, Sourcebooks Landmark for a digital copy of this book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I received a complimentary copy of this book via Netgalley. Opinions expressed in this book are solely my own.

I find I'm more drawn to historical books that are based on a true story., so I was excited to get started on The Woman with No Name. Sadly this one was not for me, the story was rather interesting, but can be dry in places. I found it hard to pick the book back up during the dry spells. I did however finish it so I give it 3.

I really wanted to love this one, but it fell flat for me.

Yvonne and all the other characters lacked depth, and emotion so I could connect and root for them. They didn’t feel real thus making it so hard for me to care. That and the lack of plot is why I’m rating this one so low. The plot felt discombobulated. I know it’s based on true events but I felt it could have taken more of the historical fiction route and been meshed together more still keeping the root of the story. I don’t know how the prologue fit within any of the story. As neat as this story could have been, I’m really sad that it was this much of a let down.

The story is definitely inspiring and love stories with badaaaaass woman!!! The stories of women fighting during any war are fascinating. If this was a movie, I'd definitely watch it.

Sadly it wasn't entirely for my liking. The reasons are simple, I got bored at times as I wanted a historical fiction, I'm a fan, but at times it seemed more like an action book with all the operations and action books aren't my thing. It was too slow at times and all the back and forth wasn't enjoyable for me, it felt messy, and that made me feel stressed and didn't allow me to really engage with the read. So many dates and all mixed, not a really good idea, for me.

It's based in a real woman so I was intrigued, it was just the book that didn't get to me. Close to the end was better but that didn't make me forget the rest of the 85% of the book. I wanted to love it but sadly I didn't.

I have seen many recommendations for this author's books so I'd definitely read something else she has written.

Thank you netgalley, publisher and author for my arc in exchange for an honest opinion.

I love a good historical fiction book. This need not meet up to par. I pushed farther along than I wanted to. Just was not for me.

Just have to say I loved this book both in print and in audible. I was impressed with the narrator and how she brought the characters to life. But the storyline and the author’s ability to engage the reader was just fantastic.

I voluntarily reviewed both audiobook and kindle provided by NetGalley.

I find learning about the unsung heroes of the French Resistance and the SOE working with them to be fascinating. Based on actual people and events, the authors do a great job of portraying the danger and dedication these courageous people went through to defend their country against Hitler.

The writing duo of Audrey Blake are quickly solidifying themselves as a favorite historical fiction writer for me. I have a soft spot for books written about women's often overlooked contributions to various war efforts, and history in general. And this is where these ladies excel.

One of the things I loved most about this book was that it was based on a true story. Many of the names of the characters were preserved to honour their deeds and sacrifices. Yvonne Rudelatt is an unassuming middle aged french woman, trying to make sense of life and her purpose after an air raid in England destroys her home. Divorced from her husband and somewhat estranged from her now adult daughter, she has a fire to give aid in a meaningful way to her native homeland France. Turned away by most agencies due to her age she finally gets approached buy the secretive SOE, to become Britain's first female sabotage expert. After completing a grueling training program that includes, weaponry, code breaking and explosives, she is sent to France to join the resistance movement.

The book weaves a tale of courage, calm under pressure, strength and patriotism. What Yvonne does for both the movement and moving women forward is admirable. The writing flowed effortlessly and was fast paced and action packed. I really enjoyed all the little insights into the mechanics behind the small inconveniences put forth by the rebels to hamper German efforts. It was clear they writing duo took time to do their research. I can't wait to see what they come out with next.