Member Reviews

I could not put it down! I’ve read a few of Dugoni’s books and he’s a master of historical war fiction. I read Unbroken, which is non-fiction about the Japanese POW camps and this book really adds to the atrocities American prisonirws had to endure. To make the story even more interesting is having the main character’s girlfriend working as a decoder for the American government. PHENOMENAL book! Thanks for the advanced copy!

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This historical fiction book is awesome! It is based on true events of WWII. From The Nightingale, I learned things about the war in France that no history book ever taught. In this book, I learned a ton about the war in the Philippines and China from this book. So much research was put into this book. It follows the fictional love story of Sarah and Sam while giving us in depth detail of Sam's experience in the war. Sarah also got to contribute her talents to the war effort in a very worthy way. I love Robert Dugoni books. They are so well written and I have learned so much. Thanks to @NetGalley for the ARC of this book!

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Robert Dugoni's latest historic fiction book proves he's a master storyteller! Co-authored by Jeff Langholz and Chris Crabtree, who have. both researched and had first-hand knowledge of some of the characters, this retelling of the plight of the POWs who were held in Japanese prison camps in the Philippines and on board the Japanese vessel Arisan Maru will keep you reading well into the night!

Dugoni gives life to two young people from a small Minnesota town (named Sam and Sarah for the story) who each fight their own battles during WW2.

I would have liked to have known Sarah better, but Sam's trip through hell is as poignant as it gets!! Reading the end notes as you go validifies the story. It isn't a story -- real people lived this horror!!

Carefully researched, Sam embodies actual WW2 survivors. He doesn't just live facts; we see his tortured mind!!

In some ways the story made me angry, but probably not angry enough! I realized that I have no idea of the horrors others went through to allow me to live in a free America. I don't fully understand the military's no-win decisions or what the men were really like who made those decisions. Did they have any idea about the Sams and Sarahs their decisions would impact??

This story has never been told in its entirety before. Readers will appreciate the story; historians will put a person with the facts and unless you don't have any compassion, you will be thinking about this and its implications for a long time!!

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Hold Strong is a well researched compelling read that is a powerful story that everyone should read.

My review can never do this book justice.

It is the story of Sam Carlson who at the beginning of the war is sent to the Philippines and his girlfriend Sarah Haber is recruited to be a code breaker

The Philippines fall to the Japanese and all the military personnel are made Prisoners of War.

Their story is inhumane, they courage is mind boggling and their tenacity is out of this world.

All they can do is Hold Strong.

Sarah is doing her part to shorten the war and knows her task is of the utmost importance that has deadly consequences and yet it is necessary.

Robert Dugoni, Jeff Langholz and Chris Crabtree have collaborated together to write a book based on history and they have told a story that is an eye opener .

It is a journey that you the reader wont forget nor should we.

Hold Strong will no doubt be several Book Club picks and I can not recommend this book highly enough.

Thanks to NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing for the privilege of reading and reviewing Hold Strong.

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This book was "unputdownable". For those who loved "Unbroken", this book will also be cherished. It provides a lesson on events from WWII which aren't often taught in US History. As an added bonus, it has a delightful love story thrown in. I highly recommend this to all students of WWII history.

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Hold Strong is an extraordinary novel by Robert Dugoni, Jeff Langholz and Chris Crabtree which is based on true events during WW2.
In short, we follow a young American lad, Sam Carlson’s remarkable journey through the extremely barbaric time as a PoW in the Philippines.
I’ve read and enjoyed many books by Robert and this one, well it’s a ‘stand out’. It’s a remarkable, harrowing story and a testament to the power of hope which being based on factual events (meticulously researched and recorded…listed at the end of book) ratchets up the heinous atrocities during that time as a PoW under the Japanese regime. How they survived is a testament to the human spirit and how much the human body can endure…how the men coped is unbelievable, just so very brave. It’s a gripping and unsettling read but it’s a reminder of the terrible sacrifices made by the men, a story that shouldn’t be forgotten. So, if you think you are having a bad day, just read this book.
Big thanks to Robert Dugoni, Jeff Langholz, Chris Crabtree, Lake Union Publishing and NetGalley for this eARC which I chose to read in return for my honest review.

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Wow, a real tour de force by Robert Dugoni, Jeff Langholz and Chris Crabtree. When I first started reading the book I thought it was a real story about real people...and in a way it is, because it's based on real events and compilations of people involved in those events. But this book is one of the best historical fiction books I've read in a long time. Impeccably researched, beautifully written, it stayed with me long after I finished it.
It's the story of Sam Carlson and Sarah Haber, told both in parallel and woven together, Sam and Sarah grew up in a small town in Minnesota, which could be a small town anywhere. They are sweethearts, Sarah bound for college and Sam for the workforce, when the Japanese bomb Pearl Harbor. Sam enlists and as a math wiz, Sarah is recruiting into a secret government program that listens in on Japanese radio traffic with the purpose of breaking their codes. Sam is sent to the Philippines, where he eventually survives the Bataan death march and a Japanese POW camp. When the Japanese are losing the war, they load hundreds of American prisoners onto boats to take them to Japan rather than have any witnesses to the brutality they have subjected the men to. Not signatories to the Geneva convention, the Japanese feel free to abuse the men, and ignore the rules of war. Traveling in a convoy of other ships without POWs, the Japanese deliberately fail to fly a flag indicating that their ship has POW's on it. Meanwhile, Sarah has broken a Japanese code that indicates a large convoy of Japanese ships heading from the Philippines to Japan. Becoming aware that there are POW's on at least one of the ships, top brass must decide what to do...decisions that could possibly save their own POW"s lives, but also give away that the Allies have broken Japanese codes. The books is mesmerizing, compelling and so well researched it could be history rather than fiction. Detailed notes at the end of the book tell us what's real and what's fiction (thank you to the authors for that!) and where to find more information. It's both a must read, and a 10 star book!

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This heartbreaking, devastating tale of one man's harrowing journey during WWII needs to be read by all!! I'm still at a loss for words after finishing this novel. I am in tears over the suffering and the appalling treatment of human beings that transpired during this war. Most of this story was based on facts and true accounts. Some of the characters were fictional, but all of them were based off of real-life soldiers' experiences or what was surmised from war records. This particular story focuses on the US soldiers that were captured by the Japanese and stuffed into the cargo hold of a hell ship, resulting in the largest US naval "accident" in history. This book was well-written and captivating. It was also interesting to learn about something new that happened during the war. Most WWII novels that I've read typically share the same focus. This book was completely different. It was a truly unforgettable experience, and this book will stay with me for a long time. I feel honored to have been able to read it in remembrance of all those brave men who lost their lives. I highly recommend this book to everyone! It deserves to be read.

Thank you to Lake Union Publishing for granting me digital access via NetGalley in exchange for my honest review!

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🤍 Book review 🤍

Hold Strong
A Novel
by Robert Dugoni; Jeff Langholz; Chris Crabtree

Hold Strong by Robert Dugoni, Jeff Langholz, and Chris Crabtree is an unforgettable historical novel set during WWII, based on true events. The story follows Sam, a POW survivor of the Bataan Death March, and Sarah, a brilliant mathematician turned code breaker. Their lives tragically intersect when Sarah's mission involves Sam’s perilous situation on the Arisan Maru. This gripping novel showcases the resilience, courage, and sacrifices made during one of the darkest periods in history. With well-developed characters and a heart-wrenching yet inspiring plot, it’s a powerful read that brings the heroism of the time to life.

Very grateful to the publisher for my copy, opinions are my own

#HistoricalFiction #WWIINovel #BasedOnTrueEvents #RobertDugoni #BookReview #POWStory #WWIIHistory #WarAndLove #HistoricalReads #CodeBreaking #EpicNovel #PacificTheater #BookRecommendations #HoldStrong #LoveAndWar #BookCommunity #ReadersOfInstagram #BookLovers #Bookstagram

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I love historical fiction & this book did not disappoint. Immediately you will fall in love with the characters, and be rooting for them. The look at the Pacific theater is not something I think you read about often. I appreciate the opportunity to learn about what happened and what our soldiers went through. It was devastating to read about & the decisions made by those in power. I would recommend this book & thank NetGalley for the ARC!

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I really don't know how to review a book that was as impactful as Hold Strong was. I have always been intrigued by WW2 miniseries, such as The Pacific and Band of Brothers. I've always enjoyed learning about it and seeing it somehow come to life on the screen in front of me. While reading Hold Strong, the same thing happened in my mind. Though it was hard to read at times, due to the graphic details, this is one of the best books I have ever read. It was also my first by the author, and I intend to add Dugoni's books to my TBR. Solid 5 stars!

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Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this book for an honest review.

This is a story about love and war. A story of man’s inhumanity to man in the theater of the 2nd world war in the Pacific.
Sam and Sara come from small town America during the depression and they both have big dreams for their future. Sam enlists in the national guard in order to earn money to eventually marry Sara. Sara is a maths wizard and she can only think of going to university and coming back home to teach.. The world is at war and Sam is sent to the Philippines where their unit is overrun by the Japanese after the Pearl Harbor attack. Sam is taken prisoner and the terrible murderous torture at the hands of their Japanese guards begins .Sam is eventually reported missing and Sara decides to put her mathematic brain to good use and joins the code breaking team in her mind to so to help with Sam’s rescue from the Japanese. This is a riveting story of many heroes and heroines and of terrible decisions decoded by Sara’s team in an effort to end the war and release the prisoners of war from their often terrible fates.
This is a historical novel of epic proportions which affected a generation of young men and women in a war that was supposed to end all wars
5 stars

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I'll admit this was the second time I tried to read a book by this author, and for the second time it didn't work.
I will not pinpoint negative reasons as to why this didn't work for me, especially because I genuinely don't think there is anything essentially wrong with this book. It just isn't for my taste. Maybe it's a *me* thing: I just cannot connect to Dugoni's writing.
But I'd recommend this book to anyone who has ever read a book by this author and enjoyed it.

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This is another amazing book by this author and a departure away from thrillers to historical fiction but he is a master at that also . This is a poignant look at the atrocities of WWII but told in such a way that it keeps you engaged without being boring or stodgy but yet you will learn something about these brave men and women of the time .
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for letting me review the book

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Hold Strong is something different from Robert Dugoni. Best known as a thriller writer this is a powerful and shocking piece of historical fiction set in WW2 and co-written with Jeff Langholz and Chris Crabtree that is truly eye-opening,not just with its depiction of Japanese atrocities but the cold,calculating decisions made by American "top brass" to keep its breaking of enemy codes secret.

The story tells of young lovers Sam and Sarah's war. Sam is sent to the Philippines while Sarah negotiates the prejudices of the day to find herself a ranking officer and secret code-breaker in Hawaii. The bulk of the book describes Sam's ordeal at the hands of his brutal Japanese captors,first during the infamous Bataan death march and later on one of the "Hell Ships" where brutality and sadism were the order of the day. This is a book that is often hard to read and an important one, Japan seems to feel almost insulted when it's bestial and depraved behaviour before and during the war is highlighted but it really should never be forgotten,and in parts of Asia has never been forgiven for reasons that readers of this book will understand.

A very well written book that will shock,inform , leave a lasting impression and not least bring one of the more callous and cold-blooded decisions of America's WW2 history to a wider audience.

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over heels. But as WWII develops, Sam is sent to the Philippines, while Sarah is recruited as a code-breaker for her remarkable math skills. While Sam is taken prisoner and send to a POW camp, Sarah works her way up in the ranks, until one day, she receives a message she knows might well be the end of Sam. Assuming he is still alive of course. It took me longer than expected to read this book, and now I find myself at a loss for words. I've read too many books detailing horrible acts committed during period of war, but never did I have to stop reading to come to terms with what I just read, knowing that while I was reading a piece of fiction, those crimes were surely real. This time, I did have to stop. More than once. The accounts of atrocities committed in the POW camps, as well as later accounts of crimes committed by raiding Japanese parties in China, are nothing shy from gut-wrenching, yet I appreciate the authors including those stories, as they showcase what happens when we stop seeing each other as human. More than once, I found my heart racing to find out what would happen next. Despite the many horrendous chapters in Hold Strong, I found myself drawn back to it almost instantaneously, as there were so many moments that provided light and a happiness of sorts. Moments that made the characters so... "human". From Sarah struggling with the guilt of enjoying her life without knowing whether Sam is still alive, to Sam wishing on the Northern Star, from Chavez makinainaradihluhadinkon and lanaina for hin

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Having read this author in the past, I was expecting a mystery/thriller. However, this book is a historical novel/romance. Although not my usual choice for reading, I read the book. It was a well written book with a good storyline. I’m glad I decided to go ahead and read it. This is a book which I would recommend to others.

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Disclaimer: I want to thank Lake Union Publishing as well as NetGalley for providing me with an Arc of this book; please note that all opinions expressed are my own.

So I read Hold Strong by R. Dugoni, J. Langholz and C. Crabtree, over 2 weeks ago, and just am now feeling like I can form words around what I experienced, felt, tasted, smelled, and saw. This book is a historical fiction book based on very true events that happened during WWII. There are 2 main characters: Sam, who ends up being held as a POW by the Japanese, and Sarah, who not only goes to college (virtually unheard of in that time for a female) and receives a degree in mathematics. Sarah also works her way through the ranks with her extreme skill and ingenuity into being a fantastic code breaker for the Navy.

This book, and its writing was just so vivid, I felt like I was experiencing everything live. Yes, even in the Arisan Maru, when all of those thousands of men were crammed into the hold, I could taste it. I felt seasick and also was overwhelmed by the smells. I had to take a break and smell some fresh air outside to remind me I was not also in that hold!!

What our brave and courageous men and women did and went through for us all in World War II is nothing short of remarkable.

5 stars for this one, breathtaking, heartwarming, heartbreaking and redemptive

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Wow. I'm speechless after finishing this book.

I was very excited to read it because I loved the author's previous book "The Extraordinary Life of Sam Hell." While this particular book didn't suck me in like Sam Hell did, it was a very good one.

First of all, it was surreal to read it because my husband and I are named Sarah and Sam and it was strange to read about the main characters and their love story. It made it a bit more personal in a weird way haha.

The pacing in the beginning was a bit slow and slightly boring. I kept setting my kindle down and not wanting to pick it back up to read it. But by the 45% mark, I didn't put it down at all until it was finished.

It starts with Sam getting on the ship, then flashes back to his hometown and the start of his love story with Sarah, then how he joined and ended up in the Philippines and how Sarah ended up serving as well. The depictions of war, the POW camps, war crimes, suffering, etc is VERY detailed raw and real. There was a few times I winced, teared up, got sick to my stomach, and gasped. It truly is not for the faint of heart. But necessary to read.

The love story took a backseat more so than I expected it would. And I was honestly a bit surprised at the ending (will their love survive the war or not?). The scars of war will change a love story, and this book shows that but also still shines hope on love's role in survival.

All in all, if you are a fan of military history, "Unbroken" type of stories, "The Pacific", then this is the book for you.

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This book was FABULOUS. I couldn't put it down, I couldn't get off the couch, I couldn't finish my household chores, I was riveted.

The story flowed so amazingly, I was amazed at how much I didn't know about this part of WWII - it upset me that I didn't know, I read all the notes at the end of the book and I plan to GOOGLE more info today.

I also LOVED that the book didn't wrap up in a neat bow. I thought it was excellent that the characters realized that there was growing and healing to do and they had to take time.

Thank you for the opportunity to read this amazing book.

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