I loved this book! I loved how it wasn’t totally predictable. I loved that it was about a nazi that didn’t fully believe in the ideology. I wanted more about the codes and the messages because passes in the books. I also didn’t know how much of a Christian book it was and sometimes it came off as a bit much but overall I liked having their beliefs involved. I also loved the romance. It was a great historical fiction!

*Happy sigh* This was such a a delightful story. Roseanna M White is one of my favorite historical fiction authors, and she absolutely did not disappoint with this new book of hers!
Set in WWII France, there is so much turmoil and danger happening, and so much censorship occuring in the books the French held dear.
Corinne and Christian were fantastic main characters. Unlikely friends, for certain, and Corinne's original dislike of Christian Bauer was understandable. Even as I wished she could see who he really was behind the uniform. XD
I was swept away into the story right away, and loved it.
The history was fascinating, the plot engaging, and the characters were so endearing. The good ones, at least. The not so good ones were not endearing, but they were very well written.
The faith strand was more present towards the end, with a significant emphasis on Catholicism. While I don't necessarily agree with all that was represented/displayed in that aspect, I still appreciated that the characters were strong in their beliefs and sought God.
The Collector of Burned Books has a few surprises in store - and an easter egg that I was so delighted to discover. But I won't spoil the discovery for anyone else, because it is fun to find it for yourself. 😊
Oh and isn't the cover just incredible?! I am absolutely in love with it. ❤️



I received a copy of the book from the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review and all thoughts expressed are entirely my own

“. . . the only way to ever truly defeat your enemies . . .was to make them your friends.”

Talented author Roseanna M. White has once again taken a little-known piece of history and built an intriguing and fascinating story around it. The Collector of Burned Books is the tale of exiled writers from Germany who founded a library in Paris of books that had been banned in Germany. When the Germans took over Paris, they also took over The Library of the Burned Books.

Professor Corinne Bastien had made use of the library for years but lost access of it and some secret books she had hidden there. German professor and booklover Christian Bauer was forced by German army officers to relocate France’s libraries, including The Library of the Burned Books. I liked Corinne’s courage, compassion, and willingness to stand for freedom to express ideas. Christian was also courageous and helped others the best he could under trying circumstances. I enjoyed seeing their relationship grow and change as they got to know each other.

“Was it better to speak up and be permanently silenced or to work silently, doing what good he could?”

Filled with intrigue, suspense, history, and a touch of romance, this book also had inspiration to give it depth and added meaning. I recommend this book to those who enjoy well-researched and well-written historical fiction. 4.5 stars

I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy from Bethany House. All opinions are my own.

An exceptional book that asks us to absorb the truth of censorship and its results through fictional characters as they navigate the occupation of Paris in the years of World War II. Based on a real library that was instituted by exiled German scholars, this story incorporated many interesting details that wove facts and fiction into high drama.
The characters were relatable, showing their love of God and country, often using subtle methods instead of outright confrontation.
I love that the story is about books and libraries. This book caused me to ponder why certain books were chosen to be banned. “Books did not burn. Books ignited. They lit the burning in others. Not with paper and match. With ideas.”
This book pulled at my emotions, not only for the plight of the oppressed and the injustice of the oppressors but for the romance that grew in spite of the secrecy that called for restraint. Felix, a child who was less than perfect according to some, became a bright light to those who could see beyond the outward appearance.
Important themes were hope in the face of impossible odds and that Jesus extends mercy to all who recieve Him.
A thoroughly thought provoking book.
*A complimentary copy of this book was provided by Tyndale on behalf of the author and via NetGalley. I was not required to post a favorable review. All opinions are mine alone.*

I enjoyed reading The Collector of Burned Books, a historical fiction novel set in Paris in 1940 during WW2. Christian is a German Professor at the University of Berlin who witnessed horrendous racism and political upheaval in his homeland during the 1930s. Desperation to save a loved one inspired Christian to join the Party that has no tolerance for his Catholic values and ideas that don’t fit within the Party’s propaganda narrative. An uncomfortable and dangerous situation for an intelligent man like Christian who is watching the Party systematically destroy the social fabric of his beloved country. The Party assigned Christian to a military post in Paris to catalogue and destroy banned books containing ideas they consider dangerous to young minds.

Corinne is a strong and independent Parisian in her thirties who has chosen an academic career over marriage and children. Her beloved books are being destroyed, and she works with family friends in the Resistance to smuggle out precious books and relay intelligence via coded messages in the book margins. She lives in a flat in Paris that’s next door to the Library of Burned Books and close to Sorbonne University, where she teaches literature.

Many Parisians have fled the city for a safer haven. Life is hard as Parisians deal with the terrifying German occupation of the city with enforced food rations, curfews, checkpoints, and witch hunts for people with Jewish ancestry and anyone who resists the tyranny.

Christian and Corinne cross paths in Paris and start out as enemies on opposite sides of the war. Circumstances draw them together and reveal secrets that form the foundation of a friendship that could become something more—if only the war wasn’t an enormous obstacle in their path.

I loved seeing Christian and Corinne journey in the story as they faced extreme adversity and fought for the freedom of thought and ideas within the confines of a cruel totalitarian regime. I recommend The Collector of Burned Books to historical fiction readers who like thought-provoking WW2 novels with drama, danger, and intrigue set in Paris with forbidden love, romantic elements, and strong faith threads in the story.

Many thanks to Tyndale and NetGalley for the advanced reader copy.

The Collector of Burned Books marks Roseanna M. White’s debut with Tyndale House, and it’s everything fans have come to expect: rich characters, immersive historical settings, and meaningful spiritual depth. Set in Nazi-occupied Paris, this novel explores the power of words and how literature shapes minds, challenges regimes, and preserves truth when darkness tries to silence it.

"Books didn’t burn. Books ignited. They lit the burning in others. Not with paper and match. With ideas." ~ Roseanna M. White

I was captivated by this story from the prologue. The plot was suspenseful and emotionally complex, driven by characters who felt vividly real. Corinne was fearless and outspoken yet tender and fiercely loyal. In contrast, Christian’s journey was more of an inward arc of healing and trust. Their chemistry was electric, and watching them grow individually and together was an inspiring reflection of what it means to risk everything for what’s right.

Roseanna M. White masterfully wove timely themes into this historical backdrop with sensitivity and wisdom. The Collector of Burned Books will challenge readers to consider how censorship impacts society. It will also remind us that we can engage with differing perspectives without compromising truth or causing destruction. This novel is a grace-filled call to unite our divided world through understanding and preservation.

While I found the mid-chapter point-of-view shifts between Corinne and Christian jarring, it was a small price to pay for an otherwise seamless and powerful narrative.

"Words form the foundation of society. Ideas create culture. Control them, and you can control ... everything."~ Roseanna M. White

The Collector of Burned Books is a memorable story that entertained while delivering a powerful message that I hope will encourage readers to listen to people’s opposing opinions without always needing to debate or persuade their thinking. We don’t have to agree on everything to live at peace with one another. By listening with Christ-like love, we can respect our neighbors and cultivate deeper relationships that will challenge our perspectives and push us to grow.

I highly recommend this novel to fans of historical fiction and anyone seeking a story that pushes boundaries and courageously challenges prejudice.

"Because that was the funny thing about books—the more you tried to ban them, the more brightly they burned in the hearts and minds that found them anyway."~ Roseanna M. White

*Thank you, NetGalley and the publisher, for providing me with a pre-release copy of this novel. All thoughts and opinions are entirely my own.*

Wow! Ms. White has done it again! She has kept me up late at night reading her book! The Collector of Burned Books is a magnificent read. It's a book about a marriage of convenience during WW2 between a German soldier and a Parisian professor on two different sides of the war. I loved them both, but little Felix won my heart. The book has mystery, intrigue, suspense, and of course romance. I highly recommend this book to all WW2 enthusiasts who like romance. *I was given a copy of this book by the publisher, and this is my honest opinion.*

** “Books didn’t burn. Books ignited. They lit the burning in others. Not with paper and match. With ideas.” **

Roseanna M. White celebrates the power of words, books, secrets, fortitude and compassion in “The Collector of Burned Books.”

When Corinne Bastien, a literary professor in Paris, suddenly meets a “library protector” for Germany, she never dreams where her life will lead. While she works to protect the Library of Burned Books, a library that seeks to save books and authors the Germans desire to destroy during the Second World War, Christian Bauer hopes to deny the party he doesn’t agree with by undermining them while making it look as he is sorting through Paris’ libraries and removing what the Germans want destroyed.

As Corinne and Christian learn their beliefs are similar, and try to work together, more and more secrets are revealed as danger and death surrounds them.

White does an incredible job of developing dramatic moments, yet moments of love and hope. She develops characters that are flawed and relatable, as well as loathsome. And she fills “The Collector of Burned Books” with many great themes, like the only way to beat a bully is to win them over, make them believe as you do, and to make them your friend; words form our very foundation; when you don’t consider opposing ideas, it leads to oppression; we should always try to understand others’ perspectives; God’s perfection is always greater than our imperfections (“We are not capable, by ignorance or pride, of defiling his holiness. But his holiness is capable of cleansing us, working in us, even when we don’t fully believe it.”); and have ferocity in the face of limitations.

Fans of historical fiction and WWII stories, as well as authors like Kristy Cambron, Katherine Reay and J’nell Ciesielski will love “The Collector of Burned Books,” which is due out July 15.

Five stars out of five.

Tyndale Fiction provided this complimentary copy through NetGalley for my honest, unbiased review.

After reading The Collector of Burned Books, it was affirmed that Roseanna White can write in any time period. Normally known for WWI novels, White absolutely shines in the WWII era. Centering on Paris during the midst of Nazi occupation, The Collector of Burned Books features the fight for freedom as ideology and the very personhood of mankind is at stake. This book ran the gamut of emotions – tears, laughter, and romantic sighs. I could not get enough of it!

This novel was thought-provoking, heart-rendering, and deeply inspiring. I cannot recommend it highly enough!

I received a copy of this book from the publisher. All opinions are my own.

The Collector of Burned Books has got to be one of the most interesting and thought provoking works of fiction I have read. Yes, it’s a fictional story set in Nazi occupied Paris during World War II, but my goodness did it tackle the power of words, literature, and freedom. Christian is sent from Germany to take over the Library of Burned Books, while French resident Corinne works to keep the secrets she has collected. The fiery conversations the two have had me on the edge of my seat! The tension of Corinne discovering that her enemy was really no enemy at all, was a trip! This story also gave me a glimpse into Catholicism, as both main characters are Catholic. Lovers of historical fiction will be enamoured with The Collector of Burned Books!

DNF - thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for giving me the opportunity to get an eARC of this novel but I unfortunately could not continue especially with the slow pacing. I tried so hard but by the time things started to pick up, I didn’t really care to continue (that was 50% of the way through)

I always put books I DNF at a baseline of 3 stars to not affect the author in any way but I just could not force myself to finish this

I received an advance copy of this book for a review
When Germany invades Paris, Corinne is on a mission to collect the final few books she needs to help with her resistance effort. As a Professor at the Sorbonne, she has students all over the country, and using code written in books banned by Hitler, they relay information on the German troop movement. She chooses using banned books because she can't deny the thrill of using something the Nazi's disapprove of to potentially outsmart them. While collecting the final books she needs from the Library of Banned Books right next door to her flat, she runs into Christian Bauer, the Minister of Propaganda, who is there to take control of the Library. When Christian discovers Corinne's mother has several books checked out of the library, he goes to collect, only to discover that her mother is out of the country. At first determined just to get the books back, he makes surprise visits to Corinne to find them. Soon though, he finds he's there for intelligent conversation, and eventually he comes for more than just conversation. Can a French woman and German man overcome societal norms and keep each other's secrets, or will Paris 1940 dictate who they are?
I fully expected to not like this book reading the first page. The first page starts really wordy and seemed like it was going to be a bit slow paced. After the first page though I was proven very wrong. The plot kept going and you couldn't help but root for the characters, and even hope for some of the non-main characters to have redemption. I would definitely recommend this book to anyone

Fiction history readers will enjoy the setting of this WWII story. I found the story slow moving for the first half but then picked up a bit. It was hard to believe that Corrine could be so mouthy to the Nazis without severe repercussions. She was a smart professor but acted without thinking through some matters. Loved the idea of the secret messages in the banned books. Christian was my favorite character.

THIS BOOK. A powerful story of hope amidst chaos, of faith that keeps, and a love that defies, all against the backdrop of a world at war. Thought provoking in so many ways, this book proves the power of the written word and how it shapes our thoughts, beliefs, and actions.

This was the author’s first foray into World War II fiction, and honestly, did anyone doubt it would be less than perfection? The characters leapt off the page, and many were shining examples of the complexity of humanity.

I completely ADORED Corinne and Christian! Their tentative friendship that slowly but inevitably turned to something more was equally tender and bittersweet. When they first met they were both dealing with the heartache of separation, and I love that they became a place of solace for one another. Every stolen moment, every lingering glance, every enlivened conversation they had, all made up their heartbreakingly beautiful romance. They were too precious😭

A few things I loved♥️
-She was his new best friend😭
-Their first kiss🫠
-Strong faith themes
-How he tells her he loves her🥲
-Their circle of friends🥹

This was a truly a though provoking story. A Library of Burned Books, a collection of books that the Nazi party deemed unacceptable for their citizens. When a scholar, an actual friend of many of these authors, i sent to Paris to decide what to do with all these books, when in his heart, he desires to leave them be.

Unbeknownst to him, another scholar, a friend of these exiled authors, has been taking care of this library, and has been using the books to send messages to help in the resistance. As their lives intersect, things get sticky, and difficult. Throw in a power hungry Nazi officer, with womanizing on his mind, and anger in his soul, and things get even harder.

I enjoyed the suspence, the intrigue, and the characters. I feel it kept close as true to the time as it could, none of us lived through it. I appreciated the view that not all German soldiers were Nazis, and I truly believe it. So many had no choice, and I love the author made some of these characters willing to put humanity before ideology.

I loved the historical aspect of this story. I did feel like it lagged a bit in the beginning but it picked up about 50% in and I was excited to finish it. The love story was sweet, even if it was a bit predictable. I do wish it would have delved more into the information sharing that was going on. I didn't really get a feel for what Corinne was doing to help the cause. All in all, a good read and I am glad I read it.

I received a complimentary copy from NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

I’ve been diving more into historical fiction lately, and this book was everything I wanted and more!

In The Collector of Burned Books, Corinne Bastien and Christian Bauer form an unlikely friendship during Nazi-occupied Paris, fighting to preserve forbidden books that could change the course of history. With danger lurking at every turn, their friendship (and the sparks flying between them -> chef's kiss) becomes a quiet act of rebellion and totally has you rooting for them! The suspense in this book had me hooked from start to finish, each page turning faster than the last as I found myself holding my breath. Praying they stay safe, praying their secrets aren't uncovered, wanting all to work out, lives to be spared, books to be spared.

This book made me appreciate my ability to read freely today even more, especially knowing how hard so many people fought, and continue to fight, for that right!

These quotes really hit home:

“𝑹𝒆𝒂𝒅 𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒏𝒈𝒔 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒉𝒂𝒕𝒆 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒏𝒈𝒔 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒍𝒐𝒗𝒆 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒏𝒈𝒔 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒏𝒆𝒗𝒆𝒓 𝒕𝒉𝒐𝒖𝒈𝒉𝒕 𝒚𝒐𝒖’𝒅 𝒖𝒏𝒅𝒆𝒓𝒔𝒕𝒂𝒏𝒅. 𝑨𝒏𝒅 𝒏𝒆𝒗𝒆𝒓, 𝒏𝒆𝒗𝒆𝒓 𝒂𝒄𝒄𝒆𝒑𝒕 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒆𝒙𝒄𝒖𝒔𝒆 𝒕𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒚𝒐𝒖’𝒓𝒆 𝒏𝒐𝒕 𝒔𝒕𝒓𝒐𝒏𝒈 𝒆𝒏𝒐𝒖𝒈𝒉 𝒕𝒐 𝒉𝒂𝒏𝒅𝒍𝒆 𝒊𝒕 𝒊𝒇 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒓𝒆𝒂𝒅 𝒔𝒐𝒎𝒆𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒕𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒐𝒇𝒇𝒆𝒏𝒅𝒔 𝒚𝒐𝒖. 𝒀𝒐𝒖 𝒂𝒓𝒆. 𝒀𝒐𝒖’𝒓𝒆 𝒔𝒕𝒓𝒐𝒏𝒈 𝒆𝒏𝒐𝒖𝒈𝒉 𝒕𝒐 𝒃𝒆 𝒐𝒇𝒇𝒆𝒏𝒅𝒆𝒅 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒏 𝒕𝒓𝒚 𝒕𝒐 𝒖𝒏𝒅𝒆𝒓𝒔𝒕𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒘𝒉𝒚. 𝒀𝒐𝒖’𝒓𝒆 𝒔𝒕𝒓𝒐𝒏𝒈 𝒆𝒏𝒐𝒖𝒈𝒉 𝒕𝒐 𝒈𝒓𝒂𝒏𝒕 𝒕𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒔𝒐𝒎𝒆𝒐𝒏𝒆 𝒄𝒂𝒏 𝒃𝒆 𝒅𝒊𝒇𝒇𝒆𝒓𝒆𝒏𝒕 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒔𝒕𝒊𝒍𝒍 𝒃𝒆 𝒘𝒐𝒓𝒕𝒉𝒚 𝒐𝒇 𝒅𝒊𝒈𝒏𝒊𝒕𝒚. 𝑨𝒏𝒅 𝒊𝒇 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒂𝒓𝒆𝒏’𝒕?

𝑻𝒉𝒆𝒏 𝒓𝒆𝒂𝒅 𝒎𝒐𝒓𝒆, 𝒖𝒏𝒕𝒊𝒍 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒂𝒓𝒆.”

And here's another one...

“𝑻𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒘𝒂𝒔 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒇𝒖𝒏𝒏𝒚 𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒂𝒃𝒐𝒖𝒕 𝒃𝒐𝒐𝒌𝒔—𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒎𝒐𝒓𝒆 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒕𝒓𝒊𝒆𝒅 𝒕𝒐 𝒃𝒂𝒏 𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒎, 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒎𝒐𝒓𝒆 𝒃𝒓𝒊𝒈𝒉𝒕𝒍𝒚 𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒚 𝒃𝒖𝒓𝒏𝒆𝒅 𝒊𝒏 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒉𝒆𝒂𝒓𝒕𝒔 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒎𝒊𝒏𝒅𝒔 𝒕𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒇𝒐𝒖𝒏𝒅 𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒎 𝒂𝒏𝒚𝒘𝒂𝒚.”

If you love suspense, history, and characters you’ll root for, this one is for you!

I received a complimentary copy. This review reflects my honest opinion.

I think this book is perfect for someone who prefers happier, feel good books (i.e. romance novels) but wants to get into historical fiction, or someone who wants to read more WWII books but isn’t ready for some of the darker, more realistic books out there.

I thought this book was good—it was faced paced and engaging, but it did not feel realistic. It’s was entirely too easy going for a WWII occupied France setting. It felt like many of the characters choices did not have the proper repercussions given the circumstances.

The historical nature of the book definitely took a back seat—which, as an avid WWII novel reader, was bit annoying at times—but once I accepted that fact I was able to enjoy it more.

I think this is a great read for those new to the genre and/or WWII fiction, and can also be enjoyable for those who love the genre once they let go of some expectations.

This book is set in the literary landscape of Paris’s libraries and universities under German occupation during World War II. There’s some interesting history explored here. Its main characters are two professors with similar ideals and goals, but facing very different circumstances, who form an unexpected friendship based on a common love for literature.

The characters’ sympathetic backstories and charming personalities drew me in, and their philosophical discussions around books, reading, freedom, and ideas kept me fascinated. Particularly interesting to me were the discussions about the power and importance of words, including those words we may disagree with. As a librarian, this topic is near and dear to my heart.

The Catholic faith of the main characters was a little unexpected, coming from a mainstream Christian fiction publisher. Despite not being Catholic myself, I found it refreshing to see this story daring to venture a little outside the norm for its genre.

I found this book to be quite the page turner, with tensions ramping up as the ending approached, and little certainty about what that ending might bring, until it did finally reach its conclusion. Highly recommended for fans of Christian historical fiction.

Thank you to the publisher for providing an Advance Reader Copy of this book via NetGalley.

I was sure I was going to love this book cause it had everything I usually love in historical fiction. But sadly, it didn’t fully work for me the way I’d hoped.

The writing is thoughtful and clearly well-researched, and I really appreciated the historical detail, especially around the banned books and underground libraries. It’s a fascinating part of history that deserves attention. That said, I really struggled to stay interested in the beginning. The pacing felt very slow, and it took a while for the story to find its rhythm and emotional core.

I’m glad I kept reading, because there are some lovely and moving moments, especially when the characters finally open up and the stakes start to feel real. But overall, it just didn’t grip me the way I wanted it to. Definitely a solid historical novel, but for me, more of a quiet burn than a standout.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC!