This is amazing and such a really interesting book based on true events.

Anna lives in Poland with her Father & brother Michal. She ends up helping the Polish resistance and takes Jewish children to safety. She meets Johnnie and Freddie who have escaped a POW camp and helps them to escape. Unfortunately Johnnie & Freddie end up back at camp. Anna ends up at their camp.

I really liked this book and it was so heartbreaking to hear what happens to the children and families in Poland the atrocities.

I thought the book was well written and I really liked the characters and I just wanted to read on and find out what happened would they survive and would Anna find her family again.

Would recommend this book.

The Resistance Daughter by @joanne Kormylo is out today.
Available on Kindle, Audible and Paperback.

From page one, Anna Kowalski's story gripped my heart. As she joined the Polish Resistance and selflessly smuggled children out of the Warsaw Ghetto, I loved her strength and adamancy to prevail. The book was descriptive, writing about the ghetto, the sewers, and the tension of all the missions. It made the book more tense and gripping.

Then we have Johnnie Nowak, the downed RAF pilot, who helps escape…

The scenes in Ravensbrück are shocking. The cruelty and inhumanity of the camp are portrayed with such honesty, and I never lose hope for Anna. Again, anna is such a strong character.

This novel was tough to read in places, emotional and upsetting, but understandable because of the genre and topics.

Anna is fictional, but the fact that so many people have lived their lives through this is heartbreaking.

Such a powerful book with great characters and a gripping story.
Inspired by true stories of WWII,
Highly recommended to historical fiction readers.

4 1/2 stars
Set during ww2 The Resistance Daughter follows the lives a young polish women in the polish resistance and a young Canadian man who is in a POW in Germany. This is a beautifully written and emotion book that describes the horrors faced in ww2 by the members of the resistance, those in concentration camps and POW camps. I found it so interesting to learn about the polish resistance especially the part where the smuggled Jewish children through the cities sewers and the bravery of those like Anna. This book has a dual pov ~ Anna in the polish resistance and Johnnie in a pow camp. I found it particularly interesting to read about Johnnie’s time in a pow camp as it’s something that isn’t often included in ww2 books but is fascinating to read about. This is an emotional book that at times is hard to read due to the deceptions of the horrific and brutal treatment the prisoners in camps like Ravensburk experience from the evil guards. I found it very interesting that the last few chapters were set after the war, it’s interesting to learn about how the trauma of the war and concentration /pow camps affected people after the war. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and it’s obvious that a lot of time and research has went into making this book and a lot of it based on true stories. I would definitely recommend this book.
Thank you to Netgalley for an advanced copy of this book, all opinions expressed are my own.

I’m going to need a minute before I pick up another historical fiction. It was so heartbreaking at times that I had to look up to see if it was actually fiction - spoiler: based on true accounts with some creative licensing to make a cohesive story. It’s only April, but I’m pretty sure this will be the book will easily be in my top 3 of the year. This book will stay with me (and haunt me at times), but it did leave me with hope at the end.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️✨ (4.5 stars)
I couldn’t put this book down. The beginning is a bit slow, but around the 20% mark, I was already attached to the characters and invested in what was going to happen next.

The book is deeply emotional and beautifully written. You can really feel the characters’ pain, fear, courage, and small glimpses of hope. It’s a clear reflection of author's thorough research on the Polish Resistance, POW camps, and the broader context of WWII. That background gave the story a lot of depth, and the characters felt incredibly real—at times it felt like I was reading someone’s personal memoir.

Even though the story deals with very heavy topics, it was handled in a way that didn’t feel overwhelming. It showed the horrors of war, but with care and sensitivity. I also appreciated how the book made me reflect on how, in war, there aren’t just clear-cut “good” and “bad” people—it’s about the choices we make and what kind of world we want to be part of. That really stayed with me.

This is an impressive debut, and I hope more readers discover this book. If you enjoy historical fiction with emotional depth, strong characters, and a powerful story, this is definitely worth reading.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC!

i come to read these historical fictions each time with no gasps and awe. i know they are in the fiction genre but many are researched hugely so are very much including a plethora of real events. what makes it more heartbreaking is that non of these books whether fiction or not can ever come the horror of that time. and actually the reality could be so much worse than we could imagine. and i cant, i can imagine the bravery it must have taken to live in that time. and for those that come across the most tragic of circumstance i just dont know how they bore it.
but some did. and did. and did it again. going through their days of pain and suffering just to get to the other end but all the while never knowing what that end might be and how much torture would come along the way. both to themselves and those they love they were all fighting for survival. often doing more to help others do so to.
Anna is our brilliant brave character at the focus in this book. she is allowed to join her fathers home army and is tasked with getting the children out through the sewers before the Nazis get to them. along the way she comes across an RAF airman who has escaped a camp. she tries to help him out too. but all seems lost when Anna is noticed and captured. she is sent to a camp where she comes under the watch of "the beast" who doesnt hold back in taken all her gripes and horrific wims out on poor Anna.
when Anna is moved to another camp she sees her old friend the airman. here they are separated by fence but dont give up. they plot a plan of escape but this could mean the end for both of them. do they risk it all? and if not what more will they lose i they dont?
this is a heart breaking story not least because this particular one is based on a true story. but its such a must read. if you like ww2 fiction books then this one is most certainly for you. its not easy, and of course can feel devastating in many place but its still a must.

When Anna Kowalski’s father is arranging a meeting for the home army she pleads to be allowed to join. When she gets her first mission, to escort children through the sewers in order to get them out of the ghetto before the Nazis get them she meets up with an old school friend, but he refuses to leave. When she comes across RAF airmen who escaped from a camp it is the start of a friendship. When Anna herself comes under the notice of ss men she is dragged of to Ravensbruck where she is taken under the wing of Agatha to try to keep her safe, that is until she comes to the notice of “The Beast”. ( an appropriate name) who takes all her aggression out on Anna. When suddenly she gets moved to another camp it comes as something of a surprise to come across an old friend, how can she get near him when they are separated by wire fences with guards all over the place. This is one of the beauties of the story, reading about how they devised plans to get people in an out of the camps. The brutality they had to put up with is quite something, what makes it worse is that it’s based on a true story.

I highly recommend this novel. Joanne has written an exceptional story set in WWII in Poland. A very atmospheric and gripping account of some of the atrocities of war. It also tells of the courage of war prisoners and resistance fighters. I found it very moving and emotional in places, but thought it excellent.

I picked up The Resistance Daughter with high hopes, drawn to the premise of Anna Kowalski’s brave resistance work during WWII. Inspired by a true story, this novel promised a powerful and moving account of one woman’s courage in the face of unimaginable danger. Unfortunately, despite the compelling subject matter, I found the execution didn’t quite live up to its potential.

The prose was the most noticeable challenge for me. The writing style leaned heavily on short, abrupt sentences that didn’t flow together smoothly. While this can sometimes create tension or urgency, the effect here was more disjointed than immersive. It made it difficult to fully connect with the narrative or the emotional stakes.

I also found that the way the author conveyed historical information felt patronizing at times. While it’s crucial to convey the gravity of the WWII era, the constant “telling” of basic facts—such as Hitler’s hatred for Jews or the education restrictions in occupied Poland—was unnecessary given the book's target audience. The inclusion of such details could have been more impactful if woven into the narrative naturally, as opposed to being bluntly presented in a way that felt more like a history lesson than a gripping novel. A more subtle, integrated approach might have allowed the reader to absorb the gravity of the time period more naturally, without pulling them out of the narrative.

Although the story contains inherently dramatic and tragic events, the emotional impact felt muted at times. Despite the harrowing nature of Anna’s work with the Resistance and her eventual capture, I found it hard to connect emotionally with her journey. The dialogue and characters lacked depth, and there was little emotional engagement in their responses to the horrors they faced. Key moments that should have been powerful and heart-wrenching often lacked the depth and character development needed to truly resonate. This is a story that should evoke gut-wrenching feelings of fear, hope, and desperation—but instead, it often felt more like a recounting of events rather than an exploration of the human experience during this dark time.

On a positive note, I appreciated the author’s willingness to depict the horrors of war without glossing over them, and it’s clear that the inspiration behind Anna’s character is grounded in true heroism. The intention to honour that courage is evident throughout.

While The Resistance Daughter didn’t work for me, I believe the story has the potential to shine with further refinement. I hope that, with additional editing and development, this novel might one day deliver the emotional weight and narrative depth that Anna’s remarkable story deserves.

Thank you to Hodder and Stoughton along with NetGalley for allowing me to read this ARC.

This book is historical fiction covering during and immediately after WW2. The book is from a dual point of view.
We follow Airman Johnnie Nowak, a pilot shot down on his return journey back to England with his crew. Nowak had been doing a vital 'drop' with important supplies to the Polish resistance, they are 'rescued' from the sea by the Germans and taken to hospital before being moved on to a POW camp.
We also have Anna 'Hope' Kowalski, who along with her family, is a member of the Polish Resistance. Anna, code name Hope, is helping to smuggle Jewish children out of the Warsaw Ghetto via the underground sewers.
Their lives collide when Nowak and a crew member escape meeting Hope by chance who helps them along to the next journey in their escape.
What follows is a beautiful yet heartbreaking tale of the horrors of war, the strength and resilience of those taken captive as well as the power and belief of those fighting both officially and as part of the resistance. There is brutality, death and dispair but also love, hope, dreams, along with new friendships formed, in the hardest of situations. The author has made a fantastic job of bringing the characters and story to life. I was particularly touched to read about her personal connections to POWs which led to the research and writing on this book. I am so pleased I had the chance to read this. It's a book that will stay with me and I will be purchasing a copy when it is released.

5⭐️

[a copy of this book was provided to me by the publisher from netgalley. thank you!]

a sweeping historical fiction novel at ww2 resistance in Poland. the history is written to be very accurate based on intensive research and the authors’ personal family history, and the characters are well-developed, with a solid writing style.

A sensitive and thoughtful book by Joanne. I enjoy hearing more about this period if enjoy is the correct word. Based on true stories a moving book that wasn’t shy to describe the awful happenings. Thanks to Joanne and her publisher. Thanks also to NetGalley

Set in World War Two Warsaw a emotional story of courage. Anna is trying to help by assisting to smuggle children out of the Ghetto.
But her life changes when she is caught by SS and sent to a concentration Camp. Where she sees and suffers more horror than she has ever
envisaged.
A good read based on true stories.

"The Resistance Daughter" is essentially a story about what happened to Poland from 1942 onwards, to the end of WW2 and just beyond. It is the fictionalised tale of the author's parents, their meeting and how they (just about) managed to survive the war. You may think that this will be a grim tale as Poland struggles under the occupation of the Nazis. Light is provided by the families, friendships and romances which carry on despite all the hardships.

Thanks to Net Galley and the publishers for the opportunity to read and review this book.

During World War Two Anna who lives in Poland works for the resistance to help against the Nazi occupation.
Based on a true story the book tells of the bravery of men and women from the occupied county and their allies who gave up everything for freedom.
Thank you to NetGalley and Hodder & Stoghton for my e-copy in exchange for an honest review.