What a captivating, meaningful story, I couldn't put it down! Author Elizabeth Musser beautifully and authentically captures WWII history in this poignant story. (I was glad to learn about Operation Dragoon, that I had been previously unaware of.)

Themes of loyalty, bravery, and courage resonate throughout. “Remember that courage is not a lack of fear, my darling child. Courage is fear that entrusted the outcome to God. We pray and we do what God Almighty asks of us.” “Remember what Saint Augustine said: ‘Hope has two beautiful daughters. Their names are anger and courage; anger at the way things are, and courage to see they do not remain the way they are.’”

This story takes place in war-torn France with memories from North Africa and America. This battle for courage and souls is masterfully painted on this tapestry of history as the characters work to help others, stay alive, and try to keep their faith in war.

We are introduced to three wonderful main characters and many supporting characters, I was captivated and interested in stories, and could not put the book down!

Isabelle Seauve and her father were active in the French Resistance. Her Father sacrifices his life to protect her involvement. Devastated, Isabelle increases her dedication to hiding Jewish children around the village of Sisteron despite the dangers of living under Nazi occupation and a traitor in the Resistance.

US Army Chaplain Peter Christensen knew Isabelle long ago when his dad operated a summer faith camp in France a decade ago. They were drawn to each other then. Peter has found his purpose in walking alongside his soldiers as a chaplain. He listens to them, plays soccer with them and prays with and for them. He has never gotten over an experience he had as a young pastor in Kentucky. Sometimes the hardest person to forgive is yourself.

Fifteen-year-old René Amblard has been shot on his family farm and miraculously is the only survivor of a German attack that leaves his mom and fellow Maquis fighters dead. Having hid their Jewish orphan girl in a nearby cave, he collects her, and the two make a harrowing journey to seek help from his cousin Isabelle. He has survived a horrible attack that killed his mother, and his heart wants revenge.

Author Elizabeth Musser paints a vivid picture of life and war in this gripping tale in the south of France, the reader won’t soon forget. I highly recommend From The Valley We Rise to all lovers of historical fiction told by one of the best.

Thank you to the author, Bethany House Publishers and Net Galley for allowing me to read an early copy. I can’t wait for my preordered copy to arrive. It will have a special place on my keeper shelf with all my other Elizabeth Musser stories!

If you do not like historical fiction about WWII, then this is not the book for you. It has a lot of historical facts that
have been researched thoroughly.
The book was good but I did have trouble keeping the characters straight at times.
I would still recommend it to other readers.
Thank you for the ARC of this book NetGalley.

Two months after the Allied troops stormed the beaches of Normandy on D-Day, another D-Day took place in the south of France: Operation Dragoon – planned to give the Allies a major southern port to bring in dozens more divisions of soldiers to fight in Europe with an easier route towards Germany.

Musser’s new book tells the stories of French resistance fighters in the area of Sisteron, France, on the Durance River before, during and after Operation Dragoon. She brings to life those who fought for their country quietly and persistently while enduring German occupation, losing family members, and dealing with the privations of war, threats of traitors, and mistakes by those supposed to be helping.

This is not an easy book to read, with gut-wrenching scenes of battles and the aftermath, families torn apart, sacrifices to protect innocent children, broken hearts and broken lives needing healing. But it is also so worth reading – there is hope, there is loyalty, there is love, there is resilience, and there is healing. I cried along with the characters, gasped with them, cheered with them, prayed with them.

I don’t think you’ll regret reading this book, but have some tissues handy, and be ready to thank God for those who gave so much so that we might enjoy freedom.

#FromTheValleyWeRise #NetGalley

This book was my first by Elizabeth Musser, and while it was hard and went deep on an emotional level, it was also so good. I loved the depth of WWII information, and all the characters were well thought out and had satisfying arcs. I also was quite pleased with the ending, which is always good.

After reading books set in France I always feel stuck in a permanent French accent...

Overall, five stars, and I shall return to the author!

I received a complimentary copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.

FROM THE VALLEY WE RISE is the third novel I have read by ELIZABETH MUSSER, and I definitely will not miss any of her books in the future! She has a beautiful way of writing, strongly based on her Christian faith and her love and understanding of God’s chosen people, the Jews. Reading of the young Jewish gitl Delphine’s trust in God as she encourages her friend Rene by singing the Jewish Songs of Ascent, really touched my heart.
The story takes place in 1944 at the time of Operation Dragoon in Provence against the backdrop of the German occupation, antisemitic horror, and betrayal…..
The characters are unforgettable, from Monsieur Martin who runs the Martin network saving Jewish children from the Gestapo, his army chaplain son Peter who prays for his men, seeing to their physical as well as spiritual needs, to the beautiful and caring Isabelle and the other brave members of the French Resistance, to name but a few……
There are strong themes of rebuilding what is broken, as we see the destruction of Sisteron by friendly fire, and the rebuilding of the Camp Between the Hills, according to Isaiah 61:4 “And they shall rebuild the old ruins, They shall raise up the former desolations, And they shall repair the ruined cities, The desolations of many generations.” There is also the rebuilding of broken people and relationships, with God as well as with one another, with forgiveness and God’s grace providing the key. Another very apt scripture used by Peter with the fearful soldiers is “God is our refuge and strength, A very present help in trouble.” Psalm 46:1. As Isabelle’s father used to say “courage is not the lack of fear, courage is fear that has said its prayers.”…….
There is so much I could say about this exceptional and inspirational book but I will not tell you any more for fear of spoiling things for you.
I was given a free copy of the book by NetGalley from Bethany House Publishers. The opinions in this review are compleely my own.

What a beautiful and emotional story this was! I love WWII fiction, but it can also weigh quite heavily on my heart when I'm reading it, just thinking about the realities that people lived through... horror that I cannot even imagine. And yet, it is stories like this that show the good amidst the horror that I absolutely adore. Seeing the helpers amidst the tragedy. These characters very quickly drew me in, and I found myself emotionally invested in how everything was going to turn out for them. Admittedly, the alternating POVs took me a bit to sort in my brain at first, but ultimately, all of these characters took me on an emotional rollercoaster of heartache and hope. While the subject matter definitely makes it a tougher one to read, these are stories that absolutely must be told. If you enjoy Christian historical romance, this is certainly one that you won't want to miss.

**ARC received via Netgalley for consideration. All opinions are my own.