With any A.L. Sowards book, you gotta buckle up because it's going to GET YOU! I've loved seeing all the stories unfold in the Falcon Point stories even if it breaks my heart. Ingrid and Gerritt are such fantastic characters and their connection makes my heart happy even if the circumstsances are rough.

A gritty and emotional read, A.L. Sowards' "Roads of Resistance" is not for the faint of heart. Teenager Ingrid Lang finds herself in the Netherlands after a daring escape from the Nazis. Eventual love interest and the equally young Gerrit Hendricks is very suspicious of Ingrid's "motives", and the two get off to a very bad start.

Sowards' historical research is meticulous. She always includes important events and interesting details in her works, for instance, the Hunger Winter and consumption of tulip bulbs for sustenance. Characters come to life under this talented author's pen. I found the Nazi Rupert Altbauer particularly intriguing, as the reader has glimpses of his humanity. "Roads of Resistance" is quite an immersive story; one can figuratively feel the hunger, pain, and trauma of the characters. Yet, there are moments of joy too.

This is a compelling and realistic novel chronicling the Nazis' atrocities during World War II and the courageous many who are determined to defeat them by various means. I highly recommend reading this series in order. Regrettably, I haven't read "The Heirs of Falcon Point".

Thanks to NetGalley and Covenant Communications for an ARC of this engrossing book.

Such a fantastic story!
Get a view of what the Netherlands experienced during WWII!

The characters are AMAZING!! The strength and courage they had to have to survive and try and win back their country!

Absolutely recommend! These Falcon Point original heirs have such amazing stories!!!

I found ROADS of RESISTANCE by A L SOWARDS particularly interesting having spent some time in Holland in 1959 with a friend and her family who had survived the German occupation. Interestingly enough her father was also a doctor……
I really enjoyed the book for the good story, great characters and the author’s in depth historical research and vivid retelling of the horrors of Nazi oppression as well as the courage shown by, not only members of the resistance, but also ordinary citizens.
This is a story of unconditional love and survival in extreme conditions. It will keep you rivetted as you follow Gerrit and Ingrid’s story.
I was given a free copy of the book by NetGalley from Covenant Communications. The opinions in this review are completely my own.

Wow what a captivating and immersive story. It was like living the character's experiences in real time during such a traumatic time in history. I highly recommend Roads of Resistance to lovers of historical fiction. A.L. Sowards is a very talented author who draws me in to every single story I read of hers!

After her father is murdered by a former friend for not joining the Reich, fifteen-year-old Ingrid Lang and her siblings flee their beautiful home in Austria only to become devastatingly separated. Ingrid ends up being stranded in the Dutch city of Arnhem with a pair of broken legs. If not for the kindness of local Doctor van der Veen and his daughter Anita, Ingrid may not have survived. Once she's healed, she plans to go to London, to a pre-arranged place to find her siblings. Just as they have a date to leave for London, the Netherlands are overrun by the German army, leaving them trapped in an enemy occupation for years, not knowing if her siblings are dead or alive.

Anita and Ingrid become involved in the resistance, and the readers are treated to scenes that depict all that entails. They helped saved so many allied airmen and others get to safety. What a stressful time with life and death consequences.

Anita's nephew, and the doctor's grandson Gerrit Hendriks is running from the Gestapo for his underground activity in another city. He ends up staying here and helping the women in the resistance. He and Ingrid get off to a bad start, first impressions are the worst in their case.

German Intelligence officer Rupert Altbauer, a former childhood friend of Ingrid's family, is on the other side of the war. His presence has a devastating effect on the resistance, and yet there are a few glimmers of his humanity. Unbeknownst to him, his uncle murdered Ingrid's father, but Ingrid knows.

A look at true and sacrificial love, devastating loss, starvation, work camps, doing as much as they can to help others. Moments of love, joy, family, and friendship. A good balance of beautiful moments amidst all the hardship.

Thank you to the publisher and Net Galley for allowing me to read an early copy. All opinions are my own. Historical fiction fans will love Roads of Resistance!

This book exercised every emotional heart muscle I have. Books set during the German Occupation in WW2 can't be pure warm fuzzies. I think you go into them as a reader knowing you're about to face hard things in print, but you do it because our past deserves that kind of consideration and time. Roads of Resistance plopped me in the middle of the Netherlands right along with Ingrid Lang. Sowards has a way of bringing history to life through her rich characters, impeccable research, and intricate plot lines.

Having read all of the other Falcon Point books, I appreciated all that this story added to the Lang family saga. Without sharing any spoilers, I will say that this book helped heal some of the heartache from Codes of Courage, which is Ingrid's older brother's story.

I highly recommend this novel to fans of faith-filled WW2 fiction.

Thank you to NetGalley, A.L. Sowards, and Covenant Communications for an advanced copy to review. I was not required to post a positive review and all opinions are my own.

This was so very rich in content, history, characters, landscape, and heart. I’ve enjoyed each book in the series and this was no exception.

On the historical side, the setting of The Netherlands during WW2 was packed with immersive detail - the resistance, the battles, and everything in between. It showed the various needs the Dutch Resistance filled from “small” things like stealing ration cards to surveillance and sabotage, to hiding and ferrying downed soldiers and paratroopers. I had no idea the liberation of the Netherlands was so back and forth. The book did an excellent job at showing the emotional toll that took on the people.

I loved Gerrit and Ingrid, as well as their family. They had such good chemistry, both in the initial animosity and then later their friendship and love story. Their struggles and loyalty towards each other was beautiful, as was Gerrit’s faith journey. The description of their grief later on was so devastating and emotional, it was well done and realistic.

Also loved the crossover of Henry Bridger and the backstory with him and Anita. All the little pieces that tied the characters together in the other books were so great. Thoroughly enjoyed the book and highly recommend.

Thanks to Netgalley for the advanced copy of this book. All opinions are mine.

Ingrid’s father was murdered by a “friend.” The three siblings attempt to escape the Third Reich and end up separated. Ingrid finds herself in Arnhem, the Netherlands with two broken legs. The doctor takes her in with his family. Before she can heal and continue to England, the Germans invade. She’s trapped in the Netherlands with all the horrors of war, suspicions, hunger, grief, salvation, and the disaster of Operation Marketgarden.

Based on Dutch resistance to the Nazi regime, this powerful book explores the reality of living in wartime and fighting evil even in small ways. The characters in the book all feel so human, for better and for worse. This book left me feeling raw in the best way. I highly recommend it.

The Netherlands in WWII is a part of the war that isn't written about as much. Being neutral, they didn't think it likely that Hitler and the Nazi's would invade, but they were wrong. Very wrong. Sowards writes such intense stories with amazing detail and research you feel as if you are living through it with the characters. I feel like I've been to a master level history class. To add to it, the characters are so real, and their growth and strength comes through on every page.

Ingrid who grew up in a wealthy family in Austria, has to flee for her life. She isn't sure where to go- just that she must get away- she will continue searching for her siblings once she is out of danger. She ends up in a field with severely injured legs and unconscious. She is found and nurtured back to health by a kind family and is ready to resume her search when the Nazi's overtake the Netherlands and she in trapped in enemy territory.

Garrett, who is in trouble for helping the resistance in his hometown, escapes to stay with his grandfather in the Holland. When he finds a strange girl who has made herself at home in HIS Grandfathers home, he is less than happy. They have a mutual distrust and animosity toward each other. They are both heavily involved in the resistance there and are going to have to find a way to work together and be civil. It is dangerous work and they can't afford to let personal feelings get in the way and put those who they are helping in more danger. "Trust must be rationed in wartime."

The danger, suspense, joy, grief, devastation, absolute horror, love, and the depth of the characters is astounding. You will go through every emotion and feel genuinely worried about the people you come to care about and love. You know it's fiction, but also based on completely true events, which makes you realize that real people lived through the very scenarios you're reading about.

It is told in multiple POV's and it makes it feel like surround sound- feeling and hearing it from all sides. It really completes the entire experience.

"When the world has gone dark, don't turn away from the light.

"Sometimes our memories and our griefs, like a piece of shrapnel or a tumor, have to be removed. It can be agony, but it's a necessary step if you want to heal."

"Hope of survival no longer seemed like a dormant seed but, instead, like a living plant sprouting and reaching for the sun."

This is part of the Falcon Point series. I would suggest reading The Heirs of Falcon Point and Codes of Courage before this one. There are several other books in the series that tie together but are independently enjoyable as well. Any book she has written is well researched and enjoyable while you are learning. Not easy to do. I wish I'd have had professors who knew their topic as well as she does.

Thank you to Netgalley for the advanced copy of the story.

WARNING! Do not start this book unless you have nothing to do, because it will pull you in. I may have stayed up all night reading. this book will make you cry tears of joy, sorrow, anger, and everything else. It has everything. Romance to give you butterflies without being overly graphic ✅️. Well researched historical fiction ✅️. Suspense to keep you on the edge of your seat saying "just one more chapter" until it's 2 AM and you finish the book ✅️. Seriously, read this. But maybe start with the first book in the series Heirs of Falcon Point. Thanks for the early read #NetGalley

A WWII story during the resistance in Austria and Netherlands. It kept me rooting for all of them. This ARC was given to me in exchange for an honest review. This review is mine.

This novel is one of the most suspenseful story set in WWII (in Holland) that I have ever read! I never knew who would survive or not up to close to the end! This was brilliant as well as very interesting as far as how the resistance was organised and how they worked. The characters were realistic, relatable and I feared for them all way through. However, what disturbed me a bit is the romance which took too much room in the storyline and this ended up rather too far from reality. The novel is long, and I felt did not need the emphasis on a romantic side. Otherwise, I really loved it overall and I learned a lot about Holland particularly when people thought the country is liberated..... I had no idea... A great novel!
I received a digital copy of this novel from NetGalley and I have voluntarily written an honest review.

What a great book! This author never fails to impress me with the way she can share so many historical details while weaving a gripping story that immediately has you invested. This is the way to learn history! I was sucked in from the beginning of the story and never wanted to stop reading. Being a book about a devastating war meant there was a lot of loss, devastation, and grief portrayed with small successes and joys sprinkled in. I was brought to tears multiple times and couldn't recommend this book more. The historical novels by this author are definitely my favorite books in the Falcon Point series, hands down. They just have so much depth and feeling that leaves an impact.

The breadth and depth this historical fiction novel covers is impressive. The WWII setting in the Netherlands is not a common treatment - and I appreciate a fresh take on a powerful theme. The cast of characters quickly becomes beloved, and even the antagonists of the story are not one-sided. The connections with other stories in the Falcon Point series make me want to go back through and read them all again, but this story would be a great jumping in point if you haven't read Heirs of Falcon Point yet.

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

I’ve had my eye on this author and her work for some time now, and was waiting for one of her historical fiction books that was set in a period that I enjoyed reading. Somehow, I missed the fact that she’d started the Falcon Point Historicals! It wasn’t until I was finished this one that I realized I’d started the series late. I’ll have to go back and read the prequel and book 1. This benefits you because now you know that her books can be read as a stand-alone!

I was initially intrigued by the cover and the Netherlands wartime setting, but I soon discovered the joy of a well-written story, superb character development, and the added dimension that different perspectives bring to her story. I appreciated learning about ordinary citizens and their frustration surrounding Dutch neutrality. I could feel their anger at the pointless time and effort spent on negotiations. I was reminded again of the kindness of strangers and what it must have felt like to survive in a strange country while being an orphan and a refugee. I can’t imagine not being able to communicate fear through my native tongue, nor trapped and hiding in plain sight in an occupied country, all while being completely unable to help myself. Sowards showed me that fighting back in the way she could was inevitable. I was along for the ride, hook, line, and sinker!

Ingrid, Rupert, and Gerrit brought living in the Netherlands during wartime alive for me, and I can’t wait to go back and start their story from the beginning.

I was gifted this copy by Covenant Communications and NetGalley and was under no obligation to provide a review.

I struggle with WW II books, they often make me so sad and mad, but this was well written and not too gut renching, even though it had hard issues and situations woven through. It was very informative and interesting to learn about an area of the world not often discussed during the war. This is part of a series, I highly recommend reading them in order. I liked how some issues from the other books written in this series were woven into this one so well. Great characters and story development.

This novel offers a compelling glimpse into the life of Ingrid Lang, a fifteen-year-old who, after the tragic loss of her father, finds herself separated from her siblings and stranded in the Dutch city of Arnhem during the tumultuous times of World War II. As Ingrid navigates her new reality under Nazi occupation, her journey of resilience and courage unfolds. 

The story delves deep into themes of survival, the strength of the human spirit, and the bonds formed in the face of adversity. Ingrid’s character is well-developed, showcasing her determination and growth as she becomes involved in the resistance efforts. The supporting characters, particularly the local doctor and his daughter who take Ingrid in, add depth and warmth to the narrative. 

A.L. Sowards’ writing is evocative, painting a vivid picture of the era and the challenges faced by those living under occupation. The pacing is steady, allowing readers to fully immerse themselves in Ingrid’s world and the choices she must make. 

For readers interested in historical fiction that highlights personal stories of bravery during World War II, Roads of Resistance is a worthy addition to your reading list.

The Road to Resistance, written by A. L. Sowards is part of the Heirs of Falcon Point series. After reading the first book in this series I really hoped their would be more books that would let us know what happened to the three young siblings that got separated while fleeing Austria near the beginning of World War Two. I was really excited to see that this book had been written.

This book is the story of Ingrid Lane, one of the three siblings. Ingrid runs into some trouble while trying to make her way to London on hopes of finding her brother and sister. She ends up stranded in the Netherlands just as Germany invades them.

This is a touching story of love and determination and a lot of bravery as Ingrid joins the resistance to help fight the Nazis and to try to save the family that took her in and treated her as one of their own.

Even though some parts of this book are really tragic and hard to read I really loved Ingrid’s story. It is a great addition to this series.

Thank you net galley for the advance reader copy of this novel. This book is part of a series but you can read as a standalone. I've read the previous heirs of falcin points novels and love them all. This one seemed harder to get into and I wish there was more of the time period of Ingrid looking for her family after the war. A great addition to the series and I've gone back and reread earlier books enjoying them again. I can't wait for the book about Anna.