Siobhan Curham's The Lost Story of Sophia Castello is a captivating historical fiction novel that transports readers to the evocative landscapes of Portugal during WWII. From the very first page, I was drawn in by the engrossing prologue, a hallmark of Curham's storytelling that sets the stage for an unforgettable journey.

What I enjoyed most about this book was the rich tapestry of characters, particularly Sophia, Lily, and Jane. Each character is beautifully crafted, with their own unique motivations and complexities. The plot is filled with unexpected twists and turns that kept me on the edge of my seat, while the focus on Sophia's determination to help refugees adds a profound depth to the narrative.

Lily's journey is particularly inspiring; her perseverance and desire to move on from her troubled past and her awful ex-boyfriend highlight her strength and resilience. As she navigates her challenges, Lily's growth becomes a powerful testament to the importance of self-discovery and healing.

The themes of female bonds and faith resonate throughout the novel, with Sophia's heartfelt appeals to St. Anthony of Padua adding a spiritual layer to her quest. The emotional depth of Sophia and Judith's relationship truly moved me, showcasing Curham's ability to explore the intricacies of human connections against the backdrop of historical turmoil.

Curham's writing style is both lyrical and engaging, making it easy to become immersed in the story. I appreciated how well-developed each character was, providing a comprehensive understanding of their motivations and backgrounds.

I wholeheartedly recommend The Lost Story of Sophia Castello to anyone who loves historical fiction, especially those interested in WWII narratives. This book is a testament to resilience, hope, and the power of female solidarity. Siobhan Curham has once again proven her talent, and I can't wait to see what she creates next!

Siobhan Curham is a genius at telling WWII stories that are not solely focused on the war itself, but people living their lives while the world is happening. Like other books by Curham, the story is told in present (2000) and the past (1941). I found myself loving the 1941 storyline and wanted more of that. I do see the need for Lily’s storyline in 2000, but I was less interested in her relationship woes.

The Lost Story of Sophia Castillo is one of mystery, love and resilience. The vivid details make the reader clearly visualize the scenes without bogging one down. It is a fast paced book with well developed and love-able characters. The storyline is rich and of course has a few twists. I highly recommend Siobhan Curham’s books and cannot wait to see what she writes next.

Lily is a writer suffering from a broken heart. She receives the offer of a lifetime to write the memoir of Sofia Castello, a famous Portuguese singer who died during WWII. It turns out she's living on the coast of Portugal. So she heads out to Portugal to work with her and help tell her story of what happened and why she ended up faking her death.

This was another enjoyable read by this author. I've read a few books of hers and have enjoyed all of them. I loved the characters, especially Sofia, who came from nothing and became a world-famous fado singer, who the world thought had passed away in a plane crash. It was a rich, full story full of twists and turns, some mystery, as well as some romance. Sofia had also befriended a young German girl who had escaped Germany and was looking to make her way to America.

Thanks to @bookouture, @netgalley, and the author for this arc.

The best story I have read this year! A WWII story told to a young woman from the older woman who lived it. They both share secrets they need to get out. Wonderful!! Thank you to NetGalley for a chance to read this ARC. The review is my own.

I received a free DRC of this book through Netgalley. It pulled me in from the last page through the last page. The characters are inviting and appealing. The setting in Portugal makes me want to visit. The story is at times sad, maddening, and romantic, but always interesting. I would definitely read more from this author.

I found this story fascinating. I loved the dual POVs. Lily is interviewing the once world-famous singer, Sofia Castello, to ghostwrite her memoir. Sofia is supposed to be dead. Sofia tells her story and Lily finds out the whole truth about what really happened and how she ended up ‘dead’. There are few people that know that Sofia is alive, and Lily is able to connect those people to both the present and the past. Sofia is truly a force to be reckoned with.

Siobhan does a great job writing a story that easily sucks you in. I needed to know more of the truths to Sofia’s life.

Thank you NetGalley and Bookouture for my copy of this book.

Happy publication date for this striking novel. I went in without knowing much about the plot and I’m glad because I’m not normally a huge historical fiction fan but I really enjoyed this one - it was the right mix of emotionally charged without the emotion being overdone (which I often feel is the case with historical fiction) and I loved the settings - London & Lisbon/Portugal were so well described I felt like I was truly there and I appreciated that the female characters had strong and developed personalities. I read this in one day and trust you’ll fly thru it just as quickly as well!! Thanks to NetGalley and Bookouture for the opportunity for an e-arc for this lovely book!!.

THE LOST STORY OF SOFIA CASTELLO by SIOBHAN CURHAM is an interesting WW11 novel with the story taking place between Lisbon in Portugal and London, with the two timelines of the war years and modern times working seamlessly together.
The rags to riches story of Sofia Castello, from “varina” to famous singer in 1940, her friendship with Judith, her passionate stand against the Nazis, her singing tour in London and the betrayal that led to her supposed death, is well told to English ghostwriter Lily Christie in 2000…….
As Lily hears more of Sofia’s story, and shares her own story of betrayal, the two women become close, but there is still a secret that somehow involves Lily, and greatly concerns her……
I love the metaphor of the butterfly.
I am not going to tell you any more for fear of spoiling this exciting read for you.
I was given a free copy of the book by NetGalley from Bookouture. The opinions in this review are completely my own.

Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for the ARC (Advance Reader Copy) of The Lost Story of Sofia Castello by Siobhan Curham.
Wowza!! That was amazing! I really enjoyed this dual timeline story based during the 1930-1941 war time and the year 2000. It's a story about secrets, heartbreak, happiness and all the feels. It take place mainly in Portugal and I felt as though I was there along with the characters. This story is unforgettable and will stay with me for a long time. You need to experience this for yourself. I highly recommend this book. A 5 star rating for sure. #NetGalley #Bookouture #SiobhanCurham #TheLostStoryofSofiaCastello

The Lost Story of Sofia Castello is the latest book from Siobhan Curham and right from the opening page until the bitter end it is full of mystery, intrigue and many twists and turns which all make for a brilliant read. It’s a book where I felt I didn’t need any settling in time or to become overly familiar with characters as the action started straight away and getting to know people and situations would come naturally over the course of the book. There is the perfect blend of imagination with some historical fact throughout and having it set in Portugal during World War Two was a real, refreshing change from the usual historical fiction books that I read. I’d never given much previous thought to Portugal during the war as it hasn’t featured much if at all on my reading radar. Despite its neutrality, I was amazed to discover it was a hotbed for spies and the Gestapo and this forms the basis for the incredible story that unfolds which initially has the reader asking why is the story of Sofia Castello lost and who was she in the first place?

The brief prologue sets the scene for what is to come and the reader instantly wants to know what led to Sofia Castello ceasing to exist? The singer from Portugal was earning great fame and acclaim during the war when her life was torn apart which only served to boost her legacy and earn her mythical status. This status still exists in 2001 when we meet ghost writer Lily. Lily, is a woman very much at a crossroads. She has spent the last while as she says herself ‘marinating in a soup of apathy and indecision for almost a year. I need to do something to haul myself out of it’. This stance that has been forced upon her has been the result of her long term partner leaving her for another woman a week after she discovered that she can’t have children. A double whammy in such a short space of time left her shattered and drifting along through life and the thought of work and writing feels her with dread as she lacks energy and enthusiasm for anything. I felt desperately sorry for Lily at the start of the book. All she felt was hopeless and lethargic and it is very difficult to pick ones self-up after suffering such a knockback.

It’s Sofia’s literary agent, Jane, who is the catalyst that stokes the fire of change within her. A new opportunity has presented itself to ghost write the biography of Sofia Castello. Surely this could be the most amazing thing that Lily has ever done, and it means her career potentially could be right back on track. But isn’t Sofia long dead in a plane crash during the war? I adored the analogy that Jane used of the butterfly and its chrysalis to urge Lily on to take on the task of working with Sofia. It was so profound, sensible and impactful and I loved how Lily took the advice to heart and for the first time in what feels like forever she is excited and intrigued and wants to work with Sofia as finally after all the years of secrecy and the world believing she was long dead she is ready to share her story and what an unbelievable story it is. One full of honesty, intensity and rawness as Sofia exorcises the demons which have long plagued her.

I found once Lily reached Portugal as much as I enjoyed reading about her meeting Sofia and then beginning the process of hearing and then writing Sofia’s story it was the chapters set during Sofia’s time in Lisbon that really captured my attention. Returning after every few chapters to the present day was good to answer specific questions that had arisen and to bind the links between the past and the present and I could also see how Lily was changing the more she heard. But truly learning the complete story of Sofia Castello was riveting and it’s what made the book a real page turner. As Sofia starts sharing her extensive tale soon the reader is transported to the deep heart of the story. Having spent her teenage years caring for her ailing mother in a small village in the Portuguese countryside Sofia is now all alone following her mother’s death. Her spirit of adventure drives her to Lisbon where she sells fish and sings songs whilst doing so. I loved the history of fado-Portugese folk music - and how it becomes central to the person Sofia goes on to be and it is this which catches the attention of a record producer and within a short space of time she is catapulted into the spotlight and catches a piece of the nations heart not to mention her fame spreads to Britain also.

This may seem that this is just the usual rags to riches story but it soon takes on a much more dramatic turn as refugees start to flood the city as they are forced from their home countries due to the polices being enforced by Hitler. Sofia, starts to help those in need and meets someone who will go on to play a very special role in her life. I did think why was attention given to this and to other aspects of Sofia’s life in Lisbon which to me would only have warranted a few pages at most. But it’s only as I neared the climax of the book that I realised and deeply appreciated that Siobhan Curham had so expertly plotted and devised the entire story that she knew exactly what needed to be there. That every scene, character and plot devise were all necessary in building a fascinating and riveting story that got me excited about the WW2 historical fiction genre all over again.

Sofia, is a powerhouse of a young woman who came from more or less nothing and with her voice and talent made something of herself. As Lily hears her story of experiencing some of the Blitz in Britain and also meeting someone who will make a deep and lasting impact on her life in more ways than one, Lily too starts to come back to life. She is wary around Sofia at times as she doesn’t want to press too much too fast but Lily is like the reader in that you want the answers as quickly as possible. But the readers patience is richly rewarded and you learn that Sofia was an amazing woman who made the ultimate sacrifice and now that she is finally revealing her truth she wants retribution, compensation and for somebody to get their comeuppance and how she has gone about this is just sublime and truly demonstrates what an impressive, important and exceptional woman she really is.

As Sofia tells her story the revelations come thick and fast and to be honest I was similar to Lily in that I was smug in thinking that I had everything worked out. If things had gone in the direction in which I was suspecting they were I would have been disappointed to be honest as it just seemed too easy and a bit of a cop out. Instead Siobhan wove a fantastic tale that had me gasping out loud and kicking myself that I hadn’t guessed at what was going on. But at the same time, it brought a smile to my face and that sense of ah now I get it, at everything coming full circle and I thoroughly enjoyed having the wool pulled over my eyes. That moment of shock and full reveal was excellent and it’s not often in books these days that readers don’t guess at what exactly was going on right before their very eyes.

The Lost Story of Sofia Castello was Siobhan Curham at her very best and it was evident from the way the book was written and plotted that she enjoyed every moment of the writing process. This was perfectly paced with just the right amount of secrets, suspicion, complications, conspiracy and romance. Well done Siobhan Curham, more like this please.

Set in Portugal during ww2 this is a fascinating story with lots of unexpected twists and turns. I haven’t read anything set in Portugal during the war so I was intrigued to read this one, although it wasn’t as exciting as other war books I’ve read it was still an enjoyable read. This has a duel PoV and timeline which was a bit annoying at times. The characters were well written.
Thank you to Netgalley for an advanced copy of this book, all opinions expressed are my own.

I want to boost this review with the word Fate or better say bashert

First things first, I want to thank the autor and Net galley for this Arc and giving me the opportunity to read such a wonderful book.

Took me a while to rearrange my thoughts after finishing this book because of the emotional train that ran me over after finishing it.

Listen to me, readers. This book is going to be THE one you need. Whether you are in a book slump, or in a binge reading mood, this book needs to be a must and is going to shake your feelings and mess with your emotional and social conscience. Now to my Portuguese readers, you need to read this book because from a non Portuguese author is the first time I see Portugal being so lovely described, used as a lovely setting and the land of such a wonderful main character. Take this as my open letter to all of us Portuguese readers and why you should read this book.

This is a story about Lily a ghostwriter that is stuck in downhill and decides to take a break when she receives the opportunity of a life time: To tell the story of A late Portuguese singer, beloved by many, who died tragically in a plane crash years and years ago.

I present to you our Evelyn Hugo from Portugal, but instead of a movie star she is Sofia Castello a former Portuguese varina who ended up being a renowned fado singer and a spy for the Allies in WWII.

Who is going to tell her story? Sofia itself who is not dead and is about to drop Lily dead with the revelations to come. But, OH, wasn’t she dead? No. She is well alive and now she is ready to share to the world her true story. A story about an orphan, to a humble varina to the voice of Portugal. But she has secrets up her sleeve, stories about love, betrayal, trust, friendship, grief, resilience, and regret.

Sofia is such a strong woman. She is brave, but sometimes scared, she is humble, has a big heart that got broken too many times, but she is fierce-full, she stands for herself and for the others especially the minority. And her story deserves to be told.

As Lily, we get more affectionate to her while we listen to her story and we get eager to know more about her past and her past relationships. Why she isn’t dead? How is she alive? Why she faked her death? Who was she running from? Who she loved? Who she trusted? Who was really Sofia Castello?

The pacing and the plot are well structured while they feed enough information to keep the reader interested and hooked, and at the same time not disclosing enough details to keep you reading until you find out the secrets. The story is built to go step by step to each important part of Sofia’s life.

All the characters have layers, dreams, ambitions, fears, regrets, and love in their constitution. What makes this novel even more aspiring and their ending very satisfactory. Be prepared to have a drop jaw and the tears in the corner of your eyes while reading this book. And of course big dramatic and cinematic revelations for such a dramatic life of a singer in the end.

I want to take a minute now to talk about the beautiful Portuguese setting of Portugal in the 1940s. It is very rare to read a book set in Portugal-my native land. I really loved reading about the places I have been to and belong to my life, and I know are part of my past. This helped me conect even moreto the story.

This book explores our culture, language, nationality, architecture, gastronomy, our music, our past. In a nutshell: Us. I love how the author gives true meaning to the word saudade- such a Portuguese strong word- and talks about how Portugal was important in the second war, and is still important. Bringing visibility to my beautiful country. Besides that, this book being released at 25th April, such an important date to the Portuguese history, means a lot to us.

Thank you for this lovely story and for portraying my country my culture and my language in such a vibrant a heartbreaking story. I feel seen, I feel loved. Thank you for making such a strong character and make her Portuguese. In the name of all Portuguese girls who had to fight something in their lives and be a little like Sofia knowing that “Sometimes the things that seem like the end of the world are actually the prologue for something truly delightful, we thank you for this portrait.

★★★★ 4.5 stars

A wartime secret must be told before it's too late...

I love a good dual timeline tale weaving the past with the present and a few secrets along the way. The premise to this one drew me in as something a little different. The war is merely a backdrop for this story not the main event. And it serves to depict a heartbreaking tale that is emotionally charged as well as mysterious.

Lily is looking to leave her pitiful life behind and embark on a holiday in the sun after nursing a broken heart for the past ten months. So when she walks into her agent's office overlooking the dreary London landscape, the offer Jane makes her is one that is too good to refuse.

Lily has been asked for personally by name to ghostwrite the autobiography of wartime singing sensation Sofia Castello, who tragically died in a plane crash flying from Lisbon to London in 1941. Or did she? The journey she takes to Portgual to meet the elusive Sofia is one of love, grief, friendships, betrayal and secrets.

Stepping into the Portuguese sunshine, Lily feels at once rejuvenated and that this ghostwriting job came at just the right moment in time for her. But little did she know the part she would play in rewriting history or that she would find happiness there herself.

The setting in Portgual is just perfect. I could feel the sunshine on my face, the water lapping at my feet and immersing myself in the sapphire seas. The colours so richly depict the character, the personalities and reflect the resilience of this beautiful story.

There is so much to say about this book that I think is best left to experience for oneself.

A beautiful tale that will stay with me for some time to come.

I would like to thank #SiobhanCurham, #Netgalley and #Bookouture for an ARC of #TheLostStoryOfSofiaCastello in exchange for an honest review.

This review appears on my blog at https://stinathebookaholic.blogspot.com/.

In The Lost Story of Sofia Castello, Lily Christie a struggling writer is offered the chance to ghostwrite the biography of a woman she and the public believed long dead—Sofia Castello, a glamorous singer from the World War II era. Believed to have died in 1941, Sofia is actually alive, in her eighties, and hiding in a quaint cottage on the Portuguese coast in Lisbon. Curious and desperate about the writing project landed from her Friend Jane, Lily travels to meet Sophia Castello and is soon carried away into a stunning tale of wartime bravery, hidden love, and heartbreaking sacrifice.

As Sofia recounts her life as a Varina before becoming a singer —she retells the dangerous world of Nazi-occupied Europe while secretly aiding the Allies—Lily finds herself increasingly fascinated by Sophia's emotional story. Sofia's story is marked by her bond with a young orphaned German girl named Judith who tries to escape the German gestapo who tried following her. Judith has a cousin in America and where she awaits an escape route to America followed by a series of high-stakes performances where each move could become a disaster. But beneath Sofia’s compelling narrative lies a deeper mystery. She’s keeping something back. And as the truth begins to surface, Lily realizes she may be entangled in a story more dangerous than she ever imagined.

I could flip the pages quickly with lot of interest in where the author takes you through a past and present Lisbon and London retelling a warm story of the horror and the courage of characters of the war. The novel is a bit slow but has a lot of suspense awaiting in the storyline leaving behind a Portuguese that lingers in the mind of a reader.

Thanks to Netgalley and Bookouture Publishers for an advance copy for my honest review.
Find this review and tour on Novel Nerd Blog: https://smithareading.blogspot.com/2025/04/book-on-tour-lost-story-of-sophia.html
Review:

★ ★ ★ ★ ☆ (4.5/5)

🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
Book Details
Title- The Lost Story of Sofia Castello
Author- Siobhan Curham
Genre- Historical Fiction

Book Summary
It’s the year 2000 and Lily Christie is sent to Portugal to ghost write a famous singer's life story. The problem is that this singer perished in an airplane accident during World War II. The story seamlessly slips between the two time periods.

What Makes This Book Special
This book was one of the best ones I have read this year! I read many books about WWII but never from a character’s perspective in Portugal. Get ready to be transported to Lisbon, along with the scenery and food. I was craving a pastel de nata when I was done!!! Thankfully, there is a bakery by me that sells them. But I digress.
Many thanks to the author, Bookouture and NetGalley for a complimentary copy of the book. The opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.
#TheLostStoryofSofia Castello #SiobhanCurham #NetGalley #Bookouture #BooksOnTour #BookLove #Bookstagram #NewBook #ILoveBooks #BooksSetInPortugal #HistoricalFiction

I really enjoyed this mystery story centred around singer Sofia Castello who supposedly died in plane crash in the 1940s, and the writer Lily Christie who is tasked with writing the singers biography only to discover she didn't really die and has been carrying secrets her whole life. Similar in ilk to The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo, this was a lovely story and perfect holiday reading!

This was a fascinating dual timeline book. The story of Sophia and why she disappeared and then the writing of her biography in the modern day.

I found myself drawn to this book; every spare minute I'd read a page or two.
Lily is a ghostwriter and needs to get away for a break. Her manager tells offers her a job to write the momoir of a 'dead' WW2 singer in Portugal.
Whilst in Portugal, Sofia tells about her life, her loves and the secret as to why she faked her own death.
Whitst away, Lily soon discovers herself again and her younger self.
The book flows between 1941 and 2000 perfectly. It has great descriptions of the locations and London during the blitz.

This is historical fiction, with a dual timeline giving us the story of the ghost writer too.
I enjoyed the perspective of people living in Lisbon during WW2, not a perspective I’ve ever read before.
I did think some of the writing was a bit overkill at time - it was easy to read some sections just reading one sentence per paragraph. However, i thought the story was superb. Perfectly paced, intriguing, enough reveals throughout the book to keep the interest levels high, and a very satisfying ending.
This was my first from this author and I’d happily read more.

I thought this was a really good book, really hard to put down. I liked Sofia and her strength during troubling times. There were some surprises I wasn’t expecting too. It’s perfect for all historical fiction fans