This heartwarming and enchanting novel takes the reader on a journey to Nazi-occupied France, where a young widow named Celina is coming to terms with the passing of her husband Emile, a member of the resistance. After discovering a baby left in a woodland, Celina finds her life entangled with that of the young Brielle Aimee and a secret orphanage in the nearby village, where Jewish children are being hidden from the Nazis.

In 21st-century New York, Rachel embarks on a journey to rural France to discover more about her grandfather's secret life there in the war. As her story becomes intertwined with that of Celina - and family secrets are unearthed - Rachel finds herself of a journey of self-discovery that has her questioning all that she thought she wanted.

The Secret Orphanage will surely intrigue fans of historical fiction such as Kristin Hannah's "The Nightingale", with its themes of solidarity, survival and love against the odds. Josselsohn has crafted a gentle dual-timeline narrative with likeable characters and an unexpected twist. There were some elements of the novel which could have been given more of a focus than others, such as the excitement and danger of a journey undertaken by two characters in the book. Less focus on the internal monologue of Rachel, which became repetitive at times, could have made space for an expansion on the story of the journey.

Overall, this is a very enjoyable historical novel that reminds us of the importance of remembering the past and the relevance its lessons can still hold for us.

*Warning! Do not begin this book if you have food cooking or housework to do! Your food will burn and your house will stay dirty, because you will not be able to stop reading!*

This was a wonderful novel of historical fiction.

The author did a masterful job of weaving duel timelines together, one in 1940’s France, the other in 2018. The parts about the Nazi occupation of France, and the bravery of the Resistance workers, will leave one breathless. The relationship of Rachel to her grandfather in modern day will make one’s eyes misty. And the solution to the mystery factor of the book-well, don’t say you weren’t warned!

*I received a digital copy from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are strictly my own.*

Thank you Netgally for the ARC in exchange for a review. 3.5 stars rounded up! I really enjoyed this book.

Rachel is trying to find out the history of her family before her grandfather, who raised her, passes away. He has Alzheimer’s so he can’t tell her much, but when she discovers the book they read every night when she was a child is dedicated to her mother…or someone with the same name as her mother, she has to find the truth.

The author was a part of the French resistance during the Nazi invasion of WWII. She helped at a children’s school that was actually a safe house for children who’s families gad been taken to concentration camps, but no one has heard what happened to her after she fled to Poland with a baby girl from the orphanage.

This book flips back and forth from present day to nazi invaded France. It reminds me of The Sunflower House by Adriana Allegri. I loved the story and I love the characters, but I do wish there was more closure with the ending. I feel it was a little bit rushed. I was also yearning for more history as to why Rachel’s grandfather was so estranged from the rest of the family. Overall, it was a good read and I would recommend.

Thank you NetGalley for this book! I couldn’t put it down. Often when a book has a dual narrative going on I find I much prefer the one set in the past, but I have to say I was enjoying Rachel’s present day story as much as Celina’s! I found Rachel and Alain quite similar to Celina and Remy, and at times I felt like I was reading about the same two characters just in a different time. I mean that in a good way too, not that they were two dimensional or anything. Both storylines were gripping and while I did guess the links between the two, I didn’t guess them until quite close to the reveal - it was not made obvious from the outset. Rich characters and such a vivid setting made this really come to life and while I am also not often one for romance novels, the love stories in this also had me thoroughly invested. Five stars is not enough!

This is another heartfelt work of Barbara Josselsohn which I enjoyed reading. It is a story set in USA and France with alternating timelines during World War II. There is a smooth transition between the two timelines which kept me hooked to the pages.
The main characters Celina, Remy and Rachel are well drawn and feel very relatable.

Celina finds a Jewish baby in the bushes with a note attached. Are Celina and Remy able to save the baby and risk their lives in dangerous times? They are swimming in dangerous waters. They both run an orphanage in a small mountain town in France trying to save a lot of Jewish children from the Nazis in the hopes to unite them one day with their families.

Present day New York. Rachel is trying to make sense of what connection her grandfather has to the author of a book The Little Lost Fish. He is loosing memory but always talks about a little girl Brielle and a woman called CeCe. Rachel travels to France in search of all the answers and secrets he has been holding on for years. The story is full of twists and turns and the suspense will leave the readers glued to the pages.

A story inspired by real life events will pull the heartstrings of many. Barbara Josselsohn has the craft to tell a tale filled with human emotions which leave the readers for wanting for more. A book not to be missed by historical fiction lovers.

Thank you Net Galley and the Publisher for this wonderful ARC

An incredibly important story about the French Resistance rescuing children in WWII. Minus the stresses that occurred, it was an incredibly cozy and beautiful book.

I adored CeCe and Rachel’s story, and without giving spoilers, was so glad that it ended happily and was a stark and poignant reminder of those who did choose kindness and compassion and morals in WWII, and all those they saved.

Set in France during ww2 this is the story of the brave people who ran a secret orphanage for Jewish children.
While I enjoyed the historical fiction aspect of the book I found that part to be too short and could have been more exciting and drawn out. This book had a dual PoV and was set in the present and the past. I found it annoying thst it changed between the two after one chapter. I found most of the chapters written in the present to be long, boring and too much detail of unnecessary stuff. There was a particular part in the present day that was a whole paragraph of rhetorical questions, I found this to be a theme throughout the book. The ending felt rushed and bit too predictable.
Overall this was an ok read but there’s definitely better historical fiction books out there so don’t know if I’d recommend.

When Celina has the chance of goiing to look at her dead husbands house that she put up for sale she is suprised to find people living in it. France in now occupied by the Germans and her house is hiding Jewish children under the pretence of it being a school for the local village children. She has to make a descision that will alter her life forever. Should be sell or stay and help them.
Great storyline that I soon raced through.

In 1942, Celina is heading to Paillettes au Sommet, France, with her brother. Celina’s husband, Emile has died, and Celina is planning on moving back to Maryland, America.

When Celina spots a baby abandoned in the underbrush, she takes the child to a secret orphanage. Celina’s life changes from that moment.

In 2018, Rachel is visiting her grandfather, who is in a dementia unit. Showing him the book called The Little Lost Fish, she’s hoping it will bring back memories of when he used to read it to her as a child, following Rachel’s mother’s death.

With her grandfather talking about his life that Rachel didn’t know anything about, she decides to head to France to see what she can find out about her grandad and her mother.

With a dual time-line, this book draws you in and leaves you wanting more.

The characters come to life and a magical tale takes place surrounding them.

The work of The Resistance took place in so many different ways, to risk their lives for others was an amazing act of bravery.

This story touched me and I had to pause at times when I found it emotional. A beautifully written story.

I received a copy of the book from the publisher.

A dual time line novel set largely in France. In the present, Rachel is hoping to find answers and closure for her grandfather's story. It leads to the story of Cece, who, along with Remy, hid and protected Jewish orphans, including Brielle, during WWII. Their story is more interesting (I could have done without Rachel's romantic things) even if it is a familiar one for fans of the genre. Josselsohn as a good way with characters and atmospherics and she'll keep you turning the pages. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC>.

Thank you Bookoture for having me on the tour for this book. I look forward to sharing my views on socials later in the month. This was a beautifully written book about a horrendous time where the love determination and resilience of strangers was essential to the survival of the vulnerable. This book transports you into a world of fear but also a world full of love. The characters are each unique in their own way and have their own story to tell. I have not read books by this author before but will certainly be picking more up in the future.

The Secret Orphanage has easily secured its spot as my favorite book of the year - I simply couldn't put it down! I consider myself an avid reader of WWII historical fiction, so when I first picked up this book, I thought I knew exactly what to expect. Oh, how wrong I was!

The Secret Orphanage is a brilliant twist on a classic WWII storyline. Rather than focusing on the tumultuous battlefields of this era, Barbara Josselsohn takes a different approach. In this dual-timeline novel, readers follow the stories of Celina, an American woman living in France during WWII, and Rachel, a modern-day, small-town librarian looking to learn more about her family's cryptic past. I absolutely loved how Josselsohn tied the past and the present together through Rachel's quest for knowledge and understanding. While you are clearly reading two different timelines, the stories feel so intertwined that I felt like I was learning more about Rachel as I was reading Celina's POV!

Speaking of characters, what a crowd. I was awestruck by Celina's bravery in the face of danger. And Rémy, whose mysterious air kept me on my toes and whose unwavering support almost moved me to tears. Grandpa, with his crippling dementia, reminded me of my own grandmother and pulled at my heartstrings. Red, who made me angry until his true colors finally got to show. Claude, who was a minor character but reminded me of so many people I'd met during my own travels in France. Brielle Aimée - both of them! And of course, Rachel - who hopeless romanticism made me roll my eyes and laugh, but whose determination kept me hooked on this book from start to finish.

The only character that I didn't particularly care for was Griffin. While I understand his role in this novel, I do think that Rachel's character development could have been achieved in other ways - perhaps through additional interactions with Grandpa, through uncovering previously unkwown information during her PhD research, through finding some hidden family momento... That being said, his presence didn't particularly take away from the plotline. But I will admit that I was glad when he stopped popping up!

Overall, The Secret Orphanage is a rewarding read for historical fiction lovers and provides just the right amount of mystery, heartbreak, and redemption to make it the perfect weekend read.

Thank you to Bookouture and NetGalley for this Advanced Reader Copy in exchange for my honest review.

Set in a dual timeline, The Secret Orphanage tells the story of Rachel and Cece, and how their lives are connected in ways they never thought possible.

After spending years trying to understand her grandfather, Rachel decides to embark on a journey to a small mountain town in France to try and find answers about her grandfather.

Cece spent her early 20’s secretly fighting the Nazi’s by a form of resistance: saving Jewish children right under their nose. Cece finds a Jewish baby in the bushes one day and vows to never leave its side, no matter what. She must save this baby - and every other child at the secret orphanage in the small French mountain town Paillettes.

Truly an unputdownable novel told over a dual timeline from different characters perspectives.

The Secret Orphanage written by Barbara Josselsohn. Deep in the countryside of France is an out of the way city where the war seems a world away. Many lives meet here even if for a short while. Life in this city has affected several generations. A young girl named Rachel seeks to find closure for her grandfathers past, while a young man named Griffin seems interested in her future. As the Nazis inch closer to the French countryside the peoples true intentions come to the surface. Who can one trust and who can one believe? Only time will tell who is good and who is bad. How can people in a city protect their children? When the war finally hits their city everyone must pick a side. This book is an exciting adventure that will have you wanting more.

I’d not heard of the author so my request was based on the title and description alone and I wasn’t disappointed. Wow what an emotional rollercoaster of a story. I was engrossed right from the beginning. Loved the characters and their strength to survive the war, keeping the children safe, especially little Brielle. I did wonder if Griffin might turn out to be a dud. He wasn’t right for Rachel. So glad Brielle was reunited with her mum. Such a wonderful story and I will definitely be reading more of Barbara’s stories.

An average, enjoyable read about a secret orphanage in WW2 that at times felt slow, particularly Rachel’s storyline in the current time.
I liked the overall story and felt connected with Cece. I didn’t care for the relentless rhetorical questioning that seemed to be part of the author’s style. I was also 50/50 on Rachel. She came across more desperate for a relationship than she was about finding the truth about her family. Griffin’s character was unnecessary and could’ve been left out. I also was annoyed by how Rachel does a complete and immediate 180 of her feelings about her grandpa based on assumptions when she discovers his ‘secret’. The reader can tell from a mile away that it is just a misjudgment that doesn’t quite fit.
I like the cover art but am unclear on why the red, small shoes. Brielle was only an infant in the story and wouldn’t have worn those. I like when the cover art tells part of the story and this one didn’t.
The epilogue tied everything together in a nice and predictable manner.

Thanks to Bookouture and Netgalley for the advanced copy.

The Secret Orphanage by Barbara Josselsohn was riveting and emotional all at the same time. This is the type of book you don't want to put down, so that you can read what happens next in the story! The premise of the book is set-in two-time frames: 1940's era during WWII in France and 2018 modern time in New York. The main characters, Celina, Remy, Red, and Brielle during the 1940's, and Rachel, her grandfather, Alain, and Cece of the 2018's, have suspenseful and emotional ties to one another. The story of the secret orphanage will fill your heart with many emotions including fear, love, compassion, perseverance, and hope. The story of Rachel and her grandfather in modern times will remind you of possibly your own unknown heritage and stories from your family ancestry. What stories are kept in secret until death welcomes us home? Can we determine those secrets that have remained hidden and be able to accept the truths they present to us? Forgiveness is sometimes a hard skill to process, depending on our perceptions, and finding out the reality of situations instead of wondering of the "what if's" in life, can bring us healing and hope. Josselsohn does a beautiful job describing these characteristics and giving us hope for healing in a world of sorrow, loss, and grief.
Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for the advanced review copy of this book. All opinions are my own.

I received a free DRC of this book through Netgalley. This is a dual-timeline story with Celina and Remy being in WWII France, and Rachel being in the present day. I liked both stories, but Rachel felt very wishy-washy to me and feeling like she needed a man so I did not like her side as much. It was fun to unravel the mystery of Cece and who Rachel's grandfather was during the war.

The Secret Orphanage- Barbara Josselsohn

LOVED IT. I am.really drawn to World War 2 historical fiction and every time I start a new one I think that it will be the one where I realise I have read too much of this genre. This one was NOT that book. It was incredible. I loved the 2 timelines running throughout the book. One based during World War 2 and one based in Modern Day.

Celina, an American in France at the time of WW2, finds herself on the side of the road after a car crash. When suddenly she happens upon a tiny baby, wrapped against the cold, with a note pinned to her. She brings the infant to a nearby house where she uncovers a secret. This secret will change the course of her life.

Rachel lives in New York and is caring for her grandfather who's memory is deteriorating fast. He spent his youth in Europe, during WW2. He raised her after she lost her mom at a young age. Her grandfather, unpleasant to everyone else but her, is in a care facility. She visits him regularly and tries to bring his memories back by bringing him treasured items from the past. One such item is a book he read to her every night. This book triggers memories in him and some of the things he begins to talk about causes Rachel to question her entire life and sets her on a journey back to France. How does she past connect to Celinas?
Will she uncover the mysteries locked in her grandfathers memories?
I adored this book. It was a beautiful story of strength, resilience, love and friendship. The enduring human spirit in times of turmoil is beautifully illustrated in these pages. It's incredible how strong people can be in the face of extreme adversity. The bravery shown by some of the characters in this book is something very few could comprehend and even fewer could live out in reality.
@bookouture you have done it again. Another gem 💎
Thank you for approving me for this wonderful ARC.
@netgalley grateful as always for the opportunity to read and review another wonderful book.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Thank you, NetGalley for the ARC.

The Secret Orphanage is a dual-timeline novel that explores identity and hidden histories. Barbara Josselsohn tells the story of two women—Celina during World War II, and Rachel decades later—whose lives are intertwined.

The gradual unfolding of Celina’s journey, beginning with the discovery of a hidden orphan girl on a roadside in France, is well written. Once a privileged young woman, Celina’s transformation into a protector and educator for Jewish orphans is touching. Her awakening to the realities of the war and her deepening commitment to the secret orphanage disguised as a school create a strong emotional core to the novel. Josselsohn’s descriptions of the tension, secrecy, and moral courage required to keep the children safe are on point.

Parallel to Celina’s story is Rachel’s search for the truth behind a mysterious book inscription that seems to tie back to her late mother, Brielle Aimee. When her grandfather cryptically mentions the author and a past journey to Switzerland, Rachel sets off for France to uncover a forgotten chapter of her family’s past. The connection between the two women—foreshadowed but not predictable—adds depth to the narrative.

The emotional reveal toward the end, where Rachel meets the real Celina, is heartwarming and well-earned. The book’s conclusion brings both storylines together in a satisfying and meaningful way.

That said, the subplot involving Griffin, the elusive writer Rachel was supposed to meet in France, felt out of place. The brief romantic tension and his role in encouraging Rachel to take the journey could have been more effectively incorporated through her interactions with other characters.

Overall, The Secret Orphanage is an engaging novel that captures the spirit of resistance, the importance of remembrance, and the quiet bravery of ordinary people in extraordinary times. It's a rewarding read for fans of historical fiction.