The Last Correspondent by Soraya M. Lane is an excellent historical fiction novel that is based during WWII.

This novel focusses on the unsung heroines consisting of the war journalists, photographers, and correspondents that traveled overseas and reported on and documented the battles, atrocities, and soldiers. These brave women risked their lives to be able to be a part of the war to document the events for the public as well as for history. Without some of these huge findings, there would be large parts of history that would be lost to us for forever.

I loved being able to read about WWII from a different angle. This book sets itself apart from its crowd by selecting an occupation and a group of individuals that are not heavily written about. I loved learning this.

In this novel, the author alternates her chapters with each chapter centering around one of three women that all seem different at first (from different countries, lives, and experiences) but yet due to times and situations, all become close and derive strength from one another and survive due to their friendships, loyalty, and similarities.

I loved reading about Ella, Danni, and Chloe. I loved that despite their differences, they all bonded together and brought out the best in one another. I loved each woman's story, the changes and development that occurred with each one respectively, and how they found their own positive endings in their own lives, and with one another.

I especially enjoyed the Author's Afterward in which I was able to learn about real-life war journalists (ex Martha Gellhorn) and have been researching more about her since I finished this novel. I love when I am able to learn something new all the while enjoying an amazing historical fiction novel. The author also clarified what was fact, fiction, and what was slightly altered in order to fit the storyline appropriately.

This was an amazing story of strength, love, friendship, overcoming adversity, and triumph over evil with great characters, and an excellent and memorable plot. I have loved every book that I have ever read by Ms. Lane, and this book is a definite positive addition to her previous works.

5/5 stars

Thank you NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing for this ARC and in return I am submitting my unbiased and voluntary review and opinion.

I am posting this review to my GR, Bookbub accounts immediately and will post it to my Amazon, Instagram, and B&N accounts upon publication.

That gorgeous cover grabs you and the story of three courageous women during WWII won’t let you go. This is Soraya M. Lane at her finest.

We meet journalist Ella in the States, when she’s found out for submitting stories under a male pseudonym and loses her job. “No women are allowed to write here,” she’s told.

Then in Italy during a heated battle with the Germans, American photojournalist Danni covering the action is told, “No women allowed on the battle field.”

Finally there’s Chloe, Vogue model who’s had a fling with Gabriel, a charming French editor. After returning to London for three years, she finds a sneaky way to get to Nazi-occupied France to see him.

These gutsy women never give up. Danni and Ella, now in England, sneak onto a hospital ship heading to Normandy, becoming the first photog and writer covering the battle on the beaches.

Chloe finds Gabriel in Paris and longs for him to marry her. Yes, he’ll sleep with her, but his true love is the French Resistance. She ends up as cook and housekeeper for his group, feeling useless, unloved and unsafe.

After Normandy, Danni pushes relentlessly to fulfill a promise to her dearest friend. He wants her to find his sister (Chloe) in France. She and Ella steal an Army jeep and make their way inland to rescue her. What the three encounter will keep you captive ‘til the last page.

A totally engrossing tale that takes you ‘cross the globe and into the lives of fierce women who impact history during a hellish time.

5 of 5 Stars

Pub Date 01 Nov 2020

Thanks to Soraya M. Lane, Amazon Publishing UK, and NetGalley for the review copy. Opinions are mine.

#TheLastCorrespondent #NetGalley

Reading historical fiction has become enjoyable to me as I learn more about the “behind the scenes” things that went on during World War II I haven’t ever thought about. This book is an excellent depiction of female journalists and photographers and the lengths they went to toward being able to report actual events of the war, the soldiers and the conditions, despite being banned from the front. Told from the perspective of three amazing women, the story reveals the strong personalities and strengths of their diverse backgrounds. The book is based on actual characters and happenings of the war. I would recommend this book to anyone interested in historical fiction, I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley and the publisher. All opinions expressed are my own.

With thanks to netgalley for an early copy in return for an honest review.
Having read a lot of this author's work I was delighted to get an early copy and it certainly did not disappoint these gutsy women were not going to be pushed over,excellent plot and storyline. Can highly recommend this book.

Three strong, daring women. Three awesome, loveable men. One of the finest, fast-paced historical fiction there is. I was stunned by the interesting details. I applaud the author for this wonderful story. I definitely recommend this to everyone who likes to read about strong women.

The Last Correspondent by Soraya M. Lane is an excellent historical fiction novel that is based during WWII. There's been a plethora of novels published recently taking place during this period. Many of them telling the previously untold stories of the brave women who resumed so much, sacrificed so much. The stories share the commonality of being based on truth - real women. This book is one of the best.

When journalist Ella Franks is unmasked as a woman writing under a male pseudonym, she loses her job. But having risked everything to write, she refuses to be silenced and leaps at the chance to become a correspondent in war-torn France. A totally engrossing tale that takes you ‘cross the globe and into the lives of fierce women. I highly recommend this book.

The blurb for this was intruquing and as I had read another of Soyara's books and enjoyed it, I requested it. The first part was good and I liked Danni and Ella as they were strong independent women who were opening up opportunities for the next generation of women journalists and then the story changed as they became romantically involved and seemed to lose their spark.

The Last Correspondent By Soraya Lane

5 Stars

I have read many books by Soraya Lane, but this one was my favorite so far. This story follows Ella, Danni, and Chloe. Three women facing the war and facing it like the men around them. Ella and Danni land on the beaches at Normandy. They captured and told stories of the brave men, friends some, that died that day. Chloe becomes wrapped in the war in ways she knew nothing about until she had to be strong.

This story was amazing. It was so well written and once again, I was blown away by this author. From the brave characters, to the beautiful scenes of the country, to the horrors of war. Soraya is able to bring each story to life in such a way that the book becomes real. The scenery, the smells, the characters. Its almost as if you are in the book. Or at least, that is what I get from this book.

Overall, no complaints. The Last Correspondent was a story of war, love, determination, and bravery. It was amazing and action packed from start to finish. It is an amazing read.

Reviewed  By

Stormi Ellis

Many thanks to NetGalley for the ARC of this book. I’ve always loved Soraya’s stories and this one is no different!! This book follows Ella, a journalist and Danni, a photographer, as the two make their way to Normandy and cover the D-Day invasion. A third woman, Chloe, has her own tale and is interwoven with Ella and Danni. I held my breath for most of this story as I never knew what was going to happen. Adventure, twists and turns, love, and the war are all vital pieces of this story. I highly recommend this book as Ella and Danni were true heroes and lead the way for women correspondents within the war. The battles and choices they had to make weren’t easy ones and they were brave to pursue their dream.

Three brave women, three different personalities, all with the same goal. It's 1943, and though it is not only dangerous and no women are allowed to travel to the front lines, these women make it their ultimate goal. Told from a different perspective than other WWII books, I found it interesting and enjoyable. This well written book should be on your list of "must reads" if you are a fan of HF. My thanks to NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I’ve enjoyed previous books by this author for her strong female protagonists and solid historical settings. This book felt rushed to me. The dialogue was generic and, while it was set during the Normandy invasion, it didn’t really get into the meat of it. These female correspondents were selfish rather than strong and stupid rather than brave and they needed men to save them. It had much more of a romance feel than historical fiction. I was not overly impressed with this one. I know that an immense amount of research goes into these books, but I got more history out of the author’s notes than the bulk of the book.

If you love historical fiction that portrays strong female characters and their dramatic, horrific and brave experiences of war, this novel is for you. Set in the early 1940s and inspired by the true accounts of female war correspondents during WWII, Lane tells the stories of war from the perspective of Ella, an American journalist, Danni, an American photographer, and Chloe, the little sister of a British male journalist, Andy.

Ella and Danni are badass women bucking prejudices and restrictions against women reporting on and being around war. Even when told over and over again that they don't belong, or they're not allowed, or they shouldn't be there, their passion and duty to report on the war is unwavering. Chloe is young, naive, and a bit selfish, but the war changes her, as it does everyone, and she grows into yet another badass woman.

The narrative centers around the horrific events of the historic day when allied forces landed on Omaha Beach of Normandy, France, known as D-Day. This invasion ultimately turned the tides of war leading to victory over Nazi Germany.

This story is fast paced and truly gripping; the pace of the narrative and the content itself had my heart racing and my stomach flip flopping. The story moves along very quickly but that adds to the urgency of what the characters are experiencing. Ella and Danni have a single goal: get the truth from the front lines to the front page.

Even though the narrative is fast paced, it still allows for sufficiently developing characters. The Last Correspondent has a little bit of everything a historical fiction novel might have; friendship and family conflicts, love and romance, action and suspense, history and realism.

This novel is one of my top-ten reads of 2020 and I highly recommend it.

Thank you @netgalley, @amazonpublishing, and author, @sorayalaneauthor, for the Advanced Review Copy of THE LAST CORRESPONDENT in exchange for an honest review. All opinions herein are my own.

PUBLICATION DATE: November 1, 2020

A fantastic read full of strong women wonderful men a book I enjoyed it.from first to last page.I was transported from my reading chair back in time to this fascinating time in history.#netgalley#amazonuk

This book pulls no punches as it follows three women across France in the harrowing last days of WWII. All three are struggling to find themselves as they try to persevere in a man's world. It's bad enough that a war is raging all around them. But they have to fight their battles among their own ranks too. Their lives come together in unexpected ways as the harsh realities of war rain down around them. Danni and Ella are just as good at their jobs as their male counterparts. Maybe better than some. But they find themselves restricted at every turn because of their gender. Chloe just wants to be with the man she loves, but is finding that difficult under circumstances she could never have anticipated. This is a gritty novel that tells the story of women who just want to do their jobs to the best of their ability, but find themselves stymied at every turn. Still, as they keep trying, they have to learn to navigate a reality they didn't expect. The suspense builds with every chapter, and it kept me reading late into the night. I highly recommend this story and will be reading more books by this author. Thank you to NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing for the advance reader's copy.

In the latest WWII fiction by Soraya Lane, we follow three women as they navigate their way through Nazi-occupied France. Each are fighting their own battles within. Danni, the most celebrated photojournalist of her time, is determined to document the raw truth of what war looks like, even if that means losing everything. Ella is a small-town American journalist who is trying to find out what she's made of - she just wasn't expecting to sail across the world to do it. Chloe is a painfully naive, immature model who sneaks of into the middle of a war zone to be reunited with her love, only to find herself in the thick of the Resistance.

I HATE the stereotype of "tough professional woman incapable of showing emotion" so many authors go to, and after being introduced to Danni I was afraid that's where we were going with her. She was tough, obstinate, and thick-headed. There's a scene where her partner is describing a pretty traumatizing thing they experienced and I thought, "here we go ... Another one who refuses to be human." Ella was my favorite. She was brave AND had emotional intelligence, even if anything louder than a sneeze made her shake in her boots. It was endearing to see such vulnerability in a character who still remained strong. Chloe was irritating as I suppose she should have been - she was sheltered and spoiled and had no clue about what the realities of war consisted of.

But then, they all started to grow. Danni has the most emotional response to something out of everyone and learns to show that vulnerability. Ella grows a spine but remains the emotional anchor for all three women. And Chloe grows up and fosters one of the biggest events in their lives. While Ella started as my favorite, now I couldn't tell you who I loved more. The character arc for each was developed beautifully. Lane took her time with each, and even though it's a fairly short book, you didn't feel rushed. There were no unanswered questions or moments of "but what about...." And there is one paragraph - maybe 4 sentences long - about a little boy holding a man's hand that was the most heartbreakingly beautiful of the entire thing.

I love that Lane focuses on strong, every day women without being stereotypical in their representation. She writes them true, and they make an impression. So thankful I was able to get an ARC from her and NetGalley, so many thanks to them both. As promised, my honest review in exchange.

This was a wonderful historical fiction based during WWII about 2 female Correspondents trying to catch a break in a male dominated world. I'm in awe at the level of detail the author put in describing the efforts women had to go through to prove their ability and talent. I believe I'll be thinking about this book for a while. These brave and amazing women risked their lives to show America what was happening in Normandy.

THE LAST CORRESPONDENT by Soraya Lane is a beautifully-written and emotional work of historical fiction that is inspired by true events and people. It is the story of three courageous women whose paths cross in war-ravaged France during World War II. Ella Franks is an American journalist who loses her job when her editor finds out she has been writing under a male pseudonym. With nothing left to lose, she heads overseas determined to become a war correspondent. Danni Bradford is a daring British photojournalist that has made her way into the male-dominated world of war reporting, but she soon learns she will be left behind when only male correspondents are allowed to cover the unfolding events in Normandy. She will stop at nothing to be part of the delegation that will witness the landing at Omaha Beach. Later Ella and Danni will meet Chloe, the sister of Danni’s partner, Andy who has stumbled into the French Resistance and whose life is in danger the longer she remains in France. The three women must band together if they are to survive their perilous circumstances. The story alternates between the points of view of the three main characters. I found myself cheering for the strength, resilience and compassion these brave women exhibited. THE LAST CORRESPONDENT is a gripping story of friendship, loyalty and survival that will stay on my mind for a long time to come. Thank you to the author, publisher and NetGalley for the chance to read an early copy.

Soraya Lane has written several books about strong women who are trying to do their part during WWII but are restricted simply because they are women. Her new book follows that main theme but gives us three strong women trying to overcome the prejudice against women during this time in our history.

Danni is a photojournalist who feels that it is her duty to take pictures so that people in American can see what war is really about. In Italy, she gets restricted to the field hospital (one of the few places were women were accepted as nurses) by Gen Patton. As D-Day approaches, she knows that she has to get to France but women correspondents were strictly prohibited.

Ella is a writer who has just lost her job as a reporter for using a male pseudonym. She knows that writing is the main part of her life and when she is offered a job to go to London to write about women's roles in the war, she jumps at the chance. Once she gets to London, she realizes that she wants to write about more important subjects and knows that somehow she has to get to France for the invasion.

Chloe is a flighty Vogue model who despite the war, manages to travel from London to Paris to be with her boyfriend who is now part of the Resistance. Once there, she finds out that he considered her to be a fling while she thought that they were both in love. She starts out as being very naive and selfish but with her growth during the novel, she too becomes a strong woman.

All three women are determined to follow their dreams no matter what happens even as they are in the midst of a war and frequently in personal danger. Their friendship with each other helps them all become stronger as they help each other through some perilous situations.

The one thing that I didn't like about this novel were the romances. Finding love in war is great but at times, these women who were supposed to be strong sure relied on the man that they fell in love with to save their day!

This fantastic novel is about war and survival, friendship and love and most importantly about strong women who are able to follow their dreams no matter how hard the men of the world try to keep them in their places.

I WISH I COULD GIVE THIS BEAUTIFUL BOOK ALL THE STARS IN THE UNIVERSE!
I LOVED THIS BOOK!
THIS IS MY FIRST ,FAVOURITE HISTORICAL FICTION READ.
I COULDN'T PUT IT DOWN AND I WAS LIVING ALL THE EMOTIONS WITH THESE 3 WOMEN, it was inexplicable,

The song that kept playing in my head while reading this book was "IT IS A MAN's WORLD" by James Brown
This is a man's world
This is a man's world
BUT IT WOULD BE NOTHING, NOTHING
WITHOUT A WOMAN OR A GIRL!

Set in the early 1940s of WW2 a tale of not one but three INTREPID, SAVAGE WOMEN. It is inspired by true events and characters during that time.

Ella whose love for writing was greater than anything else in the world, even greater than her life.

Danni whose love for photography is the reason of her being, who DOESN'T TAKE "NO" for an answer and loves to flout all the rules of being a LADYLIKE and demure WOMAN.

Chloe a successful glamorous model in London who loves hard and can do anything for the man she loves Gabriel.

It talks about the horrors and impact of war and how one can never be the same person once he/she has witnessed it, its like a SCAR THAT CANNOT BE HEALED.
Ella and Danni step right in the mouth of the SHARK and relentlessly continue to tell the story of WAR as UGLY and GRAPHIC AS IT GETS undeterred and unfazed by any perils that fall on their paths to success.

I LOVED ALL THE CHARACTERS!
LOVED THE CAMARADERIE between ELLA, DANNIE and ANDY.

THANK YOU SORAYA M.LANE for giving me my first FAVOURITE HISTORICAL FICTION BOOK!

Thank you NetGalley and the publishers for sending me an EARC in exchange for an honest review.

Had I realised that this book would be little more than a boosted Mills and Boon style romance - feisty heroines and mean, nasty men trying to get in their way whilst sed.ucing them with harsh words and scathing looks, I really wouldn't have bothered. To convert the Normandy Landings and the work of the French Resistance into something SO superficial took some kind of sad determination.

Everything in this just comes too easily. Find boat, hide on boat, get to the beaches before all the accredited journos. Want jeep, steal jeep, drive into a scene of death and destruction, find a Resistance man who 'just happens' to be exactly the one they're looking for. Honestly, it's weekday, mid-afternoon television romance for those who don't want to have to think too hard.

I've read about the lives of other female war correspondents - both WW2 and later - and this book singularly fails to pay respect to the bravery and efforts of those women. It also fails to give any sense of the practical aspects of HOW correspondents get their stories and their photos back to their papers. And WHY make two of the three women Americans? Was that an attempt to sell more copies in a bigger marketplace? Weren't British girls good enough for this author to let them have an adventure too?

On the plus side, it's a quick read so my suffering wasn't extended. It read more like a screenplay than a novel. There was very little depth to any of the characters. This one definitely wasn't for me.

I got it both as a review copy and as an Amazon Prime first read.

This is a lovely historical fiction story about WW2. It is set in Europe (with several settings and several story lines), but revolves around two women doing what is definitely at that time considered men's work. They are journalists, one photographer and one writer, trying their best to send news home about the front lines. The story is expertly told, and has drama even though none of it is unpredictable. You learn to love the characters, and truly hope they succeed. Overall, a fantastic story! I definitely would recommend it.

This was a great book with a strong heroine! Ella Franks is a journalist using a man's name. When her secret is discovered she loses her job and becomes a journalist is France during World War 2. While in France she meets Danni Bradford who is a photojournalist and her friend Andy. Andy's sister Chloe has followed her boyfriend to France. The three women become friends and they help each other through the tough times of the war. I loved the friendships between the women. This is a story of friendship and survival and I really enjoyed it! I received an advanced readers copy and all opinions are my own.

The Last Correspondent is a fantastic Historical Fiction novel based during WWII. The author, Soraya M. Lane, likes to use strong female characters in her books and this book does the same. The Last Correspondent is a captivating read about two female correspondents trying to succeed in a male-dominated world. These two women risked their lives so that they could report back to the U.S. the events that transpired in Normandy, France. Their courage, perseverance and resilience are incredibly inspiring.

I think the author did a great job with the plot. Normally Historical Fiction books are a slower read for me, but I found this to be fast-paced and really enjoyable!

Readers with an interest in WWII and stories of unsung war heroes will enjoy this book.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing for providing an eARC of this book. All opinions are my own.

The Last Correspondent is a riveting and heartfelt novel about three brave women on the frontlines of WWII. I love books that put ordinary people into extraordinary circumstances, and in this book, Danni, Ella, and Chloe exemplify that. Danni and Ella are dedicated war correspondents who rail against the restrictions on women in war zones, and Chloe is a young woman who unwittingly finds herself in the heart of the Resistance. These women learn to fight for what they believe in—three bright women who are smart and determined and passionate. I felt as if I were right in the action with these women—from London to Sicily to Normandy—on the edge of my seat and quickly turning pages, my heart in my throat. I highly recommend this book to lovers of WWII fiction, as well as anyone who loves stories of courage and resilience.

I was a bit disappointed with this book, especially when the author said she had based the narrative on accounts of actual female war correspondents' experiences. So I was expecting an interesting account of life as a female WW2 correspondent amidst the horrors and deprivation of war but instead got a soft, rose colored view of a girls own adventure with the war as a backdrop.

We're told by the author that the women are feisty and brave but we're never shown that. Even as the correspondents, Ella and Danni, are wading ashore at Normandy surrounded by dead soldiers in the water, the immensity and catastrophe of that never felt real. The female characters also never showed any personal growth through their experiences and the men they fell for were so stereotyped as to be alpha male cardboard cutouts. And don't even get me started on fashion model Chloe! No one could have lived through the London blitz and be naive enough to think it would be okay to travel to German occupied Paris to see the man she spent a week with before the war and is surprised when she is not welcomed with opened arms.. Although this is disappointingly not a work of serious historical fiction about those women brave enough to report from war zones, it may be popular with those who enjoy a romance set during war time and don't mind if the characters are not very credible.

I raced through this - I used to read a lot of wartime bravery novels as a teen but haven’t really since then, so this was great. I was really invested in the characters and my heart was in my mouth at multiple moments.

The Last Correspondent by Soraya M. Lane

This story is about journalist Ella Franks, who writes under a male pseudonym in a male dominant career. She heads to war-torn France where she meets ups with American photojournalist Danni Bradford.

To me this is a combination of historical fiction, and romance, however I just could not really get into the storyline and felt it was really written for young adults.

Thank You to NetGalley, Author Soraya M. Lane and Amazon Publishing UK for my advanced copy to read and review.

#TheLastCorrespondent #NetGalley

I really enjoyed this novel. Interesting characters and well-researched. A story that kept you reading well into the night.

Special thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for a free, electronic ARC of this novel received in exchange for an honest review.
Expected publication date: November 1, 2020
“The Last Correspondent”, by historical fiction novelist Soraya Lane, focuses on three women who come together during World War Two and, despite all that is against them, become important figures in the war.
Ella is a journalist bound and determined to write about the war first hand and show the horrors of war first-hand. Danni is a renowned photographer and, along with her journalist partner, Andrew, she also has dreams of documenting the War that has changed the world. However, both Ella and Danni are denied access to the front lines because they are both women. Despite this, both women separately plot a way to get across the ocean to France, ¬¬¬and end up capturing a horrific and realistic picture of war, losing everything along the way.
Chloe has followed the love of her life to France, where she hopes for a loving reunion after months apart. A former Vogue model, Chloe is rejected by her lover, who has taken up with the Resistance. Now Chloe is alone and in grave danger, but a chance meeting with two assumed strangers will change her life forever.
Lane is a new novelist for me, although she has been writing historical fiction for some time. Her works all have strong, brave female protagonists and that is obviously the case with this novel as well. To experience the war through a woman’s eyes and to experience sexism in a way that is unparalleled to anything today, this novel was not only eye-opening but encouraging as well. All the characters are fantastic, starting off the novel as underestimated females and ending up as game-changers in a tragic and terrible way, Chloe, Danni and Ella are characters to be admired and cheered for from page one.
Lane does not “pretty” up the story, and in fact, the depictions of the war can be quite gory and heartbreaking. However, this only adds to the reality of the plot. Lane’s descriptive language brings the setting to life and, as the story unfolds, you cannot help but be pulled in.
In some sections, the writing style was a bit confusing, as I found some of the interactions between the women to be petty and child-like. But this did not happen frequently enough to have a huge impact on enjoyment.
A powerful portrayal of war, “The Last Correspondent” is a rallying novel for all women. The fact that Lane based this novel on real-life women is not in the least surprising, and I think she pays them the appropriate respect by depicting them so honestly.

Read it. It’s written in a fine and easy style. Danni and Ella are great strong female characters and the backdrop of the war is heart wrenching. Chloe is an egocentric girl, who is the most annoying part of the book in the early chapters. And totally unrealistic in the end especially considering the era.

Totally recommend.

American journalist Ella Franks loses her job when the newspaper finds out she's a woman and not "Ernst Franks." She begins writing stories of the women at home in Illinois who are helping the war effort, which lands her a job in London with the Associated Press.

Photographer Danni Bradford, also an American, has been to Italy and North Africa covering World War II. Her pictures are too graphic for the papers, but she's determined to photograph the war as she sees it. Her longtime partner is a journalist named Andy, a Brit who is like a brother to her.

Andy's sister Chloe is chafing at being home alone in London and apart from her French lover. She misses the travel and excitement that her now-defunct modeling career used to afford her. Chloe decides while her brother is away to sneak into France and find him.

The three women's lives cross paths during the final days of World War II.

Ella has the naïveté of a reporter with boots on the ground for the first time, and her frustration at her editor changing her stories of strong women to fluff pieces angers her. She decides to tell stories of the war, not just women's stories. The reader follows as her exposure to the horrors of war changes her. She becomes a hardened and stronger version of herself.

Danni is hard to begin with because she has to be as a woman working in a man's world. She has made a reputation for herself as one of the best photographers following the war. She's brash and combative, but Andy's influence calms her down. Danni becomes softer as the war takes its toll on her; she begins to open up more to those she loves and sometimes lets her guard down.

Ella and Danni meet in London while working on stories of the Blitz. Several male correspondents will be going to Normandy with the troops on D-Day, but females aren't allowed. They both are determined to make it to Normandy despite not having official credentials to travel.

Chloe begins the novel even more naïve than Ella, thinking that her travels during modeling have made her more worldly. Going to France is a terrible decision, but she only realizes when it's too late to return home to Britain.

Each woman has a love interest, although not all of them are serious. While some fans of strong females see having male love interests as a detriment to the story, the way each woman handles her feelings and ways of expressing them adds to their character.

The writing is wonderful, almost to the point that you forget you're reading and are just consuming the story as fast as you can. The plot is a roller coaster ride of emotions, from triumph to fear to the pain of loss.

Highly recommended for readers of World War II fiction and those who enjoy stories with strong female characters. If any historical fiction fans are on the fence about trying WWII fiction, this book would be a good place to start.

(4.5 stars, rounded up)

A beautiful, well written book that I could not put down. The strength of the women portrayed in this historical novel is nothing less than inspiring. I highly recommend reading The Last Correspondent.

This is a multi-POV, story told in alternating chapters. The chapters are from Danni, Ella, and Chloe’s point of view. Of the three main characters, I feel like I got to know Danni and Ella the best. Chloe however, seems immature and flighty and we don’t get much of her story.

What I liked:
I think the premise of this story was fascinating. I am impressed that female journalists wanted be imbedded with the troops to cover the Normandy landings at great personal risk. I am also intrigued that the story is based on a real-life female reporter. The author effectively presented some of the brutalities of war.

What could have been better:
*The men in this story are very one-dimensional and I would have liked to learn more about them.
*Some of the thoughts and actions from the journalists do not back up the strong women theme (good thing Ella didn’t cut her hair or she wouldn’t have gotten a kiss; Ella doesn’t balk at the idea that love interest wants her as an assistant and typist for his novel)
*The French resistance element of this story was not explored and was given superficial treatment
*I think there was a missed opportunity with Chloe’s storyline. She was essentially a non factor until she needed rescuing.

I would recommend this book to readers who enjoy romance novels with historical elements. 3.5/5

As an engineer, nothing gets me going quite like a story about women fighting to be equals in their profession and The Last Correspondent certainly met the bill. Ella and Danni are war correspondents trying to fight for their right to cover major WWII events alongside their male peers and they have both set their sights on making it to the beaches of Normandy. But as can be expected from war, nothing goes plan as they make difficult choices in how to both publish the realities of war while protecting themselves and those they love.

This was an epic novel covering that displayed WWII from many angles. I thoroughly enjoyed how Ella and Danni did not take no for an answer, instead finding unique solutions and dodging obstacles created by men. My one major complaint is that I could not stand Chloe, the sister of Danni's work partner, who plays an important part in this story. I honestly could have cut out her narrative and been perfectly happy reading more about Ella's growth from shy and timid to headstrong and bold. Overall, I think fans of The Nightingale or The Girl You Left Behind would love this book if they're looking for a new historical fiction novel with some romance on the side.

I wanted to love this book, but it just didn't ring true for me. Too many clichés, too much fluff. I was expecting a hard-nosed story based on historical fiction but it was a little too unbelievable, too soapy. Others may love it, I thought it was just okay. Would read another by this author.

Strong WWII-Europe Tale Featuring Not-Usually-Featured Personnel. This was a solid tale of the trials and tribulations of a job in WWII-Europe that doesn't really get featured much in the discussions - written war correspondents, and particularly the few females who had enough balls to force themselves into such roles. Lane does a superb job at dropping us into the action at famous and infamous points and showing the side of the war she wants to feature rather than the more well known stories - including a seemingly-unreal-yet-actually-real story of one particular female war correspondent who did, in fact, hide herself on a hospital ship and thus become the *only* correspondent - of either gender - to see the events of D-Day unfold with her own unaided eyes. (Yes, Lane fictionalizes even that event, but a real-life version *did* actually happen.) Indeed, my only real complaint here was that I wanted to have Lane have her photojournalist do something in Sicily involving Patton (and his subsequent sidelining by Supreme Commander Eisenhower) that apparently no real photographs exist of. Which makes sense that Lane couldn't then have her character do something that is in fact documented as having never happened. ;) Ultimately a great story of some very brave women and the very real decisions that would have had to have been made by real-life versions of these characters. Very much recommended.

This is a book about war correspondents, specifically about women. It was an interesting story with very strong willed women, reporting during an especially difficult time. I had a hard time with the first part of the book , the second half was way better. At least for me. I really enjoyed the book!
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the early copy

Thank you to Net Galley and Amazon Publishing UK for the chance to read and review this book. I have to confess, I did not finish this book. I like to read about this topic, but the characters just seemed silly. The setting seemed so unrealistic. I did not find it to be an accurate depiction of how I think the characters would feel and act during wartime.

The Last Correspondent by Soraya M Lane is a World War 2 fiction inspired by some of the real women who worked as correspondents from the front line , brave and determined women who had to fight for their opportunity in a man's world. The book follows three different women , Ella, Danni and Chloe. Danni is an already established reporter who has been sending columns back from the front lines for months, accompanied by vivid and often graphic photographs that paint an honest picture of the brutality of war. She has been working alongside Andy, another journalist who believes in her right to be there, and has helped her in the past when the official army policy has been no women allowed. Chloe is Andy's sister, a former model in Vogue who fell for a charming Parisian man on her last shoot there before the occupation. She decides, very naively to take matters into her own hands and return to the now occupied city in search of her lost love, but when she gets there she soon realises that she knows nothing about her dream man. Ella had been writing her columns under a male pseudonym until the fiction was discovered and she was fired, but she is determined not to be silenced and is soon on her way to Europe. When Danni and Ella find themselves in the midst of the chaos and carnage of the Normandy landings they find themselves experiencing the tragedy first hand.
I was intrigued by the idea of the female correspondents, it is not a war story that I was already familiar with. I did enjoy the book, thought it was definitely a lot less hard hitting than I hoped for. I struggled with the character of Chloe in particular, her actions seemed inexplicably stupid , and I felt like I wanted to know more about Danni , since so much of the focus was on Ella and her story. This was a quick easy read, but not one I will remember in six months time.
I read and reviewed an ARC courtesy of NetGalley and the publisher, all opinions are my own.

I just love Soraya books and this was no exception!!!! Amazing story right from the first page.. I was so engrossed in the characters and how theses women wanted to do the work that men did!! Highly highly recommend!

Illinois 1943, Ella Franks has been writing articles using a pseudonym, she’s caught out and sacked. She really wants to be a war correspondent and can’t believe her luck when she’s offered a new job in England. She travels to London, only to discover women journalists are not allowed to be anywhere near combat and the front line.

Sicily 1943, American photojournalist Danni Bradford is taking photos of the war with her best friend and work partner Andy and Major Robert Cameron is furious that a woman is in the middle of a war. The sparks fly between Major Cameron and Danni. The war continues, both end up in England and waiting for the allies to liberate France.

London 1943, Chloe is Andy’s sister and she’s a model for Vogue. The last time she was in France she met handsome Gabriel and she’s desperate to see him again. Despite having no idea how bad things are in France or what's happening with Gabriel and she makes the silly decision to return.
1944 June, D-Day ships are busy unloading soldiers and amphibious craft are taking them to Omaha beach. It’s so loud, planes constantly flying over, mines and bombs exploding and the German machine guns are firing nonstop. Soldiers are being shot, wounded, blown up and killed and its absolute hell. War is brutal and no place for a woman and all female journalists had been ordered to remain in England.
Of course Danni and Ella ignored this order and both made it to Normandy. Eventually Danni, Ella and Chloe team up together; they rely on each other to survive when the war gets dangerously close and desperately try to get back to safety.

The Last Correspondent is an action packed story about three strong ladies breaking down the stereotypical barriers for women in the 1940's and their friendship, loyalty, courage and determination. If I had argue with someone all the time, be shot at and needed be saved from the German’s! My idea of a perfect hero would defiantly be Major Robert Cameron, he can save me anytime, and I give him and the book five stars.

Oh, dear. There are several Martha Gelhorn quotes scattered throughout this novel, but the women depicted here do a great disservice to the real WWII correspondent. All the characters -- male and female -- are cardboard cutouts with shallow emotions that are described and not revealed in their actions.

For example: "She protected it as fiercely as a lioness would her cubs"; "Excitement rippled through Danni;" "This was what she thrived on, what she lived for, and if she were to take a bullet and die alongside the men she followed, then so be it."

My second complaint: This book needs to be clearly identified in the romance category, on the frothier, flightier shelves -- near the bodice-rippers. There are writers out there today who are creating romance novels of substance (Suzanne Brockman, Kendra Elliot), but this doesn't come near them.

I say it's false advertising for Amazon Publishing to portray this as serious historical fiction, and I hope to prevent some other reader from spending carefully-budgeted book funds on this -- unless, of course, it was adolescent escapism they were after. I was spared the expense, since I got an advance readers copy through NetGalley. It was only my time that was wasted.

I love reading about strong women! Especially ones that are based on actual people and events. In this novel, the author based several of her characters loosely on actual female war correspondents and photographers, who were a rare breed during WWII. Perhaps the best well known was Martha Gelhorn, and I’m a big fan of hers. In this book, Ms. Lane draws three strong female characters in Dannie, Chloe and Ella. I love that they team up to help each other and literally save each other’s lives. Riveting book and I thoroughly enjoyed it.

Ella, Danni, and Chloe are all in WWII France for different reasons. Danni and Ella share a desire to document the War while Chloe, well, Chloe ended up in the Resistane almost by accident. This is a light treatment and regular readers of WWII fiction should know this is heavy on romance. That's to to say, btw, that Lane isn't a good storyteller- she is- and that you won't find yourself rooting for the women. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC.

An entertaining novel of three women from different backgrounds, that land in Europe to cover the war. Ella is a journalist that loses her job in the states, and signs on as a war correspondent. Dani is a photojournalist that is partnered with her best friend Andy, covering the fighting on the front and Chloe is a model, waiting impatiently for her lover that is in Paris. Chloe follows him there and becomes involved in the Resistance movement.
All three women eventually meet up and as a team, work desperately to survive and get back to safety.
This was a story of women trying to survive in a man’s war, dealing with the prejudices of the military and the men who resented women trying to work along side of them. It was a good example how a formidable trio of women, can skirt the barriers of tough battle trained men!
It was a pleasurable read and I found myself rooting for these ladies. My thanks to Soraya M Lane #LakeUnionPublishers and #Netgalley for the ARC. All opinions are my own. Fictional History buffs should like this!

WOW! Soraya M. Lane, the author of “The Last Correspondent” has written a riveting, compelling, captivating, intriguing, and intense novel. The genres for this book are Historical Fiction and Fiction. The timeline for this story is set around World War Two. The story is set in Europe, and mostly France. The author describes her dramatic and colorful characters as complex, complicated, determined, courageous, and brave. I love the way the author vividly describes the characters, events, and actions in the novel. Soraya M. Lane discusses the horrors and tragedy of war and the correspondents who risk their lives to report the news while interacting with the soldiers who are fighting.

During this time, women didn’t get the same equal rights as men in defending our country at war or reporting the news about it. Women were kept from much of the action and activity and some had to be quite resourceful in getting what they wanted, despite the danger. Men in authority believed that women weren’t up to the task. Luckily some men did see that women were capable of handling their tasks just as well.

Three women characters in this story risked their lives to reveal the truth to the public. Ella Franks was a determined journalist. Danni Bradford was lucky to have a male partner Andy. Andy’s model sister Chloe also finds herself in the turbulent war. Although at times the women viewed each other as competitors, they also realized that they were part of a sisterhood, and could work together.

I highly recommend this memorable and thought-provoking story for other readers.

First of all I need to say that i love WWII stories. It has been a compulsion of mine ever since I attended my first college history class and was like... What? They never taught me this in high school!!

The Last Correspondent by Soraya M. Lane is a wonderful representation of strong women in the 1940's. Ella, Danni and Chloe are all strong, independent women who know what they want. If someone tells them women can't go somewhere - they just figure out a way. Ella is a journalist that used a male pseudonym to get a job. When she was discovered and fired, she headed to London and decided there would be no more hiding her femininity and she became a war correspondent. Danni was a photographer who captured the minute and graphic images of the war accompanied by her friend Andy who kept her grounded and safe. Chloe is a Vogue model that follows her love interest into the danger zone. These women are drawn together by unusual circumstances and form a tribe where they can follow their dreams.

I loved this book for the strong female characters and the accurate portrayal of WWII from the point of view of a woman.
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Christiane Amanpour, Elizabeth Palmer, Lara Logan…female war correspondents. We think nothing of these women being on the front lines of battle. But that was not always the case…

“The Last Correspondent” follows two female correspondents as they risk everything to get to the front lines to document and photograph the war. They will risk it all to show the truth of war to the people. Ella Franks and Danni Bradford are determined to get into war-torn France. Along with Danni’s best friend Andy they overcome all the obstacles to cover the troop landing in Normandy. Andy has another agenda – to find his sister Chloe who followed her lover into the French Resistance.

I found myself completely immersed in this story of three strong women who risked it all to follow their dreams. This is one of the best stories of strong female friendships I have read. It was informative about the treatment of female correspondents at the time. The pacing of the story was perfect. It was easy to read and took me on an emotional journey. (Warning: keep tissues near to hand.)

I received this book from the publisher/author free of charge with no expectation of a positive review.

The story of three courageous women fighting to survive during World War II.
I liked the character of Danni, the photographer. She was fearless in going for what she believed in, and was a strong character to have in your corner.
Ella, the wartime correspondent grew on me as she matured from the naive young writer who had to write under a male pseudonym, to someone who grabbed the opportunity in front of her.
Chloe was the least developed character and although she definitely changed from the selfish and immature girl in the first few chapters, I would have liked to have seen more of her with the Resistence.
The writing cleverly portrays the difficulties and hurdles women had to get past to get to the front line to do their job. An enjoyable wartime read.