‘Wow! What an enthralling and emotional read! I was literally in tears… Captivating.’ Goodreads reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
A world at war. One woman will risk everything. Another will uncover her story.
1940: When the island of Guernsey is invaded by the Nazis, two sisters are determined to rebel in any way they can. But when forced to take in a German soldier, they are shocked to find a familiar face on … take in a German soldier, they are shocked to find a familiar face on their doorstep – a childhood friend who has now become their enemy.
2016: Two generations later, Lucy returns to Guernsey after the death of a distant cousin. As she prepares the old family house for sale, Lucy discovers a box of handwritten notes, one word standing out: resistance. Lucy’s search for the author will uncover the story of a forgotten sister who vanished from the island one night, never to be seen again.
A timeless story of love and bravery. Fans of Fiona Valpy and Kate Quinn will be absolutely gripped from the very first page.
Readers love The Girl from the Island:
‘I finished this novel last night and I cannot get it out of my head… Put the phone off the hook, pour yourself a nice hot chocolate and settle down for a wonderful read’ Goodreads reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
‘I was gripped from the beginning and could not put it down. I lost a lot of sleep on this one and do not regret it in the slightest!!’ Goodreads reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
‘Unputdownable, passionate, captivating, and magnetic!!’ Goodreads reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
‘Absolutely brilliant… I had to stay up late to read the next chapter!! I couldn’t put it down’ Goodreads reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
‘Gripping and very emotional… This book has it all and I loved it’ Goodreads reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
‘A heart wrenching story of love, loss and survival’ Goodreads reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
‘A beautiful, wonderful, and poignant story’ Goodreads reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
‘Utterly beautiful and poignant… I was blown away’ Goodreads reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
more
What a heart-breaker! Tragic yet realistic. At times fraught with danger and it shone a light on the Nazi occupation of the Channel islands. A dual-timeline with a twist that i never saw coming.
Another wonderful WWII historical fiction novel set on the island of Guernsey in the Channel Islands. Two sets if sisters from different times whose lives intertwine. Well written and researched with unforgettable characters. You won’t be disappointed.
Well written and gave good overlook of those who stayed on Guernsey during WWII. I know people who went to England and the divide between those who stayed and those who went.
I had read another good book about Guernsey Island, was interested in what the plot would be. I was not disappointed!
This took me back to the year I spent in Guernsey and I enjoyed the memories.
Great story with surprising end. Page turner.
I enjoyed the setup going back and forth between present day and WWII and also being set on the island of Guernsey attracted me as well. The story was well told with believable characters and I also learned some history as well.
Excellent historical fiction depicting actual events occurring during WWll on the Channel Islands. Inspiring, sad, memorable.
I love the history mixed with romance. I didn’t want to put it down
This was a really good book. Just when I think I have read every place the Nazis invaded, I find a new one.
Kept me entranced from the very beginning. Unexpected ending. What a wonderful story.
It was great!
The Girl from the Island By Lorna Cook is an excellent dual timeline historical fiction novel that kept me interested from beginning to end.. Two sisters in wartime occupied Guernsey, and two sisters now. The stories run alongside each other as modern day Lucy researches the history of the house she and Clara have inherited from an elderly aunt, uncovering secrets and sadness.
As with all dual timelines, it is a tricky business to balance the past story with the current day. Ms Cook pulled this off quite well. In 2016 Lucy is returning to Guernsey after three years, her cousin Dido has died and she is going to help her sister Clara sell Dido’s house. Lucy is intrigued about Dido’s sister Persey, apart from an old photo of the two sisters together and an old letter, there are no other possessions of Persey’s. Lucy starts to look into what happened to Persey. We go back to 1940 during world war 2 where we meet sisters Dido and Persey. The Germans have arrived on the island and life will never be the same again.
This is a fascinating book which gives a real insight into life under German occupation on the island and shows the conflicts and battles that the islanders had to face as well as the occupying German forces as well. The book certainly pushed your expectations to make you think of both sides during the war and for that I commend it.
The stories interweave distinctly backwards and forwards and with an added piece of romance just made the story more intriguing as it added another element to the puzzle that Lucy was trying to solve about the house and its occupants.
Unputdownable, Passionate, Captivating, and Magnetic!!
Lorna Cook has introduced us to a different glimpse into what life was like for others during the World War II. The Germans actually did occupy the area from 30 June 1940 until it was liberated 9 May 1945. Not only did the author incorporate informative facts, but the characters were so poignant and strong that they made the pages flip themselves. I even forgot to eat lunch and start dinner I was so engrossed in the storyline. I would definitely give this a solid five stars plus more if I could.
The storyline flowed between two different time periods, but it was definitely no hindrance. Lucy & Clara were from the present and like all siblings they had differences that needed working out. Lucy found a box in the house of their Great-Aunt who left them the house and it seemed that they had another Aunt they never knew.
Lucy was now determined to find out about this missing Aunt from the WWII era and a new neighbor man was going to aide her in the hunt.
Things were going to heat up in more ways than one on this journey for all those involved to include the new neighbor because there are secrets from the past that are going to unfold!
I received a free advanced copy from NetGalley and these are my willingly given thoughts and opinions.,
Powerful, yet tender!
I finished this novel last night and I cannot get it out of my head. A rich novel filled with romance, suspense, danger and choc full of wonderful characters. I’ve been a fan of Lorna’s since her debut, The Forgotten Village (read it!) and was looking forward to this story since I heard about it. A time-slip set in contemporary and WW2 Guernsey, this novel took my emotions and wrung them out to dry, surely a sign of an author at the height of her powers? I will not tell you about the story, you can get that elsewhere, but suffice to say and IMHO, this is an accurate and vivid depiction of life under the Nazi jackboot in occupied Guernsey which, as a history buff, I was delighted to find.
In short, purchase this novel, put he phone on the hook, pour yourself a nice hot chocolate and settle down for a wonderful read.
My thanks to Avon and Netgalley for the preview copy!
Friend or Enemy
A heartbreaking romantic story of sisters. It is a dual time line story set on the isle of Guernsey in the Channel Islands. The story involves the residents of a house called Deux Tourelles.
In 2016 Lucy returns to Guernsey to help her sister sell a home left by a distant cousin Dido. She meets a good looking neighbor Will and together they decide to check out the history of the house and Dido and her sister Persephone. This story is about Lucy and Clara as sisters and about Lucy and Will as good friends. Lucy and Clara work on their relationship as sisters. Lucy and Will research Dido and the history of the residents of Deux Tourelles during the war.
The second storyline is that of Persephone, Dido, their maid’s son Jack and a past friend Stefan. All four of the characters were friends in high school. Now it is during the German occupation and one friend Stefan is now a captain in the German Army billeted at Deux Tourelles with the other three. This storyline takes place in the 1940’s during WWII. It has excitement, resistance, a spy character and a Jewish girl in hiding. There are many twists and turns in this story and the ending is unexpected.
The story switches between the two storylines. I much preferred the WWII storyline as I often find with the dual time storylines one is preferred over the other. They are both engaging, just one more so than the other. That aside, it was a good read and I enjoyed reading the book. I felt like I was reading two stories with a connection. There was one modern day romance story and one WWII story. When I read it this way I was able to engage equally in both stories.
I did love the historical content and the description of the beaches, the conditions on the Island and how the Islanders handled the occupation. This was most interesting to me.
I did enjoy reading the book and I would recommend it.
Thanks to Lorna Cook, Avon Books, U.K., and NetGalley for allowing me to read an advanced copy for an honest review.
Wow! What an enthralling and emotional read! I was literally in tears at some parts of the book. I do enjoy a dual time story and this one was set in 2016 and the 1940s. It really set the scene for what life was like living in Guernsey in the 1940s as a community but also on a personal level. There was the story of the two families, in the past and the present, and their interaction with each other and their friends. The characters will stay with me for a long time. Every book I’ve read by Lorna Cook has been a most captivating read. I received a copy and have voluntarily reviewed it. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
The Girl from the Island By Lorna Cook is an excellent dual timeline historical fiction novel that kept me interested from beginning to end.
As with all dual timelines, it is a tricky business to balance the past story with the current day. Ms Cook pulled this off quite well.
I was equally interested in the sisters’ stories as they dealt with the German occupation of their home in Guernsey. I always enjoy a novel that includes this group of islands, and so far the few that I have come across, I have thoroughly enjoyed. I enjoyed the suspense and mystery involving Persephone and Dido.
The author was able to weave their suspenseful narrative with the current day story of estranged sisters Lucy and Clara. The fascinating story of unearthing a hidden family past where the stakes are high, and lives are on the line, is gripping. The fundamental concepts of: love, loss, war, sacrifices, family, loyalty, and triumph over wrong were tastefully expressed in this wonderful novel.
I really enjoyed this story and really, really enjoyed the ending.
5/5 stars
Thank you NG and Avon Books for this arc and in return I am submitting my unbiased and voluntary review and opinion.
I am posting this review to my GR and Bookbub accounts immediately and will post it to my Amazon, Instagram, and B&N accounts upon publication.