Absolutely hilarious.

The Unhoneymooners by Christina Lauren was a perfect pick for book #2 on my latest Costa Rica trip. ⁠It’s been a long time since a book had me laughing out loud. I felt completely aligned with the characters sense of humor, and the lack of ability to lie, and the snarky thoughts she thought. ⁠
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When Olive’s twin sister’s wedding is ruined, and only one other person besides her is ok (who happens to be the brother of the groom and someone she’s despised since they met), are forced to take the newlywed’s vacation, you get hysterical antics and a fun plot to follow. ⁠
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Enemies to lovers. Unlikely romance. A bickering couple. Everything a beach read needs. ⁠
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Ethan and Olives relationship starts out with utter hatred and moves into fondness, but all along they keep that snarky sid⁠e, that banter, that is hilarious, yet charming. They run into a new employer and an ex-fiance in Hawaii, and Olive and Ethan need to lie and pretend to be a couple which starts the connection and their coming together. ⁠

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A few of my favorite quotes:⁠
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“Ethan, I’m a terrible liar.”⁠
“Really? You hid it so well.”⁠
“It’s never been my strength, okay? Those of us who aren’t summoned by the Dark Mark consider honesty to be a virtue.”⁠ ⁠
~ I related to Olive’s inability to lie throughout the book. The nervousness, the uncomfortableness, the way she over-explains. Yep… I feel ya, Olive.⁠
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“Sophie sales up to him “Got your lucky penny?” she asks, I wish I could explain the tiny jealous monster that rears up inside my chest. She is engaged to someone else. Those little inside jokes and coupley secrets don’t belong to her anymore.” ⁠
~ They run into Ethans’ ex-fiance on their trip. She, of course, isn’t over him and continually tries to intercept their relationship with acting like she knows Ethan better than anyone in the world. Relatable? Yes. ⁠
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“Those of us who aren’t summoned by the Dark Mark consider honesty to be a virtue.” ⁠
~ The Harry Potter references are fun, especially when wrapped up in insults.⁠
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– Book #4 of my #goodreads2021challenge of 30 books.

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I’m so glad I started out my trip to Costa Rica with this book selection.
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If you’re a fan of The Nightingale or The Lilac Girls, or the Lost Wife, you will love this story.⁠⁠
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I am constantly in awe of the strength, resilience and bravery during this time. It’s heart wrenching to imagine the loss that so many felt of friends, family and a sense of their life. ⁠⁠

The Plot

The Book of Lost Names by @kristinharmel was an incredible story of Eva, a French-born Jewish woman, with a knack for art and forgery, who found herself working with the resistance in France in WWII. ⁠⁠After her father is taken by the French police and the Nazi’s, Eva and her mother must leave Paris. But how. How can a Polish Jewish woman and her French born Jewish daughter possibly leave Paris?

Until Eva is given the opportunity that will change everything. She is shown how she can forge documents, but must do it herself. When her documents are flawless, she is given a new opportunity. To help others as herself.

Eva’s work with the resistance saves the lives of countless jewish children who are sent to Switzerland based on the forgery and false documents she learns to create. Her determination to not allow the children’s lives to be erased and coded into the Book of Lost Names was admirable and something that brought a lot of thought with it.

I started to wonder if something like this could happen again in our lifetime. Could people be erased because they seemed to be on the wrong side of the winning crowd? Could a group so powerful, yet wrong, come back into power and we would all be fooled? Would families and lifelong friends ever turn on each other because of what might happen to them or how they might look in the eyes of their peers or those who seem to hold the power? ⁠

A few of my favorite quotes:⁠

“This isn’t the first one, Eva. The Germans rule with fear as much as they do with their weapons. If we cower every time a false notice goes around, they will have won, won’t they? They will have taken our sense of security, our sense of well-being. I won’t allow that.”⁠
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…”she didn’t believe that he was the Messiah, she certainly believed he’d been a good person whose life had been taken unjustly. It seemed murdering people who differed from the masses was a tale as old as time.”⁠
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…”but the thing is, parents make all sorts of errors, because our ability to raise our children is always colored by the lives we’ve lived before they came along.”⁠
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“but the thing is, parents make all sorts of errors, because our ability to raise our children is always colored by the lives we’ve lived before they came along.”⁠
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Book #3 for my 2021 Challenge.

If you would like to purchase the book, here is the link to buy on Amazon.

The Book of Lost Names by Kristin Harmel.

You can find out more about Kristin Harmel here. I also loved her book The Winemaker’s Wife. This was my first Kristin Harmel book and I feel in love with her style, her ability to bring story and her voice.

Find more of my book reviews here.

“For the hundreds who vanished and for the thousands who didn’t. May your stories not be forgotten. For those who help today’s orphans find forever homes. May you always know the value of your work and your love.”

I’ve had this book on my shelf for a while, and have been waiting for the right time to read it. Hearing stories of kids who overcome impossible circumstances is something that guts me to the core, so I have to be in the right space to tackle it.

The story of Rill, her siblings, the shanty boat, the river-life, and the Tennesee Children’s Home Society is a story that will stay with you, will make you think about people, children, and what strength can be drawn from the most horrific of circumstances.

“But the love of sisters needs no words. It does not depend on memories, or mementos, or proof. It runs as deep as a heartbeat. It is as ever present as a pulse.”

The Foss children are taken from a home they love and tossed into an orphanage, told that they were being taken to see their momma and daddy. Rill, the oldest, finds herself taking on a burden no 12-year-old should have to endure. She feels she is responsible for her siblings, for keeping them together, for their lives, and livelihood. There are so many times your heart just breaks for her, for these kids, as they try to make sense of the torture, the punishments, the breaking up of their family.

“I want a pain that has a beginning and an end, not one that goes on forever and cuts all the way to the bone.”

This dual time-line story hits on two emotional nerves. The disgrace of what unthinkable things actually happened to children, in our lifetime, in our country, right behind the gates of a home that people believed to be helping. And the pain of not being able to help. The Tennessee Children’s Society took advantage of those most unlikely to help themselves. They sought out a profit from stealing children and selling them to the highest bidder, and the children paid the price.

I believe that this book should be mandatory reading. We all need our eye’s opened to what is happening outside of our bubbles, outside of our comforts.

A few of my favorite quotes:

“I drop her on the cot and turn away and grab my hair and pull until it hurts. I want to pull all of it out. Every single piece. I want a pain I understand instead of the one I don’t. I want a pain that has a beginning and an end, not one that goes on forever and cuts all the way to the bone.”

“I shush my mind, because your mind can ruin you if you let it.”

“I learned that you need not be born into a family to be loved by one.”

“One of the best things a father can do for his daughter is let her know that she has met his expectations. My father did that for me, and no amount of effort on my part can fully repay the debt. I’d do anything for him, and for my mother. Now” 

– Book 28 of 30 for my #2020goodreadschallenge. I wish I had read it sooner.

Before We Were Yours by Lisa Wingate

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Read it for Yourself:

If you would like to purchase this book, here is the link to buy on Amazon*:

**Disclaimer: This post includes affiliate links, and I will earn a commission if you purchase through these links. Please note that I’ve linked to these products purely because I recommend them and they are from companies I trust. There is no additional cost to you.

If you would like more information on the author, Lisa Wingate, you can visit her site here: Lisa Wingate

View all my reviews on Goodreads

A remarkable historical-fiction work that will keep you page-turning until the very end.

When Estella Bissette’s mother tells her she has to leave Paris for America, and that she is in fact American, her whole world is turned upside down.

The story sets up on the eve of the Nazi invasion, with a mother facing a heartbreaking decision. Estella’s mother knows that it will no longer be safe in Paris, and decides to send her beloved daughter to America, and to safety. But why? Why America? What are their secret ties to America?

This beautiful story plays out on the backdrop of World War II and Nazi-occupied France, a favorite and intriguing period of mine. We have so much we can learn from this time. Stories of cruelty, pain, and struggle. Stories of incomprehensible bravery. Stories of pure triumph and redemption. There is so much learning and inspiration to be taken from this era, and why I gravitate to this historical-fiction genre.

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“…Paris can be more therapeutic than the best of medicines.”

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This is a dual timeline story that takes place in 1940’s Paris and New York City, and modern-day New York City.

Estella finds herself on a boat to America with nothing more than a sewing machine, a strong will, and a vision. She dreams of continuing the work her mother taught her, to be a seamstress for fashion’s elite. Her adventure begins simply and complicates quickly as she meets a dashing, mysterious man who sets her on a path of romance and discovery. Intrepidly, she moves toward the understanding of who she truly is, the solving of who her family truly is, and the unexpected impact they have on the resistance workers in France.

Without giving away any spoilers, I’m not inclined to share too much else.

This is the third book of Natasha Lester’s that I have read this year. My first Natasha Lester read was The Paris Orphan. The second was The Paris Secret. You can read my review of The Paris Secret here.

A few of my favorite quotes:

“Estella craved the filling stews she was used to eating at the atelier at lunchtime but everything on the menu seemed made for speed rather than a leisurely repast. Another thing to get used to; that lunch wasn’t to be the main meal of the day as it was in Paris.”

“So I won’t. Instead I’ll say I’m glad you decided to come to Paris. My grandmother believes that Paris can be more therapeutic than the best of medicines.”

“All along the streets, she could see posters bearing a strapping German soldier looking down at a child, urging Parisians to put their trust in the soldiers, who wanted nothing more than to protect them.”

“I am the soft stars that shine at night. Do not stand at my grave and cry; I am not there, I did not die.”

If you would like to learn more about the author, Natasha Lester, you can find her webpage here: Natasha Lester

If you would like to buy this read this book, here is the link to purchase on Amazon.

Disclaimer: This post includes affiliate links, and I will earn a commission if you purchase through these links. Please note that I’ve linked to these products purely because I recommend them and they are from companies I trust. There is no additional cost to you.

Below is a link to my Goodreads reviews. View all my Goodreads reviews here.

The Paris Seamstress by Natasha Lester

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I was never overly excited about history in school, but learning history through its people’s stories has been a great way for me to learn and understand this world’s events. ⁠

⁠Set in the 1950s in Chicago, dealing with members of the Manhattan Project and the atom bomb, how it affected their lives, and the guilt that the main character, Rosalind, felt around the lives that were lost due to their scientific discoveries. Remember, this was an era when women were not typically scientists or held positions that would entrust such power. ⁠

⁠Rosalind is faced with a hard decision to make: Do I follow my heart, or follow my conscience? Does she betray the man she loved, who taught her how to love, who might be involved in selling state secrets to the Russians to protect her country?⁠

⁠I always love a good mystery, stories about spies, espionage, and strong people who find themselves in situations where I have to stop and ask myself, “What would I do if I were her/him?” ⁠
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A few of my favorite quotes: ⁠

“Arrogant people are always late.”

“The ability to draw power from an atom: Could it ever be safe in male hands?” – This made me giggle. ⁠

“Her face turns serious. “I can’t help worrying. Imagine raising kids in a Communist world. Whispering the truth while the government yells lies. Not enough food. Sharing our house with two other families . . .” “It’s not going to happen, Peg. Not here. Not now.” “It happened in Poland.”.”⁠

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Looking at our 2020 world today, having to whisper truths, while lies are told aloud, this quote hit me hard. ⁠
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– 4 Stars. There was a period in the middle of the book where I found myself a bit bored, but it picked right back up again, and the story hooked me again. ⁠
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Book #25 of 30 for my #2020Goodreadschallenge

Would you like to read this yourself?

If you would like to purchase this book, here is the link to Amazon!**

Disclaimer: This post includes affiliate links, and I will earn a small commission if you purchase through these links. Please note that I’ve linked to these products purely because I recommend them and they are from companies I trust. There is no additional cost to you.

To Learn More

If you would like to learn more about the author, Jennie Fields, here is a link to her website. www.jenniefields.com.

Or you can find her on instagram at Jenniefieldsauthor.

I’d love to know what you think about this book!

The Paris Secret by Natasha Lester was an incredible read full of love and loss, centered on the powerful role that strong women played in WWII events and outcomes. These extraordinary women that are so frequently overlooked in history, are brought to light here, spectacularly.

Historical fiction is my favorite genre and favorite books to review because not only do I get a story, but I get insights into the humanity, life, events, and settings that typically don’t show up in conventional abridged history books.

“We’ll teach them to swim and to fly and to know that the world has no real limits except the ones we make. And we are boundless.”

The story of Skye and Kat, and the other female pilots during WWII is simply riveting. Yes, women flew supply, troop, combat aircraft and even bombers in WWII’s theaters of war! The struggle these remarkable women went through and overcame to serve their country and the allies during the war, were made more difficult, only for being women. The evolution of women to become bombers faced opposition at every stage. From unfit conditions, the men didn’t have to endure, to nude physicals, which the men also didn’t have to endure, is incredible. We all knew that women in history were seen as being less capable than men, but there were uncomprehensible levels of interrogation women went through to be able to hold jobs or positions that typically were reserved for men.

“All the awful quotes from magazines and newspapers about the women pilots are real, as is the first press call, and the fact that the women flew open-cockpit planes to Scotland all through that first bitter winter.” – From the Author’s note.

The progression of the women from trainer aircraft to fighters to bombers and the opposition mounted against them at each stage is incredible to learn about. Imagine wanting to serve and help win a battle against a force like the Nazis, only to be faced with resistance and opposition from your own. Imagine wanting so badly to help your country, to perform a job you KNOW you are capable of, only to be told because you’re a woman, you can’t. These heroes battled through and were victorious in a war against discrimination, and the axis powers simultaneously.

“I’ve realized I don’t have to keep the parts of my life so separate and nor do I have to apologize when one spills over into the other.”
The women of this time carried themselves so bravely, and also carried onward with so many ghosts. I often wonder how I would have handled living during this time, and responding to the challenges these women rose to meet. Would I have been able to move on into peacetime? Would the ghosts of war time have haunted me eternally?

Finishing this book was bitter-sweet. Letting go of these characters was no easy feat, but I am taking with me deep insights and inspiration, provided by these women that didn’t only fly…they soared.

Christian Dior had a sister? And she was at Ravensbrück?

A fun fact that was uncovered in the book was something that seems to still be in the works of discovery; That is that Catherine Dior (sister of the famous fashion designer and perfume curator Christian Dior’s) spent time in the French resistance and also was imprisoned in Ravensbrück, one of the most horrific camps that performed gruesome tests and awful offenses on its women.

“Why do you think women like Catherine Dior have been forgotten by history? Is it due to their gender, their reticence to speak about their wartime experiences, the nature of the savagery they endured, or other factors? What can we do to make sure the heroines of today aren’t similarly forgotten in the future?” – From the Book Club Questions and one to truly ponder.

I didn’t want it to end!

Have you ever been reading a book and purposefully slowed down at the end? I did, being so engrossed and attached to the characters and the story that I didn’t want the connection with these incredible people to end.

I gave this book five stars!

This is book #21 of 30 for 2020 for my Goodreads Challenge.

The Paris Secret by Natasha Lester

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

View all my reviews on Goodreads.

Thank you to Natasha Lester and Read Forever Pub for the gifted copy of the book. You can follow them on instagram @ReadForeverPub and @natashalesterauthor

If you would like to purchase this book, simply click the link below!

Disclaimer: This post includes affiliate links, and I will earn a commission if you purchase through these links. Please note that I’ve linked to these products purely because I recommend them and they are from companies I trust. There is no additional cost to you.