Historical novels are dear to me. Maybe it’s the mental gymnastics that’s required to fit a specific story into a bigger and fact-checkable context; maybe it’s history itself, a subject that first caught my eye decades ago, back in high school.

It’s 1944, we’re in occupied France, and we’re following the Baudin sisters, three young women who moved there from England.

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This novel takes place in the river valley of Dordogne near the village of Sainte-Cecile during 1944. The Germans have occupied the town since 1940 and the occupants are hoping that the end of the war will come soon.

Helene, Elise and Florence Baudin live in a small cottage outside of the town. They are all in their twenties and are doing what they can to keep each other safe. They love each other dearly but they don't always get along.

-Helene works as a nurse. Since she's the oldest, she tries to take care of her sisters and keep them safe.
-Elise is very daring and part of the Resistance.
-Florence is a dreamer and longs for the end of the war. She stays at home and cooks and works in their garden.

This multi-layered novel is told by all three of the sisters in alternating chapters. By writing it this way, we get differing views from each sister about their childhoods, fears and dreams for the future.

When Florence comes home from a walk, she has a wounded German deserter with her. She wanted to keep safe until he could recover. Helene and Elise are both concerned with keeping him in their house. They all know the punishment for hiding deserter is death. The same night, the doctor's wife brings an RAF pilot to the house for a few days until they can find a safe house for him. They reluctantly agree to hide him too. They all want to do their part in defeating the Germans and making France free even though they are aware of how they would be treated by the Germans if either man was found in their home.

Many WWII novels give the reader the big picture of the war and effect on the people. This book is a look at one small family - three sisters - so we get a more personal view of the war and their struggle for freedom.

I was very impressed by this book and the author's writing. The three sisters were all written very well, the scenery in France was beautiful and the ending makes me anxious for the next book in the trilogy. Dinah Jefferies has several earlier books about WWII and I plan to check them out. ( )

The story of three disparate sisters living in occupied France during WWII. The eldest sister is the mother hen, the middle sister is fighting with the Resistance in the form of the Maquis and the youngest sister is the dreamer, just yearning for peace and for the country to be returned to its former self. Secrets start to unravel as the road they’re travelling on takes a rocky turn.

What a fabulous read! I was totally gripped and immersed in this story. I loved the different characters of the sisters, they are very contrasting but all very likeable. It’s beautifully written with some fantastic and vivid imagery, it really paints a picture in your mind of the delightful landscape of the Dordoyne. It’s also a very moving and emotional read. There are some quite sad and harrowing moments. It’s a tale about fighting for what you believe in - a tale of love and survival. And ultimately of courage and hope. A real page turner!

This is the first book in a series so I am very much looking forward to the second instalment! ( )