My thoughts: I enjoy reading historical fiction and especially Christian historical fiction. World War II is not a favorite period of mine about which to read though my family lived through the era and three of my uncles were in the US Army during the war - one whose life was lost.
Liz Tolsma is an author of significant expertise in writing and in garnering historical facts to frame her stories. In A Picture of Hope she has drawn from actual events, real people, real happenings though she has not used the real people nor locales. The story is a work of fiction but has the feel of authenticity.
War is terrible and this story lightly touches on the cruelty of the enemy. I say lightly because it doesn't go into the gross details of happenings but gives enough insight that you know it was harsh, mean, cruel, and inhumane.
The characters were nicely developed and I have my likes and dislikes amongst them. I liked the hero, Jean-Paul the French resistance fighter. I liked the old nun. I frankly didn't like the heroine, Nellie, and found her to be an inconsiderate, impulsive, dangerous individual though she was also sweet, kind, and smart. She put the others at risk on several occasions with her impulsive actions.
War ends, thankfully. Our story ends on a happy note. We know from our history lessons which side won the war. Our hearts and actions must take lessons from World War II's evils and work daily to overcome new evils.
An interesting read and a journey of escape during a war torn period.
About the book: Full of intrigue, adventure, and romance, this series celebrates the unsung heroes—the heroines of WWII.
Journalist Nellie Wilkerson has spent the bulk of the war in London, photographing mothers standing in milk lines—and she’s bored. She jumps at the chance to go to France, where the Allied forces recently landed. There she enlists Jean-Paul Breslau of the French underground to take her to the frontlines. On the journey, they stumble upon a great tragedy, leaving a girl with special needs being orphaned.
Can Nellie and Jean-Paul see the child to a safe haven while being pursued by the Nazis, who are pressed by the advancing Allies and determined to destroy all they can before they flee?
DISCLOSURE: I received a complimentary copy from Barbour Publishing to facilitate a review. Opinions are mine, alone and are freely given.
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