I received an advanced reader’s copy from St Martin’s Press (thank you!!) knowing that it was the fifth in a series and my first. It reads easily as a stand-alone and I got to know Catherine and Liam very quickly. The story in the present time is their attempt to help their good friend Tony. A large part of the story is set in Nazi Germany and is revealed through the written memoir of Ada Baumgarten. My only beef, and I’ll get this over quickly, were the segments of dialogue between Cat and Liam, banter that was stilted and a bit juvenile, very disruptive to my reading and pleasure in the other story.

That said, reading Ava’s story was effortless and engaging. Holocaust material is always difficult to read but it needs to be kept alive “lest we forget.” Because I’ve read so much fiction set in that time period and on that subject, Ava’s first chapters seemed ho-hum, stuff that I’ve read in other books, but it really was fundamental to the development of her family’s situation. The big role of the orchestra, exclusive of women, was certainly novel and very interesting.

It’s hard to think of how many times they could have, should have left but kept believing that it couldn’t get any worse, and then it did, repeatedly. It’s easy to think that it couldn’t happen here, but the fact that America has placed thousands of Mexican children in detention centers should be a hefty warning, a shot across the bow that we need to believe.

I love Historical Fiction and enjoy when the story is written in past and present. The Girl from Berlin was just this. A wonderful historical fiction set in the early 20th century and present 21st century. When reading a novel set in the holocaust era, one may think the story line will be very similar to others. I was pleasantly surprised with a totally new story line in this novel. I fell in love with Gabi and Ada. There were spots where the story was so real, I could feel my blood boil and I was honestly getting upset (not at the book, but certain characters!) I was able to place myself in the setting and feel the characters and what they were going through, BRAVO to the author Ronald H. Balson for drawing such clear pictures and emotions. This novel really reaches out to you.
Thank you NetGalley, the author and the publishing company for the chance to read and give and honest review.

The Girl from Berlin, another great Ronald H. Balson book! I received an ARC from NetGalley and St. Martin's Press in exchange for a fair review. This book has romance and mystery, and also delves in to the atrocities that took place in Berlin and Italy during World War II. Catherine and Liam are at it again. I am not a fan of sequel books so when I first started reading I thought not them again but I do love their characters and all the novels are different enough that I can honestly say I am not yet tired of Catherine and Liam.. I have loved all of Balson's books except The Trust and have given them all 5 star ratings. . As far as the history I don't feel like I learned anything new but the story is told in a way that kept me reading long into the night. The ending was excellent! I would say if you are a fan of Ronald H. Balson this is a must, must read! You won't be disappointed. I am debating rating this book 4 or 5 stars. If there was a 4.5 I would choose that only because of the fact that I did not really learn anything new. . Since I can't pick 4.5 stars I will go with 5!!. The end clinched it!

Many thanks to Netgalley and St. Martin’s Press for allowing me the privilege of reading an ARC of this amazing book.

My review: 5 Stars! Get ready for a fantastic journey when you pick up your copy of this book. This is masterful storytelling at its finest. The author has done his homework and it shines through in every aspect. Alternating between 1943 and 2017, the author unravels this historical fiction, suspenseful thriller. The story is told from a women’s perspective, for a male author this is no easy feat. Well done!

I am a historical fiction fan and this book was a delight. Not only was the historical data very detailed (holocaust, nazis, Jews, Jewish tradition, prison camps, war) but I especially enjoyed the in depth details into the musical world. I loved the descriptions of the songs, operas and symphonies, the difficulties of playing the pieces and what it all meant.

There is plenty of suspense throughout as the attorneys search for evidence while trying to save Gabi’s estate. The end provides closure for the reader, was realistic and had a slight twist. Again, we’ll done.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book and highly recommend it. Kudos to the author, Ronald Balson.

This book is the fifth in the Liam Taggart and Catherine Lockhart legal procedural series. I did not read any of the previous books, but didn’t feel like I was out of the loop in any way. This one is also a historical fiction novel; it goes back and forth between 2017 in Pienza, Italy and the 1930’s - primarily in Berlin and Bologna.

In the present day, Tony Vincenzo in Chicago asks Liam and Catherine to travel to Tuscany to help his Aunt Gabi in Pienza who was being threatened with eviction. (Catherine is an attorney, and her husband Liam is a private investigator.)

A Tuscan attorney had informed Gabi, who is 78, that she had sixty days to vacate; he claimed the land was owned by VinCo, a billion-dollar corporation. Gabi went through two previous lawyers, who both only wanted Gabi to take the money offered by VinCo and go live somewhere else. But she had no intention of leaving if she could help it.

Liam and Catherine tried to get information from Gabi about how she got the land and why VinCo thought she was not entitled to it. She asked them to read a memoir by Ada Baumgarten that would provide all the answers.

Ada’s story is told in chapters alternating with the account of Liam and Catherine’s attempts to obtain documentation for Gabi in the present. (You would think, given that Gabi said they would find out what they needed to know by reading the manuscript, they would do more than peruse a couple of chapters a day.)

Ada was born in Berlin on November 11, 1918 and became a concert violinist as a young girl. Her career was interrupted and ultimately ended, however, by the rise of the Nazi movement in Germany. Because Ada was Jewish, she was not only prevented from playing as the Nazis enacted more and more restrictions on Jews, but eventually targeted for elimination, and sent to the Auschwitz killing camp.

In the meantime, Liam and Catherine eventually get both an Italian lawyer to help them and a lawyer in Germany, who can help with corporate records for VinCo.

Time is running out though, and the pressure is intense to come up with evidence of Gabi’s ownership in spite of obfuscation and delay from all corners.

Discussion: I felt the author was acting on two passions with this book: a love of Tuscany (and indeed, who can blame him?) and a desire to educate readers on what happened during the rise of fascism in Germany and Italy. Moreover, the author from time to time inserted subtle parallels between fascism and Trumpism, giving it the feel of a “cautionary tale.”

All of this was instructive even if not integrated so smoothly into the narration. The information in the book-within-the-book - Ada’s memoir - was good but a little too prescient for a young girl living through events in the 1930’s. She claimed much of her information came from her friend Natalia, who had contacts as an underground partisan, but she too had more of a 21st century knowledge of, and insight into, what the Nazis were doing than was believable.

Similarly, some of the dialogue in the 1930’s employed 2017 usage that was unlikely to have obtained in the 1930’s. (As just one example, Natalia talks of seeing Mussolini “suck up to Hitler.”)

Finally, as mentioned above, the fact that the investigators took so long to read a manuscript that was supposed to be crucial to their investigation beggars belief.

Evaluation: In spite of some quibbles I had, this was a good story, and kept my attention throughout. The legal complications, which can’t be revealed lest they spoil the story, were very interesting, as was Ada’s story.

I’m sorry but I just couldn’t finish this book. Perhaps I am burned out on World War II books. I did get about 22% in before I decided not to read further.

This book was brought to my attention by Staci, a publicist at St Martins Publishing and I have to say thank you so much Staci I totally adored this book and its characters. I have read quite a few books set around the time of World War 2 and the Holocaust, both non fiction, and fiction that is based on documentation from that era. I read the blurb for the book and though I was initially a little put off because this is book 5 in the Liam Taggart & Catherine Lockhart Series but each book is based on a different case that Private Detective Liam and Attorney Catherine are involved with.

The cover shows a woman standing looking out of a large window which upon reading the book could easily be one or more scenes from within the book. I'll be totally honest I am not sure this cover would make me want to pick it up from a bookstore shelf, though the blurb itself would really draw me into wanting to read the book.

The genres listed for this book are historical fiction, mystery, and thrillers. I would also add suspense, war, and holocaust to describe its genre and content. You can tell this author has done their research and the book comes across as very realistic. When you have read other titles based in and around World War 2 and the Holocaust. To me it is this type of book that keeps the relevance and horror of the Holocaust alive and make sure this information is passed on and down through the generations.

I fell in love with the character of Gabrielle who is the elderly lady who is about to be thrown out of the only real home she has had by a large faceless company. Gabrielle sends a translated manuscript all the way to America to an Attorney, and Private Detective her relative Tony has found and talked into seeing if they can help Gabrielle in proving that the land she lives on is genuinely hers.

It's quite amusing how Tony kind of coerces his friends to take a look at Gabrielle's case, saying if nothing else they will get to stay in a beautiful home in Tuscany for a couple of weeks. Despite initial misgivings the pair agree, saying if needs be they can hire someone to act as a lawyer/attorney as because Catherine is from America she will be unable to practice law in Tuscany.

The manuscript sent from Gabrielle is written by someone called Ada. Apparently when they have read this book the proof they need to help Gabrielle to stay in her Tuscan home will be revealed. Ada's story is revealed as first Catherine and then Liam read the manuscript. As soon as Ada is introduced into the book, I grew attached to her. Initially you don't know who Ada is and what her relevance to Gabrielle or the property dispute are. Everything is revealed as it is read by Catherine. I felt immediately drawn to the character of Ada and by the end of the book I loved her and Gabrielle.

To say there are some seriously dodgy dealing going on and people being paid off or killed to maintain their silence around the true ownership history of Gabrielle's home is an understatement. Catherine and Liam really do have their work cut out in a country they don't particularly know very well and have to ask for the language to be translated too. However both Catherine and Liam are determined to help Gabrielle and soon discover that the ownership paperwork pertaining to title line of her property has been hidden or destroyed. Gabrielle is distraught about her history and does not wish to speak about it, simply reiterating all will be revealed in Ada's story.

Ada's story is the historical story of how Gabrielle came to live and own her property and award winning vineyard. Part of the vineyard is actually named Ada's Vineyard and it contains the most impressive plants that make the highest award winning wines. To begin with it seems the company wanting Gabrielle's property want her vineyard, however that is not the only reason they want the land yet at the same time they do not want to reveal exactly who they are or what and when they came to "own" the property.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book, both the story of the present time of Gabrielle, Catherine and Liam and then the past which is mainly about Ada's life, who in the beginning is happily living in Berlin with her parents. Her father is a famous violinist and plays in the orchestra, whilst Ada plays in the junior orchestra. Ada has a hard job to become art of an orchestra as the majority have only male players. Life seems pretty good for Ada and her family and then things begin to change Hitler begins to make his political bid. At first Ada's family think nothing will change for them that soon Hitler and his campaign will quieten. Sadly this is not the case and Ada and her family miss many opportunities to get away to a new life. Ada is a very talented violinist and this talent does prove to be a valuable one that enables her to escape the Nazis clutches on more than one occasion.

I could go on and on about this book, it covers such a difficult era of history, and the holocaust is still rightfully seen as such a shocking occurrence.

I loved the characters of Ada & Gabrielle and their stories of survival. This book took me through a plethora of emotions, from the shock and horror of the Holocaust, the disbelief of how the Nazi's got away their treatment of the countries and the people that had lived in them all their lives. I felt disgust at the Nazi's and their laws that alienated the Jewish people and anyone seen as a sympathiser to them. The book had a little romance between the young Jewish Ada and Kurt a fellow musician in the junior orchestra who ended up joining the German army. Their love for each other was strong and continued throughout the book even when they didn't see each other for years and the fact they were from opposite side of a war. Ada's story also had me both, in tears and yet also smiling. Ada really was a resilient young woman who put up and beat many vile hardships the Nazis put her her through.

I honestly hated having to put this book down. It pulls on your heartstrings, yet also has young sat at the edge of your seat. Ada's story reveals some of the small precious happy memories the Jewish people managed to have/create despite the never ending onslaught they faced from Hitler and his men. It seems that one Nazi officer has a very long memory and seriously bears grudges, he is out to destroy Ada.

My immediate thoughts upon finishing this book were that it was Amazing! A tale that is sad, horrific, tear jerking and yet it is also a heart warming, uplifting tale of hope, love and triumph over unimaginable adversity.

Prior to reading this book I had been in a bit of a reading rut. However I picked this e-book up to read and was hooked by just 7%. What more can I say? I loved Ada, Gabrielle and their interwoven lives.

(I plan to put this review on my blog on its release date of 9th October)

Wow, I am at a loss for words. This is the first book I've read by Ronald H. Balson and it was wonderful. It started off rather slow but built into a heart wrenching yet also heart warming story of love and loss, bigotry and hate and at last survival. Catherine, a successful lawyer is asked by a friend to help his aunt Gabrielle, in Tuscany. A large company has claimed that she is not the rightful deed owner of her Tuscan Villa and Vineyard and has been given a 60-day eviction notice. Liam and Catherine go to Italy to assist. While trying to figure out the legal difficulties of property ownership, they discover the history of how Gabrielle came into possession of the Villa. They discover the incredible life story of her mother, Ada, and her family and how they were persecuted by the Nazi's in WWII. This is a cautionary tale that is very pertinent in the current political situation in the United States and reminded me of how quickly bad leadership can sink a country. It is seldom that a story is so touching and beautiful that it makes me cry but this one did. It is the fifth book in the Liam Taggart & Catherine Lockhart series and even though I hadn't read the previous books, this worked well as a stand alone. I loved this story and will definitely be reading more from this author. I received an ARC from NetGalley and St. Martin's Press in exchange for a fair and honest review. All opinions expressed are my own.

Where do I even begin. This is the first book by Balson that I have read so I am not sure if this is on track with his previous books.

I wanted to love this book. The storyline was there. The intrigue was there. I had to know what happened but I felt like the writing was unpolished. The storyline felt like it rambled and needed edited. Despite these deficiencies, I still enjoyed the book and I would read another book by this author in the future.

Thank you so much to NetGalley for giving me a copy of this book. I have read every installment in the Liam and Catherine series and I think this one is tied for first place with "Once We Were Brothers". This powerful story takes place in alternating perspectives- 1930's/1940's Europe and Italy in 2017. Liam and Catherine head to Italy to help save Gabi from being evicted from the land that she has lived one for more than 70 years. She has a deed that says she owns the land but so does a multi-million dollar Italian company conglomerate. The fight is an uphill battle against a company with unlimited resources and a lawyer with questionable morals. Liam and Catherine must uncover the truth before Gabi is evicted.

The only clues left behind are in the manuscript of Ada Baumgarten that Gabi sent to Catherine and Liam. Translated from the original German, the manuscript tells the tale of a brilliant violinist and her life as a Jew in WWII era Europe. How does this story relate to the land in Italy?

The story was very moving and, like all of Balson's books, relevant. I couldn't put the book down because I needed to see how this story ends. The way the story comes together is so smart. And while Balson writes a great ending every time, the story is not in the least bit predictable. I loved it. 4.5 stars

I really enjoyed this book because of the descriptions of scenery in present day Italy, the musical perspective, and of course the WWII, Nazi history story line. Sometimes the dialogue is a bit flat but this is definitely an outstanding read. Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC.

The Girl from Berlin is Ronald H. Balson’s outstanding new novel that will be published on October 9. Balson returns to his writing roots with a WWII driven plot featuring attorney Catherine Lockhart and private investigator Liam Taggart. Catherine and Liam travel to the Tuscan Hills of Italy to help 78-year-old Gabriella (Gabi) Vincenzo fight off eviction from her villa in Pienza. Gabi has lived there for years and refuses to leave. The acreage surrounding Gabi’s property is owned by one of Italy’s largest wine producers and their attorneys deny Gabi’s title to her land. The two Italian lawyers hired to help Gabi have given up. Prior to their meeting Gabi sends Catherine a mysterious manuscript through which Catherine is introduced to Ada Baumgarten. Ada is born in Berlin in 1918 to an affluent Jewish family. Her father is a violinist and concertmaster of the renowned Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra. Ada is a violin protégé and Balson describes her performances in melodious detail. There are no women members of any major orchestras in the world and Ada aspires to breaking gender barriers. Her family’s prominence allows them some protection from the Nazis, but their connections are not foolproof, and they are instilled with a sense of false security. The captivating narrative alternates between Ada’s past and Gabi’s present. Balson’s wonderful characters and suspenseful plot are what make The Girl from Berlin remarkable. Bravo to Balson on writing

I had previously read two of Balson's books including Once We Were Brothers and Karolina's Twins, so when I saw that he was coming out with a new book, I simply had to read it because of how much I respected his previous writing. Both of his previous books kept me rushing through the pages to find out the full story, and this book was no different.

From the beginning, you're enveloped in Ada's story and that of her family. Coming of age in a time filled with Nazism and the Reich, Ada has to try and maneuver through society, along with her family members in a time that was filled with danger.

The story follows Ada for years, you see her from a young teen violin prodigy and into a young lady and it is truly an impactful read. I was reading quickly so as to find out how the story ended, becoming to attached to the characters because of how well-written they were.

Balson wrote another beautiful and heart-wrenching story that is worth reading as soon as you are able.

I really really liked this book. I sure did not know that it was part of a series of books and to now find out that it is # 5, kind of blows me away. This is definitely a stand alone...

The story jumps from late 1930's Germany to present day with Liam and Catherine trying to help a friend's aunt that lives in Italy. There is a lot going on with the rise of Hitler and how he seemingly so easy came into power. It is a pretty timely book, if you ask me. There are a lot of modern day similarities...

Many thanks to Netgalley and St Martin's Press for this advanced readers copy.

I love a book that makes me want to wake up and start reading right away. The Girl from Berlin is that type of book. The fictional story set in both current times and Nazi Germany follows the story of 2 women and how they intersect was well done. Their stories are of their lives, and of the lands they love so dearly.

Stories of this era are hard to read at times. Ronald H. Balson writes beautifully without making the subject matter difficult to get through (even though we know how horrendous this time was). By making us care deeply for the characters, the drive to see them survive and succeed keeps the pages turning.

I look forward to trying another book from this author.

The opinion expressed here is entirely my own. I thank NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the opportunity to read this book for free.

We travel from present-day Italy and back to the 1930’s during Hitler’s regime in Germany.

In Nazi Germany, we are introduced to Ada as she masterfully plays her violin solos. In Italy we come across a land dispute that may or may not have Ada Baumgaurten, famous violinist in the Berlin Philharmonic, involved.

The land dispute has Liam and Catherine flying to Italy to the beautiful villa of Senora Vincenzo, aunt of a close friend in Chicago.

Catherine has the task of trying to dispute the fact that Senora does own the land and the home she is living in contrary to the Italian attorneys who say she is not the owner. The claim the Italian attorneys had seemed pretty suspicious.

We also gets a glimpse into beautiful Tuscany - its food, its people, and its landscapes.

I enjoyed the back and forth from the 1930’s to 2017. The connection between the two time periods set in Germany at the beginning of WWII then moving to present-day Italy was a manuscript that Ada had written about her life and the life of a famous violinist. Senora Ada Vincenzo insisted that Catherine read the manuscript for the background because she just couldn’t bring herself to tell the details.

THE GIRL FROM BERLIN is a very absorbing dual-timeline that will immediately capture your interest with detailed descriptions of the characters and events.

Mr. Balson has written another beautiful, well researched book that opens up our eyes to the life the European people were living at that time to today’s lifestyle in Italy. The present-day story line has secrets being revealed about Ada’s and Senora Vincenzo’s claim on the land.

Historical fiction fans, opera fans, and fans of Mr. Balson’s books definitely will not be disappointed in his newest beauty.

THE GIRL FROM BERLIN is outstanding, unforgettable, and well written.

Magnificent, marvelous, heart wrenching, and should be given high praise are perfect descriptions of THE GIRL FROM BERLIN. 5/5

This book was given to me as an ARC. All opinions are my own.

Available October 9: The Girl From Berlin by Ronald H Balson

**** 5 stars, Loved it: The Girl From Berlin is outstanding: From unspeakable tragedy to amazing human strength, and exactly what you'd want in historic fiction.



Recommended readers:

If you like novels with WWII history and drama
If you want an action-packed, historical read
If you like strong female characters
Here's my Rankings:

5/5 for characters
5/5 for plot
5/5 overall
REVIEW FROM BOOKS FOR HER:
Catherine and Liam, Chicago based attorney and private investigator, are asked to help fight for an old friend's aunt, who's villa and land in Tuscany is being taken from her over a title dispute. The duo travel to Tuscany, but their research takes them all the way back to Berlin, Germany, where the story begins.

A dual plot-line novel, The Girl From Berlin sweeps several generations and all the way back to Jewish Ada Baumgarten, who grows up in Berlin as Hilter's party gains power and increasingly challenges her family livelihood and civil rights. The Girl From Berlin is overwhelming - from unspeakable tragedy to amazing human strength, and exactly what you'd want in historic fiction.

Available October 9: The Girl From Berlin by Ronald H Balson

Wow oh Wow, this was a great book!! I have read many WWII books and this one zooms right to the top of the list. It was interesting, entertaining, and so informative, I learned things that had not been covered before. The bulk of the story is a biography by Ada, starting as a young Jewish girl in Berlin, we follow her through her younger years in the 1900’s to the 1930’s before the war came to Italy and then into the camps with her in the 1940’s. She was a very talented violinist, the way the author told her story was just like we were sitting down having a conversation with her with a glass of wine. The descriptions of the locations, the concert halls, the farm. I was so impressed with Mr. Balson’s writing.
Then he added in Catherine and Liam, this was done so well, they didn’t take over the story, they didn’t overshadow Ada’s story, they just added to it, “smells like a dead fish”. All of it was very believable and truly enjoyable. I have several books to read by this author and look forward to spending many more hours with him.
High 5!!!!! Highly recommend….
I am so glad I was given the opportunity to receive this book from St. Martin’s Press through NetGalley. The opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. This one gets a high 5*****’s.

I received this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. My favorite book I have read this year. An incredible story that will grab your heart. Gabi is in risk of losing her family land. Liam and Catherine fly to Italy to try and help her. They had no idea the adventure that would be before them. This is a must read!

From Chicago to Italy with detour to World War II. Catherine Lockhart, a Chicago lawyer, and her detective husband Liam Taggart take on a case in Pienza, Italy, to contest the eviction notice of an elderly Italian woman. During the course of the investigation they discover how the long-ago events of World War II brought a girl from Berlin to ow a vineyard in Pienza, Italy.

A well-written book with an interesting and intriguing plot. Introducing the role that music and musicians played during the events of the time will be of particular interest to anyone connected to or interested in the music world.