Powerful WWII thriller. with so many unknowns and years past I was fully committed from the first page. I swam through all emmotions. Great historical fiction novel, all fans of Roberta Kagan and Pam Jenoff will love this novel

I discovered this book when a GR friend posted her five star review and I quickly requested it. It’s fabulous! It grabbed my interest from the beginning. Rhys is a Welsh sheep farmer and a WWI veteran. He’s a widower and only has one son still alive. A disagreement with that son at the beginning of WWII led to their estrangement. Now, as the war is nearing its end, Rhys has come to France to search for his son. He meets Charlie, an American nurse who agrees to help him for reasons not made immediately clear.

Holloway paints a picture of France almost like the Wild West. Yes, the Allies have wrestled back Paris, but the rest of the country is still up in the air, with Germans and resistance fighters shooting first and asking questions later. There’s a quick little interesting scene with Patton and the Third Division.

This book has been compared to two five star WWII books - Beneath a Scarlet Sky and The Nightingale. In my mind, these are well made comparisons. It’s as much a thriller as historical fiction. It grabs you and takes you on a nonstop ride. My husband finally stopped asking why I kept gasping. I loved both Charlie and Rhys. But especially Otto. I dare you not to have tears in your eyes at the end.

The writing isn’t lush or overly descriptive. But I always felt like I could picture the scenes in complete detail. The author weaves a variety of styles and voices throughout. Rhys’ flashbacks to the trenches of WWI provided a meaningful parallel with the horrors of the second world war.

Reflecting back on the book, I can see there were some required leaps of faith to keep the story line moving ahead. But this book captivated me so much I’m willing to overlook them and still assign a full 5 stars. This is one of my favorites of 2019 and I heartily recommend it to anyone who loves historical fiction.

My thanks to netgalley and Polis Books for an advance copy of this book.

This was a beautifully researched and written book set in France during WWII. It’s thrilling and suspenseful in the telling.

I loved the character development of American born Charlotte and Rhys who is Welsh. Owain, Rhys’s son, has gone missing in France during the war and with the help of Charlotte, Rhys embarks on a journey through France to find what has happened to him.

This book was fascinating, informative and entertaining. I cannot fathom the research that went in to writing this novel. It was such a lovely book.

This was such a beautifully written WW2 book. It immediately drew me in, and the story was incredible. Comparisons to The Nightengale are accurate indeed, and the feelings I felt were so strong from reading this book because of the amazing writing by Meghan Holloway. A very memorable story of a father and son relationship.

BLURB

For readers of The Nightingale and Beneath a Scarlet Sky comes a gripping historical thriller set against a fully-realized WWII backdrop about the love a father has for his son and the lengths he is willing to go to find him, from a talented new voice in suspense.

Rhys Gravenor, Great War veteran and Welsh sheep farmer, arrives in Paris in the midst of the city's liberation with a worn letter in his pocket that may have arrived years too late. As he follows the footsteps of his missing son across an unfamiliar, war-torn country, he struggles to come to terms with the incident that drove a wedge between the two of them.

Joined by Charlotte Dubois, an American ambulance driver with secrets of her own, Rhys discovers that even as liberation sweeps across France, the war is far from over. And his personal war has only begun as he is haunted by memories of previous battles and hampered at every turn by danger and betrayal. In a race against time and the war, Rhys follows his son's trail from Paris to the perilous streets of Vichy to the starving mobs in Lyon to the treacherous Alps. But Rhys is not the only one searching for his son. In a race of his own, a relentless enemy stalks him across the country and will stop at nothing to find the young man first.

The country is in tatters, no one is trustworthy, and Rhys must unravel the mystery of his son's wartime actions in the desperate hope of finding him before it's too late. Too late to mend the frayed bond between them. Too late to beg his forgiveness. Too late to bring him home alive.

REVIEW

"Grief and I had long been acquaintances, but now it met me in an unfamiliar guise. When I lost Aelwyd and the twins, and later my father, I had been gorged to excess on pain and anger. Grief had been a wolf pacing within the confines of my chest, gnashing at my heart, howling and feral and bitter."

Let me say at the outset, this book is one of the best I've read, and I read a lot of excellent books. The above quote is a prime example of the author's descriptive talent. Dialogue and narrative are so beautifully rendered, to the point where the reader's mind has to work very little to conjure up the images described or the emotional depth the characters feel. Right from page one, I was hooked. The chaotic atmosphere created by the German retreat from Paris jump starts an incredible adventure. An intense drama, as Rhys and Charlotte follow the trail of his lost son, unfolds into a stunning tale of survival in a landscape filled with enemies and memories. The use of flashbacks to Rhys' past, along with the letters from Owain that begin each chapter, are an integral part of the narrative, adding context as they reach into the very hearts and minds of father and son. Another important aspect of this book is the detailed look at a time and place filled with unspeakable horrors, and the heroic efforts by those who chose to defy the invaders. The research done by the author is very evident throughout the tale, and that coupled with an imaginative/creative writing style had this reader on the edge of his seat, pausing occasionally to take a breath. The author also found a way to include my new favorite fictional canine, a poodle named Otto. This, my peeps and fellow travelers, is a book to savor. 5 Stars

A different but interesting view of the Second World War as seen through the eyes of a Welshman traveling through France at the end of the war searching for his son.
The book at times gets confusing as there are many flashbacks and also different narrators. The French resistance gets a very bad name being depicted as out of control paramilitaries in some instances.
Definitely not what I expected but well worth reading. I must admit that at times I skimmed the pages as I am not a fan of long descriptions of nature.
Thanks to NetGalley for letting me read this book in exchange for my unbiased opinion.

I love books that are set in World War II era and thoroughly enjoyed this book. A story about family, love and relationship between and father and son with suspense mixed in. I was able to dive right in and enjoy the setting of the book as well as the characters. This definitely won't be my last read by Meghan Holloway.

The description of this book as one meant for lovers of The Nightingale and Beneath a Scarlet Sky is very accurate. It is a story of loyalty and dedication between a father and a son, and the way that war affects that relationship. I found myself unable to put down this book and stayed up late reading it over several nights. The character development is deep and rich and it really feels like you are living the story beside the characters.

I can't wait to read more books from this first time author!

Have you ever had one of those books, that you wonder about when it starts, but then it just keeps on getting better and better and you don’t want it to end, well this is one of them. I truly enjoyed this book, the writing is excellent and the storyline is great. It is a rare find where the descriptions and expressions of the people and the events are etched in your mind, I could actually envision the ambulance motoring down the streets and up the winding roads, I could see the characters in their clothing and picture the children on the trail. Charlotte and Rhys make the best combination of partners that I think I’ve read about in a long time.
This is one story that needs to be savored, it is a father looking for his son, and a courageous woman driving an ambulance for the good of the people. This is just pretty near close to a perfect story, my only criticism, is it switches between the present and the past and then sometimes reads events from letters. The chapter headings don’t tell you who’s talking and it gets confusing until you read a little more and then you can figure it out. This one has heart, love, tenacity, caring, hope, sorrow and a great deal of compassion. I highly recommend. One of the best books I’ve read this year.
This one gets a high 5*****’s. I was given an advanced copy from Polis Books through Net Galley for my honest review.

I received a free ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an unbiased review.

As an avid reader of historical fiction, this is one of the best books I have read thus far, It completely stands out as this was a very fast-paced and action packed story about a man, Rhys, whose looking for his son, Owain in the middle of WWII in France. Rhys, a Welsh survivor of WWI, went into great lengths of finding his son with the help of Charlotte, an American ambulance driver and have secrets of her own.

But how can Rhys look for his son while fighting with his own battles and his still haunted of WWI? And how can he reconcile with his son, after he basically wrote him off because they had a disagreement of Owain not wanting to enlist on WWII?

This is a wonderful book to read as this is so beautifully written by Meghan Holloway. A great story of a Father longing to make atonement and to win forgiveness...

Highly recommended if you're into historical fiction and thriller.

I received an ARC from NetGalley for an honest review, that being said... this book was fantastic!
I read it in one evening until the early morning hours because I couldn’t put it down!

Set in France towards the end of WWII, Rhys, a father and WWI veteran sets out on a journey to find his son, Owain, who Rhys basically wrote off because he was a conscientious objector and wouldn’t enlist in the war. Rhys realizes his err in judgement and sets out to find Owain after receiving a letter from him. He meets a charming and bad ass American ambulance driver, Charlotte, and they form such a strong bond over their journey together to find Owain, each with a vested interest that the author slowly doles out throughout the story. And how could I forget Otto! What an incredibly loyal dog and such an unlikely fabulous character! I just love what he adds to the storyline!

The novel is written beautifully mostly following Rhys and his flashbacks to previous times and via Owain’s letters to his father. There is also another perspective and that is from a sinister character who is also tracking Owain, so therefore begins tracking Rhys and Charlotte as well.

This novel so descriptively and painfully describes the strength of the human spirit. I truly enjoyed reading it and recommend it with 5 stars!

For readers of The Nightingale and Beneath a Scarlet Sky comes a gripping historical thriller set against a fully-realized WWII backdrop about the love a father has for his son and the lengths he is willing to go to find him, from a talented new voice in suspense.

I have read a lot of WWII genre books and this is one of the best. I loved the movie the Monument Men so I was intrigued from the very beginning. Also two of my favorite authors Mark Sullivan and Pam Jenoff recommended it and when the like a book I pay attention.
One of my favorite animal characters ever is in this book,. Truly memorable characters and lots of action.
Definitively 5 stars. .

Meghan Holloway’s Once More Unto the Breach is poetic and visceral, lyrical and brutal. A wartime mystery, a family saga, a subtle romance, and an action thriller wrapped up in an epic quest story, this is historical fiction at its best.

The tale begins in medias res with Rhys Gravenor, Welsh sheep farmer and Great War veteran, in Paris with a letter in his pocket. The tumult of the liberation is sweeping through France, and Rhys is desperate to find his estranged son. Joined by a young woman who is equal parts fascinating and suspect and by a poodle who is far more than a pampered pet, Rhys finds himself journeying across a desolated, dangerous country.

Rhys is a protagonist who is Homeric in character. He is not sad or downtrodden, but there is a poignancy about him. His search for his son runs parallel to another man’s race to do the same. Henri is not what he seems, and his character is a darker echo of Rhys’s. Both men are pragmatic, strong, and capable of great savagery. But Rhys is set apart by his compassion and his humanity.

Holloway writes with the cadence of a playwright, and the scenes unfold in such a vividly visual manner that the reader cannot help but be immersed in the character’s perspective. Her writing style is gripping, intelligent, and sophisticated with an impeccable attention to detail and historical authenticity. The cameos of Patton and Klaus Barbie were brilliantly executed.

This is a layered story with numerous threads overlapping into one seamless read. Rhys’s harrowing WWI experiences and his evolving relationship with his son are told in flashbacks interspersed throughout the story. Epistolary epigraphs detail his son’s wartime experience in France and provide an overarching timeline of the country’s occupation. The chapters written from the antagonist’s perspective contain some of the most shocking moments in the tale.

Holloway’s novel is a breathtaking entry in the historical fiction genre. Once More Unto the Breach is a story of fathers and sons, of the sanctuary of home, of bonds forged in hardship, of atonement and sacrifice. This is a tale that resonates long after the final page is turned.

Highly recommended for fans of historical fiction with a literary bent, of thrillers, and of gritty war stories that are hopeful at heart

Many thanks to NetGalley and Polis Books for a copy of the book in exchange for an honest review

I enjoyed this story. The characters were interesting. It was like following a puzzle as it was being unraveled. The chapters are written n different characters voices. I like that construct.

Once More Unto the Breach was a very powerful and compelling story. It tells the story of how far a father, Rhys, will go to find his son, Owain, in a war torn country. It's story is very fast paced and some scenes where very heartbreaking to read. All characters were very well developed and had their each story to tell. I liked how the author overlapped Rhys' experience in the first war with what was happening in the second one. That even though time had passed between the two wars the emotions and sacrifices were the same.
Great story and I loved the ending!

A gripping story of the love of a father for a son and his harrowing trek across war-torn France to find him. A well-written tale that ends as many war stories, Broken lives, bittersweet endings and enduring loves. For so many, the war was never really over. It lived forever in their memories.

I received a free ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an unbiased review.

Once More Unto the Breach reveals an extraordinary tale set in late WWII France. Rhys, a Welshman and WWI veteran, has made his way to France to determine the fate of his son, Owain. Rhys has carried the horrors of his experiences at the Somme for years. His solace, his sense of peace and well-being, are found through hard work on his sheep farm and in his loving family. Both Rhys and Owain are big guys, strong and determined, whose physicality distinguishes them from others, yet there is a gentleness about them that belies their strength.

With WWII looming, Owain's gentle nature means he cannot take the traditional route of soldier. Angered and embarrassed, Rhys expresses his disappointment with his son so Owain departs for France. That last fight haunts Rhys so after the Normandy invasion he makes his way to France determined to find his son.

Holloway employs flashbacks to Rhys's experiences in WWI and there are absolute parallels between the horrors. The way Holloway expresses Rhys's nightmarish experiences force readers to see how little history has taught us. The "war to end all wars" just led to another war. Holloway also expresses some of the story in French or Welsh. What might be awkward actually turns out to be lovely and loving. Although readers may not know the exact translation of every expression or sentence, the emotions of fear, of love, of terror are crystal clear.

The last months of the war in France were not for the weak. Rhys's strength of character and love for his son are always present but he often tackles difficult situations to save others. Read this book. It's a different take and well-done. #NetGalley #OnceMoreUntotheBreach

Fast action packed novel set in France during WO2.
It starts full in action and made me miss some background information.
And couldnt fully attach to the MC, because of that I missed emotions.

This is a wonderful historical thriller set during WWII.
It featuresd well drawn characters and a fast paced plot and was atmospheric in setting and time period.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for letting me review this book

This was very well done. The author has talent. Realistic plot, well-written characters, and a satisfying ending. I can see reasons for the comparison to Scarlet Sky. I look forward to her next book. Recommended.

I really appreciate the ARC for review!