This is a dual timeline novel.
This was an absorbing well researched book. This is a very moving and compelling book.
A great read

Riveting and Astonishing , this story is about finding the truth and righting a wrong 75years later. Sophie finds a pic of her Great Aunt who is portrayed to have wronged her country, but the truth always finds a way to come out. This story goes from past to present, believable story . Enjoyed it .

I love historical fiction (especially when set during WWI & WWII) and this book did not disappoint! This was my introduction to Suzanne Kelman and her story was incredible. There were some great twists and turns that kept you wanting more and parts that take you through the range of emotions. THe writing style was great and enjoyable. This is definitely a story that I would recommend.

This was a great WW2 novel! It taught me a lot about the undercover work that people did. I loved the relationships formed between the past and present.

When We Were Brave is a dual timeline novel. Part of the story is present day when Sophie sees a picture of a woman who is a dead ringer for another relative. She finds out that she has a great-aunt Vivienne who everyone thought was a Nazi and just stopped talking about her. The other part of the story is Vivienne’s. The story started a little slow, but by the time I was 20% in, I could not put this book down. I had to find out what was happening next. Like most dual timeline novels that I have read, the story from the past is always more fascinating to me, but I did like both stories. I really came to care about both Sophie and Vivienne. The ending was absolutely heartbreaking. I will be reading more by this author. If you like historical fiction or WWII novels, I highly recommend. Thank you to Netgalley and Bookouture for the copy. All opinions expressed are my own.

I really liked Suzanne Kelman’s first book, A View Across the Rooftops, and was excited to read her new book, When We Were Brave. This book did not disappoint. First, I appreciate the research Kelman did in creating this story. I have been on an emotional roller coaster the past two days. This book is told in two time periods, present day and during WW II. Present day Sophie is trying to recover from losing her very young daughter and her mother who were killed in a tragic accident. As a research archivist, she has come across her great Aunt Vivi in an old photograph taken in front of the English Intelligence Office. Vivi’s family knows that she helped a German escape and feels she was a traitor. Both Sophie and Vivi are strong woman trying to survive. I had so many different feelings while reading this book. From deep sadness, to admiration of courage of both women, to admiration for the courage each has, to find love..

I want to thank NetGalley and Bookouture for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Really enjoyed reading this book. It is based in two different timelines. The historical plot is in WWII which I have read quite a lot of books about. I wasn't sure if I would enjoy this or whether I would feel like it's already been 'done' but actually this was a great story and was very emotional.

Sophie tries to find out about her great aunt Viv. What she uncovers is more than she ever imagined...

WIth lots of twists and turns and emotional pulls, this dual timeline novel was really engrossing and inspiring. I enjoyed feeling lost in its pages and finding out more about these two main characters.

In 1944, Vivi Hamilton fled Britain with her Nazi lover, never to be seen again. She left behind a legacy that disgraced her family name, and she was never spoken of again. Until the present day, when her great-niece Sophie discovers a photograph of Vivi from just days before she disappeared. Intrigued by the discovery of a relative she knows nothing about, and desperate to escape the trauma of her own life, Sophie throws herself into researching Vivi and what really happened to her. But nothing can prepare Sophie for what she is about to discover about her secret family history...

I am a massive fan of historical fiction, and I hugely enjoyed Kelman's debut novel set in Amsterdam during WW2. As such, a novel about British spies during WW2, especially one with a dual timeline, was always going to be a book I enjoyed.And enjoy it I did! I already know quite a lot about this time period, just due to the sheer volume of historical fiction I read, but I still learned a lot about the work of the SOE and the risks and danger associated with being a British agent working undercover, and how the spy network actually worked, on both the British and German side.

I was completely mesmerised by both Sophie and Vivi, something which is unusual in these sorts of novels, as I generally have a preference for one of the two timelines. However, I adored both characters and both stories, and felt they complemented each other brilliantly. This is an incredibly moving and emotional read, showing the true power of love and it's ability to flourish even in the most dire of circumstances. Yes, there was fear and darkness, but there was also hope and joy and so much good also to be found, something which Kelman highlights wonderfully in her writing. Suzanne Kelman is a truly talented writer, and one who I would definitely recommend to fans of historical fiction, as well as fans of family drama and mysteries. Essentially, anyone who likes a good book should pick up one of hers - you won't be disappointed.

Disclaimer - I was fortunate enough to receive an advance reading copy of this book from the publisher in conjunction with NetGalley. This has not affected my review in any way, and all opinions are my own.

I really liked this book. The premise was interesting - a woman named Sophie searches for information about the WWII record of her great-aunt Vivienne, the black sheep of the family who apparently betrayed her country and left Paris with a Nazi during the war. Sophie is surprised by what she finds when she travels to France and Germany and she decides to clear Vivienne's name.

The book goes back and forth from today to 1944, but the story really flowed and I couldn't put the book down once I started it. Highly recommend, 5 stars

Thanks to Bookouture and NetGalley for the ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

An absolutely beautiful story of bravery, courage and redemption. This story was beautifully written and although quite heavy and heartbreaking it was gorgeous.

This was such a touching story and I learned a lot about the espionage movement during WW2.
This is one of those books that stays with you.

Having enjoyed Suzanne Kelman's historical debut "A View Across the Rooftops" , I was excited to read WHEN WE WERE BRAVE. I wasn't sure what to expect as I am not a fan of espionage or spy stories but this was so much more than that...and I loved it! By the end, I had tears streaming down my face thinking how sad it was and yet how wonderful. Recommended for fans of "My Name is Eva" , it is similar in part but also very different.

Present day, London: Sophie Hamilton attends the opening of a WW2 exhibition that she helped put together when she comes across a photo that she had seen many times before. But now as it stands on display in a life-size format, she is drawn to a woman in the background exiting a building beside one that had been decimated in a raid. The woman bears a striking resemblance to both herself and her late mother Alice...but who could she be? Taking a quick snap on her phone, Sophie visits her grandmother and shows her the photo, asking her what she makes of it. Her grandmother pales...and reluctantly tells her the story of her great-aunt Vivi who shamed the family when she escaped with a German POW, therefore branding her a traitor.

Sophie decides the only way to solve the mystery is to visit the family estate in Cornwall where her great uncle Tom still lives with his daughter Jean. However, her uncle has dementia and while some days are lucid others are not. So when Jean tells Sophie about Vivienne Hamilton, her uncle's memories of his traitorous sister reach the surface for but a moment as he relives the shame. As Sophie explores the village and its museum, she comes to see how they too view the name Vivienne Hamilton with contempt.

Cornwall, 1944: With many large country houses used as hospitals or convalescent homes during WW2, the Hamilton family estate opened its doors to wounded soldiers in much need of medical treatment. Vivienne Hamilton worked as a nurse in her family home while her father and younger brothers, Tom and John, lived upstairs. Her older sister Caroline had already emigrated to Canada, so it was up to Vivienne to serve her country in the best way that she could.

One night whilst walking the grounds, she saw a plane fall from the sky in to the sea. She rang the local constables and ran to the beach to assist. An unconscious man was pulled from the water and taken straight up to the house. When he woke, he spoke French, a language Vivi was fluent in and learnt that he was part of the Resistance movement she had worked with the previous year. But when his suitcase is later recovered, it is revealed that he is actually a Nazi in High Command - a Major Marcus Vonstein. Immediately taken into custody, Vonstein is handcuffed and a guard posted outside his door. But one night, Vivi not only helps Vonstein escape but she flees with him by boat to France, her family never seeing her again.

After visiting her family estate, Sophie begins to question what really happened 75 years ago...because the photograph that began her quest for the truth doesn't fit with the story as it is known. The building that Vivi is seen leaving in that old photo was the address associated with the SOE, a secret spy network set up by Churchill. A place she had no reason to be taken at a time right before she disappeared. But as Sophie delved deeper she discovered that Vivi had trained and worked as a spy for the SOE in France for a month but upon immediate retrieval her first mission was deemed a disaster and she was signed off as being unsuitable as a spy. Vivi then returned home to Cornwall where she put herself to use as a nurse in the hospital. So what happened to make her flee with a German Nazi officer?

Her own personal life a disaster after the death of her mother and baby daughter then the collapse of her relationship with her partner Matt, Sophie focuses on uncovering the truth about her great aunt Vivi - whether it be to exonerate her or confirm what is already known to be true. Travelling from Cornwall to France and then Germany, nothing can prepare Sophie for what she is about to uncover.

A dual timeline story from both Sophie and Vivi's perspectives, WHEN WE WERE BRAVE is a heartbreaking tale of love, betrayal, bravery and sacrifice. As secrets are revealed bit by bit through both women's stories, I was mesmerised and found myself holding my breath in anticipation of what will be uncovered. The piece de resistance is the Epilogue which had me literally in tears.

WHEN WE WERE BRAVE had me captivated from beginning to end with every turn of the page. Whether it was Sophie's or Vivi's narrative, I was completely mesmerised and found each journey equally heartbreaking. I cannot imagine what it was like to put one's life at risk in such a way for the greater good to save others. It does not bear thinking about what life was truly like during wartime. There is still so much we don't know from WW2 that we are still learning and WHEN WE WERE BRAVE simply reveals another facet of one of history's darkest times.

A heartbreaking yet compelling story, WHEN WE WERE BRAVE is an absorbing and well researched story into the real events of the spy network that operated in France during WW2 and the days leading up to D-Day, which I ironically write this on its 76th anniversary. While it is essentially a fictional story, the events behind it are real inspiring us to remember the bravery and courage of all those people who, during WW2, upon which this is based.

Just as the author's previous book "A View Across the Rooftops" was certainly one I will never forget, WHEN WE WERE BRAVE is one I will not forget either. Both are incredibly powerful heartbreaking stories that will remain with you long after you left them behind. If you haven't read either, then I recommend getting yourself a copy. You will not be disappointed.

An outstanding 5+ star read I have no hesitation recommending to historical fiction fans!!

I would like to thank #SuzanneKelman, #NetGalley and #Bookouture for an ARC of #WhenWeWereBrave in exchange for an honest review.

When We Were Brave is a beautiful story of two women, one during WWII and one in present-day. After finding an old photo, Sophie seeks to clear her great- Aunt Vivienne’s name of accused atrocious crimes during the war and attempts to find the truth. Usually when reading dual timeframe historical fiction books there’s one character or storyline that I clearly like more than the other, but in When We Were Brave I enjoyed both Sophie and Vivi’s stories equally. Both show strength and perseverance in the face of tragic events and were compelling to read.

This story was based on true events and makes me want to do more research of Allied spies and stories of bravery not often heard of from WWII.

This story was heartbreaking but I couldn’t put it down. There are two timelines that connect to bring a conclusion that is a piece to the puzzle. I love historical fiction and this author writes with such rich detail.
Many thanks to Bookouture and to NetGalley for providing me with a galley in exchange for my honest opinion.

What if you relative was the bad guy of the story?  That’s the case for Sophie when she discovers a picture of her aunt in an exhibit at a WW2 museum, who until this moment was unknown to her. An aunt who she has never heard of and who turns out was actually a Nazi spy.  In an attempt to recover from her own heartbreak and pain, Sophie will become obsessed of learning the full story about her aunt.

I felt like this book was right on the edge of being a perfect read for me. The characters were good but then could drift into boring. The plot was ok but it just lacked the thrill that made me dying to read the next page.  It had definite moments of drag that was frustrating when you could see the potential in the story. The story was not a bad one and it did keep me intrigued enough to read the entire book.  This is a good B- book for me, not one that I will read again, but I wasn’t sad that I read it.

I give this book a 5 out of 10. I enjoyed the story and it was good enough that I finished it but it is not one that I will want to pick it up again. 

Thank you NetGalley and Bookoutre for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Set in WWII and current day. The current storyline was a very touching story about a woman who lost her daughter but WWII era Vivi was less compelling to me.

Many thanks to NetGalley, the author, and the publisher for my ARC. All opinions are my own.

Such an emotionally poised story that had me heartbroken and moved with every page I turned just wanting so much for Sophie who lost a daughter and was trying to uncover and find so much - past, present and that would undeniably shape her future! Suzanne Kelman does a superior job weaving this captivating story together and transporting the reader to each era that's being relived through her words.

Thank you NetGalley for the complimentary eARC of this book. I am honored to have read it in exchange for an honest review.

Amidst a lot of historical fiction dealing with WWII these days, this book did not really stand out to me. The characters were not particularly involving or well developed, and I did not find the writing really placing me into the reality of this brutal war. Only my opinion.

Sophie has had a rough time. She recently lost her mother & infant daughter in a car crash & their child was all that was keeping them together. Having a break from her life in London she goes back to her childhood home in Cornwall & works helping with a WW2 exhibition. Whilst looking at historic photos she sees a picture of her Aunt Vivi coming out of a building in London. Her aunt is the black sheep of the family having helped a Nazi escape when their country house was a hospital- but is that the truth? The building she was photographed coming out of was the centre for the SOE- those who helped the resistance. Sophie decides she wants to find out more about this mysterious aunt.

The story is told by Sophie in the present & Vivi in the past. It was an engrossing story & the author seemed to capture the age & the atmosphere of wartime Europe. It was a five star read for me. Thanks to Netgalley & the publisher for letting me read & review this book.

I was immediately hooked to the two separate yet intertwining parallel stories in this engaging historical fiction read. The characters were well-developed and the story line flowed smoothly. This is my first book to read of Kelman's and it certainly won't be my last. It has been a such a delight to feature this on my Bookstagram account and to see the enthusiastic responses to this one. Thank you for allowing me the opportunity to review this book.