I’ve been on a big winter time historical fiction binge and My Name is Eva hit the spot. I love a strong, smart female character which is why I was drawn to this book and she did not disappoint - in either timeline. WW2 is my favorite time period to read about and this one stood out from the others. I feel such a sense of pride for the women who played such big roles at a time when that was frowned upon.

3.5⭐️⭐️⭐️

Eva/Evelyn has a secret past that no one knows about. My Name is Eva explores her life at different time periods. She will do anything to keep her secret from getting out, including pretending she was dementia and can’t remember things or remember them correctly.

I really wanted to like this book as I love historical fiction, especially with flashbacks. However, this book just seems to flounder around. The story jumps from place to place with no consistency. The whole premise of the book is she killed a man to get revenge for her dead husband, but we never find how he died or if the man had anything to do with it. I was waiting for resolution and received none. Also, I would think someone would recognize that she doesn’t have Alzheimer’s or dementia as I’m sure people have tried to fake it before.

Some of the other plot lines seemed just thrown in for no real purpose. I did like learning about her time working in a displacement camp and felt more could have been done with that setting. Overall, the story felt very rushed and incomplete.

Thank you @netgalley and @readforeverpub for an e-arc of this book.

I didn't really have much expectation for this book because lately I have been having a bit of a hard time with Historical fiction books not keeping my interest but I am happy to say that I very much enjoyed this one.
The store is well done and it did keep my attention.

I think this might be one I will be reading again in the future and I will be recommending it to my book club.

I am giving this 4 out of 5.

This is a multi-timeline historical fiction. It starts during World War II and ends in 2016.
 
During World War II, Eva is working in the office and would like to have more meaningful work much like her husband, Hugh, had. Her husband's life was deliberately sacrificed and she is looking to find that person and he will pay for it.
In 1945, Eva accepts the important job as an interpreter in the British interrogation centre in Bad Nendorf to work with Colonel Stephen Robinson, the person who was responsible for her husband’s death. The time of revenge starts to settle in 1985.
 
In 2016, Eve is in a nursing home. Her niece, Pat, is taking care of Eve’s property. She takes special care of her personal stuff. When she finds old pictures, a uniform, Eve's passport with a different name, and guns in the suitcases, she starts to have many questions. It's hard to communicate with Eva, who is losing her memory. But Eva knows everyone on the picture, she remembers, she has secrets, but she doesn't want Pat to think that she remembers and all  of the secrets must remain that way.
 
I liked Eva when she was a 95 year old lady. Such a strong person, with a willingness to fight and protect. She was so funny when she was pretending that she didn't remember things, while intentionally lying about her food and other stuff. 
This book definitely had some excitement, thrill and humor to it.

I would like to thank NetGalley and ReadForeverPub for providing me with a free digital copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Thanks to #netgalley and #GrandCentralPublishing for the opportunity to read and review this book by @SuzanneGoldring
Pub date July 14, 2020
This was a very interesting story. It tells Evie's story using flashbacks while she is ending her days in an assisted living facility. She lost her husband in WW2 and when she finds out he was sacrificed, she wants revenge. Eva is a cool character as she interacts with her niece and others. I love her personality and her intrigue. I definitely recommend.

When Eveyln Taylor-Clarke loses her husband during WWII she vows to extract revenge for his death. As a result she finds herself making her own contributions to the war and then recover efforts. She never forgets her promise and when she has to go live in a care home in her 90s, she does her best to keep the truth and her promise from her niece who discovers Evelyn’s mementos from her past.

A touching and poignant story from a different perspective than those we often see in WWII historical fiction. Evelyn isn’t the doddering old woman she lets everyone believe she is, she has always been a strong woman and lived life on her terms and kept her vows. A good read for anyone who loves historical fiction.

I loved the premise of this book and had high hopes for it but I struggled to connect with the story. The relationship between the main character, Eva, and her husband was not developed enough for me to believe her actions after his death. Perhaps because their relationship is strictly carried out in letters from Eva to him. My three star rating is also due to a few brutal scenes, one being a rape, that I really wish I could erase from my mind.

Thank you to Forever (Grand Central Publishing) and NetGalley for allowing me to read this ARC.