It took me wayyyyyy too long to pick up this book. I hate 2021 even more now for keeping me from it for weeks! I had no idea the history behind it, and it was so so refreshing to read a WWII women-centered book that was based on a real person. The only thing that could make me put it down was going to my computer to look her up!

This historical novel is based on the true story of Virginia Hall, a young American woman who risked her life during France in World War II as a spy for the Allies.
She loved the country of France, having spent time there as a youngster, and nothing her mother could say prevented Virginia from getting involved.
Virginia was part of a network of spys with false papers, staying with local families and communicating with England via radio to arrange for planes to drop supplies for the network as well as the locals.
There’s lots of action happening in this book, and I learned a lot about what happened behind the scenes in World War II France.

Virginia Hall's story is one of selflessness, heart and courage in occupied France. Ms. Hall's love of France drove her to arm, train and lead the Resistance against the Germans. She stood shoulder to shoulder with those who doubted her and she proved them wrong again and again. Disguised as an old woman, she did the unthinkable. She led sabotage raids against Nazi rail lines, she communicated with the Allies and coordinated supply drops right under the noses of the oppressors. Virginia Hall is the Invisible Woman made of steel.

What a fascinating book. I was impressed by the storyline and the characters were all well written and complex. Where there are complex storylines combined with intriguing characters the reader experience is magnified tremendously. To have a book that is well written as well as entertaining is a delight. Reading is about escaping your world and entering another one. Here I forgot about my own life and was immersed in the world created by the author. I would recommend this book.

Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC. I am going to say something controversial in this group. This book is just as good or slightly better than Nightingale by Kristin Hannah.....Yeah. Virginia Hall, code name Diane, is dropped for a second time as an American spy in occupied France. She is a wireless operator or "pianist" that arranges safe houses and and inventory drops for the Resistance. The day to day dangers was what made this book so fascinating. I loved the behind the scenes of how the Resistance operated and what hand spies had in their success. I also appreciated the break from all the violence and hatred that existed and was able to read about the wonderful story of resilience. To top it off, Virginia was a real person, with real actions and motivations. After the story, the author wrote a summary of what happened to each person that was involved in her network. READ IT NOW! #theinvisiblewoman #erikarobuck #feb2021

This one captured my attention in the best way!

Based on Virgina Hall (who I knew nothing about prior to reading this book) and the French Resistance during World War II - which somehow despite the hundreds of books I’ve read on the subject, always manages to fascinate me. Being a story woven with the facts of Virginia's life made this one even more interesting, and I loved reading Erika’s reasons for choosing to write the story as well.

Overall a wonderful, engaging read that I enjoyed. Thank you to Berkley & NetGalley for the eARC in exchange for a personal review, it was wonderful reading this historical fiction and learning so much about an incredible woman as part of the #BerkleyBuddyReads #BerkleyWritesStrongWomen campaign

Virginia Hall is a member of the British Secret Operations of WWII. After being ratted out in France and losing most of her team, she's been sent back to London for more training and is now back in France as a pianist, a woman spy who sent coded messages. This is an awesome novel. I loved it and I highly recommend it.

It is evident by the passion of Virginia that comes through the pages that Ms. Robuck found her muse for this novel. I loved reading about how strong Virginia seemed but really she was lost and depressed about losing her first team in Lyon. In some ways that made her seem cold and aloof but it was really the opposite.

What Virginia did in aiding the Resistance against the Nazi should be taught in schools but it’s not so we rely on historical fiction to bring us these women.

One minute I had just started chapter one then the next I was finished with the book. This was a FANTASTIC book! While many will be drawn to the book for its title character Virginia Hall, Robuck does a brilliant job of ensuring a balance between Hall and the mission. There have been several books that have scratched the surface of radio operators for the Resistance. This book really gets to the heart of their impact and their overall importance. I was mesmerized by Hall's resilience, determination, and courage. It was empowering to read how brave so many were in their efforts to circumvent the obstacles in order to bring about liberation. This book is electrifying and moves very quickly. I am intrigued to read more about Virginia Hall. Excellent work!

I received a copy of this title via NetGalley.

This book is based on the true story of Virigina Hall, a woman recruited as an allied spy in World War II. I love reading stories about history that are about (or based on) the lives of real people. Before I read this book, I had never heard of Virginia Hall. So glad I read this book! Hall was a remarkable woman who was strong in the face of overwhelming violence and terror.

I've read several books about female spies during the war and the French resistance, but this one definitely ranks at the top. I can't even imagine how much courage it took to do what she did. What a great story! Every time I read a story about the bravery of people in war time, I always wonder if I could be that brave myself. None of us really know how we will act when faced with danger until we are actually in that moment. Any little mistake....trusting the wrong person....saying the wrong words...could be disastrous. Can you imagine living years under that sort of fear every day? I think that's why I'm drawn to stories like this -- people thrown into very dangerous situations who learn to do wonderful, scary things to protect others. Wonderful book!

This is the first book by Erika Robuck that I've read. I'm definitely going to be reading more -- especially Hemingway's Girl and The House of Hawthorne!

Great book about a great lady! Very enjoyable!

**I voluntarily read a review copy of this book from Berkley. All opinions expressed are entirely my own.**

I loved this book—but that's not surprising. Robuck is a fabulous writer, and her characters were vivid and believable. I thought I was over World War II books, but this one exceeded my expectations on all fronts. Her historical main character comes to life in all her complexity and depth. The other characters were beautifully drawn, and the poignancy of the impossible situation came through. I raced through the book, and I cried. I highly recommend it!

A highly enjoyable read! This book was a great story about an unknown female hero from WW2 and her actions to support the invasion in France. I could not put down this book! A must read.

Thank you to #NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

The Invisible Woman, by author Erika Robuck, is the story about one of America's best female spies: Virginia Hall. This is the first time anyone has written a novel about Virginia Hall, the Baltimore woman first rejected from the US Foreign service because an injury left her with one leg, who went on to become a secret agent who helped change the course of the war. This story takes place between 1926 and 1948. Virginia Hall was a true hero who was credited with doing extraordinary things during her career. Virginia was a brilliant woman who became quite adept at being a spy.

Virginia was a diplomat when World War II broke out and the Nazis invaded France. After escaping to Britain, she later posed as a reporter before America entered the war. But thanks to her prosthetic leg, she almost didn’t get a chance to prove her mettle to her supervisors. Thanks to Vera Atkins, as well as William Donovan, Virginia was given a chance to work with the SOE and OSS. (Special Operations Executive (SOE) and the OSS (Office of Strategic Services). On July 16, 1940, British Prime Minister Winston Churchill appointed a civilian, Hugh Dalton, to be SOE's political master and then promptly ordered him to 'set Europe ablaze!'

Bold words indeed from Churchill considering that SOE only had a few agents in the field and no effective wireless communications. The story begins on March 21, 1944. After a long delay, Virginia is returning to France to help the Maquis against the Nazis and their allies the Milice and preparing for what will eventually be D-Day, the invasion of Europe. The Milice française (French Militia), generally called la Milice was a political paramilitary organization created on 30 January 1943 by the Vichy regime (with German aid) to help fight against the French Resistance during World War II.

You might say that they were even worse than the Nazi’s because they captured and killed their own people. Virginia knew there was a huge price on her head and if she’s captured, she will be executed, or worse. Virginia, who was 37 at the time, knew that she had 6 weeks to make a difference before her past, and the Germans caught up to her. She lasted for months. Disguised as an old woman, she moved around undetected through France assisting multiple groups of the Maquis. She is a 'pianist'. Communicating with HQ to set up drops of supplies under the full moon. She was a mentor for hundreds of young men who need direction.

She’s waiting for D-Day and the opportunity to overthrow the Nazis and liberate France. Her last mission to Lyons ended in failure after she was betrayed by someone she team trusted. Someone she’s willing to hunt down and may him pay for his actions. But she can’t afford to be betrayed again. Virginia’s mission is to find the Maquis before allies unleash Operation Overload. (Operation Overlord was the codename for the Battle of Normandy, the Allied operation that launched the successful invasion of German-occupied Western Europe during World War II. The operation was launched on 6 June 1944 with the Normandy landings.)

Virginia has been called a variety of names by those who wanted to get rid of her. Her compatriots in the French Resistance referred to her as La Dame Qui Boite, the lady who limps. The nickname was later uttered by the Gestapo in whispers about her successes against them. Virginia’s efforts to bring together a rag tag team of French rebels also had high probability of massive casualties. After all, the Nazi’s were out in force hunting the French resistance, and if Virginia were caught with them, she’d be the cherry on their cake as it were.

But if she can pull together, the allies just might find a way to free France and allow the allies to march towards Germany. Once you read The Invisible Woman, you will never forget her name. Virginia, code name Diane was the most formidable force within the (SOE/OSS and later the CIA. Tasked with conducting espionage, sabotage, and reconnaissance in Nazi infested France, Virginia became an expert in organizing resistance movements. Virginia’s unfaltering courage and self-sacrifice will be remembered once you finish the novel.

Virginia Hall, the invisible woman in this story, saved countless lives and helped the Allies take over her beloved France. Erika Robuck follows Hall’s story as much as possible while altering details at times to keep the story moving forward. This fictional account of Hall’s life during World War II is so descriptive and emotional, readers will feel like they are sitting in the safe house or waiting for the parachute drops right with Virginia and the men.

Virginia Hall was an American spy who worked for the Resistance. Robuck tells her story after suffering great losses and just escaping her captors to continue to fight for the resistance in France. Under the guise of an old woman, she continued to stay “invisible” and help guide missions to increase the Allies’ movements. Besides being a woman, her skills were also amazing due to her prosthetic leg after suffering from a hunting accident. She didn’t only have to hide her face from those who wanted to kill her, but also her limp that would have made her stand and be even more recognizable.

Robuck’s attention to detail puts readers in the middle of the war in France after Virginia Hall’s escape and treacherous climb to safety through the Pyrenees Mountains. When there is little to research about a spy, Robuck dug deep and even met with Virginia Hall’s niece to learn as much about Virginia the person to be able to write her as the spy.

"It’s not the fists alone that win the fight."

Virginia Hall was a tough, intelligent, and adventurous woman. She knew that her life was a ticking time-bomb and knew the danger that she lived in daily. She never took life for granted and was grateful to all the men and women who were part of her missions.

I have to admit, that I knew very little about Virginia Hall when I began reading and guiltily admit that I googled her to make sure I knew she made it out of the war alive. It eased my anxiety a bit reading, but not knowing the outcome of the people who selfishly took her into their homes, signed up to work on her teams, or allowed her to use her wireless from their barns was a bit difficult.

I appreciated how Robuck wrote Virginia as a cold, hard-working woman, but then in her private moments reminded us that she had emotions and empathy for the people she was meeting through her operations. Robuck described Virginia as:

"…a cold burned-out bulb in a string of vibrant lights, but this is how it must be."

As Virginia meets her future husband once the war is coming to an end, the reader sees a whole new side of Virginia. We are left hoping that she is able to put some of these memories behind her and find joy in a life away from the horrors of war.

"Sometimes all we have is to begin again. But that’s a beautiful gift."

Every single World War II story that I read leaves me feeling astonished at the sacrifices, endurance, and perseverance of those fighting the war and living in it. This perspective from the inside of the Resistance is one that fans of historical fiction will truly appreciate. Robuck also includes a bibliography for readers that reveal more about the elusive Virginia Hall for those that want to learn more.

This is such an incredible story! I was very thankful and excited when I got approved for this one!

The Invisible Woman tells a story of Virginia's second 'tour' of France as she works clandestinely and dangerously to arm the French Resistance in rural mountainous communities of occupied France.
With heart, Virginia is painted as a formidable figure and one who not only commands respect, but demands it....though it's clear it's well earned.

This is historical fiction at its best! What an incredibly moving story that is rich in detail and showcases triumph and bravery during one of the darkest and most brutal and terrifying times in history.
Thanks NetGalley Publishers and author for this copy!

Through the authors intense and thorough research we are able to attain a bit of an understanding of the life of a woman who basically hid in plain sight.
Based on true historical facts in the life of Baltimore native Virginia Hall she is an amazing woman.
From her spy uniform of dyed gray hair and baggy clothing to being an infirm elderly woman this American woman in France, an Allied spy, worked with the Resistance to take back France from the Nazis.
Spies behind Nazi lines were not expected to last even six weeks doing a dangerous mission but this was a risk she was willing to take.
Very well developed characters and the pacing of the story drew me in making me need to continue reading the story right to the end . The story was full of high tension as you are holding your breath thinking she'll make it through but not completely sure until the end.
The author is just incredible in her retelling of this time in history . I can so admire Virginia with all the struggles she went through she is a very strong female character.
I will be doing my own research now to learn more about this unforgettable woman.

Pub Date: 09 Feb 2021
I was given a complimentary copy of this book. Thank you.
All opinions expressed are my own.

Erica Robuck has such a passion for writing Historical Fiction, and it shows in her books. While I’d never heard of Virginia Hall before reading this book, I am now obsessed with her and want to know more. I love how Erika blends facts and fiction and this had me hanging on every paragraph and chapter. Virginia’s fight to serve and help others goes so far beyond the call to help. The book takes us into her missions in 3 different areas of France, the reality of her being hunted by the Nazis and her need to disguise herself. There is sadness as she leaves many behind, yet at the same time she trains and helps so many. I could feel her physical and emotional pain. This book has brought me back to a genre I love but has been missing during this past year. Learning history and knowing the research that went into this book made me love it more. I cannot implore you enough to pick this book up. If you love Historical Fiction and WWII, Erika will pull you in and share this story about an amazing woman most of us didn’t learn about who helped empower the French Resistance.

I keep falling back to WWII historical fiction, for good reason. There are so many different paths these books can take and this is one that kept you on the edge of your seat. There was mystery, action, and even a little romance. I could almost use a sequel, even thought he war was over. 4.5 stars for this satisfying read that was intense, but not overwhelmingly so. You won't be able to put it down!

I usually just read the summary before I decide if I want to read a book or not- occasionally a friend will influence me into reading a book and I won’t even read the summary, just the genre instead.

Does anyone else do this?

I am so glad that @berittalksbooks hosted a #berkleybuddyread for The Invisible Woman. It has become quite honestly one novel that will most likely make my top 10 novels for the year.

After basically a year of being unable to read historical fiction {thanks to covid, they were just too heavy} I’ve been fortunate to read two really great ones back to back.

Do you know of Virginia Hall?

It’s okay, I didn’t either.

@erikarobuck crafted a beautiful story of strength, perseverance, sheer will, grace, loss and love. And really, if I am being honest, 99% of my words will fail me, so let it suffice to say READ THIS NOVEL Y’ALL.

It follows Virginia, code name Diane (b/c the Nazis referred to her as Artemis), who has 6 weeks to live. I spent so much of my time reading this novel mesmerized by the relationships she built within Nazi occupied France (her love of the country is apparent), and the risks she willingly took to support the resistance. All of this while trying to figure out why she only had 6 weeks to live. And why was she going BACK into France if she only has 6 weeks to live?!

Ugh, SUCH A GREAT STORY LINE, Y’ALL!

Oh yeah, did I mention that it actually follows her life??

This snippet of her life leads her to become the most decorated female civilian during WW2. A honor widely unknown because she moved into an official role as the CIA was set in place, as one of the first females to work for the agency.

I highly recommend this if you like historical fiction, strong female characters rooted in history, a page turning story that makes you want to know how it ends. Just read it y’all, you won’t be disappointed you learned more about a strong American woman.

Thanks to @Berkleypub for the #berkleywritesstrongwomen novels; I am looking forward to so many strong female character reads this year!

3 ½ rounded up to 4

I’ve read several books about women spies during WWII but was glad that this one featured an American working with the French resistance. Virginia Hall was an American who was residing in France and became part of the United Kingdom's Special Operations Executive.

I found Virginia Hall’s background story to be very interesting but wish that it was laid out beforehand rather than interspersed within the story. I found that stopped the flow of the novel at times. The fact that Ms. Hall was even allowed to do her work while having a prosthetic leg, is a testament to her strength, determination and bravery.

I found that some parts pf the novel grew repetitive. Finding an appropriate place for a drop site, then getting the people to believe that the Allies were REALLY GOING TO HELP THIS TIME!! Many of these people had been promised that the Allies were coming many times. She then has to set up the drop site with HQ and wait for the right weather to deliver the supplies.All of this depends also on her ability to transmit from just the right place.

The part of the story that really touched my heart were the people of the town that helped hide Jewish children, literally thousands of them!

I loved this description of the French liberation “Liberation does not happen all at once. It’s many small swells leading up to the crest of a wave breaking on the shore of freedom. Then it retreats and builds again, crashing over and over”. Beautiful prose.

The Epilogue showcases the trial of Robert Alesch which detailed his “hideous war crimes, the mistresses he keeps, and the wealth he accumulated from turning over Resistance members to the Nazis for money”. “Once the resistors were arrested, Alesch would break into their apartments and steal their belongings, including thousands of francs’ worth of furniture, art, and jewels.

The Afterword by the author reveals a wealth of information and details including which facts and people are real and which were fiction based on true events.

I agree with the blurb for this book, if you read only one more book about WWII this year, it should be this one. This is the story of a true American heroine and her name needs to be known!

I received an ARC of this novel from the publisher through NetGalley.