The Invisible Woman adds a critical narrative to the WWII historical fiction canon. Author Erika Robuck’s impressive research about the life of Virginia Hall, France’s first female spy, is a profile in courage.

Many thanks to NetGalley, Robuck, and the publisher for sharing this book with me. All thoughts are my own.

Spies behind Nazi lines in France were lucky to live six weeks. Still, American Virginia Hall eagerly accepts a second assignment behind enemy lines. Not only does she want to help defeat the Nazis, Virginia wants to avenge the captured and killed members from her first network who were betrayed by the unlikeliest suspect.

Despite her bravery, competence, and skills, she faces threats from the Nazi officers and French collaborators who seek her seek her arrest as well as from French resistors who don’t want to answer to a woman. With danger around every corner, Virginia copes by focusing on her orders. Yet, as she and her network eagerly await D-Day, the stakes become higher even as the Nazis edge closer to her and her associates.

Based on a real though little-known World War II heroine, 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘐𝘯𝘷𝘪𝘴𝘪𝘣𝘭𝘦 𝘞𝘰𝘮𝘢𝘯 by Erika Robuck is extensively and carefully researched and offers an intriguing fictionalized account of the harrowing conditions, overwhelming emotions, and fascinating procedures experienced by agents of the SOE and OSS. The book shows the evil deeds inflicted by the Nazis and why Virginia and people like her we’re so important to the war effort.

While I appreciated the historical accuracy and how much I learned, I also thought it was a great story. In one flashback, Virginia reflects on escaping over the Pyrenees, revealing the physical exertion, the cold, and hunger. Her determination and courage is inspiring, but secondary characters were equally courageous and willing to risk death for freedom.

Highly recommended for fans of historical fiction.

<<Resenha...>> The Invisible Woman - Erika Robuk | 365p. @prhglobal 5⭐
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Virginia Hall é uma mulher corajosa. Depois de perder a perna em um acidente, ela volta a França para ajudar os Aliados a vencerem a guerra. Assim como muitos outros que lutaram bravamente, Virgínia ajudou uma rede de espiões a levar suprimentos, armas e remédios para os franceses que estavam cercados por nazistas. Essa é uma história real, que vai te fazer torcer e ficar com o coração partido por tantas perdas que ocorreram durante esse período.
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Histórias sobre a Segunda Guerra Mundial são além de necessárias, me parece imprescindível que de tempos em tempos é necessário lembrar que há menos de um século pessoas que se achavam melhores, mais patriotas e importante dizer, de direita, exterminaram milhões de pessoas e fizeram coisas inimagináveis. Lembrar é importante para nunca deixar que esse horror se repita novamente.
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Esse livro mexe com a gente de diversas formas. Virgínia conseguiu coisas que poucos conseguiriam. Por ser mulher e estar sob disfarce, ela conseguiu passar desapercebida e organizou uma enorme rede de espiões, além de ajudar a resistência francesa a lutar por seu país.
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Confesso que ainda estou tentando digerir o final dessa história, principalmente por torcer para que todos ficassem bem e descobrir que muitos dos bravos personagens morreram tão jovens em campos de concentração, que tantas crianças ficaram órfãs e tantas outras morreram de inanição ou em câmaras de gás.
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Com certeza é um livro que vai te fazer refletir. Thanks for the free book, @PRHGlobal/@prhinternational
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#ResenhasLeD #partner #prhglobal

I can’t give this book anything less than five stars. I was captivated by the main character, Virginia Hall, as well as everyone who became part of her group. She cared for others in a way that would be difficult for the average person to understand. She was in a position to help in the war efforts in ways that most of us could never fully understand, however, that meant asking those she came to care for, to do things that put them in danger. Not everyone would survive and everyone knew that.

Virginia Hall’s character is based on the real-life hero of WWII. She was placed in France so that America could aid in the fight against Hitler from the inside (per se). I was drawn into the story immediately and found myself wanting to reach inside the pages and pull them all to safety. The author definitely knows how to craft fully developed characters and how to plot and pace a story so that the reader is forced to continue reading until the end. I could feel the tension, the heartache, the pain, and the relief of wins throughout the entre novel.

Erika Robuck is an incredible author and I cannot recommend this book enough. Everyone should have the honor of meeting Virginia Hall. I will never forget this story.

I want to thank Berkley and Netgalley for allowing me to read The Invisible Woman for my honest review.

The Invisible Woman
Happy Pub Day
Author: Erika Robuck

Prior to this year I didn’t read historical fiction. Despite the fact that I love history the WWII books always missed their mark so I gave up. I turned to my tried and true thrillers and mysteries. Well in 2021 I said I would read more historical fiction and I have and I am thoroughly enjoying it. Many thanks to @berittalksbooks and #berkleybuddyreads for this opportunity to expand my horizons.

Here are the reasons that I enjoyed The Invisible Woman so much:

Virginia Hall was a real person! An American that didn’t want to sit at home and be average, instead she became the first female agent in France working against the Nazis. Virginia was extremely intelligent and learned multiple languages which allowed her to become a diplomat while being educated in France. Though she faced rejection many times over, she was persistent. She fled France to Britain and met a spy that forever changed her life.

Prior to moving abroad, Virginia shot off her foot In a hunting accident and had to wear a prosthetic during period when prosthetics were crude at best. I am amazed at her ability to rise above her injury and still fight a war, undercover with secret missions that could have killed her at any moment. She posed as a reporter and took on multiple personas to shield her identity and the the risk to her life. Her missions were countless and dangerous but she persisted knowing that D Day would soon arrive.

Virginia was strong, brave, and heroic, but could be brash, and harsh when necessary. In order to get men to take her seriously she had to be ALL of these things and so much more.

The thing I loved most about this book, it was well researched. Well written and taught me so much about a woman who was such a hero, one I may never have known about.

Thank you to @berkleypub for my advanced digital copy of the book.

I thought I had it all where WWII was concerned but Erika Robuck has introduced me to another part of the war that intrigues me. Virginia Hall has made herself invisible and takes that skill to help defeat the Nazi’s. She goes to places that most men would not want to go to, she sees things that causes nightmares for many, and she does it without worry of her own wellbeing.



Everything about The Invisible Woman is intriguing. From the different locations that Virginia is needed, the amazing heroes that she meets along the way, the horrific Nazi’s she has to be fearless of, and the communities that she helps as she stays in the various safe house; there is so much history yet it did not feel like I was reading a history lesson. I was reading about a person, place, and war as if it was fiction but there was so much fact.

Set in France during World War II, 37 year old Virginia Hall is determined to join the Special Operations Executive (SOE). First, however, she must prove she has not only the grit needed, but also that her prosthetic leg won't slow her down. At last, Virginia is granted a position as a secret agent coordinating supply drops to arm, feed, and organize the Resistance. Along with each and every drop, she also provides them with much needed HOPE.

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

Once planted in the field, agents of her caliber typically only have six weeks before they are captured or killed. Will Virginia (nicknamed the "limping lady" for her distinctive gait) outlive and outlast the odds? Even though this story was often heavy, I much appreciated the brief one-liners of humor that made me laugh out loud while also bringing much-needed levity to the serious and tense situations.

Every time I read a new WWII book, I am amazed by how many different stories there are to share. Yes, this was similar in some ways to many Resistance-themed books I've read (too many to name) and yes, I've read about female spies in The Alice Network (4 stars) by Kate Quinn, but yet, this one still managed to bring so many new elements into the mix. Lastly, the fact that it's based on the real heroine Virginia Hall who really did have a prosthetic leg makes me love it even more. What a brave, courageous, and TOUGH woman... and a beautiful, unforgettable story!

"You're still in there, she thinks. But, for now, you must remain invisible."

Location: 1944 France

I received an advance copy of this book. All opinions are my own.

I absolutely loved this book. WWII historical fiction based on a true story is my favorite genre. The author has everything in here that I'm looking for in that genre. I loved the characters; the main character was a total bad a** and I loved her. I liked the detail and could tell that a lot of research had been done. I would highly recommend The Invisible Woman to anyone that enjoys historical fiction!

This is one of the best WWII novels I've read. Most of the book is written in third person, present tense which, I admit, took some getting used to. Once I caught the rhythm of the writing though, the author's use of it made sense. Placing the reader in the present amplified each character's situation, creating a compelling sense of urgency and life-or-death danger. It raised the stakes for the characters, and for me, the reader. I became absorbed into their world, their motivations, their hope and despair.

The characters are another reason why this book resonated so deeply with me. Rather than focusing primarily on the events of the war (though some are integral to the story and the author's historical research is impeccable), Robuck shines her spotlight on the people. We read a lot about military heroes in many WWII books but most of the secondary characters in this book are untrained, ordinary villagers - husbands, wives, children - from the young (a 10-year-old honored for his bravery with France's Croix de Guerre) to veterans of the Great War in their sunset years to brave pacifists willing to risk their lives, and their families, for the most vulnerable among us. These are the often unheralded heroes of France's battle against the evil of the Nazi regime. Knowing many of the characters in Robuck's book are based on real people who were a part of Virginia Hall's network makes their stories that much more compelling.

Of course, there's also Virginia's beloved France, a character in itself within this book. Robuck's descriptions bring to life the serenity of a beautiful sunrise over Notre Dame and the uplifting hope to be found in a profusion of flowers on an apartment balcony. But she doesn't ignore the darkness, especially evident in the devastation throughout the formerly bucolic French countryside. The pictures she paints with her words are vivid depictions that unrolled through my mind like a movie, some heart-wrenching, some hopeful, but always eliciting deep emotion.

And then there's Virginia. What an incredibly courageous woman. A legend in intelligence circles, she's not well known to the general public. I hope this book changes that for she deserves to be appreciated and celebrated for her efforts during WWII and beyond. I am in awe of her and all she accomplished, especially after a devastating injury that would have put most people out of the game forever. Robuck brought her to life not only as a master intelligence agent but as a fully-formed woman with hopes, fears, guilt, anger, and grief, capable not only of great bravery on her own but of inspiring it in others as well. She is a true hero.

Be sure to read the author's Afterword at the end of the book for more information on her research and updates on Virginia and the other main characters featured in The Invisible Woman.

*ARC received for fair and unbiased review

"I could kill you now...the music of the choir will drown out the sound of your struggle...I know what you've done. And I will be watching you until I decide to administer the justice you deserve."...She leaves the confessional, ducking into the crowd filing in, and slipping out to the streets of Paris. Invisible.

How could we not know about the bravery of the American spy Virginia Hall? The above scene is her in a church confessional confronting a priest who has taken the sacred confessions of Nazi resistors to the Gestapo for his own gains. Virginia has no patience for traitors. I am now able to respect and admire her thanks to the creative and intense research displayed in The Invisible Woman by Erika Robuck.

Virginia was a Maryland native who found herself in Paris just as Germany invaded it. Through a series of events, including her own fortitude, she becomes a spy for the OSS in France.

The writer has given us a heroine who is overdue for accolades and gratitude from the U.S. and her allies during WWII. We become a part of her very dangerous missions, including one where she is horribly betrayed. We see through flashbacks how this betrayal influences all her future assignments.

Though there is often a clinical tone in the story it is necessary to the seriousness in which Virginia approached this life. The author's Afterword is recommended for details.

There is also a beautiful true love story with Virginia and her husband Paul. He gives her the emotional reprieve she needs from such a stressful life. I read many WWII historical fiction novels but this one made me especially proud and emotional as a woman and an American.

I received a free copy of this book from the publishers via #NetGalley as part of a contest win for a fair and honest review. All opinions are my own.

This was my first book by Erika Robuck and will not be my last. I look forward to many more.

My favorite line from this book is: "My name is Virginia Hall."

WOW! This book was so good. I've not read a historical fiction book like this before. It has enough truth in it to make it great and enough fiction to work its magic. Though it is very sad in parts it's also very inspiring. The main character, Virginia, is a very strong female. She takes nothing from anyone if she can help it. She's fierce and a force in the job she does. She demands respect and gets it. She radiates strength. Even with one leg....

This book starts out with a group of young women about to start college. It is light hearted and grabs you. It then jumps to the war and all that is happening in the country Virginia loves. Though she is from America, she loves France. She considers it her home. Her heart. She will and does do anything and everything she can to make it safe again. As a resistance fighter, Virginia becomes a fast and strong woman. She fights for what she believes in and takes not prisoners so to speak. She goes through a lot and does all she can to help the people in her care. From each place she is sent she makes friends. She is well respected and loved by these people she is leading to freedom. Bringing them supplies and teaching them so much. I admire this woman and what she goes through.

This book brought me to tears in many places. It also added a few chuckles along the way. But most of all it had me in awe. I was fully in awe of the resistance fighters in this story. What they did to help. The many ways they fought to bring the Nazis down. This book just made me see things that I forgot about learning in school. The sadness in hearing about the many people who were almost dead from starvation. From being kept in prison camps. Though this book did not go into that a lot it did touch on it and it's awful what happened. I hope people learned from this war. I hope they won't ever let this history be repeated.

From the towns and streets of Paris to the hidden areas in the middle of a wooded area you will find out things that happened. How people banned together to stop a group of horrible Nazis. This story is told in a way that will keep you turning the pages long into the night. One you will not want to put down. The "afterword" and the "What became of Virginia's Network" are very interesting also. Be sure and read that at the end. So much is told in those few paragraphs. Some of it made me break down again as I felt like I knew these people. They became like friends in many ways. Relatable and real. The descriptions are so well written that you will have many feelings.

Such a good book!!

Thank you to #NetGalley, #ErikaRobuck, #BerkleyPublishingGroup, #PenguinRandomHouse, #TheInvisibleWoman for this ARC... These are my own true thoughts about this book.

5/5 huge stars and a very high recommendation.

📚 𝐁𝐎𝐎𝐊 / 𝐑𝐄𝐕𝐈𝐄𝗪 📚⁣
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Title: #TheInvisibleWoman⁣
Author: Erika Robuck⁣
Publisher: @berkleypub⁣
Pub Date: 1/9/21⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣
Type: #eBook (thanks @netgalley)⁣
Genre: #HistoricalFiction⁣
Must Read Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⁣
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𝘚𝘺𝘯𝘰𝘱𝘴𝘪𝘴:⁣
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𝐈𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐝𝐞𝐩𝐭𝐡𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐰𝐚𝐫, 𝐬𝐡𝐞 𝐰𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝 𝐝𝐞𝐟𝐲 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐨𝐝𝐝𝐬 𝐭𝐨 𝐡𝐞𝐥𝐩 𝐥𝐢𝐛𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐚 𝐧𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧...𝐚 𝐠𝐫𝐢𝐩𝐩𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐡𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐥 𝐧𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐥 𝐛𝐚𝐬𝐞𝐝 𝐨𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐫𝐞𝐦𝐚𝐫𝐤𝐚𝐛𝐥𝐞 𝐭𝐫𝐮𝐞 𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐲 𝐨𝐟 𝗪𝐨𝐫𝐥𝐝 𝗪𝐚𝐫 𝐈𝐈 𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐨𝐢𝐧𝐞 𝐕𝐢𝐫𝐠𝐢𝐧𝐢𝐚 𝐇𝐚𝐥𝐥, 𝐟𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐛𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐬𝐞𝐥𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐚𝐮𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐫 𝐨𝐟 𝐇𝐞𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐰𝐚𝐲'𝐬 𝐆𝐢𝐫𝐥⁣
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𝘍𝘳𝘢𝘯𝘤𝘦, 𝘔𝘢𝘳𝘤𝘩 𝟷𝟿𝟺𝟺. 𝘝𝘪𝘳𝘨𝘪𝘯𝘪𝘢 𝘏𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘸𝘢𝘴𝘯'𝘵 𝘭𝘪𝘬𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘰𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘯𝘨 𝘴𝘰𝘤𝘪𝘦𝘵𝘺 𝘸𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘯 𝘣𝘢𝘤𝘬 𝘩𝘰𝘮𝘦 𝘪𝘯 𝘉𝘢𝘭𝘵𝘪𝘮𝘰𝘳𝘦--𝘴𝘩𝘦 𝘯𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳 𝘸𝘢𝘯𝘵𝘦𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘥𝘦𝘣𝘶𝘵𝘢𝘯𝘵𝘦 𝘣𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘰𝘳 𝘴𝘪𝘭𝘬 𝘨𝘭𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘴. 𝘐𝘯𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘢𝘥, 𝘴𝘩𝘦 𝘵𝘳𝘢𝘥𝘦𝘥 𝘢 𝘴𝘢𝘧𝘦 𝘭𝘪𝘧𝘦 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘢𝘥𝘷𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘶𝘳𝘦 𝘪𝘯 𝘌𝘶𝘳𝘰𝘱𝘦, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘸𝘩𝘦𝘯 𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘣𝘦𝘭𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘥 𝘴𝘦𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘥 𝘩𝘰𝘮𝘦 𝘪𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘳𝘶𝘴𝘵 𝘪𝘯𝘵𝘰 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘥𝘢𝘳𝘬 𝘥𝘢𝘺𝘴 𝘰𝘧 𝘸𝘢𝘳, 𝘴𝘩𝘦 𝘭𝘦𝘢𝘱𝘴 𝘪𝘯 𝘩𝘦𝘢𝘥𝘧𝘪𝘳𝘴𝘵.⁣
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𝘖𝘯𝘤𝘦 𝘴𝘩𝘦'𝘴 𝘳𝘦𝘤𝘳𝘶𝘪𝘵𝘦𝘥 𝘢𝘴 𝘢𝘯 𝘈𝘭𝘭𝘪𝘦𝘥 𝘴𝘱𝘺, 𝘴𝘶𝘣𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘕𝘢𝘻𝘪𝘴 𝘣𝘦𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘴 𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘤𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘪𝘯𝘨. 𝘉𝘶𝘵 𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘮𝘰𝘴𝘵 𝘤𝘶𝘯𝘯𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘢𝘨𝘦𝘯𝘵 𝘤𝘢𝘯 𝘣𝘦 𝘣𝘦𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘥, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘪𝘯 𝘸𝘢𝘳𝘵𝘪𝘮𝘦 𝘵𝘳𝘶𝘴𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘸𝘳𝘰𝘯𝘨 𝘱𝘦𝘳𝘴𝘰𝘯 𝘤𝘢𝘯 𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘷𝘦 𝘧𝘢𝘵𝘢𝘭. 𝘝𝘪𝘳𝘨𝘪𝘯𝘪𝘢 𝘪𝘴 𝘩𝘢𝘶𝘯𝘵𝘦𝘥 𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘺 𝘥𝘢𝘺 𝘣𝘺 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘣𝘦𝘵𝘳𝘢𝘺𝘢𝘭 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘳𝘢𝘷𝘢𝘨𝘦𝘥 𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘧𝘪𝘳𝘴𝘵 𝘰𝘱𝘦𝘳𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘸𝘪𝘭𝘭 𝘥𝘰 𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘺𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘪𝘯 𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘱𝘰𝘸𝘦𝘳 𝘵𝘰 𝘢𝘷𝘦𝘯𝘨𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘣𝘳𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘱𝘦𝘰𝘱𝘭𝘦 𝘴𝘩𝘦 𝘭𝘰𝘴𝘵.⁣
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𝘞𝘩𝘪𝘭𝘦 𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘧𝘶𝘵𝘶𝘳𝘦 𝘪𝘴 𝘢𝘯𝘺𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘣𝘶𝘵 𝘤𝘦𝘳𝘵𝘢𝘪𝘯, 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘵𝘪𝘮𝘦 𝘮𝘰𝘳𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘯 𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳 𝘝𝘪𝘳𝘨𝘪𝘯𝘪𝘢 𝘬𝘯𝘰𝘸𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘧𝘢𝘪𝘭𝘶𝘳𝘦 𝘪𝘴 𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘢𝘯 𝘰𝘱𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯. 𝘌𝘴𝘱𝘦𝘤𝘪𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘺 𝘸𝘩𝘦𝘯 𝘴𝘩𝘦 𝘥𝘪𝘴𝘤𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘴 𝘸𝘩𝘢𝘵--𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘸𝘩𝘰𝘮--𝘴𝘩𝘦'𝘴 𝘵𝘳𝘶𝘭𝘺 𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘵𝘦𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨.⁣
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𝐌𝐲 𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐬:⁣⁣
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Despite my best efforts, The Invisible Woman just wasn't for me. I found the book to be very slow paced and the flashbacks were distracting and a bit confusing at times. I am clearly the odd one out, as most review sites list this as 4.4 stars and above, but sometimes a book just doesn't work out for you and that's ok! I have been reading a lot of this genre lately and I think I am experiencing some historical fiction fatigue. Virginia, the main character, is a definite hero and I did appreciate the theme of trust and friendship woven throughout the story. Anyone that is a fan of strong female characters in a HF novel may love this one, it just didn't hit the mark for me.

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

I love historical fiction about women doing amazing things and this story is about a remarkable woman that it's a shame most people have never heard of.

Virginia Hall was a socialite from Baltimore who lost part of her leg in a hunting accident and still went on to become a spy for the Allies during WWII. She was such a pivotal part of the French Resistance that was hunted by the Nazis who called her "the lady who limps." She crossed the Pyrenees, spent time in a Spanish prison, trained and armed French militias and worked as a "pianist," someone who sent coded messages to England via wireless, a job so dangerous it was said the pianists only had six weeks to live doing it. How she is not a household name for her heroism is unbelievable.

Robuck tells Virgina's story in a briskly-paced and wonderfully suspenseful way that's so detailed it almost feels like a memoir. We follow her on what will be her last mission in France in the weeks leading up to D-Day with flashbacks to her previous experiences that show how she ended up where she did and why she's especially wary of all those around her. The secondary characters - from fellow spies to ordinary French citizens aiding the resistance, almost all of whom were real people - are as interesting as Virginia and what they're all willing to risk to win the war is stunning. Even though I know how things ended, I still could not put the book down, worried for characters I had come to love and anxious to see what would happen next.

Kudos to Robuck for bringing this woman who spent so much of her life being invisible into the spotlight she so deserves.

Thanks to Berkley Publishing and the author for a copy to review.

The Invisible Woman was brilliant biographical historical fiction that was based on a real and very famous American woman who played heroical role in history. It was about war, how people and agents worked for liberation, getting back what was taken by enemy, courage, resilience, survivor guilt, PTSD, redemption, getting over guilt, justice, keeping faith, and finding hope and light even after facing and seeing endless darkness.

Writing was emotive, engaging, vivid and steady paced. It was third person narrative from Virginia’s perspective, set during the WWII that started with Virginia’s third mission as American spy in France that covered most important journey of Virginia Hall’s life.

It started with epilogue that showed Virginia’s lively, care free personality before war in 1926 when came to France as a student, how she fell in love with the country. Now it’s 1944, Virginia was back for mission in Nazi infested France, disguised as old invisible woman to keep herself hidden from Nazi eyes and being recognised from her wanted posters all over the France. Her mission was as wireless operator to co-ordinate drops for resistance group and prepare them to make life for Nazis hell from within France when the allied forces join them after the announcement of D-day. She was sent in this mission with two weeks deadline. It was interesting to read if she would outlive those two weeks, if she could complete the mission without being identified, how she would carry out her mission, and what she would encounter in this dangerous journey.

Plot was divided in four parts– four parts of Virginia’s mission with four different identity of Virginia and how in the fourth part she got back her identity from Artemis to Daine to LaMadone and back to Virginia. First part was about character introduction, Virginia’s changed nature, her survivor guilt, her struggle being an amputee, what was her mission in France, how she got recruited first as SOE agent and later as OSS agent, why she had to take disguise, and her first stop and first drop she organised. There were lot of information in this and so much to grasp along with horrors of war that made it hard to read.

Part two was her second stop of the journey where she met friend from her first mission and his family. This part showed the real work of Virginia’s mission and how important it was even though she didn’t have to fight Nazi face to face. This part was emotional. It showed why Virginia had became cold, angry, and mostly guilty and how it was emotionally dangerous for her to get attached to people she worked with.

Third part was about her most important role of the mission- to keep a remote village at the heart of Houte-Loire mountain safe. It wasn’t revealed why that last stop was most important and why she had to guard it with her life until she actually arrived here in this part. This part was struggling, tension filled, emotional, and adrenaline filled. It changed so much in Virginia.

Fourth part was the wrap-up of Virginia’s journey that was done so perfectly. The intermittent scenes from her past showed more about her personal life, change in her personality and what she faced before this mission. It showed her relationship with her mother, how she felt the first heartbreak, how she lost her leg, how she failed her first mission, what happened in that mission and after that, and how she lost her leg and named it Cuthbert. It was not in any particular order. The sudden switch from present to past and back to present was a bit confusing in the beginning but I got used to it after some point. We get the glimpse of all these in first or second part which might look repetitive but the full story of these events were revealed eventually.

Virginia was extraordinary character throughout the book. She was remarkably smart, courageous and resilient thirty-seven-years old amputee. It was mind-blowing to read how dedicated and strong willed she was to make difference, gain identity as a woman, help the country she wasn’t even born in during the war even after losing her leg. Her emotions of guilt, sadness, anger, love, and heartbreak were heartfelt. I admired the way she fought darkness not just from outside but from within, the way she put herself in danger for her friends. Her development throughout the book was simply amazing. It was lovely to see the first crack in Virginia’s war scarred and guilt-ridden heart, how she got over guilt, realised to show compassion and gratitude towards people she worked with, and how she became her old self, Virginia we met as a student in the beginning of the book.

All secondary characters were great. They all were as much a hero as Virginia was. I loved reading about their life and how they fought for greater cause putting their life in danger at all the time and mostly those friends Virginia made who supported her and boosted her confidence and will to keep her demons and doubts at bay.

All the descriptions of characters, Nazi infested France, horrors of war, human capacity for evil, and how people worked in big or even smallest way for resistance and kept the faith and hope was truly great throughout the book. Best thing about the book was, it wasn’t just about liberation of France but, in a way, it was Virginia’s own liberation- freedom of getting her identity back, romancing France without fear, redemption from guilt, and learning to live life once again. But throughout the book what didn’t change in Virginia was her love for France which was another best thing.

Turns were good. Climax was tense and action filled. I enjoyed all scenes from climax till end. I’m so glad author included the early phase of Virginia’s love life that gave much more relief from all the horrors and sadness I read so far. Epilogue that gave happy and satisfactory ending to book.

Afterwards showed extensive research author did in writing this book, what part of the book or scene was fictional and what historical aspect was real. I didn’t know anything about Virginia Hall before reading this book and it was impressive to read about her but what I didn’t expect was even the secondary characters were real people from Virginia’s network. I kept thinking what happened after war to all of them and author didn’t keep me hanging. There was last chapter about ‘what happened to Virginia’s Network (all the agents and maquis characters mentioned in this book)’ at the end. I have just one word for this book ‘wow’.

Overall, The Invisible Woman was inspiring, emotional, raw, gritty, well researched and well written biographical historical fiction about extraordinary American spy of the history.

Thank you, #NetGalley @BerkleyPub #BerkleyWritesStrongWomen #BerkleyBuddyReads for my complimentary e ARC of #TheInvisibleWoman upon my request. All opinions are my own.

What would you do for the country you love?

Would you work for the Resistance Movement if you knew the life expectancy of a spy was six weeks?

The Invisible Woman is based on the true story of Virginia Hall who trades in a safe life to work as an Allied Spy with the Resistance Movement in France during World War 11. Her first operation ended in betrayal, so now she’s more determined than ever to prove herself, to protect the people she recruits, and to help the Resistance prepare for D-Day. Despite her painful foot prosthetic (nicknamed Cuthbert) and episodes of PTSD, Virginia is determined, brave, cunning, and committed.

The Invisible Woman is an inspirational, engaging, and compelling story from beginning to end….especially because it is based on a real person. Telling it from only Virginia’s perspective with several flashbacks to fill in her backstory, makes the story straightforward and easy to follow. I appreciate the in-depth research (don’t miss the author’s notes), richly-drawn characters, and vivid descriptions of time and place.

I love that Virginia is a complex and complicated character. She’s tough-minded, a demanding leader, and smart with her disguises and in her planning. It’s amazing to think about her strength and endurance for all the walking and biking she did over rough terrain! On the other hand, the author reveals her vulnerabilities, her struggles with PTSD, her physical pain, her emotions over the loss of team members, and her pondering about motherhood. I think she’s inspirational as a representative of a person with a physical disability and a mental health challenge.

Thoughtful themes include all the ones you might expect: courage, determination, against-the-odds, compassion, loyalty, following your heart, mental health, physical disabilities, strength, taking risks, and love of country.

I’m enthusiastically and highly recommending The Invisible Woman for your next unputdownable histfic read! Fans of real life, strong, independent women as well as WW11 buffs will appreciate the story. This would also make a great book club pick.

Robuck’s writing had me hooked from the first page. The excitement as the French resistors awaited the arrival of DDay was palpable. When the June 5, 1944 finally came, I couldn’t help but cry my eyes out (and then I cried again typing that). The relationships she built were so touching. I admittedly had a bit of a harder time following the second half with all of the traveling and new people, but I still found myself flying through the pages to see what would happen next!

I am seriously so grateful that historical fiction is a genre. Of all the things to read about WW2, my favorite is the spy networks, especially the women. You could see the massive amount of research it took to tell a fictional story based so closely on Hall’s real life experiences. There is no way to better describe Hall than a total bad ass. I’m obsessed with her courage, strength and dedication to the most important of causes. I was hooked on learning about her and spent a lot of time googling more information when I was done reading!

Thank you @berkleypub for the #gifted copy in exchange for my honest review!

This novel based on the true story of American spy Virginia Hall drops you right away into WWII action. I couldn’t put this book down; it’s one of the very best WWII stories I’ve read lately. It’s fast-paced with no slow moments, short chapters, and memorable characters based on real people that Virginia interacted with and worked with. The author herself interviewed Virginia’s niece, and the result is a beautiful offering that’s the perfect follow-up after reading A Woman of No Importance and other recent WWII novels. The Invisible Woman is not to be missed. Thank you, NetGalley, for this ARC.

Fantastic historical fiction novel based on the true story of World War II heroine Virginia Hall. What a courageous and amazing woman! I'm so glad to have learned more about Virginia Hall's contribution as an Allied spy. The story is truly 5 stars. I did struggle a little with the pacing of the book, it felt uneven at times. If you loved The Alice Network or The Nightingale, I think you'd love this one as well. The descriptions of the Pyrenees in any WW2 book is always so interesting to me and the difficulties that one had to endure to take that route sounds like it tests the bounds of human endurance and the description in this book also portrays those challenges so vividly.
Thank you to Berkley Publishing for an advance reader's copy of this book.
#BerkleyBuddyReads
#BerkleyWritesStrongWomen

I highly recommend The Invisible Woman. It gets all the stars! This novel is based on a little-known socialite turned British Special Operations Executive named Virginia Hall. She played an instrumental part in the French Resistance during World War II by facilitating supply drops and sabotage. The story focuses on the last years of the war.

As the story progressed my admiration of the main character grew. Through flashbacks, we learned that she was betrayed on a previous mission. This helped me understand her character better. The bravery of those involved was extraordinary! I flew through this book in two days. I also liked the last section of the book where the author tells what happened to some of the real people we meet in the story.

I recommend this book to anyone who enjoys historical fiction or stories with a strong female lead. Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for an ecopy of this book.

I love books about real people and events. I love learning things from them that I never knew before. Prior to reading this book, I had no idea who Virginia Hall was or that she was a pioneering agent of the United Kingdom's Special Operations Executive. She was an American who became the first female agent to take up residence in France. A young woman from Baltimore who found her calling as an Allied Spy working to stop the Nazis.

The Invisible Woman tells her story and those she worked with. She was brave and took many risks. She was incredible brave and cunning. The research that went into the writing was extensive and impressive. The reader will come away both educated and enlightened. Virginia Hall is yet another example of a person rising above shining. She was an ordinary person doing the extraordinary. Reading about her had me wondering, would I have been that brave? Could I have been a spy? Where does someone find it inside of them, to look danger in the face and keep going.

Fans of historical fiction and war books will enjoy this book.

Thank you to Berkley Publishing Group and NetGalley who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All the thoughts and opinions are my own.