I am not sure why but it was very hard for me to get into this book. I just wasn't as interested in the plot, the story development, and the characters. Maybe I have just read too many World War II books lately, I am not sure. I just really could not get into this book. It was very slow for me.

Difficult choices were made during WWII as this novel describes. Vera chose to leave her daughter hidden with her nanny to save her from the camps. Little did she know the effort it would take to find her after the war. This is a slow moving story written in several different perspectives. I found it hard to believe that Vera would leave her daughter behind in France and move to New York. This as just an okay story for me.

I was most surprised by this story, absolutely loved it. Each chapter starts with the heading of the character and the time period we will be reading about. That is such a nice touch, helps so much in understanding where you are and each one covers the three main figures, Sasha, Lucie and Vera.
First off, I loved the cover, it drew me in even before I read the description. The writing is excellent and the storyline has a nice flow. I truly felt for Vera, she was completely devoted to her daughter and was so torn when they made the decision to leave her. You can feel her pain, agony and her dedication in finding her daughter. I didn’t care for her husband, sometimes, you just don’t get over it.
This is a book to savor; it isn’t one to quickly read and pass off. I started listening with VoiceView but it didn’t take long to realize this was a beautifully written book and I needed to slow down and actually enjoy the art of reading. Lovely book. I highly recommend.
I am so glad I was allowed an ARC of this story from Penguin Group Putnam and NetGalley. This one comes in with high 5 stars

There have been so many WWII books lately and this was different in that it's really about a mother's separation from her child and the search for her five years after the war ended. It's a heartbreaking and poignant story. Sasha's story interrupted the flow and the ending was rushed. Is another book intended instead of an epilogue? I doubt I would read that.

"Those Who Are Saved" by Alexis Landau
Release Date: 2.23.2021

Vera, a Russian Jew, migrates to France with her husband four-year-old daughter, Lucie. No money in the world can protect them once the Nazis invade France. When Vera receives a letter stating that all foreigners must report to an internment camp, Vera must decide if she will send Lucie. Instead, Vera leaves Lucie with her governess, Agnes, hopeful to return soon.

When Vera realizes there is a way for her family to escape, she can no longer locate Agnes and Lucie. Vera wasn't aware that the governess left for rural France to safety.

Vera misses Lucie. She waits for letters from Agnes while living in California. Vera, determined to find Lucie after the war. She doesn't realize just how many people will be missing, homeless, and separated after the war.

I was hooked from the beginning. My heart went out to Vera, who never stopped missing her child and wondered if she made the right decision. It highlighted what many families felt after the war, not knowing what happened to their loved ones and the lengths they went to for news.

Thank you to NetGalley for the opportunity to read this title in exchange for an honest review.

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When Vera and Max, Jew immigrants living in France, are told to report to an internment camp, they must make the difficult decision to leave their young daughter Lucie with her nanny. Shortly after they are interned, they have the opportunity to escape across the mountains and ultimately to America. Haunted with guilt and feare, Vera finds it difficult to make a new life without her daughter.

This was a well written and engaging story. The characters were extremely believable and relatable. I felt Vera's pain at the separation from her daughter, and found myself reading long into the night to find out what would happen. The book really needed an epilogue, which is my main criticism. Overall, 4 out of 5 stars.

I could not put this book down. Such a heartbreaking story. I will definitely be highly recommending this book.

I didn’t finish this book. It just wasn’t what I thought it was. But thanks for allowing me the opportunity to read it. It’s not fair for me to rate it, but NetGalley is asking for a rating.

It was the toughest decision any parent would ever have to make. Sending your child into hiding in an attempt to keep her alive when the Nazis took over southern France. Vera was forced into an internment camp and couldn’t bare the thought of bringing her daughter Lucie into such a dangerous place so she entrusted her to the care of her longtime governess. Vera bad her husband managed to escape the camp and make their way to America, leaving Lucie behind fearing it would be to dangerous to bring along a child. She thought she’d be safe. But life in their new country was riddled with guilt and worry for their daughter, especially when they hear of a massacre in the village where Lucie was being hidden. Then Vera, along with Sasha...a filmmaker who she falls in love with when her marriage fails...head to France determined to find out what happened to Lucie.

Such an emotional WWII story. It’s from a perspective that I haven’t read before. I can’t imagine leaving behind a child in the hopes that she’d be safe. The what if’s would eat at anyone which makes Vera a relatable character to all mothers. I couldn’t imagine going back to a war torn Europe after having escaped. The sights, the sounds, the emotions. Vera is a strong character whose determination to find and love for her daughter take a hold of you and make you want to follow along on her journey.

Thank you to NetGalley and Alexis Landau for the advanced copy of this book. I really enjoyed it!

This book had so much potential to be a really great story, but unfortunately it fell way short. Much of the story describes the journey to America and the life that Vera and her husband make here, while their young daughter is somewhere in France during WWII. There are many stories written about this time period and the desperate choices that Jewish people had to make in order to survive, but not many deal with families having to leave their children in order to protect them. This was one reason that I was interested in reading this book. I wish that the author would have spent more time with Vera's search to get her daughter back and not rushed through it at the end of the book. The character of Sasha and his story never connected with the rest of the story and at the end of the book you are left wondering what it was all about. There was so many loose ends that I felt dissatisfied.

Iwhile well written, this novel failed to engage me. I couldn’t really connect with any of the characters or feel a lot of sympathy. I have read too many war books lately. I am sure Those Who Are Saved will have its readers.

Alexis Landau will transport you back to WWll with a story of love, hardships, loss, survival and new adventures. What was the most intriguing part of the book was hearing the perspective of Lucie, the child, who was left behind to stay with her nanny while her parents had to report. Lucie’s parents ended up with the opportunity to live in America. Vera, Lucie’s mother, struggles with living a “good” life while knowing her daughter is left behind. Will they be able to reunite after the war? This is a five star book that will not disappoint. Definitely one to be added to your TBR pile.

A story that spans France, New York, and California during WW2. A Jewish mother faces an impossible choice and ends up fleeing France leaving her four year old behind. From there it is all about their separate lives, survival, and then the quest for the mother and her new lover to find her child five years later when the war ends. I read straight through because even though you can guess what the ending will be, you want to find out how it gets there. The ending felt a little abrupt; I hope this means that there is a sequel coming because the reader is left wondering how life continues for the characters that we've gotten to know so well.

There are so many books being written now about WWII. This might be the only one that kept me up most of the night to see what happened. I liked the different points of view about the relationships between the characters. Also can’t wait for the next book!

I wish to thank NetGalley and the Publishers Penguin Group Putman for allowing me to read an advanced copy of this book. I have voluntarily read and reviewed it. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

This is a really great story about France in World War ll when the Jews were forced to concentration camps and many of the parents tried to escape and had to leave children behind. Max and Verna, a wealthy Jewish couple, had to leave their daughter Lucie with a governess to try to keep her safe. As the war progressed they lost track of their daughter Lucie and did not know what had happened to her or if they would ever find her again. The depth of the details of life in France and the trials and tribulations of families separated is beautifully explained as the story unfolds. The reader is captivated by all the characters and your heart breaks for all of them as they have no idea what has become of their family.

If you enjoy history, books about orphans, and a great story this book will grab your heart and you will love it. Well written and keeps you wanting to put your life on hold as you read this amazing story.