As in all of the quests for women’s equality, it took brave trailblazers to enable others to follow in their footsteps. In The Last Correspondent, we meet women who paved the way in the profession of war correspondence. In the author’s Reader Note at the end, Soraya M. Lane gives an interesting overview of the real-life pioneers who inspired the characters in the book.

The Last Correspondent begins in 1943 as WWII rages on. Ella Franks is an American journalist who has had to write under a male pseudonym to get published. An opportunity with the Associated Press takes her to Europe to cover the war. American photojournalist Danni Bradford has already made a name for herself covering the war, working with her best friend and work partner Andy. Chloe, Andy’s sister and a high fashion model, foolishly travels from London to Nazi-occupied France to be reunited with Gabriel with whom she had a brief affair with. Both Ella and Danni want to find a way to leave London and cover the impending action in Normandy where women journalists are forbidden. Andy wants to find his sister but has no idea where in France she is.

While the action and storyline as well as the romances provide a simplified and somewhat unrealistic view of the war, I was entertained by the book and enjoyed the determination and bravery of the characters.

Rated 3.75 stars.

THE LAST CORRESPONDENT by Soraya M. Lane is an historical, fictionalized and romantic account of women journalists, photographers and correspondents in World War II.

Based loosely on the exploits of two American women correspondents, told from three third person perspectives, American photojournalist Danni Bradford, and journalist Ella Franks, as well as former fashion model Chloe, THE LAST CORRESPONDENT follows three women in the few days before and after the invasion at Normandy, and the fall-out of finding themselves in a position to report from the front lines about the atrocities of war, the French resistance, and the loss of life including the people they loved.

Ella Franks is an American journalist who, writing under a male pseudonym, would find herself fired for lying, before accepting a position working for the Associated Press as one of the first women reporting from the front lines. Women journalists were expected to write about clothing, recipes, and life at home but no one expected women to write about the horrors of war, and the toll it takes on the body and mind.

Photojournalist Danni Bradford, along with best friend and fellow correspondent Andy found themselves in the trenches, with the allied soldiers but as a woman, Danni was unable to get passage and permission to report from the front lines about the Normandy Invasion. Danni and Andy, along with journalist Elle Franks would stow away on one of the medical ships, where they would find themselves facing a tremendous loss before rescuing a woman with close connections to someone they love.

Meanwhile, Chloe, sister to correspondent Andy, tired of waiting for Gabriel, the man that she loved to invite her to Europe, lands in Paris where she will be met with derision and fear. Gabriel works for the French resistance, work that now places Chloe in the direct line of fire.


THE LAST CORRESPONDENT is an intriguing and dramatic story of war and loss; family, friendships, relationships and love. A story about the rise of feminism; the struggle for equality and respect, and the misogynistic attitudes that continue to reign in the armed forces today, but saying that the behavior of the story line heroines is questionable on so many levels, placing not only themselves in danger but the lives of the men with whom they were working.

The believability factor is low. Former model Chloe journeys to France in 1943 in an effort to confront the man that she loves- a journey during the height of the war and the Nazi occupation of France and Italy: Ella Franks and Danni Bradford continuously disobey orders including those of General Patton and Major Cameron, and find themselves swarming the beaches of Normandy along with the tens of thousands of soldiers who died the same day. Surviving amidst one of the most notorious invasions of WWII, Danni and Ella venture on their own, stealing a jeep, to get up close and personal with war and death.

Overall, THE LAST CORRESPONDENT reveals to what extent women journalists may have had to secret themselves, lying and forging their way into a male dominated world at the front lines. Rules would be broken; lives would be lost; love will be found in the most unlikeliest of places. If you are able to suspend reality THE LAST CORRESPONDENT is an entertaining and engaging story of romance and fiction



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Thanks to Amazon Publishing UK and Netgalley for an advanced copy of The Last Correspondent. I loved two of Soraya Lane's earlier books - Spitfire Girls and The Girls of Pearl Harbor so I was excited to read her newest one!

I love WWII Historical fiction (and I read a lot of it) so it was refreshing to see a different angle with a book focused on female correspondents during WWII. I of course loved the author's note at the end where she talks about the real women who she researched and based parts of her characters on. If you look at the author's Instagram she has a few posts about them!

About The Last Correspondent:
After loosing her job as a writer due to being a female, journalist Ella Franks jumps at the chance to be a war correspondent for a magazine willing to take a risk. In England, she meets fellow female photojournalist Dani Bradford and they are determined to cover the events of the Normandy invasion. Are they willing to risk everything to share the realities of war?

I really enjoyed this one! I like her writing style, how much research she does on the topics and I didn't want to put the book down. My only slight complaint was this was a little more of a historical romance than I was expecting, but I still highly recommend reading this. (And doing what I did of going and researching the real women who served as correspondents during WWII).

What a story about woman correspondents in the Workd War II.

I haven't read much about woman correspondents but I certainly enjoyed this book the woman in it are very brave.

We have Danni who is the one who takes the photographs of everything. She takes risks and ends up in circumstances that were so serious for her.

Then we have Ella who is new to being a war correspondent, at first she is safe in London but decides she wants to see the action first hand and of course thinks of ways to get to France.

Then we have Chloe her brother is Andy who is the partner with Danni when they go to report things together. Chloe met Gabriel in Paris when she was modelling there and she and Gabriel have been writing together she decides to find a way to go to him during the war.

Eventually the 3 girls end up together in a difficult situation will they be safe.

This book had everything romance and dangerous situations.

I would recommend this book to anyone.

The Last Correspondent is a fluffy, predictable historical romance. Not that this is a bad thing, it was enjoyable to read but the subject matter (WWII) and the main characters (a female war correspondent and a female war photographer) deserved a bit more. Ella and Danni are trying to make their way in a man's world and become the top in their fields of reporting and photo-journalism. They both make it to Europe to document the war effort for everyone in the US and they both quickly chafe at the restrictions and outright hostility they receive for being there. This leads to them taking great risks and becoming the only two correspondents that arrive at Normandy with the troops on D-Day and follows them as they try to locate a friend's sister who is hiding out somewhere in the area with a French resistance group. These characters had soo much potential and the book had potential to be a more epic tale of women during the war but it was softened by romantic fluff and predictability.

It's 1943. WWII is raging and the invasion of Normandy is on the horizon. Ella Franks is fired after her editor learns she's a woman and using a fake man's name. She refuses to "shut up" and is hired by the AP to do reporting on women's issues from England. Once across the pond she meets war correspondents and sets her eyes on reporting from war-torn France.
Feisty American photojournalist Danni Bradford has been covering wars for years with her best friend and partner, Andy. She is always coming up against the brass for being a woman. She is determined to cover the events unfolding in Normandy, and to locate Andy's sister, Vogue model Chloe, who has made her way to France disguised as a Moulin Rouge dancer. Once in France she follows her lover, Gabriel into the French Resistance. Tragedy brings Danni, Ella and Chloe together, and they form a capable and efficient team. Each woman is determined to follow her dreams “no matter what”, and to make her voice heard over the noise of war.
In France, they face danger at every turn, even from the US soldiers. Danni, Ella and Chloe will have to rely on each other if they want to file their stories and survive. Will the adventure and love they find be worth the journey of their lives? </li><li></li><li>I'm always excited about a book that features smart, strong women, especially women fighting the status quo. THE LAST CORRESPONDENT was particularly interesting for me, since I was a journalist. (just in the US) The characters were all fleshed out and compelling. Somehow I felt proud of what they represented, making women equal to men. I read it in one sitting. You may need some tissues close by.

First, I loved the cover. Second, I real a lot of WWII historical fiction. I was intrigued to read about these lady correspondents. I somewhat enjoyed Ela and Danny’s stories. My eyes rolled when I was introduced to Chloe. I cannot imagine having lived in London for the first few war....the bombing.....and decide to make her way to Paris in 1943 to be with her boyfriend, Gabriel. My other problem was this book should be labeled as a romance set during the war. My thanks to Amazon UK and NetGalley for an ARC. The opinions are my own.

(3.5/5) A good story about female war correspondents that takes place during WWII. Strong female characters although Chloe was my least favorite. She seemed immature and didn't make good decisions. The writing by Soraya Lane, as always, was good. This seemed more of a historical romance more than a WWII historical fiction book, but I do believe that historical fiction readers will enjoy this one.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the review copy.

Soraya Lane always writes relatable characters and this book was no different.
"When journalist Ella Franks is unmasked as a woman writing under a male pseudonym, she loses her job. But having risked everything to write, she refuses to be silenced and leaps at the chance to become a correspondent in war-torn France."

"Already entrenched in the thoroughly male arena of war reporting is feisty American photojournalist Danni Bradford. Together with her best friend and partner, Andy, she is determined to cover the events unfolding in Normandy. And to discover the whereabouts of Andy’s flighty sister, Vogue model Chloe, who has followed a lover into the French Resistance."

As the women join together to make their voices heard they must also rely on each other to remain safe. I recommend this book to those that enjoy historical fiction and stories about strong women during WWII.

🗞 This book is based on the real experiences of female war correspondents who risked so much to get their stories and photographs to audiences back home. It is told from the perspective of three different women. Ella a young journalist who was fired for writing under a male pseudonym. Danni an experienced war photographer who fights back against the restrictions placed on her due to her sex. Chloe a former model who wants nothing more than to be reunited with her French lover. We see these womens lives play out against the backdrop of the last days of the Second World War.

🗞 Through this book our three female protagonists face hardships and criticism from the men around them before realising their own strengths. This is a story of friendship, loyalty, courage and love.

🗞'She needed everyone to see what they went through, what it was like in a war zone, the risks they had to take to get the story and save one another's lives.'

🗞 I really enjoyed this book, I thought it was well written and emotive. It left me wanting to learn more about female correspondents during the Second World War and read more of Lane's books. While I have studied WWII on more than one occasion this is not a topic I'd ever encountered and one I definitely want to know more about.

🗞 I would recommend this book to anyone who likes historical fiction with a romantic element. It is not a hard hitting war story but perfect for anyone seeking a story about strong women, friendship and love.

Thanks to @netgalley @sorayalaneauthor for my advanced copy of the book.

Bravo! The Last Correspondent by Soraya M Lane will find a place in my top books of the year. There are some books that are tough to put into words how much in awe you are of the story and the author. This is definitely one of those books.

Let me tell you why I'm in awe. This story is about brave women who fought for their right to report from the front lines during World War II. The men didn't think little ladies should be anywhere near the fighting. These women have totally captivated my interest and respect.

The characters in the story were composites of the real women correspondents. There were also male correspondents that had it much easier. Some of them understood the women's desire and became their allies. The author made me care for, love and hate these characters. I eventually understood the ones I didn't like and respected their point of view. I don't think I've ever read a book that I actually felt what they were going through and fighting for. This story made you physically and mentally feel the hardship of war.

This is my first book by Soraya M Lane. I'm in awe of her ability to write such a moving book. She has a way of grabbing you from the first page and never letting you go until you've read the story. I'm still thinking about the story and the characters. This won't be my last book by her.

I received this book from the author and Netgalley for a fair and honest review. Thank you. I'm humbled to have read this story.

Europe is in the throes of war. Chloe is a young lady, honestly, chasing a man. Ella is a young lady chasing her dream of being a journalist. Danni is also chasing her dream of being a war correspondent. These three are thrown together because of the war. They have to lean on each other AND MORE to survive.

These three woman are tough as nails. Chloe is one I wanted to jerk a knot in. But, as the story unfolds she does exactly what she needs to do without hesitation.

Ella follows her dream to Europe. However, she is only supposed to be writing about women’s contributions to the war effort. She ends up in the middle of D- Day and much more!

Danni has already proven herself as a wonderful photographer for the war. She will do anything for the best picture. Her partner and writer of the stories, Andy, is her best friend. These two tend to get themselves in many dangerous situations.

This story is full of action, adventure and a tad bit of romance. This would make a great Netflix series. I certainly enjoyed the historical references and the fabulous women characters. And if you are not careful…you may shed a tear or two. This is a novel you do not want to miss!

I received this novel from the publisher for a honest review.

First of all I need to say that i love WWII stories. It has been a compulsion of mine ever since I attended my first college history class and was like... What? They never taught me this in high school!!

The Last Correspondent by Soraya M. Lane is a wonderful representation of strong women in the 1940's. Ella, Danni and Chloe are all strong, independent women who know what they want. If someone tells them women can't go somewhere - they just figure out a way. Ella is a journalist that used a male pseudonym to get a job. When she was discovered and fired, she headed to London and decided there would be no more hiding her femininity and she became a war correspondent. Danni was a photographer who captured the minute and graphic images of the war accompanied by her friend Andy who kept her grounded and safe. Chloe is a Vogue model that follows her love interest into the danger zone. These women are drawn together by unusual circumstances and form a tribe where they can follow their dreams.

I loved this book for the strong female characters and the accurate portrayal of WWII from the point of view of a woman.
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Christiane Amanpour, Elizabeth Palmer, Lara Logan…female war correspondents. We think nothing of these women being on the front lines of battle. But that was not always the case…

“The Last Correspondent” follows two female correspondents as they risk everything to get to the front lines to document and photograph the war. They will risk it all to show the truth of war to the people. Ella Franks and Danni Bradford are determined to get into war-torn France. Along with Danni’s best friend Andy they overcome all the obstacles to cover the troop landing in Normandy. Andy has another agenda – to find his sister Chloe who followed her lover into the French Resistance.

I found myself completely immersed in this story of three strong women who risked it all to follow their dreams. This is one of the best stories of strong female friendships I have read. It was informative about the treatment of female correspondents at the time. The pacing of the story was perfect. It was easy to read and took me on an emotional journey. (Warning: keep tissues near to hand.)

I received this book from the publisher/author free of charge with no expectation of a positive review.

The story of three courageous women fighting to survive during World War II.
I liked the character of Danni, the photographer. She was fearless in going for what she believed in, and was a strong character to have in your corner.
Ella, the wartime correspondent grew on me as she matured from the naive young writer who had to write under a male pseudonym, to someone who grabbed the opportunity in front of her.
Chloe was the least developed character and although she definitely changed from the selfish and immature girl in the first few chapters, I would have liked to have seen more of her with the Resistence.
The writing cleverly portrays the difficulties and hurdles women had to get past to get to the front line to do their job. An enjoyable wartime read.

I've read most of Soraya Lane's book and I think this has to be my favorite.

The books follows three women- Ella, Danni and Chloe.
Danni is a photojournalist who takes pictures so people can see what the war is really about in Italy.
Ella is a writer who has lost her job as a reporter for using a male pseudonym.
Chloe is a Vouge model who travels to Paris to be with her boyfriend who is now part of the Resistance.

The friendship between these women become stronger as they face dangerous situations om the midst of the war.

I loved that even though this is historical fiction, it's not the same, typical WWII historical fiction.
This story is about war and survival, female friendship and love and strong women.

Thanks to the publisher, Lake Union and SuzyApproved Book Tours for my advanced ebook copy.

Ella, Danni, and Chloe are all in WWII France for different reasons. Danni and Ella share a desire to document the War while Chloe, well, Chloe ended up in the Resistane almost by accident. This is a light treatment and regular readers of WWII fiction should know this is heavy on romance. That's to to say, btw, that Lane isn't a good storyteller- she is- and that you won't find yourself rooting for the women. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC.

An entertaining novel of three women from different backgrounds, that land in Europe to cover the war. Ella is a journalist that loses her job in the states, and signs on as a war correspondent. Dani is a photojournalist that is partnered with her best friend Andy, covering the fighting on the front and Chloe is a model, waiting impatiently for her lover that is in Paris. Chloe follows him there and becomes involved in the Resistance movement.
All three women eventually meet up and as a team, work desperately to survive and get back to safety.
This was a story of women trying to survive in a man’s war, dealing with the prejudices of the military and the men who resented women trying to work along side of them. It was a good example how a formidable trio of women, can skirt the barriers of tough battle trained men!
It was a pleasurable read and I found myself rooting for these ladies. My thanks to Soraya M Lane #LakeUnionPublishers and #Netgalley for the ARC. All opinions are my own. Fictional History buffs should like this!

WOW! Soraya M. Lane, the author of “The Last Correspondent” has written a riveting, compelling, captivating, intriguing, and intense novel. The genres for this book are Historical Fiction and Fiction. The timeline for this story is set around World War Two. The story is set in Europe, and mostly France. The author describes her dramatic and colorful characters as complex, complicated, determined, courageous, and brave. I love the way the author vividly describes the characters, events, and actions in the novel. Soraya M. Lane discusses the horrors and tragedy of war and the correspondents who risk their lives to report the news while interacting with the soldiers who are fighting.

During this time, women didn’t get the same equal rights as men in defending our country at war or reporting the news about it. Women were kept from much of the action and activity and some had to be quite resourceful in getting what they wanted, despite the danger. Men in authority believed that women weren’t up to the task. Luckily some men did see that women were capable of handling their tasks just as well.

Three women characters in this story risked their lives to reveal the truth to the public. Ella Franks was a determined journalist. Danni Bradford was lucky to have a male partner Andy. Andy’s model sister Chloe also finds herself in the turbulent war. Although at times the women viewed each other as competitors, they also realized that they were part of a sisterhood, and could work together.

I highly recommend this memorable and thought-provoking story for other readers.

Oh, dear. There are several Martha Gelhorn quotes scattered throughout this novel, but the women depicted here do a great disservice to the real WWII correspondent. All the characters -- male and female -- are cardboard cutouts with shallow emotions that are described and not revealed in their actions.

For example: "She protected it as fiercely as a lioness would her cubs"; "Excitement rippled through Danni;" "This was what she thrived on, what she lived for, and if she were to take a bullet and die alongside the men she followed, then so be it."

My second complaint: This book needs to be clearly identified in the romance category, on the frothier, flightier shelves -- near the bodice-rippers. There are writers out there today who are creating romance novels of substance (Suzanne Brockman, Kendra Elliot), but this doesn't come near them.

I say it's false advertising for Amazon Publishing to portray this as serious historical fiction, and I hope to prevent some other reader from spending carefully-budgeted book funds on this -- unless, of course, it was adolescent escapism they were after. I was spared the expense, since I got an advance readers copy through NetGalley. It was only my time that was wasted.