I have mixed feelings about this book. It told the remarkable story of the author's in-laws and how they came to know each other during WWII. It was suspenseful and easy to read. However, I'm confused as to why it is listed as a biography/memoir/nonfiction. The author admits that there were gaps he had to fill with his best conjectures. Also, there is dialogue throughout. It read very much like a novel. There were only a couple of times were I was pulled out of the story by 'info dumps' that reminded me this was listed as a memoir. Other than that, it read very much like historical fiction.

Confusion aside, the story of this couple was amazing, and at the end it was cool to see documentation of some of their more incredible experiences.

There was a lot of strong language in this book, definitely more than I would have expected from a book labeled as a biography.

Thank you to NetGalley and The Bookclub Girls for this early read.

The Note Through the Wire tells the harrowing story of survival during World War II.
Josefine, a young Slovenian partisan, has been searching for her brother Polde, who has gone missing. Thinking he may be in the nearby prisoner camp, she passes a note through the camp barbed wire to Kiwi ( New Zealander)Bruce Murray, a German POW asking for news of her brother within the camp. Bruce endeavors to do all he can to help the young woman setting off a chain of lifetime events.
From Bruce's multiple escape attempts, the loss of Bruce's camp mates and friends to the atrocities of German and later Russian soldiers, the memoir portrays the strength and bravery of Bruce and others fighting for their lives.
After the war, Bruce attempts to find Josefine, whom he has fallen in love. Though separated by politics and geography, Bruce fights through red tape and bureaucracy to be reunited with his love.
Thank you to Netgalley and William Morrow publishing for the advanced proof in exchange for an honest review.

A heartwarming story of love and perseverance! This memoir reads more like a historical fiction story, about a soldier/prisoner of war from New Zealand and a Slovenian resistance fighter who meet and fall in love despite many hardships throughout and beyond World War II. The couple's son-in-law Doug Gold told the story from details in letters the couple wrote as they were separated during and after the war, and I found the afterward describing how he did this as interesting as the story itself. This book was a slow burn but I couldn't put it down as I couldn't imagine how they had made it through such unimaginable atrocities to build a life together.

Thank you to NetGalley, William Morrow and Custom House for allowing me to read an advance copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

The Note Through The Wire is a WWII story but with a different slant because it is about a New Zealand prisoner or war and a Slovenian resistance fighter. Finding love, losing touch with that love and then the struggle to reconnect after the war were so well written I wanted to skip ahead in reading to find the outcome resolved so I could skip the tension in the story. A crumpled note changed the course of lives so it is a reminder that one small act can can the future for us all in ways we can't even imagine.

This was such a good book. Bruce and Josephine were so tortured by the war. It was fate that got them together. Josephine passing the note through the wire looking for her brother and Bruce the one who got the note and did try to find her brother. He kept hoping he would see her again but that did not happen for months to come. I found it funny that Bruce was so into his hygiene and appearance. It was hard to do in a POW camp but he did his darndest. He would put his pants in a perfect fold under his mattress so they would press out and have a nice seam. He packed his shoe polish also which I found cute. The book is about WWII and there is sadness and torture and fighting. It is well written by Doug Gold who is the son-in-law of Bruce and Josephine. That being said it is more truth than fiction with a beautiful love story to boot!

Thanks to #williammorrow, #netgalley, #douggold for an ARC of this book

3.75 True Story Stars

Since I knew this was a true story (with some unverified details added) I knew it was authentic as the author could make it. It did make me think that truth is stranger than fiction! A story with the backdrop of WWII, although this one had some different settings than many other books I’ve read from this time period. Much of it was set in Slovenia and touched on the complicated politics in that region and a few battles in Greece, which I had forgotten had a role in the war.

One of our main characters is Bruce, a soldier from New Zealand who spends most of the war as an Allied Prisoner of War. He’s captured after a failed battle in Greece and is sent to several camps. He happens to meet the other main character, Josefine, as she is searching for clues about her missing brother. Josefine and her whole family gets involved as partisans and resisting against the Germans. Her town is occupied during the war.

Bruce and Josefine meet up again when he’s loaned out to a local farmer and the two eventually fall in love. The face countless obstacles and near misses during the war. They embark on many missions and are nearly caught several times.

After the war, it’s challenging as well as he’s sent back to New Zealand and she can’t get an exit visa. I enjoyed this story and it sheds more light on the difficult times that people endured in WWII.

The Note through the Wire is based on the true stories of Bruce Murray and Josefine Lobnik as told by the author Doug Gold who is their son-in-law. First, I really like the cover of the book. Second, the reader will want to read the author notes. Mr. Gold did a lot of research and has documented it in the back of the book. This couple’s stories are told alternating chapters by Josefine and Bruce and moves in different time periods,

Bruce is from New Zealand and like many young men thought he was on an adventure with a couple of good friends. Josefine is a Slovenian and her family is involved in the resistance. Bruce ends up in a Stalag in Maribor. The Germans separate the prisoners by nationality and the East Europeans are treated the worst. Josefine believes that her brother is in the camp and risks her life trying to pass a note through the barbed wire fence asking if anyone knows, Bruce is out walking and trying to get rid of a hangover and sees an old woman approaching the barbed wire fence. As he investigates, he realizes it is a young woman. And she slips a note to him just as a guard approaches. So starts their story. A chance encounter. Some of the scenes are very difficult to read that took place.

Like many survivors, they remained quiet and did not tell much of their stories. The author did a lot of research to piece together and fill in blanks of their story. His efforts paid off in honoring his in-laws and giving the reader a view of some of the extreme circumstances of WWII. My thanks to William Morrow and NetGalley for an ARC of this book. The opinions in this review are my own.

I highly recommend this book. It is told with vigor during the harrowing scenes and tenderly during the affectionate scenes. Some of the hardships the couple endures are ones that I had never considered. For example, not having any papers to prove who you are. You've had to run for your life. The facts are well researched and the author’s notes give even more depth to Bruce and Josephine’s astonishing story. You might even believe that Providence or fate had a hand in protecting the couple so they could tell their story.
Thank you #NetGalley and #williammorrow for the advanced copy of #the notethroughthewire.

I really wanted to love this story... I found it very slow going. Where I know this is a true story, the beginning of the book just dragged on. I started to really enjoy it at 60% which is probably way past the point that others would DNF.
It was interesting, again, that is was a real story, real love story and a different side of WWII.
If the story was a blend of fact and fiction, then it could have been a bit more engaging.

This story was good but not great. I felt it read more like a historical fiction than a nonfiction and with what the author wrote in back, feel it should have been labeled historical fiction.

My other issue with the book is that I felt there wasn't as much drama and parts were left out that should have been told. At one point Frank and Bruce are moved to the front line in a battle. The next sentence the battle is over. This is one of many scenes where I felt the reader was missing out.

Overall not a bad book just not one that overly excited me.

Thank you netgalley for the opportunity to read this book for my honest opinion.

Very realistic portrayal of the horrors of war and prisoner of war facilities. Great characters. Shows the strength of the human spirit.

A true story about a Kiwi POW, Bruce, and a Slovenian Resistance fighter, Josefine. It is well written and you hear both of their stories and how they've come to fall in live despite many obstacles.

I really liked that it is setting in Slovenia and not your typical WWII settings of Germany or France. It highlights a not much talked part of Europe that was fighting the Nazis

Thank you to Netgalley for the ARC

The Note Through the Wire
The Incredible True Story of a Prisoner of War and a Resistance Heroine
by Doug Gold
William Morrow and Custom House
You Are Auto-Approved
William Morrow Paperbacks
Biographies & Memoirs | History | Nonfiction (Adult)
Pub Date 16 Mar 2021 | Archive Date 11 May 2021

This is a great true story of love between a prisoner of war and a resistance heroine. I really enjoyed this book which filled me with courage, hope, and love. Great book that I will recommend to our history and biography readers. Thanks to William Morrow and Custom House as well as Netgalley for the ARC.

5 stars

A fascinating read based on a true story of love found during WWII. Josephine, who becomes a partisan in the Slovene (Yugoslavia), is searching for her missing brother when she meets Bruce, a New Zealand soldier and POW. Theirs is a story of courage and resilience, hope and love.

Thank you to William Morrow, Netgalley and the author Doug Gold for the advanced reader copy of this book!

I received an ARC of this novel and enjoyed it. This is a love story between Josephine and Bruce during WWII. It is a fictionalized account of a true events

Bruce is a POW who has a chance meeting with Josephine when she is passing a note through the barbed wire, to learn about the whereabouts of her brother, Polde, who had been captured by the Germans.

Josephine and her entire family are partisans. They each, in their own way, take tremendous risks to thwart the Nazi's efforts. Even when questioned and tortured, they stay true to their commitments and work against the Germans.

During the story, we alternate between the events impacting both Josephine and Bruce until the day they finally come face to face and eventually fall in love.

This is a love story told during the backdrop of a horrific time in our history. We meet some beautiful, resilient characters who exhibit kindness and humanity despite huge risks to themselves and their families. We also meet the worst of the worst.

I appreciate the author's dedication to telling this story and ensuring the rest of the world knows the story of Josephine and Bruce.

I loved this book, I have been reading a lot of Historical fiction and this one didn’t disappoint .

Well-told story recounting true events. A chance encounter leads to another chance encounter in the middle of one of the worst times in human history. True love and hope for a better future help 2 people survive and endure, to come out on the other side.

Historical fiction is my favourite genre and particularly books written about WWII and the strength and courage of people who lived through this period of history.

The Note Through the Wire is based on a true story. A love story which develops in the most unusual of circumstances.
Josefine, a Nazi resistance member slips a note through the wire of Stalag XVIIID, in Slovenia, to which Bruce Murray a NZ POW takes. Josefine is searching for her missing brother and her note pleads for help in finding him. A remarkable story develops from this encounter and we learn about Bruce and Josefine’s lives.
The hardship endured during this period of history and the bravery and courage of individuals who lived through it is portrayed with raw truth. The book is harrowing and heartbreaking at times but it is so important to never forget this part of history.

This fictionalized memoirs describes the experiences of the author’ in-laws during World War II. Bruce Murray, a soldier from New Zealand, has a chance encounter with Josefine Lob in, a resistance fighter in Yugoslavia. The narrative alternates between the two as they undergo hardship and danger, fall in love, and against all odd are finally reunited after the war is over. The author’s extensive research brought the horrors of war to life. The bravery and true love of Bruce and Josefine are truly inspiring.

Numerous books have been written to give us a glimpse of the atrocities that took place during WWII. This is another heart wrenching war story.

Yet, this is different. It's a true love story mixed in with some fictional names written with great passion.. It's dedicated to the main characters: Bruce Murray and Josefine Lobnik. They came from different parts of the world. Bruce decided to enter the war with his buddies in New Zealand. Josefine was in the thick of it with her family involvement in Slovenia part of the kingdom of Yugoslavia in the 1930s. They met by chance when she carefully and secretly gave Bruce a note asking for help when he was in a POW camp. He watched her on the other side of the wire not really sure what she was asking at the time. He didn't see her again until later at a different place when they just happened to meet again. What were the odds?

The book gives the reader a timeline of events from the beginning to the end of the war told with alternated stories told by Bruce and Josefine. For those that want a real picture of what happened, this is it. There are no censor of words. Bruce said, the dessert was "miles and miles of fuck all" as he was walking in the pounding heat. In Cairo, Bruce described the scent of rotting garbage, tobacco, unwashed bodies, spices and incense in the mix. He said bugs bit everyone at movies which made me cringe. Then after he was caught in Greece as a POW, he heard cries of the wounded, saw the pain of those dying and felt the profound grief when he lost his friends.

Josefine was warned to watch every word she said. They tortured her family and friends. Women were at times raped and killed afterwards. No one knew from one day to the next if they would survive. She had to keep moving to find safety for her life. It was the most challenging tests of life with families wiped out and children separated from their parents. "No one seemed to know how long they were going to endure these conditions." Josephine was a part of the partisan movement to pass along messages and help the prisoners. The first rule of survival was to trust no one - not even your best friends.

Bruce summed it up by saying there's "no justice in this fucked up world." It was a continued state of suffering from 1939 to 1945. Then after the war, people had to adjust and recreate their lives which took time and patience. This book - as many others - are important for us to read. It's the only way we can understand our past and hopefully prevent it from happening again. It was evident that the author did a considerable amount of work to make this book historically accurate.

My thanks to the author, publisher and NetGalley for allowing me to read an advanced copy.