I only wanted to read this book because I loved Beneath The Scarlet Sky, so glad I read this one, it was one of those that you just couldn't put down ! I loved reading about historical fiction based on real life people, this one hooked me right from the beginning, such as easy read and made you want to keep reading to see what was going to happen to the family. Loved how Adeline always had her faith in God, her undying love for her husband (a true love story) and family. Even thought Emil struggled with his faith he found it and was determined to find his wife and kids. All of the struggles they endured, bad luck, horrible weather, no food, illness. And still they never gave up and never stopped loving each other. One of my favorite books this year!! Thank you Netgalley for the ARC, it was amazing!

I rarely say this about a book -- but I did enjoy Beneath a Scarlet Sky better -- which was Mark's last book. But even with that being said -- his books are always worthy of 5 stars. His writing is impeccable and his research is extraordinary. I struggled to figure out why this one wasn't my favorite - and I think it's because it wasn't a true story. I did read that it was inspired by a family - but I think that was the disconnect. There are few exceptional historical fiction writers for me and he is definitely one of them!! I've read a lot of historical fiction -- end. of the war stories like this one always fascinates me because there are not that many books that capture it well. If you love historical fiction -- he is definitely a writer you will want to become familiar with.

Mark Sullivan did it again, after the amazing book Beneath the Scarlet Sky, Sullivan has written an extraordinary book in The Last Green Valley.

Following the lives of the Martel family, an ethnic German family, their trek from Ukraine to Germany during the last period of WWII, and then their journey to America.

You can feel their fear, desperation, hunger, sadness but also their joy, hope and happiness.

It is a truly moving story and Sullivan does a great job in telling the real story of the. Martel family.

I can't wait to read his next book.

While I have read other books by this author and enjoyed them I found this story to drag on. It is a storyline that is not really known; the ethnic Germans that were moved to Ukraine for farming. Caught between the Russians and the Germans in WWII the Martel family makes the decision to go west to escape eventually both forces. This is where I thought the story just went on way too long. The back story in Ukraine is very interesting and what they had to endure to leave there. One really understood the characters and the different family members' viewpoints. Based on a true story I found it interesting, just a little too long.

What a phenomenal read of heroism on behalf of the Martel Family. They were from the Ukraine and had suffered at the hand of the Russian forces one time before and new how cruel they could become. They envisioned a life much better and knew they would find it , but not if they remained.
German heritage was not only a hindrance because the Soviets would want them for work slaves and the Germans would see them as traitors, but they needed to find the Allied lines.

The author uses strong characters that take us on a journey of peril and he has written a book of intrigue and one that you need to keep reading to find out what happens next. It starts out slow , but picks up and at various times it goes away from the key elements, but it does not take away from the overall view of what the book represents which is family and staying strong in faith.

I received a free advanced copy from NetGalley and these are my willingly given thoughts and opinions.

“This is an American story, an immigrant story, a spiritual and universal story. May we all dare to chase such dreams, experience such grace, and lead such miraculous lives.” —
Mark Sullivan, Bozeman, Montana, July 21, 2020

And what a story The Last Green Valley is. The Martel family Emil, Adeline and their sons Walt and Will are living a tough life under Stalin rule in Ukraine. Do they continue to wait for the Russians to advance or do they take a chance and escape with the Nazis.
Their decision leads to their dream of freedom but to reach this dream they encounter horrific and traumatic years as refugees barely surviving at times.
The story is hard to read at times but the author writes with feeling and depth. It is extremely well researched and the author’s notes at the conclusion of the book are a must read.
A truly engaging read about the power of faith, love and the ability to survive.

A fabulous book, well written with twists and turns that keep the reader hanging on a cliff edge.

Set in WW2 this book follows the journey of Emil and Adelaine Martel and their two young boys escaping the Soviets and Stalins despicable regime.
This is a book of historical fiction, love, faith, and their will to live and find a better life together.

I would highly recommend this book and author.

Mark Sullivan has adroitly infused the Martel’s courageous account with this traumatic period in history. A truly moving and immersive story which transported me on this harrowing journey.

I was very excited to get an ARC of this book from NetGalley because I absolutely loved the author’s earlier historical-fiction-based-on-real-persons book, Beneath a Scarlet Sky. This story takes place at the end of WWII as the Martel family begins The Long Trek from Ukraine to the West to escape Communism. Sullivan’s writing style is so good; he makes the characters come to life and you find yourself cheering them on during the good times and (of course!) the horrors. I will definitely recommend this to my book clubs when it is published. My only complaint was that there was a lot of current slang in this book that I doubt was being used in the 1940s. I hope the editors will catch and correct this before publication. A five star read

The Last Green Valley is absolutely stunning. Based on the real life story of the Martel family, it is a testament to the human spirit and a book that will captivate from the first to the last word.

World War II is raging, and as a German immigrant family, the Martels are caught between the advancing Russian army and the retreating German troops. Loading all that they can on a wagon, Emil and Adeline, along with their two young sons Walt and Wilhelm, face an arduous journey West into an uncertain future. Adeline dreams of finding a green valley to call home, a place of beauty and freedom. Just when it seems they may be getting closer to that dream, Emil is captured by the Russians and taken to a POW camp where he is one among many forced labourers. All that keeps him going is his determination to be reunited with his family.

Meanwhile, Adeline and the boys face their own hardships, and finding a strength she has to dig deep to find, she makes her way to Berlin, a city devastated by war. As the months go by, she begins to lose hope of ever seeing Emil again. Will her family ever find their green valley?

Meticulously researched, this book is written so beautifully, and the description is so vivid you can't help but be transported into another time and place. It will devastate you, it will uplift you, and it will force you to think about life differently. Absolutely one of the best books I've read in a long time, it is truly magnificent.

This is a “based on a true story” book, retelling the story of a family's journey at the end of WWII, as they flee west toward freedom and uncertainty. The author explains in the Preface that he did extensive research about the real family and their journey; and used all of the records he was able to find to help him accurately tell the story; while filling the gaps with plausible details.

Generally historical fiction is not my favorite genre, but the author does a good job of keeping the story interesting; there is quite a bit of action and difficult decisions that the characters are forced to make. At first I didn't find the characters to be very intriguing, but he more I read, the more I became invested in the characters and interested in how they would survive the ordeal.

Overall, this is a dramatic and somewhat inspiring story; and if you are particularly interested in this time period (WWII) then this might be even more enjoyable for you.

After reading beneath a scarlet sky I couldn’t wait to get my hands on this book! In late March 1944, as Stalin’s forces push into Ukraine, young Emil and Adeline Martel must make a terrible decision: Do they wait for the Soviet bear’s intrusion and risk being sent to Siberia? Or do they reluctantly follow the wolves—murderous Nazi officers who have pledged to protect “pure-blood” Germans?

The Martels are one of many families of German heritage whose ancestors have farmed in Ukraine for more than a century. But after already living under Stalin’s horrifying regime, Emil and Adeline decide they must run in retreat from their land with the wolves they despise to escape the Soviets and go in search of freedom.

Caught between two warring forces and overcoming horrific trials to pursue their hope of immigrating to the West, the Martels’ story is a brutal, complex, and ultimately triumphant tale that illuminates the extraordinary power of love, faith, and one family’s incredible will to survive and see their dreams realised. Another mind blowing read Warning!- I suggest that you don’t pick this book up if you are short of time. From the first page I was hooked and didn’t want to put it down.

The Last Green Valley is fiction based on the true story of Emil and Adeline Martel and their two boys. The Martels are descended from Germans who immigrated to the Ukraine under Catherine the Great, who was looking for skilled farmers to work the land and feed Russia. Under Stalin, the Ukraine suffered terribly, and many people saw the German invasion as a sort of reprieve from the oppression. As Stalin’s troops started to push the German army back, the Germans took the Native German peoples along with them with the idea that these people would repopulate the areas the Germans had taken over. Although the Martels were not fans of Hitler’s, they knew what life was like under Stalin and their hope was to go as far west as possible and find the Allied Army.

This really is a story of love, tragedy, perseverance, and family. The writing is engaging, the characters are well developed, and yes, there is literary license taken, the story is based on real events. But even knowing the outcome I found myself unable to put the book down, needing to find out what twist came next for the family. Definitely a page turner. If you like WWII historical fiction, or historical fiction of Eastern Europe, you’ll enjoy this. I am definitely reading the author’s other work, Under a Scarlet Sky. He has also written a series with James Patterson which I liked. I didn’t realize this was the same author.

Thank you to NetGalley, the publishers, and the author for an ARC in exchange for a fair and honest review.

This historical novel, one based on real-life, is the story of Emil and Adeline Martel who are caught between the Russian and the Germans in their native Ukraine during WWII. They have to flee – but both east and west pose great danger and the following years are difficult indeed. It’s a powerful and compelling story, but if I hadn't known how firmly based it was on fact I would have been impatient with it. There are just so many coincidences that credibility is pushed to the limit, even if we are told that it all happened just as described. The writing style is straightforward and accessible but comes across as rather flat – this is no literary novel. Frequent flashbacks interrupt the narrative flow for no good reason that I could see, and in fact detract from the reader’s involvement. Definitely worth reading, as it’s an excellent exposition of the plight of so many displaced refuges during the war, but somehow the characters never quite came alive for me, and I remained interested, but disengaged throughout.

This historical fiction, based on true facts, story tells of a very brave family during horrific times in World War II. The love this couple has for each other and for their children is both heartbreaking and inspiring at the same time. Though separated and having to learn how to deal with persecution, war, and imprisonment, their hope of being reunited remains strong throughout. This is a well written and engaging tale about just how strong the human spirit can be during the most unimaginable times. If you enjoy reading about the unsung heroes of World War II or if you’re just looking for an example of how an indomitable spirit and hope can pull you through tough times, then this book is a must read. Thank you to NetGalley for the advanced read copy.

Inspired by true events, we follow the Martel family as they flee Ukraine in search of a better life at the end of WW2, protected by the Germans and pursued by the Russians.
It took me a while to get into this book but once I did, I was with them, every step of their journey.
It’s a story about hope, resilience, love and above all, family.
Historical fiction fans will enjoy this book and my thanks go to NetGalley and the publisher for this arc in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing for the advanced copy of The Last Green Valley for my honest review.

Wow. I just finished this fabulous story with tears in my eyes! My heart broke so many times for what Emil and Adeline endured with their children go find freedom! This is not an easy read, but I feel the story of the Martel family is important and should be told! This is the first book by Mark Sullivan I have read, but since starting this one, I purchased Across a Scarlet Sky and will also be reading that one. Excellent writing I loved this!!

The Last Green Valley by Mark Sullivan is an incredible book inspired by true events that will shock even the most harden souls. I’ve read many WW2 historical novels but this is based on a true story which immediately elevates the scale of suffering and evil that dominated the East during the last part of the war and it’s immediate aftermath.
In short, it’s about an ethnic German family, the Martel’s who have to flee their home in the Ukraine and the ordeals they endure on the Long Trek through the atrocities of WW2 and it’s brutal oppression...and it’s Adeline’s dream of a green valley that keeps them determined to survive and to finding freedom.
I enjoyed reading how Mark Sullivan set out to find another untold WW2 story which had to be inherently moving, inspiring and potentially transformative, well Emil & Adeline’s story definitely had that in spades...it just shows what ordinary people can endure and achieve when all seems lost. Brilliantly written and researched...an easy 5 stars from me.
Big thanks to Mark Sullivan, Lake Union Publishing and NetGalley for this eARC which I chose to read in return for my honest review.

I read an uncorrected proof of this book via Netgalley.

I always enjoy discovering new stories, especially when they are based on actual events, and so I went into this book with high expectations. This was a part of WW2 history that I’ve not come across before; the German people caught in Ukraine and fleeing with the protection of the German army. We follow the story of Emil and Adeline, along with their two sons and extended family, who are offered ‘safe’ passage from Russia to Germany in 1944. Their journey, along with many other refugees sees them experience some true deprivation along with extremely testing times.

The book also touched on the separation of many families which happened when the divide in Berlin occurred.

Emil and Adeline both go through their own journeys of faith, learning to rely on themselves and each other and understanding what is most important. This is a life-affirming story of hope, loss, love and courage.

I appreciated the story but for me, the book was a little letdown by the writing style. In parts it read more like a secondary school essay: a classic example being that we were told the location, date and year at the start of each section and yet we’d also then be told ‘On March 23 1941 Adeline got up...’ which was just overkill in my opinion. I know the author was attempting to blend fact with fiction but it could have been done a little more smoothly. As a reader I found it disconnected me from the narrative.

Overall this was an interesting read which could be a fantastic one with a little more editing.

As Adeline and Emil Martel and their two young sons joined the caravan of refugees, along with both Emil and Adeline’s families, they were under no illusions of what could and probably would lie ahead. Their wagon with their two faithful horses leading the way, followed the directions of the Germans who were ‘protecting’ them, taking them away from the danger of Stalin’s rule. Ukraine in 1944 was a dreadful place to call home, with hunger and starvation high on their list of grievances. Their dream of escaping to the west, to a beautiful green valley, was strong.

Riding on the trains, crowded with fleeing refugees, Adeline and her boys journeyed on the roof. Torment and horror, death and danger – those things were there every day. But their love and faith in each other kept them strong. Until the day many months later, when they were finally on the cusp of escape and Emil was captured by Polish soldiers. Adeline didn’t know where he’d be taken, but Siberia was mentioned. How would she manage without his calm guidance? How could she get her family to safety without Emil’s strength? What would be the outcome in the dreaded east of Germany if they couldn’t escape to the West? Would they ever find their green valley?

The Last Green Valley is my first by Mark Sullivan, and it won’t be my last. Based on the factual life of the Martel family, of their journey to freedom, the heartache and devastating trials they encountered along the way, the author’s writing is sublime. His descriptions of their journey; of the prison camp Emil was incarcerated in for so long; of Adeline and the small church one Christmas Eve; of the many people the Martels encountered along the way – I could picture it all with ease. I thoroughly enjoyed The Last Green Valley and it is one I highly recommend.

With thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for my digital ARC to read in exchange for an honest review.