I must firstly apologise for the amount of time it has taken me to provide a review of this book, my health was rather bad for quite some time, something that had me in hospital on numerous occasions and simply didnt leave me with the time I once had to do what I love most.

Unfortunately that does mean I have missed the archive date for many of these books, so It would feel unjust throwing any review together without being able to pay attention to each novel properly.

However, I am now back to reading as before and look forward to sharing my honest reviews as always going forward. I thank you f0r the patience and understanding throughout x

Haunting, emotional, heart-breaking, breath-taking and thoroughly compelling - I absolutely loved every word!!
I loved this book so much that I have since purchased a paperback copy just so I can have it on my bookshelf, wonderful book!

A forbidden romance during the time of WWII. Big dreams of traveling to America to become a dancer and after an injury more than that. Beneath a Starless Sky has it all! I don't want to give too much away because there are a lot of characters in this book that surprised me. If you love historical fiction like I do you will love this book!

This was a very entertaining book focused on Lilli and her dream of becoming famous … either a dancer or a star in Hollywood. The book is also set in the time period at the beginning of Hitler’s rise to power. Historical fiction is one of my favorite genres and the efforts Lilli makes rescue her family and work against Hitler’s atrocities. The characters are well developed and the pace of the story line is action-driven. You will be drawn into the story and kept enthralled as you flip quickly through the pages. This is a wonderful read for those who appreciate WWII historical fiction with a touch of love and sacrifice.

Thank you to NetGalley and HQ Digital for my advanced review copy. All opinions and thoughts are my own.

Lilli’s story is one that unfortunately, isn’t that too uncommon. Her life, and her families life, was turned upside down when the Nazi Party came into power with such terrible consequences. Lilli’s bravery and determination shone through this story and it transported you right into Lilli’s world. I love historical fiction and this did not disappoint. If this genre is for you, be sure to pre-order this book before it’s release in February 2021. Thank you to @hqstories and @harpercollinsuk for letting me be a part of this book tour.

World War II romantic fiction at its best, set across the continent and overcoming obstacles, I received this novel as an advanced reader copy from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

A beautiful, emotional story. Lilli is a young talented ballerina living in a poor Munich suburb with her Jewish family. The tensions start rising in Germany as she meets a charming German/Italian man. Not accepted by her family and with him getting higher in the Reich she has to leave the relationship.

The story is wonderful. It encompasses wealth, glamour and some great Hollywood insight as Lilly is discovered. Some wonderful historic, famous people are featured in this including the Prince of Wales and Wallis Simpson. Some poetic license but fascinating insight. As Lilli thrives her family are living the trauma of being Jewish in Germany. A truly moving, beautiful book.

I really enjoyed this book! I am an absolute sucker for a WW2 romance and this book did not disappoint. I loved following Lilli and the whole world was truly brought to life for me.

I have a book hangover.
Beneath a Starless Sky by Tessa Harris is the kind of book I didn't even know I'd been craving for a very long time.
A sweeping tale beginning in Munich, 1930, Lilli Sternberg is a impoverished yet exceptionally talented and dedicated ballet student, struggling to make ends meet, with a hope that she can impress a talent scout to recruit her for a dancing contract in America. She is also Jewish. An increasingly uncomfortable label to wear with the rise of Herr Hitler and his National Socialist Party cronies stirring up trouble.
Through a chance meeting at an upper crust party that she was invited to, she meets the handsome Captain Marco. He had seen her perform as Giselle in a recent ballet production and was already smitten. A love affair soon blossomed.
The story dances across continents and a decade of success, losses, betrayal and intrigue. Tessa Harris deftly weaves real life characters and events in with her own fictional narrative and the result is a captivating and eye opening tale that will leave you grasping for more.
There is nothing I can fault about this book. It is going to live rent free in my head for a long time and I will be raving about it to everybody I know.

Loved this book, had a little bit of everything. Great characters, great story, really enjoyable story, didn’t want it to end.

This is an insightful and well-researched story of betrayal, bravery and love set in pre-war Germany, Europe and North America. The harrowing events in Germany in the grip of fascism are written sensitively but immerse the reader in the culture of fear, injustice and terror that epitomised pre-war Germany.

The love story is powerful and tragic and forces Lilli to seek solace in her dancing career. There is an intriguing blend of historical real-life characters in the fiction, which adds realism.

The writing is lyrical, but the plot is fast-paced to match the relentless pace of events and the ever-increasing menace.

An engaging but poignant story.

I received a copy of this book from HQ via NetGalley in return for an honest review.

I really enjoyed reading this book. The setting and plot were very thought provoking and the addition of real, well known, characters was very interesting. Recommended.

Thanks to Netgalley for a copy of this book for an honest review.

With the deluge of historical fiction, particularly World War 2, it is nice to get a different perspective. Told from the viewpoint of a young German Jew, this story looks at the relationship between the Duke and Duchess of Windsor and the Nazi's. Heartbreakingly told, I would highly recommend it!

I was swept away by this tale of forbidden love between a Jewish dancer and German/Italian soldier. What I especially liked about it was the espionage angle and the inclusion of real-life characters like the Prince of Wales and his mistress Wallis Simpson. It’s a dazzling and devastating story that had me hooked to the end.

I absolutely loved this book and was completely swept up in the story. I enjoyed the setting, the way the story unfolded and the characters. Would read this author again, thank you.

I received a copy of this ebook in exchange for an honest review
This was very well done but for me it just was another WWII novel.

This book was a solid read for me. I really love historical WWII novels and the fact that the main character was a ballerina piqued my interest. However, I was expecting the story to be more about ballet, dancing and Hollywood along with a star-crossed romance but found that dancing was just a very minor storyline in the book.

I enjoyed how the author included fascinating, real-life characters such as the Duke and Duchess of Windsor. At the same time, I felt that the book moved from being a romance to a Hollywood story before settling into being a wartime spy novel. Lilli was such a strong character that I would have preferred if the book had been more focused on one aspect of Lilli's life than so spread out.

All in all, with themes of betrayal and family set against the backdrop of war and espionage, this was a moving and, at times, compelling read. Thanks to HQ Digital and NetGalley for an advance copy.

Beneath a Starless Sky by Tessa Harris is an excellent pre-WWII era historical fiction that has it all: action, history, suspense, a transcontinental and spanning narrative, and romance.

This is the first novel that I have read by this author, and I am now most certainly a fan. I really enjoyed reading the complex story line and the experiences that Lilli Sternberg experienced traveling from Munich to Old Hollywood and back. So many obstacles, so many stunning turns of events throughout the narrative.
I was continually surprised on what would happen next, and felt that those twists and turns really added to complexity of the narrative. I liked Lilli. She was strong, like able, imperfect, and I was really rooting for her and her continual perseverance. I also enjoyed the dash of romance that was interwoven throughout. It added a softer aspect to the action-packed story. And without giving any spoilers, I enjoyed how it all wrapped up.

A great historical fiction that kept me engaged throughout and I highly recommend.

5/5 stars

Thank you NG and HQ for this ARC and in return I am submitting my unbiased and voluntary review and opinion.

I am posting this review to my GR, Bookbub, Amazon, Instagram, and B&N accounts immediately. This book was published on 12/9/2020.

"Beneath a Starless Sky" by Tessa Harris
Released 12.9.2020

Set in the 1930s in Munich, Lilli Sternberg dreams of becoming a famous dancer or a Hollywood star. She is so wrapped up in her own dreams, she does not notice the worries and political concerns of her brother, Leon. Neighbors and acquaintances that have been friendly with the Sternberg family for years have now changed their attitudes -- all because Lilli and her family are Jewish.

Lilli decides she and her family need to leave Munich to stay safe.

I loved Lilli. She was such a strong character and tried her hardest to always do the right thing. Her perseverance shown through this novel. Lilli deserved such a better ending, but everything doesn't end with a happy ending.

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

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Great plot, well written, kept me up very late having to just read the next chapter! Lilli is a very talented dancer and has managed a degree of fame, mixes in the right circles, is friends with the Duke and duchess of Windsor, and has been asked to do some intelligence work in her home country of Germany. But it's the 1930s and Lilli is Jewish.....