I enjoy reading historical fiction books that take place during WWII. This one was a completely different focus from most of the books I’ve read. Set in Norway and the Shetland Islands in Scotland, you will learn about the Norwegian resistance. I continue to be amazed at the individuals who were willing to sacrifice everything to fight against the horrors of Hitler’s regime. I had never heard of the “Shetland bus” and the way the ships undertook the dangers they faced from the Nazis who would exact punishment for anyone helping the refugees and the stormy seas they traversed. This story had a lot of gripping the page tension. I was physically exhausted by the time I had read the last word. This is one that will lead me to doing more research on this part of WWII. That’s a sign of a good book!

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

This book is Phenomenal! I couldn't get anything done until I finished it. It's fast paced but you really get to know the characters and care about them. I love to check out a writers first book for me. It sure won't be the last if she's written another one. She knows how to write! She does all of the characters justice.

Thank you so much, NetGalley, the publisher, and the writer, for giving me the chance to read and review this great book!

I read “ The Lifeline” by Deborah Swift. The WWII setting provided unexpected twists and turn throughout the book. Deborah Swift did a nice job of turning historical events into an interesting and engaging story of patriotism, loss, and friendship. The characters had depth and the background details added a sense of being in the story. I rated this book 4 out of 5.

I enjoyed this book! It took me a little bit to get into but once I did I could not stop until I finished! The characters were really good and developed well!!

I voluntarily reviewed a copy of this book provided by NetGalley.

Norwegian teacher, Astrid Dahl, is forced into hiding when she refuses to teach Nazi-approved subjects to her students. Her boyfriend, Jorgen, drives the Shetland Bus, a last escape route to England from Norway. Astrid must get to the meeting point before he is forced to leave her on the shoes of Norway. Well written historical fiction.

Embark on a harrowing journey from Norway to Shetland, escaping death and fighting the Nazis at every turn!

I couldn't put The Lifeline down! The riveting portrayal of the Shetland Bus — a small army of fishing boats that would go into Norway from Shetland, Scotland, to retrieve refugees, deploy Resistance member, and transport military equipment to collect information and be used on the frontlines to defeat the Nazis — and the Norwegian Teacher's Strike — a revolt that led 12,000 teachers to fight against the fascist curriculum the Nazis required to be taught in the schools after their invasion — introduced a new narrative of World War II that I had not heard before. Each chapter took me further into the danger of standing for truth and refusing to back down, despite the threat of losing your life to save countless others!

"We must be willing to let go of the life we have planned, so as to have the life that is waiting for us." E.M Forster

Jørgen Nystrøm has been working with the Resistance as a W/T operator for eighteen months. Hiding in plain sight, he sends transmissions to England so the British army can continue their fight against the Nazis, who have invaded Norway, his homeland. However, when the Nazis get wind of his mission, they pursue Jørgen, forcing him to flee to Shetland and say goodbye to his girlfriend, Astrid, whom he may never see again. No one is to be trusted, but in a war where everyone must fight to survive, Jørgen will learn that sometimes you have to lean on the enemy for life!

"The first law of survival. Keep yourself armed. The second law? Be prepared. But be prepared to change. Being married to any ideology leads to tyranny in the end."

Living a quiet life, Astrid Dahl wasn't planning on joining the Resistance. A teacher at the local school in Oslo, Astrid hoped that things would not change with the Nazi's invasion; but, after Jørgen's disappearance and the Nazi's implementing a fascist curriculum into the schools, Astrid takes action! Recruiting teachers from all over the country, Astrid begins a rebellion against the new school system, refusing to teach Nazi propaganda. Going on strike, she and many other teachers begin to teach their students secretly, providing material to further the children's studies; however, as pressure intensifies and the Nazi's begin to watch Astrid's activities, she has to make a decision. Will she stay in Oslo and take her chances with the Nazis, or will she flee the country to survive?

"Summer would soon be coming and over there, somewhere, lay Shetland; a place of peace, pure air and wide open spaces — an island still free."

The Lifeline had me gripping the edge of my seat from the first page! I don't know about you, but I usually start books hoping that there will be a happy ending; but, with this novel, I wasn't sure what to expect and braced myself for either scenario. The characters were so relatable and realistic that each event made it feel like I was the one in the story!

Would you risk your life to save the ones you love? What would you do if your heart told you not to trust someone even though everyone around you disagreed? Are you capable of taking someone's life if it means saving yourself and others?

There is nothing sweet or lovely about war. It's brutal and will take down anything and anyone that gets in its way; yet, humans continue to fight for what's right, no matter the cost. In all the grit and blood, a light comes out when we work together to stop the enemy. The Lifeline was another narrative that highlighted the bravery of the many individuals who risked their lives to thwart the Nazis. Living and dying for the freedom of humanity is not something to be taken lightly. Each time the choice was raised in The Lifeline, the author did an exceptional job showing the sacrifice and strength that comes when we are forced to fight until our dying breath.

The Lifeline was not only a story based on true events that took place in 1940-42; it is also a wake-up call for us not to allow what happened back then to occur today! We must continue to fight for what is right and not back down when governments and organizations tell us to teach, act, or respond in ways that come against all that we know to be true. Let your voice be heard, and never back down in the face of adversity! Jørgen and Astrid's stories were an inspiration to me and, I believe, will ignite a fire into anyone who picks up this book!

Positive content: 4⭐️
Language: 2⭐️
Sexual content: 2⭐️
Violence: 3⭐️
Age: 15+

*Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with a pre-release copy of this book. My thoughts and opinions are entirely my own!*

This was an exciting story about World War 2. It kept me interested and at times apprehensive about what was going to happen. The story was set in Norway and Shetland. There was a lot of drama throughout the book and l recommend that you read this book if you want to know more about how the Norwegians were involved in the war.

The Lifeline by Deborah Swift is an excellent WWII era historical fiction novel that has it all: action, suspense, romance, and a gripping plot from beginning to end.

I really love how unique this book is in that it sets the story amongst the resistance groups in Norway and the heroic acts that included whisking people away to hopeful safety on the Shetland Bus. I was so drawn in and intrigued by these events that I devoured this book in two days.

I loved Jorgen and Astrid. I enjoyed the complex characters, their respective stories, the alternating points of view, and I loved the plot. It was an excellent read.

5/5 stars

Thank you NG and Sapere Books 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.

A great novel of WW2, with well drawn characters, I would recommend it highly. Thank you to netgalley and the publishers for giving me an advance review copy, I really enjoyed the novel.

I absolutely loved this book. So much so that I read in one day.

I really enjoyed the two main strands of the narrative With the two different POV and the occasional view of another character. It gave the story depth.
The characters of Astrid and Jørgen, Isaak, Sara and Karl were well rounded and I kept guessing until the end on which side Karl stood.
The book made me aware of the workings of the Norwegian resistance as well as the existence of the Shetland Bus. The fact that I’ve not read a novel with such a setting made me rank the book high too.
The only thing I didn’t like was the book cover. The large woman on the front indicates more of a romance story than the book actually had and might therefore influence readers and maybe keep them from picking it up.

THE LIFELINE by DEBORAH SWIFT is a WW11 novel that had me riveted from the beginning - I literally could not put it down. It is a powerful story about life in Norway in 1942 under the Quisling régime, and the Shetland Bus,which was used to carry people and guns between Norway and the island of Shetland, sometimes across raging seas.
Jorgen Nystrom is a member of Milorg, the Norwegian Resistance. He is a radio operator who was trained in England. When he is discovered, he escapes to Shetland with Olympic skier, Karl Brevik, who poses as Resistance member, but who has really been sent by the Nazis to infiltrate the set up in Shetland, especially the Shetland Bus. Jorgen feels indebted to him for saving his life, but does not trust him.
Jorgen's girlfriend, Astrid Dahl, becomes involved with Milorg when she and her fellow teachers stand up against the Nazi propaganda they they are expected to teach at school. She is forced to escape and travels with a Jewish man, Isaak Feinberg, and his daughter Sara, hoping to be taken to safety in Shetland. The Vidar, skippered by Jorgen, is meant to pick them up.
The story is fast paced and exciting as the author takes us right into the horrors of the time. She shows us the difference between the integrity of those who care about their fellow human beings and their heartache in not being able to stop the atrocities that are happening around them, and the heartlessness of the Nazis and their supporters.
I found the book very interesting and I highly recommend it, not only to anyone who reads WW11 historical fiction, but to those who enjoy inspirational human interest stories as well.
I was given a free copy of the book by NetGalley from Sapere Books. The opinions in this review are completely my own.

Pour yourself a big cup of coffee and grab some waffles, krumkake or lefse, before you start reading this five-star, captivating wartime saga set in Nazi-occupied Norway! You are not going to want to cut short your adventure by stopping for a meal. Trust me.

This is a must-read for historical fiction lovers! Rarely do authors focus on Norway and the Quislings when writing a wartime story. This forgotten about piece of history is brought alive through Deborah Swift’s superb skill: it’s extremely well written with realistic characters and a fast-moving plot. Swift immediately captivated me by appealing to my sense of adventure and maintained my interest throughout the story. Not once did I consider a character’s actions as implausible. I was so immersed in the plot and the adventure propelled me to keep reading to find out about Astrid and Jørgen. Being a teacher, I was shocked at the classroom changes in Norway mandated as a result of Nazi occupation. I struggled alongside Astrid and found myself questioning what I'd do in the same situation. Swift crafted such lifelike characters that I felt like I'd love to have coffee with Astrid and chat about education in Norway.

The unique setting and superb writing are what sets this novel above many others set in the same time period. This has very strong potential for screen adaptation!

This is a new author for me, but I won't hesitate to pick up another one of her novels. The cover of The Lifeline was what initially drew me to this book, but the masterfully written story was what captivated me. I was giddy with excitement when I searched up the author’s website and discovered that all her work seems as exciting as this book. I can’t wait to delve in!

Thank you to Deborah Swift, Sapere Books and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this 5-star novel in exchange for an honest review.

WW2, Norway, occupation, historical-novel, historical-figures, historical-places-events, historical-research, historical-setting*****

This novel is so realistic that I could see members of our own family in it. Norway has always been a magical place where our family lived until some came to live in Wisconsin and the Dakotas during the Great Worldwide Depression. (One of us even did time in a concentration camp in Denmark.)
I find it amazing how the novels about that war and the German occupation rarely focus on Norway and the Quizlings. This tale breaks out of that mold and reminds us that others were made to suffer because of one country's megalomaniac.
The publisher's blurb is well done and stops just short of detailing the horror of the executions. Did I like the book? That's not the wording I'd choose, but it is exceptionally well written without graphically detailing the horrors.
I requested and received a temporary free ebook copy from Sapere Books via NetGalley. Thank you.
I bought an ebook copy to keep even before finishing it.

Astrid Dahl teaches in Norway. She loves teaching and her students, but when she is told to teach fascist Nazi curriculum, she refuses. Astrid persuades 8,000 teachers to strike. The Nazis arrest her, and Astrid goes into hiding.

Her boyfriend, Jørgen, joined the Norwegian Resistance. When he hears that Astrid is in trouble, Jørgen goes to meet her, but the Nazis know that his mission is underway.

I am always amazed of fiction written during this time period. It is refreshing that Deborah Smith, the author, writes historical novels about regular people. You feel as though Astrid could be your neighbor, friend, or family.

Highly recommend. Kept me up all night.

Thank you to NetGalley for providing me an ARC in exchange for my review.

Deborah Swift completely captivated me with this astonishing book about heartache, cruelty, love, determination and hope. I literally walked around with it around the house as it was impossible to put aside. It really tugged at my heartstrings. WWII historical fiction books are amongst my favourites and this...oh, wow! It is riveting and staggeringly beautiful and gentle yet doesn't gloss over the difficulties, either. It is easy to see it is based on historical facts (see the notes at the end AFTER you read it). The characters are interesting and circumstances are believable, though horrific. I have read countless books on this time period but had not encountered one with this setting, very unique.

In 1942 elementary Norwegian school teacher Astrid Dahl is a young woman who refuses to accept the new Nazi propaganda school curriculum and initiates a petition which eventually starts a cross-country campaign. She is arrested and after her release goes into hiding as a fugitive. It is clear she must leave her country. Her plan is fraught with difficulties, especially as she has refugees with her. Winter makes survival even more treacherous.

Jørgen Nordstrøm, her Resistance boyfriend, must make a very quick decision to leave Norway when the Nazis come looking for him. He encounters difficulty after difficulty and eventually ends up on Shetland where his problems don't end. They're just as dangerous. He and Astrid both witness deaths at the hands of the enemy. And they both change as a result of the war, yet they are still capable of great love.

Several other characters are introduced as well, all with very interesting stories which are seamlessly blended into the main plot. They just...fit. This is a special book, a real treasure, and will appeal to Historical Fiction readers. What people have gone through...and go through...is absolutely remarkable. Such courage.

My sincere thank you to Sapere Books and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC of this compelling and lovely book in exchange for an honest review. Much appreciated.