I've read a LOT of historical fiction, especially about WWII, but this story is one of my favorites. Rimmer's main character, Elzbieta, lives in Warsaw, and smuggles children out of the ghetto. She shows immense courage, even knowing if she gets caught, it could cost her her life. Like I said, I loved this story. It was inspiring and I would highly recommend it!!

I absolutely loved this book. Rimmer is at her best when she writes historical fiction. There were so many beautiful moments that completely shredded my heart.

The narrative served as an enlightening experience, offering my first glimpse into the ghetto uprising and the Warsaw uprising. I found it valuable to delve into these historical events, even though they were undeniably harrowing. The author skillfully conveyed the pain and hardships of the era, which was commendable.

However, what hindered my full enjoyment of the book were the characters. Both Emilia and Roman, the main characters, failed to endear themselves to me, as did secondary characters like Truda and Sarah, among others. Mateusz and Truda often claimed Emilia was a blessing, filling their home when they couldn't have children, but I didn't sense a genuine connection. Emilia and Truda's relationship felt more like that of bickering sisters, with Truda appearing overly rigid and distant. Emilia's search for external guidance about puberty, and Truda's inability to comfort her adopted daughter after an assault, underscored their disconnect.

Characters such as Mateusz, Chiamz, and Piotr came across as one-dimensional. I initially wanted to like Sara, but her impatience with Emilia, despite knowing Emilia's youth and inexperience in their pursuits, made it challenging for me to sympathize with her. Roman and Emilia paled in comparison to the endearing Alina and Tomasz, whom I wholeheartedly supported. It felt as if Roman and Emilia were intentionally written to be unlikable, and their romance seemed abrupt and lacked depth.

The sole character I genuinely appreciated was Roman's birth mother. Despite these character-related reservations, I must acknowledge the value of these books. Amidst the backdrop of death and cruelty, they showcase unparalleled bravery, sacrifice, and love.

The Warshaw Orphan is so much more than a WW2 novel. This is a beautiful book filled with hope, love, sacrifice and pain. There are so many layers to a life in a generation of Polish citizens. This is a book that people may not want to read but they should. Kelly Rimmer is an amazing writer. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.

Inspired by true events, Kelly Rimmer’s The Warsaw Orphan is an unforgettable historical novel it is impossible not to be moved by.

Elzbieta Rabinek leads a comfortable life in Warsaw, however, she is troubled by the growing discord and uncertainty that seems to be consuming her beloved city. Elzbieta might not exactly be fond of the Germans that patrol the streets and impose their curfews, however, she has never really given much thought to what their presence in Warsaw means for her Jewish neighbors. Well aware of just how ruthless the Germans can be, Elzbieta must conceal her identity, however, when she befriends Jewish nurse Sara who lives on her apartment floor, she finds herself plunged into a high-stakes world of danger that could well end up costing her everything…

Using Sara’s credentials to smuggle children out of the ghettos makes Elzbieta aware of the horrors and sorrows experienced by her neighbors and when she meets the Gorka family, her heart breaks for the impossible choice which they are forced to make: give up their daughter or else watch her starve to death. This injustice makes firebrand Roman Gorka determined to punish the Nazi oppressors for forcing innocent families to go through this terrifying ordeal. However, Roman’s reckless rebellion brings unwanted attention to Elzbieta and Sara’s cause putting her and her family in harm’s way and threatening their freedom and their lives.

With everything to lose, will Elzbieta and Roman ever manage to unshackle themselves from their merciless enemies? Is a future for the two of them possible? Or will all their risks and sacrifices be in vain?

Kelly Rimmer has written a heart-wrenching historical novel that will have readers sobbing their heart out. Evocative, poignant and haunting, The Warsaw Orphan is a superbly written tale of hope, courage and resilience that will delight fans of Pam Jenoff and Kristian Hannah.

Emotional, enthralling and absolutely heart-breaking, Kelly Rimmer’s The Warsaw Orphan is a compulsively readable historical novel readers will still be thinking about weeks after they’ve turned the last page.

Kelly Rimmer's "The Warsaw Orphan" is inspired by the real-life heroic effort to smuggle thousands of Jewish children to safety. Elzbieta stumbles upon her neighbour resistance efforts, smuggling children out of the Warsaw Ghetto and placing them with Catholic foster families, and makes a brave effort to help though she is quite young and naive. Becoming involved with the resistance, Elzbieta meets a young Jewish boy named Roman who lives in the Ghetto with his family. I truly enjoyed the way the story centered around younger characters who took a brave and courageous stance against evil and a younger perspective of what life must have during such difficult and trying times. An extraordinary story with memorable characters that was truly moving to read. I definitely recommend checking it out and picking it up today!

It's spring of 1942 in Warsaw, Elzbieta Rabinek knows something is happening but doesn't give much thought to what's happening to her Jewish neighbours. She gets involved with her best friend Sara, as part of a group that smuggle children out of the ghetto. This is where she meets Roman Gorka, whose baby sister is on the verge of starvation and needs their help. This final injustice stirs him to rebellion and not even his love for Elzbieta can stop him. But his recklessness brings unwanted attention to Sara's cause, unwittingly putting Elzbieta and her family in harm's way until one violent act threatens to destroy their chance at freedom forever.

Wow - Kelly Rimmer knows how to tell a story! I can't even tell you exactly what it is, but the way she weaves the story gets you right in the heart. Her characters are so likeable and heartwarming despite their devastating circumstances. She's able to highlight hope and the human spirit in times of desperation. This is obviously not a happy or feel good story, but one that must be told. The Things We Cannot Say is one of my fav historical fiction books ever and I will keep reading everything she writes!

Thank you to HTP for the e-galley!

Kelly Rimmer creates a heartbreakingly sad story of courage, perseverance, strength, hope and above all else love. If you enjoy historical fiction that takes place during World War II this book is definitely for you. Happy Reading!

This historical novel takes place in Warsaw, Poland during World War II, told from the perspectives of two characters. 16 year old Roman lives in the Jewish ghetto with his parents and siblings, living under horrible conditions under the Nazi occupation which only get worse, eventually spurting him to rebellion. Meanwhile, 14 year old Elzbieta (who was previously known as Emilia and was a minor character in Rimmer’s previous book The Things We Cannot Say) has moved to Warsaw with her adoptive parents and when she becomes aware of what is happening in the ghetto, becomes moved to help her neighbor help the Jewish children there.

I loved The Things We Cannot Say, and I have read and loved lots of other WWII fiction as well, but must admit I put off reading this one just because I was reluctant to pick up what I knew would be a depressing book. And yes, it was indeed heartbreaking as any historically accurate book depicting this time has to be, but I’m glad I finally picked it up and thankfully it had glimmers of hope as well, along with educating me more about real life events in Poland during the war which I did not know much about. Indeed, as a Jew in this time of rising antisemitism in the modern world, reading it reminded me again how important it is that we keep telling these stories so that people never forget the atrocities of WWII happened and never allow them to happen again.

One of my favorite authors. Love her historical fiction stories. This was a definite winner. Gives such insight into the distraction of WW2. Will recommend this to my stu.dents to read

The Warsaw Orphan

by Kelly Rimmer

World War II is a popular subject for historical fiction. There are so many countries involved along with a variety of religions and philosophies. Lots of major political figures vie for power. Lives are turned upside down, families destroyed, and cultural icons demolished. In the midst of this upheaval, the citizens of Poland find themselves in a tug of war between Nazi Germany and the Red Army of the Soviet Union.

Roman, raised Catholic, is part Jewish. As a teenager he feels compelled to keep his Jewish family safe and later to fight from the Warsaw Ghetto with the Resistance for Poland’s freedom. Emilia (known as Elzbieta on her false identity papers) finds a way to work daily in the Ghetto under horrible conditions to help the people there who are overcrowded and sick from diseases and malnutrition. Their paths cross, and Roman and Emilia begin a friendship that lasts across the years.

In The Warsaw Orphan, Kelly Rimmer creates three dimensional characters who change and mature as a result of both growing up and experiencing the dramatic events that the war brings into their lives. They both see and endure things no one should have to—especially not teenagers. There are many characters of note and none of them see life as black and white. Many events take place in the grey area of life where one’s values and necessities do not line up perfectly. Some of the characters are Christian, some are Jewish, and others are atheists. Some are moral, decent people while others are torturing murderers.

The plot is told alternately from Roman’s and Emilia’s points of view. This is an effective way of narrating this story as it takes us on the personal journey each has to endure. There are decisions the characters have to make that affect others, not just themselves. The plot leads the reader through the many emotions that engulf the characters: grief, fear, shame, guilt, revenge. There are also moments of kindness, love, protectiveness, and generosity.

I thought The Warsaw Orphan was good, but the final fourth of the book was both surprising and riveting. You can’t expect a book about WWII to be filled with happiness and light, but I was amazed at Rimmer’s creative abilities to put her characters in desperate situations and then resolve them in a hopeful and rational way.

I received a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Rating: 5/5

Category: Historical Fiction, General Fiction

Publication: June 1, 2021—Harlequin (Graydon House)

Memorable Lines:

Bystanders have allowed themselves to be convinced that the Jews are not like us, and as soon as you convince someone that a group of people is not human, they will allow you to treat them as badly as you wish.

Those agonizing weeks during the Uprising confirmed that art is not always for the viewer. Sometimes the very act of creating can mean salvation for the artist.

As punishment for our decision to rebel, our homes, our libraries, our monuments and our infrastructure would be reduced to dust. It wasn’t enough that they had taken our people and our homes—they were going to take what was left of our culture.

I loved all of Kelly Rimmer's book so it's no surprise that I also loved this one! Her writing and characters suck me in each and every time.

I received an advance copy of this book. All opinions are my own.

Rimmer is a standing favorite author of mine and goodness if this book didn't make me love her writing even more! I knew going in to expect an emotional and heartfelt ride, and that's exactly what I got here. While it was a tough story to read at times (Rimmer does not beat around the bush at what living through WWII was like), it was ultimately brimming hope and beauty amidst hardship, one of those stories that you turn the last page on and take a deep sigh.

Something that Rimmer delivered on so well here was strong historical detail, wonderful characters, and rich storytelling. I tell you, this book had it ALL and it was simply brilliant. A knockout in the historical fiction genre by far and a brand new all-time favorite for me, I highly encourage readers to pick this book up ASAP!

Many thanks to NetGalley and Graydon House for the gifted e-copy!

I find it tough to review Kelly Rimmer novels because she is one of my top authors and it's hard for me not to compare. Her books are all amazing. I absolutely love them. Things We Cannot Say and A Mother's Confession have been my favorites and this one is right up there. the story of Elzbieta and the Gorka family was beautiful and heartbreaking. The level of research coupled with emotional connection she is able to write is hard to find. I will read whatever she writes. She deserves more attention and all the accolades!

The Things We Cannot Say was one of my favorite books. I couldn’t wait to read The Warsaw Orphan and it did not disappoint!! Rimmer is a masterful storyteller. It’s beautifully written and these are characters who are easy to care about and admire. It was heartbreaking and inspiring all at the same time. Love love love. Thank you for a wonderful book.

I"m not sure why it took me so long to get to this one. I started it and then got distracted and came back to finish it several months later. Kelly Rimmer is one of my favourite historical fiction authors. She brings so much heart and life to the stories she tells. This was a beautiful story of found families and the hope in people coming together and how love can bloom during times of severe hardship.

I just realized I never wrote my review here! Kelly Rimmer is an author I will read without even needing to know what the book is about. She is amazingly talented and broke my heart, as she does, yet again. She just has this innate ability to put you there with her characters, to bring them to life. While WWII genre is vastly populated with all kinds of books, Rimmer once again stands out among the rest.

Incredible author, incredible story, incredible all around. A must read.
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Kelly Rimmer has once again delivered a story that I soon won't forget.

I just finished this book and my mind is swirling with all that Rimmer was able to include in this story. Familial love, sacrifice, overcoming hardship, perseverance, deceit, ethics, and love just to name a few.

Elzbieta is a teenager in Warsaw, Poland in 1942. She has a front row seat to WW2 as it unfolds before her very eyes. She is unable to sit idly by while she knows of the travesty that is befalling the Jews in the ghetto. Roman is a teenager who is living in the ghetto and is experiencing the horrors that befell the Jews.

Roman's and Elzbieta's paths cross and their lives will never be the same. As the years pass, their paths continue to cross.

4.5 stars rounded up to 5.

I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley. All thoughts & opinions are my own.

Interesting story of WWII in Poland and the Warsaw Ghetto uprising. Elizbieta goes into the Ghetto to help smuggle out children and while there she meets Roman. The rest of the story revolves around the two of them. First the Nazis and then the Soviets. At times the story becomes very emotional and you really feel for all the characters. Easy to read and follow. Definitely worth reading.

This emotional and well researched story may well be Kelly Rimmer's finest yet. While it is filled with the harsh realities and details of life in the Warsaw ghetto and in Poland during World War II, it's also an inspiring story about love, making family, and hope.