The Secret Diary is about transitions. A young mother must learn a new life after the death of her husband and a young war bride must learn how to adapt after WWII. I liked so the chapters alternating time lines. I loved the finding Of a hidden diary and being privy to its secrets. I found Nancy’s story compelling and pretty accurate. Lorna’s story was good, but I liked the post WWII angle the best. It’s a good piece of historical fiction.

A duel storyline set in 1945 and present day.
Lorna has recently lost her husband and takes her two young sons to stay with her mother in a quaint cottage.
She finds a diary in a desk written after the second world ward by a former resident of the cottage.
A story about loss and courage.
Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for my e-copy in exchange for an honest review.

The Secret Diary by Anna Stuart is an excellent dual timeline historical fiction novel that weaves a tale that kept me entertained from beginning to end.

I am very picky with dual timelines, but I really enjoyed this one. It intertwines between WWII and present day. I was impressed with her ability to tie in two different eras, two different stories, throw in twists/turns/surprises, and tying it all together nicely into a perfect ending.

It was fascinating to see the lives of so many brave women, and especially of the gunner girls, and all they went through not only during the war, but what they also had to face immediately afterwards as society yet again struggled between what once was and now what is was to become.

Nancy and Lorna’s stories may have been decades apart, but similar in so many ways. Both are strong women, stronger then they realize, have their own trials and complexities, and both are able to win their own respective battles.

The character cast is excellent, pacing is perfect, and I just loved how it all rolled out. I liked each story equally, and that says a lot.

I highly recommend this historical fiction.

5/5 stars

Thank you NG and Bookouture for this wonderful arc and in return I am submitting my unbiased and voluntary review and opinion.

I am posting this review to my GR and Bookbub accounts immediately and will post it to my Amazon, Instagram, and B&N accounts upon publication.

The Secret Diary explores the lives of four gunner girls during WWII and the difficulties they faced after the war as a male centric society expected women, whose intelligence and strength were vital to the war effort, to meekly return to subservience afterwards. The diary has been hidden for seventy some years and sends the writer’s family on a quest for answers and information…especially once they realize some pages are missing. This is a well written, well researched story and this reader recommends the author’s notes at the end not be missed. I voluntarily reviewed an advance copy of this book from NetGalley. Most highly recommend.

The past merges with the present in this unforgettable, poignant story of love, loss and courage in this beautifully written story set between World War Two and the present day by Anna Stuart. Twisted, intense and heartbreaking… Once you start this book you just can’t put it down!