Libertas is a young German woman from a wealthy family. She is employed by a film studio and hopes for a great career. But the Nazis have come to power and she is expected to conform to their ideals of womanhood...
The Girl on the Platform is an historical novel set during the 1930s and 1940s in Germany. It is based on a true story which adds a poignancy to the events described.
Libs has a fleeting conversation with a well respected but fleeing Jewish film director. She is inspired to stay true to her own beliefs rather than the Nazi rhetoric. However, a close friend is murdered by the Gestapo and danger feels close at all times. Libs becomes dissatisfied with personal protest and wants to make a difference. I liked her bravery and could understand her frustrations at the start of the book which lead her to make dangerous choices.
Libs finds a kindred spirit in Harro who has also had experience of Nazi brutality. Together they decide to make a difference in a world that is increasingly alien to them as the Nazi power machine gets into its stride. Their brave actions bring them close to danger and the fear is palpable as the anticipation mounts towards the ending.
The pace at the start of the book is quite slow as we are introduced to Libs and then Harro. The Nazi brutality is hidden in the early chapters but the darkness is hinted at before being more overt later in the book. The Nazis grow in power and confidence which leads Libs and Harro to grow in their desperation to resist and become prominent on secret missions.
The Girl on the Platform is an engaging novel about love and hope amidst danger and fear.

Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher, and the author for giving me a free eARC of this book to read in exchange for my review!

Breathtakingly beautiful and harrowing at the same time, an absolute must-read!!
I feel at a loss for words to fully describe my feelings after reading this, it's astonishingly good, clever, beautifully written and a real punch to the heart.
The story felt like an old black-and-white film, a classic in the making, all forties unspoken emotion, steam clouding your eyesight, and longing looks for the one you love.
Ahh, my little smushy heart can't take it!
You will need your tissues for this one, it will emotionally drain you, and compel you to keep reading.
Heartbreaking, moving, haunting it's got it all.
Just read it, that's all I can say, just read it!!!

A very thought provoking and intense historical fiction. Ellie Midwood always delivers.

This book takes you into a time period that it seems some would like for us to forget but we won’t. At least not if these authors keep writing the novels about the horrors of what happened back then and us humans keep teaching it to our children and grandchildren. Don’t let it be forgotten as it could very well happen again if we do.

A couple who you will love to get to know. They are fighting against Hitler and the Nazi’s. To help as many innocents as possible no matter the dangers and there are so many dangers. So much going on but so easy to follow. This book takes you inside the mind of the good, the bad, and the ones we need to know. The fighters for rights are doing whatever they can to make the world a better place even if it’s just in one country at a time. You will root for this beautiful couple all the way. Cry with them also.

Thank you NetGalley and Bookouture for this ARC. This is my own true thoughts about this story.

4.5 stars and a high recommendation.

I really love when authors writing about such a complicated time in history pick out real life fighters to write about or base their characters on. This book was certainly no different and one I would recommend to historical fiction readers. It was well written and engaging from the first page. If I remember right this was a book I read in one sitting. It was that good.

I love stories based on true events so I was immediately drawn into the storyline. We have seen lots of books that depict WW2 and the events surrounding it but I felt this story had a fresh perspective. It's hard not to fall in love with Harro and Libs from the start, they are loveable, genuine people, who's romance you want to see flourish. This was a slow burn, historical story that captured the beauty of romance. The devastation and emotion was shining off the pages and made for a very compelling read.

This was based on a true story and was a fascinating read. I thoroughly enjoyed it although historical fiction, particularly that pertaining to World War 2, is my favourite genre. Midwood research this book to perfection, I felt at times almost as if I was fighting for the resistance too. It gave wonderful insight into the lives and outlook of those Germans who did not agree with the aims and objectives of Der Frúhrer. I really enjoyed this and would highly recommend.

Ellie midwood has done it again and she has fast become one of my favourite authors. She tells these harrowing tales with such elegance and respect that I couldn’t think of a better person to do it.

The story are so emotive and heart wrenching it’s hard to believe that people went through what she tells. The book is insightful and an important topic to bring awareness to so I would definitely recommend!

I was given a copy of The Girl on the platform by Ellie Midwood by the publisher in exchange for an honest review. Libby moves to Berlin to try to get away from the Nazis. When she meets Harto a like minded German the know as German's the can't sit back and let the Nazis destroy their country. A great story, seeing the war from the other side.

I must preface this review with the fact I missed the deadline to review, so I had to wait for publication to get my hands on this book.

Based on a true story, this is a thought provoking book. I hadn’t previously heard about the husband and wife duo depicted in The Girl on the Platform. I enjoy when a story engages me and also teaches me something.

Ellie Midwood’s always manages to get into the heads of her characters, fleshing them out so throughly, they come alive on the pages. I also like how she bases her stories on real people.

An old adage states “bad things happen when good people do nothing.” It should be amended to include, bad things still happen when good people do something, which is the case with Libertas. The narrative is mostly in the 1930s as the Nazi regime tightened its grip on Germany.

The story gave me hope for the future, that people will continue to fight tyranny and government oppression.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Bookouture for the opportunity to read and learn.

This was quite slow to start but picked up and is definitely worth a read if you like WWII fiction with a bit of romance. Not my favourite by Midwood, but worth a read.

Based on a true story this book is an excellent example of true bravery from Berlin in World War 2. The lengths resistance fighters went to were absolutely amazing and they had an unbelievable courage. To do all they did knowing death would be their punishment if caught is another level of bravery altogether. This is also portrayed as a love story which makes it even more emotional for those who don’t know the true story of Libertas. I do know the true story and I felt the love story aspect was unnecessary.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for the ARC in return for an honest and unbiased opinion.

Moving to WW2 Berlin, Libby finds herself in unknown territory, surrounded by book burning and the brutality of the Nazis to the Jewish people. Falling in love with Harro, Libby discovers he is a resistance fighter and enters a whole new world of intrigue and sacrifice.

A fantastic read! We don’t realise how brave and courageous people were living through World War II. A Girl on a Platform gives us a sneak peek into this era. That it’s actually based on a true story makes it so much more real. You know I’m a huge fan of World War II books like The Tattooist of Auschwitz, and The Girl Across The Wire Fence so I’m always eager to read the latest one out. This one certainly doesn’t disappoint.

This is the story of 19 year old Libby and Harro Schulz-Boysen. Libby moves to Berlin away from her controlling family. She meets the brave Harro – a member of the resistance and between them, they fight for what they believe in. This is a story about the resistance on Hitler’s doorstep. They were a strong pair of resistance fighters, who would never give up despite the dangerous world they walked in daily.

The Girl on the Platform is an epic love story, one you won’t be able to put down!

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Rating: 5 out of 5.
Thanks to Bookouture and Netgalley for the copy.

Ten stars, as usual with Midwood, she gets into real stories from history giving you an education as well as an entertaining read. Its awful to see the high price people paid for their ideals but at least they fought back. Highly recommended .

Amazing true story of Libs and Harro two brave young Germans who did their best to thwart the nazi's by standing up for what they believed in and working with the resistance to try and bring them down. A real page turner that was extremely harrowing in places but also included the real love story of the two main characters. A must for historical fans of this era

Thank you to Netgalley , the publishing house and the author for the opportunity to read a complimentary copy of this book in return for a review based upon my honest opinion.

This author takes these true stories from World War II and makes the people so vibrant and shows us their lives in such a fantastic way. Each and every one of her books is a pleasure to read and I learn a little more, a little something new every time. Each time, I see a differnent part of the war, the people of the resisitance, the every day people who made the difference and shows us that humanity, hope, strength and love were always present.

This book is about Libertas Schulze-Boysen and her husband Harro Schulze-Boysen, true heroes who gave everything, including their lives to fight the injustice and cruelty of the Nazis, to resist and encorage other to resist. After I read the book, I searched for more stories and pictures of this amazing couple, so nice to put faces to this fictional account of their story, which leans heavily on the reality for its story.

Thsi author has a wonderful way of piecing together reality and fiction to create a fascinating story. As always, cannot wait for her next book

The true story of Libertas Schulze-Boysen in the lead up to and during the early stages of World War Two, this was a great story of heroism that ultimately had a tragic ending. The story follows the frustrations of Libs as she realises that life as a young German woman means doing what she is told, knowing her place and fighting for what is right in secret. Her need for the world to realise what Hitler is up to is only inspired further when she meets Harro, the love of her life. Together they try to make the world aware of the charade Hitler and his followers are presenting and ultimately pay the price for their betrayal.

I can't believe this is a true story! I had never heard of Libertas Schulze-Boysen and the Red Orchestra. This book was heartbreaking and romantic and full of courage of the wonderful people who stood up to Hitler. Their stories deserve and need to be told, and Ellie Midwood has done a wonderful job. Highly recommended.

Another great story by Ellie Midwood, this time we get to meet Harro and Libs, Based on the true story of Libertas and Harro Schulz two resistance fighters, who did everything to help in any way they could to end the madness of the Nazis.

Berlin 1939, The story of Harro and Libs begins in the first years of WW2, I haven't read any book, or at least that I recall around those years when everything was starting, this was a very pleasant book to read and learn more about those days.

Libs was working for the very famous MGM studios, making films as she love but things started to get very complicated when the Nazis didn't want those movies to even see the light, Libertas had to change many things in order to satisfy the Germans, so she could continue making what she likes the most but at the same time helping with the cause of ending the terrible situation most of Europe was living under Germans hands.

Without giving too much away Harro and Libs started the Red Orchestra a resistance group that was very successful during those days helping bring down many of the Germans by giving a lot of secrets to the Soviets. Harro and Lib's story is very unique but at the same time it was very enjoyable to read about their love and how much in tune they were, looking for the same ideals and goals to end this war.

The story of Harro and Libs is the story of many during those times, the sacrifices, their strength was always out to at test making us at some point believe that at one point either Harro or libs will break down, I really thought one of them was going to abandon their idea, as they were constantly put to a test but Harro and Libs were two strong characters that didn't take anything for granted and they always knew somehow or another they both were in this together no matter the circumstances.

This was a good book, I enjoy it, it was different from what I've read.