In a Nutshell: This offers a perspective of WWII I’ve never seen so far – the story of the Norwegian resistance. But it becomes quite hazy in its focus and hence my final feelings are quite muted.

Story:
Norway, 1942. Twenty-five year old Rumi Orlstad is mourning the death of her fiancé Magnus, who drowned while operating the ‘Shetland Bus’ (the secret special-ops waterway link between Shetland in Scotland and German-occupied Norway.) In a bid to bolster Norway’s resistance fight against the German occupiers, Rumi and her dad become part of the underground movement who smuggle agents and fugitives across the North Sea to Scotland. One such agent is half-Norwegian Jens, who has a great role to play as the local coordinator between various resistance groups.
When Rumi’s friend Anya finds herself in a special German-run maternity camp, Rumi knows that she has to help Anya out.
The book comes in a limited third person perspective of Rumi, Jens, and one character from the maternity camp where Anya is located.

Where the book worked for me:
😍 I've read so much of WWII fiction that I honestly thought that I've read every single story possible. But this book offered a dual surprise:
👉 A WWII story from the Norwegian perspective.
👉 The story of the Reich's attempt to "manufacture" more Aryan babies using Norwegian women.
I had never heard of Norway’s part in the WWII. So it was a shocker to see that the Nazis had stationed the maximum number of troops in Norway, partly in a bid to ensure their eugenics plan thrived with the help (whether given or forced) of the blonde and blue-eyed Norwegian women. Both these aspects were very interesting to read.

😍 For a change, this resistance story portrays not just the bravery of the resistance fighters but also their insecurities and their frustrations. It made them feel not superhuman but human and vulnerable, thereby leading to a greater empathetic connection with them.

😍 The plot makes wonderful use of Norwegian locales and climate and the local culture.

😍 Some of the main characters make quite an impact. You will feel for Rumi and Jens as they go through their day-today lives while managing their secret ops work. Margrit, Rumi’s neighbour is going to be a strong favourite of readers.

😍 The author’s research seems impeccable.


Where the book could have worked better for me:
😑 I would have liked a greater focus on the Lebensborn camp where the pregnant Norwegian ladies were kept. The story reveals their presence but not much about what happens to them afterwards.

😑 It is very slow, especially in the first half where events seem quite repetitive. There’s a lot of time dedicated to Rumi and her anger over the death of Magnus.

😑 The secondary characters aren’t detailed out well. You barely know anything about them even until the end. They make an appearance on an “if-needs-be” basis.

😑 I didn’t expect romance to be part of the storyline. Of course, if it works for the story, I let this go. But in this book, it didn’t seem to proceed naturally from the plot and felt quite forced.

😑 The ending is too neat.

😑 The chapter titles are distracting. Each section begins with the date and the name of the character whose pov we are reading, which was more than enough. The titles weren’t necessary at all.


All in all, I did learn a lot about Norway’s struggles during the WWII and also about Hitler’s pathetic programme of the blond & blue-eyed Aryan superiority (which is quite ironic considering he himself was a brunette. Idiot!) But the writing style didn’t endear the book to me and hence it will be just a one-time read. I do recommend it but not with full gusto. Many other readers have appreciated this story a lot more, so please read their reviews too before you take a call on this work.

3.25 stars from me.

My thanks to Avon Books UK and NetGalley for the DRC of “The Resistance Girl”. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book.

Set in Norway during the Nazi invasion. The story follows the lives of two women who meet in unexpected circumstances. A tale of sadness, bravery and friendship. Having visited some of the places I felt involved in the story. Very well written.

I loved this book it was a little different being that it was set in Norway instead of usually England or Germany. This wartime saga was exciting reading and I through enjoyed it. Very informative and very entertaining. My thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for giving me the opportunity to read this book in return for an honest review.

Rumi Orlstad lives in a small Norwegian town of Bergen and her widowed father Peder is a fisherman. Peder is involved with the Shetland Bus, a network that smuggles information, agents, weapons and supplies back and forth across North Sea and while looking out for German patrols.

Rumi knows exactly how dangerous it is, her fiancée Magnus was lost at sea two months ago and he was on the way to the Shetland Islands. Two agents have recently been dropped into Norway during a snow storm and Rumi is the only one available to try and find them. She locates one stuck up a tree, she takes Jensen Parkes home and she asks her neighbor Marjit Sabo to help treat the freezing SOE. Jen’s is half Norwegian, he should be able to blend in with the town’s residents and not be caught by the Germans.

Anya Lindvig is Rumi’s best friend, she’s working at a hotel in Stavanger and she’s assaulted by a German soldier while on a date. Anya is placed in a home for unwed mothers in Hop, and something about the place gives Anya a bad feeling and she discovers it’s a Lebensborn. One of Germany’s secret Aryan Maternity Homes, most Norwegian women have blond hair and blue eyes, they want to use them to produce babies for the Third Reich and childless German couples. Rumi is determined to help Anya escape Hop house, for her friend to be safe and keep her newborn baby.

I really enjoyed reading about the close relationships between the main characters in the narrative especially, Rumi, Peder, Marjit, Jens, Rubio and Anya. Marjit is like a second mother to Rumi and how they spent their evenings together sharing a drink and knitting using traditional Norwegian patterns. How Jens transmitted messages to England, took part in acts of sabotage, stayed in different safe houses and had to stay one step ahead of Gestapo, Wehrmacht and the German Military Intelligence.

Like all of Mandy Robothams stories The Resistance Girl is well written and her research has been through. I learnt a lot about life in Norway during World War Two, the Shetland Bus network and Lebensborn. I received a copy of this book from NetGalley and Avon Books UK in exchange for an honest review, a truly unforgettable story and five stars from me.

I was able to squeeze in one more book for March, and I'm glad I did. The Resistance Girl follows Rumi, a woman in Norway who loses her fiancé as he tries to help people to safety. Then, Jens enters her life, and upends everything she had planned. With the both of them, we see the work that resistance members went through. The games of cat and mouse with the Nazi's and how nobody was above suspicion. There were plenty of nerve-wracking moments and the sense of dread that something bad was going to happen. This story also involved romance, but I did not feel like it was inauthentic or took away from the story. I also really enjoyed how this one focused a lot on the Lebensborne program, which isn't something I had read about a lot before. The fact that this was set in Norway was also new. It gave me new insights into the plights that many Norwegians faced during World War II from Nazi occupation. This was a great historical fiction read!

A WW2 book set in Norway was not something I thought would happen that soon, since it doesn't seem to be a very popular setting, but Mandy Robotham proved me wrong, and tackled this in a way only she could.

Which is to say, extremely emotional to the point where I decided to keep a pack of tissues by my side, because I needed them.

This was a more character focused book, and it shows. Every character feels alive, like someone you could meet in real life. I love them all, it's hard to pick a favourite.

There's also a healing theme woven throughout. Rumi loses her fiancé/husband and it takes her most of the book to recover from that and open herself up to other possibilities. I really appreciate that, it was an accurate portrayal.

So if you're going into this expecting a grand romantic story to go with all the action, lower your expectations a tiiiiiny bit, because it's in the background (but still very sweet). It builds bit by bit and feels natural.

My favourite part of the storyline was Anya, and the Lebensborn camps. Not only because it made me shed the most tears, but also because I learned something new. I was aware of the camps but didn't know that much about them aside from what I've seen in one tv show (yes, just one!!! It needs to be talked about more).

And the ending...THE NAME OF ANYA'S BABY. I will never recover from that, it was too precious.

So yes, READ THIS BOOK, CRY WITH ME, YOU KNOW YOU WANT TO.

*Thank you to the publishers and NetGalley for providing me with an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review*

during World War II in Norway. Most of the Norwegians resisted the Nazi occupation and this novel takes us deep into the recesses of this Resistance movement.
Rumi and her whole family is deeply involved in helping the allies to defeat the Nazis. She is a proud Norwegian who has seen a loved one die for the cause and is ready to take risks if it thwarts the Nazis. Together with Jens whom Rumi rescues on a snowy night, they take huge risks to destroy the Nazis. In this novel the author has shown how the Nazis wanted to take forward their belief that Aryan blood was the purest.
The author's research is excellent and gives us a glimpse of Norway's Resistance movement, Shetland bus and the horrifying Lebensborn. All the characters in this novel are written so well that imagining them as real characters is not hard. The relationship of Rumi and Marijit is endearing and beautiful. I really enjoyed this book!
Thank you Netgalley and Avon Books UK for an advanced readers of this book.

This is another great book by this author showing us WWII from a new perspective. This time we are in Norway, where Rumi, a local Norwegian, is part of the resistance "annoying" the Nazi occupiers. It was interesting to read a book set here, and learn a little about this place and time. The book dragged a little bit in the middle, but overall was a great story.

The Resistance Girl is a great read, full of suspense. As a Norwegian, I can only say that the research is impeccable, filled with interesting and fascinating details without loosing any of the dramatic actions. This is my first book by Mandy Robotham, and it will for certain not be the last. Highly recommended. Thank you Netgalley and Avon Books.

A 5 star read for me! I loved the characters linked with the Norwegian Resistance but oh how I loathed other characters . A well written book that had me reading well into the night as I had to know the fate of these courageous characters. I look forward to reading more books by this author

Mandy Robotham is back again with another fabulous World War II novel, but this one is set in Norway! As the name suggests, the novel focuses on Rumi, who participates in the Norwegian resistance. While doing her resistance work, she focuses on helping to transport British soldiers and infiltrating German supplies and intelligence. However, in the process she stumbles upon Hitler's plan to ensure the continuation of his Aryan race.
Several plot twists and subplots make this an enjoyable story about a lesser known portion of World War II resistance. Enjoy!

I found this one had all the elements required for an excellent read; the great, interesting and relatable characters were there, the historical story was on point (and very interesting), I loved it being set in Norway and exploring less know parts of the war. All the parts were weaved together perfectly and the narration between the two mains characters kept it interesting and explored different aspects.

But, for me, as with this authors previous books I’ve read, I just found to very slow. I was finding I had to push myself to carry on reading as on the one hand I was enjoying it, but on the other hand I just needed the plot rocketed up. I needed more action or more of an exciting love story to call me on. Even through I liked everything by the end of the book I was really struggling to keep my interest.

This one has had really good reviews elsewhere so perhaps it was just me 🤷🏻‍♀️

Mandy Robotham has quickly become one of my favorite historical fiction writers. She writes of strong women that against all odds seem to find a way to make it through the trials and tribulations thrown at them. Rumi is one of those characters. She’s heartbroken over the loss of her fiancé but slowly she finds her way back to helping the resistance movement.

This book is set in Norway, which is an area we don’t read much about when it comes to WWII. There was a resistance group there and Rumi will do whatever it takes when she happens to fall upon the plans Germany has for Norway.

I highly recommend this book.

Thank you to #netgalley and #avonbooksuk, avon for giving me the opportunity to read this eARC. All opinions expressed above are my own.

Not only is this a good story but it also gives the reader a glimpse into life in South West Norway during WW2. I saved reading this book for a trip to Bergen myself last week. Oh how wonderful to read it in the setting it was based. Even the hotel where I was staying was featured in the story as it turned out! I have read many books about the French and even German resistance during the war but until recently, knew little about occupied Norway. Now I long to find out more, especially to learn about the strong, brave and fearless people like the characters featured in Mandy's writing. I will definitely be looking out for more of her books.

The setting is in Norway during WWII as the Nazis are taking control.
The Norwegians resistant movement is in full force trying to gain control back.
The author shares detailed information about Hitler’s secret Aryan program called Lebensborn. What atrocities were committed. So hard to read about but we need this knowledge to be known so it cannot be repeated.
Many thanks to NetGalley, the publisher and author for the opportunity to read and review this book for my honest opinion. All opinions expressed are my own.

The Resistance Girl by Mandy Robotham is a World War II historical fiction that stands apart from its peers because of a unique setting, Norway in 1942. Our protagonist Rumi is mourning the loss of her fiance who was lost at sea in the dangerous waters off the coast while carrying out a run for the resistance, moving British Agents and supplies under the cover of storm and darkness. She has withdrawn from most Resistance activities and just wants to get through the war safely along with those she is closest to. When she uncovers a dark secret involving forcing Norwegian women to produce babies for the Reich, the now infamous Lebensborn programme, and learns that one of the maternity homes is being set up near by she knows that she can stand by no longer and must once again fight back with everything she is capable of.
I liked the setting of this book, it gave a new and unique perspective in a genre that can feel very crowded. I also liked Rumi as a character, and found myself rooting for her. I found the pace a little slow and can't help but wish there was more of a focus on the Lebensborn programme as that was the more interesting part of the plot to me.
I read and reviewed an ARC courtesy of NetGalley and the publisher, all opinions are my own.

The story did not grab me and keep me interested so I did not finish it. I didn't even make it halfway thru the book.

I was looking forward to my second read from Robotham but for me the book didn't meet my expectations and I didn’t enjoy this as much as the first book I read from her. It didn’t pull me in or hold my attention in the same way. The characters also felt 2 dimensional/flat for me.

I liked the unique plot, and that it takes place in Norway during WW2 which we don’t see often in novels! I was also curious to read more about the Lebensborn. However it wasn’t talked about as much as I expected.

There wasn't happening a lot with more telling instead of showing. For a book about the resistance during WW2 there’s a surprising lack of action. Really disappointed by this one as I had high hopes

This was a fascinating story about the German Occupation of Norway during the Second World War. I felt even more involved as the story starts just a couple of days before I was born and is a period of the war of which I know very little. There was a great cast of characters, a majority of whom were prepared to risk their lives to bring about the end to the occupation. These successes did so much for the morale of the country and the storyline was very realistic.

The story of Rumi and Jens is a compelling, emotive read. The descriptions of snowy Norwegian landscape, the smell of fish at the market and the ferocity of sea are so beautifully described and picturesque that you can visualise clear, vivid images of Rumi’s surroundings and daily encounters. The Resistance Girl is set in Norway in 1942, following the lives of Rumi, Jens and other resistance fighters in thwarting the Nazi occupation of Norway and in particular rescuing a few unwed Mothers and unborn babies from a local Lebensborn home.
Although I thoroughly enjoy historical WW2 fiction I have to admit my ignorance to the Nazi occupation in Norway which I feel is featured very little in other books. Prior to this novel I hadn’t heard of the Lebensborn concept or how desired the Norwegian women were for their blonde hair and blue eyes that were considered “crucial” to the Aryan race.
As with all of Mandy Robothams’ novels, the resistance girl is the perfect combination of historical information and an enjoyable fiction read. It is clear how much research and background information is sought to create such an engaging, informative and enlightening story. I am yet to find a novel of Mandy’s that I dislike however I think The Resistance Girl has to be my new favourite which I am so grateful for the opportunity to read. I had my hopes set on a little romance between Jens and Rumi from their first encounter in the woods and as always, I wasn’t disappointed!