A thumping good read, feels like living history. It was so well researched, beautifully written and packed with interesting detail. fascinating… I found it difficult to put the book down.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC of this book. I have chosen to write this honest review voluntarily.
I have not read the previous books in this series but sufficient information on important events is provided through the narrative to understand the feelings and relationships between the sisters. I was attracted by the idea of the dual timeline: Izzy's story starting just after the first world war and Heather's 50 years later in the mid 1970's. However the reader is instantly thrust into Heather's world of starting a new job in a care home and taking an instant dislike and harbouring and voicing nasty suspicions of Will, the caretaker who has worked there for a few years. Izzy describes a world of freedom in Berlin that sounds unrealistic so soon after the war, even as the 1920's became less conventional about chaperones and travelling alone. When I reached 40% through Izzy's story suddenly jumped to 1934 and her sister had gone to France to live with a man she had met on the boat from Australia even though we'd had no hint a relationship continued after she arrived in England!
This book is well-written but I found it too 'bitty' with unlikeable characters, it did not maintain my interest.

I really enjoyed this book. When Heather Rawlins takes a job at The Beeches Care Home for the Elderly, her life changes. She meets the newest resident, Izzy Strong. As they get to know each other, Izzy begins to share stories of her time during the Great War. There was a forbidden romance as well as hard times. This book is very well written, and it kept my attention right from the beginning. This is the third installment in a series, but it is not necessary to read the other two to connect with this story. I highly recommend this book=it is a good historical fiction story!
Thank you to Net Galley and Sapere Books for the chance to read and review this book. The opinions expressed are my own.

England, 1975 - Having recently suffered heartbreak, twenty-five-year-old Heather Rawlins is ready to give up on love after learning of her husband's affair. Her confidence in tatters, she seeks solace in her new job at The Beeches Care Home for the Elderly. When Heather meets Izzy Strong, the home’s newest resident, she is surprised to find that they have an instant connection. And as they grow closer and Izzy begins to reveal her shocking past, Heather starts to question her own life choices.
Germany, 1927 - With the Great War now a distant memory, Izzy is thrilled to be continuing her education in the beautiful city of Berlin. And when she meets the kind and handsome Jewish Garrit Shain, it seems that her happiness is complete. But with the rise of the brutal Nazi party, ripples of unrest are once again spreading throughout Europe. And when war breaks out, the era of fragile peace comes to an end.
This is the third book in the Strong family saga, it could be read on its own but to full appreciate it I’d recommend reading the books in order. This is a dual timeline book, which isn't my favourite but the author made it work & this was an engrossing read which I made the mistake of starting when I went to bed, I couldn’t put it down & 4am I finally read the last page. I loved the relationship between Izzy & Heather & how it developed as they confided their stories to each other. It was Izzy’s story that had me turning the pages, the author brought to life the horrors of the second world war & I read much with a lump in my throat. A very well written enthralling read & in my opinion the best of the trilogy
My honest review is for a special copy I voluntarily read

THE DIVIDED HEART is the third book in the Strong Family Historical Saga by ROS RENDLE, but it can easily be read as a stand alone. It is a dual timeline novel with the elderly Iris (Izzie) Strong telling Heather Rawson, who works at the Beaches Care Home for the Elderly in Yorkshire, about her life during the second world war, and Garrit, the Jewish man who was the love of her life.
The year is 1975 and Heather, who has left her office job because of her ex husband’s affair with a member of the staff, is lacking in confidence and wary of men in general. Should she stay with the safe but boring Brian or take a chance with Will, the good looking caretaker?
I really like the relationship between the two women as they share their life stories. The author has also given us a clear picture of the anti-Semitism and other horrors in Berlin during the war, and afterwards of the division of Berlin by the Great Wall. We also get a picture of what the British went through before and after the war. Family dynamics and responsibilities play a big part in the story.
It is a well written book with great characters and one I recommend to anyone who enjoys this genre.
I was given a free copy of the book by NetGalley from Sapere Books. The opinions in this review are completely my own.