I’ve not read a book by Kristin Beck before, and I’m glad I chose this one. It was remarkable. Reading it will speak to your heart.

I received a complimentary copy of this book and was not required to write a favorable review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

The Winter Orphans by Kristen Beck is an amazing, disturbing, and uplifting story. WWII, Jewish orphans protected and cared for by the Swiss Red Cross in France were torn from safety by French police and scheduled for transport to German internment camps. One very determined nurse faced down the prison administrators to rescue the 40 children who had been in her care. There are heart-breaks, sparks of joy, courage, discouragement, and constant fear. Over all is individual caring and acts of courage during a time where leadership is defined by cowardly self-interest. All based in fact. This is a DEFINITELY READ book.

This is a heartbreaking historical fiction read that will leave you on the edge of your seat while simultaneously reaching for tissues.
It especially impacted me as a mother.

I enjoyed the different perspectives Beck uses to tell the story, not only from the children but also the adults who make it their life’s mission to guarantee safety for the children in their care. It was really difficult to read at times, such is normal with WWII historical fiction, but it’s important that we continue to read these stories so as not to forget.

The ending also left a big impression on me. I enjoyed the epilogue and sometimes find myself frustrated when HF authors don’t include one, but it is done very well here.

During WWII the Swiss Red Cross were taking care of orphans in France. As the children aged out, the French police send them to camps. Swiss Red Cross workers worked tirelessly to set up a network to move these young adults out of France into Switzerland and Spain. Great characters and a great story about resisters in France.. We also get the stories of the refugees who have been sent to the orphanage from all parts of Europe

Most books I just keep reading until I'm tired or have something I need to do. Not this one. I actually had to take breaks from it. I pretty much read one or two chapters each night until I got toward the end and then I had to keep going. It's so hard to imagine what these kids and their caregivers went through. The strength that they showed was amazing. Hanni and Ella's story was so good and the fact that Hanni was willing to sacrifice seeing Ella to save was amazing.
I read the notes in the back and was surprised to see that most of the directors were based on real people, as was the orphanage.
Please continue the great work!

World War II fiction delivers inspirational tales of people who lived through the worst period in history. While horrific and sad, there is always the unspoken message at the end of each tale: This will never happen again. And, of course, that Americans were the good guys. These are comforting messages that no longer can be assumed.

Author Kristin Beck’s second World War II novel, The Winter Orphans, takes place in southern France and is based on real women.... for the rest of the review, click on the link below!

What a beautifully written story! I was really involved in the children's journey to flee. The story did become slow at times, but I feel that way with most historical fiction novels. It was sad to read at times, but I'm happy to know many survived and lived to tell the tale.

Haunting, heartbreaking and beautifully poignant!
The Winter Orphans tells the utterly harrowing story set in WW2 of how Jewish children were being saved by the incredibly brave women of the Red Cross in France who were doing their all and putting their very lives on the line to help these scared vulnerable children. As an avid reader of WW2 fiction, I have read many stories which revolve around this subject yet I haven't read one like this before, it's fresh and new and completely captivating. It's not the easiest book to read, it's full of so much emotion and hardship which is right for the subject matter but there is a beautiful message of courage and bravery, it will make you smile fondly at times as well as have you weeping uncontrollably.
I haven't read anything by Kristin Beck before, but this is a wonderful introduction to her work and I will certainly look out for her books in the future.
A definite must-read for anyone who loves this genre as much as I do.
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Thank you to the publisher for my arc copy.
@chicksroguesandscandals

Ⓑⓞⓞⓚ Ⓡⓔⓥⓘⓔⓦ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

𝕋𝕙𝕖 𝕎𝕚𝕟𝕥𝕖𝕣 𝕆𝕣𝕡𝕙𝕒𝕟𝕤
Kristin Beck
WWll Historical Fiction
416 pages

Sʜᴏᴿᴛ Sʏɴᴏᴘsɪs

The Winter Orphans tells the story of three women living through many horrors trying to escape to France or helping others escape to France to stay out of the Nazis’ grasp.

Mʸ Tᴴᴼᵁᴳᴴᵀs

I have read many historical fiction books set in this period but hadn’t heard of the Swiss Red Cross and its mission to protect children (Jewish refugees) during this time. I am always amazed to learn about the intricate wave the Holocaust caused. There is so much more to learn about beyond the camps.

I was impressed with Rösli Näf and Anne-Marie Piguet, the main characters whose point of view is expressed throughout the book. They fight tirelessly and put themselves in harm's way to save the children in their care.

Ella shows exceptional bravery throughout the story. She needs to escape because, at age eighteen, you could expect soldiers to come for you. At this point, these teens were taken to concentration camps. Ella tells her story, alternating with Rösli and Anne-Marie’s. At times, the three converge.

Although I enjoyed the story, it dragged on for me. It wasn’t a story that grabbed my attention and kept me reading into the wee hours of the morning.

However, I did learn from it. As this is historical fiction, it is based on actual events. Rösli Näf and Anne-Marie Piguet were real Swiss Red Cross volunteers during WWll. Their story needed to be told. I can’t imagine their experiences smuggling children out of France.

Thank you to NetGalley, the author, and the publisher for providing this ebook for me to read and review.

Rosli Naf has often felt that she does not quite fit into her life as a teacher and she eventually takes over an orphanage for Jewish children, trying to protect them from being carried away by the German and/or French soldiers. Anne Marie Piguet is another young teacher who has knowledge of the mountains between France and Spain. As the work of Rosli ends, Anne Marie takes over with plans to convey the orphans across the mountains to safety.
An intriguing and heartbreaking story of brave women and children fighting for survival even as international organizations fail to protect Jewish children.
Recommended for readers of historical fiction. Well-researched and well-written.

A beautifully written novel based on real world-changers, The Winter Orphans weaves a story of love and triumph and hope with lovely characters. Sadly, the book was incredibly slow to get through despite its exciting plot! I look forward to learning more about the real inspiration behind many characters, but the novelization just wasn’t at a comfortable pace.

The Winter Orphans is emotional and heartbreaking historical fiction that revolves around Jewish refugee children of Château de la Hille and Swiss volunteers women, Rösli Näf and Anne-Marie Piguet, who showed tremendous courage and determination to save the children of Château de la Hille.

Writing is vivid and emotive with three perspectives from Ella, Rösli, and Anne-Marie.

Swiss Red Cross volunteer Rösli is severe, fierce, non-nonsense person with strong determination of saving kids under her protection at all cost. It was incredible how hard she worked and all the illegal measures she took to make sure those teenagers in immediate danger get their freedom.

Anni-Marie is teacher and staff at Chateau Montleuel, north of Lyon. She has sunny personality, easy smile and is driven to help kids. Her determination and fierceness is same as Rösli’s and that’s why Rösali finds ally in her. Her idea of crossing the border was mindblowing and also riskier than Rösli’s and it was amazing to see her work on it.

Ella is 17 yr old girl who left her parents four years ago and was running with her younger sister ever since until she came under Rösli’s care at La Hille. She wants to live for her sister, to make sure she is safe, and also for the boy she fiercely loves and wish to have future with him. She has to get out of France if she wants to keep hope.

It was interesting to see if these women can accomplish what they have planned and what obstacles they have to overcome for that. It was impossible to predict those obstacles that made their journey suspenseful and anxious.

Overall, The Winter Orphans is provocative, emotive, heart-shattering, and mindblowing tragic story of cruelty and humanity based on real people and events. I highly recommend this to fans of historical fiction.
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Inspired by the bravery and heart of the children of the château de la Hille and the people who helped them survive WWII and escape Nazi soldiers and French gendarmes, The Winter Orphans is a tribute to human endurance and kindness. The story is told from the perspectives of real-life Swiss Red Cross workers Rösli Näf and Anne-Marie Im Hof-Piguet, as well the fictional Ella Rosenthal, a Jewish teenager who lives at the château with her sister, Hanni. Beck strikes a delicate balance, conveying the horror of the war while always centering and respecting the people experienced it. A heartrending and ultimately hopeful novel, The Winter Orphans — and even more, the events it is based upon — remind us that we should always do what is right over what is easy and that a few good people can make a difference even in impossible circumstances.

My thanks to NetGalley and Berkley Publishing Group for providing an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

This well-researched novel tells a fictional story based on the work of two real-life women who strived to save Jewish and other displaced children during WW2. The story unfolds through three perspectives: Rösli, Anne-Marie, and Ella.

Rösli Näf and Anne-Marie Piguet work for the Swiss Red Cross. Rosli is a nurse who keeps the children safe in an old castle, Château de la Hille, located in Southern France. Because of her zeal, courage, and outspokenness, Rosli ends up getting replaced by Anne-Marie. Anne-Marie is equally determined to keep her charges safe.

When Germany invades France, it is too dangerous for the children to remain at the castle. Anne-Marie realizes that the only way to keep the children safe is to get them to Switzerland. However, in order to do that, she must guide them in small numbers over snowy mountains and through Nazi territory.

Ella is a fictional Jewish girl. Though she worries about the fates of her parents, she is determined to keep her much younger sister safe. She will not travel without her sister. Ella and her sister are among the first to attempt to hike into Switzerland.

I thought I knew a lot about WW2 but I was not aware of the efforts to keep displaced and orphaned children safe. This story was highly engaging and, at times, kept me on the edge of my seat. If you enjoy WW2 historical fiction based on truth, I think you will enjoy this story.

My thanks to @berkleypub and @netgalley for my digital copy. My thoughts are my own.

“In their story, we see how even amid great darkness, goodness can shine through.”

Short synopsis: A Novel based on true events and people who risked their lives to save those of Jewish children who were left parentless in France during WWII.

My thoughts: It’s books like this right here that make me love historical fiction novels set during WWII.

While I understand parts of this book were left up to the imagination of the author, the women and their mission to protect these children were real. The bravery of these women is inspiring, and left me emotional in the end.

I love a book with a strong female main character and we were lucky enough to have 3 strong women points of view. That of Ella at the young age of 18 determined to protect her younger sister. Anne-Marie for finding routes to safety, and of course Rosalie who started the process to rescue these young orphaned children.

Read if you love:
* Books such as The Nightingale and Beneath a Scarlet Sky
* Strong women
* WWII novel based on real people
* The goodness of people

I absolutely loved this book! It was emotional, captivating, and heartbreaking. The things these kids (and adults) had to go through to survive WW2 is gut-wrenching. I smiled, I cried, I was rooting for these characters. The way Kristin Beck writes is absolutely brilliant.

Moving, powerful, beautiful story. Could not put this story down. The author did a beautiful job describing the characters

The Winter Orphans is a heart-pounding emotional read that will stay with you for days.

Kristin’s first book, Courage, My Love, was my favourite historical fiction read in 2021. So, you could only imagine how excited I was when I found out she had another book coming out. The Winter Orphans is masterfully written and such a powerful read. Kristen knows how to create a riveting and emotional story that draws you in. I always love how her stories take a unique perspective on a topic that has been written about quite a bit. For this book, Kristin takes us to the Swiss Red Cross camps that were set up to care for Jewish children in France during World War II. From a historical perspective, I found this whole topic so interesting. I had never really researched the role the Swiss played during the war, so I found their involvement both from a humanitarian and political perspective fascinating and frustrating. This sense of balancing doing what was morally right and staying neutral to appease the Nazi party. Kristin did a great job showing her readers this moral dilemma that existed during this time through her characters. Rosli, Anne-Marie and others involved in the Swiss Red Cross had to make some tough decisions. Do they follow their government’s orders, or do they do what is right and help these children?

This story has a perfect pace to it. Kristin did a fantastic job moving the story along at a quicker pace but stopping at moments when she knew her readers needed a minute or two to absorb what had just happened. I really had no idea where she was taking this story; it wasn’t predictable. That not knowing just hooked me in even more.

Books set in World War II are always a tougher read. But this book tugged at those heartstrings, and for me, it’s because children were the main focus of this story. There really is something about innocent children getting sucked into this horrific event that just makes me so sad. I found myself tearing up at different moments and getting so angry that these children had to go through what they did.

The Winter Orphans is told from three POVs, Rosli, Anne-Marie, and Ella. All three characters are very different and come from different walks of life. But I loved all of them so much. They are smart and strong women who stood up for what was right. Rosli and Anne-Marie each did what they could to defy the Nazi party and protect the children under their care. Ella, who was one of the Jewish children at these camps, was by far my favourite. This fierceness about her just couldn’t be destroyed.

The Winter Orphans is a must-read for any historical fiction fan.

This book brings hope to the weary. A story of the children of World War 2 that brings to question how far adults will go, to save children that aren't their own. These children stay at De La Hille in France and are taken care of by members of the Swiss Red Cross.
Ella a girl of 17 finally feels safe after her and her little sister Hanni were left by their parents three years earlier. Then the police show up at the Chateaux in the middle of the night. Rolsi ,their director tries her hardest to make them leave but of course, the French police have their orders to gather all the Jewish older children, which includes Ella. She must leave behind her little sister not knowing what will happen to her. Rolsi is furious and goes to town to talk to whoever will listen. She will not leave her children behind.
Inspiring and heartfelt, The Winter Orphans really shows how ugly the Germans were and how little most cared. Such a sad story but at the same time, it brings light to the ones who did help. Although few, many helped the Jews and other fugitives to hide or cross borders. That is what should be remembered. Not just the destruction but also the hope, the good, the few.

Absolutely gut wrenching. By the time you get to the ending you’re just glad the emotional gauntlet is over with. That’s not to say the book is lacking: au contraire mon readaire, it gets the job done. Just not without tears.

Based on actual events, THE WINTER ORPHANS takes us to the South of France where the Swiss Red Cross is working around the clock to protect kid refugees.

What an accomplishment for the author to find an original story upon which to write a gripping, nerve-racking novel. Characters like Rösli Näf and Anne-Marie Piguet (Red Cross guardians par excellence) demonstrate astounding fortitude to keep their charges clear of the murdering war machine in pursuit.

The Sisters Rosenthal—Ella (14) and Hanni (4)—will break one’s heart with their protective instincts and primal will to live. Pox on a world where two children must enter the wilderness because it’s safer than home in “civilized” Germany.

When the Rosenthal girls leave their Swiss Red Cross haven, a dramatic life-or-death game of cat-and-mouse is afoot. With sickening suspense and immaculate historical detail, Beck’s prose realistically delivers the dolorous exhaustion of kids running a wintry race to avoid being murdered.

As often happens with WWII and Holocaust literature, stout bravery is on hand to offer hope to a world beset by barbarity. Will it be enough to save Ella and Hanni? Once you start THE WINTER ORPHANS, you won’t stop until you find out.