I enjoyed this book. However, I didn’t feel like the characters were dissimilar enough. I mean, they were, in terms of history and personality - but alike in things like speech patterns. They all talked the same way.

I found some of it hard to believe, but I related to Micheline’s determination to free as many airmen as she could, and Hannah’s desperation to save her cousin. I did not relate to Lily, because in my view, everyone who didn’t oppose the Nazis is a Nazi themselves. Silence is complicity. I didn’t feel that Jenoff explored that as much as she could have.

The pacing was great and I loved the play itself.

Overall, a very good read.

Hannah Martel narrowly escapes Nazi Germany after her fiancé was killed, but when her ship gets turned away from an American port, she must return to Europe. Living with her cousin Lily and her family in Brussels, Hannah is fearful and desperate to get out of occupied Europe. With no other option, Hannah must seek the help of the resistance. The Sapphire Line, run by Micheline and her brother Matteo, can help Hannah, but she must assist them first. Will a mistake lead Hannah's cousin and her family into danger?

As a fan of World War II historical fiction, I was expecting more of the same. Code Name Sapphire touched upon the subject of the resistance, like other novels, but had more than one strong female characters. Though Hannah was the central character, Micheline was my favorite. Her strength and determination, despite grave personal danger, had me rooting for her. The thing I liked most about this novel was that not everything was wrapped up with a neat bow. Resistance work was dangerous and the author did a good job of expressing that. The book was emotional at times and handled well.

Overall, readers who like historical fiction will not be able to put Code Name Sapphire down. I finished this book a few months ago and needed to give some distance before writing this review. I often forgot while reading the book that it was a work of fiction. The realism and subject matter were tough, making it hard to put into words how I felt about Code Name Sapphire. It was well done and a book I would recommend to other readers.

Pam Jenoff's ability to write compelling and captivating WWII historical-fiction novels is unmatched. I especially enjoy the fact that she writes about strong, resilient women at a time when that was not the standard or focus. She also is able to consistently bring in new aspects of the war, like in this case the resistance inspired by true accounts. She includes the perfect combination of historical fact and compelling character development that made this book impossible to put down.

The women spies of World War 2 were amazingly brave. I know this is a work of fiction, but real people actually went through similar experiences and did these awe inspiring acts! I can only hope that if conflicts like this ever arise again, that I could rise to the challenge and do the right thing - come hell or high water.

Following Hannah’s journey after losing her husband and escaping Germany to Brussels was an emotional experience. Hannah forces herself into being accepted by Micheline into the Sapphire Line because she’s determined to make a difference with the war. By being part of the resistance she puts her sister and her family in jeopardy.

It’s always tough to read WWII books because they don’t give you the HEA feeling that some books do. This one was no different.

Thank you NetGalley for my ARC of this book.

Although I enjoyed Jenoff's storytelling, I found this one to be too focused on the romance between a few main characters. I wished there was more on the escape lines and the resistance networks.

Pam Jenoff is known for great historical fiction stories and Code Name Sapphire is no exception to the rule. I had enjoyed The Lost Girls of Paris so I was excited to receive an ARC of the book from NetGalley and Park Row.

This is a complex story about three amazingly brave women: Hannah, Micheline, and Lily.

What I loved about this book: I loved the amazingly strong women. They risked everything to help others. I loved their determination and commitment.

What I didn't love about this book without giving too much away: Some of the geography and movement of the characters felt unrealistic to me to be honest. It felt like they were able to move about without too many issues which I find hard to believe. Several times in the story, the characters were in precarious situations and did not act urgently. And the ending felt unnecessary. These three reasons were why I did n't give this a 5 star review.

3.5 stars rounded up to 5.

I received an ARC of this book from Netgalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Books like this are why I love historical fiction! With aspects of history I had never heard of before and characters that make it come alive, I was sucked in and fully invested in the story. Plus the writing is amazing!

2.5 stars rounded up. I wanted to like it more but for some reason this newest Jenoff novel didn't hit as strongly as The Lost Girls of Paris did for me. It was impeccably researched as expected and certainly well-written.

However, the emotional connection to the characters just didn't happen for me. Micheline remained too aloof and distant, her brother being far more interesting although we didn't read his POV. I just didn't like Hannah, almost from the beginning but certainly by the end. In truth, I kept reading for Lily and to know what happened to her and her family. Other than her chapters, I was skimming pretty quickly to get to the end.

So, would I recommend this one? Probably not because The Lost Girls of Paris is so so good that if someone were giving Jenoff a look I would point them to that novel instead.


Note: I received a free electronic edition of this book via NetGalley in exchange for the honest review above. I would like to thank them, the publisher, and the author for the opportunity to do so.

Sometimes I feel like I have read too many WWII survival books and they all start to run together. However, this one really stands out to me. I read it a few months ago, and still remember it well. Thats really saying something.

Hannah, the main character., escaped Nazi Germany after her fiancé was killed in a pogrom. When her ship bound for America is turned away at port, she has nowhere to go but to her cousin Lily, who lives with her family in Brussels. Fearful for her life, Hannah is desperate to get out of occupied Europe. But with no safe way to leave, she must return to the dangerous underground work she thought she had left behind.

Seeking help, Hannah joins the Sapphire Line, a secret resistance network led by a mysterious woman named Micheline and her enigmatic brother Matteo. But when a grave mistake causes Lily’s family to be arrested and slated for deportation to Auschwitz, Hannah finds herself torn between her loyalties.

I loved Hannah, and Lilly and Michelene. They were all great, strong characters and I was engrossed by all 3 of them. Mateo - well whats not to love?

The characters were really well written and I could believe in them and their actions ran true. The descriptions were excellent and I found myself on the edge of my seat.

This is a 5 star read. I want to thank #netgalley., the author and the publisher for the ARC which did not impact my review., And shame on me for taking so long to write this review because I truly recommend this book.

I have read all of this authors Historical fiction books and this was one of her best. She develops the characters very well, you feel invested in them. There were many unexpected plot twists that keeps you reading right to the end. Good read!

A woman must rescue her cousin's family from a train bound for Auschwitz in this riveting tale of bravery and resistance, from the bestselling author of The Lost Girls of Paris

1942. Hannah Martel has narrowly escaped Nazi Germany after her fiancé was killed in a pogrom. When her ship bound for America is turned away at port, she has nowhere to go but to her cousin Lily, who lives with her family in Brussels. Fearful for her life, Hannah is desperate to get out of occupied Europe. But with no safe way to leave, she must return to the dangerous underground work she thought she had left behind.

Seeking help, Hannah joins the Sapphire Line, a secret resistance network led by a mysterious woman named Micheline and her enigmatic brother Matteo. But when a grave mistake causes Lily’s family to be arrested and slated for deportation to Auschwitz, Hannah finds herself torn between her loyalties. How much is Hannah willing to sacrifice to save the people she loves?

Inspired by incredible true stories of courage and sacrifice, Code Name Sapphire is a powerful novel about love, family and the unshakable resilience of women in even the hardest of times.
Overall stars - 5 /5
Writing Quality - 9/10
Image / Illustration Quality 9 - /10
Character Development - 9 /10
"Couldn't Put It Down"-ness -9 /10.
Intellectual - 9 /10
Originality - 9/10

I will admit to not wanting to read one more book set during WWII. But, this was not just another book set during WWII. It was a captivating story of Lucy and Hannah, two cousins, and the Belgian resistance. I highly recommend! Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.

Pam Jenoff never disappoints! She’s one of my favorite historical fiction authors and always brings a new perspective within the WWII era. Definitely recommend if you’re a fan of WWII historical fiction

Why, yes, I am here with another review of another historical fiction novel set during World War II! I’ve been chasing the high Pam Jenoff gave me with The Lost Girls of Paris since I read it back in 2019 (review here). I was hopeful Code Name Sapphire, which was published back in February, would live up to my high expectations but I was just a wee bit let down. I definitely enjoyed the read but it won’t be one I remember for a long time.

Here’s the book’s description:
1942. Hannah Martel has narrowly escaped Nazi Germany after her fiancé was killed in a pogrom. When her ship bound for America is turned away at port, she has nowhere to go but to her cousin Lily, who lives with her family in Brussels. Fearful for her life, Hannah is desperate to get out of occupied Europe. But with no safe way to leave, she must return to the dangerous underground work she thought she had left behind.
Seeking help, Hannah joins the Sapphire Line, a secret resistance network led by a mysterious woman named Micheline and her enigmatic brother Mateo. But when a grave mistake causes Lily’s family to be arrested and slated for deportation to Auschwitz, Hannah finds herself torn between her loyalties. How much is Hannah willing to sacrifice to save the people she loves?
I really enjoyed reading about another resistance network during World War II. One would think I would get tired of it but that hasn’t happened yet! I’m here for the abundance of WWII novels but I’m also here for the ones that give me something a little unexpected. Did this book give me something unexpected? I’m not totally sure. I think I liked having a viewpoint from a city other than London or Paris. I don’t forget, exactly, that other countries would have been involved in the war. I am well aware that “world” is in the descriptor for this particular war. But so much of the media I tend to consume (books, movies, TV) focuses on a small portion of the affected countries so areas like Brussels and what those residents had to deal with aren’t top of mind. It’s a sobering reminder that there weren’t many countries that escaped unscathed from WWII.

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: not all historical novels with more than one point of view are created equal. Some have multiple characters who all add their own important piece to the overall narrative. And some…well, some feel like there’s not enough story for one character to stand on their own so a second (or third) character is created and their story is mashed in wherever it can fit. Sometimes that can work. I didn’t really find that it did with Jenoff’s latest novel, which was disappointing. Hannah’s storyline was the strongest but Micheline’s was the more intriguing one. Lily’s POV served to show how easy it would have been for the average citizen to bury their head in the sand during the war and not realize (or want to realize) what was happening all around them. It’s frustrating to read but partially because who can say for sure what they would do in that kind of situation? As I said, Micheline’s storyline was the one I was a little bit more interested in but there wasn’t as much to her POV as I would have liked. Perhaps it’s because there’s not as much research on women resistance leaders, particularly in Belgium, and Jenoff didn’t want to take too many liberties with historical fact? Even though I didn’t love the tri-POV, I can see what Jenoff was trying to do and I do think I got a slightly better grasp on what it would have been like for many different women in Brussels during the war.

Sure, I wanted to like Code Name Sapphire more than I did but I still think Pam Jenoff has written an interesting historical fiction tale. The true stories that inspired her are fascinating and make me want to read and watch more about it. I still consider that a win for a historical novel!

*An egalley of this novel was provided by the publisher, HTP/HarperCollins Canada, via NetGalley in exchange for review consideration. All opinions are honest and my own.*

Content warnings: Nazis, war, murder, miscarriage, severe beating, attempted rape, concentration camp, execution

Hannah is a Jewish German artist who begins drawing political cartoons for the resistance during WWII. When she flees Germany, she ends up relying on a cousin she lost track of years before. Hannah and Lily live together in Lily's Belgian family home with her doctor husband Nick and son Georgie.

Hannah is desperate to leave Belgium, so she asks for help from the Sapphire line of the resistance -- a group of people who smuggle downed pilots out of the country so they can continue to fight the Germans. Micheline is the leader of the line at only 23 years old. As the war goes on, Hannah discovers she, Lily, and Micheline have more in common than any of them realize.

The three women's lives will be forever changed by the way and their associations with each other.

Recommended for fans of WWII fiction, especially those who enjoy stories of heroic females. Like much of WWII fiction, this journey isn't for the faint of heart.

Representation: Jewish main characters, Jewish side characters

A great WWII novel inspired by the real events of resistance groups breaking out a train of people headed for Auschwitz.

The women in this book were so different - all 3 POVs had such distinct voices and I could really picture these women and understand each of their motivations and feelings.

I felt the writing was a bit stiff and formal. But the author packed in some CRAZY twists in the last 1/4 of the book. Incredible plotting.

Thanks to the publisher for an e-arc in exchange for my honest review!

Code Name Sapphire by Pam Jenoff begins with a ship that is refused at port in Cuba and not allowed to discharge passengers anywhere in the US. Being turned back to Europe, the passengers need to find somewhere else to go. Hannah Martel has lost everything. Her fiancée is killed by the Nazis, she has miscarried their baby, and she is wanted for her drawings of seditious cartoons. She ends up disembarking in Brussels where her cousin Lily lives with her surgeon husband and young son. The Germans have recently invaded Belgium and Hannah is afraid for her life, so she meets up with the resistance network called the Sapphire Line, run by Micheline and her brother Matteo. Micheline has promised to get her out of the country, but when her cousin and her family are arrested and put on a train bound for Auschwitz, she feels responsible. What will she do to save her family and erase her guilt.

I do enjoy Pam Jenoff's historical fiction and was looking forward to this one. I felt that this book was well researched and as I had just read another book dealing with the Cuban issue, I felt that this storyline was very realistic. I felt for Lily and understood her feelings of guilt and remorse. Hannah and her family, being Jewish had the means to leave, but like many of the Jewish people were sure it would blow over if they just stayed under the radar, whereas Lily knew how cruel they could be and was trying to escape. The third female protagonist is Micheline, a resistance fighter, who is a strong and courageous woman. The rest of the story is based on The Sapphire Line (inspired by the Comet Line), a group that helped downed airman out of enemy lines, and an actual attempt to stop a train bound for Auschwitz and rescue prisoners. Code Name Sapphire is a story that highlights Women of the Resistance, strong, independent and courageous women who made a difference in the war effort. I found this book thrilling and educational and very fast paced. There was suspense while waiting to find out what would happen to Hannah and her family, Lily as well as Micheline. The one part of the story that I was a bit disappointed with was the love triangle between Hannan, Lily and Matteo. I really didn't think it added anything to the story. Themes in this book include: resilience, risk-taking, sacrifice, courage, betrayal, sisterhood, hope, making difficult choices, and survival. If you enjoy historical fiction, especially where we learn about the unsung female heroes, then I recommend you pick up Code Name Sapphire.

Amazed yet again at the story Pam Jenoff has shared. I loved her books and research she does to make these stories come to life. I feel like I have traveled back in time. Horrific and yet inspiring what some people did to help others.
A must read!

Pam Jenoff’s newest WWII novel takes its inspiration from an astonishing attempt by Belgian resistance fighters to stop a train heading to Auschwitz and rescue its Jewish occupants from certain death. How did they plan it? What mindset was required of those who risked their lives to undertake such a secretive, dangerous task?

The aspects of how the participants strategize and carry out the passengers’ liberation are the most gripping of the story. By the time we reach this episode, we’ve become familiar with the characters, their relationships, and how desperate choices propelled each of them to act.

Three women’s lives converge in occupied Belgium in 1942. Hannah Martel, a Jewish refugee from Nazi Germany who had secretly drawn and printed subversive political cartoons, disembarks in Antwerp after her Havana-bound ship is turned away in Cuba and forced to return to Europe. Lily Abels, her cousin and once-close friend, whom Hannah hasn’t seen for a decade, willingly shelters her at her comfortable Brussels home. Now married to a doctor and the mother of a ten-year-old son, Lily takes pride in her Belgian citizenship and believes it will ensure her safety.

Having seen her fiancé killed in a pogrom back home, Hannah knows better, and realizes that her past activities make her a top German target. She needs to flee the country as soon as possible through unofficial channels, and her search leads her to Micheline, the young leader of the Sapphire Line, a clandestine network dedicated to rescuing downed Allied airmen and shepherding them out of Europe via the Pyrenees.

Although the cousins start to regain the close rapport they had in childhood, Hannah’s daring clandestine activities bring danger to Lily’s doorstep. She also grows intrigued by Micheline’s brother, Matteo, who happens to be a man from Lily’s past. All three women are flawed individuals who make mistakes they must quickly recover from: Lily, whose complacency leads her to deny the tragic reality facing all Belgium’s Jews; Hannah, who knowingly risks Lily’s safety; and Micheline, who must root out a mole in the Sapphire network.

Readers who enjoy WWII historical fiction about the resistance have plentiful choices, and the broad-brush characterizations mean this novel doesn't rise above the crowd as much as it could. The love triangle, which relies on coincidences of time and place, also feels unnecessary. The historical framework on which the plot is scaffolded, though, is well worth learning about through the story, which examines how people’s bravery bursts forth when circumstances demand it.