Code Name Sapphire by Pam Jenoff follows Hannah as she flees Germany following the death of her husband. After fleeing, she joins a resistance movement in Belgium. Along with Hannah's perspective, there are also chapters from the perspective of Hannah's cousin Lily and the head of the resistance movement Micheline.

Unfortunately, this was a DNF for me at 21%, which is a huge disappointment for me. I had heard amazing things about Pam Jenoff, and this was my first foray into her books. I really couldn't connect with the characters and found the writing style wasn't working for me. I felt reluctant to pick up the book and thought it was just me until I picked up another historical fiction and was immediately drawn in. To be honest, I'm not exactly sure what wasn't working for me in this one, and, again, it is a huge disappointment for me.

I think I'll try some of Jenoff's backlist. I think this was a me problem and not a book problem. Perhaps I'll give this one another try in the future to see if it was just a mood or timing issue.

Thank you to Harelequin and NetGalley for the advanced copy of this book in exchange for my honest thoughts!

I've read several books by Pam Jenoff and this one did not disappoint.

This was a really well written story - a lot of difficult topics in this book, but well worth the read.

The story is about a German Jew, Hannah who attempts to flee to America after trying to fight against the Nazi's in WW2 , but is unable to disembark the boat in Cuba, and is returned to Belgium, where she stays with her cousin. Her goal is to only stay there temporarily until she can attempt to flee again, but she ends up working with the resistance. There are tough decisions that need to be made, and the characters don't always make the right ones. This story shows the love of family but also very real consequences of decisions.

I received an advance copy of this book from Netgalley and so glad I was able to read this book.

Based on events in WWII, Micheline runs the Sapphire Line, rescuing downed British flyers and helping them escape from Brussels. Hannah is a Jewish woman on the run from Germany where she drew anti Nazi political cartoons. She seeks out her cousin Lily in Brussels where she hopes she can escape to America. Lily is married to a doctor and has a young son. They are trying to simply survive without drawing attention to themselves.

This is a solid entry into the WWII historical fiction canon. There are plenty of twists to keep you reading. The choices made by each of the women impact them all. There is tragedy and hope, love and loss, loyalty and sacrifice. I appreciated the book but would have loved it more with less of the love story.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the chance to read this arc in exchange for an honest review.

Code Name Sapphire is the compelling story of three brave women who are part of the Resistance movement in Belgium during WWII. I was intrigued by the setting of the story, as I hadn’t previously read any books set in Belgium during the war. As usual, author Pam Jenoff does an excellent job bringing the setting and the characters to life.

In addition to being an American best-selling author of historical fiction ("The Lost Girls of Paris", "The Woman With the Blue Star" etc.), Jenoff has worked for the Pentagon and the Foreign Service. She is now a lawyer who teaches at Rutgers. This new book is loosely inspired by 'The Comet Line' which was a real resistance organization in Belgium that helped downed airmen return home. Jenoff was also inspired by the 1943 attack on a train heading to Auschwitz by the Belgian Resistance that freed 118 prisoners. In this book we meet Hannah, who escaped Germany after her husband was killed, was turned away in Cuba and ends up with her cousin Lily in Belgium. She joins the resistance movement there to try and find a way to get to freedom. This is a good recommendation for fans of WWII fiction. I enjoyed it.

Thank you netgalley for this ARC. I am leaving an 100% honest review.

I will start off by saying WWII Historical fiction has become a favorite of my mine.

I rather enjoyed Code Name Sapphire once I got passed the pace of the book. I felt as though certain parts were rather slow and took me a minute to get into the story again. Other then that the book was wonderful and realistic in how the character personalities were. At time they seemed cold, but when in their situations they had to be

I am a huge historical fiction fan and was excited when I got the an ARC from Netgalley.

I enjoyed this book a lot. I stayed up till 3am finishing it. I actually did not like a couple of the main characters (personal opinion not the writing) which normally turns me off a book but in this case it only made me want to finish it and see what happens to them.

I read a lot of historical fictions and sometimes one blends into another. In this case it did not. The story was unique and I did not feel like I was rereading a past read. It was well paced and I did not want to put this one down.

There’s books about WWII, then there’s Pam Jenoff’s books about WWII. They are on a whole other ball game. They are heart wrenching, educational and really well written. I love that this took place in Belgium! Highly recommend this one for fans of HF!!

This novel will tug at your heart. The writing is excellent, even better than the Lost Girls of Paris, and that book is impressive. In 'Code Name Sapphire' we follow Hannah around Europe as she tries to escape it during WWII only to heartbreakingly see her fail. As you read and experience Hannah's new reality, you can't help but feel that you —the reader—is the only friend in the world she has. Until she meets the other ladies risking everything int he Sapphire Line.
A well-paced, emotional tale, about how you can help others in order to help yourself.

Thank you to Park Row Books and Netgalley for an e-ARC of this book! I finished this in basically one sitting and I was floored. Pam Jenoff does historical fiction so well and this book completely blew me away. I loved the character's and the alternating points of view. Hannah, Lily and Micheline were all complex and so fiercely strong. The story was so intense at points that I was on the edge of my seat, but there was also an edge of hope to it. Jenoff approaches Jewish representation so well even though the backdrop is WWII and I love the fight and determination her characters have. There were some twists and turns that truly had me shocked. The book was fast paced and I was invested. It also brought out some tears. I thought the story was unique and full of heart and I'm always excited to see what she'll do next. Absolute must-read for me!

Thanks to Harlequin Trade Publishing, Park Row for the copy of this ARC.

Code Name Sapphire started off with quite the shocking scene, taking me right into the brutality present in WWII. A story told between the POV of two cousins, Hannah (actively involved with the Sapphire Line resistance network) and Lily (complacent Belgian citizen). They are each dragged into the War in various ways and are forced to make tough choices for themselves and their families. I always enjoy a story about women in the resistance in WWII and this had the different, interesting angle of being set in Belgium.

Read if you like:
- learning about WWII Resistance networks
- love triangles
- exploring a new angle of WWII (Belgium!)

I started reading Pam Jenoff's novels in 2015 and have enjoyed all of her recent ones (if "enjoy" is the right word for the subject matter at hand). Her latest, Code Name Sapphire, really packs a punch and is full of complex emotions throughout.

This was a harrowing story that provided an adrenaline kick. I couldn't help but worry about Hannah, Lily, and Micheline the entire time. It was hard not to be mad at Hannah after what she did to Lily. I'm impressed that Lily even wanted to look at her, much less speak to her. I liked Micheline a lot, even though she had her guard up. Her role in the operative mission had to have been so stressful. This novel also really put the horrors of the Holocaust front and center.

My only concern is that some things felt far-fetched, like it was too easy for the characters to pull off the stunt that they did. Especially given all the obstacles they had to get around to make it happen. So I appreciated when a really big wrench was thrown into the plan, as much as I wanted them to pull it off. It just made things more realistic. The shared connection two of the characters had with another character also seemed a bit too coincidental. The story had a lot of surprising moments and never became predictable, so I give Pam kudos on that front.

Overall, it was really engaging and kept me on my toes. It's helpful to read the author's note at the end, in order to get some background information. Code Name Sapphire releases in early February, so be sure to get your hands on a copy!

I had a difficult time coming up with casting ideas, so I decided just to cast the three leads:
Lily: Pauline Chalamet
Hannah: Flora Cross
Micheline: Sonia Ammar

Jenoff is usually a reliably excellent writer of historical fiction, but she eases off a bit in Code Name Sapphire. Much more interesting than the Sapphire “line” itself, which aided downed Allied airmen, is the attempted and semi-successful liberation of prisoners on their way to Auschwitz in cattle cars. This courageous action is based on a real incident (which took place later in the war than Jenoff places it, for reasons she explains in the Afterword). Her version is a bit light on the details as are many of the incidents and settings she includes. For example, while she describes the inhumane conditions in the prison in which the three-person family of Lily’s, one of the main characters, she doesn’t evoke them so vividly that readers can experience them. Code Name Sapphire is as much, if not more, about the twisted romantic lives of cousins Lily and Hannah as it is about this shameful period of world history or about the millions of people they represent. Jenoff’s fans will be excited to read this novel and fans of historical fiction who savor romance will be ecstatic. Others fans of historic fiction will find this a worthwhile read.

Propulsive, well paced and expertly researched and crafted, Pam Jenoff’s latest World War II themed novel, set primarily in Belgium, features a trio of courageous, resilient women who grapple with heart wrenching choices and enormous sacrifices while endeavoring to save themselves and the people they love most in appalling circumstances. Various characters are also committed to rescuing or healing perfect strangers for the Allied cause, including as leaders of the Belgian Resistance (whose fictional “Sapphire” line lends its name to the title).

For me, the story didn’t distinguish itself among the deluge of WW II fiction, and I found myself musing over how the plot might have been enhanced by one character making more expansive and creative uses of her artistic skills and more details illustrating the operations and accomplishments of the Sapphire line. But I found I did not much mind, as the tale kept me swiftly turning pages. And, far more importantly, Jenoff’s reminders of the unspeakably horrifying consequences of fascism, antisemitism (and in this book, prejudice against the Romani or gypsy people) are all too relevant and critical in the present day.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing, Park Row, for the complimentary ARC. Opinions are entirely my own.

So often when one, or at least when I, think about WWII or especially the Holocaust, I think of the 1000s of people and overlook the single people that rose up to defend what they believed, how they truly felt under the oppression Hitler inflicted upon all of the people of Europe. It is a beautiful thing when an author is able to take you behind the scenes and really begin to empathize with the ones, the individuals who sought to do what they could for those they could help with a variety of ways they could help, both overt but also, and often mostly, covert.

Watching Ms. Jenoff expertly weave together all of these storylines was truly awe inspiring and I would love to be a fly on the wall to see exactly how she pieced this all together to come into one absolutely beautiful work of art, one that made me pause and reflect on those who, under the worst possible human conditions, did what they could to make it a little easier for those around them.

This book truly belongs upon the list of forever recommended historical fiction titles along greats like The Alice Network by Kate Quinn, The Things We Couldn't Say by Kelly Rimmer and, not as spoken about but equally fantastic in my mind, Daughter of the Reich by Louise Fein.

CODE NAME SAPPHIRE by Pam Jenoff is a beautifully-written and powerful work of historical fiction that I could not put down. Set in Belgium in 1942 during the German Occupation, it tells the heart-wrenching story of courageous women whose bravery and sacrifice saved many lives despite the risk to their own safety. It is based on a true event where resistance members attempted a remarkable liberation of a train bound for Auschwitz, but the author has crafted a brilliant tale around that event. After the tragic loss of her fiancé, Hannah escapes Nazi Germany only to have her ship turned around. Forced to return to occupied Europe, she seeks refuge at the home of her cousin, Lily and her family in Brussels. Hannah soon joins the “Sapphire Line” resistance group who are helping move British airmen from the war zone to safety, but Hannah makes a huge error that causes Lily and her family to be arrested and slated for transport to Auschwitz. The story is told from the points of view of Hannah, Lily and Micheline, the leader of the resistance. I was completely engrossed in this fast-paced and emotional story. The extensive research required to write this book is obvious and I love learning about lesser-known events and the people involved in them. Pam Jenoff is a master of this genre and I can’t wait for whatever she writes next. Thank you to the author, publisher and NetGalley for the chance to read and review and early copy.

While I enjoyed Code Name Sapphire, to me, this book was not as compelling as Pam Jenoff's other books. I felt it was a bit heavy on the romance/relational aspects while being lighter on the history. Yes, this was historical fiction based on several real-life pieces of World War II history (an escape from a train bound for Auschwitz, and a resistance movement), this felt, at least at times, like a romance novel plopped into a World War II setting. The dialogue was light and the story was a bit predictable. I missed the depth that I've found in characters of past Pam Jenoff novels. I don't want to imply that this book was poorly written or unenjoyable but it just was not as good as her other work.

As I read this book, I really appreciated Lily's character - her growth, both as a person and in relationship with others was extraordinary. I was inspired in how she adapted to her circumstances and changed as needed. From the outset, it seems like Hannah would be the hero and while she is, in her own way, I loved Lily and all she did to survive.

Thank you to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for this eARC. All opinions are my own.

Another great Pam Jenoff novel! CNP wasn't her BEST, but I did enjoy it. It definitely felt more like her earlier works than Woman with the Blue Star, which was a miss for me. I liked this one and would recommend it to my historical fiction-loving followers!

Code Name Sapphire is simply put historical fiction at its best.

Pam Jenoff always does an amazing job of presenting stories based on true events and not only educating us but giving us an amazing story.

Code Name Sapphire depicts the bravery and courage of the Resistance who would do their utmost to move soldiers to safety and some would go back to fight another day.

It is also based on the true story of the train on its way to Auschwitz that these brave people liberated many prisoners

Lily, Hannah, Matteo and his sister Michelene are forefront in the story and they put their lives on the line time and time again.

The pages turn quickly as you are cheering them all on, crying with them and just admiring them for their bravery and courage.

Highly recommend Code Name Sapphire or any book by Pam Jenoff.

Thanks to NetGalley and Harelquin Trade Publishing, Park Row for a fascinating and unforgettable read.

Inspired by true stories of courage and sacrifice, Pam Jenoff’s book, ‘Code Name Sapphire’ explores the challenges three ordinary women faced when trapped in a Nazi-occupied country. This tale focuses on Hannah Martel who gets caught up in a resistance network in her attempt to escape from Europe after her fiance is killed. Centered around resilience and sacrifice, this book honours those who sacrificed much to save those they loved.

I came away from this book with a renewed sense of awe for all those who were courageous enough to undertake unthinkable and dangerous attempts to free others. Jenoff capably immersed me in this tale and I learned about the many escape lines throughout Belgium, Holland and France and the heroes/heroines who aided Allied airmen and got them safely out of Europe. I wonder if I’d have the same depth of conviction to voluntarily step up in such a situation.

I appreciated the unique viewpoint of Belgium, the plight of the Roma community, and a behind-the-scenes exploration into the operation of a passeur.

Although I didn’t enjoy the love triangle nor identified with the characters involved, I really liked Micheline’s character. I do wish more had been written about her experiences as she was such an interesting operative. Jenoff tapped into my emotions and I felt the anger, distrust, and betrayal as well as the sliver of hope that shone through the story.

The liberation and the planning of it kept me spellbound and I was glad Jenoff gave me directions for further exploration of this event.

I was gifted this copy by Harlequin Trade publishing, Park Row and NetGalley and was under no obligation to provide a review.