this continuation of #TheResistanceGirlseries,
our protagonist, Valérie , is again working to help others during #WorldWarII in this #historicalfiction novel. Book 2 is just as moving as book 1, #TheWatchmakersDaughter, which I equally loved.

This is a lovely interesting story set during WW11 about resistance groups in Switzerland.
I hadn’t realised this was the second of a series as usually I like to read from the start to get the whole picture.
We always think of Switzerland as being neutral during the war but they were afraid of being invaded too.
The resistance both in France & Switzerland played a big part in spiriting people across the border to escape the Germans.
They were still at risk even when over the border as Germans worked secretly in Switzerland too.
When a Jewish family become separated while fleeing the Germans, Valerie puts her own life in danger to search for them.
The father & son have made it to Switzerland but will not move on till they are reunited with his wife & daughter.
Beautifully written with characters that are well developed.
Time & again the bravery & courage shines through as people face danger & put their lives on the line.

Fleeing from Nazi-occupied France into Switzerland, a young family is separated. Mother and daughter are stranded in France, fleeing their pursuers while father and son find safety with a young resistance fighter, Valerie Hallez. Seeking to help the stranded mother and daughter puts Valerie and her friends in danger, but she is determined to reunite this Jewish family.

Thankfully readers weren’t kept waiting too long for the second instalment in The Resistance Girl series by Dianne Haley because her debut book, The Watchmaker’s Daughter was amazing and I didn’t want it to end. I’m delighted to say book two, Under a Brighter Sky, was just as good and I was completely hooked from beginning to end and given the characters are only midway through the war I hope there will be lots more to come from what has been an incredibly gripping series so far. These books are different from the usual World War Two historical fiction books that saturate the market. They are like a crime/thriller with the historical element thrown in and I think they are providing readers and specifically female readers with lots of danger, daring, edge of your seat stuff that has your heart racing wondering will everything go wrong or will the heroine Valerie and the excellent supporting cast of characters make it safely through the war?

Valerie is the main character from whom all the other subplots fan out and they are all equally exciting and edge of your seat stuff. Yes, I found the first quarter or so a bit slow to get going and I questioned whether the brilliance and tension I had felt in book one would be present but I needn’t have worried at all. Dianne Haley, despite this only being her second book, writes as if she has published in this genre for years and she had everything so carefully plotted out and its execution was pure perfection. Despite this being book two there is no need to have read the previous book as plenty of background information is slipped in and the reader is brought bang up to date. But saying that, do read the first book as you’ll appreciate even more how superb this series is really shaping up to be.

What I really love about these books is that they are set in Switzerland very near to the French boarder and the theme of Switzerland’s neutrality is always called into question. Valerie and her fellow conspirators could have sat back and done nothing but it shows what admirable character traits they have that they are willing to forgo a somewhat easy existence during the war to put their lives on the line in order to help others in peril and in need of saving.

When we return to Valerie, she is still coming to terms with the loss of a good friend and fellow resistance member. The anger and grief she is experiencing fuels her and she is even more determined to find who caused such a loss in her life. She continues to deliver messages for the resistance as she cycles about Geneva delivering parcels for her watchmaker father. She also aids Jewish refugees escaping from German occupied France and helps the network to keep them hidden once they are brought across the boarder. Valerie is always on the go never resting. She is living through a nightmare but is always so persistent and dogged in her one quest which is to make sure as many people as possible are saved from the evil clutches of the Nazi’s.

I found Valerie to be practical and resourceful and always on the look out for ways in which she can help with the bigger picture. She demonstrates such bravery and courage and goes against the odds all the time. When she learns that a Jewish family were separated trying to cross the boarder and now Annemarie and her young daughter Madeleine are exposed to even more danger then she is determined to reunite them with their father and son. This is one strand of the story which was perfectly developed but there are many more and they are all linked together in the most brilliant way. Once I got to the quarter mark of the book, I thought the book had found its rhythm and the action never let up. With each turn of the page you are constantly guessing what is around the corner. There is no let up and the reader and all the characters barely draw breath as it is so action packed. But that’s what I like in a book, that feeling that it can’t be left out of your hand and that to put it down for any minute was leaving the characters hanging when they are only too ready and willing to share their story of daring, fearlessness and fortitude.

Within this impressive story, there are so many twists, turns and surprises and one of the main strands is trying to guess who within the resistance network is supplying information to the Germans? There is a traitor in their midst and Valerie is strong willed and tenacious in her quest to uncover who it is. She wants revenge for the loss of someone close to her and wants to stop more unnecessary deaths occurring. For so many of their plans are being discovered and this leads to such danger for both the members and those they are trying to protect and to bring to safety. I never guessed who was to blame and that’s thanks to the clever writing from the author that always has you second guessing characters. There was one character in particular, the way they were acting made me very suspicious of them and it sounds strange saying it but I felt ashamed that I had laid the blame at their door when it turned out to be someone completely different.

Valerie constantly takes dangerous risks and lives her life on a knife edge with threats and danger lurking around every corner but still there is some time made for romance even though her fiancée Philippe is away in the Alps at a fort which would defend the country if an invasion occurred. Both Valerie and Philippe would do anything for their country and wish more than anything to prevent more people ending up in concentration camps. I loved how Philippe is not forgotten even though he is away from Geneva for the majority of the book. His element of the story forms an integral part to the overall plot and again as with all the others it is fascinating and thrilling and the reader is constantly wondering how does everything connect together? Not to mention Philippe’s friend Christophe who has gotten himself into a mess which needs sorting out even if his intentions were very good.

From the first word to the last I loved Under a Brighter Sky and again as with book one I wish it could have gone on and on. Dianne Halley is a marvellous author who writes solid, engaging and sublime stories with characters you truly come to care for and with storylines that have you both enthralled and intrigued. The climax to this book was incredible but it also left the reader fearful and racing through the pages to see the eventual outcome. Hopefully, there is lots more to come from Valerie and co as this has to be one of the best books/series I have read this year and no doubt about it will feature in my top books of the year come the end of December. Do yourself a favour and make sure who don’t miss out on a stunning, action packed read.

World War II rages on across Europe and many Jewish families escaped Nazi occupied France. They fled to Switzerland. Valérie Hallez has hidden Pierre and his young son in the attic of her mother's bookshop. Valérie is a young Resistance fighter, she will do everything she can to protect the Jewish people from the Nazi’s. Pierre believes his wife and daughter have been captured. But Pierre and his son can’t continue to hide out in the attic, they need to get as far as they possibly can into Switzerland before they are found out. Valérie has her own problems being part of the Resistance. The Germans have listed her as a Resistance fighter and she knows that if they find her they will certainly kill her. She can’t let the fear of capture stop her, she has a mission to carry out and she must succeed.

I was extremely captivated by this book. This heartbreaking story about a courageous woman who risks her life for the broken families of war was phenomenal. I was so emotional about this unputdownable read and it will remain with me for a long while. I completely devoured it. This rapid read had me so emotional that I didn’t know which way to turn. Keep the Kleenex nearby because you will surely need them. I found the characters to be so well liked that I felt emotionally vested in them and their lives. This is the second book in the series The Resistance Girl but can be read as a stand-alone. I love this series and I highly recommend it. Please don’t pass this one up. It is without a doubt a must read. I wish I could rate ten stars.

Thank you Dianne Haley for such a phenomenal and inspiring story. This is one that will remain in my heart for years to come. I thoroughly enjoyed your book.

I have yet to read the first in the Resistance Girl series and felt that although this could read as a standalone, I was missing too much background story. Don't get me wrong though, it has some fantastic, strong characters, I just wanted to know more about them.

I'd never heard of Resistance Operatives before, so not only was it a learning curve for me, it was a captivating, suspense filled read.

Under A Brighter Sky is a very well written story, it's highly engaging and Haley definitely an author to recommend.

Many thanks to Bookouture for my tour spot.

Rating ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Under a Brighter Sky is book two of The Resistance Girl series and oh, how I was gripped...... I read it all on Sunday afternoon! Valérie is still part of the Swiss resistance and hides Pierre and his son Jules, who need to go further into Switzerland for their safety. Pierre refuses to go until he knows his wife and daughter are safe and on their way to join them. Can Valérie find Anne-Marie and Madeleine, then get the family to safety after discovering that she too, is on the Nazi list as a Resistance fighter?

I'm loving this series and can't wait for the next. I read lots of WWII novels but haven't read about the Swiss involvement before, so I'm keen to learn more - I realise it is a series of novels but I'm sure there is some real history behind it

Valerie is part of the Resistance in Switzerland. She’s on a two fold mission: reunite a family and find the traitor who keeps ratting out resistance members.
There are a lot of characters to keep straight as the story unfolds. I’ve neither heard nor read much about resistance operatives in Switzerland, so the angle was new and unique for me.
The action was at a very fast clip with lots of ducking, moving, and slinking around. Close calls made my heart sink while I knew eventually a confrontation was inevitable.
Although a novel, it drives home the courage people had back then and who were willing to lay down their lives over and over.

Author Dianne Haley has written a superb book.
There have been many WWII books written and they are good but one that has a different topic covered such as this one really catches your attention.
What keeps your attention is the page after page reading of danger,heart wrenching heartbreak the characters face though not of their own causing. Such injustice done to children just trying to escape to a better life.
I could not put this down,my heart was beating fast and I was holding my breath while reading this.
You get very invested in the character's lives,I was hooked as I read about the risks they are taking through espionage and secret communications.
France has fallen to the Nazi's and Switzerland's people know they could be next but a long time jeweler needs the business with the Germans to survive. As his daughter does bike deliveries for him she, unknown to her father ,smuggles messages for the French Resistance, hidden among his watch deliveries.
It is a huge risk she is taking but she does it while thinking of Philippe, her childhood sweetheart who is a soldier based in secret military fortresses in the mountains.
Someone she knows is betraying secrets to the Resistance,who could be putting them in perilous danger and why?
Heart wrenching story about a woman who risks it all, including her own life to try to reunite a family devastatingly torn apart beyond their own control by war.
When unexpected danger strikes will she stay safe, will her father?
Highly recommended!

Pub Date 25 Apr 2022
I was given a complimentary copy of this book.
All opinions expressed are my own.

The title infers that the story will be brighter than book one, The Watchmaker's Daughter. Valerie is getting more involved with the resistance, seeing the evil surrounding those she loved. There were definitely some bright moments, but there was so much darkness. The story speaks to how dark the times were in Europe in World War 2.

Under a Brighter Sky goes deeper into the lives of foreigners living in Geneva, Switzerland, a place that was supposed to neutral. Germans, including the SS, walked the streets of Geneva listening and watching. The SOE worked to assist the French Resistance while living and working in Geneva. Spies recruited citizens to assist them in reaching their goals.

There was a traitor in the ranks of the Resistance. People were dying. Valerie's friends are dying. Her boyfriend is in danger. Tension grew as I continued to read. Who could it be? Why would the do it? Will they ever be caught? Then I had to ask, is it more than one person? I was hooked. I needed to know.

Until the find the traitor they are all at risk. Refugees are stuck France. Saboteurs are being hunted. Resistance works are dying. Get ready for a thrilling read as the set a trap to catch him or her. It could go either way. All Valerie could do was hope for a brighter tomorrow.

Maybe it’s because I didn’t read the first book in the series, but I had trouble engaging with the characters and their story

This is another great WWII read set in Switzerland. Whenever we think of Switzerland, we think, they stayed neutral , everyone hunted by the Nazis tried to escape there. While true, we don’t often think any deeper.
Surrounded by Nazi held countries, the Swiss could not assume they would not be attacked and lived with uncertainty.
Just as in every Allied country, there were Nazi sympathizers and spies. There was a strong Swiss resistance helping as many Jews escape terror and death as possible.
This storyline does an amazing job of weaving together the reality of Switzerland and the fear of not knowing who you could trust.

i really enjoyed Under a Brighter Sky. The suspense of finding the traitor and saving the Jewish family had me glued to my kindle along with the friendships, bravery, loss and love throughout. Although this is a standalone book, I would highly suggest reading The Watchmakers Daughter first. I can't wait for the 3rd installment of this series.

So.. my emotional state of mind is all over the place right now. I loved all the characters and the settings. It played out as a movie in my head and i felt like i was truly there. Thats how i know this is an amazing story.

I loved The Watchmaker's Daughter, and now i need to read book 3 asap. A definite recommend

Thanks Netgalley and Bookouture

All thoughts and opinions are my own and arent influenced by anyone else

UNDER A BRIGHTER SKY is the second novel in the Resistance Girl series by DIANNE HALEY, but it can easily stand alone. It is a most enjoyable and inspirational read, with unforgettable characters - ordinary people who put their own lives at risk in order to help the Jewish victims of Hitler’s hatred escape to safety. It is a story of bravery, humanity, compassion and sacrificial love.
It is particularly interesting to learn about what the Swiss people went through in WW11, living in constant fear of invasion, in spite of being neutral.
The story takes place mostly in Geneva where Valerie Hallez lives with her watchmaker father. She is involved in the Resistance helping to hide Jews who have crossed the border from Vichy France, escaping the horrors of German occupation. She is determined to find out who killed Emile, her friend and fellow Resistance worker.
There is a great deal of tension as no one knows who they can trust - there is obviously a traitor in their midst who is working for the Germans.
Valerie’s fiance Philippe Cherix and his risk-taking friend Christophe are in the Swiss Army at Saint-Maurice, guarding the border with France. When he hears that Valerie has broken her promise to him and crossed into France to try and reunite the Weil family, placing herself in danger, he is very angry….
I highly recommend Under A Brighter Sky to anyone who enjoys good WW11 novels and am looking forward to the next book in the series.
I was given a free copy of the book by NetGalley from Bookouture. The opinions in this review are completely my own.

I read the first book in this series and was hoping to be able to find out what happened to some of the characters. This book answers those questions, but it could still be read as a stand alone. It has a compelling plot with plenty of edge of your seat suspense. Thank you to net galley for an advanced readers copy.

From the first page to the last page, you are left trying to solve the mystery of what’s happening within the Resistance group in Geneva, Switzerland. The main character, Valerie, is a member of The Swiss Resistance, living amongst the Swiss/French border operating within both countries to do her part and save innocent people from the Nazi Regime. Very early into the book it’s obvious that there is a traitor amongst the group that is responsible for deaths and information being leaked. The author does a really good job at keeping you, the reader, in suspense from start to finish and trying to solve the mystery of who is the traitor.

Various chapters are told from a different characters perspective, but most are told from Valerie’s. There is a good balance of her and the other characters and together, chapter by chapter, the author unfolds the story and you will get closer to solving the mystery of the traitor. The characters are all very likable and easy to follow along with.

It’s definitely worth reading! Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for the ARC copy!

Rich characterizations, realistic emotions, and a lovely story make for a can't-put-it-down emotional read. Oh my GOSH!!!!!! I read this emotionally charged, compelling book in one sitting. Whoa,my emotions are ALL over the place!!! Wow!!! Wow!!! Wow!!! This book is a total page-turner and will keep you guessing with every page. I love this incredible novel. The plot was ingenious and I really like the characters and timelines as well. If you’re looking for a fast pace historical story that you can get swept into fairly quickly this is the book for you.

Set on the French/Swiss border in the second world war this tells the story of a small group of resistance fighters. Whilst trying to cross into Switzerland a family has been split up. The mother and daughter were taken away by the Nazis whilst the Jewish father Pierre and his son were hiding. The group are trying to keep them safe whilst finding out about the ladies whereabouts to reunite them. The group are also secretly taking part of the Nazi hoard, which has been confiscated from Jews, to either get it back to its rightful owners or to fund the resistance. One of the group has been betraying them to the Germans putting them in even greater danger.

This is a really interesting read being slightly different from many war themed novels, being border and resistance based. Although fiction we know such things did happen and many put themselves in danger or were killed whilst trying to help others over the border. Valerie is a likeable character and her determination and tenacity is more than admirable. This is book two in the series but happily stands alone (the first being “ The Watchmaker's Daughter” - see blog for my review) There's a good tension with the main plot line throughout and several subplots along the way. An interesting read and a different one.

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Wow and here I thought book 1 was good but this one was even better .And just like The Watchmaker's Daughter pulled my emotions in every direction, so did this one . It had be literally asking myself can this person be trusted, and who the traitor was , As well as keeping my fingers cross that the resistance would find out who he or she was before more of them was either caught or put too death. The characters, as well as the places and timeline came to life and made me feel like I was actually there and reach out and touch the characters.