The book is a continuation of the Lilac Girls series by Martha Hall Kelly. The book follows the Golden Doves, 2 women who worked for the resistance during WWII . The book is nonlinear, taking place during WWII and a decade later. I particularly enjoyed the story line from the 1950s. As the story progresses, the book picks up steam. Although it is not necessary to have read Ms. Kelly's previous books, I am glad I had read them since there are characters that resurface in The Golden Doves. An enjoyable read.

The Golden Doves
by Martha Kelly
Pub Date: April 18, 2023
Thanks to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.
I was really looking forward to reading this one because I had read the Lilac Girls trilogy and loved it.
It's a long book, which I don't mind at all, but because there was so much that didn't ring true for me, I didn't look forward to picking up the book each time I put it down. There seemed to be a lack of depth that bothered me as a reader.
I liked the dual timelines but there's not enough depth for me to recommend it.
3 stars

Martha Hall Kelly is such an incredible storyteller. This is my third book by her, and I am so impressed with the amount of research that goes into her books. I have learned so much about Ravensbruck, Operation Paperclip, the Rabbits, and now the relocation of Nazi war criminals to South America. I would recommend reading Lilac GIrls before reading The Golden Doves, as there is a lot of backstory there that ties into this one.

There is so much detail and information shared in this book, and it started a bit slow because of that for me. It took me a few weeks to finish it, But I was intrigued the whole time and loved the characters. I really cared about Josie and Arlette and wanted to know how their stories ended. Once I got halfway through, the story picked up. I could not put it down. I was totally blindsided by the ending and loved it!

I have yet to read Lost Roses, but have it on hold at my library. She is definitely an auto-buy author me now!

Well written WWII novel with a lot of fact based events. See my GoodReads review here: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/5375540538

3 female spy stars

This author is known for her historical fiction and I enjoyed her Lilac Girls trilogy. In this book, she returns to WWII and there are alternating timelines in the 1950s.

We meet two women who acted as spies in France during the war and became known as The Golden Doves. Now one of them, Josie, is posted at Fort Bliss and tracks down war criminals. Her hunt for a Ravensbruck doctor takes her back to Europe and she meets up briefly with her old friend Arlette.

Arlette still years for her son, he was taken away while she was a camp prisoner. Now she has a lead that he might be at an orphanage in French Guiana. She heads there and hopes to be reunited with him.

The secrets and danger swirl around the women. Typically, I love this sort of book, but I found the chapters to be almost too short. I would get wrapped up in one story only to switch to another quickly. The odd thing is that book felt really long. I had a hard time rooting for these women and sometimes the spy action felt quite amateurish and hard to believe.

I'm in love with this book! This is my first read by Martha Hall Kelly, and I was not disappointed. From page one, I was drawn into the setting and the characters. I loved the pacing and how the 1950's were intermixed with the war years in the 1940's. This story follows two female characters who are the "Golden Doves". I highly recommend this title to anyone who enjoys historical fiction and WW 2 genres. The characters were believable and the dialogue was very engaging and realistic. One of the best qualities about this book is the union of struggle but not without hope. To me, this is the key quality that got people through the war because so long as there was hope, there was reason to live another day. Beautifully written!

The Golden Doves by Martha Hall Kelly

Having read the Lilac Girl series and enjoying those three books, I had thought I would enjoy The Golden Doves more than I did. It's a long book, which I don't mind at all, but because there was so much that didn't ring true for me, I didn't look forward to picking up the book each time I put it down.

This story has two timelines with two points of view for each timeline. In the later timeline, it didn't take much for us to suddenly be swept back to the earlier timeline. Some of the chapters are really short so it was often hard to get settled back into the story before off we'd go to somewhere else, with someone else. The two main characters' sections are each in the first person and for me their "voices" seemed so similar that they didn't seem like distinct personalities. Both woman are impulsive, naïve, immature, and seem to lack common sense, especially at times when clear, unemotional thinking is what is needed to proceed with the least chaos and danger. I just can't see how these two women would be able to become so famous/infamous among those they worked with and those they worked against.

There is a lot of history to be learned here and that is touched on but it seems we rush on to the next thing so quickly. We are "told" a lot, one character telling the other things that both should already know. We are made aware that these two women are always practicing their spy techniques while they seem willing to sleep with or divulge too much to way too many people. There is even a good amount of insta lust that once again makes me think these women are too immature to have lasted as long as they have lasted in the dangerous world they are inhabiting.

Thank you to Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine and NetGalley for this ARC.

More Like 4 and ½ Stars! ✨

A huge thank you to NetGalley and Ballantine Books for my advanced copy of The Golden Doves!

Holy Moly! This book was fantastic!
I recommend every single one of this author's novels and here is a ranking that no one has asked for.

1. Lilac Girls
2. The Golden Doves
3. Lost Roses
4. Sunflower Sisters

All of these books have personally been rated 4 Stars or above.

Now for some quick thoughts on The Golden Doves.

The Golden Doves was very well written and engaging from beginning to end.
I loved the Dual Timeline and Dual Perspectives.
I was totally invested in both of the main characters and their storylines.
I am a huge WWII historical fiction reader but not really big into spies when it comes to the sub genre. However- I ate this up.

Why This Book Lost a Half Star 🌟

It took me forever to read. It's very much a me thing and has nothing to do with the quality of the book.

Overall- Highly Recommend. It'll probably be a while before we get another MHK book but they are definitely worth the wait. The amount of time and research she invests into her novels is very much appreciated and I thank her for it.

As a fan of Martha Hall Kelly's other books, I couldn't wait to read this one and she did not disappoint! This story was told from Arlette's and Josie's point of views during WW2 and 1952/1953. They ended up working together during the war in Paris and dubbed the Golden Doves. Unfortunately, they were caught and sent to Ravensbruck. Their stories during the war explains who these strong women were and how they came together. The 'after the war' stories tell of their quests for justice and missing family. You are taken between Paris to Fort Bliss, TX to French Guiana. I found the 1952 story set in French Guiana intriguing. There was a camp for orphaned boys there and the owners tried to reunite the boys with their families. That is the cover story told to the public. What was actually going on in the camp and the boys was unforgettable. Although this is a long book, the author wrote cliffhangers at the end of many chapters and I had to keep reading to find out what happened next. I found it to be a page turner. I loved the sense of family, both biological family and the family you choose. As the story was unfolding, there were a number of surprises as Arlette and Josie finished their quests that I loved. As a reader, I was satisfied with how the story wraps up for the main characters. There even seems to be a hint of what could be a sequel on the last page. The Author's Note lets you know the real people in the story and which were fictionalized. If you like HF with some mystery and intrigue, I recommend this book!

Thank you Random House and Net Galley for an ARC of The Golden Doves in exchange for an honest review.

I did not connect with this book as I had hoped. The writing felt stiff and didn't flow. I'm not sure what happened because I'd heard only great things about this author's other books. The opening chapter felt forced and it was just dry. I managed to read on but never felt compelled to read or was excited to crack it back open. With that said, it is well-researched and it will appeal to fans of historical fiction; it just wasn't for. me.

I received a free copy from NetGalley. Spies, after the war. What happened to them then and what do they do with their lives now? A little bit of a different telling of the Nazi spy story. Some good plot twists, even if you are familiar with the history of what happens to Nazis after the war.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an eARC of this book.
Another hit by this author. Long and involved with an interesting plot line.
Another angle of the trials of the war and after.

The Golden Doves is a dual timeline historical novel alternating between Paris 1943 and Post WWll 1953. Former spies Josie and Arlette are once again on a mission; Josie to find Dr. Snow, one of the Nazis that caused so much suffering to inmates at Ravensbrῢck concentration camp, and Arlette is searching for her son Willie. I enjoyed this book but it is long. Thanks to the author, Ballantine Books, and NetGalley. I received a complimentary copy of this ebook. The opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.

4.5 stars

Thank you to Martha Hall Kelly, Ballantine Books, and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book!

This is the first book I have read by Martha Hall Kelly and will NOT be the last. OH. MY. GOODNESS!!!

Usually, I avoid WWII books because the subject matter was so difficult to read during the COVID-19 pandemic. Now that the pandemic is easing, I am enjoying WWII subject matter again. Martha Hall Kelly hit this one out of the park with incredible characters, backstories, and plotlines! The beautiful thing about historical fiction is that I learn about something that I knew little or nothing about. I had not known about Ravensbrück, Americans in concentration camps, and about the French Resistance in Paris.

This is a beautifully written novel. I was reading until 1:30 am this morning and had to put it down because I could NOT read anymore. Then when I woke up, I inhaled it!! This book was SO worth the loss of sleep!

HIGHLY RECOMMEND

Another gripping, interesting and educational page-tuner from Martha Hall Kelly. I couldn’t put it down and was guessing until the end. I also learned a lot about post-war injustices and found myself googling so many things as I read.

This book encompasses 2 time lines, WWII and the early 50’s. Arlette and Josie worked for the French resistance during the war until they were sent to a concentration camp. Years after the war is over they reconnect and seek out former Nazis. The 2 main characters are strong women who have faced incredible hardships. Now they are on a path where they aren’t sure who to trust. This is the second book I have read by this author and I highly recommend it. Thank you to net galley for an advanced readers copy.

Told in dual time periods and points of view, this historical fiction novel kept me engaged to the end. Arlette and Josie worked for the French resistance during WWII and were eventually imprisoned at Ravensbruck Women’s Concentration Camp where they encountered the brutality of the Nazi regime first hand. After the war they part ways, Josie settles in the United States while Arlette stays in France. Arlette embarks on a mission to find the son taken from her at Ravensbruck, while Josie searches for the evil Nazi doctor, Dr. Snow. Their journeys intersect and the two must once again work together to achieve their goals. This was a page turner from beginning to end. I learned so much about the aftermath of the war and the U.S. role in it. I knew nothing of Operation Paperclip, and was appalled at our role in post war history. Highly recommended read. Thanks to Netgalley and Random House for giving me an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Please preorder!! Due out April 18, 2023

Martha Hall Kelly knocks it of the park with this historical fiction novel of 2 women , an American and a Parisienne, known as the Golden Doves.
Thrown together as spies for the resistance , they become friends. When their cover is blown, both must endure Ravensbruck with some of their family. Years later, they reconnect in French Guiana and must seek out former Nazis to bring to the US under Operation Paper Clip. There is a lot of undercurrent and many surprising twists in this novel and it captured me right away. I stayed up WAY too late anxious to find out how everything would play out.

This was such a well written novel, and I loved the two timelines. It was sad and shocking as I expected. I appreciated the author's note at the end of the book and her inspiration for writing THE GOLDEN DOVES and all her research that went into it. I want to note that this is quite a lengthy book but well worth the read, especially if you love history.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group-Ballantine for my ARC.

This review will be shared to my Instagram (@coffee.break.book.reviews) in the near future.

This is the second book I read by this author. The structure is basically the same, two stories and two characters that develop parallelly but that have contact points. I enjoy this structure because the author takes great pains by identifying each chapter by the character and by time period, never making us wonder who is the subject of each part.
The story is very thrilling and I enjoyed it very much. This time we have two friends that are seeking a notorious nazi criminal in the 50s. They have both been inmates in prison camps and experienced terrible times, but they are strong and resourceful women.
A great story and a great author. Thoroughly recommend it!