Having read and enjoyed Lilac Girls, I was excited to read this latest book by Martha Hall Kelly. This latest book follows the lives of two former female spies who worked for the French Resistance during World War II and their post-war mission to bring a Nazi doctor to justice. It is a powerful and moving tribute to the women who fought against tyranny and oppression during World War II and beyond while still offering a gripping and enjoyable storyline. Fortunately, in recent years, historical fiction has been spotlighting the role women have played in history and I can only hope that trend continues.

This was another beautifully researched and written historical fiction thriller from Martha Hall Kelly. It kept me on the edge of my seat and guessing until the end. And the ending?!...hopefully there will be a follow-up because it left me wanting to know what happens next.

Martha Hall Kelly expertly balances the sharing of information from the central characters, keeping the reader in a constant state of curiosity.

Having just completed <b>The Golden Doves</b> I’ve now read and appreciated all four of Martha Hall Kelly’s works of historical fiction. Her research is incredible, and I love how she incorporates factual events and real people into her tales. As I read The Golden Doves, I eagerly awaited the Author’s Note in which she typically sets out the factual elements and how she came to learn of them. Sure enough, it was eye opening and educational in equal measure. Included in her story were elements of the experimental operations performed on women and children in the Nazi prison camps. There was reference to some shocking government activity which brought Nazi’s to America; even more shocking was the fact the Vatican had a Nazi sympathizer element which helped Nazi’s escape justice. I liked the sections about the French spies and how they transmitted morse code, but also the way the Germans were able to identify where the transmissions were coming from. Hall Kelly also detailed the real people she had included and who had inspired other characters she’d created.
The Golden Doves is based around two female characters, Josie and Arlette. During World War II they had worked together as spies in the French underground resistance and went by the code name The Golden Doves. The story alternated between each of their perspectives and was mostly set in 1952 but to help provide their backstories there were several flashbacks to 1943.
In 1952 Arlette still carries the grief of having her son stolen from her in Ravensbruk, the Nazi prison camp she and Josie survived. She has never given up hope of finding him alive and when a representative of Hope Home, a children’s home in French Guiana, approached her with the possibility of locating her now 9-year-old son she could not resist. Meanwhile, in 1952, Josie is working as a Captain in the American Army, dedicating her life to tracking ex-Nazi’s. Her official mission is to find them for Operation Paperclip – to bring the greatest German chemists, aerospace engineers and scientists to the USA before the Russians get them. Unofficially, she has Dr Snow on her radar - the person responsible for her mother’s death in Ravensbruk. Ideally, she wants revenge but at the very least she wants to bring them to justice.

The story was good, and I liked the characters a lot. I have an especially low threshold for tension when I’m reading and as such don’t pick up many espionage stories. Though I particularly enjoyed this one it took me a long time to read it as I could often only do one or two chapters at a time. The book reminded me of the courage many people (such as these characters) displayed during the war, and not for the first time realised I would never have had the nerve to have behaved as these women did, to have put their lives on the line for the greater good and to fight for those they loved.
I sure hope this will not be her last and I suspect the ending she delivered left the door open for a sequel.
My thanks to Corina Diez of Random House for the pre-approval and to NetGalley for making it possible. I highly recommend this novel to readers of historical fiction and especially those who are partial to WWII fiction.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Penguin Random House Ballantine Books for gifting me a digital ARC of the new historical fiction book by Martha Hall Kelly, author of Lilac Girls - 4 stars!

Josie is an American living in Paris with her Jewish family during the Nazi occupation. Arlette is a newly-pregnant Frenchwoman who basically was forced to give up her child to the Reich. Both women are recruited to carry out secret missions for the resistance and are code named the Golden Doves. They are eventually caught and taken to Ravensbruck concentration camp. Years later, they are called back to track down an infamous Nazi doctor, the one who did terrible things to Josie's mother years ago. They are also hoping to find Arlette's stolen son.

Another WWII book filled with atrocities and wonderfully written and researched. I read The German Wife, by Kelly Rimmer, who introduced me to Operation Paperclip, part of this story as well, where Americans brought Nazi scientists to America for their expertise in expanding our rocket program. It's hard to even imagine living through a concentration camp and then having to be part of bringing those in charge to America to live a comfortable lifestyle with no punishment. I felt like this book could have been a bit shorter and I found myself a bit confused between the different viewpoints and timelines, but it is definitely a worthy read for historical fiction lovers.

I loved the dual timeline and dual POV. This book not only told an emotional story about two girls' efforts to take down the Nazi’s during the war but also the aftermath of the Nazi doctors being highly sought after by multiple countries. While I found both timelines interesting, the post war timeline captured my attention a little more. I loved the mystery and adventure of trying to hunt down a Doctor that no one knows what they look like. The past was more emotional and the post war was more suspenseful. I loved getting to know both women and how their stories connected. This author writes great historical fiction!

Thank you Ballantine Books @marthahallkelly @netgalley and @suzyapprovedbooktours for the gifted copy.

Josie Anderson and Arlette LaRue were working with the French Resistance shortly before D-Day. Highly sought after by the Germans, they were captured and sent to Ravensbruck. They managed to survive but at a high price. Years later, Josie is working for Army Intelligence vetting the same Germans that she fought against to see if they should be allowed to come work for the U.S. Arlette is working in a Paris cafe trying to piece her life back together while searching for her son, now 9, who went missing at Ravensbruck.

Having read a previous book, Lilac Girls, I was excited to read this one and found that there were several parallels between the two. Moving easily between 1944 and the early 1950s, both timelines kept my attention as you learn about the past and how it was affecting their present. Both Josie and Arlette had their own demons to fight so-to-speak. While mainly a fictional story as I don’t think the main character existed, the background of the story, Operation Paperclip, the Ratlines, and the whole race to gain a scientific advantage did occur. That seemed to enhance the drama that was going on. For me it also leads to questions regarding was this the right thing to do - something that Josie struggles with, having been a victim herself.

Another 5 star historical fiction novel by Martha Hall Kelly.

The Golden Doves had my attention from the beginning, and even though it's long, I didn't want it to end. I loved the story of the Golden Doves, Josie and Arlette, and how their unlikely friendship lasted beyond their spy work into the later years after the war.

The dual timeline alternates between the 1940s and 1950s, telling the story of the two women spies that eventually go on a hunt for Nazi doctors that worked in Ravensbruuck Camp doing unspeakable things to prisoners - including Josie's mom. Arlette is looking for her son, which takes her to South America, where many Nazis fled to escape punishment after the war. Josie is working for the US military and Operation Paperclip, which brought Nazi/German scientists over the the US to help them make scientific advances to get a jump on Russia.

Like all good historical fiction that I read, this one had me googling so many things by the end. I already was familiar with Ravensbruck camp from this author's previous books, but needed to know more about Operation Paperclip and how South America harbored many Nazi officials. Definitely read the afterword as the author delineates her process and research.

Does being a former spy, being imprisoned in Ravensbruck, witnessing what medical experiments were performed on women during the War ever be forgotten by those who bear witness to these horrific acts?

American Josie Anderson and Parisian Arlette LaRue, were young women called into the service of spying on the hated Nazis, so when the opportunity arises years later to track down a cruel and monster doctor. Formerly known as The Golden Doves, they survived the concentration camp, although with loss, Arlette loses her son, while Josie lose her mother.

Ten years later, they join forces again as Arlette thinks that she has a link to her son and Josie is hunting, working for the US government that evil doctor who killed her beloved mother. During the story, we learn of Operation Paperclip, where under the guise of the US government many valuable Nazis were brought into the US to aid in our medical, scientific, and other areas they had perfected being "good" Nazis. Disturbing indeed but not surprising!

This very intense book kept the action and suspense going as we are lead down the path to the evil nature of some that supported a regime dedicated to eradication of a race, and the dominance of the Aryan people.

If you enjoy WW 2 stories, this one continues in the path of this author's Lilac Girls which includes copious research and well fleshed out character.

Thank you to Martha Hall Kelly, Ballantine Books, and NetGalley for a copy of this moving story which has already published.

As a great fan of historical fiction, I was very impressed by The Golden Doves by Martha Hall Kelly. The author did a lot of research for this novel and her former book The Lilac Girls and the occupation of Germans in France during WWII. You became involved in Josie, Arlette lives and want to know what happens next. The novel definitely keeps you in suspense and even the ending is a surprise. I want to thank Net Galley for allowing me to read this novel.

4.5/5 stars

Martha Hall Kelly is one of my favorite historical fiction writers. Lilac Girls is in my Top 1o favorites. I find that I learn things about WW II that I knew nothing about.

Dual timeline, told in two different voices, Josie and Arlette, young resistance fighters in 1942 trying to help end the war. Thrown together initially, they form a bond like no other. They become quite notorious, ending up being captured and sent to Ravensbruck Camp, housing women and children, and many horrendous experiments are carried out. Fast forward to 1952 and Josie is working for the US on Operation Paperclip, a little know (to me) operation trying to locate high ranking Nazi official before Russia can claim them as their own to use their knowledge. Arlette is working in a Paris cafe and still looking for her son that went missing at Ravensbruck. The Golden Doves are working together again but will they be successful on this mission?

A beautiful, gut wrenching story told with compassion and honesty extolling the horrors women encountered at the Ravensbruck camp and the atrocities still being carried out in 1952 by Nazis hiding and protected in South America. It was infuriating to see how these high ranking officials were protected by many countries, the Vatican included, in South America and were sought after by Russia, USA and others for their knowledge on germ warfare. As a history geek, I enjoy reading stories where I learn so much. Remember history so we may never allow this to happen again.

Thanks to Random House/Ballantine Books and NetGalley for this ARC. Opinion is mine alone.

Thank you Random House Publishing Group for allowing me to review this ebook offered through NetGalley.
This book grabbed me from the start and honestly was so good I waited until the audio book was available because I just knew it would add more depth to the story by listening to the two fantastic narrators.
Martha Hall Kelly’s writing and storytelling gets better with every book.
I loved so many things about this book. As a transplant to Huntsville AL, I have been interested in how Wernher Von Braun and his team came to be a central part of this city and space program. While he is only mentioned in this book, it would be unimaginable the United States would have accepted Nazis as US citizens without thorough vetting.
The only negative comment I have is the author seemed to sway from the true essence of her characters with uncharacteristic thoughts and actions I suppose to try to add mystery to the plot turns, but it didn’t work very well.

Another WWII novel- this time with female French spies, Josie and Arlette- the Golden Doves- as the protagonists. Well researched and I like how Kelly’s characters were based on real people (don’t miss the author’s note!).
I’m a big historical fiction fan but this novel didn’t stand out to me and dragged in many parts. And it was long. Too long. Liked the authors previous novels much more. Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for a digital copy of this book.

The Golden Doves by Martha Hall Kelly is another well written story about strong women surviving the most horrible situations. As with the first two installments of her series The Lilac Girls, Ms. Kelly takes us to WWII and Ravensbruck concentration camp.

The story centers around Arlette, a French girl, and Josie, an American who are paired up in the French Resistance. The story is told in two times lines, 1940’s war torn Paris and the camp, and 1952 after the war when they are paired together again to bring in a despised Nazi doctor.

Although this wasn’t my favorite work by Ms. Kelly, I did like the character of Josie. I felt she was the more realistic of the two and her story was relatable. I didn’t really like 1952 Arlette. I’m not sure if I found her too naive after what she’d been through, or what. I did like the parts of the novel that talked about hunting the fleeing Nazis, and how they were escaping to South America.

If you are a fan of Ms. Kelly’s works, you’ll enjoy this one too. Perfect for fans of WWII historical fiction.

Thank you to NetGalley, the publishers and the author for an ARC in exchange for a fair and honest review.

MHK fan for life! I loved The Golden Doves by Martha Hall Kelly! I love that she has gone back to WWII for this adventure between two women fighting for the resistance as the golden doves. I was equally captivated by the storylines of Josie and Arlette who are joined together in Paris to help fight the Nazi's and uncover their secrets. The story moves back and forth between their time during and after the war. After their freedom from Ravensbruck, Josie is working for the U.S. Army Intelligence to hunt down previous Nazi employees. Arlette meets a man in Paris who claims to have found her son who was taken from her at Ravensbruck in an orphanage down in French Guiana. Their missions once again intertwine, and the girls must use their skills to capture an infamous Ravensbruck doctor and save Arlette's son.

This book mixes historical fiction with....dare I say a thriller? There was so much suspense within this book. I was very captivated by the storyline and found it a new take on WWII fiction. I think Golden Doves ties Lilac Girls in my opinion of books I will be thinking about for awhile. Great read!

Thank you to Random House Publishers-Ballantine Books and NetGalley for granting me a free copy of this ebook in exchange for my honest review.

I am a big fan of Martha Hall Kelly and I was so excited to read this book!! I loved it-and it did what I love books to do; hooked me from the very beginning. I didn’t feel like it “took a while” to get into it, and I didn’t feel a lull or get bored.
The story was captivating and I was thrilled to read it, and even more thrilled with how much I liked it. I stayed interested and appreciated the duality of the two stories as well as how they came together. I think that this novel was the best one yet.

4.25. What an incredible journey this book takes one on! Another captivating novel by the author of The Lilac Girls and The Sunflower Sisters. This novel generally focuses on two characters, a Frenchwoman Arlette La Rue and an American Josie Anderson set in Paris in World War Ii and later in 1952 in French Guinea, the Us and Europe. Both Josie and Arlette, very young women at the time, served on the resistance as spies in Paris. They later were arrested and sent to Ravensbruck, a camp in Germany solely for women. The story packs a lot, including the bone chilling experiments done on unwilling participants in the camps, the strength and fortitude of those who served on the resistance even with the possibility of death, and the callousness and atrocities of the war. Although a historical fiction, it also was a fantastic thriller that I could not put down. The characters were all well developed. Great book to read. Thank you Netgalley for providing me an advance copy in exchange for an unbiased and candid review c

I was excited to receive approval for this book through NetGalley, since I have read all of the author's previous books and enjoyed them. This was no exception. It's interesting, thoroughly researched, and contains characters that you want to root for. Without giving anything away, let's just say that the ending hinted at another book containing these characters, and I am all for it. If I had to criticize one thing, I'd say the first 50% was a bit too slow for my tastes, but after awhile the action definitely picked up and I was able to finish the book relatively quickly.
I wouldn't hesitate to recommend to others, but fair warning, the author does describe in some detail the kinds of experiments performed by Nazis at the Ravensbruck concentration camp.

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group- Ballantine for the ARC!

The Golden Doves by Martha Hall Kelly is an astounding work of historical fiction. I have read a lot of books set in World War II, and I thought I knew a lot about the time period and the atrocities of the war. I was very wrong. This book is set shortly after the war and explains that the atrocities spilled over long after the war officially ended. Based on facts about real secret programs and other evil projects conducted after the war, this book is eye opening and heart breaking. We cannot forget. I received a digital copy of this book from the publisher with no obligations. These opinions are entirely my own.

The Hunt

Josie and Arlette work in the French resistance. The make a name for themselves the Nazi's call them the golden doves and want to catch them. They enjoy their work until the Nazi's catch up with them and they along with their loved ones are sent to Ravensbruck concentration camp.
At Ravensbruck a doctor does horrible experiments on Josie's mom and they take away Arlette's son.

Years later Josie and Arlette take on a dangerous assignment to find this doctor and bring the doctor back to the U.S. They are not the only ones that are looking for this doctor. The Russian's want the doctor for the knowledge the doctor has and the Israelis want him to stand trial for war crimes.

In this fast paced story all is not as it seems and the doctor is not who we think. Since neither Josie nor Arlette have actually seen this doctor Snow they do not know exactly who the doctor is.

This story tells of the trials of those subjected to Ravensbruck but mostly of the scars left behind by the war , the time in the camp, and the loss of loved ones. It in a way is a healing by finding this doctor and bringing doctor Snow to justice.

This was a good story, I held my breath a few times when the girls were in grave danger it was really touch and go for a while. They were very brave young women.

This was a great story and I enjoyed reading it.

Thanks to Martha Hall Kelly for writing it, to Random House Publishers for publishing it and to NetGalley for providing me with a copy to read and review.