This book was absolutely heartbreaking, and thought-provoking, yet held onto you tight the whole time. The author masterfully told the story in a way that was positive and full of light even in the darkest of times. I9 highly recommend this book.

An enjoyable listen with a strong female protagonist. The storyline was great and held my interest and I felt the narrator did a good job too.

The Girl with the Yellow Star
by Natalie Meg Evans
Narrated by Amalia Vitale
Pub Date 28 Oct 2022 | Archive Date 01 Nov 2022
Bookouture Audio
General Fiction (Adult) | Historical Fiction




Bookouture Audiobook and Netgalley provided me with a copy of The Girl With the Yellow Star for review:


We are required to wear the yellow star! The rules require it!” cries the little girl. Her mother presses a desperate finger to her mouth. "Dear, today is a different day. We will leave our stars behind and embark on a long journey. Until we reach England, we must remain very, very quiet.



The Cornwall region of England, 1943. As a result of the loss of her husband in the Navy, grieving Gwenna Devoran attempts to fill the void in her life by providing shelter to two Jewish refugees in her farmhouse high on the Cornish cliffs. At the train station, however, ten-year-old Lotti is waiting alone in a neat red coat.



During the journey, Lotti's mother died protecting her. The only thing this little girl has now is Gwenna. Lotti, traumatized by the experience, is unable to speak a word: and when German prisoners of war are ordered to work on the farm, she is in greater danger than ever before. If the Germans discover that Lotti is Jewish, what will they do?



As Gwenna overhears Lotti showing her teddy bear to German captain Max Reiner, her heart stops. When she hears Lotti speak for the first time, Gwenna is terrified for the little girl she has grown to love. Perhaps she can trust the kindness in this German officer's gentle voice and bright blue eyes...



While Lotti heals, Gwenna risks everything to spend more time with Max, certain that he does not support the Nazi cause. Then a rumor spreads in the village: Max fired the torpedo that killed Gwenna's husband.




Gwenna's heart is torn between loyalty to her country, the memory of her husband, and her love for the little girl she secretly hopes to adopt. Can she trust Max when he is desperate to prove his innocence? Do the three of them have the potential to become a family - or will the war tear them apart?


I give The Girl with the Yellow Star five out of five stars!


Happy Reading!

I love reading historical fiction books .. especially if they are set during WWII. I fell in love with Lottie. And though her story will tug at your heart strings, watching her open up and begin to heal warms your soul. The story is well done, bringing you into the lives of the characters and you find yourself caring deeply for them. A different point of view than I typically see in WWII books. It was interesting seeing how the German prisoners of war experienced life. What a moving tale of courage, healing, and love. I strongly encourage you to pick it up and get lost in the lives of Gwenna, Max, and Lottie.

Thank you to NetGalley and Bookoutre for my advanced review copy. All opinions and thoughts are my own.

For more reviews, please visit my blog at: https://www.msladybugsbookreviews.com/. Over 1000 reviews posted!

Delightful read! I really enjoyed the storyline with the ups and downs. Enjoyed the strong woman protagonist. Thank you NetGalley for the audio eArc.

The Girl With the Yellow Star by Natalie Meg Evans is a World War II story that shows us that love does not discriminate. Lottie is a young German girl whose mother dies as they are leaving London for the country, where they will stay on a farm with Gwenna. Gwenna takes Lottie in, but Lottie will not speak at all. She seems drawn in on herself and Gwenna is desperate for a way to reach her. When she is forced to use German POW's on her land to meet the demands of the ministry, Lottie takes to one. Max is a former u-boat captain and Gwenna's husband was lost at sea during the war. As she begins to also have feelings for Max, she must figure out if his past matters, especially as he may have ben involved in her husband's death. A story that will fill your heart with joy and sadness as you remember how blessed you are. It will also remind you that, when it comes to love, nationality and differences are not what matters, but heart is. I enjoyed the narration as well. The narrator did a great job.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher. All opinions are my own.

The Girl with the Yellow Star by Natalie Meg Evans and Narrated by: Amalia Vitalie
Length: 12 hrs and 52 mins was a beautifully written book and the narrator was perfect.
This latest book The Girl with a Yellow Star, is a historical fiction book, set in Cornwall England in 1943.
Gwenna Devoran one of the main characters and is one wonderful kind woman. Her her husband was killed whilst fighting in the Navy. Gwenna wants to help others and is giving shelter to Jewish refugees in her farmhouse. A young girl called Lotti who is ten years old is waiting at the train station. Sadly lotti's mother was killed trying to get her to safety. Lotti is so scared and traumatised she does not speak.But, Lotti is a little Jewish girl who steals Gwenna’s heart. Gwenna does everything to protect this little girl.

This book was heartbreaking, gripping and a beautiful story about how love shines brightly even in the darkest times, and the incredible sacrifices people make in wartime.

I highly recommend this book especially if you love reading about WWII books.

Big Thank you to Netgalley and Bookouture Audio for a free copy of this audio book for an honest review.

I loved this audiobook!
What a fabulous story which had my heart racing and a lump in my throat several times!

The narrator was very good and I found it very easy to listen to and it had me waking up in the middle of the night to listen to just one more chapter🙈and we all know that never happens.

Strongly recommended for lovers of WW2 fiction with a touch of romance and a lot of bravery.

When her mother is killed after escaping mainland Europe in WWII, Lotti ends up being a ward of Gwenna, a widow who is running her own farm at the dismay of others who disagree with her being a woman in charge. Gwenna helps Lotti overcome the trauma of losing her family, while Lotti gives Gwenna the strength to move on and stay strong on her land, despite those who try to undercut her.
There is also a thread woven through of the humanity and lack thereof that happens during war. When German POWs are conscripted to help on the farm, it is evident who maintains humanity, how patriotism can bind but also warp, and how new bonds can form.

#arc
#netgalley
#thegirlwiththeyellowstar

Wow! I thought that this was a great historical read. I read a lot of books about the last century, especially war times but this was a new idea and well thought out. I loved the characters, especially Gwenna and Lotti. It was one of those books which I look back on and feel that I have watched it as the pictures the writing evoked are so clear in my mind. A great mix of history, place, romance and even a bit of mystery. Well done. Highly recommended!

This book was just ok to me. I liked the overall idea, and I love the setting of Cornwall.

I enjoyed learning about that part of history, as I did not know German POWs were held in Cornwall during World War 2.

I also loved the desire to help a Jewish girl and save her from certain persecution.

However, I struggled with this story. There was so much detail that I felt didnt add to the story, and I really struggled to keep my interest in it.

Sadly, this is a pass for me.

I absolutely loved this book and literally finished listening to the audiobook in a few days time. Narrator, Amalia Vitalie did such a wonderful job, and the story just flowed from her lovely voice.

It’s 1943, and young Lotti and her mother are German Jews, traveling to a farm in Cornwall, England, where they seek refuge. Gwenna Devoran, who was recently widowed when her husband was killed at sea, has graciously offered Lotti and her mother a home with her on her farm. Sadly, Lotti’s mother is tragically killed in an accident at the train station once they reach their destination. This leaves Gwenna and Lotti to try and figure out how to make a life together. Not only does Lotti speak no English, but she doesn’t seem to be able to speak at all after the loss of her mother. Stuck in this strange land and not able to speak the language, Lotti must learn to trust Gwenna and figure out how life is lived on a farm, which is so unlike her previous life.

There’s so much more to this story about overcoming prejudice, finding your family, forbidden love, long-held secrets, and the effects war has on the people who survive it. Thank you to Netgalley and Bookouture for the opportunity to preview this audiobook and offer my honest review.

The Girl With the Yellow Star was my first experience with this author and it was well worth taking the chance. I was hooked from beginning to end. The audiobook narrator was the perfect voice to tell this tale of tragedy, loss, life and love. The story is set in England during WWII and is one of my favourite historical fiction books so far.

This is the story of a young Jewish girl called Lottie who comes to live with Gwenna in Cornwall on Glenna’s farm. The young girl has witnessed so much tragedy in her young life, but at the farm she experiences love and kindness in the most unexpected people including the German POWs, and notably Max, who were once the enemy. Gwenna has also experienced challenges in her life and together the story brings together friendships that are formed in the most difficult times.

I highly recommend this book if you enjoy historical fiction from the likes of Mandy Robotham and Kristin Harmel. Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC audiobook.

I would like to thank Net Galley for this advanced Listen Copy of This book.. I was not influenced in exchange for this honest review.

Natalie Meg Evans is a first time author for me and I can see she is very talented. I was amazed at how she invited me into this story and allowed me to grieve, rejoice, and feel emotion alongside the characters. The start of the book is a little confusing trying to figure out what is going on, but once you start to understand the characters, the setting and plot things start rolling.
I was entertained for the most part, and enjoyed the "Day to day" living Gwenna did on her farm, Clearly Natalie Meg Evans had a bit of a feminist agenda, and wanted to through some other agendas into this story (Like WHY?) . I thought the book had actually ended at 75% but it kept going and going for a while, however the ending ended up being satisfying. I am a bit soft on this review as historical fiction is not my cup of coffee usually, so I think if you like that genre you will really enjoy this book.

I am a huge fan of historical fiction. I was drawn to the title and description of this immediately. I fell in love with little Lottie and had immense sympathy for most of the characters despite longing for more development at times. However, I left feeling conflicted about some of the relationships in the story. I like to avoid spoilers, so I will leave it at that.

The audiobook was done wonderfully and I enjoyed the listen.

The Girl With the Yellow Star is a perfect read for those who enjoy the genre of historical fiction set during WW2, especially those long looking for different perspectives that are a little less heavy than stories the tell of the horrors of the concentration camps.

This story takes place in Cornwall, England, 1943. Our protagonists are Gwenna Deveran, a widow farmer who is at risk of losing her farm should it not produce enough to meet the demands set forth by the government during the war, Lotti, a young Jewish German girl who with her mother, escaped the horrors of Berlin and France, only to tragically lose her mother just before making it to the quiet countryside of Cornwall, and Max, a German Officer POW assigned to a work detail on the farm. As you can imagine, much of the story navigates around the challenges these characters faced daily, Gwenna’s fear for Lotti’s safety around the German POWs, to the communities fear and resentment at having a POW camp in their safe little community, and the mis-treatment and unfair judgment Gwenna experienced from her community for being force to allow the POWs to work her farm. The characters were well developed, the scenery beautifully described and the perspective of German POWs serving as laborers during the midst of the war was new to me. I could understand the hesitation and fear felt by so many, but Gwenna in the end won me over with her strength, kindness, and honesty.

The end wrapped up nicely, although a bit rushed, and the second prologue at the end confused me, but all in all a good story.

Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture Audio for the opportunity to listen to an advanced copy of The Girl With the Yellow Star in exchange for my honest opinion. The narration by Amalia Vitale was fantastic.

This book was an absolute joy to listen to. A wonderful story that will have you completely engrossed from the very start. An emotional read that is perfect for fans of historical romance. I was completely taken by the story and the characters. Highly recommend.

Cornwall, England, 1943. Never in her wildest dream, Gwenna thought that she would be working alongside german POWs on her beloved family farm. But the circumstances led to the current status, and she had no choice but to accept the help. Besides the three working POWs at the far, Gwenna has another german visitor. Days prior to their arrival, a young Jewish refugee became Gwenna's guest at the farmhouse. Gwenna is afraid of the conflict that can occur between the working german officers and the Jewish girl. But to her surprise, Lotti and Max develop a unique friendship. Living in a village that has tremendous resentment towards the German nation, the german visitors very quickly warm their way into Gwenna's heart.

This novel takes on a different direction than all the resistance novels that I am so fond of. It came to my surprise the treatment of german POWs on the territory of England VS the opposite side. Nevertheless, it always warms my heart to read about human kindness no matter the nationality or religion. This novel shows us that love can overcome hate, new experiences would never replace memories and the world moves on.

Wonderful plot, favorable characters, and an overall uplifting novel. There are many heart-stopping situations, so naturally, the tension is palpable throughout, but it makes for a real page-turner. I recommend this novel to my fellow WWII readers as well as romance lovers. Thank you, NetGalley for the opportunity to read an advanced copy of the novel, and Natalie Meg Evans for a heartwarming story.

The Girl With the Yellow Star by Natalie Meg Evans

The story is based of Cornwall England in 1943 with the main character Gwenna Devoran's who recently lost her husband and father. She is living with her wealthy in-laws while her husband was at sea with the Royal Navy. Gwenna is angry about the lose of her husband who she loved but she is also conflicted about a real truth about her husband a secret his family doesn't even know. She sets off to take over her family Cornish farm to manage it instead of staying with her in-laws.

Gwenna is under a lot of pressure to meet the demands of the farm by the quota's set for the farm by the Government to support the war effort.. Her employees are less then desirable at first. The couple working with her are just terrible human beings. What brings this story to life is when Gweena takes on a traumatized Jewish girl who is struggling with the lose of her mother do to a train accident that killed her. This is the most powerful gripping part of the story with Gweena teaching the girl about the farm and getting her educated to go to school. Lotti who is the young Jewish girl is very smart and when she does connect with Gweena you see a smart young girl come alive as she deals with the loss of her parents.

Gweena then gets some German prisoners assigned to work on her farm. Max is one of the prisoners. There is some connection between the German prisoners and the young Jewish German girl finds her voice when she comes into contact with these prisoners working on the farm.

This story is so powerful and gripping between Gweena and Lotti watching each one become better with helping each other. Gweena sees she can be a mom to this beautiful girl. Lotti shows how smart she is and how she wants to see Max and Gweena together. Max and Gweena chemistry blooms through the pages but this is forbidden love. The reader finds out some truths about Gweena's now dead husband and Max's role as a u-boat Captain.

I love this time period in historical fiction and I love strong independent women who fight for what is right in a world that is all wrong. Women like Gweena who does everything she can to save her farm, the young girl, herself and max. This book pulls you right from the start and leads you through a tale of one women's true heart of going against the grain of what other expectations for her and finding her independence and voice.

Natalie Meg Evans wrote a book that knocks it out the park she makes you invested in all the characters in the book. From start to finish I was gripped in the turmoil of the time in war torn Europe during WW2. I cannot wait to read more from this author.

Amalia Vitale did a fantastic job reading the story and pulling me in with her many voices she gives these wonderful characters. This is a five star read for me and I cannot say enough of the feelings I got from this book. If you are a fame of WW2 historical fiction then this book will be for you.

Thank you to Netgalley and Bookture Audio for a free copy of this audio book for an honest review. All opinions expressed in this review are my own without and coercion.

3.5 stars. Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for allowing me to read this book early! For whatever reason my expectations were a little bit off for this book. I expected this to be a mother/daughter WWII survival story but thats not what it is. This is the story of a little girl named Lottie and her mother who are scheduled to go live with a woman named Gwenna in the English countryside. Lottie and her mom are German Jews so obviously they were not safe in their home. They moved to France but as we know that became unsafe as well so they're fleeing to the English countryside. Shortly after arriving, Lottie's mother dies so the story is more about Gwenna and Lottie figuring it out. Lottie is selectively mute for the most part, but she does speak in German to a German POW that Gwenna has also taken in as a farm hand. I really was loving that part of the book (the first halfish) but honestly, this story is about Gwenna. Its about her love life, others judgement of her for taking in Germans, etc. and I didn't care nearly as much about that so the 2nd half was a little bit of a let down for me. I did like all the conversation around wartime politics and how they impacted relationships, but I just wanted more of Lotties story.