Haunting but honest.
I’ve read numerous WWII historical fiction books, but this is the first I’ve learned of the Nazi’s early gassing experiments at Fort VII in Poznan in 1939; its innocent victims were the patients and staff of a Polish mental hospital. The story begins when Max, a German pilot, defects from the Nazis by ejecting from his plane, landing on his home country’s soil, Poland. A young nurse, Helena, who worked at the nearby mental hospital, and her twins, were the ones who discovered Max in their backyard. Over time, while Max was recovering from his injuries, Helena and him formed a relationship and fell in love. The story flipped when Helena and her twins were captured and sent to Fort VII; Max vows to rescue them. This war story was emotionally charged and character-driven. I appreciated that the author did not avoid the harsh realities of war and provided an unsanitized account of what actually happened at Fort VII. She takes it even further than most in addressing the war’s aftermath and the long term psychological trauma experienced by the survivors. It is a remarkable reimagined story of not only tragedy, but love and hope, too. She brought to light one of the darkest times of history but the triumph of the human spirit under these most brutal conditions is what shines.

A huge thanks to Netgalley, Bookouture, and author Carly Schabowski for an advanced copy of The Secret She Kept (originally published under the title The Airman’s Girl) in exchange for my honest review.

I do believe that when such horror, such trauma has occurred, the earth itself does not forget and within it, the ghosts of the past, good or bad, reside.

This book captivated me from the start with its poetic narrative. The author paints with her words, immersing readers into the world of her characters. The story of Helena and Max is one that will stay with me for a long while.

Every time I pick up a world War 2 novel I learn something notrocious. It doesn't even seem sufficient enough to say I can't believe the horrors one person inflicted upon another. This book shed a light on how the German Nazis conducted medical experiments on prisoners, people who were condemned simply because of their faith or background. To know that this specific telling was based upon a true story makes it even more heartbreaking.

This story made my heart swell with emotion, and that ending... Make sure you have tissues handy. I rarely, and I, mean VERY rarely cry when reading a book, but damn! And if the pages of this novel evoked that much emotion, enough said. I can't recommend this book enough. Get yourself a copy, read it. You won't regret it.

The Airman's Girl is a touching and visceral testament to a time in history to be remembered with awe and respect.

Thank you to Bookouture and NetGalley for an advanced reading copy.

What would you do if you found a German airman in your backyard just days before war? This novel follows the characters through their challenges and life during WWII. You will immediately connect with the characters and see how true their lives could have been at the time. The story follows their lives and you will get to see how everything ends for the characters.

The Airman’s Girl, the new book from Carly Schabowksi, was a read that I found to be a slow burner but once I reached the midway point there was a clever little plot twist which really made me sit up and become much more engaged with the story unfolding. The story moves back and forth between 1995 as Helena is recounting her life story and Poland in 1939. She feels time is pushing down on her and that she needs to tell the big things that she remembers before they disappear. She attempts to scramble about and find the missing pieces and to try and fit them together. When she does an incredible true story emerges that at some points just left me horrified and in some ways unbelievably numb as to what I was reading. It’s only the further I got through the book the more I appreciated the details of the story and the magnitude of what the characters experience. I really began to feel that Carly Schabowksi has written an incredible story of a little known aspect of the war and in doing so has perfectly captured the pain, loss, grief and unfortunately brutality that so many people went through.

Helena takes us back to Poznan in Poland in 1939 where she lives with her parents and young siblings twins, Agata and Michal aged 10. She is a doctor who works in a mental hospital where her father is a psychiatrist. War is on the horizon and their German neighbours will soon be marching onto their land and taking control. The world is changing and growing uglier by the day. The Poles are viewed by the Germans as animals who stole the land that they believe rightly belongs to them. All Jews are considered undesirable along with people with a disability or people of a different sexual inclination.

Lies and propaganda abound as German citizens are told of Polish atrocities against them which simply aren’t true. The power of Hitler is increasing not waning and the Polish feel it will be worse than anything they could have ever imagined. A worrying voice inside Helena’s head niggles away at her that with so endless threats on the horizon and already so many sanctions and laws imposed upon Jews that perhaps the family should flee whilst they have an opportunity to do so but her father is insistent on staying and to keep helping their patients.

Helena and the twins are sent to the countryside to their Aunt Joasia. There they will hopefully be safe from the onslaught that is about to occur but is anyone really safe? They didn’t have an idea of to the extent of the destruction, pain and suffering that was about to come to their front doors. The twins appear clueless as to what is going on and what could potentially come and as a reader you are glad this is the case. But Helena is very wary and fear and tension exist in her mind daily. I sensed there was a vulnerability surrounding Helena that she could do her job working alongside her father and had great care, compassion and understanding for her patients but perhaps when push came to shove and the worst might befall them that she would struggle to cope which of course is natural. As the twins play in Joasia’s garden they build a fort but one morning they discover someone inside. An injured man lies there - Max.

Max was a navigator in the German air force and as chapters are introduced told from his viewpoint we learn more about his background. His is an emotional and complex story and as with the characters you do wrestle with the fact that originally he was Polish but moved to Germany. His heart has always been with Poland and now that his father has died his disillusionment with what is happening in Germany has grown. He abandons his plane and parachutes into Poland in the hopes that he can change to the Polish side and do something for the cause. Max, similar to Helena, battles with his emotions and what he believes is right and wrong. He is fortunate to be found by such a kind and compassionate family who tend to his injuries and listen to what he has to say and accept him at face value. As Max recovers from his injuries there is something that blossoms between himself and Helena. There is something about him that makes her want to talk to him and get to know him but at the same time she often goes inside her own head preferring to not acknowledge the fear of what is going on outside. I felt the relationship that was established between the pair occurred very quickly and was too rushed but I suppose this did need to happen in order to move the story on to the main events that occur.

As the Germans arrive, Helena and her family’s lives are altered and shattered. Max changes his surname in the hopes that he can get work as a translator with the Gestapo and in turn pass on helpful information to the Resistance. Antoni, a family friend who works for the foreign office in intelligence, can see the endless possibilities that are ahead with Max on their side and this will prove to be very true when the worst fate befalls Helena and the twins. The second half of the book took on a very dark and quite frankly disturbing tone but yet this needed to happen as what the trio go through is appalling, heart-breaking and at times very difficult to read. A little know aspect of the war is highlighted by the author and to know that this occurred in the first few months of the war and there was so much more torture and brutality to occur in so many places just blew my mind.

Helena’s father and the male patients are the first to be taken from the hospital. Their whereabouts are unknown and the anxiety in Helena only increases as she understands that she now has sole responsibility for the twins. Soon the female patients along with Helena and the twins are taken and what follows really hits the reader hard. I will not go into details but suffice to say no detail was spared which I did appreciate as it really helped me to visualise everything that was going on, what the twins and Helena and so many others were experiencing. Not to mention the fascination that occurred when the Germans discovered Michal and Agata are twins.

The scenes that follow are difficult to comprehend and absorb and the scars will last forever. But Helena must be resolute in the belief that they can survive what is being thrown at them. That people on the outside who love and protect them will try and rescue them and help them see the light of day again. Max had made a promise to her that if anything ever happened to her that he would do his utmost best to save her and by god he stood by this promise and did his damndest to right a wrong as trauma, despair and anger grow as to what has happened. It was very interesting to read of how Helena dealt with the situation she had been handed. You could see a disassociation occurring that she was floundering and despite wanting to protect the twins that she was sinking deeper and deeper into a stance she couldn’t get out of. The last quarter or so of the story was very intense and nail biting stuff and it’s an utter nightmare for all the characters and you question whether anything good can possibly come from the unfolding situation. The Airman’s Girl is another excellent read from Carly Schabowski and I know fans of historical fiction will enjoy it just as much as I did.

The Airman's Girl by Carly Schabowski is a gripping and moving historical novel set in the backdrop of World War II Poland. The story follows the lives of Helena and Max, who find love in the midst of war and uncertainty. Just to let you know the character of Max is based on a true story. Which is mind-blowing!

Helen is a strong character who wants to become a doctor. She works at her father's mental health facility and shows her caring nature to all the patients. So when Max drops into the family farm from the air she naturally wants to care for him and they begin to fall for one another.

When back at work, Helena and her twin siblings are taken with the patients to a Polish concentration camp. Max goes undercover to set them free...

The author's poetic narrative style immerses readers into the world of her characters, making the story of Helena and Max one that will stay with you long after you finish reading. It is beautifully written, heartbreaking, and full of bravery, courage and strength.

The Airman's Girl is a must-read for anyone who loves historical fiction and wants to experience a story of love and survival in the midst of war.

Poland 1939: Helena, a young Polish woman has aspirations of being a doctor of psychiatry. She wants to work at her father’s mental health facility. Helena meets Max when he ejects from his airplane just before it crashes. The plane crashes over Helena’s parents' farmland, and Max survives the crash but is injured. Helena nurses Max and tends to his injuries. As the relationship between them develops, Max tells Helena that he didn’t crash his plane, but actually parachuted out of his plane because he was defecting into Poland to be free from the Nazis. They begin to fall in love with each other during such an uncertain time in life. But when the Nazis arrive in the small Polish town Helena and Max’s world comes crashing down around them. Helena and her younger twin siblings are arrested by the Germans and thrown into prison. Max is Helena’s only hope for survival, but will his plan to rescue them work or is this their fate?

The Airman's Girl by Carly Schabowski was an amazing story of love, family, friendship, danger, courage and survival. This book was based on a true story. I learned so much about World War II, that I didn’t know. The author did an amazing job of teaching the reader about things that happened during the war that weren’t talked about very much. I felt compassion for and an emotional connection to Helena and Max. They were wonderful people, and I enjoyed learning and following their story. This story captured me from the very beginning and broke my heart all the way to the end. I highly recommend this fabulous book.

Another beautiful and captivating novel set in WWII. A polish woman and a German pilot form an unlikely bond. Max was born in Poland, but raised in Germany. He wants to go back to Poland, as he does not believe in what the Nazi’s are doing. Taking an usual step to he bails out of a plane landing in Poland. He lands on Helena’s parent’s farm. She feels compelled to help him, but can she trust him?

Nursing him back to health feelings begin form. Max tells Helena he wanted to defect and it was intentional that he bailed out. They are in their own little world as they explore their feelings. Sadly, the Nazis arrive, and she along with her siblings are taken to a camp. Can Max save her?

I enjoyed the alternating between both Helena and Max. I have been reading a lot of novels set in Poland during the war and this one ranks at the top.

Thank you Bookouture, Carly Schabowski and Netgalley for an advanced copy. This novel publishes May 2, 2023.

I am on the fence about this book.
So plus sides. It was emotional and very graphic. It did not sugar coat the reality in poland during the ww2.
Negative sides. It was some solutions in this book that were too easy, i think everybody would see right through it
Plus side. The Main characters were very likeable , and their strength was awesome.
Thank you to netgalley for letting me read this e arc in exchange for an honest opinion

Another beautifully written, emotional tale from Carly Schabowski. I love her writing and always feel such empathy for the characters we're introduced to. The characters in The Airman's Girl are so well developed and engaging, you can't help but become wrapped up in their story of love and loss. The fact that Max's story is based on a true story is even more remarkable. Taking a slightly different view of war and it's impact, I really enjoyed seeing how Helena and Max navigated through the horrors of war.
Heartbreaking yet with hope, this is another great read.

I really appreciate all the authors who are writing about little know WWII incidents.
Travel to Poland to live the terror of the Nazis marching in and taking over. The mentally I’ll were some of the first to go. Being a twin was terribly dangerous as unspeakable experiments were carried out on them. In Poland, the mass gassing would be tried; a precursor to massive death rates in other camps.
All the main characters shout for their stories to be heard. For justice to be done.
And the after effects? I do believe that you can feel the evil of what took place in some of these places were people were tortured and killed by sadistic predators.

Wow just wow
The Airman’s Girl was a beautifully written, paging turning, incredible and intriguing historical WW2 novel of love, loss and survival. Highly recommended read that had me learning more about Poland at the beginning of the war. It will have you captivated with its danger, grief, romance and so much more as the storyline sweeps you into its unputdownable pages.
I would like to thank Bookouture, NetGalley and the author for the opportunity to read this complimentary copy for an honest review. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

This book opened up my eyes to two aspects of WWII I hadn’t encountered before. First, a Polish girl falls in love with a German as the world imploded in September 1939. Secondly, Fort VII. I had never heard of the atrocities there, done as early as Oct. 1939, portending what would come.
I like when I learn from historical fiction because it exposes me to even more truth from history that hasn’t been explored or has been ignored.
A lot of the story is sad, but the hope is right under the surface.

An interesting novel about life in occupied Poland and a family's efforts to escape. The story plot and characters are well developed and will hold your interest. There is action and suspense throughout the story as well. A very good read,

Thank you to #NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

The setting is Poland in 1939. The Nazis have not invaded as of yet.
Main character, Helena, is a young Polish lady who wants to be a doctor. When a German pilot, Max, has his plane crash over Helena’s family farm, she has to decide what she needs to do. She decides she needs to do everything to save his life. As they talk, she finds out that Max had parachuted over to Poland to defect from the Nazis.
The Airman’s Girl is based on a true story.
A truly heartbreaking and heartwarming story all rolled together.
Defying unimaginable adversities Helena and Max stay true to each other.
Recommended reading for historical fiction readers.
Thank you to NetGalley, Bookouture and the author for the opportunity to read this book for my honest review. All opinions expressed are my own.

Carly Schabowski’s character-driven historical fiction continues to amaze me! It’s her characterization and character development that pulls me in.

You know when you see/taste something and instantly know that it’s superior quality? When Schabowski’s memorable characters appear on the page, readers are instantly drawn to them. I love this author’s believable dialogue and how her flawed characters interact with the setting and drive the plot forward with their actions. Each character introduced comes alive on the page and interacts with the main character’s world in some manner. You won’t find walk-on characters and you won’t find superfluous dialogue. In fact, this time the setting with all its sadness and trauma is secondary to her superb characters.

Schabowski’s story alternates between Helena and Max and gives readers a peek into what it was like in Poland weeks before the Germans invaded. I loved an educated, strong female main character who was encouraged by an intrepid male who is willing to risk it all.

As I turned the last page, I felt like I knew a little more of what it was like to be Polish in 1939, what it was like to experience finding a downed airman, and what it was like to rely on someone else for freedom. I learned about Poznań - Hitler’s first death camp in Polish territory and those who risked their lives to give others an opportunity at freedom.

This book marks my fifth by this author, all five-star reads.

This is one historical fiction lovers will want to add to their reading list.

I was gifted this copy by Bookouture and NetGalley and was under no obligation to provide a review.

It’s not often you pick up a book that intrigues you from page one, but this book definitely did just that. This book has it all: intensity, adventure, danger, sadness, happiness, moments of fear, moments of romance, trauma and grief, with a little dash of fate.

Each chapter is told by either Helena or Max. Helena is a young Polish woman who is working towards becoming a doctor of psychiatry at her fathers mental health facility. Max is a German pilot that chooses to defect from the military and parachutes out of his plane into Poland weeks before the invasion of Poland takes place. Max lands, badly injured, in Helena‘s aunts garden and before she knows it, she finds herself falling for this dreamy pilot that fell from the sky.

But when the Nazi’s invade Poland, and have their eyes set on Helena’s fathers psychiatric facility, everyone’s world is quickly turned upside down and becomes a nightmare. A nightmare that Max, and others, vow to stop.

Incredible read from start to finish and I highly recommend this book. Very well-written and the story line is very intriguing.

I truly enjoyed The Airman's Girl by Carly Schabowski. As an avid historical fiction reader I truly appreciated that the book was written in a slightly different view than a typical book of this genre. It was very easy to feel for the family and for the airman who had such a connection and love for his birth country that he literally jumped out of a plane to touch the soil of Poland. The stories were woven very well to show the extreme suffering that was inflicted on the characters and to also show how they were able to fight and overcome but to also see how it was never truly forgotten but buried deep within the psyche. I truly enjoyed the author's writing style and hope to read more by this author.

Although I've been looking forward to reading this book, I almost bailed after only a couple of chapters. Set in 1939 Poland, only days before the Nazi invasion wasn't the problem for me. The main character, Helena helps her father with patients at a mental hospital and she has younger siblings who are twins. Knowing the Nazi treatment of mental patients as well as the experiments on twins, made me hesitate to continue. Thankfully, I pressed on.

Although the story takes place in a short period of time and documents some of the very worst atrocities, it is the characters that were the stars for me. I was drawn to each of them and felt attached to them. Helena's psychological response to the trauma she experienced was so well-written without demeaning the experience or exploiting it. I had never read anything about Fort VII in Poznan prior to the book which is shocking, considering what happened there. Knowing that the character of Max was based on a real man made this book even better.

This was a different kind of WWII novel where the characters seemed more important than the historical events they witnessed. They weren't presented as larger-than-life heroes but as very real human beings. I loved it.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Bookouture for the opportunity to read the ARC.

A story of love and conflicting loyalties on the verge of WWII. Somehow, though, I feel the Wehrmacht and Nazi authorities would have known that Max was an immigrant from Poland with their obsessiveness about lineage and either wouldn’t have allowed him to serve or wouldn’t have let him on a mission to Poland. His father’s connections to the Social Democrats, whom Hitler despised, would have also been a black mark against Max.

THE AIRMAN’S GIRL is another riveting WW11 novel by CARLY SCHABOWSKI, which is based on a true story. We start in Poland in 1939 with Dr Helena Rodzinski working with her farher at the Owinska Mental Hospital in Poznan and finish in Oxford, England, in 1995 as she finishes the book she has written about her experiences. This is an exceptional read as the author takes us into the psychological effects on the characters, as they are brutally treated by the Nazis and incarcerated under horrific conditions.
When a German airman called Max lands on Helena’s aunt’s farm, her life and that of her younger siblings, changes forever. He is also forever changed by this group of people, especially by Helena and she is fascinated by his life story.
We see courage against all odds, friendship and unconditional love in the face of betrayal and pain…..
I am not going to tell you any more for fear of spoiling things for you.
I cannot recommend The Airman’s Girl highly enough as an inspirational and exciting read.
I was given a free copy of the book by NetGalley from Bookouture. The opinions in this review are completely my own.