In this debut novel, the author brings to life a young Norwegian woman’s perspective during WWII. There were a few places where I felt the story was drawn out unnecessarily and others were I felt the story needed more time and development. Overall though, I enjoyed the story.

In Norway during WWII, the Germans were encouraged to make friends with the Norwegian people. Laila worked at the hotel the Germans took over for their residence. She learned that all Germans were not Nazis. Josef, a private who worked at the hotel, was gentle and kind. She resisted her feelings for him, but only for a while. He was transferred to the Russian front just before Laila realized she was pregnant. She went to a Lebensborn to have her baby,

A Mother's Way, by Helen Parusel, tells the story of the Lebensborn and the escape of Laila and her friend with their babies. This is a very different WWII historical fiction. Not many have been written about what happened in Norway. This book is about judging people by who each individual is. It's about fighting for family and for forgiveness. It is worth the read. I was able to read an ARC on #NetGalley.

I loved this debut novel from Helen Parusel. I didn't know much about the occupation of Norway by the Germans so this was an enlightening read too. Well written, with a wonderful character in the Norwegian Laila and how she coped with all that was thrown at her. I'd highly recommend.

In this debut novel, the WW2 story is told from a Norwegian girl's perspective and how she ended up at a German run Lebensborn home in Norway. I liked that it was set in Norway and starts out by explaining how the Germans took over the small town of Narvik. The main character, Laila, is an assistant manager at a hotel, and eventually falls in love with a German soldier and finds herself pregnant. Laila struggles with this information and her family doesn't allow her to stay. She goes to a Lebensborn home in another Norwegian town run by the Germans since her child will add to the Aryan race. With what she experienced and witnessed at this home, she knew she had to escape and tell the world. Laila and the other women at the Lebensborn home made unbelievably difficult decisions and had to live with the consequences. At one point in the book, there is a story about trolls watching over a lake and why you shouldn't swim in the lake. I liked the nod to the native legends. As a HF reader who enjoys WW2 stories, this novel tells one of the thousands of stories of this era from a different perspective. I would have liked to read more about the research and for this book and where the inspiration for the characters came from in the Author's Notes.

Thank you Boldwood Books and Net Galley of an ARC for A Mother's War by Helen Parusel in exchange for an honest review.

A Mother's War by Helen Parusel did exactly what every historical fiction does for me, prompt me to research and learn more. As a person of Norwegian descent, my grandmother was a young, twenty-year old woman when she immigrated to the United States in 1917, the fact that the story takes place in Norway was of significant interest to me.

The main character, Laila Olson is a young woman during World War II when the German's invade her Norwegian town via the beautiful fjord that she has grown up next to. It doesn't take long for the German's to take full control and for Laila and her family to find themselves living under Nazi occupation.

Despite her father's warnings to not endanger herself by getting involved in any resistance efforts, Laila begins to find little ways to fight against the Nazi's. What she doesn't expect to do is fall in love with a young, German soldier, Josef. Forced to enlist in the German army and not believing in the Nazi's beliefs, Josef sympathizes with the Norwegian people and also finds ways to undermine their plans. When Laila becomes pregnant, she becomes an outcast in both her community and her family. As a result, she leaves for a maternity hospital that she has heard of.

Upon arrival at the maternity hospital, Laila is surprised to find an opulent home where the future mothers have the utmost medical care., all the food they can eat and are almost revered. It doesn't take long before she sees inconsistencies and becomes suspicious of the true goal of the hospital. Her exploration for details sets into motion a series of events that put both her and her baby's lives at risk.

As a first time historical novelist, Helen Parusel did a good job of encompassing the Nazi's efforts of using Norwegian women in what can only be called a breeding program to populate what they felt was the perfect race. Through the character of Josef, she further reminds us that not all German's were supporters of the Nazi's beliefs.

Thank you to Netgalley and Boldwood Books for the opportunity to read an early release copy of A Mother's War.