Unsinkable is a dual timeline novel in which both stories are historical. The first is based on the life of Violet Jessop, an actual stewardess on the great British passenger ships. Violet survived the Titanic, the Olympic and the Britannic incidents consisting of one collision and two sinkings. The other storyline is that of fictional Daphne Chaundanson, based on the work of several female members of the SOE during WWII. The connection between the two stories is limited, so it’s much more like reading two extraordinary books than one. In fact, although I started reading in sequence, early on I switched to reading each story separately. I became so engrossed in Violet’s story that I had to continue without interruption. The same was true of Daphne’s story once I got back to it. It was so intense that I would not have wanted to be pulled away. I have read numerous novels based on these two storylines, but this one still held my interest, each yielding new information. I was initially more drawn to Violet, probably because she is an actual historic figure, but Daphne’s story turned out to be equally moving. Both tell of surviving unimaginable situations and continuing to perform one’s job and meet one’s responsibilities despite the intervening trauma.
Jenni L Walsh was a new author for me, but Unsinkable will just be the start of my reading journey with her. Her writing style is accomplished, absorbing and emotionally intense, her research superb. Five stars!
Thank you to the author, the publisher Harper Muse, and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review an ARC.

This book features two interwoven storylines that take place during World War II. You can tell the author did extensive research on the historical events and settings of the novel. The reader will get a vivid sense of the challenges and dangers faced by the characters on the sinking ships and the secret missions of WWII. This book is a fast-paced and engaging read

The word Unsinkable immediately conjures the Titanic but I realised to my surprise that there were many ships, huge ocean vessels which suffered the same fate.

Violet Jessop’s life was hard, but never humdrum. From being a ship survivor not once, not twice but thrice, you’d wonder why she went back to the same job. Stewarding on ships brought in plenty of money and she was the breadwinner for a family of five siblings and her mother when her father died. Family first was her motto from the beginning to the end and she sacrificed her dreams of a medical career and a love, till everyone was taken care of.

Parallel to this story is the one of Daphne Katherine. A girl who did not know her place in society, who never knew a family warmth, and who joined the French Resistance first as a way to get recognition from her father and then later on toget revenge from the Nazis and their treatment of Jews.

The stories of both linked by birth unknown to each other, told in alternating chapters was an emotional one. WWI Nazis and Hitler are stories that will not get old or stale, as each one is different. Violets story of endurance, hardship and getting on with life against immense odds is also one worth reading abou

Unsinkable by Jenni L. Walsh

Violet Jessop is a based on a real person who was a stewardess on the Titanic. Yes, that ship that sank in 1912 after it hit an iceberg. This was just the beginning of Violet’s perils at sea. Her life, her livelihood, depended upon her work on luxury ocean liners because wealthy travelers tipped generously. Her ailing mother and younger siblings depended upon her income to support the family, so she gave up her dreams of a career in medicine and returned to the sea despite tragedy after tragedy. She became known as “Miss Unsinkable.” The narrative of the novel alternates between Violet and Daphne’s perspectives.

Daphne Chaunderson is a conglomerate of 39 women, but as in individual character, she has an entirely different, but equally compelling story. She’s an only child whose mother died tragically. The cause is not revealed until the end. Her father was mostly absent, physically, and emotionally. Daphne was raised by au pairs and attended boarding schools. She speaks numerous languages and even as an adult hope to impress and earn her father’s admiration and respect. When she is approached by a Special Operations Executive to become an agent for France, she sees it as a challenge. She can do something positive to help her country and, in the process, prove to her father that she is a capable, intelligent adult and earn his affection.

Initially, I felt more drawn to Daphne/Katherine’s story. Katherine is what her father calls her, and it was also her code name on her first assignment. The training proved to be rigorous and challenging. The field work was dangerous and required planning, quick thinking, and excellent people and networking skills. Katherine proved to be flexible and a fast learner. Her language skills also proved to be a valuable asset.

Violet’s character is a contrast to the vessels upon which she travels. They are billed as “unsinkable,” which proves to be false. They are not; she is. She’s a faithful, steady, determined woman. She works hard to provide for her family, even after her brothers are old enough to enter the service and go to war, earning paychecks of their own. During this time, by the way, Violet works as a nurse. In all, she survives two more sinking ships! True story!

Each woman must deal with life-threatening danger to herself and others. It’s a test of character and fortitude. Each is forced to handle her fears and pain with courage. It’s not all doom and gloom, however. The author provides each with a love life. According to Miss Jessop’s biographical information, she did marry later in life. Of note, we should be grateful to the women mentioned in the author’s note for their role in the Special Operations Executive, French Section as well as the VAD (Volunteer Aid Detachment) who provided nursing care.

I became engrossed in this story and found it difficult to put down. I wasn’t sure if the two women’s stories would or could be intertwined, but Ms. Walsh found a way!

"I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own." Thanks to NetGalley, Harper Muse, and Jenni L. Walsh

4.5 stars, rounded up

This book is honestly a masterpiece. I was captivated by the story of the two women the entire time. The fact that parts of this story are true and based of someone's life is just amazing to me. I loved everything about the stories and found that the telling of the stories was easy to follow and understand.

I love duel timeline historical fiction and this was also an interesting way to tell the history of the Titanic. This was my first time reading Jenni Walsh and won't be the last!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This was a great historical novel and I really enjoyed Violet’s points of view. She was my favorite character and I adored her journey. The historical events in this book were the best backdrop for this book.

I've been following Jenni Walsh's books since the very beginning, and she just keeps getting better. I have an endless fascination with anything related to the Titanic, and I was so excited to see that Walsh was going to spin her own story set on the ship! But once I dug in, i was delighted to discover that UNSINKABLE is so much more than a Titanic story. It's about resilience, real-life women who were stronger than they ever should have had to be, and the sacrifices we all make for the people we love. Walsh has officially cemented her place as an auto-read author for me: Do yourself a favor and add her to your list, too!

Violet and Daphne are two young women connected by tragedy and war. I’ve always been intrigued by Titanic stories. That was only a small part of this book but I didn’t want to put it down. Well-researched and intriguing eventually-intertwining stories will make this a keeper for sure. Highly recommended.

Loved this historical fiction novel! A perfect mix of dual timeline, Titanic WWI era and WWII France. Both of the main characters, Daphne and Violet, are strong capable women who are brave and determined in extremely difficult circumstances.
I enjoyed the opportunity to learn more of the real-life of "Unsinkable" Violet Jessop as well as the members of the SOE and French Resistance during WWII.
This book ranks 5 HUGE stars due to Jenni Walsh' writing style, thoughtful characters, and meticulous research. Ranks high on my list of intelligently written novels. I'll read everything Jenni Walsh writes!
Make sure to read the author's notes at the end of the book. And that cover art, perfect and deserves mentioning!
Thank you NetGalley and Harper Muse for the complimentary copy of the novel. I couldn't wait to read it, so I purchased a copy as well. All opinions are my own.

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

After a lengthy break from wartime historical fiction, this was the perfect read to get back into the genre. It had everything I love - female agents, dual POV, dual timeline, and women finding themselves.

I was so excited to get back to a good wartime female Resistance story. I don’t know why, but they’re just so alluring - I’m forever impressed by these women’s courageousness and pluck.

I also listened on audio and adored the narrators! They both have exceptionally pleasant voices: I swear I would pay to hear these women read the back of a cereal box LOL

There was also enough of a new spin on the genre with the at-sea take, so I didn’t feel like I was reading a reiteration of the million historical fiction books that came before.

That being said, as with many a dual POV story, for me, one shone brighter than the other. Although Violet’s real-life story was intriguing at first pitch (I mean, the girl survived THREE sinkings , including the Titanic), I actually much preferred Daphne’s storyline. Something about her just resonated with me and I really enjoyed her self-awareness and measuredness (is that a word?)

I’d recommend this read for anyone who loves The Nightingale and The Alice Network and for those who love fiction inspired by true events.

Thank you @netgalley and @librofm for my advanced copies! 💕

Absolutely loved this book! I will read any book that features the Titanic but some are just “blah.” This story was fantastic! If you are not familiar with Violet Jessup, she was a real life stewardess on the Titanic, Olympic and Britannic. The Titanic and the Britannic both sank and the Olympic suffered a collision and limped back to port fortunately not sinking. Violet earned the nickname “Miss Unsinkable.”
This story is a fictional adaptation of her life, although it does include accurate situations as well. There is also a side story that is just as great about a woman, Daphne, who is also involved in Maritime disasters as well as battling World War 2.
This book is a mix of fiction and nonfiction so it may satisfy both types of readers. Excellent story!
Thank you to Jenni L. Walsh, NetGalley and Harper Muse for the ARC copy to read and review.

3.25- I have always had a special place in my heart for Violet Jessop since my daughter had to research her for a project in 6th grade so I have been looking forward to reading this for months. Maybe it’s because I had it so hyped up in my head, but this just fell flat for me.
This book takes two remarkable women (one fictional) and intertwines their stories together. On April 14, 1912 stewardess Violet Jessop watches the unsinkable Titanic sink from the safety of a life boat. On April 14, 1942, Daphne Chaundanson joins the Special Operations Executive of London (SOE) to fight the German occupation in France. Told in alternating chapters we see how both of these remarkable women overcame the struggles in their lives proving both to be truly unsinkable.
For the majority of this book I felt like I was reading two completely different books in one. It was clunky; it was the book equivalent of the wrapping paper I once bought that was two completely different papers on one roll. It didn’t really work and I ended up liking one much better than the other.
I really didn’t care for Violet’s story and I think it’s because it wasn’t anywhere near as exciting as Daphne’s. Daphne’s story was reminiscent of Ariel Lawhon’s Code Name Hélène. I loved how Ms. Walsh based Daphne on several real SOE women. The adventures she had as a special operative are things that actually happened to these incredibly brave women and I love that their stories are being told.
Violet’s part of the book is her actual life, taken from her memoir. She, too, led an interesting life, but it wasn’t as captivating as Daphne’s, and thus didn’t hold my attention.
While I love the concept Ms. Walsh was trying to achieve and the amount of research she conducted, I would have liked this better if it was either solely about Violet or solely about Daphne. Thank you to NetGalley and Harper Muse for an advanced copy of this book. Unsinkable hit the shelves on January 9th.

I was hoping this book might be like a Marie Benedict or Fiona Davis novel. As a history buff, I have always been fascinated by the Titanic. This is why I decided to request this book. It was a good story but it was a little slow. With that being said, as I have mentioned in other reviews, it seems I need to be in a certain mood in order to read and enjoy certain books. Seeing as I do like history and the Titanic, I will most likely pick up this book at some point at a later date. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with this book in exchange for my review!

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This was a fascinating historical fiction novel. On one hand, we follow the life of Violet Jessop, an ocean liner stewardess. Violet survived three shipwrecks, including Titanic. We also meet Daphne Chaundanson, a member of the SOE (Special Operations Executive) during WWll. The novel alternates between both Violet’s and Daphne’s lives, and ultimately, weaves them together in a truly remarkable story.

This book has inspired me to learn more about the real-life Violet Jessop. Her memoir has joined my TBR pile!

Daphne’s fictional character was inspired by the thirty-nine real-life women of the Special Operations Executive. I was fascinated by the bravery of the men and women of the SOE and I want to read more about these heroes as well.

When a book leaves a reader wanting to read more books about the real-life events that inspired an author to write, for me, that’s the greatest compliment I can give an author. This book is such a book.

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with the opportunity to read and review Unsinkable by Jenni L. Walsh.

History is fascinating. I love historical fiction based on real events and characters. It helps me to see what was happening when researched well and how people may have reacted to events and circumstances with the fictional telling.
Violet Jessop is a ship stewardess during the early 1900's. She is a Irish girl in her twenties at the beginning of "Unsinkable". She sacrifices by working to aid her mother and siblings. Her character is based on a nurse who sailed on the ships mentioned. She experienced the tragic sinking and survived, earning the moniker, Miss Unsinkable.
Daphne Chaundanson, London 1942, is a fictional character who is the basically abandoned daughter of a famous actor. She loves history, studies the Titanic and weird associations with it prior to the historic sinking of the ship. She becomes a secret agent in France to try to do something to make her father proud of her.
I received this book from Harper Muse through NetGalley and this is my own unsolicited opinion about it. This is at times a nerve-wracking set of stories about two brave and dedicated women. I liked both of them. The author has obviously done intense research with the information about time period, ships, the jobs these women undertake. The two stories are alternated between the women and time period. Jenni L. Walsh's talent comes through as she leaves each character on a 'cliff' between their individual stories. She certainly understands how to use cliffhangers to urge the reader forward.
It's a good read.

A suspenseful story set against the backdrop of two wars, and several maritime disasters. The story follows two different ladies and their lives amid these time periods. I enjoyed the book, but felt the ending was a little rushed, and could have said more. There were times when you had to pay strict attention when the author was shifting between the times and women, but it was not hard to follow. The author states the book was based on the life of a real person. Overall, great read.

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

I was very fortunate to have received a copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for a review, which I am happy to provide.
I have always been fascinated by Titanic and when I read the blurb that this was based on Violet Jessop, Miss Unsinkable, I was in. The book was told from the perspective of 2 women facing ship wrecks, wars and some heartaches, I found it really hard to put down. I enjoyed the characters and the storyline it had a good pace and the ending was to my satisfaction. Definitely would recommend to my friends.

A book filled with second chances. This historical fiction will fill you waves of emotion as two women cross paths on the fateful trip of the Titanic. A perfect read for the fan of historical fiction, or those who constantly think about the Titanic like men think about the Roman Empire.

I really, really wanted to love this book, but sadly it just didn’t work for me. As soon as I saw that this was a book about Violet Jessop, I immediately requested it. Her life experience is so intriguing and I looked forward to delving into the emotional guts of her story.

Unfortunately, I realized that Violet’s story would have to share space in a dual timeline (not my favorite format) with Daphne. I understand the connection, but it really came across as two separate stories. As I read, I always wanted to come back to Violet’s timeline…this woman survived 3 maritime disasters and witnessed a fourth. I wanted to understand why she kept going back and how these adventures impacted her person. Oddly, the emotion wasn’t there. The sinking ships were like any other day. She was a little too stoic. The story was repetitive and exhibited too much telling/not enough showing. The bilingual piece felt disconnected and forced. And the ending was so overly contrived. I was just disappointed overall. I am sorry because I really did want to love this and really looked forward to reading it.

I received a complementary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC.