This was a fascinating dual timeline story for me. I enjoyed learning that Violet's story was based on her real life! To think that she survived THREE ship sinkings is amazing! She felt called to be "on the water" and felt the most comfortable on a ship still amazes me. She loved being a stewardess, taking care of other people's needs. Of course, being on the Titanic sinking would have done it for me but she just kept going back on ships and still was part of 2 more sinkings after that! She was responsible to taking care of her family and that was the only way she knew how - sending her earnings to them. She even gave up love for that. The other part of the timeline was Daphne who lived during WWII and became part of the Special Operation Executives (kind of like secret agents) in Europe. She always wanted to approval of her absentee father so she thought this would make him proud of her. Wow! This was one way to do it! I could never have done this. It was fraught with danger and she had a lot of scary experiences as she lives in France among the Germans with other agents trying to secure passage for downed pilots in getting them out of the country. Many times it was touch and go but she learns a lot about herself.
The only negative for me was it was hard to follow at times as it jumped around and I had a hard time going back and forth. The characters were great but the constant back and forth got to me sometimes. I did enjoy the unexpected way the two characters were connected. I didn't see that coming!

I absolutely loved this novel! It really captivated me. I just could not stop reading it. Two fantastic story threads of two unsinkable women who faced life-changing events. Anything that includes the Titanic is always of great interest for me. And this book took me on a very different journey from others. It was a very pleasant surprise! The cover first caught my attention and then the first page pulled me in. This is a remarkable novel I will never forget.

Dual timelines are my favourite way to read a story and this was handled brilliantly
Will be interested in picking up some more titles in the future from this author

Would recommend

4 stars

Unsinkable is a fascinating interweaving of the lives of two strong, courageous women. Violet, a ship's stewardess, survives the sinking of first the Olympic, then the Titanic. Again and again she's drawn to the sea despite these experiences, consistently sacrificing her dreams to care for her mother and siblings.
Daphne has grown up in boarding schools since her mother died, generally ignored by her famous father. When she's recruited by a Special Operations Agent to be a spy in France during WWII, she thinks she's finally doing something that may win his approval.
The switching between two timelines is relatively seamless once the pattern is established, and while each storyline could stand on its own, they enrich each other. And, bit by bit, the two women's lives are revealed to me more linked than they first appear.
While it took me a bit to really get into the story, once it grabbed me I couldn't put it down. Highly recommend.

Violet Jessop survives not only the sinking of the Titanic but also the Olympic through her job as stewardess on these luxury ships. Her unknowing attachment to Daphne Chaundanson and her work with the French Resistance during WWII makes this an interesting well written book. Recommended reading.

I have been obsessed with the history of the Titanic since I was a child, so I knew I would love Unsinkable. This book is the story of two strong women during times of war. I was vaguely familiar with Violet's story, but the way the author interwove it with fictional characters was very interesting. If you are a lover of historical fiction or the Titanic, then this book is for you.

** “I’d felt like I’d been cheating death and testing fate ever since I was a young girl. Sometimes I feel as if I’m living on borrowed time. Or maybe it’s an ongoing, never-ending mentality of simply surviving. Whatever the case, all there’s left to do is continue on, one foot in front of the other, only ever looking toward that next footfall.” **

Jenni L. Walsh delivers a delightful dual-time story about two incredible infallible women with a keen ability to survive in “Unsinkable.”

Violet Jessop cares for her family by serving as a cabin stewardess aboard cruise ships. After surviving the Olympic’s near-sinking, she finds herself on the Titanic’s maiden voyage. Barely escaping on a lifeboat with an unknown baby in her arms, she goes on to work as a Red Cross nurse before returning to a life on the sea. Surviving two world wars and yet another ship sinking, she truly is an inspiration and unsinkable.

In 1942, Daphne Chaudanson finds herself recruited into the Special Operation Executive agency to aid in Britain’s and France’s war efforts. Secretly the daughter of a famous actor who lost her mother when she was a baby, she finds the skills she’s worked hard to achieve on her own, including the ability to fluently speak a number of languages, aids her in helping to defeat the Germans.

As both women work to stay true to themselves, possibly find love and be an inspiration to others, will their stories strangely become linked?

Walsh does an incredible job of taking the stories of Violet, who actually existed, and Daphne, who was based on a number of real women who helped with the war efforts, and creating a story filled with inspiration, hope and incredible moments. She also fills the story with some great themes, like familial obligation; dealing with duty and responsibility; the concept that we all need to be somebody; having hope or the lack thereof; and finding one’s purpose and identity (“What’s a person to do when faced with great uncertainty and fear? Remember the reason for being.”)

Fans of historical fiction, inspirational stories about strong, brave women and dual-timeline stories will enjoy “Unsinkable.”

Five stars out of five.

Harper Muse provided this complimentary copy through NetGalley for my honest, unbiased review.

I really enjoyed this book! The two women in the different timelines were so interesting and I loved how the stories connected. If you like historical fiction with strong female characters this book is for you! I can’t wait to read more from this author. I received a free copy of this book from netgalley and the publisher in exchange for my honest review.

A fascinating dual-timeline historical tale, "Unsinkable" vividly depicts the struggles of two women who strive for success in the face of overwhelming adversity.

While we wonder more and more what each tale has to do with the others, Jenni Walsh deftly advances them all. One story is more interesting than the other, which is a concern associated with dual-timeline novels. In this instance, I wished there had been a whole book about Violet—a stand-up comedian whose difficulties were typical of working-class women in the early 1900s. Daphne doesn't add much to the canon of female spies in France during World War II, and her story reads more like fiction.

I assumed that Unsinkable was just about Violet Jessup and her surviving, but it was so much more. Violet, a stewardess on the Titanic, later a nurse during WWI and Daphne, an SOE agent during WWII. This is a great book for those wanting to learn more about the Titanic and White Star Cruise Line and the SOE during WWII.
I am not a huge fan of dual timeline stories, but I did enjoy this book and didn’t want to put it down.

Unsinkable is a captivating story about a real-life survivor of the Titanic disaster and the mostly fictional story of the very real baby she carried off the ship. Two timelines, one following WW1 after the sinking and one during the german occupation of France during WW2, both women overcome obstacle after obstacle to stay alive. Right up there with "Sisters of Night and Fog", it's a true story of feminine heroism that oft goes overlooked by history.

Violet and Daphne were the perfect embodiment of what it means to be a Survivor with a capital s.

Violet's story showcases the integrity, determination, and courage that one young woman posses as she faces life first as daughter to a poverty-striken family, then as a maid on Titanic, and also as a nurse while onboard Titanic's sister ship The Britainic during WWI. The dual storyline brought me further under this book's power when Daphne's story moved me to the 1940s as she trained to be one of the many women who silently and often anonymously helped fight in WWII. This book brought the lives not of these women to the page while highlighting how the Twentieth Century allowed them to find the place in the world. Beautifully written, this book will enable you to stand alongside these women and wonder...could I have survived this moment as well.

Thank you NetGalley and Harper Muse for the ARC that I read.

The story of the Titanic has been told time and time again. And there's not much left to tell, especially after the movie has come out two decades ago. Yet the author has found a way to find a new hook for the story. It involves a survivor who is handed a baby as she climbs into the lifeboat. And then the baby is snatched from her arms as she is on the Carpathia.

The tale follows the story of Violet who travels the world working in cruise ships. Unfortunately Violet has the distinction of serving on three of the most famous ship sinkings,the Titanic and her two sister ships, all on their maiden voyages. Plucky and strong, Violet sails the seas to help keep her family afloat financially. Along the way she almost loses her life to a watery grave. But she is lucky compared to some of her dear friends on the crew who drown She also loses her heart as she chooses her career over romance. But the strangest incident occurs when she is handed a baby while in the Titanic lifeboat. Violet has no clue who the mother is or where she is. All she knows is she is given charge to save this infant's life. But upon the Carpathia, the baby is taken from her arms and she is left with no knowledge of what happens to her.

The other storyline follows the adventures of Daphne, a well versed gal who is picked to serve the SOE in France as an agent in WWII. Her storyline revolves around the training to be an agent, which was actually fairly interesting, and her time in France. The author did do a good job tying the French Resistance stories to actual events and agents. It was easy to recognize some of the infamous spies such as Virginia Hall.

The problem with the book is the two stories are so different and distinct, They really have no tie together till the slapdash link in the last few pages. This trend of telling separate stories in one book to link the past with the present has become almost cliche in women's historical fiction. It's actually one of my pet peeves. Just tell one story and tell it well. Quit bouncing back and forth. The stories of Violet and Daphne have no commonality. While I enjoyed their exploits, I felt I was reading two different books bound together.

Jenni Walsh writes an easy to read novel that is a good beach read or a hammock read. It moves quickly and the two women protagonists are very likable and tough ladies who overcome unspeakable odds. Walsh's historical research shows in her details. No glaring historical faux pas. She writes well and the reader moves fast through the book. Not my favorite read about the French Resistance and the sinking of the Titanic but others might like it more than me.

Let’s get this out of the way right now. What an AMAZINGLY beautiful cover this book has. OMG… Walsh has done it again with this one, and it is going immediately onto my “best covers of 2024” list. Obviously, the biggest question is, does it reflect what’s on the inside? Well, you’ll just have to read on to find out! (Ha! Gotcha!)

To start out with, if I recall correctly, this is the first time I’ve seen Walsh using two totally distinct timelines, with two seemingly separate main protagonists. Yes, there is a connection between these two women, but for the most part, these women’s stories are very separate and different. Violet’s story begins with the sinking of the Titanic and her survival; Daphne’s story starts with her becoming involved in the resistance movement during WWII. The truth is, from the author’s notes, we find out that Violet was a real woman, who survived the sinking of three ships. We also find out that Daphne is based on a whole bunch of women who worked for the SOE during WWII, and made into a composite character. With this you might think that these two stories could easily have been two novellas and not one novel, and that crossed my mind several times while reading this book. But in the end, Walsh takes one small fact from Violet’s memoire, and uses that to bring the fictional and the reality together.

Again, for those who dislike dual timelines, I have to say that I appreciated this twist that Walsh used, which allowed her to tell two separate stories. Admittedly, as I was reading, I did take to Violet just a touch more than I did to Daphne. I’m guessing that’s because Violet was a real person, and having her actual memoir to use in building her character made her come alive to me just a bit more. Plus, the stories about SOE women working to defeat the Nazis abound, but there was only one Violet Jessop, aka Miss Unsinkable! At the same time, I must say that Walsh did a wonderful job of piecing together all those SOE female heroes and turning them into her one Daphne.

So, to answer the question in my opening paragraph here, yes, the inside is as beautiful as the cover, absolutely. Okay, there was one tiny niggle for me, that being the ending, which tied things up just a touch too conveniently for my taste. Even so, it did choke me up (damn, I am a romantic after all), and bring a tear to my eye. Because of this, I have no choice but to very warmly recommend this novel. What a wonderful way to start 2024 than with a book to which I can’t give any less than a full five out of five stars!

Received this book to my kindle from netgalley in exchange for a honest review. This was a great historical novel read that takes place on the Titanic. It had a great story and the writing style was great. Highly recommend if you love history.

I was pulled in at first but slowly began to lose interest. All the historical details and name dropping has gotten so tedious and annoying that it ends up lacking in character development. The pacing also felt off with the amount of historical tidbits shoved in.

I’m just not intrigued enough to continue, the novel just okay. Not vibing with the writing style and the incident of the titanic sinking happens so quickly, by chapter 2 or 3 of Violet’s POV. Sadly a DNF but I have no doubt others will love this story

This is the story of 2 British women in two world war eras. First is Violet Jessup, aka Miss Unsinkable. She is oldest of I am not sure how many children, having totally dedicated herself to providing for her mother and her siblings by working as a stewardess on ocean liners. She survives the sinking of the Titanic in 1912 having already survived the collision and near sinking of sister ship Olympic in 1911. While we have all read about the Titanic, the description of its sinking is both moving and heartbreaking. An unknown baby is handed to Violet as she is being lowered in a lifeboat . And then survives the sinking of Brittanic (the third sister ship) during WW I after it hit a mine or was hit by a torpedo. Violet (as it is explained in the author’s note at the end of the book) was a real person.

The second main (and fictional) character is Daphne Chaundanson. Her mother died when she was a baby, she is raised by several nannies and attends multiple boarding schools, and has an interesting relationship with her father, a famous actor and director who comes in and out of her life somewhat randomly. She speaks multiple languages, but her heart is in France. When she is approached to go back to France and work with the Resistance to help downed pilots return to England, she jumps at the chance. Her story is full of Nazi violence and hatred, the nationalism of the Resistance, and personal challenge.

The story is captivating as it goes back and forth, chapter by chapter, between the two stories. While there were no overt clues as to the connection between the stories, I had a pretty good idea fairly early in the book. This did not affect my enjoyment of another good historical fiction novel by Jenni Walsh, who clearly does a good job of researching the historical impact of the story. My thanks to Harper Muse and NetGalley for the ARC of this novel.

UNSINKABLE by Jenni L. Walsh is a sweeping dual timeline historical novel that I couldn’t put down. It is a story of survival, family and the pursuit of happiness in the face of extraordinary odds. Violet Jessup is dedicated to her family, providing for her mother and many siblings when her mother becomes too ill to work. In the years leading up to World War I, Violet serves as an ocean liner stewardess. Later she becomes a wartime nurse. Amazingly, she survives three sinking ships, including the Titanic, leading to her being called Miss Unsinkable. Daphne Chaundanson is shunned by her father after her mother’s tragic death. In an effort to gain his approval, Daphne immerses herself in her education, learning many foreign languages along the way. It is this skill that comes to the attention of the Special Operations Executive who recruit her to be an agent in France during World War II. She agrees, hoping to do something meaningful for her country while impressing her father at the same time. Both women face incredible danger and make huge sacrifices. The connection between the characters becomes clear at the end. Don’t miss the informative Author’s Note, where we learn that the novel is inspired by the real-life Violet Jessup while the fictional character of Daphne is inspired by the many brave women of the SOE. I loved this well-researched and beautifully-written book and I highly recommend it. Thank you to the author, publisher and NetGalley for the chance to read and review an early copy.

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC. I really enjoyed this book, although I feel like the story could have been a little shorter. The bits of the titanic sprinkled in was the highlight for me. I think the characters were likable enough. Over all I give this a 3/5

Ms. Walsh has expertly penned a blend of history and fiction in this story of real-life Violet Jessop. The story took a different direction than I originally anticipated, but found both stories in this dual timeline interesting. I couldn't wait to discover the connection between the two, which wasn't revealed until close to the end of the book.

Violet Jessop's story from the Titanic disaster to the end of WWII was fascinating and I believe the author held to the facts, creatively fleshing out the story with the might-have-beens. Don't miss the author's notes at the end. Daphne's story is a tribute to the many real-life heroines of WWII.

Woven between both stories is a theme of strong women that sacrifice their lives for many different reasons. Violet's is one of familial responsibility, learning that opening one's heart to love is worth the risk of loss. Daphne is initially driven by the desire to be noticed and valued, but eventually finds purpose in her desire to serve the French Resistance.

The only thing that kept me from giving this book five stars is that I felt the ending was rather rushed.

I received a complimentary copy from the author/publisher through Netgalley. I was not required to write a review. All opinions expressed are my own.

I was so looking forward to reading Unsinkable written by Jenni L. Walsh. The book is told in two timelines. Unfortunately, they don't come together until the very end. The true story of Violet Jessop, who survived a shipwreck and two sinkings of ships (0ne being the Titanic) was quite interesting on it's own as was the story. The second timeline was about Daphne Chaundanson, who was a special operations agent during the WWII. Her story was fascinating as well. It just seems that this novel should have been two separate novels instead of one. Thanks to NetGalley and Harper Muse for the ARC!