I received this advance reader copy in exchange for a fair review. This novel really surprised me! However, I shouldn't have been surprised at all, since I have read two novels previously written by Audrey Blake. I have read several novels about French resistance, but this one was particularly interesting and moving. To know that Jacqueline was a real woman who did real things to support the French resistance and never broke under interrogation. Despite many attempts, shows the truly remarkable and incredible feats any person can achieve. Highly recommended!

Thank you to Sourcebooks and Netgalley for an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Unfortunately I struggled with this one. The story jumps around a lot, and it was hard for me to follow and to get invested in the characters. Because of that, I DNFed about 20% in. I might pick it up in the future but for now, I don’t want to keep trying to puzzle my way through.

The Woman with No Name
By: Audrey Blake
Review Score: 4 Stars

Boogie’s Bulletpoints
•It was so interesting to learn about Yvonne, and how she ended up working within occupied France.

•I loved her spirit and strength, even though she was constantly underestimated.

•The dual point of view between her and Max was so well done, and really added to the story.

•No spoilers, but the ending shocked me!

————

The Woman with No Name was kindly provided as an ARC by Netgalley and Sourcebooks Landmark. Thank you for allowing me to enjoy this wonderful book!

Release Date: 3/12/24

The Woman with No Name was such a good read. Yvonne, a French Woman living in London, feels that she must do something for her beloved country as the Nazis overrun it.

She begins to work for the British Government, completing acts of sabotage against the Germans in France.

I loved reading about her training, how she came up with plans of action, and the consequences of fighting the Nazis in France.

No spoilers, but the ending really surprised me, and it ended rather abruptly, which I did not see coming.

Regardless, this was a great read. If you like Historical Fiction, this is a good book for you!

#bookstagram #books #readingnow #boogiereadsbooks #fivekeyfeels #audiobooks #audiobook #historicalfiction #arcreview #netgalley #boogiesbulletpoints #thewomanwithnoname #audreyblake #sourcebookslandmark

I read a lot of historical fiction with one goal. I am always searching for a deeper understanding of what people experienced during that time period. I want to grasp the horrors, as we all should, as away to make we don't repeat the past. I expect to have times of sadness and disgust.

The Woman with No Name had me in tears. There was so much suffering. There were outbursts of anger. There was so much destruction and violence. I didn't expect to be so captivated by the story. I just wanted to keep reading until I reached the end. When I came to the end, the way she ended the story was ingenious.

Yvonne was a French native stuck in London feeling hopeless. She wanted to do something to help the war but was always told she was too old. Then one day she was contacted by someone from the SOE. She would be able to help France.

The Woman with No Name shares Yvonne's story from her training through the end of the war. She is a very proactive resistance worker. She motivates others to weaken the Germans. Frankly, she was simply brilliant in her efforts. I was impressed with what she could do. She shows us that age doesn't matter. Determination does.

Suspense riddles the story. There is a German determined to capture her. There is another leader that feels threatened by her. She didn't know how to trust. I didn't know who to trust but I couldn't wait to see if my guesses were correct. I was never quite sure what relationships were real and who might turn on the others.

We all know how a WW2 historical fiction ends. The allies win. It is things, like what this story hints at tells the story of how the Allies win. Total respect for all of those that made it possible.

I was torn washout rating it 3 stars, it is a fascinating story based on real people who did courageous, amazing things during WWII. The writing/prose just made it a rather tedious read. I would recommend it because it is a different look at those who endured WWII.

What an amazing story. The Woman with No Name by Audrey Blake is a story of an unsung heroine of which there were many during WWII. Yvonne Rudellat's life completely changes after a bomb destroys her home. Unsure if she has purpose left in life, she finds that she does. Once she is trained and arrives in France with a new identity, she becomes a master at sabotage against the Nazi regime.

Based on a true story, this middle-aged woman defied the opinions of others to become not only a Resistance fighter but an inspiration to so many. It is wonderful to have her life become known to readers. Those who enjoy history especially WWII will certainly want to read this book of a previously unknown to most heroine.

An ARC of the book was provided by the publisher through NetGalley which I voluntarily chose to read and review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

It's not often that I come across my first name in books, so I was immediately curious when I learned that The Woman With No Name told the true story of Yvonne Rudellat. Add the fact that I have a weak spot for WWII fiction and resistance stories, and I knew I HAD to add this book by Audrey Blake to my list. I'm so glad I did now, because I ended up having a fantastic time with this historical fiction read!

The Woman With No Name is a work of fiction, but a lot of elements are based on true events and people. This made the story feel so much more authentic... Both Yvonne Rudellat and most of the people mentioned in this story were real people working for the French resistance during the war, and a lot of the key events really did take place. It's not the first time I've read about women being sent to France to help the resistance, but Yvonne's story is such an impressive one and it shows that people should never underestimate someone due to their size and/or gender. The story showed what it was like to live in France during the war, how the resistance worked and what obstacles they faced along the way.

The plot itself is divided into two timelines that are relatively close to each other. The present timeline follows the main character on her journey to and during her time in France helping the resistance. The other timeline tells us the story of Yvonne Rudellat in the time leading up to her recruitment as well as her training, and it helped giving more insight in her character. It also showed us just how much she blossomed over time, and I particularly enjoyed learning more about how they were trained. I do have to say that I enjoyed the present timeline more than the flashbacks, because they were simply more engaging.

It's the first time I read one of Audrey Blake's books, but I will definitely be back for more. This author duo not only has an engaging writing style, but it truly shows just how thoroughly they have investigated the life of our main character and everything she helped achieve during the war. It's true that the pace could be a tad slow in parts and she switching between the timelines could be a bit disruptive, but as a whole The Woman With No Name turned out to be an excellent piece of WWII fiction well worth your time if you enjoy the genre.

Readers interested in historical fiction set in WWII will enjoy this book. I found the back and forth between past and present a bit confusing. Lots of characters to sort out as this story progresses is a struggle. Based on true events and real characters, this story is intriguing but not my favorite WWII novel.

Huge thank you to Sourcebooks Landmark for sending me an advanced copy! I think this is going to be one of the most popular historical fiction releases this year. The writing, characters, and plotting are phenomenal. I enjoyed everything about this one. The note and the end of the the book blew me away, learning that this was based on a real person and that many of the details in the story were actually true accounts. It's a well-researched book and it really shows in the writing. I especially liked the focus on the dangers of espionage behind enemy lines and women's' roles in the war. This story evokes many emotions and I highly recommend!

The Woman With No Name is spectacular! Jaqueline is a special agent sent to occupied France as a saboteur
with her specialty being explosives. The Woman With No Name is action packed, plot driven, has great characters and a strong female lead. As things heat up, will Jacqueline be able to keep the Nazis off her trail?

I highly recommend this WWII historical fiction and that means a lot coming from me who typically stays away from WWII historical fiction.

➠ ʙᴏᴏᴋ: The Woman with No Name by Audrey Blake

➠ ᴍʏ ʀᴀᴛɪɴɢ: 3/5 sᴛᴀʀs

➠ ɢᴏᴏᴅʀᴇᴀᴅs ʀᴀᴛɪɴɢ: 4.24/5 sᴛᴀʀs

➠ Pub date: March 12, 2024

➠ 💭 Thank you to Sourcebooks Landmark for this #Netgalley copy! Yvonne Rudellat is Britain’s first female saboteur, which she absolutely thrives in. The story takes us through Yvonne’s life story from her failed marriage to her journey training with UK’s Special Operations Executives (SOE) to fighting the Germans.

I will say this book did drag at times and it was confusing because it jumped around a lot from different time periods and with the amount of characters involved; however, when I found out this was based on a true story, I came around to enjoying it more. Yvonne is one badass and strong woman who truly had the mission in the forefront of her mind at all times. She thought of new things to fight the Germans consistently and went out and did it, regardless of the dangers it may bring. Although the ending wasn’t the ending I was wanting per se, it is based on a true story and I can’t change that.

Thank you @sourcebooklandmark for providing me a copy of this book! #gifted

This was my first book by this author duo but it certainly won’t be my last. I really enjoyed learning about real life hero Yvonne Rudellat and the brave men and women who worked alongside her as members of the Resistance in Northern France. I appreciate that the authors chose to include characters based on real people & used their real names.

The final chapter made me gasp and brought tears to my eyes. Wow!

Thank you to NetGalley and Sourcebooks for providing me with an e-arc to read & review.

Yvonne Rudellat is a divorced woman with a grown daughter with nothing to do to help the war effort until she is approached to help with explosives in France.

We follow Yvonne through her training and her bravery as one of the only women in this special operations group.

Of course, the men thought she wouldn’t be capable of doing the same job they do, but she proved them wrong.

It did get a bit confusing and dragged at times because there were so many characters and because of the back and forth and the details about the operations.

It was well written but didn’t really hold my interest even though it got more personable toward the end and less about the operations even though it was based on real people.

Even though it was not an enjoyable read for me, we do need to thank these brave men and women for their unwavering efforts to fight for France and risk their lives as they resisted the Germans.

THE WOMAN WITH NO NAME will be enjoyed by historical fiction fans, fans of strong women based on a real person, and details about war operations. 3/5

Thank you to the publisher for a copy of this book. All opinions are my own.

You're never too old to find purpose and meaning in your life and this story is a perfect example. I really appreciate historical fiction that is based on true people and events. This fictionalized account of Yvonne Rudellat is educational, fascinating and attention grabbing. Thanks #NetGalley #Sourcebooks

Oh man, I just loved Yvonne & her story. 🥹 Y’all know how I feel about badass women in historical fiction novels, especially when they’re based on real people. HERE FOR IT. 👏

I thought all of the action was fast pasted and riveting. The multiple timelines and POVs made it a little hard to follow at times, especially early on, but it all came together.

The authors note was fabulous. I always life reading authors notes but especially with HF!

I didn’t realize Audrey Blake was a duo of female writers but now I’m itching to reach two of their others I own - The Girl in His Shadow and The Surgeon’s Daughter. Would definitely recommend to historical fiction lovers!

WWII historical fiction is one of my favorite genres because I love to read about real people and learn about their strength and courage during times of extreme crisis. I also love a good underdog story. The Woman with No Name (not the best title) is a meticulously researched and intelligently written novel about a group of real-life people who were members of the SOE (Special Operations Executive) who fought alongside of the French resistance during the Nazi occupation of France.
Special Agent Yvonne Rudellat is a real person as are most of the main characters in the book. Yvonne (Jacqueline) was an unlikely agent due to her age and because she was one of the first women to train in London with the SOE. The novel follows Yvonne's story as she works to engage French resistors and together sabotage key German military and transportation operations within France.
The novel is written in multiple timelines that can be confusing at times. In my opinion, it would have been a better book if it was written linearly. The way Jacqueline's story is presented it's very one dimensional. The story is written in a slow burn style and then with a freight train ending (ends rather abruptly). Would have liked to have read a few more chapters where we learn more about what happened during and after... (no spoilers here but read it and you'll understand).
Thank you to both of the authors, publisher, and NetGalley for the complimentary copy. All opinions expressed are solely my own.

This book was so good. I was sad how it ended but otherwise was so good. Non stop action until the very end.

It always amazes me the resilience people had and I don’t know that I would have if the same way.

It was interesting to learn a new story about WWII

These two authors always keep me awake late at night because I need to know what will happen!

Based on the true story of Yvonne Rudellatt, the first female saboteur sent into France during WWII for Britain’s SOE (Special Operations Executive), “The Woman with No Name” details Rudellatt’s life behind enemy lines wreaking havoc on the Germans.

The story begins with a bright and spirited Yvonne who has left a bad marriage and fallen in love. Due to an unfortunate incident, Yvonne and her daughter return to France to live under her husband’s condescension. When many years later Yvonne tries to go out for War work, we see a much different woman than we met in the prologue. Fortunately, she is recruited by the SOE for her language skills and ability to hide in plain site.

Told through flashbacks to her time before the war, training as an agent, and her time in occupied France, Yvonne, code-named Jacqueline, was particularly skilled at demolition and worked hard to overcome the doubts of her naysayers and fears to become a force to be reckoned with. Throughout this time, we see the emergence of a woman who is strong, confident, and ready to face her fears. During her time in France, Jacqueline skillfully trains and recruits a vast network that was able to slow down the Germans and cause a great deal of frustration and havoc.

Told primarily from the perspective of Rudellatt, tensions are heightened through the narration by Oberstleutnant Max Heinrich who is working to shut down the Resistance and is doggedly tracking her specifically. Author Audrey Blake (writing duo Canadian Jaima Fixsen and American Regina Sirois) skillfully crafts the story of Yvonne in a manner that is compelling, absorbing, relatable, and engaging. I love when an author includes an author’s note at the end that outlines truth and fiction giving credence to the narrative and paying homage to the real life superhero, Yvonne Rudellatt.

Available March 11, 2024, fans of WWII narratives, historical fiction, and strong female characters will love this book!

Thank you @netgalley and @bookmarked for the #drc (digital review copy) of this book by @audreyblakebooks ! I loved it!

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The woman with no name lights the fire of resistance … despite knowing she may get burned.

Jaima Fixsen, a.k.a. Audrey Blake, co-writes with her friend, Regina Sirois, to produce wonderful historical fiction. I loved both The Girl In His Shadow and The Surgeon’s Daughter.

Based on a true story, The Woman With No Name is filled to the brim with secrets, spies and daring Resistance escapades. I’ve read many books set in this era and many focused on Resistance, but this writing duo has brought something new and exciting to historical fiction readers. I loved this daring and unassuming woman and her fascinating legacy and can’t wait for other readers of this genre to meet her.

Readers are transported to 1942 Britain and meet Yvonne Rudellat who is down on her luck and feeling despondent. She’s had her share of losses and desperately needs a purpose. When she’s offered a chance to be useful and contribute to the war effort, she jumps at the opportunity despite not knowing the dangers.

As Britian’s first female sabotage agent, Yvonne soon makes a name for herself. It seems her heroics haven’t gone unnoticed and she systematically undermines the Germans in Vichy France. ‘Jacqueline’ and her tenacity stand tall in a field dominated by males who are eager to dismiss her and who continually underestimate her ability and worth.

I really enjoyed this novel that examines quiet courage that springs up amid great adversity, simple assertiveness that inspires positive change, and a woman who has been lost to history. This duo has honoured her legacy. It’s a fantastic story.

My takeaway? Never let up on giving your best and your all.

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

Yvonne's life is thrown off-course by life events at the beginning of WW2, but she gets a new lease on life when she has the opportunity to become Britain's first female sabotage agent. She finds that she has a knack for explosives, and while working undercover in occupied France, she quickly makes a large impact and develops a strong network of spies. This book does have a jumping timeline, that threw me off initially, but persevering is worth it - my heart was pounding through the last half of the book as Yvonne found herself deeper into resistance efforts. This book is based on a real story.