I love reading historical fiction books. I am not a big fan of WWI books, but this one spans the Great War as well as the time between it ending and the start of WWII. The story focus is really on two brothers, Leo and Alex … and their shared affection for Adelaide. One pleasant difference of this book compared to most WWI and WWII historical fiction books is that the focus is on the characters rather than what they experience during the wars. The characters are well developed and it will make your heart ache as you watch how the two brothers who are so different in personality and integrity approach life and war. This was a touching story of love and loss.

Thank you to NetGalley and Roberta Kagan Publishing for my advanced review copy. All opinions and thoughts are my own.

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Fiction
Historical
Historical Fiction
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Loved this. It kept giving and how the characters entwined to the story made you want to read more. The fiction of the era was fascinating, especially as it was from the German angle. My only criticism was the ending, it was very abrupt, hope there is a continuation.

Thank you Netgalley for the opportunity to read and review this.

I want to start by saying that this is wonderfully written. As this is part one of the series, I am definitely picking up the next books in the series to see how the story progresses.

The main story takes place in Berlin between 1915 and 1933 revolving around the love story of two brothers, Leo and Alex, and Adelaide. We see their early lives together, ultimately leading to the Great War, where their lives changes, during and after the war.

Part 2 of the story revolves around Margot, Trudy and Mattie, in particular Margot and Trudy with another love triangle forming, with one sister growing envious and jealous by the end of the book.

Without having read the second book in the series, and only looking at Part 1 and Part 2 of this book, it is easy to have characters you like and dislike (particularly from Part 1). I have enjoyed this book very much, and am looking forward to reading the next books in the series.

There were so many different emotions throughout "The Secret They Hid." I am glad I waited to read this book because I would have gone crazy wondering what happens next in her story. Luckily, I have the series, so I don't have to worry about running out of books. I've read Ms. Kagan's work before and know I'm in for a treat with her novels. Leo, Adeline, and Alex fall into a triangle of love, despair, hope, and finally, a conclusion that would not be popular with most people yet worked for them. Leo is selfless in most instances, yet sometimes selfish, he can't stop loving Adeline. Alex also doesn't understand how lucky he was with Adeline. I felt so sorry for Margot, especially with her sister Trudy. Margot is undeserving of Trudy's hatred. Margot may be independent, yet she tries to always put other people before herself, like her other sister, Mattie. Yet, with Margot's biological mother being Jewish, her life is in danger if people find out. Margot's marriage to Max only infuriates Trudy, and keeps Margot from Ben, a Jewish student who she fell in love with at school. I cannot wait to read the next book!

Roberta Kagan's The Secret They Hid is a great work of historical fiction. Set in the years leading up to World War II, this book explores the lives of two brothers and a secret that threatens to tear their family apart. The ending is unsatisfying - but only because I didn't want it to end. I'm looking forward to the next installment! I really enjoy books that take place between the two world wars and this one definitely didn't disappoint.

Many thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for an eARC; all opinions are my own.

For the Love of Adelaide

The two men in Adelaide's life are away at war. Her husband Alex and his brother Leo. Alex never sends letters or money back home, but Leo does.

Adelaide is caring for her two daughters and the baby girl that Leo brought home telling her it was his child from a prostitute. She has been living with her mother in law, but then she dies and Adelaide must move in with her mother and father.

The story also follows Alex and Leo on the battleground where Alex is wounded. Leo saves Alex..but at what cost?

Meanwhile the feelings between Adelaide and her boss Ernst escalate as her living conditions with her parents become more and more distressing. Her parents are not caring and they are taking care of her children while she works. Her father was abusive toward her and now she fears he will be abusive toward her daughters. To keep her daughter's safe she makes an arrangement with her boss Ernst.

As the girls grow Margot develops friendship with a Jewish boy named Ben. She meets and marries Max although she is still friends with Ben. When the anti Semitism becomes worse Margot cannot be friends with Ben. When Ben treats Erik, Margot and Max's son they all become friends.

Trudy, Margot's sister overhears her parents talking about Margot and learns a secret about her that she keeps to herself for future use. Trudy is in love with Max and very jealous of her sister for being married to Max.

This is a good beginning to a new series...I enjoyed reading it very much.
Thanks to the author and the publisher for providing me with a complimentary copy to read and review.

A Beautiful Historic Fiction Book
The Secret They Hid by Roberta Kagan is beautifully written and is a beautiful historic fiction book set in Germany. There is love, and secrets shared between two brothers and Adalaide who is the wife of Alex, but his brother Leo has always been in love with Adalade but will not say anything to upset his brother whom he has taken care of since childhood as his big brother and protecter.
Their lives become complicated when Alex's fathers a Jewish baby, but Leo tells Adalaide it is his child. Then war breaks out leaving Adalade with three young children. After the war when the brothers return Alex is suffering from mustard gas and is badly disfigured. Leo, Alex the three children and Adalade all move into the family home together.
The book is set before the first world war and leads up to the second world war. From the daily struggles to complicated relationships I found this book to be a real page turner and I highly recommend it as it was a fantastic read and a book, I found extremely hard to put down. I promise you will be hooked from the very first page. I look forward to reading more books from this author. Thanks to NetGalley and to the publishers of this book for giving me a free advance copy of the book to preview and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

This is a survival story. It takes place mostly in the WWI era and ends in 1935. Adelaide is married to one brother-who is a weak, vain man, and supported financially by the other brother. She raises three girls. I read an electronic copy courtesy of Net Galley.

The story of two German brothers who fall in love with the same girl. One brother keeps his love silent when his brother marries the love of his life. It follows their lives as the go off to fight in the great war and return with battle scars to navigate life after war. I was drawn in to their trials and tribulations. Cheering and crying. I can’t wait to read the next book.

Two brothers wanting the same woman, Adelaide. The handsome popular one succeeds. Leo and Alex. Leo was the eldest and always looked after his younger handsome brother, often bailing him out of trouble. He continued to do that after Alex and Adelaide were married. Alex cheated frequently and never worked so Alex would step in and pay the rent etc. Adelaide began to rely on Leo and they became quite close…..in fact Leo was in love with her. It is a story of love, hate, family secrets and disaster.
Very well written and worth reading. I did find the ending a little abrupt, but suspect there will be a sequel.

Thank you NetGalley for the arc in exchange for an honest review. This piece of historical fiction was set in a Christian German home 1915-1936 or so. We meet a family of 2 brothers who fall in love with the same girl Adelaide and the family that results. Times are tough for this family throughout the story and Adelaide struggles to keep her and her girls fed at times and when the men are home from the war it’s tough to feed them too.

Please pick up this book if you like historical fiction.

The Secret They Hid is an interesting historical fiction book. The story follows brothers Leo and Alex, and beautiful Adelaide, whom both want to marry. She falls in love with one of them, but did she choose wisely? She has 2 daughters, then raises a third as her own. This 3rd child’s mother is Jewish, but Adelaide is happy to raise her as her own.

Life is very difficult during WW1, when they are away fighting, but will never be the same after the war. Adelaide stays behind, doing her best to raise her 3 young girls, waiting for Alex and Leo to return. After the war, her love returns, but poverty is always just around the bend. The 3 girls grow up, Hitler comes to power, and suddenly secrets could put everyone in danger!

I received this ARC in exchange for my honest review. I loved the fullness of characters and the storyline, but it ended so abruptly! I realize this is the first in Kagan’s new series, but have to try to be patient as I wait for the sequel!

I enjoyed reading Kagan’s previous series and was looking forward to reading this one when I saw it pop up.
While I enjoy the authors writing style this first instalment of Margo’s secret was lacking a few twists and turns. It all seemed rather predictable. I enjoyed the storyline at the beginning but would have liked a little bit more when the storyline switched to the girls.
All in all a decent historical fiction read.

Thanks to Book Whisperer and Ney Galley for the advanced copy.

I was completely hooked on this plot line! The writing seemed a bit dull to me but I couldn’t put it down. I absolutely loved everything about this story. I loved the WWI into the beginnings of WWII. I’m assuming there will be another book following this one… I can’t wait!

I love a good war romance and this was no exception. Amazing people, difficult circumstances, and love.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review this great book.

Roberta Kagan brings each character to life in a way that draws you in from the beginning. The historical fiction weaves in the times of war and the circumstances in Germany. This book is a perfect blend of fact and fiction, truly emotional. It is a real page turner you will find hard to put down.

Great, multi-faceted characters. Very interesting plot. Vivid descriptions. I felt every emotion. Kept me intrigued from the first page to the last. Simply a GREAT read!

*I received a complimentary ARC of this book in order to read and provide a voluntary, unbiased and honest review, should I choose to do so.

Another great book by this author about war, a love triangle, secrets and betrayal. This is an intense and intriguing read and one that will keep you turning the pages. The first in the Margot's Secret series, the author brings the characters to life and the emotion of the story jumps off the page.

I love the era, the setting, the characters and the secrets which makes this a very complex and compelling story. The ending of this book makes you want to read the next instalment 'Now'!

Thank you NetGalley and Book Whisperer for giving me the opportunity to read and review this book.

In her latest novel, Roberta Kagan brings her readers to World War I Germany and 1930s Germany. Following Adelaide, her husband Alex, Alex’s brother Leo, and her daughters (but only two of her three daughters are hers by birth, the third, Margot being Alex’s daughter by a Jewish sex worker), Kagan brings readers to the struggles of wartime employment and the dangers of love and loyalty in times of crisis. Adelaide is a fascinatingly complex protagonist, while the alternate perspectives of Leo, Margot, and Trudy add to the complexity of the novel. Once again, Kagan has crafted some marvelous, dynamic, and complex characters and placed them in challenging situations, yet she never makes the situations seem too unrealistic as the narrative progresses. While not directly situated in World War II like many of her other books, Kagan brings these new time periods (World War I and 1930s Germany) to life, drawing on the historical record to create the world that Adelaide and her family live in. Kagan has once again created a new, fascinating cast of characters who engage with the readers and draw them into the story, which is set in a vibrantly complex Germany, in The Secret They Hid.

While the story was interesting, the writing was simplistic and not interesting to me. I was not aware that the story would continue beyond the last page of the book and I did not appreciate that fact. I do not think that I would bother reading any of the author's other books.