Historical fiction readers will enjoy this story. Written in three time periods and viewpoints, this blended together well at the conclusion. Hints of the mystery writer were so vague that readers may be surprised when the identity is revealed. Both Caitlyn and Helene struggled with faith after tragedy which many readers will relate with. The story was very moving but I found the ending to be a abrupt.

This was a beautifully written story told from three different times : 1942, 1955, and 2022.,

1942- during Ww2 about a women and a man who love each other and are happily married and are about to have their first baby when the worst happens : they are picked up and put in concentration camps because they are Jews. The woman had to eventually decide to choose life and her baby over staying in the concentration camp for occasionally maybe seeing her husband in the adjoining mens camp.
She begins helping forge documents to help Jewish children escape the Nazis via an orphanage . There are many side stories within the 1942 tale regarding many who try and help others even though their life is at risk too.
1955- honestly was a bit confusing for awhile . Usually less than a page reflecting on generalities no specifics . At the end the author tied it all together and these pages much more sense.
2022- a girl whose best friend dies in a tragic accident and she blames herself . She decided to travel across the world to become a nurse and at the same time to do some studying about her grandfathers life as he had lived in an orphanage in WW2.
She goes through her own journey of grief at the same time as finding out her grandfathers heritage might. It be completely what he has thought his whole life.
This book kept my attention , made me heart ache for those in ww2 , wonder what would happen to this character or another . I appreciated the information at the end of the book as well . I will be doing more research on ww2 due to reading this book.
Thanks to Netgalley for a copy in exchange for an unbiased review !

What an extraordinary journey through time and human resilience! What I Promise You by Liz Tolsma crafts a narrative masterpiece, skillfully merging the fabric of history, the nuances of faith, and the strength of the human soul. Experience an enduring adventure within the pages of this remarkable novel, spanning three timelines—1942, 1955, and 2022—delivering a poignant and gripping narrative.

Set against the backdrop of World War II, the story unfolds with Noemie Treves, a pregnant Jewish woman whose life is shattered when she and her husband are arrested. Tolsma skillfully paints a vivid picture of the harrowing circumstances faced by Noemie as she navigates through the darkest days of the war. With meticulous precision and historical authenticity, the author resurrects the harrowing realities of the Holocaust and wartime, immersing readers in a deeply impactful and chilling encounter with history.

The characters themselves are a testament to Tolsma's gift for storytelling. From Noemie's steady courage to Caitlyn Laurent's quest for truth and healing in 2022, each character resonates with authenticity. The multi-timeline narrative adds complexity to the plot and serves as a brilliant device to connect the characters across generations. The author's exploration of genuine faith, love, and sacrifice adds depth to the characters, making them relatable and inspiring.

The descriptions of various settings, from the picturesque Pyrenees Mountains to the sparkling blue Mediterranean, are nothing short of enchanting. Witness Tolsma’s storytelling mastery as she adeptly navigates through the fabric of time and geography, effortlessly transporting readers to different eras and locations with unparalleled finesse. The multi-timeline approach, with the 1955 chapters having a powerfully profound impact on both the past and present, adds a layer of intrigue that keeps readers eagerly turning the pages.

One of the standout features of What I Promise You is the author's clean and impactful incorporation of biblical themes. The narrative beautifully intertwines faith with the characters' struggles, offering a beacon of hope even in the darkest moments. This adds spiritual depth to the story, making it more than just a historical novel—it's evidence to the enduring power of the Christian faith, God’s sovereignty, and His love.

The book masterfully balances heart-wrenching moments with glimpses of joy, showcasing the resilience of the human spirit. The mystery element adds an additional layer of suspense, keeping readers engaged until the very end. Tolsma's writing style is impeccable, creating a narrative that is both emotionally charged and intellectually stimulating.

In What I Promise You, Liz Tolsma delivers a compelling World War II novel and a timeless exploration of human resilience, love, and the pursuit of truth. Although this is book two in a series, it can certainly be read as a standalone. It is a must-read for anyone who appreciates beautifully written historical fiction with a powerful message. Five stars without a doubt!

I received a digital copy of What I Promise You from Barbour Publications and the author via NetGalley. I am not required to write a positive review nor paid to do so. This is my honest and unbiased evaluation. My thoughts and opinions expressed in this book review are my own. My review focuses on this story’s breathtaking content, ensuring transparency and reliability.

This story is a nicely based on actual places and events. It takes place in separate decades, first 1942 and then 2022. In 1942, pregnant Noemie Treves’ life is shattered when she and get husband are arrested for being Jewish. They are taken to separate camps and Noemie is layer rescued and taken to a maternity home along with two girls she knows. Her name is changed to help protect her identity but will it be enough to
save her life?
In 2022 Caitlyn Laurent is struggling with her life. She goes to Italy to study to become a missionary and while their begins to investigate her grandfather’s family from France. She uncovers many surprising details but can they help her to heal and figure out her life?
Very well written with relatable characters. A great read.
I received an advance copy of this book through Netgalley in exchange for my honest
review.

In July of 1942, pregnant Noemie and Levi were snatched from their home in the middle of the night in the South of France by German soldiers and taken to Camp Rivesaltes where they were separated.
Noemie is rescued by Madame Touissant; she helps to run a home for pregnant mothers and their children and orphans. Noemie helps to hide them by changing their names and registering them as Gentiles, their real names are kept in a secret place in case they are separated later on.
There are 2 other timelines here; one is in 1952 when Noemic comes back to visit the home where she was rescued and one is 2022, when a grandchild of Noemie tries to find out the history of her family during the war.
Noemie is terrified by not knowing how her husband is doing, she goes on a mission to rescue more people and tragedy strikes, she feels alone and helpless.
Noemie's granddaughter is in nursing school in Spain and she visits Noemie's childrens home and tries to find out more about Noemie and her past, she has to help her grandfather find his roots before he dies.

Wow! Three timelines that span from 1942, 1955, and 2022. The main characters in each timeline are experiencing heartache. The story in 1942 deals with harrowing circumstances. Some of it was difficult to read.

I have so many characters that I love in this book! Each one rises above their pain and presses on towards a brighter future.

There were many different settings in the book. My favorite was when Caitlyn was on the train passing by the Pyrenees Mountains and the sparkling blue Mediterranean!

This is a book that will touch the readers heart. It's fictional history, but the author does include facts. The time period of WWII is heartbreaking but needs to be remembered.

I was provided a copy of the book from the publisher/author via Netgalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Always love her books. Wonderful story about WW2 and faith.

It ended so abruptly. I was disappointed in that. I felt like there were so many things that could have been wrapped up.

Heart wrenching within each time frame, with a bit of a twist. As the story switches time frames, you can start to piece things together and see the picture, but not all of it. Interesting to try to figure it out. WW2 South France became unsafe for the Jews, and a fight to survive. Placed partly at a maternity home, there's more heartache and joy with the children and trying to save as many as they could from the nearby camp. Two generations away is another part of the story as a girl deals with tragedy in her life and tries to find out about her family while she's at school in Spain. Very interesting, fully captivating. Very hard to put down when you just have to know more of the story. Healing faith is a struggle for each because of what they go through with great loss of dear ones.
I received this book free from the author, publisher and NetGalley book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.

#WhatIPromiseYou #NetGalley #LizTolsma #BooksYouCanFeelGoodAbout #BarbourPublishing #ChristianHistoricalFiction #FiveStarHistorical

I appreciated the clean biblical theme weaved throughout the book, but it was so hard to follow the three separate time views.

I really enjoyed this multi-timeline story, one taking place during WWII, one contemporary timeline and one set in 1955. Although the 1955 timeline's chapters are short, they have a profound effect in connecting both of the others.

Although fictional, this story accurately portrays the tragedy of the many lives affected by the transit Camp de Rivesalts near the southwest French border. It focuses on the lives of a specific group, expectant young mothers and children. Although most of the characters are fictional, it is a tribute to the many unsung heroes of WWII. I found Helene's journey of faith compelling. One of learning to trust in one's faith, even amidst the darkest moments of our lives.

In most dual timelines, I am most drawn to the story set in the past, however Caitlyn's story drew me in from the beginning. Her's is one marked by tragedy as well, and her journey to overcoming the past and one of self-discovery is heartwarming.

Ms. Tolsma skillfully transitions between storylines, leaving the reader captivated from the very first page until the last has been read.

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.

WHAT I PROMISE YOU by LIZ TOLSMA is a poignant story of a Jewish woman’s survival during WW11, and her great granddaughter’s search for the truth.
We follow the story in three timelines,starting in 1942 in Perpignon with the pregnant Noemie Treves and her husband Levi being captured and incarcerated in the Camp de Rivesaltes .With the help of Fraulein Reiter, she escapes to La Maternite de la Paix with two young girls, Beryl and Margot. Noemie, whose name is changed to Helene, feels guilty for making a wrong decision in the past which led to the death of her factory workers and is now going to live her life to help others. She is determined that “never again would she fail to do what she could to protect others.” I like to see how her relationship with the Lord develops and how she holds onto her faith in Him ……
In 2022, Caitlyn Laurent, who feels guilty about the death of her best friend Lindsay in a car accident, goes to Barcelona to train as a missionary nurse, fulfilling the dream they had. She travels to Perpignon and on to Elne with her new friends Elissa and Aiden to find out more about her beloved grandfather’s life with him being born at La Maternite de la Paix in 1942. She is battling to release the pain of her loss and to feel the presence of the Lord…..
The mystery character who is revisiting the old maternity home in 1955 is interesting….
I feel What I Promise You is a must read for those of us who proclaim Jesus as Lord and recognize His Jewishness. It is a truly great read with a strong Christian message and an encouraging story of courage and second chances. I cannot recommend it highly enough.
I was given a free copy of the book by NetGalley from Barbour Publishing. The opinions in this review are completely my own.

I received an advanced copy of this book from Net Galley. Liz Tolsma's latest novel What I Promise You is the 2nd in a series, but can also be read as a stand alone novel. This captivating story set in three different time periods had me hooked from the beginning. Each woman is dealing with a painful, traumatic memory of something in the past, and each is working through that memory while facing other hardships. These women are interlocked through time and location. I genuinely cared about the past, present, and future stories of each woman. I wanted to know why Helene felt so guilty for her life prior to the Nazi invasion, wanted to see her present circumstances unfold in the way she hoped, and wished for a glorious ending to her story. Young Caitlyn held the trauma of a tragic accident in 2022. She wants to be who she thought she would, but does she even know who she is. Her story is one of finding her identity, and realizing where that identity comes from. Eleanor did the hardest thing a woman could do while saving many Jewish women and children. Her story is more just whispers of the past that haunts her, but I still wanted to know more of who she was and what she was seeking. This was an excellent fictional look at life in WWII in Vichy, France.

This story was so moving for me. The author does a great job of portraying the grief and atrocities that took place during WWII without going into graphic detail.



The novel added a new dimension that I haven't read before with three different timelines. This added a new layer to the story and kept me guessing until the end.



There were so many characters that I enjoyed in the story: Caitlyn, Aiden, Salome, Aime, Helene and so many more.



Thanks so much to netgalley and Barbour Publishing for the arc. The opinions are my own.

What I Promise You by Liz Tolsma is a touching dual timeline story. A young American woman, who is struggling to work past her own trauma, solves a mystery surrounding her grandfather's birth in WW2 France.
The second book in the series, this stand alone tale also has a genealogical element and WW2 history, with the author's careful research evident. Unsung heroes put their lives on the line to save vulnerable women and children, with an impact on future generations. It is an inspiring story, sad in parts, but overall one of hope and faith. Deep questions of faith are threaded in as the characters deal with personal traumas. Nothing graphic, though some war violence and the Holocaust is mentioned.
The mystery is slowly unraveled by the end, with clues dropped along the way. There is an unidentified perspective interspersed between the modern day and 1942 time periods, which adds a mysterious mood to the narrative.
Overall, it was an interesting read, with real history and a hint of romance. Recommend for teens and up who enjoy Christian fiction. 4 stars

This is my first book of Liz's and I was not disappointed by it! I have read many WWII historical fiction novels, and this stood up to the best of them. It was a unique storyline that I had personally not read anything similar to, so it was easy to hold my interest.

What I Promise You is a beautifully written historical novel. Great plot and character development. I received an advance ebook from the publisher and Netgalley. This is my unbiased review.

Liz Tolsma is one of my favorite World War II era novelists. She writes with a depth of understanding that makes it clear to her readers where she is going in the plot lines of her book. In What I Promise You, she writes a triple time-line book that bounces from World War II, post war, and modern times.

The first timeline starts when Noemi and her husband, Levi, are arrested in southern France and taken to an internment camp. While there Noemi is spirited away to a maternity hospital with two children whose parents have been transferred to another camp.

At the maternity hospital, Noemi is charged with making new papers for all the mothers and children, including herself. When they get the word that the Germans are coming to clear out the hospital, Noemi and Aime, the owner of the land where the hospital sits, load up the women and children and move them to safe places. Noemi and Aime are given the charge of taking an infant to safety and caring for him.

The second timeline takes place in modern times and includes Caitlyn trying to find out what her grandfather's history is. She knows he was born in the maternity hospital, but not much else. His memory is slipping and he doesn't remember as much as Caitlyn would like. While studying abroad in Spain, she goes to France several times to research her great-grandmother and her role in the maternity hospital. Another student who is studying abroad at the same location, Aiden, becomes intrigued by Caitlyn's search.

The third timeline takes place thirteen years later and includes a mystery character who is truly integral to the narrative. At times clues are dropped as to who this character is, but then something else happens that changes the reader's mind about who the character truly is. When all is revealed, it is surprising to see this character reenter the story after she was reported to be dead--executed in one of the death camps.

The way Liz has woven this novel together really makes it an interesting read for fans of World War II fiction. There is just enough truth in the novel to be historically accurate and to be instructive for the reader. This is a five star book with two thumbs up and an illuminating trip to France.

Barbour Publishing provided the copy I read for this review. All opinions expressed are solely my own.

What I Promise You was a page turner! I was quickly drawn in to the beautiful story of extreme strength, loss and love in France during WW2.
I really loved the perspective of Noemie/Helene and her part of the story but I definitely wasn’t as interested in Caitlyn’s POV or her part of the book but I did appreciate how both narratives came together at the end for a very satisfying end. A powerful read!
Thank you NetGalley and Barbour Publishing for my free copy What I Promise You

What I Promise You is another beautifully written novel from Liz Tolsma. I loved every single page. I would give it one hundred starts if I could.

In WWII women had to hide, change their names, etc. This is a heartbreaking story of a young pregnant girl who was doing her best to help others. Caitlyn goes back to France to learn about her grandfather only to find many questions. Very heartbreaking.

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