The Secret Keeper is another 5-star gem by Genevieve Graham. I feel like I'm right there beside the characters and even though I'm maybe rooting for one more than the other, I can't decide whether I love Dot or Dash's story more. The pacing is steady and the tension is consistently humming. It took me far longer to read this book but that's what happens when you have to work to pay the bills.

It's always a good day when you hear that Genevieve Graham is coming out with a new book, and an even better day when you get to read it! All her novels are filled with my favorite things - accurate history, romance, romance, romance, and enough drama to keep you on your toes and turning the pages late into the night. This book is no different, and in fact, you get double, because it's a tale of two sisters during WWII, and does it deliver! I couldn't read fast enough, I had to know what was going to happen. Oftentimes in books, there will be one character you like more than the other, one chapter that you skim to get to the one you prefer - not in this one. I loved both sisters, and was equally invested in both their stories. I loved this book, and will sing its praises to the rooftops! I cannot wait to own it in print! HIGHLY RECOMMENDED, and for all you WWII buffs that can not get enough of Kristin Hannah or Kate Quinn - this one is for you!

The Secret Keeper tells the story of twin sisters Dorothy (nicknamed Dot) and Margaret (nicknamed Dash), Canadian girls living during WWII who volunteer with the Canadian WRNS (Women's Royal Naval Service) to do their part during the war. The story is told in alternating voices of each of the women. Genevieve Graham is a master storyteller, weaving this amazing tale of Dot, usually such a mousy, quiet girl who loved cyphers and crosswords, and Dash, who loved to fly since receiving pilot lessons from her uncle, and what they achieved during the War. I couldn't put it down - and I was surprised to learn from the author's notes at the end that so much of the story was based on fact. I highly recommend this book!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC of this novel in exchange for an honest review.

There is one person I go to for my HF with the Canadian focus, and it's Genevieve Graham. She unravels Canadian history while making it entertainment with a side of emotions. This particular book is about two sisters (Dot and Dash: LOVE the names and the meaning behind them) who join the war effort at home.
Dot and Dash are quite simply not similar at all except for the love they have for their family and their sister.

Dash's love language is flying. Being a pilot and hitting the open skies. A trait she inherits from her Uncle.
Dot is quite happy with the home life, solving crosswords and gardening. But once Dash signs up with the WRENS, its shortly after, that Dot joins too.

Both serving in different ways, they fuel their passions while trying to help the war effort. My heart is most like Dot. But I wish I had a little of Dash in me.

oh and Gus....I wish there was a longer storyline with Gus and Dot. Even though I know from chapter 2, that Gus would take a love interest at one point, I needed more of his gentle kindness.

Highly recommend this one. But truthfully all of the authors books are full of history, storytelling and heart.
I could read more about these sisters one day.....

ps. make sure you read the authors note! 4.5 stars

I have loved everything i have ever read written by Genevieve Graham! Her books are always full of historical moments that I have not heard about before!
Is there such a genre as 'cozy historical fiction' ? This is what I would call Ms. Graham's books. They leave me feeling warm and fuzzy while also educating me about Canadian history and geography.
Dot and Dash and Gus are all such good people, and i cheer for them throughout the story. There is love and action and secrecy and family relationships, everything i need in a great story!

Definitely recommend !

BRILLIANT! Genevieve Graham has done it again - brought Canadian History, in fiction form, to life. The Secret Keeper characters are wonderful and their lives interesting. I didn't want this story to end.

Twin sisters Dorothy (Dot) and Margaret (Dash) Wilson of Oshawa ON are raised by parents whose intelligence and fortitude inspire the girls to accomplish great things when WW 2 presents unheard of opportunities for women.

That so much of the novel is true facts made it hard to put down.

I appreciate the ending giving an account of their lives 40 years after WW 2. '
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I will definitely be buying multiple copies of this book to share and gift.

Another great Canadian Historical Fiction by Genevieve Graham. Twin sisters Dot and Dash are very different from each other but they get along well and both have different paths carved out for them. Dot has dreams of helping people while Dash like to fix things and has a dream to learn to fly.

The Secret Keeper by Genevieve Graham is a heartwarming and thrilling l novel set during World War II. Twin sisters Dot and Dash Wilson share many things, however, they are nothing alike. Dot is fascinated by books, puzzles, and Morse code. Dash fixes engines and dreaming of flying airplanes. Always with them is their best friend Gus—until war breaks out and he enlists in the army. Determined to do their duty, both girls join the WRENS, Dash as a mechanic and Dot as a typist. Dash trains as a pilot with the Air Transport Auxiliary, where she risks her life to ferry aircraft and troops across the battlefields of Europe. Meanwhile Dot is drawn into the Allies’ preparations for D-Day. Dot’s loyalties are tesedt when someone close to her goes missing in Nazi-occupied territory. With Operation Overlord, Dot must use every skill at her disposal to save those she loves.

Graham does a wonderful job creating an inspirational story of two sisters' love and courage during World War II. The Secret Keeper had me turning the pages to the very end. This book is an easy 5 stars. I highly recommend this book for anyone who loves historical fiction and epsionage thrillers.

I received a free advanced copy and all opinions are my own. I would like to offer my sincerest gratitude to Simon & Schuster Canada and NetGalley for the advanced copy.

Genevieve Graham knocked the Secret Keeper out of the park with this one. She is one of my favourite authors. I always learn Canadian history with her novels. This is my first 5 star book of 2024.

This novel was absolute perfection, and it is the best WWII novel I have read in a long time. Dot and Dash Wilson were twin sisters breaking down the patriarchy by joining men in the war. This novel had a unique twist, as I have not read anything with Canadian heroes in the spotlight. This novel kept my attention, as there were things I did not see coming, which made this such a fast-paced read. The characters in the story gave all the emotions; I laughed alongside the twins, worried for them, rooted for them, and teared up for them.

This is my fourth novel of Genevieve’s and thankful I have two of her backlist books on my shelves. I love how she exposes the Canadian history. Her author’s notes are always so informative and brings the story to life.

Thank you to Genevieve Graham, the publisher and NetGalley for an ARC of The Secret Keeper.

An entertaining read about two Canadian twin sisters and their commitment to each other and their country during the Second World War.

Wow. What an inspiring and incredibly powerful WW2 story! It had me pinned to the pages between Dot’s secret missions (personal and professional) and Dash’s harrowing adventures (in the hangar and in the air). But at the centre for both women, is constant danger with a capital D. As they say, nobody is ever safe in war. Then there are two courageous men, Gus and Pete, who both play important roles in the war and in these women’s lives. I truly enjoyed seeing the chemistry spark between them and the enduring love that sustained these four people through some very trying circumstances.

This is a heart wrenching heroic story about major secrets and twin girls who are extremely close but also opposites in personality. Dot is the shy quiet type – even a bit ‘nerdy.’ She is a genius with puzzles, loves books and experienced at Morse code and languages. Dot has a very close connection to her father, a war veteran who harbours secrets of his own. Then there is Dash, the other twin—quick moving, adventurous and mechanically inclined. She loves airplanes, fixing engines, dancing and keeping active with new challenges. When Dash decides to join the WRENS, Dot is filled with fear. She does not want her sister to leave her. They have always done everything together but she cannot think of doing what Dash desires. But once Dash is gone for a while, studying and working on aircraft, Dot begins to question her own position. Should she become active, too, and help fight the war? To her own surprise, in a moment of courage, she applies and is accepted but her journey is very different from Dash’s. Soon her talents move her from typist to enviable heights and positions that lead to taking a secret oath. She will not be able to tell her sister or any family member what she really does for 40 years. It is a hard thing for someone who shares everything with her sibling. And when a personal tragedy strikes, and Dot’s job prevents her from joining Dash at home, hurt seeps in and causes a division between the sisters.

I have a great respect for Ms Graham with her flawless writing style, unforgettable characters and ability to bring Canadian history alive on the page. I was drawn in immediately with the dual viewpoints of sisters Dot and Dash. I enjoyed learning about each of them, observing and appreciating their strengths and weaknesses. They are believable characters with fears, desires, aspirations and faults—like the rest of us. This makes them human and allows us to connect with them easily. Presenting the story through two perspectives, gave me a unique vantage point of getting inside their hearts and heads which made the journey with both women engaging. To see their differences and how they each react in various situations at the start and then to see the changes as their new lives unfold, (particularly in Dot), made it a satisfying reading experience. Development in characters is important and with what these ladies go through, they could not help but change. We want to see progress and we do. I think the main characters Dot, Dash, (and these are clever names that are so appropriate!), Gus and Pete, along with the twin’s father, are true heroes. (Others, too, perform acts of bravery.) They reach inside and find the courage they need to redeem the moment, endure the suffering and ascend the challenges.

A good portion of the story is set in Canada (other settings are England and France). There was even a small section of the story focused on New Brunswick where I was born and raised. So it was easy for me to visualise that physical environment. But for some reason, I had either forgotten or never knew of HMCS Coverdale (Special Wireless Station) below Moncton where some great work was accomplished during the war. To learn that the first allied person in the world to hear of Hitler’s death on April 30th, 1945, was a HMCS Coverdale operator who intercepted a message sent by a German Admiral Doenitz was quite a surprise! And I never knew Canada had a spy training centre (Camp X)!

Although the focus is on the WRENS, Genevieve Graham introduces us to other areas of work where women helped in the war. The Canadian Car and Foundry in Fort William built world-class fighter planes under the leadership of Elsie MacGill, Queen of the Hurricanes. ATA (Air Transport Auxiliary) where Dash eventually worked was in many ways a dangerous task ferrying planes. These were civilians transporting aircraft where needed with unloaded guns. The risk of death (crashes) or being captured were possible scenarios. This novel shows what could go wrong and did. Many of the women were pilots who were quite brave flying with no maps or radios and within sight of the ground. There were many obstacles and we see this in the story. I felt I was on board with such vivid descriptions and detail. This may be a work of fiction, but The Secret Keeper is built on facts with a creative dash of insight where needed. Sometimes there are gaps in history so it is an author’s right to imagine what might have been to make everything flow together seamlessly, and Ms Graham has achieved this and covered all the bases.

I have reviewed a large number of excellent and deeply moving WW2 novels but The Secret Keeper is the most compelling, comprehensive and riveting story I have ever read and as mentioned, I learned many new things about Canada’s part in the battle against Hitler. The magnitude of knowledge on all the topics covered is astounding. Genevieve leaves no stone unturned. This fully packed story soars on its impeccable details, covering many fascinating areas in which women worked during WW2. In the author’s notes (which are just as captivating as the novel), she makes it clear during the research stage she used experts to get true answers. This is obvious when comparing story incidents with historical accounts. And while reading this novel I was often motivated to look up the events, practices and locations.

Sacrifice, Secrets and Service melded together in my mind while reading this breathtaking novel. For me, these words represent those who fought in the war at every level and this novel delivers in all areas. I truly loved The Secret Keeper from the first page to the last and feel quite honoured to have had an opportunity to read and review it. This is one novel that cannot be missed. It will bring tears to your eyes, make you squirm and create huge lumps in your throat. There are some pretty horrific details of the war camps and suffering of those captured. These sort of horrors changed people forever. This novel also paints a picture of hope and healing. It is a real tribute to not only the women and men who played their part in helping to win over the enemy but also of the amazing establishments set up in Canada that contributed impressively. 5 Shining Stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Thanks to Simon & Schuster Canada and Netgalley for my review copy.