Sophie Weiss, her father and stepmother, and young brother Heinrich, all boarded the SS Louis, heading for safety and Cuba. It was 1939 and Germany was allowing some Jewish people to leave its shores to start a new life. Sophie and her family were going to the United States after they arrived in Cuba and although nervous, were sure they would make it successfully. Sophie's father was mired in depression after what he'd been through, and they were doing all they could to keep his spirits up. But on their arrival in Cuba, the government wouldn't allow the Jews to enter their country, even though they all had signed visas. Contact from a friend of her father from the US gave Sophie a ticket to fly to Washington. But how could she go without her family? How could she leave her new friends behind?

While on the ship, Sophie had met three other Jewish women - Rosa, who was travelling with her parents; Hannah and her little sister Lotte; Rachel and her fragile husband Franz - and they'd formed a close friendship. Sophie used her father's jewellry tools and broke an emerald into four pieces; a difficult job but she was determined. Giving her friends a sliver of the emerald each, the now named Emerald Sisters vowed to meet one year after the war ended, in a cafe in Paris. Would it happen? Would they all survive? And when would the war end?

The Girl on the Boat is the exceptional 1st episode in The Emerald Sisters series by prolific author Kate Hewitt and I loved it. I couldn't put it down, and when I reached the end, I wanted #2 ready to read now! Sophie's three year journey in the US was fraught with difficulty as she struggled on her own, knowing no one. But gradually she settled into a routine and made a couple of friends, found a job and somewhere to live. I can't wait to continue with the story, and find out which of the four friends' story is next. Highly recommended.

With thanks to NetGalley and Bookouture for my digital ARC to read in exchange for an honest review.

The Girl on the Boat (The Emerald Sisters Book 1) by Kate Hewitt is a heart tugging story of escaping the Nazi control of Germany in 1939. Taken from a true story this is the first of four friend stories who were Jewish refugees turned away from an American port. This is historical fiction that transports the reader to 1939 to 1941 United States.

Sophie Weiss arrives in the US without the close friends she had made on the journey. While life in the US is much better for Jewish people than in Germany, this country is not without its bias and prejudices against many groups of people. I found myself experiencing them right along with Sophia. She finds friends, purpose, new life, and love but loses much along the way especially as the Pearl Harbor attack happens. The book ends at this point which I can only hope the next book will pick up. By the end of all friends’ stories I am hoping that life after war will be shown.

A great start to this series that will take readers to several places during WWII. What an intense and riveting read.

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.

The Girl On The Boat by Kate Hewitt is the first in the series The Emerald Sisters, following four brave young Jewish women. Sophie meets and forms friendships she’s never had the opportunity to have. With a boat filled of Jewish refugees that no country wants Sophie is given no choice but to follow her Stepmothers decision for her to leave. Now in America Sophie struggles with leaving her family and friends, things start falling into place, making new friends, finding a job, falling in love. It was interesting to read about the racial prejudice, the experience for the Jews by other countries but also in America and how Sophie’s experience opened her eyes to the experiences of the black Americans. A novel filled with friendship, love, prejudice and loneliness. I can’t wait to read the next in the series.

I would like to thank Bookouture, NetGalley and the author for the opportunity to read this complimentary copy for an honest review. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

#TheGirlontheBoat #NetGalley

**Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for the advance copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinions.**

This book opens with Sophie Weiss and her family preparing to board the St Louis and head for freedom in Havana. On board Sophie meets three other Jewish women and they become fast friends, bonding over the injustices they have presumably left behind and the excitement they feel for the next chapter of their lives, away from Germany and the Nazi regime.

Once the boat reaches Havana they are turned away. Sophie’s stepmother and her father use their connections to get Sophie off the boat and to Washington safely, but she must leave everyone else behind. This book follows Sophie as she navigates this unfamiliar country on her own.

I’ve read a lot of WWII fiction but never from the POV of a character that was in America. I really enjoyed the story, and the writing made it easy to put myself in Sophie’s shoes, and to feel what she felt. The guilt at leaving everyone behind, while still wanting to honor her family by living the life they wanted her to have.

I did think there would be multiple POV’s but I’m assuming the rest of the books will tell the other girls stories. The ending was quite abrupt, which was disappointing, but I will definitely be looking out for the rest of the series as they are released.

Note: Thank you to NetGalley, Bookoutre, and Kate Hewitt for the advanced reader copy of the book. This review will also be posted on NetGalley. What follows is my unbiased review of the book.

There are so many historical fiction books out there for the period of the Second World War, it’s hard to find a new angle. Perhaps The Girl on the Boat isn’t quite a new angle, but there’s a good perspective here that’s different than many of the rest and is a good beginning to a promising series of books.

Sophie Weiss is a German Jew in the 1930s. She and her family make a plan to leave Germany, boarding the S.S. St. Louis with other German Jews. Their destination is Havana, and then, hopefully, the United States. On board the ship, Sophie makes friends with three female refugees close to her own age. Rosa, Hannah, and Rachel each have their own stories for how they arrived there. The trip to Havana is enjoyable, but when they arrive, there is a problem. The Gestapo have already been to Havana stirring up anti-Semitic sentiment.

Sophie’s father has contacts in America and manages to get her off the ship. Before she leaves, she splits one of her late mother’s emeralds into four pieces, and the girls promise to meet up after the war is over in Paris. Sophie goes to Washington DC, the guest of a friend of her fathers who, it turns out, is a lech. She makes her own way, working for a Jewish refugee organization, but she’s loaded with survivor’s guilt and finds it hard to have any sort of life.

For anyone who doesn’t know, the S.S. St. Louis was, in fact, a real ship that left Germany with Jewish refugees and was turned away from Havana. The U.S. wouldn’t let the refugees disembark there, either. I remember my mother (who was born in 1927) telling me about this, although she didn’t know the details. She just knew what a horrible thing had happened to fellow human beings. The ship sailed back to Europe, where there was a brief respite of the refugees being allowed into Belgium, France, Holland, and Britain. We all know which of those countries the Nazis eventually invaded anyway.

This is the first in a series of four books subtitled “The Emerald Sisters.” This one mostly covers Sophie’s story. It begins after the war, at the cafe near the Eiffel Tower where the girls promised to meet up. Three of the girls are there, only we don’t know which one of the three is missing. To find that out, you’ll have to continue reading.

Sophie carries the burden of living a good life in Washington DC while her family and friends are suffering. It’s something that’s brought up over and over again because of how much it’s a part of her everyday life. She yearns to be a carefree young woman, but she can’t stop thinking about how her family and friends are suffering. Eventually, she does find a first love, but even that is not going to work out how she would like. I felt this was a weak point in the plot, but it wasn’t enough to make me not recommend it. I just had a hard time believing the romance developed between these two people and that Sophie would have

The writing was good. I felt involved with the girls, even though this is mostly Sophie’s life. They were each distinctly different and had their own stories to tell. We have a brief glimpse of their lives which will be filled in later on in the series. The author did a great job beginning a series I would like to follow to its conclusion. That she based it on actual events is also good. I like how Sophie extrapolated how the Nazis persecuted Jews to how the blacks were being treated in America. There was plenty of sin to go around, even if we couldn’t see it at the time.

I enjoyed the book, if I felt it was a little short. It left off with a good cliffhanger for the next book, which I will definitely be picking up when it comes out. The characters have depth and were sympathetic. That it is based on actual events also helps drive the story home, especially when we are turning away refugees even now.

I had only read about the SS Louis recently and I am a big historical fiction lover which is why I requested The Girl on the Boat.

However, whilst the title is the Girl on the Boat, the main protagonist Sophie Weiss gets off the boat in Cuba and the plot follows Sophie in Washington rather than those left behind on the ship. I am assuming that there stories will unfold in next installments.

Captivating, well written and historically enlightening. The book (not the story) seemed to end rather abruptly and left me hanging. I’m looking forward to the next instalments of The Emerald Sisters.
Thank You to NetGalley, Bookouture, and Kate Hewitt for the opportunity to enjoy reading this ARC.

The beginning of what I guess is a series of four women who meet on the fated German ship that was turned back from Cuba.
The trauma of survivors is well portrayed. There is no instant cure.
It is eye opening the similarities between how the Nazis treated Jews, in the beginning, and the blacks being separated from whites in America.
Many people worked in “government” work. Much was very secretive. As with any government there are questions of what is really going on inside.
I look forward to reading the rest of the series.
I received a complimentary copy of this book. My opinions are my own.

I didn’t realise that this was part of an incomplete series. I think it’s good it starts with the Prologue. There is hope. And if you read carefully you will realise certain outcomes. There’s much sadness, but this is a WW2 story. The SS St Louis was a real ship that history documents. The story is riveting & bold. The characters gritty & brave. And there’s so much more to come.

An emotional story of a young Jewish woman, Sophie, who, along with her family is aboard the SS St Louis, en route to Cuba in search of freedom from German rule in 1939. Although Cuba doesn't provide the freedom they were seeking during this tumultuous time, Sophie befriends 3 other young women, who's fate soon separates them. Sophie, forced to leave the boat and go to the US, eventually finds her purpose and is hoping to make her way back to save her family, now located in Belgium. The Girl on the Boat, hooks you from the beginning pages, with vivid descriptions of what each character feels. Different from other WWII books, this book focuses on Sophie and her place in the world. It is a book that you won't want to put down. Waiting for book 2 to see what happens next!

This book tells of the emotional journey through the experiences of four Jewish women aboard the SS St Louis during World War II.

The story is about Sophie Weiss, a young woman who looses everything to the Nazis. Her desperation to escape Germany and find safety lead her aboard the ill-fated SS St Louis, where she met Rosa, Hannah, and Rachel. The bond they formed among the chaos and uncertainty became the driving force behind their survival.

Hewitt captured the of fear and despair that went the ship as it was refused entry at various ports.
Sophie, Rosa, Hannah, and Rachel are beautifully written, each with their own unique voice and backstory. Their individual struggles and triumphs were woven together, creating a compelling narrative that kept me engaged from start to finish.

I am not a huge historical fiction reader, so take my thoughts with a grain of salt and look at other reviews.

I found this story interesting, but not riveting. It felt like it was factually accurate. Parts of it kept my attention and other parts almost felt like I was reading a history book - which for me is not really a fun read. 

This is the first in a series. I think if you read this one and enjoy it, you will enjoy the whole series.

I really enjoyed this book, it is a totally unforgettable book which stirred so many different emotions. Excellent 1st book in a new series, can’t wait for the next instalment.
My thanks as always to NetGalley and to Bookouture for the early read

I need the rest of the stories now. The characters grabbed me when they first met on the ship trying to escape Nazi Germany. I became invested in their lives, inspired by their lives. I need to know what happens in the ensuing years. The prologue tells the reader of a tragedy. It is a WW2 historical fiction so I am not expecting a lot of happiness. I thought I was ready for what was to come.

Tears are forming. I know their lives will be difficult. I know I will be fuming over the suffering. I know all of this because I have become to invested in their stories. I was completely invested in The Girl on the Boat. Four women from very different backgrounds become friends on the SS St. Louis looking forward to a free and brighter life.

Except countries won't let the ship dock. Countries will not welcome the passengers. Fears are growing. Hope is dying. A few are finally allowed to leave. Sophie Weiss is going to America leaving her three friends behind.

The reader goes on a journey to America. See the country through Sophie's eyes. Witness her struggles. Suffer Sophie's guilt as her family, friends and shipmates futures remain unknown. Experience the hatred that she thought she left behind in Germany. Emotions are strong in this story. Dramatics tugged at my heart.

I couldn't help but become emotionally involved. My heart bleeds. My anger grows for what the innocents experienced, suffered and their families continue to suffer. I have learned a little more and know I need to learn more. We all need to learn more. No one should suffer like they did.
.

It’s heartbreaking to read about someone so desperate to escape and find their way to freedom only to be rejected and turned away when they come so close to finally feeling free and safe. Heartbreaking to know that people were turned away when it would’ve been so easy to extend a hand and help those in need.

Thank you, #NetGalley and #Bookoutoure, for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for my unbiased opinion.

In 1939, Sophie Weiss and her family, along with other German Jewish refugees who had made arrangements to flee from the growing tensions with the Nazis, boarded the SS St. Louis heading for Cuba. While on the ship, Sophie met Rosa, Hannah, and Rachel, who instantly became her friends in the most unlikely of times. However, once they arrived at Cuban waters, the government of Cuba refused most of the ship's passengers and left them questioning their fate. Sophie's stepmother forced her to depart to the United States with the assurance that they would all be reunited. With a heavy heart, Sophie bid her friends goodbye, parting each of them with a piece from her mother's emerald. As Sophie ventures into America, all alone and barely nineteen, she soon realizes that wherever she goes, evil manifests through manipulative individuals and instances of racial discrimination. Sophie tries to free herself from guilt but hopes to reunite with her family and friends. However, rumors of an impending war and the imminent extermination of Jews will forever change the course of her life.

What draws me in most about historical fiction is its ability to transport readers to the past without the tedious nature of an academic read. Hewitt's writing is more straightforward but not without elaborate descriptions. It's more sensible when telling a fictional story hinged on factual details. But as I leaf through its slow-burn pages, I am not as enthralled as I thought, considering this genre can easily break me into tears. I eagerly anticipated some emotional catharsis pouring out; instead, the book ended flat, bereft of a satisfying closure. I knew this book was the first in a series depicting the individual lives of the four Jewish girls, but it felt anticlimactic. You'll know what I mean once you've read the book's prologue.

"The Girl on the Boat" is my second read from the author. While I marveled at her first book, "The Last Stars in the Sky," this one left me high and dry. I sensed that the author aimed to craft a compelling narrative that spans diverse events, ranging from the SS St. Louis voyage to Jewish persecution and the Pearl Harbor Bombing—a feat that I find impressive. Still, the execution felt like a bland recounting of collective experiences. It could have been the writing that lacked emotional depth for me. The repeated scenes highlighting Sophie's burden of guilt and her conflicting emotions might have been the cause. Or maybe I find that Sophie - what with being the protagonist - lacks character development. Throughout the novel, I had to endure her persistent sense of guilt that while she was ensconced in a safe country like America, all her friends and family were dispersed across Europe, directly invaded by the Germans. While her emotions are valid, I was hopeful for a compelling character arc - the turning point to decide how her role will impact the entire narrative. Instead, as the plot (almost) thickens, the book ends with nothing short of a cliffhanger - one that doesn't entirely compel me to wait for the sequel.

A Great start to a new series. I fell in love with the emerald sisters. And I am looking forward to the next book in the series. Minus was the ending.
Thank you to netgalley for letting me read this e arc in exchange for an honest opinion

WOW! This book completely hooked me from the first page to the last. Definitely not a typical WWII book. I literally couldn't put it down.
The book starts with a reunion of sorts in a cafe in Paris one year after the war ends, and then goes back in time to retell the story of the girls who are meeting. Each had their own struggles and horrors. The book mostly focuses on Sophie, a Jewish girl who is fleeing Germany with her family on. a boat headed to Cuba. What happens during and after that voyage is an amazing journey of friendship, loss, guilt, and the fight for survival. I cannot wait for the second book.
I received an advance copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

First, let me say, I hated that the book stated at the end and the end of the book leaves a gap. That isn’t a cliffhanger, it’s an unfinished story to make people buy the sequel. I wanted to love the story and characters, but felt there was unnecessary characters and plotlines (the Tylers). I also am not fond of conspiracy theories (the US government willing to sacrifice Pearl Harbour, just so they could enter the war). The editor of this books needs to read more carefully. Within the span of a couple of pages a characters eyes went from being the same blue colour as his shirt to hazel.

I did like the comparison between anti-Semitism and the blatant prejudice and racial laws in the United States, but felt it could have been developed more with the POC characters in book.

I wish more was made of the storyline of the Emerald Sisters (perhaps those are the sequels) and that Sophie’s installment was more finalized.

The intro of this book perfectly sets up that it is the first in a series. It also includes a major mystery, four emerald sisters but only three show up to the meeting in 1946 after WW2. It's the perfect hook to make you want to read because.. who isn't showing up and why?!?
It's hard to judge this novel on it's own because it's clearly the first and there isn't a end such that you have to read the next novel to continue the story. The mystery isn't solved in Book 1 nor are any of a myriad of questions. It is the perfect intro/beginning to a saga. One assumes a different one of the four females will take the lead in subsequent books to further the story and get us back to 1946 and the mystery of which sister didn't survive. I do think this would have been more effective as one long novel or one series where the books came out together.

This novel focuses on Sophie and introduces us to the USS St Louis setting said to Cuba which hundred of passengers. It's doomed and turned away from Cuban & American shores but not before Sophie splits her mother's emerald into four pieces thus creating the emerald sisters. We follow Sophie's journey to DC and through her trials and tribulations of dealing with survivor's guilt. She maintains some communication with those she left behind on the ship and takes us all the way to 1942 as the war is ramping up.