Thank you to Netgalley for allowing me to read this as an ARC. I love when I learn about a new chapter in the story of an important event or time in history. The Last Light Over Oslo by Alix Rickloff is fit the bill for me completely! It is a gripping historical novel set in Norway and Sweden during the early days of World War II, inspired by true events. The story follows Daisy Harriman, one of the first female US Ministers, and her fictional niece, Cleo Jaffray, as they are unexpectedly swept up in the German invasion of Norway in 1940. When Cleo's lover goes missing in Poland, she turns to Daisy for help, only for the two women to find their lives further entangled in wartime intrigue. As Daisy balances her diplomatic responsibilities with her desire to protect her family, the pair is forced to flee across a war-torn landscape. The novel also weaves in a remarkable royal rescue, as Daisy is tasked with escorting Norway's Crown Princess and her children to safety in the U.S. What follows is a tense, fast-paced journey marked by betrayals, secrets, and an unrelenting struggle for survival. Rickloff brings to life a fascinating, lesser-known chapter of history, with a strong, resilient protagonist in Daisy, whose courage and determination shine through amidst the chaos of war. With its vivid historical backdrop and well-drawn characters, The Last Light Over Oslo is a powerful and immersive read.

I loved this historical novel, based on WW2 history. It is the story of strong smart women, charged with getting the Norway's royal family to the United States at the start of the beginning of the war. Takes place mostly in Norway but also in Sweden and Finland. Well written, well researched, with several side stories running through. I would certainly recommend this book.

This is definitely a me not the book issue. I DNF'd this read at 20% for two reasons.

Firstly, when I first requested this title, I thought that it would be more about the German occupation of Norway, however, this book only uses the invasion as a pretext for the rest of the plot. I am sure that the story is great, but it is not the kind of story that I was wanting from this book.

Secondly, I was hoping that Daisy would be the main character after starting the book. But really the story really follows Cleo. Again, I'm sure this is a good story, but I wanted to follow the diplomats and the political resistance to the Nazis. I did find Cleo to be a little hard to care about at the beginning at least, she is definitely an unlikeable character.

Daisy also left her dog behind during their evacuation and I didn't understand why and felt bad for the dog, which did not make me want to keep reading.

I didn’t love this book. I wanted to, I really did, but I ended up not finishing it. I didn’t feel connected to the characters or overly invested in the plot, which is strange because I usually love the “strong women in wars” genre, and was really interested in reading a book set somewhere different than continental Europe.

I still featured the book on my bookstagram, and decided against posting a review. Perhaps I’ll give it another try in a few months.

A not often discussed WW2 story, Norway’s German occupation and the impact of their royal family. For a book with Oslo in its title I feel like not as much of the story takes place in Oslo. An entertaining enough story made even better by the fact that Aunt Daisy’s character was in fact a historical figure who escorted Princess Märta out of Europe and to the US.

This is a historical fiction novel focusing on real-life people, real-life situations. Daisy Harriman was the American Ambassador to Norway when Nazi Germany began testing its borders, leading to invasion and all the terror that implies. The events bringing niece Cleo to Daisy’s doorstep, along with that whole thread of the story, are essential to carry the plot forward.

I found the story easy to follow and was able to get through it quickly. I learned a lot about how the Norwegian regency and government struggled against the Nazi onslaught – This is before the allied forces became involved, long before the United States joined. I appreciated learning about Ambassador Harriman: her own trials with her staff and diplomatic leader balanced with the trials in her personal life made up a very interesting story. The other main character, Daisy’s niece Cleo, adds a little spice to the drama as it unfolds.
Rickloff includes a helpful afterword that goes into what was true about the story and what was made up.

I’d recommend this novel to students who want an easy read that focuses on another part of Europe during WWII.

Thank you to William Morrow and NetGalley for access to the ARC. All opinions stated herein are my own, and I am not compensated for my review.

An intriguing story that was a bit hard to get into. However, once I was in, I was IN! Told from two different points of view, that of Daisy, the US ambassador to Norway and her niece/goddaughter, Cleo who shows up unexpectedly in Norway seeking Daisy’s help. This is all set at the beginning of WWII, when all of Europe is in chaos. And the best part? It’s based on a true story - Daisy really was the ambassador to Norway at the time (Cleo is fictional) and this is intriguing because this was not a time when you found many females in these roles. Overall, a fascinating mystery as well as a dive into an era/place in history that I knew little about!

The Last Light Over Oslo
Author Alix Rickloff
Available now!

Thank you, @uplitreads, @aliz_rickloff, @netgalley, & @williammorrowbooks, for my #giftedebook! I loved The Girls in Navy Blue, so I was thrilled to have the opportunity to read another novel by Alix!

I'm always intrigued when a historical fiction author can find yet another story to tell based on true events that's unique to another World War II novels. The Last Light Over Oslo is set in 1940 in Norway and Sweden and details the invasion of the German army in Norway.

Cleo Jaffray, an American in Poland, finds herself in love during the war. But when a bomb goes off in the cafe that the two are dining in, Mickey goes missing and is presumed dead- but Cleo won't give up on him. Devastated, she asks for help from her Aunt Daisy, the US Minister of Norway. Daisy Harriman, one of the first US female ministers, is quite the woman! Strong, brave, and an incredible force of a woman, she must learn how to balance her leadership role as diplomate and her loyalty to her family. She assigns Cleo with the ambitious task of escorting the Norwegian Crown Princess and her two sweet daughters to America and then her love returns. But where has he been for six months?

What follows is somewhat predictable, but a testament to these strong and resilient women who don't shy away from the truth, their hearts, or the war. They face their fears, stand up for what they believe in, and are both inspirational leading ladies. Engaging and well- written, The Last Light Over Osla is a captivating read to add to your historical fiction shelf today.

Any chance I get to read a book inspired by a real person, I do it. Daisy Harriman was appointed as the Minister of Norway in 1937, a role that ended up being much larger than her or the President could possibly have known at the time. As Hitler and his armies make his advances toward Norway this book shows all that Daisy experiences as well as those of her niece (a fictional character) who shows up on her doorstep one day.

Both female characters we follow in this book are strong and formidable. These characters are complex and much of the book focuses on their growth. The plot does have some war aspects but a lot is really showing the motivations and internal dynamics of the women during war-torn Europe. Daisy Harriman sounds like an incredible woman and I’m so grateful to have gotten a glimpse into her life.

I believe this is the first historical fiction I’ve read that was placed in Norway and I know I’ll be searching out more from that country in the future. A good fit for those who love character-driven historical fiction!

3.5⭐️

Thank you @uplit & @alixrickloff for the #gifted copy!

The Last Lights Over Oslo is everything I love in historical fiction. The writing is stellar and I love the strong female protagonist. I am always blown away by the strength and dedication of the amazing humans who persevered during World War 2.

Alix Rickloff is a gifted writer. I will be anxiously waiting for her next book!

This was a solid historical fiction novel set in Norway and Sweden at the beginning of World War II.
The plot was a little slow, but there was enough action to keep my interest. I loved the character of Daisy, who seemed a woman ahead of her time and was based on a real historical figure.

I have not read anything else by Alix Rickloff, but I am eager to read more by this author.

I will recommend this to readers who like WWII historical fiction with little violence.

Thank you to the publisher, William Morrow and NetGalley for the digital ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Thank you NetGalley, William Morrow, Uplit Reads and Alix Rickloff for the arc!

The author does a solid job of weaving fact & fiction in this captivating & page turning story!

We get a fresh perspective of lesser known Norway & Sweden during WWII, Daisy Harriman’s role as US Minister to Norway and her harrowing mission to deliver the Norwegian Crown Princess’ family to America. Then to spice things up the author gives us a secondary & suspenseful storyline where we meet fictional Goddaughter Cleo in the search for her lover who has supposedly mysteriously disappeared … but the truth she finds is not at all what she was expecting!

Although the real life characters & true events highlighted in this book are quite interesting … I found the draw for me to be Cleo & her journey. Both storylines let the bravery & strength of women shine through with plenty of emotion & edge of your seat action!

Based on true events, this gripping historical novel set in Norway and Sweden in 1940, follows one of the first female US Ministers, Daisy Harriman, and her niece as the two are unexpectedly caught up in the German invasion of Norway.

My thoughts 💭: This novel is well-researched and grounded in Daisy’s personal correspondence so I was completely transported to the period. I love strong women and both Daisy and her niece, Cleo, were smart, brave, and determined in the face of continuous attempts to undermine or underestimate their capabilities. Told in dual POVs, readers journey from Norwegian cities & countryside, and into Swiss ski resorts fleeing the German invasion. There is a propulsive missing person subplot, a budding romance, and character growth that kept me reading all night. Readers of historical fiction who enjoy lesser known acts of bravery during WWII will find Daisy and Cleo as heroines worth remembering.

The Last Light Over Oslo by Alix Rickloff illuminates the past by pulling history from the shadows.

Although this story is really meant to showcase real-life Daisy Harriman, (who was one of the first female U.S. Ministers), I was instead drawn more towards Cleo's fictional story line. I found Cleo to be a compelling character who was both fierce and achingly independent - the kind of female I love to read! I could easily feel her heartache, agony, and longing coming off the pages.

Rickloff's writing was simple yet eloquent, making this historical fiction straightforward rather than daunting. At times I found some word choices slightly too modern sounding for the WWII era that it represented, but this didn't distract from my reading experience.

Based off the synopsis, I had expected the bulk of this story to be Daisy accompanying the Norwegian Crown Princess to America, but instead this novel highlights the build up to that crossing. Although this creates more of a story, the plot took a long time getting to that main point.

Rickloff created a book that truly sheds light on an aspect of WWII that I knew nothing about, and I enjoyed this original plot in a genre that is often times over saturated with similar stories.

If you’re like me and adore reading historical fiction and learning about history during the cooler months, this is one to pick up as the temperatures drop!

Thank you NetGalley, UpLit Reads and William Morrow for the complimentary copy to read and review.

While I enjoyed learning about a piece of WWII history that I knew nothing about I wasn't as captivated by this story as I'd hoped to be. I think Daisy Harriman's life was interesting enough that her story could have carried the novel without having to include the fictional goddaughter, Cleo. The story focused more on her than on Mrs. Harriman. It was also very slow and didn't pick up until the 70% mark when Micky finally shows up and Daisy finally begins the task of escorting the Norwegian Crown Princess and her children to safety. Additionally, I don't particularly enjoy stories where everything is told to the reader rather than shown. Everything was quickly resolved or faded to black without any tension or "edge of your seat" moments. Overall, I would have preferred a more focused account of Mrs. Harriman and her position in Norway during WWII.

An enlightening read about experiences for people living in Norway during the German invasion in 1940.
I am remiss to admit that I had never heard of Florence Harriman, the US ambassador to Norway.
I have not read much about the experiences of the locals and foreign dignitaries in both Norway and Sweden at the beginning of WWII so I found it new material to digest.
I thought Daisy was a force unto herself in a world that imploded very quickly.
My next favorite characters were Lt. Bayard and Petra.
I never warmed up to Cleo, I understood the need for her character but I thought she was rash and immature.

This book surprised me—I wasn’t expecting to be so enchanted. It was a WWII story that I’d never heard before, about the invasion of Norway and the struggles in Scandinavia. The character of Daisy Harriman, based on a real person, was fascinating. I wan to learn more about her. The story of Cleo helped keep me turning the pages and I wanted more of the romance. All around enjoyable.

Thank you to Netgalley, the publisher and author. I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. Unfortunately I was not able to connect with this story at this time.

In 1940 Norway, Daisy Harriman is the US ambassador. She is only the second woman ambassador in US history. Cleo Jaffrey is her disgraced niece who comes to her for help. Meanwhile, Germany is invading. Daisy’s strength and intelligence enable her to find her way amid the chaos of fleeing to safety, assisting the Norwegian royal family, and dealing with possible spies. Cleo comes of age and has her eyes opened. Unlikeable at the start, she grows.

Daisy Harriman is yet another unsung heroine in US history. Thank you Alix Rickloff for bringing her to light.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the chance to read this arc in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you to Net Galley and Harper Collins Publishing for an early copy of The Last Light over Oslo y Alix Rickloff

Florence (Daisy) Harriman is not a name that most Americans would recognize, but author Alix Rikloff has written a chronicle that should move Harriman into the realm of strong female decision-makers during World War II. A few months of Harriman's life as US minister to Norway during World War II and appointed by FDR are the focus of The Last Light over Oslo, and portrays a plan to move the Norwegian royal family to safety in the United States as Germany threatens the country.

Another noteworthy character is the fictional niece of Harriman, Clementine Verquin (Cleo) who is missing in Europe with her aunt desperately attempting to find out where she is and if she is safe. Aunt and niece will reunite and the intrigue of the War keeps both of them active and involved in an ever-changing crisis situation.

The Last Light over Oslo is an important read for all the fans of World War II literature and offers readers another facet of the world struggle of the 1940s.