A Place to Hide, by Ronald H. Balson, focuses on the Holocaust in the Netherlands during WWII. The entire story is told by a fictional American who was assigned to the U.S. Consulate during the period. It sheds light on two aspects of the war that are rarely touched upon. First, rarely has the Dutch Jewish and Gentile experience been center stage. I was struck once again by the inability of both populations to gauge their fate based on recent events throughout Europe. Second, many of the nonfictional characters that play prominent parts in the story demonstrate the existence of heroism and selflessness where we least expect it. So many people survived because of it! Finally, I was again appalled by the extent to which American antisemitism and authoritarianism was responsible for the harsh quotas that led to thousands of deaths. This is a topic which is receiving more attention by historians and popular literature.

Nonetheless, this was my least favorite of Balson’s novels. I missed the legal aspects that permeate many of his books. I am a lawyer and realistic enough to know that most other readers will not miss that feature at all. I also missed Lockhart & Taggert, whose present day take on history as well as their relationship gave fresh perspective to the stories in which they figured. Balson may have retired them as I am not sure they appeared in a previous book. However, my strongest objection was the use of 92-year-old narrator to tell the entire story which seemed to tamp down some of the tension and suspense. Nonetheless, this is a story of righteousness and heroism that is based on meticulous research. I highly recommend the novel and the author’s note.

Comin' atcha on this World Smile Day with gratitude for all of my blessings. Each time I read a novel about WWII, it hits me how privileged we are here in the USA to be so far across the pond and to have avoided so much horror in both World Wars.

This particular story enlightened me on the plight of the Netherlands in WWII. Despite their neutrality that kept them from the atrocities of the First World War, unfortunately, that didn't stop Hitler from incurring his wrath this time around.

This particular story follows Teddy Hartigan as he is assigned as US Consulate in Amsterdam in a quickly declining situation. Teddy, along with help from those closest to him, manages to save the lives of many children.

I found this book informative, and I always appreciate the effort that goes into writing historical fiction. The multiple timelines added an interesting element, albeit using a common method, a journalist as an audience surrogate. I would say this book is written in a very straightforward manner, perhaps lacking the depth I crave in these stories. It would be a good novel for young adults, in my opinion, offering crucial history lessons along the way.

Many thanks to partner, @stmartinspress for this #gifted review copy.

I've read a number of books by Ronald Balson. A place to Hide was a good read taking place during the time when Nazis invaded The Netherlands. Teddys story was told to Karyn, who promised to write his memoir in exchange for Teddy trying to find Karyn's sister who was lost during the war. The story kept my attention, but I feel Ronald Balson's books that included the team of Liam Taggart and Catherine Lockhart were better reads.

This was a really interesting story. I did not know a lot about how children were separated from siblings, and how that impacted their futures during world war 2.

Add in that Teddy had such first hand experience with the war in Europe, and that really gives nuance to the story.

While not my favorite book, I did like this, and I think others will as well. You really get a sense for what normal people try and do during a terrible war, and how big of an impact those small actions can have.

I am a huge fan of historical fiction. Especially works centered around WWII. While the content of this book is original, the way the author presented if fell flat. I think perhaps If the events in the past had been told as flashbacks versus dialog between Teddy and Karyn it would have been more intriguing and easier to follow.
As it was, the characters fell flat. It honestly felt more of a review of dates and happenings vs a story of survival and heroism.
I received a ARC of this title, all opinions are my own.

Karyn meets a gentleman in Tel Aviv who recognizes her Dutch accent. She tells him a story of how she was separated from her sister during the war and Burt relays that he has an elderly cousin in DC who might be able to help. Teddy agrees to look for her sister in exchange for her writing his story to pass on to his grandchildren.

Let me say this was a great story. This was a part of World War history that I didn't know much about but I felt that the story lacked depth. While the writing was good it was mostly dialog with Teddy telling his story to Karyn. The Teddy in the past is portrayed as a kind, intelligent and caring person so what turned him into a crotchety old guy? The characters weren't really fleshed out because it was just Teddy talking to Karyn so while Sara was the love of his life I didn't "feel" it. He alludes often to the fact that his grandkids don't really care about his story but why? Then the end was just the end. Things weren't really wrapped up and I had so many questions. The author tells a really good story and I will continue to read them.

Thank you to Netgalley and St. Martin's Press for providing me with a digital copy.

This was my first Ronald Balson book and I really enjoyed his writing. I've read so many historical fictions books about WWII and I learn something new every time. This book takes place in the Netherlands in the late 1930's as Hitler is starting his reign of terror in Europe. Theodore (Teddy) Hartigan is working in a low-level job for the State Department in Washington DC when he is re-assigned to a more prestigious job at the US Consulate in Amsterdam processing visa applications. Teddy finds himself frustrated and agonized over the very low U.S. immigration quotas preventing most of the refugees of Hitler-invaded countries flooding the consulate from getting visas. "The Johnson-Reed Act set the total number of visas for each country at two percent of the total number of people of each nationality in the United States as of the year 1890, as shown in the national census." I was not familiar with this 1924 law that amended the formulas for issuing visas and was still in place in 1938. It's hard to understand why the U.S. would set such tight limits on visas at a time when so many Europeans were trying to escape Hitler's atrocities. Based on the formula, Teddy had only 3,153 visas to issue for the Netherlands. Poland only had 6,524 and Germany only 27,370. Similar to some political views today, there was an America First isolationist view of immigration. Teddy realized that he had to find other ways to help people who were starting to be rounded up and sent off to concentration camps. The story is told through Teddy at 92 years old recounting his life story to writer Karyn Sachnoff who had come to Teddy hoping to be able to find her long-lost sister. I felt like the ending was a bit abrupt, but I definitely recommend this one - the story and characters are beautifully developed. Thanks to #netgalley and #stmartinspress for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I really enjoyed this story! To me, it read more like something from a history book, but it still kept me engaged. The authors note in the back lets us know that several of the characters he portrayed in this fiction are actually based on real people and their very real words and actions. Like this:

"Why not thirteen?”

Although my only qualm with this story is that it was very much a reimagining of real events. If you are well versed in Netherlands World War II history, then skip this book, because there is little story to add to the history bits that you already know. I felt there was jusssssst enough fictitious story to keep you intrigued and with the mindset of “what will happen next” that it could be worth the read if you a) really really like historical fiction and/or b) are not familiar with the inner workings of the Netherlands during World War I and II. But every single person on this planet knows how World War II ended, so the devil is in the details with these types of books.


That being said, I knew very little about the Netherlands struggles and fights during the 2 world wars, so the story and history was new and very interesting to me. All in all, I would recommend this!!
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ʏᴏᴜʟʟ ʟɪᴋᴇ ᴛʜɪꜱ ɪꜰ ʏᴏᴜ ʟɪᴋᴇ:
•historical fiction
•women in history
•world war II

Once again, Ronald H. Balson hits the nail on the head with his latest book, A Place to Hide. This book will tear at your heartstrings while keeping the story fast-paced. His writing just get keeps getting better and better.
Teddy is an amazing character. Must read for historical fiction fans.

Full review and link coming soon.

I have read other books by this author, but I think this is his best by far. I liked the structure of this book. We meet a woman journalist in Tel Aviv, Karen, who was saved in Holland as a baby, and hopes to find the sister she was separated from. She meets a man, Burt, who says his cousin was an American consulate officer in Holland during the war who might help her.
Teddy Hartigan is 92 and wants to tell his story so his grandchildren can understand. Karyn interviews him and will write a book about his life. We then go back and forth in time as Teddy tells his story. Many of us know The Diary of Ann Frank. Balson writes how the history of the Nazi's managed to deport and kill almost all the Jews of Holland. Through his character of Teddy we learn how many Dutch people hid Jews, as well as adopting many Jewish babies and children. It is quite a harrowing tale, and quite suspenseful as the Nazi's come closer and closer to discovering what Teddy, his family and the resistance were up to.
We also see how the Americans were keeping refugees out of the country and how American Firster's were isolationists.
There are so many similarities to what is happening today. We must not let history repeat.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the EARC. The opinions are my own. We can learn from historical fiction, which is why it is my favorite genre.

Thank you to NetGalley, St. Martin's Press and author Ronald H. Balson for the arc!

I read A LOT of historical fiction … and this one is absolutely riveting! To read about the plight of the peaceful people of the Netherlands, both Jew & non-Jew, during the atrocities of World War 2 is fascinating & very educational. I learned so many things that I did not know! Such a fresh perspective for this era!

You can tell that the author really did his research! However, the book isn’t presented as just a spreadsheet of facts & happenings like some historical fictions with tons of information sometimes do, losing you in the process … instead the fictional characters are masterfully woven together with real life historical figures & each page draws you in & captures your undivided attention, making you feel like you are living out these impossible experiences right along with them. It will break your heart along the way, but also leave you filled with love & hope!

This book has everything that a thought provoking historical fiction needs to give you an unforgettable reading experience! Well done!

In 1939, Theodore "Teddy" Hartigan is reassigned from his comfortable job at the State Department in Washington DC to the US Consulate in Amsterdam. His job is to process visa applications and, as Hitler sweeps through Europe, refugees become even more desperate to secure safe passage to America. As the situation in Europe becomes more dire, Teddy realizes that he holds the key to saving lives. Risking his own security, he makes the dangerous decision to join the resistance and help those with no other avenue of escape.

In 2002 Karyn Sachnoff encounters Burt Franklin, a cousin to Teddy Hartigan, in Tel Aviv and eventually agrees to meet with Teddy and record his memories of his time in the Netherlands. In return Teddy will make enquiries about Karyn's sister Annie from whom she was separated when they were very young.

Teddy's story is told to Karyn and, as interesting as it was, it was like a non-fiction memoir which I suppose is the point since it's based on real facts. As someone else mentioned there's not much description of location or even of what the characters looked like. Nevertheless it was a look at how the German occupation affected people in a different country than those we usually associate with WWII. I'm not sure I was even aware that residents in the Netherlands suffered from the German invasion as much as they did. There were some new-to-me names of Nazi officials and they were all despicable. I had tears in my eyes and a lump in my throat by the end. I'm rating this 4.5 stars rounded down but I think a different format, more showing than telling, would've increased it to a 5.

My thanks to St. Martin's Press Marketing, via Netgalley, for inviting me to read an advance copy of the e-book. All opinions expressed are my own.
Publication Date: September 17, 2024

I am a huge Ronald Balson fan, so take this with a grain of salt... but this was my lease favorite of his books. I did not find myself engaged from page one or overly invested in the characters or what happened to them. I found many parts of this book to be slow - it felt like not enough was happening despite a lot happening. I think I would have enjoyed the story more if it were from Sara's perspective. All that being said, I am yet again blown away by the research that went into this story. I have not read a ton about what happened in Amsterdam during the second World War. It was interesting to learn about an American working in Amsterdam who was in a relationship with a Jewish woman and parenting an orphaned Jewish girl. Although I did not love the characters and their day to day life, I LOVED the historical part of the story - anyone who likes history, definitely try this.
Thank you netgalley for my advanced reader copies.

I've been a fan of Ronald H. Balson for some time now. Everything he writes is powerful - I don't know what other word to use. It leaves me with my jaw dropped and goosebumps as I think about what people went through. Cowards and heros, they all have a place in history and Ronald manages to bring their struggles to life with his fiction writing. If you are in need of a good historical fiction book, look no further!

Can ordinary men and women make a difference when the world is in such chaos? One might ask that question in 2024, and the answer is yes! if we have the courage to do so. One only needs to look to this important book written by Ronald Balson, National Jewish book award winner for inspiration. Teddy had a rather comfortable job in DC at the State Department until he is transferred to Amsterdam and now works for the US Consulate processing visa applications. Sadly very few will escape, as there are just too many applications in the system. As Teddy acclimates to his new position he is introduced to a young girl who has been abandoned and he and his girlfriend agree to adopt. They find there are many many more children like Katy, and he joins the underground to save these children. It is a story of bravery, dedication, fearlessness, and hope. that will stay with you for quite some time. A welcome addition to public libraries WWII fiction sections.

By happenstance, in a coffee shop in Tel Aviv, Karyn ,a journalist and Dutch holocaust survivor as a child, meets a man who hears her history and her wish to find her long lost sister, Annie. Karyn is put in touch with Teddy Hartigan, son of a wealthy politically conservative father with influence enough to help Teddy get a job in pre war 1938 Amsterdam, as a diplomat in the Amsterdam American consulate, charged with assisting applicants secure an American visa. Teddy left his home and fiancé in Washington DC to embark upon what would turn out to be the story of a lifetime. Teddy has never been able to find the words to relate his,life’s story to his grandchildren and strikes a deal with Karyn. If she will agree to write his biography he will call in favors and attempt to locate Annie.

What follows is Teddy telling the details of his time in Amsterdam to Karyn. The story itself is important and compelling with some real life war heroes alongside the fictional ones. For me the problem was that the retelling conversation sounded more like a history text than the way people actually use spoken language. I was disappointed and started to speed read. But then, as I read on the story itself took precedence over the vehicle used in telling the tale. as I felt myself actually in a clueless and naive Holland that just could not fathom the evil lurking at their borders and the possibly that the Netherlands,, declaring itself neutral, could fall victim to the Nazi war machine determined to control all of Europe while annihilating every last Jew.

At a time presently when the world once more struggles with virulent and pervasive antisemitism, the message in this novel is a crucial one. Never underestimate what evil minds can conjure and set into motion. Remember that speaking out and doing the next right things to fight against inhumanity is essential. As Teddy tells of the effort to save Jewish lives, both families and children, from the soulless Hell imposed by Hitler and his henchmen, we see how hope can rise when good people ban together in righteous acts. At the end of the book, Balson has a chapter about his research and tells which characters actually existed. Wonderful to read that summary which gives closure to a remarkable story.

Four shining stars for an imperfect but very engaging story with an urgent message. It was published on September 17,2024 and is available now. Read it for an historical perspective that I’ve never read before in a fictional account of Holland’s brave resistance and their efforts to save the lives Jewish children. My thanks to NetGalley and St Martin’s press for an advance reader’s copy in exchange for my honest review.

Thank you St. Martin’s Press for my #gifted copy of A Place To Hide! #APlaceToHide #RonaldHBalson #stmartinspress #historicalfiction

𝐓𝐢𝐭𝐥𝐞: 𝐀 𝐏𝐥𝐚𝐜𝐞 𝐓𝐨 𝐇𝐢𝐝𝐞
𝐀𝐮𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐫: 𝐑𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐥𝐝 𝐇. 𝐁𝐚𝐥𝐬𝐨𝐧
𝐏𝐮𝐛 𝐃𝐚𝐭𝐞: 𝐒𝐞𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐦𝐛𝐞𝐫 𝟏𝟕, 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟒

𝟰.𝟱★

This was my first book by Ron Balson and I will definitely be reading more! This book was so well written and filled with suspense. I loved how it showed an ordinary person taking extraordinary measures during such difficulty times to make such a big differences. I found this story to be inspiring and I really enjoyed the author’s note at the end. This book is another example of why I love reading historical fiction. I highly recommend this one!

I've never read any of this author's books. I've also never read about Holland during WW2. This author did a great job of capturing my attention and holding it throughout this sad story. Based on actual events that happened during the Nazi's occupation of Holland and what happened to the Jewish people who had lived there peacefully up until this point.

There are a few major characters in this book: Theodore "Teddy" Hartigan, Karyn Sachnoff, Sara Rosenbaum, Julia Powers, and Saul and Deborah Rosenbaum. A few secondary characters.

Teddy is telling this story to Karyn. He lived it and she is writing it for him. Teddy promised to help Karyn look for her sister Annie. Karyn and her sister were separated when the Nazi's started taking people. Some children were adopted by good and decent people and their names changed. Karyn and her sister Annie were among the adopted children. Teddy is a very old man of 92 living in an assisted living facility who wants his story told. His grandchildren and other people need to know what he did and what happened during the time he worked in Amsterdam in the US Consulate.

This story is set in 2002 Silver Spring, Maryland, but the story being told is set back in 1938- and set in Holland. Teddy is telling this story. It is a setting that I've not read before and I've read quite a few historical books. While this is a fiction book it is based on actual events that happened during this time. You get to know Teddy and Sara. They become a couple. Sara is a Jewish woman. They met when Julia, a coworker of Teddy's, talks him into going out one New Years to celebrate. He had lost who he thought was the love of his life when he took the job. He is a U. S. citizen.

This is a very emotional story in many places. A love story also. The love between Teddy and Sara. How they worked to help save Jews from being sent to camps. Rounded up and taken from their homes. And the children. Oh my what they did to these children. I haven't read about this part either. The Nazi's hated Jews so bad that they sent children to death camps because they were useless. Loud and cost to much to keep. The ones old enough to work were spared. Old people were sent to the death camps also. In this story you learn about a group that helped place many of these children in homes. They were adopted and saved from slaughter. They never saw their biological families again though. It was tough I'm sure on the parents and the children but they loved their babies enough to give them up. To let them live.

Teddy tells a story here that will definitely make you weep in places. The love between he and Sara is so strong. The friendships they make are unforgettable. Teddy was a strong man who only wanted to help. Now he tells his story.

This book is fiction but based on actual facts. Well researched and written. I'm so glad I read this one. I learned things and that is always good.

Thank you #NetGalley, #StMartinsPress, for this ARC. This is my own true thoughts about this book.

Five big stars.

Working in the visa department of Amsterdam's US Consulate puts Teddy in the midst of the Nazi crackdown on the Jewish people. Finding himself in a position to hide people and save their lives, he makes the decision to aid in this brutal war. Well written.

Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martins Press/Publishing for the ARC of "A Place to Hide" in exchange for an honest review..
I'm tempted to say how up=to=the-minute this book is, arriving in the very midst of our American election, but then.....oh well, I've already said it haven't I?
This is one powerful, ambitious historical adventure, filled with meticulous research and enough genuine real life suspense and dread to fill a dozen thrillers. For sheer terror with the sweep of world-changing history, no era could compare with Hitler's conquering Nazi hordes marching across Europe. And as they swallow the continent, they fully enforce their so-called 'final solution' to Europe's Jewish population - total extermination.
Caught in the swirl of horrendous oncoming events is Theordore 'Teddy Hartigan' a young State Department striver who found himself assigned to the thankless task of administrating refugee travel visas at the American consulate in Amsterdam. It's a heartbreaking futile effort for Teddy since the visa quotas are filled and he can do little or nothing to help thousands of desperate families seeking the sanctuary of America to avoid persecution and death at the hands of the Nazis.
Then Teddy, who naively thought Germany would not invade the Netherlands,, comes to fully comprehend the oncoming abomination. He's fallen in love with Sara, a Jewish schoolteacher and they've both come to adore little Katy, an orphaned, Jewish refugee. With travel papers impossible to obtain as Nazis march into Amsterdam, how can he possibly save them along with thousands of others trying to escape?
Told in the form of memoirs dictated by a now elderly Teddy, "A Place To Hide' masterfully creates a full vivid picture of innocent people caught in the crush of the most unimaginable events in 20th century history. And that, for me was enough to keep me reading long into the night and eager to get right back to it the next day. Highest recommendation.
(And I'll even resist saying things like....'and if you think it can't happen here'........oops, I did it again, didn't I.....)