To tell the tale of people who shape history is often a difficult thing to manage, especially in a fictional setting. Balson does a great job of creating these characters and giving them life. Any historical fiction lover would appreciate the storytelling here; I would recommend this book to my audience.

Karyn is looking for her lost sister, and she finds herself writing Teddy's story of his time abroad during the Nazi invasion in Amsterdam. I was immediately immersed in Teddy's time working at the US Consulate in Amsterdam and how his position changed to spy once Nazi invaded Amsterdam and began targeting the Jewish community. The risk that many people took to save the lives of young children and babies from their death was eye opening. I had no idea that this happened. The narrator, Fred Berman does a wonderful job portraying Teddy, Karyn, and many of the other characters that appear in the book. The tones and inflections were done well and kept me engaged till the very end. If I could give this book 10 stars, I would.

Teddy’s Decision

Ted Hartigan had a good life with a job with the government and a fiancée. However, his job wasn’t challenging enough and he wanted to do something more. When the job came up to be the job comes open to work in the U.S. consulant in Amsterdam he jumps at the chance, even though his fiancée is not keen on the idea.

Once Ted starts working in Amsterdam, his fiancée finds someone else and then Ted meets sara and he knows he has found his soulmate.

When Hitler starts taking over countries and Ted hears of the atrocities the Nazi’s are forcing on people he is horrified. He sees long lines at the consulate and he can do nothing to help as the U.S. Immigrant quota is pages and thousands of people already on the waiting list. He wonders what can he do to help.

This is when Ted joins the resistance and uses his job to help those in need as best he can. He often feels helpless and frustrated with the system.
I can imagine long lines of people, long hours at the consulate and knowing his hands are tied would lead anyone to be frustrated and saddened.

I liked the story of Ted and Sara and little Katy the orphan girl. It is a sad story, but a good story. It was sad that our country was not sympathetic to the Jewish people when Hitler was murdering them, and now everyone and anyone can come to the U.S. and just walk across the border. It was a sad time then and it is a sad time now.

I like the compassion that Ted had for the people coming to the consulate and for the orphans and the children that Sara and Ted saved that would have perished with their parents on the death trains and in the Nazi death camps. They risked their lives to save innocent children and this was very courageous.

It was a good story and the characters were believable and true to life. They were brave and courageous. I enjoyed reading this story and I would recommend it .

I received a copy of the book for free to read. The review is my own.

This was a well written book. I can’t say it was one of my favorites. I think I’ve read just too many of these same type of books and none of them really wow me anymore. Others will surely enjoy reading it

Rating: 4/5 Stars
Pub Date: 9/17
•
A Place to Hide is a historical fiction that is jam packed with information about the beginning of the war that I had absolutely no idea about. I love how it started as a simple story about a woman taking her grandaughter to the store which led to her looking for her sister and eventually meeting Ted.
•
Both Ted and Karyn were lovely characters; Ted with his grumpy attitude and Karyn with the patience of a saint. I felt like I knew all of the characters in Ted’s story, everyone was so well written.
•
This story is told from Ted telling Karyn about the War and his experiences in order to have a biography made for his family. His story was so raw and emotional and just so beautiful I couldn’t help but want to continue. I had a hard time putting this one down. This story has the perfect-ace for such a serious topic. I loved this book.
•
I listened to this one via audiobook. Fred Berman was the perfect choice to tell Teddy’s story. I felt like I was Karyn being told this story first hand. I absolutely loved this narration. Highly recommend!!
•
To all of my historical fiction fans - be sure to check this one out! Huge thank you to NetGalley, MacMillan Audio, St. Martins Press and Ronald H. Balson for the ALC and eARC in exchange for my honest review.

Historical fiction at its best. I’ve read a lot of ww2 historical fiction this year & this story is by far one of the best written. If I could give it more than 5 stars, I would.

Everytime I read about the horrible things that happened during world war 2 I learn new things. Most of the time they are heartbreaking and unbelievable because of their cruelty.

I was thankful there was some good things to learn from this story and that some of the places referenced are now holocaust museums. I have revealed to the holocaust museum in Washington DC and can speak to the importance of making sure that these atrocities and major parts of history are never ever forgotten.

I was moved by this story and of course a complete puddle multiple times throughout reading this amazing book.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this amazing arc in exchange for my honest review.

A Place to Hide by Ronald H. Balson is a poignant story about courage, perseverance, compassion and hope in one of the darkest times in history, World War II. Thirsty for power, Hitler forcibly brutalizes much of the world, including the neutral Netherlands. During the war children were orphaned and often killed. This is the story about those who risked their lives to find innocent Jewish children homes in Christian households.

Theodore (Teddy) Hartigan worked for the State Department in Amsterdam before getting a huge promotion. He left everything and everyone to pursue his job. But he discovered his high-ranking job placed him in good stead for helping many desperate people.

Decades later, journalist Karyn has given up trying to find her sister, Annie. Their family was separated during the war and Annie is all Karyn has left...if she's alive. Through an acquaintance, Karyn meets Teddy who in his 90s is astute and sharp as a tack. They strike a mutually beneficial deal. Karyn will write Teddy's story for his family and in turn Teddy will search for Annie. Not only do they discover more about their personal backgrounds but also themselves.

The dual timeline story is thoughtfully told with sensitivity and grace. As an avid reader of World War II Nonfiction and Fiction, I was happy to add this compelling book to my repertoire. Do be sure to read Balson's notes. He is an auto read for me. It seems he pours his heart into his words.

My sincere thank you to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for providing me with an early digital copy of this engrossing novel.

Teddy Hartigan, a ninety-two-year-old war veteran, tells his story to Karyn, a reporter that is looking for her younger sister.  Karyn lost contact with Annie during the war, and Teddy promised to find her in exchange of writing his life story.

During World War II, Teddy was re-assigned to the US Consulate in Amsterdam. Like most people, he did not believe that Hitler would break all the rules and attack the Netherlands. When Teddy tells the story of how he and others helped save Jewish children, Karyn knew that Teddy was not only telling his story, but that it was her story as well.

Every time I read a book about World War II, I cannot believe how Hitler's power, his anti-Semitism and the policies of the Third Reich influenced the entire world.

A book focusing on the US Embassy in the Netherlands and telling the story from the point of view of an American man who showed his heroism during this brutal period of history.

Sad pages of history with a moving tale of war, survival and love. Very detailed and well researched.

Thank you to St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley, for the free copy for review.

Diving into this book, I thought I knew what to expect, but I was mistaken. The author masterfully crafts an experience that wrenches the heart through the eyes of his protagonist, Teddy.

Teddy is quite the character—a man secured with his post in Washington thanks to his father's connections. He seems to have a safe and stable job until fate intervenes, sending him to Amsterdam. It’s here that Teddy's true colors are revealed. His personal views on the state of the world, with the ominous shadow of WWII looming, and his convictions make his journey all the more meaningful and profound.

Enter Karyn, a writer with a personal mission. Her connection to Teddy is deeply rooted in the past—she was one of the children whisked away to safety, never to see her family again. Her quest to find her sister leads her to Teddy, but more importantly, it connects her with her history.

The portrayal of Jewish experiences in the book is both harrowing and poignant. The sacrifice of parents sending their children away for survival, knowing they might never see them again, is depicted with delicate sensitivity.

This story touches on timely topics that resonate today, such as anti-Semitism and immigration, making it a compelling read that speaks to both the past and present.

"A Place to Hide" is an absolute must-read, offering a gripping journey through the eyes of someone witnessing the ominous beginnings of WWII and its explosive eruption. The narrative immerses you in the era's tension and uncertainty, making it an unforgettable experience.

A Place to Hide by Ronald H. Balson
Narrated by Fred Berman

The story starts with ninety two year old Theodore “Teddy” Hartigan telling his story to a woman who hopes he can help her find her sister, separated from her long ago, during the time when Jewish children needed to be hidden from those who wanted them wiped off the face the earth. Teddy's memory is fantastic and he also has amassed paperwork as backup. He needs to tell his story, he hopes his grandchildren will read it and know what has happened in the past, what needs to be remembered by those who were not there.

In the past: Twenty eight year old Teddy has had a comfortable life as the son of a wealthy and powerful man, knowing he's going to marry his social climbing childhood sweetheart, and fitting well into the boring State Department diplomat’s career his father has planned for him. But it's 1939 and Teddy is re-assigned to the US Consulate in Amsterdam as the staff that has been there is fleeing the country due to the real threats presented by Hitler. There goes Teddy's already laid out future with the fiancé furious that he'd actually take the job. Once Teddy arrives in Amsterdam he sees what a thankless and almost useless job he's taking over.

Teddy is to process visa applications when almost all quotas have already been filled long ago. He's supposed to spout platitudes and false hope to people who are fleeing for their lives and the lives of their families. There is nothing he can do to help these people, he's basically a well placed paper pusher, totally tied down by bureaucracy, by people much higher up making decisions, and by the fact that he would never consider breaking any rules.

Being extremely naive is a strong trait of Teddy's. Despite what he sees and hears with his own eyes and ears and despite what his new girlfriend's father tells him repeatedly, it takes a very long time for Teddy's eyes to open to what is really going on right in front of him. Teddy is a good man but he waits until it's too late to make many of his moves to help the people he has a chance of helping. Still, once everything sinks in, Teddy and those who he aligns himself with, are the reason so many adults and children, especially children, survived Hitler's goal of extermination.

I was able to enjoy both the ebook and audiobook at the same time and Fred Berman did a great job as the narrator. I kept looking to see if there were two narrators because he narrated both the men and women so well. This is a story where Teddy is talking to us and he's very detailed about the history and things happening. I really enjoyed this way of sharing Teddy's story. I've become more knowledgeable about things happening in the Netherlands before, during, and after WWII thanks to my reading over the last several years and Teddy added to my understanding of what was going on at the time. Getting this story told first hand by someone who was at first just an observer who was in no danger because of his diplomatic immunity and then watching him become a part of the resistance was a different experience. Once Teddy is all in, he's all in. Where he was once on the outside, turning away people because it was his job to do so, eventually he's having to help choose who he and his group can save and who will be going to a certain death. By the end of the story, I didn't want to leave his world, as harrowing as it was, knowing that the war wasn't over, that there was so much more to be done.

Thank you to Macmillan Audio and St. Martin's Press for this ARC.

This is all about quiet bravery in the face of an implacable and horrible enemy. Teddy and Sara take a huge risk in saving little Katy but how could they not? Well, others might have turned their backs but as we know and Balson demonstrates, there are good people in the world. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. This is a well written and thought provoking WWII novel.

A Place to Hide tells the story of what was going on in Amsterdam during the Nazi occupation of the Netherlands during WWII, history that I was unaware of until now. Teddy Hartigan is an elderly man in 2002, talking about his life to a journalist who has agreed to help him write his life story to share with his grandchildren. And what a story it is! He started as a low level Department of State worker who was transferred to the US Embassy in Amsterdam, where he begins to work to try to save Jewish children from the Nazis by placing them in adoptive homes. The story within the story, Teddy's memories, were sometimes hard to hear but Teddy's voice brings the story alive. This novel would make a great movie. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC of this novel in exchange for an honest review. I was lucky enough to be able to read the ARC as well as listen to an audio of the novel. I usually prefer British accents for my narrators but Fred Berman's voice was perfect and he did an excellent job as narrator.

Thank you to NetGalley and St, Martin's Press for an advanced copy of "A Place to Hide". I was extremely excited to learn it was being written.. I thoroughly enjoy Ronald H. Balsan novels and his beautiful WWII depictions about exceptional people during that horrific time. I learned of Hilter's occupation of the Netherlands and the resistance fighters who stood up to the Nazi's. It was wonderful to read how many adults and children were saved due to the bravery of those fighters.. I would recommend this book, however, the exceptionally long narratives spent between the two main characters became somewhat boring at times.

Oh my word!!! I have chills. I am in awe of the bravery exhibited by many of the characters. I shed many tears over the horrors experienced by the Jewish people in Holland. A Place to Hide was a well written novel, sharing so much that I did not know. I was shocked as I looked things up (I like to try and figure out fact from fiction) that some of the characters were actually people. It is such a beautiful way to honor those that made a difference. Because of them, fewer children met the fate of so many.

I was impressed with the way the story was written. Teddy had been part of the American Consulate in Amsterdam when war broke out. He now wants to write down his story. He wants his grandchildren to know about his time in WW2 Holland. He needs to finally put the past behind after so many years of refusing to talk about it.

When he is introduced to one the children, all grown up, it seems fortuitous. How lucky for him that Karyn was once a reporter for the Jerusaleum Times. She would write his story in exchange for his help finding her sister, Annie. During the time Teddy helped save Jewish children; Karyn and her sister were separated. In Teddy telling his story Karyn learned of her own past.

Read A Place to Hide and discover some of the heroes of Holland. They saved Jewish children at great risk to themselves. They spied on the Nazis helping the allies. Travel back in time and be awed by thier bravery and dedication.

This was a mesmerizing story of things that took place during WWII that I didn’t know about. Teddy worked at the American Consulate in Amsterdam where fugitives from Nazi areas were seeking asylum. But the quotas for visas were full and all Teddy could do was add them to a waiting list. Teddy wanted his memoir for his children and grandchildren. Karyn, who was searching for her sister who was lost during the blitz, agreed to write his memoir in return for Teddy’s help to locate her sister.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advance copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

This book is set mostly in Amsterdam during WWII showing before and during the Nazi’s takeover as well as the efforts of Dutch citizens to save as many Jewish lives as possible.

I learned so much from this novel (looking it up to confirm of course). I had never known that over a period of a year almost one thousand children were rescued from the Crèche, just weeks before deportation to concentration camps, and adopted out to families willing to hide them.
Also, after hearing of 400 Jewish citizens being arrested and sent to concentration camps the locals were enraged. They organized a mass strike, one of the only protest in Europe against the mistreatment of the Jewish people. Due to the violence inflicted upon the strikers by the Nazi’s it only lasted a few days.

As with any historical fiction set during this time it was emotional to read about but I appreciated this new-to-me perspective.

Thank you Macmillan Audio for the alc and St. Martin’s Press for the arc via Netgalley.

A Place to Hide is extremely well researched and written. Historical fiction, it’s an extraordinarily important book, and I recommend it. Afterward, if you don’t already know, find out about the helpers in the war, the real people.

It pulled me in right away and kept my attention to the point where I wasn’t switching between ARC’s (I will often be reading two or three during the same time period) and solely reading this. However, this isn’t an easy book to read -in fact, it’s downright difficult to get through knowing that it’s all based on factual history - it’s heartbreaking but it’s extremely compelling.

Teddy is a young Washington man in the US government when WWII is looming when he’s transferred to the US Consulate in Amsterdam where he will have the soul destroying job of telling people who are desperate for a visa to the USA that they are ineligible due to lack of paperwork, knowing that many he denies will be terminated for merely existing when Hitler invades.

The other day I was reading an article about the upcoming N American election. In a poll, more people were concerned about ‘the cost of living’ than ‘democracy’. I was speechless.

My grandfather was a Marine in WWII, on the front lines; his war experiences were not something he spoke of. I remember my grandparent’s friends, the older ladies and men with numbers tattooed on their arms. How people who seemed happy could have such shadows and sadness in their eyes. I saw this living history while growing up; it was something we were well aware of.

I don’t comprehend how people can listen to the former president, 45, and not hear him for who aspires to be in this country. I fully comprehend the cost of living crisis (I live here too), but democracy?

As an adult, I read a lot of history, and the book banning and whitewashing of history for our young people concerns me immensely. Both are among the reasons why I homeschooled my now adult children.

Everyone who thinks that it couldn’t happen today should read this book. To see what losing freedom looks like under the power of a hate filled, power hungry (wannabe) despot.


TL;DR? Read this book!!!!



Thank you to St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for the DRC

(3.5 rounded up)

I don’t read a ton of WWII fiction anymore, as I have read so much, but I did really enjoy this book. I haven’t read anything by Balson before, but I may just have to check out some more of their work now.

What I haven’t read a ton of is the role and history of Amsterdam in the war, and I was so intrigued by all of this info, and it was nice to read a WWII story set in a place other than Germany or Poland.

What a fantastic and actually uplifting story of WWII in Holland! Teddy Hartigan spent his youth in Amsterdam as part of the State Department prior to the start of the war. He was frustrated at how few people he was able to actually help escape to the US, people who came to the consulate to get visas, most of whom had already escaped Germany or Austria and were scare that Hitler would come into Holland even though they were a neutral country.

Now in his 90's, he is trying to help Karyn, a journalist find her younger sister whom she was separated from as a young child in Holland during the war. Teddy wants Karyn to write his life story in exchange for helping her. His grandchildren don't know about his early life and this is his chance to write it all down. Teddy was instrumental in finding homes for Jewish children in Christian homes do that the Nazis wouldn't take them off to their deaths.

Although Teddy's story is fiction it is based on events that actually happened and there are a number of characters in the book who were real and their history is true. Not surprisingly, some of those people are heroes of this novel and some are the worst humans to walk this earth. But mostly, the story concentrates on the positive and the children who were saved from a sure death.

I learned more than I could ever know about life in The Netherlands prior to and during WWII. Up to this point I think I only knew about Ann Frank. The book was so well written and obviously very well researched. I highly recommend. Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.

Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC copy of A Place to Hide. I thoroughly enjoyed this book. The story starts out with Karyn a journalist who, during WW II, was a Jewish child raised by a Dutch family during the Nazi invasion of Holland. Trying to find her sister, whom she was separated from during this time, she is introduced to Teddy, a 92 year old American who worked for the US State Department in the American Embassy in Holland during WW II and was instrumental in getting Jewish children placed into foster families and saved from the Nazis. Teddy wants Karyn to write his memoir and in return he will try to contact some of his people in Holland to get information on Karyn's sister.

I enjoyed the back and forth between Karyn and Teddy, who is described as a grumpy old man. He spends many days telling Karyn about his time he spent in Amsterdam during 1938-1942. As he tells his story, we hear about his friend Julia, who is another American working at the Embassy. Julia introduces Teddy to her best friend, Sara, who is a teacher and is Jewish. Teddy falls in love with Sara and becomes very close to her family who live an hour away from Amsterdam. Teddy and Sara marry and adopt a Jewish orphan, Katy, who was dropped off by her family at the local daycare center. The story gets deeper into Germany's invasion of Holland, and how Teddy and his family and friends work to help many of the Jewish children escape from being sent to concentration camps.

I have read many book on WWII and the Holocaust, but never one on the invasion of Holland. Holland had so many Jewish people it was dubbed "Jerusalem of the West". I enjoyed learning about the Holland resistance and how so many children were saved. The author weaved real-life people with his fictional characters. He definitely did quite a bit of research as the book was very detailed. A very powerful story.

The only aspect of the book I did not care for, was how Teddy told his story to Karyn. Since he was supposedly talking to her, there were quotations everywhere, and when he was quoting someone, there were even more. In this manner, it makes it hard to believe that a 92 year old could remember all of what he told her. Plus, she kept interrupting him to ask questions, which deterred from his story. Instead, chapters alternating from current time to his time in the war, I think would have been better. There still could have been some back and forth between Karyn and Teddy in the current chapters, and then his past could be other chapters.