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.

I could not stop reading this story. It flows so easily as the American narrator tells his story to a writer about his time in the Netherlands. He wants to revisit old memories and write them down for his grandchildren. This is a gripping story about Hitler's takeover of Europe and how it affected the Jewish population of the Netherlands. And how the Dutch worked together to save families. Truly inspiring and incredible.

Special thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for a free, electronic ARC of this novel received in exchange for an honest review.
Expected publication date: Sept. 17, 2024
Award-winning author Ronald Balson introduces a new World War Two novel, “A Place to Hide”. Told by a survivor of World War Two, who tells his story to a journalist, the similarities between “Hide” and “The Tattooist of Auschwitz” are obvious. “Hide” takes place in the Netherlands, which provides a different backdrop then the plethora of World War Two fiction already out in the world, and it is clear that Balson does his research. I was not a fan of the writing style of this story, but more on that later.
Teddy Hartigan is an American, working at the consulate in the Netherlands, when he meets a young Jewish teacher named Sara. The two fall in love and become the guardians of an abandoned Jewish girl by the name of Katy, and soon, Teddy has two females in his life that he would do anything to protect. When word comes that Germany is invading the Netherlands, Teddy is given the option to return to America, but only Teddy. Not willing to leave his family, Teddy remains behind, even when the United States joins the war and the U.S. consulate is shuttered. Although everyone he loves is at risk, Teddy finds himself embroiled in a secret mission that works to house and protect Jewish people, especially children.
“Hide” is the first novel I’ve read by Balson, but I’ve read plenty of World War two novels (“Tattooist” being one of my favourites). It is obvious that Balson has done his research, and he is telling a story based on true events. I enjoyed reading about the Nazi occupation of the Netherlands, as this is not often an area that is covered in other World War two novels I’ve read. It was also exciting to read about Teddy’s love story with Sara, and the risk they both faced just to have a life together.
As mentioned above, “Hide” is the story of Teddy Hartigan’s experiences in the Netherlands during World War Two, as told to journalist Karyn, who, in turn, is using Teddy’s knowledge and connections to reconnect with her sister, who Karyn was separated from during the war. Karyn and Teddy meet right at the beginning of the novel, and I felt this relationship was sudden and forced. There is limited character development and, in fact, even the basic facts of the protagonists’ appearance, or the details of their geographical settings, are left out. The story is a monologue by Teddy who, albeit has an exciting experience to tell that is worthy of respect, the small details that make me connect to a story were missing.
With the highest level of respect for Teddy’s heroism during the occupation (and his compatriots), I enjoyed “Hide” enough to finish it, but I was missing the connection that a few extra details would’ve provided. There are enough World War two novels on the market that a novel needs to stand out in order to catch my attention, and this one did not succeed.

What a heartbreaking and heartwarming story! As a long time fan of WW2 HF, this one approaches the storytelling from a little different perspective. Karyn is a grandmother with two little granddaughters living in Tel Aviv who meets Burt in 2002. They chat after he hears her speak Hebrew with a Dutch accent and Karyn shares she doesn't know where her sister ended up after the war. Burt puts her in contact with Theodore "Teddy" Hartigan in Washington, D.C. who may have the contacts to find her. The story takes off from there. Karyn travels to a retirement home outside of D.C. to talk to Teddy for help in exchange for listening and writing Teddy's life story for his grandchildren. They spend many days together and you hear Teddy's story of being sent to the Amsterdam consulate in 1938. The heartbreaking part of the story is how Teddy has to process all the applications for visas for the Jewish families trying to escape Hitler's terror, but the waitlist is so long they may never get out. It is very frustrating for him. The heartwarming part of the story happens in the second half of the book when Teddy works with the resistance to help hide Jewish men, women, and children with the Dutch people. Many were saved because of their persistence and dedication.
I really enjoyed reading the story from the Teddy's viewpoint of a 92-year-old wanting to share his life story with his family. Karyn was a good listener and she got some closer to her life story as well. The author's notes were informative to let us know which characters were fictional and which characters actually did some of the amazing and awful things during this time. I am always in awe of the people that risked everything to help others during the War.
If you are looking for a WW2 HF that is unique and different and is from a male point of view, I highly recommend this book.
#APlaceToHide #NetGalley
Thank you to St. Martin's Press and Net Galley for a complimentary copy. All opinions expressed are my own.

This book's premise had so much potential and the setting in the Netherlands during WW II was unique, but the writing and execution left a lot to be desired.

Before war broke out, Teddy worked for the US State Department at the consulate in Amsterdam. His decision to remain after Hitler invades the Netherlands is dangerous for him and the woman he loves. Although he is Protestant, his girlfriend is Jewish, placing both in grave danger.

The majority of the story is Teddy sharing his story with journalist Karyn from Tel Aviv. She has agreed to write up the story for his children and grandchildren in exchange for his help locating her sister from whom she was separated during Nazi rule. As Jewish children from the Netherlands, they were sent into adoptive families to protect them from being sent to a concentration camp and certain death.

The writing, however, was uneven and as Teddy tells his story, I often felt like I was just listening to a lecture - and a very dry, information dump of a lecture at that. Nothing really happens until about 60% through the story when Teddy and other resistance fighters begin planning to save as many Jewish children as possible. In reality, the efforts of the Dutch people saved the lives of thousands of Jewish children, and I once again learned a new aspect of the war that I hadn't read before.

Unfortunately, it wasn't enough to save the book, and I ended up disappointed

A Place To Hide but Ronald Balson is a very thought provoking novel about WWII in Holland. I learned so much about the events that happened during this time period in that region. The book is well researched and had a ton of information and facts about the war. The author’s note at the end of the book was interesting and said that most of the events were true. Ronald Balson knows how to tell a story that is fascinating and holds the reader’s attention. I felt at times that too much detail was given, making the beginning of the book a bit slow.

The story is about an American, Teddy Hartigan, who is a diplomat in the Netherlands when war breaks out. He falls in love with a Jewish girl, and their journey begins. Together they attempt to rescue Jewish families and especially children from being sent to their deaths at the concentration camps. The book runs a duel timeline between present and wartime. 92 year old Teddy is telling his story to a Jewish writer, who was rescued and adopted during the war.

I would recommend this book especially to lovers of history. Thank you NetGalley and St Martin Press for sending an advanced copy of this novel.

Teddy Hartigan was assigned to the US Consulate in Amsterdam to process visa applications. Hundreds of refugees from the Nazis were desperate to secure safe passage to America, but immigration quotas denied most of them. He falls in love with a Jewish girl, but can’t even acquire a visa for his wife.
Present day, Karyn Sachnoff longs to find her sister, separated from her in Amsterdam during the war. She asks for Teddy’s help. He agrees, as long as she writes his story.
His wartime experiences are fascinating, but it’s all presented as him telling his memories to Karyn. He includes dialogue, but that adds to the confusion when Karyn intrudes to ask questions.
I found one glaring error. The Queen Mary did not go into drydock for the war. She spent the war speeding across the oceans as a troopship.

I have read each of Ronald H. Balson's novels and was so excited to pick this one up! A Place to Hide is another novel set during the World War II era. A Place to Hide shares the story of Teddy Hartigan and his role working for the US government in the Netherlands in the lead-up to the Nazi invasion. Teddy's story is fascinating, and we learn about it in bits and pieces as he narrates his life story to Karyn Sachnoff, a retired newspaper reporter searching for the sister she lost during the war. Teddy and his colleagues demonstrated such bravery and determination in their efforts to rescue Jewish children, hide families, and subvert the Nazis not for their own gain but because it was the right thing to do. I especially appreciated the author's note at the end of this book that sorted out the real life figures from the fictionalized characters.

My only complaint about this book was that parts of it were very dry. Teddy was narrating his life story, but I found it hard to believe that he could have recited that many facts and figures about the war, including dates, historical actions, and names. At times it read like a history textbook. It seems that there could have been ways to liven up the narration and take the readers to the place rather than this style of writing for so much of the book. I really did enjoy the portions with dialogue and action. Additionally, the ending was superb and a bit of a surprise!

Thank you to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for this eARC. All opinions are my own.