An excellent read and it’s gives another perspective during the war. It was a very different POV and story so I definitely think go into it remembering that. At times, the writing itself felt very choppy.

A Place to Hide by Ronald H. Balson is a captivating novel featuring intriguing characters and a well-crafted storyline.

A Place to Hide💼
3⭐️⭐️⭐️

Thank you so much to Netgalley and St Martin’s Press for an ARC of this book. I really enjoy historical fiction, especially set during WWII. This story was told from an interesting perspective, it is mostly being told from the past as the story is read by the MMC. I thought that choice was cool and offered some insight as to how much Teddy remembered his past during the war.

This book is obviously set during the war and so there are lots of politics. I understand it’s important to describe what countries were doing what, what leaders supported what, etc, but I got lost in the sauce a little. It was overly descriptive and was easy to lose focus. I did like the story, but like anyways life story, there were many tangents. I don’t think all of them were important. This book was still entertaining as it was depressing. We see how the jews suffered under the hands of the Nazi’s. I liked the characters and the whole story with Katie and Sarah. I wish we got to see a little more of the children being rescued because the ending felt rushed. Other than that, I would recommend this book to anyone who loves historical fiction!🤎

This whole story is a conversation about what happened and not a narrative..I would have preferred reading the story from the points of view of the characters involved and not one man’s grandiose conversation.

I found this story interesting from the beginning. I enjoyed the way the two timelines intermingled. There was a good amount of suspense interlaced, which helped push the reader forward through the story. There were also times where it felt like the story stagnated a bit, but overall, it was a smooth read. Teddy seemed to be a wonderful man and I appreciated seeing his journey from young to old man. I wanted more of an answer for Karyn, but I can accept that that is just the reality of life a lot of the time. Overall, I read this novel quite fast and enjoyed the timeline and characters.

A Place to Hide was my first book by Ronald Balson, a masterful historical fiction writer with a different tale of WWII. Teddy, the main character, has enough family money and influence to secure a job in the State Department before WWII. But when the world turns bad during Hitler’s march across Europe, his destiny to fill a vacant position in an Amsterdam consulate becomes a race against time, filled with frustration yet fueled by a desire to help those most in need. Teddy struggles with his job as Hitler's intentions become realized, holding onto the hope that the Netherlands will stay neutral in the war everyone knows is coming. Despite his efforts, Teddy finds his hands tied, as no country seems willing to accept the refugees pouring out of the occupied countries that Hitler has conquered. As the Nazis intensify their brutal world of alienation, millions of Jewish men, women, children, dissidents, artists, and those living on the fringes of society face marginalization, neglect, and being forgotten, particularly when quotas are full and asylum remains a distant hope. No country showed a willingness to accept the refugees pouring out of the occupied countries that Hitler conquered.

The author touches a nerve in every one of his readers as we watch the world of today mirror an era we all thought we left buried in the archives of Hitler’s madness. Insightful, provocative, and filled with little-known knowledge of Amsterdam during the early years of Hitler’s rise, A Place to Hide becomes a testament to the study of history to avoid the same errors made in the past.
As a 90-year-old man attempts to retell events from the era for the benefit of his family, Hitler conquers Amsterdam along with most of Europe, stranding millions in the path of his mania. The story opened my eyes to the human condition, leaving me with many concerns as I devoured one of the best books I have read in years.

I cried openly at the horrors and cruelty one man can inflict on other people. Reading about the path of Hitler’s horrors through the eyes of an old man was hard but enlightening. Although I had to put the book down a time or two, I kept reading, and I am grateful for the illumination and the eye-opening story of an old man who just wanted his story told for the benefit of his family and future generations. The book will not leave you with a happy feeling, a romantic ending, or the satisfaction of a good who-dun-it. But it will awaken you to the silent devils that lurk within each generation of humanity. Despite the book’s seriousness, a story unfolds that will keep you mesmerized and reading. I want to thank Net Galley, St. Martin’s Press, and Ronald Balson for one of the best books I have read so far this year. I received a free ARC; this review is voluntary and mine alone. An absolute must-read.

A historical fiction that focused on Holland during WWII. This story is about a journalist who is interviewing a former US worker, who lived in Holland during WWII, in exchange for information about a long lost sister during that timeframe.

While there was somewhat of a storyline, I found myself caught up in all of the names and dates of events that were presented throughout the story. It left me feeling like I was reading a textbook instead of a fictional story.

I enjoyed the Authors Note and the acknowledgement of some of the characters were based on real people during the war.

Thank you Net Gallery and St. Martin’s Press for this ARC.

I always enjoy different perspectives on World War II and learning what different countries went through throughout the war. This book was no exception.
Most of this book is set in the Netherlands during the years of World War II. It shows the horrors of life for the Jews even outside of Germany. I enjoyed seeing the hero’s of the time doing their best to save as many Jewish people including children from the concentration camps the most.
I had a hard time with how this book was set up. It’s told in mostly interview style. I had a hard time staying engaged with this writing style. Also, the main premise of the book. The reason the interview was happening to begin with did not get resolved.
Overall a pretty good historical fiction read.

A beautiful and well written story of selflessness, during horrific events. Your heart pours out to Teddy and Sara, and orphaned Katy. Another great historical fiction book, of an ordinary 'person' who bravely makes the decision to make a difference, rescue lives, and do right for those suppressed. I highly recommend this book!

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC!
Where to start? A Place to Hide by Ronald H. Blason is a work of historical fiction set in the Netherlands during the Second World War. I will be the first to admit that, other than Anne Frank, I didn’t really know much of what took place in the Netherlands during the German occupation. This novel was a real eye opener as to the atrocities that took place with the deportation of the Jewish citizens. It also highlighted the human spirit and the bravery of many people who chose to go against what they were being told and doing what they knew was right. When I think of the resistance, I think of the French and all that they did to help turn the tides of the war. What I realize now is the magnitude of the Dutch peoples involvement in that same resistance and that same ethic of working towards a common goal. Overall loved the story and all it entailed!

I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley.

This is a story about the situation in Holland during WW II. Heavy on dates and events. I did enjoy it as I do all of his books. There are mysteries on top of mysteries. The story is narrated by an elderly gentleman in a nursing home who wants his memoir written before he dies so his children will know what his story was during the war. Lots of twists to the plot.

A Place to Hide is a gut wrenching historical fiction about the Jerusalem of the West, Amsterdam. My heart absolutely broke reading about the Jewish families who made the choice to put their children up for adoption to save their lives. Ronald H. Balson did a great job with including historical facts throughout the story and keeping everything as accurate as possible.

Thank you for the opportunity of an eARC and I am leaving this review willingly.

Thank you to NetGalley for allowing me to read an advance copy of this book on my kindle. The review that I am leaving is in no way tied to the giveaway.

This book has two timelines; 1930-1945 Netherlands and approximately present day in Washington DC. I've been to Amsterdam twice so I was able to have a better understanding of the places mentioned in the book by the author. The premise of the book is that if the Israeli woman writes Teddy's memoirs then Teddy (former spy and Consulate employee) in exchange will use his former contacts to try and find her long lost sister. when they were split up during the Holocaust.

I was spellbound by this book. I read quite a bit about the Holocaust but had no idea the arduous task for people wishing to leave Amsterdam had. They were required to submit much documentation and numerous copies of each prior to getting a VISA to leave the country. For some who were escaping from Germany this was an impossible task as they fled without documents.

This was a novel about the difficulties faced and heroic acts of brave men and women in the resistance. Well done!

“A Place to Hide" is historical fiction, set in the period time of WW2 when Hitler had eliminated most of the Dutch Jews in the Netherlands and those who protected them.

To all my fellow historical fiction lovers: READ THIS! A few years ago, I exclusively read WWII historical fiction, but the heaviness of those stories made me take a break. When I picked up this book, I was worried it wouldn't measure up to titles like *The Nightingale*, but it did not disappoint. The historical details were so descriptive and accurate that I felt completely immersed in the time period. This is a story of kindness, bravery, and learning from our history. This was my first book by this author, but it certainly won’t be my last.

“A Place to Hide” by Ronald H. Belson is exceptional! I cant remember ever reading a book that was more engrossing, educational, and unputdownable! The story is about a woman who agrees to write the life story of a non Jewish man who wants to make sure his grandchildren understand his life’s work in the Netherlands as a State Department diplomat during the Nazi occupation in WWII. In exchange for writing his story he agrees to help her find her long lost sister as they became separated as young children in Amsterdam at the beginning of the war. I know you may think you know this story about the “orphaned” children of the war but I promise you have never read a book like this one. The incredible amount of research and detail that is included in this story brought to life for me the horror of how hatred can easily take over when left unchecked. It also brought to life how incredibly courageous people were who were brave enough to help others and resist the evil work of Hitler and his emissaries. This book needs to be read by everyone and I recommend it highly. There aren’t enough existing stars to give this book!

Thank you NetGalley and St. Matin’s Press for the ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.

This book is set during World War II as most of Mr. Balson's book are. This book is mostly set in the Netherlands with a lot of it taking place in Amsterdam. I personal know very little about what was happening in Amsterdam during the war so I found this very interesting reading. I always feel like his books are well researched and we never seem to get bogged down with to many details. Mr. Balson manages to tell us the facts but in a story that draws us in and keeps us reading to find out how it turns out. While it isn't a particularly happy story, as most aren't set during World War II, it does have happy moments. I enjoyed learning about Teddy's life and the others that he meets and become parts of his life including Sara, Katy, Danny, Saul & Deborah, Dr. Dop and a host of others. Many good people worked together to save Jewish children and families during the difficult years of the war. Thank you Mr. Balson for another great book and please keep them coming!

Teddy is 92 and crotchety. He has a hidden past as he was stationed in Amsterdam at the embassy prior to and during WWII. He still has some of his contacts though and he uses them to help a Dutch woman attempt to locate her sister. The deal he makes with her is that he will try to find her sister and she will write his memoirs. The entire book is written as it is "told" to Karyn so everything is written in the past tense which kind of robs the novel of some of its tension. I also didn't get a feeling of heroism from Teddy, although he unquestionably is. I found him kind of naive and unlikeable although I can't really say why. The book does tell a good story about the beginnings of WWII in Holland from an unusual perspective. Thanks for NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read this ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

If I could rate this one more than five stars, I would.
The way the story was set up was amazing. In 2002, a Holocaust survivor meets with a former employee of the U.S. consulate of Amsterdam, hoping to find information about her long-lost sister. The elderly gentleman agrees to help Karyn in her search , on one condition; that she will take notes on his memories of WW2 and form them into a written memoir for his grandchildren. What follows is a thrilling, heart-rending, unputdownable account from a man who risked much to save people who were otherwise doomed to a horrible fate.
This is historical fiction at its best. I’ll certainly be looking for more books by this author!

*In 2024, the Amsterdam nursery school and Jewish theater which were major features in this story, have been converted into a Holocaust museum and memorial and opened to the public.*

**I received a digital copy from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are strictly my own.**

You know when we were kids and told to 'show a story, not just tell'? That advice was not heeded in this book. 'A Place to Hide' begins with a chance meeting between two strangers that connect Karyn, a Jewish woman who was adopted during WWII and wishes she could find her sister to an elderly man named Teddy who was a US State Officer in the Amsterdam Consulate. Teddy proceeds to agree too help Karyn in her search for her sister if she would agree to write his life story. Karyn agrees and so the story begins. There is a LOT of historical information presented and most of the story is very 'told'. I think a better format would have been a switch between timelines so we could have been 'in' Holland with Teddy during the war. I thought the story was wells told but the ending a bit disappointing. This book is for anyone who loves to read about WWII and would enjoy reading about Holland.