A Wartime, Homefront Masterpiece-

We may find that, because of war, hard decisions are made that will later change “all we thought we knew”.

Tears fill my eyes as I turn the last pages of this heartfelt story. Dual-time, dual wars, with strong opinions, misplaced allegiances, lost and uncertain futures, the characters of this story fight for life and love while sacrificing freedom and family. Michelle Shocklee pens another compelling heart journey, with strong spiritual content that belongs in this story of life and death.

Caroline Hewitt narrates the passion of this story through its broad cast of characters. She successfully differentiates voices for characters that you will love and some, thankfully with smaller parts, that will grate on your nerves, as is the character’s role. Another audiobook to love and listen to again and again.

Possible triggers: cancer, death of a brother

This book is suitable for teens and older with no inappropriate intimate scenes and no bad language. I received this book from the author/publisher free of charge, with no expectation of a positive review. I also purchased the audiobook.

This book held so many memories for me.
Like the author, my father was a WWII veteran and like her, I wish I had asked more questions and gleaned more details when he talked about his experiences. I was very proud of him.
Unlike the author, I remember the Vietnam era well. My husband was in the Navy at that time.
This story brought me to tears many times. It was so authentically written. I connected with Ava more than Mattie. Mattie was very opinionated and to my mind would not consider other views. But she did portray the attitudes of the generation of my teens and early twenties.
I liked the steadiness of Kurt and Nash. They overcame the overwhelming conditions of war. The faith element permeated the story. The characters lived out their beliefs naturally. The theme of family and reconciliation was deftly written.
This is a must read for those wanting a glimpse of the home front during WWII and the connection of that generation to the Vietnam era.
*A complimentary copy of this book was provided by Tyndale via NetGalley. All opinions are mine alone.*

Such a great book! I really enjoyed reading this!

I received an ARC copy of this book and opinions are my own.

This was an amazing story! For lovers of historical fiction and the WWII genre, this is your book. I loved how Michelle Shocklee intertwined family secrets with a great, very much believable, storyline. I loved that her character development provided us a modern storyline with the backstory of characters during wartime in the early 20th century.

Michelle did an excellent job intertwining historical events into her book's plot. I learned a lot about Camp Forrest, a camp for WWII detainees. Sadly, we got a chance to understand how innocent people from Germany and Japan, who were considered "enemies" of the United States during WWII, were kept within enclosed camps like criminals. Thankfully, one of the main characters found a way to survive this cruel treatment and reconnect with the love of his life.

I thank Tyndale House publishing for an advanced reader's copy of this book!

All We Thought We Knew, by Michelle Shocklee is a dual time line story that takes place during WWII and Vietnam. The story focus on two different women who have lost a loved one during a war. Mattie lost her twin brother during Vietnam and Ava who lost her husband during WWII.

This is a well written story that shows how two different women respond to the death of a loved one. For Mattie it was to run away, for Ava it was to find work. I so appreciate how the author writes such a good story of the grief the two women deal with. I especially enjoyed the character of Ava. I appreciate how she remains living with her mother-in-law despite the way she is treated. Her character is so strong with helping on the farm and working for the war effort. I especially enjoyed the mystery surrounding the farm Ava raises her family on.

I voluntarily received a complimentary copy of this book, this is my honest review.

**I received this arc from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review**


What a beautiful story! The author’s writing style was impeccable & it tugged at my heartstrings in the best way.. The dual timeline plot and characters were intriguing. One major theme woven throughout was how heartbreaking it was for individuals to survive the devastating aftermath of war. Within the depths of this story, you will be taken on a journey of identity crisis, loss, secrets, everlasting love, friendships, and family legacies & a perfectly wrapped up ending that will leave you satisfied

Everything about this story is just wonderful. The historical aspects of the war in Vietnam and the WW2 detainment of German immigrants is poignant. The emotional aspects of losing loved ones to death- both war-related and natural end of life- were tastefully and insightfully handled. I always fear I won't have my high expectations met when I set an author up on such a pedestal, but Michelle Shocklee is a master storyteller and this latest work does not disappoint!

Shocklee sure knows how to grab a reader's attention, help them fall in love with characters, and keep the reader guessing until nearly the last page. The weaving together of the two timelines (World War II and Vietnam area) kept me guessing - and makes me want to reread to look for the clues I surely missed. So many wounded characters - in so many ways - and a hope thread that kept the devastation in my heart "at bay."

Shocklee masterfully unpeeled the layers of the story, and the characters and connections between them and the timelines until practically the final page. Inspirational fiction both raw and redemptive - just how I like it. Fans of Susie Finkbeiner, Amanda Barratt, and Amanda Cox will especially love this one. Highly recommended.

Thank you Netgalley and Tyndale House Publishers for this arc.

I was drawn to this book because one of the dual timelines centered on the late 1960s and included the Vietnam War which is different from the usual "now" setting. Honestly the parts set during WWII are the ones I enjoyed the most while the 1965/69 sections were ... challenging.

It's not that there isn't a lot of good stuff to unpack and examine in the 1960s sections. A couple of things surprised me, seeing as this is an inspirational book. Mattie went full on "California free love and drugs hippie" for a year. Mattie is very outspoken and argumentative. Her default setting is to come out swinging and confront anyone who doesn't share her views. It takes very little to set her off. Yet at times - actually many times - Mattie acts like little more than a petulant child. Stomping off, slamming things to show her anger, spouting off at anyone. Mattie can be a pill but she's certainly also strong willed and willing to speak up which is something that I personally find challenging, so I'll give her that. There is a lot of character growth in store for Mattie over the course of the book.

Ava's feelings for her first husband are another surprise but I like her for admitting to them. Gunther's anger at his internment and later at how certain POW prisoners are allowed to terrorize other inmates is also realistic. Their slow friendship which blossoms into more is the best part of the book for me. There is a romantic relationship for Mattie as well that progresses similarly starting with slight antagonism and moving through slow budding friendship to finally seeing the other for who they really are.


The book is an inspie and there is a lot of religion but this is mainly concentrated in the 1960s part. Mark tried to convince Mattie that he was going to war in order to protect the South Vietnamese much as Dietrich Bonhoeffer tried to fight Nazism. I guess a person then might have felt this way about the Vietnam war but it is a hard sell today. As Mattie's mother is dying, there is a lot of religion - pro and con - discussed. During the 1940s part, Gunther and his Jewish German doctor mentor spend time discussing religion, mainly to pass the time but there is apparently a conversion just before Dr. Sonneberg dies that I felt was unneeded.

Mattie begins to change a bit as she and Nash work to assist disabled vets through horse riding therapy, which I think is wonderful, but it also smacks a bit of using a disabled character as a "tool" to change another. Nash is also disabled and for the most part he just lives his new reality. I'm also still thinking about how I feel regarding the final secret revealed at the end of the book. It just doesn't make sense to me that this was carried on for so long or that this character would have behaved.

The book is a quick read - I zipped through it in a day and a half. The issues are real and not of the piddly variety. But unfortunately I do have some issues with some stuff along the way. B (1940s)/C+ (1960s)

Historical fiction readers will love this dual time story set in Tullahoma, Tennessee. In 1969 when Maddie’s twin brother is killed in the Vietnam War she runs off to California filled with anger and grief. A year later, as her mother Ava lies dying of cancer, Maddie comes home unaware of a family secret that will change her life forever. Ava after a very brief courtship and marriage loses her husband at Pearl Harbor. Forced to live with her hateful mother in law, she obtains a job at the military base Camp Forest. It’s fascinating how these two women’s stories mesh together in this heartfelt story. Wonderful characters! Very realistic! Hard to put down. Highly recommended!

If Michelle Shocklee was a baseball player, announcers would be shouting, she just hit a grand-slam home run! All We Thought We Knew is an incredibly evocative heart-wrenching story that will forever remain in my thoughts, and is one of the best books I have read in 2024!

This remarkable story centers around Ava Delaney, her daughter Mattie Taylor, and Gunther Schneider, and how two different wars, twenty-seven years apart, affect their lives and relationships. Shocklee, with her exquisite prose, expertly interweaves each storyline delivering a significantly emotional dual-timeline on the consequences of war, secrets, fear, grief, and a touching love story, all written with Christian undertones.

Being in the military myself during the Vietnam War era, I saw firsthand how returning soldiers were treated, which was unconscionable. Thus it was hard for me to condone Mattie’s very opinionated viewpoint, even though she was grieving for the loss of her twin brother, and at the same time struggling with her mother dying from cancer. Working on the horse farm with her brother’s best friend Nash, who returned home missing an arm, Mattie’s eyes are opened to other viewpoints during their heart-to-heart conversations.

My heart caught in my chest when Fred, who had lost both legs, had no family and was suffering from PTSD, was introduced into the story. How Mattie took charge to make his dream come true, which in turn gave meaning and purpose to her life, warmed my heart and helped endear me to her.

All We Thought We Knew is a difficult story to read at times as Shocklee illustrates through her characters how war leaves devastating lasting impacts on not only the lives of those who lived through it but also their loved ones left behind. Shocklee handles with finesse some very tough issues in our history, the internment camps during WWII, and the controversy surrounding the Vietnam War. This is also an endearing love story that slowly builds throughout this awesome book.

For those who enjoy reading Christian historical fiction, I highly recommend All We Thought We Knew, a gripping story that will keep you engaged from beginning to end.

***Warning, have a box of tissues within reach for this very emotional story.

A complimentary copy of this book was provided by Tyndale House Publishers via NetGalley through Interviews & Reviews. I was not obligated to write a favorable review, and all opinions are my own.

𝐀𝐥𝐥 𝐖𝐞 𝐓𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡𝐭 𝐖𝐞 𝐊𝐧𝐞𝐰 is an intriguing dual-timeline story set during WW2 and the Vietnam War. In the late 1960s it follows Mattie, a young woman who is struggling with grief, and in the 1940s it follows recently widowed Ava and an unfairly imprisoned German man named Gunther. I found the plot compelling, and I sympathized with the struggles of the main characters as everything they thought they knew was challenged. Although at times I was frustrated with the decisions Mattie made (typical prodigal), she was still a character I sympathized with and rooted for.

I found the parts detailing the German and Japanese imprisonment camps in the U.S. to be fascinating. I personally love historical fiction that actually teaches me about something in history, and this book definitely did! I also loved that most of the book was set on a horse farm (always a horse girl at heart!).

Overall, I really enjoyed this book and thought that it was well written and had really great faith & historical elements. I’d recommend this to those who love historical fiction, books with redemption, dual-timelines, and emotional family-centered stories.

↠ In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace. 𝐄𝐩𝐡𝐞𝐬𝐢𝐚𝐧𝐬 𝟏:𝟕

↠ I have swept away your offenses like a cloud, your sins like the morning mist. Return to me, for I have redeemed you. 𝐈𝐬𝐚𝐢𝐚𝐡 𝟒𝟒:𝟐𝟐

***I am very grateful to NetGalley and Tyndale Fiction for this advanced readers copy. All thoughts and opinions are my own and I was not required to leave a positive review.

All We Thought We Knew by Michelle Shocklee is a dual timeline between WWII and the Vietnam War. Although having read many novels set during WWII, this is a first for me with a novel set during the Vietnam War. So much controversy centered around the Vietnam War and divided this country. Shocklee did an outstanding job showing the horrors of the wars, but, more specifically, showing the effects of those at home. Secrets that had been hidden for years come to light. Forgiveness and redemption are themes throughout. A heart-wrenching novel.

Releases Oct. 1st. I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

A mix of WW2 and Vietnam in the dual timeline, both settings in the US, the book gave a really great look at the Internment Camps in the US for German, Japanese and Italians living in the US at the time. It’s enormously sad how people were corralled and ripped away from their homes and lives just because of a maybe - many even citizens or first generation children.

I thought Gunther’s character portrayed so well the feelings of injustice and betrayal at being arrested and imprisoned, but also the fear of living in the US afterwards with all the prejudice and discrimination, knowing first hand how easily it could get ripped away without evidence. My heart constantly went out to him.

The political polarization of Vietnam was also well conveyed, though Mattie’s extreme anger and self-centeredness (about everything) wore on me a little, and I didn’t really like her all that much.

All in all well written and a really great story. I enjoyed it a lot.

Thank you to Netgalley for the advanced copy of this book. All opinions are mine.

A touching dual timeline novel with a family history affected by two wars, and a trunk full of secrets.
This well-written story has main characters who struggle and come through great losses, with hope and grace on the other side. Dealing with grief is portrayed realistically, with anger and confusion on Mattie's part, and focus and acceptance on Ava's end.
There were good spiritual questions asked, such as why does God allow evil if He is good? And how do we have hope when faced with suffering? The author deals subtly with these and other aspects concerning loss, especially in wartime. I could feel their pain and relate to the grief. It made me see my own parents in a different light and appreciate more what they had experienced as young people during wartime. It brought back memories of the Vietnam War and the conflicts at home when I was young. It helped me remember that everyone has a story and we all need grace.
Recommend for fans of historical fiction with inspiration and some romance. 4.5 stars

Can I take a sec first and say--that cover!! Love!! So beautiful. :)

And the book is as good as its cover!

WWII and the Vietnam War are two pairings we don't often see, least of all in a dual-time novel. It worked well here, in no small part to the author, I'm sure; Shocklee is crazy-talented, as I knew from both Appalachian Song and Under the Tulip Tree. My high expectations were met, and I was kept guessing to the end--a pleasant surprise, especially given how I _thought_ the plot would go compared to how it actually went!

There's always more to learn about any topic, and I'm regularly amazed at how that applies to WWII. I was talking with a local bookseller about that recently, and we both agreed; given the recent glut of releases in that market/genre, it's been fabulous to see some quality and focused reads hit the shelves. And then, of course, there's Vietnam: an admittedly polarizing topic for a long time. Shocklee incorporates that into this read, and I felt she examines both sides well. Just like more could be said and learned about WWII, the same applies to 'Nam.

I hope it continues to spark conversations long after readers hit "The End," and definitely recommend this read to history buffs and fiction lovers alike.

I received an eARC of the book from the publisher via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

This was a tender book portraying a family devastated by the horrors of war and the redemption they found through the heartache. For me, the book started off slow but by the middle the plot thickened and I couldn’t put it down. The author did a great job communicating the divisive nature of the Vietnam war era and how that affected and tore apart families.

“All We Thought We Knew” is a history-filled tale that will have readers wrapped up in a story from WWII and one from the time of the Vietnam War. What a vast array of emotions the characters experience, which gives the reader an idea of what life might have brought to people back during those times in history. This story tugs at the heart and makes one think. Ava lives with her husband’s bitter and unhappy mother. Gunther’s American dream is crushed and now feels impossible. Mattie struggles with her strong opinions and equally strong emotional responses. When her life is not what she assumes, Mattie experiences such doubts and so many temptations to run from the hard things. Nash struggles with his own life situations, but he and Mattie join up together to help a friend, and through that endeavor they learn much about dealing with life, helping others, and relying on God. I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I highly recommend it.

I requested a copy of this book for review. The thoughts expressed here are wholly my own.

All We Thought We Knew is a wonderful book. I enjoyed the dual timeline plot. The two timelines, Vietnam war and WWII are woven together seamlessly.. I highly recommend this book. I received an advance ebook from the publisher and Netgalley. This is my unbiased review.

Stunning!! Wow what a fantastic book. I’d give it more than 5 stars if it was an option . It kept my attention the entire time and made me want to read more .

I loved reading about the two different time periods : during Ww2 and Vietnam . Both sets of intertwined characters (I won’t ruin the suprise ) have fascinating stories that make you feel connected to them and the time period.
I really liked the character ;Guenther and how his story evolves . You ache for him as he realizes his dreams might be changing all because he was a German living in the United States at the wrong time .
Ava is a character who tugs at the heart strings as her new husband recently died at Pearl Harbor and her mother in law seems to hate her . Ava is alone in the world until Guenther and her start a friendship .
Mattie - so confused , hurt by what she sees as the wrong war to be involved in. Family and friends who she thinks are not doing what she would do . I was born after Vietnam but have read and heard a lot about the “war that we shouldn’t have been involved in” and the effects on those involved during and after the war. It’s truly heartbreaking. The way the author portrays it is beautiful and makes you feel that there is something to be said about all the sides not just one.
I loved this story and will read it again .
Thank you to Netgalley for a free download in exchange for an unbiased review .