While I loved the premise, I felt that there were too many strands to the plot so nothing was developed in the way I’d hoped

Loved the character development. Immediately invested in how this one would turn out and felt all the emotions right along with the story. Loved how fiction and truth weaves together to form a really beautiful, suspenseful story. Know a lot of people who will enjoy this story and recommend widely!

Overall a really good book, but it felt a little long. I can appreciate a multi POV story, but I felt like some of them (especially from the bad guys) ruined the surprises. Let me live with the suspense of if and when they’ll be found out, don’t tell me the moment the bad guy learns it.

Thank you NetGalley and Serene River Publishing for this ARC.

Thank you to net galley for giving me this opportunity to read this book.
This story takes place during WWII in New York.
Hattie James is a singer at the Cpacabana Club and the auduence loves her.
Her mother is a former singer who now lives Brazil., and her father is a diplomat in Washington D.C..
Late one night Hattie receives a phone call from her sister saying that their father has been arrested for espionage.
Hattie's father has escaped and the FBI want to know where he went.
Hattie goes to Brazil and finds work at the Halo Club.
Hattie's father is also wanted in Brazil.
This book left me hanging at the end.
These are my own opinions.

I love reading historical fiction and The Songbird provided a bit of a change in the setting - Rio de Janeiro. Hattie was very engaging, as was the ongoing investigation she involved herself with to find the missing women, including Maya’s sister. The dynamic between Hattie, her pianist and Maya added a spark to the story as did the evil character of Heinz Baumann. Hattie’s relationship with her mother also fascinated me. The one thread that was frustrating for me was the mystery surrounding her father. I am sure that he will play a pivotal role in her next book and I am eager to learn about his mysterious allegiance to Nazi Germany.
Many thanks to Stacy Lynn Miller, Severn River Publishing, and NetGalley for providing me with an arc of this engaging book published on 1/7/25. Three and a half stars.

In 1940, Hattie James is a rising recording star, performing at the best clubs in NYC. But then her father, a State Dept diplomat, is arrested by the FBI, accused of being a Nazi spy. Once that becomes public knowledge, Hattie's career becomes a victim by association. Her recording contract is rescinded, and she can't get a good gig. Blackmailed by the FBI, she is sent to Rio to try to find her father.

The strengths of this book lie in its historic detail, descriptions of Rio in 1940, and the thriller plot points. Hattie is an engaging main character who is unconflicted about her lesbianism but realistic about the dangers it poses.

The end of this book settles some of the plot points but leaves enough open to get us to hunger for book 2.

This is one of those books where my rating went back and forth. It started as a 4 and then waned to a 3 and then finished strong with a 4 so I am going to give it an overall rating of 4 stars.

First of all, I feel like the title is a little misleading: The Songbird: A WWII Novel. Yes, the novel takes place in Rio during WWII and there are some Nazi’s in the book but, to me, it did not feel like a traditional WWII historical fiction. I felt more of an espionage mystery/romance novel. The romance portion also focuses on a lesbian romance so I feel like this would also fit into the LQBTQ+ genre but I have not seen it marketed that way.

The overall plot was good. I loved the idea of this novel but I feel like the execution was a little off. The story started really strong for me but somewhere around the 40 - 45% mark, I found myself getting bored and was honestly having a hard time pushing through. It was just slow. I feel like it focused more on the relationship aspect and there was less suspense and action which is what sucked me in to start with. However…around the 70% mark, the action picked back up and I zipped through the rest of the story in a single setting. The end felt a little abrupt and unfinished but knowing that there are 2 more books in this trilogy to be released over the next 2 years takes the sting out a little. I just hope that this one was memorable enough to span the gap.

Moving on to the characters…I felt they were written pretty well. They had personality and emotional depth and you definitely saw growth over the course of the book. But….I felt like their interactions, their relationships sometimes felt forced and unnatural. Overall, I feel like Hattie is a character I will definitely grow to love over the series. She is a strong, female heroine and I tend to be drawn to those characters.

Overall this was a good story….if you can get through the slow middle.

I really enjoyed the FMC and the overall idea of this story. The author does a great job with descriptions, making it easy to picture the characters and settings while reading. I did find this to be a bit of a slow read with a less than satisfying ending, which may be intentional to leave the option of a follow-up book. If you like historical fiction, specifically in the era of WW2, and spy/espionage themes, then you will probably enjoy this book.

Songbird by Stacy Lynn Miller is a gripping and evocative tale that will take readers on an emotional rollercoaster. The novel centers on the life of its protagonist, a young woman grappling with the weight of her past, the complexity of her relationships, and her journey toward self-discovery. Miller weaves a story that hooks you from the first page and keeps you turning until the very last.

One of the most remarkable features of Songbird is Miller's mastery of suspense and unexpected twists. Just when you think you have the plot figured out, the author introduces new developments that leave you questioning everything. These unexpected turns add layers to the story and keep readers on edge, trying to piece together the puzzle until the book's final pages. Every twist feels both natural and shocking, as the author skillfully navigates the fine line between foreshadowing and surprise..

The novel’s pace is carefully orchestrated, building tension without ever feeling rushed. Each chapter ends with just enough of a cliffhanger or mystery to pull you into the next, and by the time you reach the final pages, you’ll be stunned by the revelations that unfold. Miller's ability to craft an engaging narrative while maintaining an element of surprise throughout the entire book is what makes Songbird so captivating.

Ultimately, Songbird is a testament to Stacy Lynn Miller’s storytelling process. The depth of the characters, combined with a storyline full of twists and turns, ensures this novel will linger in your mind long after you’ve finished it. If you love a good story that keeps you guessing until the very last page, Songbird is a must-read. It’s a thrilling journey that shows how far we’ll go to protect those we love—and how sometimes, the truth can be more elusive than we ever expected.

Thank you to NetGallery for the ARC!

This is a story about Hattie James who is an up and coming singer with a new recording contract in NYC during the 1940s. Her father Karl is a diplomat who is accused of being a Nazi spy. Hattie loses her job and records contract and is forced by the FBI to find her father and missing documents. Hattie goes to Brazil and reacquaints herself with her estranged mother.
Hattie finds a job at a small nightclub. The owner Maya, is a gay woman and she had Hattie have an instant friendship and attraction.

As the story progresses it keeps getting better with lots of intrigue and plot twists. The book ends with a cliffhanger and sets up Hattie to go on another adventure.

I have read several of Stacy Lynn Millers books and she is getting better with each story she writes.

Highly recommended if you are looking for an action adventure lesbian romance.

Thanks to Net Galley for the opportunity to read and review this book.

Excited to read The Songbird as it had a great premise. Not quite sure how much research went into utilizing Portuguese and depicting Brazilians, though to be fair, it’s tough getting that right for a historical novel. Look forward to the next story

The FMC was likeable. I love the tension between her and the owner of the club. I also enjoyed the mystery in trying to figure out what was going on with Karl and why so many people wanted to know where he was

I was disappointed with this book. I love historical fiction set during WW2 and thought this book had a great story - a family saga, a father accused of breathing his country and working with the Nazi regime and a daughter determined to get to the truth. However, I found the story very slow to develop and while it focused heavily on the family interactions, it was unclear exactly what crimes the father had been alleged to have done and why and therefore why everyone was after him. If that aspect of the story had been fleshed out in a bit more detail, it would have improved my enjoyment of the book much more. I also found the ending very disappointing and left up in the air. It felt as though the book ended in the way it did so that a second book could continue the story.

Thank you to Netgalley for the opportunity to read and review this book.

This novel is being billed as a WWII mystery. I'm not sure if it is that since it is set in 1940. I was really enjoying reading it and liked the plot (as it is all plot and not a lot of character development), but at the halfway point it did something so terrible and dark that I cannot continue reading this book. I am a medium sensitivity reader and usually only vivid descriptions of concentration camps bother me (which is not what happened here), but this was so gruesome and disturbing that I wish I'd been warned about it. Nothing I read about this book and nothing in the first half prepared me for the turn it took, and I did not like it and could not force myself to go on. It gave me nightmares and I wish I'd known where this was going so I could either have not read it or been prepared for the strong turn it would take.

I enjoyed reading The Songbird as the plot is good and there's mystery and action that kept me interested in it. However, I wish the author had made a better research regarding aspects of the Brazilian life at the time as well as regarding the Portuguese language. Hopefully some of the errors I noticed (because I'm Brazilian) have been corrected in the final version of the book.
I thank the author, her publisher, and NetGalley for this ARC.

Stacy Lynn Miller's The Songbird is a captivating historical novel set during World War II. The story follows Hattie James, a rising star in 1940s New York, whose life is upended when her father, a respected diplomat, is arrested for espionage, accused of aiding Nazi Germany. To clear his name, Hattie travels undercover to Rio de Janeiro, performing at the Halo Club owned by the enigmatic Maya Reyes. As she delves deeper into the city's high society, Hattie uncovers a web of secrets, espionage, and unexpected connections, all while navigating personal relationships and the dangers of her mission.

The novel is rich in historical detail, vividly portraying the atmosphere of 1940s Rio—the music, the smoky clubs, and the tension of wartime politics. Hattie is a wonderfully complex protagonist; her vulnerability and strength make her journey feel personal and deeply relatable. The romantic tension adds another layer to the story without overshadowing the espionage plot, striking a delicate balance.

While the pacing starts off a bit slow, it picks up once Hattie arrives in Brazil, leading to a gripping narrative that keeps readers engaged. The blend of suspense, history, and emotion makes this novel a memorable read. If you're into historical fiction with strong female leads, layered intrigue, and a touch of romance, The Songbird is for you.

Perfect for fans of Kate Quinn and Kristin Hannah, The Songbird is available for pre-order and is set to be published on January 7, 2025.

Thanking @netgalley and Severn Publishing for the e-ARC

Set in Brazil in the 1940s. Hattie James has a beautiful voice recording for RCA records until her father comes under FBI suspicion for traitorous actions. She unknowingly carries Morse code in her music scores

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Severn River Publishing for the opportunity to read this ARC. I loved the way this story was told and the unique plot happening around WWII. I think the FMC was super likable and it had a good dosing of suspense. What I struggled with a little was that it felt long (and it’s not a long book) for what it was AND, I feel like the end left much to be desired. That’s a unique feeling to have at the end of the book.

The daughter in the story travels to Brazil to spy and find out why the Nazi’s have her father. So many twists and turns. It gave me a different view of WWII. I enjoyed the story.

I have never heard of Stacy Lynn Miller until I read this book. What interested me was the storyline. Let me full warn you, that this isn’t a boring “war story” in the slightest. Stacy carefully crafted every detail she wove into this, and oh man I was blown away. What sets this book apart from many other books related to war, she wrote this in a way to also highlight the slower parts of the book. Sometimes stories can get too carried away with the action of it, and miss the mark when creating the ambiance of the slower paced parts. I will say, after reading The Songbird, I will be looking for more from this author. Well done!