I have tremendously enjoyed this story! Knowing that it is based on the life of a real woman makes the novel even more interesting and captivating. The plot was full of tension, and the two timelines worked very well. The only detail I found totally unnecessary is Kitty's burgeoning romance . To me, it did not bring anything to the story and rather disturbed the smoothness of the plot.
I have read many of the author's crime books which I also enjoyed a lot. Still, this novel was a brilliant change and I hope she writes more historical novels beside her crime books.
I received a digital copy of this novel from NetGalley and I have voluntarily written an honest review.

This is a historical fiction book told from two points of view, one in 2018 and another during WWII in the 1940s. This story is about a nurse, Evelyn, saving children in a very dark time. I loved how the story came full circle.

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC.

Well, this certainly got all the emotions going!

Inspired by a true story, this is a tale told in dual POVs, over dual timelines and locations of WW2 in Guernsey, and 2018/19 in Dublin, Ireland

In the more recent time, Kitty is minding her family store. A store of curiosity, full of pretty much anything and everything. Her mother passed away a year before, and her father isn't handling it well, leaving Kitty to run the shop. When a woman appears just before closing, wanting to sell an old violin, in desperate need of repair, Kitty decides to take it off her hands, a self bought Christmas present to her from her father.

On Christmas day, on examining the case, some photos and a notebook are revealed. It's clear her father recognises the photos but shuts the conversation down completely. It's not until she visits her aunty who has recently taken a tumble that she learns who these people in the photos are and the names in the notebook are brought to life.

Ww2, Guernsey, and Evelyn Nightingale, once a primary school teacher is now working as unofficial nurse. Working tirelessly to help those most in need, Nurse Nightingale soon becomes a hero without realising just how many lives she will save. With her pure heart, quick thinking, and bravery, she goes above and beyond to keep the needy safe, even at the detriment of her own health and safety.

It is a story of true resilience, bravery, and kindness. This seriously pulled at every heartstring. Knowing that during the war, there were real people out there, doing everything humanly possible to save others. With little or no medical supplies, little food to survive on and sparce belongings to hold on to. It shows just how strong friendships could truly be, even when times were at their bleakness.

This was an intricately weaved tale where two lives come together, connected by time and all revealed by an old violin.

Thanks to Netgalley and Storm Publishing for the ARC.

What a compelling page turner, based on fact, but fiction, so we put faces on the people involved.
A dual time read between 2018 and 1940, from Dublin to Guernsey, from current time to WWII.
When a women brings a violin into their store, she is intrigued with the instrument, and never in her wildest dreams did she realize the impact it will make on her family.
The 1940's is a time when the evil invading Europe is occupying Guernsey, and life tries to go on. Working as a nurse Evelyn Nightingale is at the Emergency Hospital, doing work in most of the wards. She is such a bright light, at such a dark time! Shortages everywhere, including at the hospital. We are there to see what a blessing and the sacrifices she makes to help those in need.
I loved that the author brings this story a full circles, so yes, the answers come, and we are there for the outcome!
I received this book through Net Galley and Storm Publishing, and was not required to give a positive review.

This is a compelling historical novel that intertwines the lives of two women across different eras, connected by hidden truths and acts of courage.
Inspired by true events this books really pulls at your heart strings and captures your interest from page 1. O'Brien's meticulous research and evocative storytelling bring to life the struggles and bravery of individuals during tumultuous times.

This was a really enjoyable read and the words will stay with you long after you are finished!

📚I was able to read an advanced copy of title thanks to NetGalley, Jenny O'Brien and Storm Publishing📚
📚All reviews and opinions are entirely my own📚

I've visited Guernsey so this immediately appealed to me. I was aware the island had been occupied during WWII but I hadn't realised the hardship and suffering the islanders were put through. O'Brien skillfully incorporates the facts of the occupation within a fictional dual time storyline - with Evelyn in Guernsey in WWII and Kitty in Dublin in 2018. Beautifully written, incredibly invocative, it's a story that has stuck in my mind since finishing it. I've been a fan of O'Brien's writing for a while, but with this she has surpassed herself.

Thank you NetGalley and Publisher for allowing me to read and review this book.

I very much enjoyed this book. The writing was great and the characters were well developed. I hope to read more from this author in the future.

"Miss Nightingale was a nobody. Someone you wouldn't look twice at but that didn't didn't stop her from being a hero." Oh, this book warmed my heart and shattered my soul. It's not a story of flashy resistance fighters on the Isle of Guernsey during its brutal German occupation. It's about the fierce determination of a handful of doctors and nurses to care for the islanders in the Emergency Hospital with a dwindling food supply and no antibiotics or surgical supplies.

This book was impossible to put down. Set in Guernsey during WW II and Dublin in 2018, the characters are connected through time by an antique violin. The author expertly weaves the two timelines together, introducing the reader to unforgettable characters and heartbreaking scenarios that seamlessly come together in the end. Jenny O'Brien allows the reader to experience the quiet desperation of the islanders as living conditions deteriorated under the Nazi boot as well as their will to survive with their humanity intact. "Hope. It was a small word for such a powerful force." This powerful book is not to be missed, and I will be thinking about it for a long time.

My thanks to NetGalley and Storm Publishing for the digital ARC. All opinions and the review are entirely my own.

A beautifully penned account of life during the second world war. Informative, evocative and very powerful. This story will remain with me for a very long time. Simply beautiful

The Book of Lost Children by Jenny O’Brien, published on 11 April, is set during two time periods, WW2 in Guernsey and 2018/19 in Dublin. Kitty is minding their store in the present day. Her mother had died 12 months before and her father is not handling her death very well. A woman brings in an old violin hoping to sell it. Her mother had been the expert in musical instruments, but the violin tugs at Kitty and she thinks she may start playing again. With the old violin are a few photos, a notebook and a ring. The name on the notebook is E. Nightingale. And so, the past comes into play. This book grabbed my interest from the very beginning. The changing of society rules with WW2 and women finding their place in the new times is shown quite clearly. Evelyn Nightingale’s relationship with her father would be the same in many homes at the time. The issues of medical care and supplies as well as food supplies during the Occupation of Guernsey, and beyond, make for a gripping story and pulled at the heartstrings. Together with saving babies born during this time, it makes for harrowing reading. This is very well written, blending fact with fiction. It kept me glued to the page.

Inspired by a true story.
One brave nurse, a hidden list, a long buried family secret.
Two women's story,
Guernsey 1940 nurse Evelyn Nightingale.
Dublin Ireland 2018 Kitty White.
A fascinating book.
An old violin case with contents full of history turns up at Kitty's dads antique shop.
You can never go wrong with this author, and this book has to be her biggest challenge yet.
So different, so unique storyteller remarkable story that made me cry.
As we are taking on Evelyn journey through WW2 startling chapters.
And so what's link entails Kitty's and Evelyn's life bond?
I now know, so now I will leave it in your hands to read for yourself and no one will be disappointed.
Oh wow! It truly deserves the stars and more.
I loved it.