Any book that takes me to another place or puts me right into the lives of various characters makes my heart sing. If that's the kind of book you look, you'll love this one as much as I did.

Beautiful cover, beautiful words
Loved every bit of this story
Meissner writes so lyrically and her passion comes off the pages

This was a beautiful story and my first one from Susan Meissner. I loved the writing and how well-drawn the characters were; I'll be looking for more from her in the future.

Two of my favorite genres combined in one amazing book. A Bridge Across the Ocean is a historical fiction book with a twist of paranormal. I will admit that the historical aspect managed to catch my attention more than the paranormal side but together they made this one of my best of 2017 books.

The story of Annaliese and Simone traveling as war time brides to America to join their US soldiers in their homeland was phenomenal. I loved learning about their experiences in Europe while WWII was happening and how they had to adjust to life during war. As with many WWII books written about women, I was amazed at all they had to do just to stay alive. The strength and persistence of Simone and Annaliese is what has truly stayed with me after finishing the story.

Brette’s story was present time. I wasn’t as drawn to her story but it was interesting. Her husband bothered me, for some reason I struggled with his treatment of her. I felt like he was pushy and rather selfish. The RMS Queen Mary, which was used as a transport for war time brides, provided the paranormal part of the story. I have heard of ships being referred to as alive and with feelings and Susan Meissner did a great job of bringing the Queen Mary to life. The tour of the ship by Brette was incredibly detailed and I was hopeful for what she was hoping to find.

I definitely recommend picking up your own copy. The 3 points of view and different time periods make this a book I could not stop reading.

This book was a total surprise. I thought I was getting a typical WWII historical fiction book about war brides and their stories 0f survival during the war. There is one thing the premise does not mention: there is a huge supernatural element. The main character from the present, Brette, can communicate with "Drifters" (i.e. ghosts). Even one of the POVs is that of a ghost. Pretty freaking awesome really. Brett comes from a family of people who can see Drifters. She has never gotten involved and she sees this as more of a curse than a gift. She avoids talking with them and even avoids eye contact if she can help it. But then she gets involved with a Drifter haunting the RMS Queen Mary (a site I really want to visit now that I have read this book) and she feels that solving this mystery will help with her own feelings about her abilities.

The mystery in this book went in a direction that I was really not expecting. Besides the present day Brette, we meet two very different women whose stories collide on the ship. Annalise is German and is running from a secret past. It also isn't easy to be German at the very end of the war because people's feelings are running high. Then there is Simone, the daughter of a French Resistance fighter in search of a fresh start after the trauma she has endured. The story kind of goes back and forth between the Drifter and the present day and the women on the ship and we get glimpses of the women's stories before the war and what led them to the ship. It sounds confusing, but the author did a great job and I never got confused with the characters or the timelines. It's hard to speak much more about the plot because I really don't want to give it away, but I will say that the mystery was so well done and the characters were so well developed. There was such a great blend of historical fiction with the supernatural. There were a few times when I thought I knew the identity of the Drifter or that I knew what happened on the ship, but I ended up being totally wrong. I loved that the ending surprised me. This was a great read and not as emotional as other WWII books, which is a really good thing. The book actually focuses most of the mystery on the events on the ship and those events take place right after the war. This is a great read and I highly recommend it.

A wonderful read! I love historical novels...heartache, tragedy and a good mystery are always a wonderful way to spend a quiet night reading! Enjoy!

It's ironic that I read this book at Passover time because I initially passed over it in 2017, thinking the subject matter wouldn't interest me. Then my book club chose it for our April meeting, so I was glad for a reason to check it out. I'm so thankful that I gave it a chance, as it is currently my favorite of Susan Meissner's novels (that I have read so far).

All three of the female lead characters were compelling and I cared about them equally. I felt like I was in suspense worrying about each of them when the narration switched. At least I was able to read about two of them at the same time during the parts that took place on the Queen Mary. Speaking of which, it reminded me of being on a cruise ship and made me nostalgic for the cruise I went on a couple of years ago.

There were a lot of twists and surprises, which kept me on my toes. I had no idea what would happen next for each of the characters. One of the answers felt a bit far-fetched for me, despite having to suspend disbelief for parts of the story. However, this did not take away from my enjoyment.

It was easy to get absorbed in the story and difficult to put down. I may need to prioritize As Bright as Heaven in the near future. I look forward to reliving the story when I discuss it with my book club in a couple of weeks.

Dream movie cast:
Brette: Brit Marling
Keith: Benjamin Walker
Trevor: Chad Michael Murray
Simone: Sophie Turner
Annaliese: Amy Forsyth
Phoebe: Maddie Hasson
Marc: Lucas Jade Zumann

Thank you for the chance to review this book, however, unfortunately, I was unable to read and review this title before it was archived.

Thoughts

When I first heard about A Bridge Across the Ocean, I was not aware of the paranormal aspects. I thought it was going to be purely historical fiction; however, the fact that Brette is able to see and speak with ghosts did not make this story fantastical. Susan Meissner wrote it in a realistic way that blended well with the other story lines.

I was originally drawn towards this novel because of the cover. This ship on the front looks very similar to the Titanic, and I have been obsessed with the story and legacy of the Titanic since the third grade. This novel has nothing to do with the Titanic, though. It revolves around two women, from Germany and France, surrounding the WWII era. One of the women, Simone, is a subtle part of the Nazi Resistance in France while the other women, Annaliese, is the unfortunate wife of a Nazi official. They meet aboard the RMS Queen Mary, while traveling to America after the war. Decades later, Brette crosses paths with both women while searching for a ghost on the now memorialized Queen Mary.

Honestly, I was more interested in the flashbacks of Simone and Annaliese’s lives before, during, and even after WWII than I was in Brette’s present day journey of self discovery. Some of the flashback scenes are hard to read, but that’s typical of wartime settings. Brette is a pretty mild character, while Simone and Annaliese have stronger personalities and act, rather than react, like Brette does. I feel that Brette only serves to reconcile Simone and Annaliese’s storylines, which is where the meat of the story takes place.

“Her life had morphed into an existence defined always by losses.”

Read This Book If…

…you enjoy historical fiction, especially WWII historical fiction.
…you like books that have twists and unexpected endings.
…you don’t mind reading books with multiple narrators.
…you can enjoy a book even if you connect more with the supporting characters than you do the main character.

(Review will be published on macarons & paperbacks on 8/18/17)

Although I enjoyed the story line set in the past, I felt the story set in the present, with ghosts and the Queen Mary being "alive", was ridiculous and unnecessary. I really like Susan Meissner's other book, Stars Over Sunset Boulevard. With the silly plot point of ghosts, I couldn't give it a higher rating.

Thanks for Netgalley and my respective publishers.
5 Shining stars.
Mind blowing literally...........
I've read the description before picking it but eventually I was so delighted.
After so many, I loved a book with shining stars.

A PERFECT HISTORICAL FICTION.

Another book which expression all the emotions and requisite circumstances during WWII.
This was my first Susan Meissner's book which made to search further books of her.
3 leading character and all were girls and story have mixed with random story which was mutually connected and meaningful eventually.
I felt amazed from 4chapter till the climax.

Very much enjoyed The jumping around to different time periods was a little tough to get used to but I really like this author's writing style and did not expect the ending at all.

Susan Meissner's niche is stories about women in two different time periods, one historical and the other modern. This book follow suit. The connection between the women in this book is the ship, The Queen Mary.

When reading fiction of any type, a certain suspension of disbelief is necessary. No matter what the story, we know when we start reading it that the story is imaginary, even if the setting and/or characters are not. The trick as an author is to create your world and characters and then to make their actions realistic within that world.

I found the World War II era story to be believeable for the most part, but the modern story didn't ring true at all. Brette can see ghosts--people who are caught between this world and the next. It is a "gift" shared by some of the women in her family and something that got her labeled as the weird kid in high school. A man she went to high school with (and liked until he chose the cool crowd over her) contacts her out of the blue because his daughter saw a ghost on the Queen Mary. He asks her to visit the Queen Mary, find out there is no ghost there, and then tell his daugther that there is no ghost. This begins Brette's search for the ghost and for the stories of Annalise and Simone.

Brette's whole plot line just gets stranger and stranger. Even if you accept that ghosts exist and that Brette can see them, Brette's interactions with other people in the modern day just don't ring true--I mean why should the little girl believe this stranger when she won't believe her dad?

While I loved the stories of Annaliese and Simone, Brette's story was a definite weak point in the book.

I'd like to thank the publisher for making a review copy available via NetGalley. Grade: B

http://www.goodbookfairy.com/a-bridge-across-the-ocean-by-susan-meissner/

Traveling With T’s Thoughts:

This was my first Susan Meissner book and I really enjoyed it! Well, up to the end.. Don’t get me wrong- the ending is not bad, just a part of the reveal felt a bit off to me and kinda left me feeling a bit off.



What I liked:

The cover. Gah, so beautiful. The colors. The flower. THE COLORS!!!

How the story was set up between past and present. Loved that.

Learning a bit more about WWII. In my history classes at school- we learned about WWII, but we did not even scratch the surface of all the things that happened and the aftermath. Reading historical fiction can break my heart (my heart still hasn’t completely recovered from The Nightingale) but I do love me some historical fiction books!

How I could not completely decide what happened THAT night. I had theories. I was considering drawing up charts outlining my theories and why that theory had to work. And Susan threw a twist- which I loved!



What didn’t wow me:

When a part of the ending was revealed- I felt… let down, I think is the best way to describe it. I had my own theories and expectations and when I saw she wasn’t going those ways- I was ok. But I wasn’t sure how she would explain one tiny wrinkle and when she did- it worked. But it was like wanting a decadent piece of chocolate, craving it- and then finding that someone had snatched the last piece.



Bottom line: I would read other Susan Meissner books and I still think this one is great!





*This book was sent to Traveling With T for review consideration. All thoughts and opinions are mine alone.*

**A Bridge Across The Ocean was a March #FuturisticFriday selection from Traveling With T. It was also a She Reads Spring Book Club selection.**

Brought to you by OBS Reviewer Daniele

I am never one to shy away from a good ghost story or paranormal elements in a book, and I adore historical fiction, so I was fully prepared to love A Bridge Across the Ocean. I felt truly invested in the historical parts, but the present day bits left me wanting more.

The book tells the tale of three women in alternating perspectives. Simone has lost her brother and father in Nazi occupied France, and since they were part of the Resistance she must go into hiding. Here she falls in love with a downed US Airman. Annaliese is German and forced by her parents to marry an abusive Nazi officer. Both of these World War II women are strong and interesting with heartbreaking back stories that are compelling. Brette’s story plays out in present day San Diego where she can see ghosts but is afraid to embrace her abilities, and this is holding her back in life. Bette’s “gift” is what brings all of the plot threads together.

One of my favorite aspects of the book is Meissner’s ability to make the RMS Queen Mary a character. The ship’s chronicle as a luxury liner to war ship to museum is fascinating. I do not think I knew about its part in reuniting GI brides with their husbands. This history, and its legend of being haunted, plays a crucial part in the book’s story. However, Queen Mary’s role in the resolution of the book feels contrived.

The passages that take place during and immediately following the War are truly lovely. I felt like I was hiding along with Simone in the dark wine cellar. I empathized with Annaliese’s plight and her desperate attempt to escape a horrible situation. I cannot help but wonder what choices I would make in her place. Unfortunately, I did not enjoy Brette. Unable to connect with her, I found her whiny and boring. I fully realize that she plays a necessary role in the resolution of the tale, but by the end I was bored with Brette and wish that Meissner had stuck to the historical fiction and left the paranormal for a different book.

Overall, I did like A Bridge Across the Ocean, but I did not love it. Part historical fiction, part mystery, part ghost story, and part women’s lit, it should have something for everyone. I think it tries too hard to fit into all of these genres.

This book was pretty fragmented at first, even for a parallel narrative. There's the initial narrator (whose identity I can't spoil), Annaliese, Simone, and Brette. It takes quite awhile to link two of them together and even longer to link the third and fourth. I enjoyed Annaliese and Simone's stories and Meissner's portrayal of different ways that WWII (and mid-20th century life in general) mistreated women. Brette's struggling with her "gift" was much weaker. Perhaps if this had been two separate books, both stories would have benefited. I understand Meissner's goal in setting up a bit of a mystery to move the plot, but I think leaving the two historical stories as they were but with more detail would have successfully created the drama needed to move the book along, whereas Brette's investigating (for lack of a better word) was flat. So thumbs up for the historical half, thumb... sideways for the modern half.

A Bridge Across the Ocean by Susanne Meissner is a story of three women whose lives are connected by a ship, The Queen Mary. The three women are Annaliese, a Nazi officers wife, Simone, the daughter of a resistance fighter, and Brette, a present day woman who has the ability to see ghosts.

The three stories in this book are written well and they intertwine with each other beautifully. I really liked how the title of this book has multiple meanings that deal with the story. I didn't think this book would be dealing with the paranormal in the way it did, but it added another level of interest for me. I don't think that it took away from this book, but rather added to it.

This is a great book for fans of historical fiction. I think that it would be great for those interested in the paranormal as well.

I acknowledge that I received this book free of charge from Netgalley in exchange for my honest and unbiased opinion of it.

The latest of my many WWII fiction reads, A Bridge Across the Ocean by Susan Meissner, follows the stories of three war brides as as they experience the horrors of the war, meet their husbands, and later make the trip on the Queen Mary “across the ocean.” Of course as in many modern novels the chapters jump back and forth between past and present so a reader learns key information at various times to make the story most intriguing.

The strikingly different aspect of this book – compared with all the other WWII fiction I have read – is that it has a fantastical element to it. Specifically, the main “present day” character has “The sight” meaning she can communicate with “drifters” or ghosts. The drifters she runs into on The Queen Mary (apparently this ship is known to be haunted) are trying to set the record straight about what exactly happened when one of those three brides did not end up disembarking in America.

I admit I was initially turned off by this ghost part of the story line especially because it begins the book in a setting of a modern day baby shower where a guest sees a drifter, and at this point I wasn’t quite sure I was reading the right book…I remember thinking “wait – I thought this was supposed to be about WWII!!” And much of the book, perhaps too much, takes place in the present day.

However, I ended up enjoying the characters and story lines, and as much as it would have surprised me to say so during that first chapter, I do recommend this book as an enjoyable and refreshingly different read.

The stories of all those war brides is particularly fascinating to me, and in her acknowledgements, the author references the website uswarbrides.com which tells hundreds of real WWII war bride stories. I plan to spend some time on this website, and even though Meissener’s book is fiction and fantastical (depending on what you may or may not believe) she has certainly written an entertaining book on a interesting subject, and I am thankful for being enlightened about this piece of WWII history.