The Last Correspondent

The Last Correspondent by Soraya M. Lane is an excellent historical fiction novel that is based during WWII.

This novel focusses on the unsung heroines consisting of the war journalists, photographers, and correspondents that traveled overseas and reported on and documented the battles, atrocities, and soldiers. These brave women risked their lives to be able to be a part of the war to document the events for the public as well as for history. Without some of these huge findings, there would be large parts of history that would be lost to us for forever.

I loved being able to read about WWII from a different angle. This book sets itself apart from its crowd by selecting an occupation and a group of individuals that are not heavily written about. I loved learning this.

In this novel, the author alternates her chapters with each chapter centering around one of three women that all seem different at first (from different countries, lives, and experiences) but yet due to times and situations, all become close and derive strength from one another and survive due to their friendships, loyalty, and similarities.

I loved reading about Ella, Danni, and Chloe. I loved that despite their differences, they all bonded together and brought out the best in one another. I loved each woman's story, the changes and development that occurred with each one respectively, and how they found their own positive endings in their own lives, and with one another.

I especially enjoyed the Author's Afterward in which I was able to learn about real-life war journalists (ex Martha Gellhorn) and have been researching more about her since I finished this novel. I love when I am able to learn something new all the while enjoying an amazing historical fiction novel. The author also clarified what was fact, fiction, and what was slightly altered in order to fit the storyline appropriately.

This was an amazing story of strength, love, friendship, overcoming adversity, and triumph over evil with great characters, and an excellent and memorable plot. I have loved every book that I have ever read by Ms. Lane, and this book is a definite positive addition to her previous works.

5/5 stars

Thank you NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing for this ARC and in return I am submitting my unbiased and voluntary review and opinion.

I am posting this review to my GR, Bookbub accounts immediately and will post it to my Amazon, Instagram, and B&N accounts upon publication.

That gorgeous cover grabs you and the story of three courageous women during WWII won’t let you go. This is Soraya M. Lane at her finest.

We meet journalist Ella in the States, when she’s found out for submitting stories under a male pseudonym and loses her job. “No women are allowed to write here,” she’s told.

Then in Italy during a heated battle with the Germans, American photojournalist Danni covering the action is told, “No women allowed on the battle field.”

Finally there’s Chloe, Vogue model who’s had a fling with Gabriel, a charming French editor. After returning to London for three years, she finds a sneaky way to get to Nazi-occupied France to see him.

These gutsy women never give up. Danni and Ella, now in England, sneak onto a hospital ship heading to Normandy, becoming the first photog and writer covering the battle on the beaches.

Chloe finds Gabriel in Paris and longs for him to marry her. Yes, he’ll sleep with her, but his true love is the French Resistance. She ends up as cook and housekeeper for his group, feeling useless, unloved and unsafe.

After Normandy, Danni pushes relentlessly to fulfill a promise to her dearest friend. He wants her to find his sister (Chloe) in France. She and Ella steal an Army jeep and make their way inland to rescue her. What the three encounter will keep you captive ‘til the last page.

A totally engrossing tale that takes you ‘cross the globe and into the lives of fierce women who impact history during a hellish time.

5 of 5 Stars

Pub Date 01 Nov 2020

Thanks to Soraya M. Lane, Amazon Publishing UK, and NetGalley for the review copy. Opinions are mine.

#TheLastCorrespondent #NetGalley

Reading historical fiction has become enjoyable to me as I learn more about the “behind the scenes” things that went on during World War II I haven’t ever thought about. This book is an excellent depiction of female journalists and photographers and the lengths they went to toward being able to report actual events of the war, the soldiers and the conditions, despite being banned from the front. Told from the perspective of three amazing women, the story reveals the strong personalities and strengths of their diverse backgrounds. The book is based on actual characters and happenings of the war. I would recommend this book to anyone interested in historical fiction, I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley and the publisher. All opinions expressed are my own.

With thanks to netgalley for an early copy in return for an honest review.
Having read a lot of this author's work I was delighted to get an early copy and it certainly did not disappoint these gutsy women were not going to be pushed over,excellent plot and storyline. Can highly recommend this book.

Three strong, daring women. Three awesome, loveable men. One of the finest, fast-paced historical fiction there is. I was stunned by the interesting details. I applaud the author for this wonderful story. I definitely recommend this to everyone who likes to read about strong women.

The Last Correspondent

Soraya M. Lane

World War II always excites me. So when I received my NetGalley ARC, I was more than happy to indulge.

The setting of this novel is in 1943, in a few different locations, such as London, Paris, Bayeux, and Normandy. There are three main characters, Danni, Ella, and Chloe. They are going to the front lines of the war on their own accounts. They each have their own goal to achieve. During this time, women were not permitted to travel to the front lines. Thus what they are going to do is dangerous.

The author writes from a fresh perspective than many World War II novels. In the beginning, the novel is slow-paced but in the end, it returns to a steady pace.

The story is told from 3 different points of view. There is a smooth transition between those points of view. There is no abrupt change of tense. The paragraphs are light and short. The language is evocative. It portrays the difficulties women had to endeavor to go to the front lines. Although the ending is somewhat cliched, I enjoyed reading it.

The characterization is stereotyped to some extent. Danni being audacious and bold and a true daredevil. She doesn’t stop until she achieves her target. Ella is sensitive and empathetic, yet brave and courageous at the same time. What I really liked was Chloe’s growth from a credulous, impulsive girl to a thoughtful and hardworking person.

I think it is fair to say that the author has done a satisfactory job of bringing the true horrors of war to light. Also, she does a commendable job in delineating the difficulties women had to undergo in order to report the true colors of war. Recommended for everyone who enjoys a good war fiction.

Thank you NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing for this ARC. This review is unbiased and my own honest opinion.

The Last Correspondent by Soraya M. Lane is an excellent historical fiction novel that is based during WWII. There's been a plethora of novels published recently taking place during this period. Many of them telling the previously untold stories of the brave women who resumed so much, sacrificed so much. The stories share the commonality of being based on truth - real women. This book is one of the best.

This book was amazing, I loved it so much I had to know the end quickly. It's an empowering book for women, although I got scared when Chloe and Danni got injured, but it changed things. I also hated that Andy died. The book makes us to want to push till we achieve our goal

When journalist Ella Franks is unmasked as a woman writing under a male pseudonym, she loses her job. But having risked everything to write, she refuses to be silenced and leaps at the chance to become a correspondent in war-torn France. A totally engrossing tale that takes you ‘cross the globe and into the lives of fierce women. I highly recommend this book.

The blurb for this was intruquing and as I had read another of Soyara's books and enjoyed it, I requested it. The first part was good and I liked Danni and Ella as they were strong independent women who were opening up opportunities for the next generation of women journalists and then the story changed as they became romantically involved and seemed to lose their spark.

The Last Correspondent By Soraya Lane

5 Stars

I have read many books by Soraya Lane, but this one was my favorite so far. This story follows Ella, Danni, and Chloe. Three women facing the war and facing it like the men around them. Ella and Danni land on the beaches at Normandy. They captured and told stories of the brave men, friends some, that died that day. Chloe becomes wrapped in the war in ways she knew nothing about until she had to be strong.

This story was amazing. It was so well written and once again, I was blown away by this author. From the brave characters, to the beautiful scenes of the country, to the horrors of war. Soraya is able to bring each story to life in such a way that the book becomes real. The scenery, the smells, the characters. Its almost as if you are in the book. Or at least, that is what I get from this book.

Overall, no complaints. The Last Correspondent was a story of war, love, determination, and bravery. It was amazing and action packed from start to finish. It is an amazing read.

Reviewed  By

Stormi Ellis

Many thanks to NetGalley for the ARC of this book. I’ve always loved Soraya’s stories and this one is no different!! This book follows Ella, a journalist and Danni, a photographer, as the two make their way to Normandy and cover the D-Day invasion. A third woman, Chloe, has her own tale and is interwoven with Ella and Danni. I held my breath for most of this story as I never knew what was going to happen. Adventure, twists and turns, love, and the war are all vital pieces of this story. I highly recommend this book as Ella and Danni were true heroes and lead the way for women correspondents within the war. The battles and choices they had to make weren’t easy ones and they were brave to pursue their dream.

Three brave women, three different personalities, all with the same goal. It's 1943, and though it is not only dangerous and no women are allowed to travel to the front lines, these women make it their ultimate goal. Told from a different perspective than other WWII books, I found it interesting and enjoyable. This well written book should be on your list of "must reads" if you are a fan of HF. My thanks to NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I’ve enjoyed previous books by this author for her strong female protagonists and solid historical settings. This book felt rushed to me. The dialogue was generic and, while it was set during the Normandy invasion, it didn’t really get into the meat of it. These female correspondents were selfish rather than strong and stupid rather than brave and they needed men to save them. It had much more of a romance feel than historical fiction. I was not overly impressed with this one. I know that an immense amount of research goes into these books, but I got more history out of the author’s notes than the bulk of the book.

If you love historical fiction that portrays strong female characters and their dramatic, horrific and brave experiences of war, this novel is for you. Set in the early 1940s and inspired by the true accounts of female war correspondents during WWII, Lane tells the stories of war from the perspective of Ella, an American journalist, Danni, an American photographer, and Chloe, the little sister of a British male journalist, Andy.

Ella and Danni are badass women bucking prejudices and restrictions against women reporting on and being around war. Even when told over and over again that they don't belong, or they're not allowed, or they shouldn't be there, their passion and duty to report on the war is unwavering. Chloe is young, naive, and a bit selfish, but the war changes her, as it does everyone, and she grows into yet another badass woman.

The narrative centers around the horrific events of the historic day when allied forces landed on Omaha Beach of Normandy, France, known as D-Day. This invasion ultimately turned the tides of war leading to victory over Nazi Germany.

This story is fast paced and truly gripping; the pace of the narrative and the content itself had my heart racing and my stomach flip flopping. The story moves along very quickly but that adds to the urgency of what the characters are experiencing. Ella and Danni have a single goal: get the truth from the front lines to the front page.

Even though the narrative is fast paced, it still allows for sufficiently developing characters. The Last Correspondent has a little bit of everything a historical fiction novel might have; friendship and family conflicts, love and romance, action and suspense, history and realism.

This novel is one of my top-ten reads of 2020 and I highly recommend it.

Thank you @netgalley, @amazonpublishing, and author, @sorayalaneauthor, for the Advanced Review Copy of THE LAST CORRESPONDENT in exchange for an honest review. All opinions herein are my own.

PUBLICATION DATE: November 1, 2020

What I had hoped would be a fantastic feminist WW2 novel ended up reading like a 12 year old girl’s war fantasy day dream. With the plethora of WW2 novels to choose from, this one falls to the bottom of the pile.

A fantastic read full of strong women wonderful men a book I enjoyed it.from first to last page.I was transported from my reading chair back in time to this fascinating time in history.#netgalley#amazonuk

This book pulls no punches as it follows three women across France in the harrowing last days of WWII. All three are struggling to find themselves as they try to persevere in a man's world. It's bad enough that a war is raging all around them. But they have to fight their battles among their own ranks too. Their lives come together in unexpected ways as the harsh realities of war rain down around them. Danni and Ella are just as good at their jobs as their male counterparts. Maybe better than some. But they find themselves restricted at every turn because of their gender. Chloe just wants to be with the man she loves, but is finding that difficult under circumstances she could never have anticipated. This is a gritty novel that tells the story of women who just want to do their jobs to the best of their ability, but find themselves stymied at every turn. Still, as they keep trying, they have to learn to navigate a reality they didn't expect. The suspense builds with every chapter, and it kept me reading late into the night. I highly recommend this story and will be reading more books by this author. Thank you to NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing for the advance reader's copy.

In the latest WWII fiction by Soraya Lane, we follow three women as they navigate their way through Nazi-occupied France. Each are fighting their own battles within. Danni, the most celebrated photojournalist of her time, is determined to document the raw truth of what war looks like, even if that means losing everything. Ella is a small-town American journalist who is trying to find out what she's made of - she just wasn't expecting to sail across the world to do it. Chloe is a painfully naive, immature model who sneaks of into the middle of a war zone to be reunited with her love, only to find herself in the thick of the Resistance.

I HATE the stereotype of "tough professional woman incapable of showing emotion" so many authors go to, and after being introduced to Danni I was afraid that's where we were going with her. She was tough, obstinate, and thick-headed. There's a scene where her partner is describing a pretty traumatizing thing they experienced and I thought, "here we go ... Another one who refuses to be human." Ella was my favorite. She was brave AND had emotional intelligence, even if anything louder than a sneeze made her shake in her boots. It was endearing to see such vulnerability in a character who still remained strong. Chloe was irritating as I suppose she should have been - she was sheltered and spoiled and had no clue about what the realities of war consisted of.

But then, they all started to grow. Danni has the most emotional response to something out of everyone and learns to show that vulnerability. Ella grows a spine but remains the emotional anchor for all three women. And Chloe grows up and fosters one of the biggest events in their lives. While Ella started as my favorite, now I couldn't tell you who I loved more. The character arc for each was developed beautifully. Lane took her time with each, and even though it's a fairly short book, you didn't feel rushed. There were no unanswered questions or moments of "but what about...." And there is one paragraph - maybe 4 sentences long - about a little boy holding a man's hand that was the most heartbreakingly beautiful of the entire thing.

I love that Lane focuses on strong, every day women without being stereotypical in their representation. She writes them true, and they make an impression. So thankful I was able to get an ARC from her and NetGalley, so many thanks to them both. As promised, my honest review in exchange.

This was a wonderful historical fiction based during WWII about 2 female Correspondents trying to catch a break in a male dominated world. I'm in awe at the level of detail the author put in describing the efforts women had to go through to prove their ability and talent. I believe I'll be thinking about this book for a while. These brave and amazing women risked their lives to show America what was happening in Normandy.

THE LAST CORRESPONDENT by Soraya Lane is a beautifully-written and emotional work of historical fiction that is inspired by true events and people. It is the story of three courageous women whose paths cross in war-ravaged France during World War II. Ella Franks is an American journalist who loses her job when her editor finds out she has been writing under a male pseudonym. With nothing left to lose, she heads overseas determined to become a war correspondent. Danni Bradford is a daring British photojournalist that has made her way into the male-dominated world of war reporting, but she soon learns she will be left behind when only male correspondents are allowed to cover the unfolding events in Normandy. She will stop at nothing to be part of the delegation that will witness the landing at Omaha Beach. Later Ella and Danni will meet Chloe, the sister of Danni’s partner, Andy who has stumbled into the French Resistance and whose life is in danger the longer she remains in France. The three women must band together if they are to survive their perilous circumstances. The story alternates between the points of view of the three main characters. I found myself cheering for the strength, resilience and compassion these brave women exhibited. THE LAST CORRESPONDENT is a gripping story of friendship, loyalty and survival that will stay on my mind for a long time to come. Thank you to the author, publisher and NetGalley for the chance to read an early copy.

Soraya Lane has written several books about strong women who are trying to do their part during WWII but are restricted simply because they are women. Her new book follows that main theme but gives us three strong women trying to overcome the prejudice against women during this time in our history.

Danni is a photojournalist who feels that it is her duty to take pictures so that people in American can see what war is really about. In Italy, she gets restricted to the field hospital (one of the few places were women were accepted as nurses) by Gen Patton. As D-Day approaches, she knows that she has to get to France but women correspondents were strictly prohibited.

Ella is a writer who has just lost her job as a reporter for using a male pseudonym. She knows that writing is the main part of her life and when she is offered a job to go to London to write about women's roles in the war, she jumps at the chance. Once she gets to London, she realizes that she wants to write about more important subjects and knows that somehow she has to get to France for the invasion.

Chloe is a flighty Vogue model who despite the war, manages to travel from London to Paris to be with her boyfriend who is now part of the Resistance. Once there, she finds out that he considered her to be a fling while she thought that they were both in love. She starts out as being very naive and selfish but with her growth during the novel, she too becomes a strong woman.

All three women are determined to follow their dreams no matter what happens even as they are in the midst of a war and frequently in personal danger. Their friendship with each other helps them all become stronger as they help each other through some perilous situations.

The one thing that I didn't like about this novel were the romances. Finding love in war is great but at times, these women who were supposed to be strong sure relied on the man that they fell in love with to save their day!

This fantastic novel is about war and survival, friendship and love and most importantly about strong women who are able to follow their dreams no matter how hard the men of the world try to keep them in their places.

I absolutely loved this book. Thank you to the author for reaching out to me to read in exchange for an honest review. This was a truly captivating story set during a time of war that touched on love, loss and friendships like no others that I read about before. I highly recommend this book.

I WISH I COULD GIVE THIS BEAUTIFUL BOOK ALL THE STARS IN THE UNIVERSE!
I LOVED THIS BOOK!
THIS IS MY FIRST ,FAVOURITE HISTORICAL FICTION READ.
I COULDN'T PUT IT DOWN AND I WAS LIVING ALL THE EMOTIONS WITH THESE 3 WOMEN, it was inexplicable,

The song that kept playing in my head while reading this book was "IT IS A MAN's WORLD" by James Brown
This is a man's world
This is a man's world
BUT IT WOULD BE NOTHING, NOTHING
WITHOUT A WOMAN OR A GIRL!

Set in the early 1940s of WW2 a tale of not one but three INTREPID, SAVAGE WOMEN. It is inspired by true events and characters during that time.

Ella whose love for writing was greater than anything else in the world, even greater than her life.

Danni whose love for photography is the reason of her being, who DOESN'T TAKE "NO" for an answer and loves to flout all the rules of being a LADYLIKE and demure WOMAN.

Chloe a successful glamorous model in London who loves hard and can do anything for the man she loves Gabriel.

It talks about the horrors and impact of war and how one can never be the same person once he/she has witnessed it, its like a SCAR THAT CANNOT BE HEALED.
Ella and Danni step right in the mouth of the SHARK and relentlessly continue to tell the story of WAR as UGLY and GRAPHIC AS IT GETS undeterred and unfazed by any perils that fall on their paths to success.

I LOVED ALL THE CHARACTERS!
LOVED THE CAMARADERIE between ELLA, DANNIE and ANDY.

THANK YOU SORAYA M.LANE for giving me my first FAVOURITE HISTORICAL FICTION BOOK!

Thank you NetGalley and the publishers for sending me an EARC in exchange for an honest review.

Had I realised that this book would be little more than a boosted Mills and Boon style romance - feisty heroines and mean, nasty men trying to get in their way whilst sed.ucing them with harsh words and scathing looks, I really wouldn't have bothered. To convert the Normandy Landings and the work of the French Resistance into something SO superficial took some kind of sad determination.

Everything in this just comes too easily. Find boat, hide on boat, get to the beaches before all the accredited journos. Want jeep, steal jeep, drive into a scene of death and destruction, find a Resistance man who 'just happens' to be exactly the one they're looking for. Honestly, it's weekday, mid-afternoon television romance for those who don't want to have to think too hard.

I've read about the lives of other female war correspondents - both WW2 and later - and this book singularly fails to pay respect to the bravery and efforts of those women. It also fails to give any sense of the practical aspects of HOW correspondents get their stories and their photos back to their papers. And WHY make two of the three women Americans? Was that an attempt to sell more copies in a bigger marketplace? Weren't British girls good enough for this author to let them have an adventure too?

On the plus side, it's a quick read so my suffering wasn't extended. It read more like a screenplay than a novel. There was very little depth to any of the characters. This one definitely wasn't for me.

I got it both as a review copy and as an Amazon Prime first read.

This is a lovely historical fiction story about WW2. It is set in Europe (with several settings and several story lines), but revolves around two women doing what is definitely at that time considered men's work. They are journalists, one photographer and one writer, trying their best to send news home about the front lines. The story is expertly told, and has drama even though none of it is unpredictable. You learn to love the characters, and truly hope they succeed. Overall, a fantastic story! I definitely would recommend it.

This was a great book with a strong heroine! Ella Franks is a journalist using a man's name. When her secret is discovered she loses her job and becomes a journalist is France during World War 2. While in France she meets Danni Bradford who is a photojournalist and her friend Andy. Andy's sister Chloe has followed her boyfriend to France. The three women become friends and they help each other through the tough times of the war. I loved the friendships between the women. This is a story of friendship and survival and I really enjoyed it! I received an advanced readers copy and all opinions are my own.

The Last Correspondent is a fantastic Historical Fiction novel based during WWII. The author, Soraya M. Lane, likes to use strong female characters in her books and this book does the same. The Last Correspondent is a captivating read about two female correspondents trying to succeed in a male-dominated world. These two women risked their lives so that they could report back to the U.S. the events that transpired in Normandy, France. Their courage, perseverance and resilience are incredibly inspiring.

I think the author did a great job with the plot. Normally Historical Fiction books are a slower read for me, but I found this to be fast-paced and really enjoyable!

Readers with an interest in WWII and stories of unsung war heroes will enjoy this book.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing for providing an eARC of this book. All opinions are my own.

The Last Correspondent is a riveting and heartfelt novel about three brave women on the frontlines of WWII. I love books that put ordinary people into extraordinary circumstances, and in this book, Danni, Ella, and Chloe exemplify that. Danni and Ella are dedicated war correspondents who rail against the restrictions on women in war zones, and Chloe is a young woman who unwittingly finds herself in the heart of the Resistance. These women learn to fight for what they believe in—three bright women who are smart and determined and passionate. I felt as if I were right in the action with these women—from London to Sicily to Normandy—on the edge of my seat and quickly turning pages, my heart in my throat. I highly recommend this book to lovers of WWII fiction, as well as anyone who loves stories of courage and resilience.

I was a bit disappointed with this book, especially when the author said she had based the narrative on accounts of actual female war correspondents' experiences. So I was expecting an interesting account of life as a female WW2 correspondent amidst the horrors and deprivation of war but instead got a soft, rose colored view of a girls own adventure with the war as a backdrop.

We're told by the author that the women are feisty and brave but we're never shown that. Even as the correspondents, Ella and Danni, are wading ashore at Normandy surrounded by dead soldiers in the water, the immensity and catastrophe of that never felt real. The female characters also never showed any personal growth through their experiences and the men they fell for were so stereotyped as to be alpha male cardboard cutouts. And don't even get me started on fashion model Chloe! No one could have lived through the London blitz and be naive enough to think it would be okay to travel to German occupied Paris to see the man she spent a week with before the war and is surprised when she is not welcomed with opened arms.. Although this is disappointingly not a work of serious historical fiction about those women brave enough to report from war zones, it may be popular with those who enjoy a romance set during war time and don't mind if the characters are not very credible.

I raced through this - I used to read a lot of wartime bravery novels as a teen but haven’t really since then, so this was great. I was really invested in the characters and my heart was in my mouth at multiple moments.

The Last Correspondent by Soraya M. Lane

This story is about journalist Ella Franks, who writes under a male pseudonym in a male dominant career. She heads to war-torn France where she meets ups with American photojournalist Danni Bradford.

To me this is a combination of historical fiction, and romance, however I just could not really get into the storyline and felt it was really written for young adults.

Thank You to NetGalley, Author Soraya M. Lane and Amazon Publishing UK for my advanced copy to read and review.

#TheLastCorrespondent #NetGalley

I really enjoyed this novel. Interesting characters and well-researched. A story that kept you reading well into the night.

Special thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for a free, electronic ARC of this novel received in exchange for an honest review.
Expected publication date: November 1, 2020
“The Last Correspondent”, by historical fiction novelist Soraya Lane, focuses on three women who come together during World War Two and, despite all that is against them, become important figures in the war.
Ella is a journalist bound and determined to write about the war first hand and show the horrors of war first-hand. Danni is a renowned photographer and, along with her journalist partner, Andrew, she also has dreams of documenting the War that has changed the world. However, both Ella and Danni are denied access to the front lines because they are both women. Despite this, both women separately plot a way to get across the ocean to France, ¬¬¬and end up capturing a horrific and realistic picture of war, losing everything along the way.
Chloe has followed the love of her life to France, where she hopes for a loving reunion after months apart. A former Vogue model, Chloe is rejected by her lover, who has taken up with the Resistance. Now Chloe is alone and in grave danger, but a chance meeting with two assumed strangers will change her life forever.
Lane is a new novelist for me, although she has been writing historical fiction for some time. Her works all have strong, brave female protagonists and that is obviously the case with this novel as well. To experience the war through a woman’s eyes and to experience sexism in a way that is unparalleled to anything today, this novel was not only eye-opening but encouraging as well. All the characters are fantastic, starting off the novel as underestimated females and ending up as game-changers in a tragic and terrible way, Chloe, Danni and Ella are characters to be admired and cheered for from page one.
Lane does not “pretty” up the story, and in fact, the depictions of the war can be quite gory and heartbreaking. However, this only adds to the reality of the plot. Lane’s descriptive language brings the setting to life and, as the story unfolds, you cannot help but be pulled in.
In some sections, the writing style was a bit confusing, as I found some of the interactions between the women to be petty and child-like. But this did not happen frequently enough to have a huge impact on enjoyment.
A powerful portrayal of war, “The Last Correspondent” is a rallying novel for all women. The fact that Lane based this novel on real-life women is not in the least surprising, and I think she pays them the appropriate respect by depicting them so honestly.

Read it. It’s written in a fine and easy style. Danni and Ella are great strong female characters and the backdrop of the war is heart wrenching. Chloe is an egocentric girl, who is the most annoying part of the book in the early chapters. And totally unrealistic in the end especially considering the era.

Totally recommend.

American journalist Ella Franks loses her job when the newspaper finds out she's a woman and not "Ernst Franks." She begins writing stories of the women at home in Illinois who are helping the war effort, which lands her a job in London with the Associated Press.

Photographer Danni Bradford, also an American, has been to Italy and North Africa covering World War II. Her pictures are too graphic for the papers, but she's determined to photograph the war as she sees it. Her longtime partner is a journalist named Andy, a Brit who is like a brother to her.

Andy's sister Chloe is chafing at being home alone in London and apart from her French lover. She misses the travel and excitement that her now-defunct modeling career used to afford her. Chloe decides while her brother is away to sneak into France and find him.

The three women's lives cross paths during the final days of World War II.

Ella has the naïveté of a reporter with boots on the ground for the first time, and her frustration at her editor changing her stories of strong women to fluff pieces angers her. She decides to tell stories of the war, not just women's stories. The reader follows as her exposure to the horrors of war changes her. She becomes a hardened and stronger version of herself.

Danni is hard to begin with because she has to be as a woman working in a man's world. She has made a reputation for herself as one of the best photographers following the war. She's brash and combative, but Andy's influence calms her down. Danni becomes softer as the war takes its toll on her; she begins to open up more to those she loves and sometimes lets her guard down.

Ella and Danni meet in London while working on stories of the Blitz. Several male correspondents will be going to Normandy with the troops on D-Day, but females aren't allowed. They both are determined to make it to Normandy despite not having official credentials to travel.

Chloe begins the novel even more naïve than Ella, thinking that her travels during modeling have made her more worldly. Going to France is a terrible decision, but she only realizes when it's too late to return home to Britain.

Each woman has a love interest, although not all of them are serious. While some fans of strong females see having male love interests as a detriment to the story, the way each woman handles her feelings and ways of expressing them adds to their character.

The writing is wonderful, almost to the point that you forget you're reading and are just consuming the story as fast as you can. The plot is a roller coaster ride of emotions, from triumph to fear to the pain of loss.

Highly recommended for readers of World War II fiction and those who enjoy stories with strong female characters. If any historical fiction fans are on the fence about trying WWII fiction, this book would be a good place to start.

(4.5 stars, rounded up)

A beautiful, well written book that I could not put down. The strength of the women portrayed in this historical novel is nothing less than inspiring. I highly recommend reading The Last Correspondent.

This is a multi-POV, story told in alternating chapters. The chapters are from Danni, Ella, and Chloe’s point of view. Of the three main characters, I feel like I got to know Danni and Ella the best. Chloe however, seems immature and flighty and we don’t get much of her story.

What I liked:
I think the premise of this story was fascinating. I am impressed that female journalists wanted be imbedded with the troops to cover the Normandy landings at great personal risk. I am also intrigued that the story is based on a real-life female reporter. The author effectively presented some of the brutalities of war.

What could have been better:
*The men in this story are very one-dimensional and I would have liked to learn more about them.
*Some of the thoughts and actions from the journalists do not back up the strong women theme (good thing Ella didn’t cut her hair or she wouldn’t have gotten a kiss; Ella doesn’t balk at the idea that love interest wants her as an assistant and typist for his novel)
*The French resistance element of this story was not explored and was given superficial treatment
*I think there was a missed opportunity with Chloe’s storyline. She was essentially a non factor until she needed rescuing.

I would recommend this book to readers who enjoy romance novels with historical elements. 3.5/5

As an engineer, nothing gets me going quite like a story about women fighting to be equals in their profession and The Last Correspondent certainly met the bill. Ella and Danni are war correspondents trying to fight for their right to cover major WWII events alongside their male peers and they have both set their sights on making it to the beaches of Normandy. But as can be expected from war, nothing goes plan as they make difficult choices in how to both publish the realities of war while protecting themselves and those they love.

This was an epic novel covering that displayed WWII from many angles. I thoroughly enjoyed how Ella and Danni did not take no for an answer, instead finding unique solutions and dodging obstacles created by men. My one major complaint is that I could not stand Chloe, the sister of Danni's work partner, who plays an important part in this story. I honestly could have cut out her narrative and been perfectly happy reading more about Ella's growth from shy and timid to headstrong and bold. Overall, I think fans of The Nightingale or The Girl You Left Behind would love this book if they're looking for a new historical fiction novel with some romance on the side.

I wanted to love this book, but it just didn't ring true for me. Too many clichés, too much fluff. I was expecting a hard-nosed story based on historical fiction but it was a little too unbelievable, too soapy. Others may love it, I thought it was just okay. Would read another by this author.

Strong WWII-Europe Tale Featuring Not-Usually-Featured Personnel. This was a solid tale of the trials and tribulations of a job in WWII-Europe that doesn't really get featured much in the discussions - written war correspondents, and particularly the few females who had enough balls to force themselves into such roles. Lane does a superb job at dropping us into the action at famous and infamous points and showing the side of the war she wants to feature rather than the more well known stories - including a seemingly-unreal-yet-actually-real story of one particular female war correspondent who did, in fact, hide herself on a hospital ship and thus become the *only* correspondent - of either gender - to see the events of D-Day unfold with her own unaided eyes. (Yes, Lane fictionalizes even that event, but a real-life version *did* actually happen.) Indeed, my only real complaint here was that I wanted to have Lane have her photojournalist do something in Sicily involving Patton (and his subsequent sidelining by Supreme Commander Eisenhower) that apparently no real photographs exist of. Which makes sense that Lane couldn't then have her character do something that is in fact documented as having never happened. ;) Ultimately a great story of some very brave women and the very real decisions that would have had to have been made by real-life versions of these characters. Very much recommended.

This is a book about war correspondents, specifically about women. It was an interesting story with very strong willed women, reporting during an especially difficult time. I had a hard time with the first part of the book , the second half was way better. At least for me. I really enjoyed the book!
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the early copy

Thank you to Net Galley and Amazon Publishing UK for the chance to read and review this book. I have to confess, I did not finish this book. I like to read about this topic, but the characters just seemed silly. The setting seemed so unrealistic. I did not find it to be an accurate depiction of how I think the characters would feel and act during wartime.

The Last Correspondent by Soraya M Lane is a World War 2 fiction inspired by some of the real women who worked as correspondents from the front line , brave and determined women who had to fight for their opportunity in a man's world. The book follows three different women , Ella, Danni and Chloe. Danni is an already established reporter who has been sending columns back from the front lines for months, accompanied by vivid and often graphic photographs that paint an honest picture of the brutality of war. She has been working alongside Andy, another journalist who believes in her right to be there, and has helped her in the past when the official army policy has been no women allowed. Chloe is Andy's sister, a former model in Vogue who fell for a charming Parisian man on her last shoot there before the occupation. She decides, very naively to take matters into her own hands and return to the now occupied city in search of her lost love, but when she gets there she soon realises that she knows nothing about her dream man. Ella had been writing her columns under a male pseudonym until the fiction was discovered and she was fired, but she is determined not to be silenced and is soon on her way to Europe. When Danni and Ella find themselves in the midst of the chaos and carnage of the Normandy landings they find themselves experiencing the tragedy first hand.
I was intrigued by the idea of the female correspondents, it is not a war story that I was already familiar with. I did enjoy the book, thought it was definitely a lot less hard hitting than I hoped for. I struggled with the character of Chloe in particular, her actions seemed inexplicably stupid , and I felt like I wanted to know more about Danni , since so much of the focus was on Ella and her story. This was a quick easy read, but not one I will remember in six months time.
I read and reviewed an ARC courtesy of NetGalley and the publisher, all opinions are my own.

I just love Soraya books and this was no exception!!!! Amazing story right from the first page.. I was so engrossed in the characters and how theses women wanted to do the work that men did!! Highly highly recommend!

Brilliant. I love reading historical fiction and I read this book in one sitting. I got totally caught up the lives of Ella, Danni and Chloe. The story is interesting and informative. I learnt a lot about female war correspondents and the risks they took. It was an eye opener. This is a memorable read which I would definitely recommend.

Thank you to Netgalley for my copy.

Illinois 1943, Ella Franks has been writing articles using a pseudonym, she’s caught out and sacked. She really wants to be a war correspondent and can’t believe her luck when she’s offered a new job in England. She travels to London, only to discover women journalists are not allowed to be anywhere near combat and the front line.

Sicily 1943, American photojournalist Danni Bradford is taking photos of the war with her best friend and work partner Andy and Major Robert Cameron is furious that a woman is in the middle of a war. The sparks fly between Major Cameron and Danni. The war continues, both end up in England and waiting for the allies to liberate France.

London 1943, Chloe is Andy’s sister and she’s a model for Vogue. The last time she was in France she met handsome Gabriel and she’s desperate to see him again. Despite having no idea how bad things are in France or what's happening with Gabriel and she makes the silly decision to return.
1944 June, D-Day ships are busy unloading soldiers and amphibious craft are taking them to Omaha beach. It’s so loud, planes constantly flying over, mines and bombs exploding and the German machine guns are firing nonstop. Soldiers are being shot, wounded, blown up and killed and its absolute hell. War is brutal and no place for a woman and all female journalists had been ordered to remain in England.
Of course Danni and Ella ignored this order and both made it to Normandy. Eventually Danni, Ella and Chloe team up together; they rely on each other to survive when the war gets dangerously close and desperately try to get back to safety.

The Last Correspondent is an action packed story about three strong ladies breaking down the stereotypical barriers for women in the 1940's and their friendship, loyalty, courage and determination. If I had argue with someone all the time, be shot at and needed be saved from the German’s! My idea of a perfect hero would defiantly be Major Robert Cameron, he can save me anytime, and I give him and the book five stars.

Oh, dear. There are several Martha Gelhorn quotes scattered throughout this novel, but the women depicted here do a great disservice to the real WWII correspondent. All the characters -- male and female -- are cardboard cutouts with shallow emotions that are described and not revealed in their actions.

For example: "She protected it as fiercely as a lioness would her cubs"; "Excitement rippled through Danni;" "This was what she thrived on, what she lived for, and if she were to take a bullet and die alongside the men she followed, then so be it."

My second complaint: This book needs to be clearly identified in the romance category, on the frothier, flightier shelves -- near the bodice-rippers. There are writers out there today who are creating romance novels of substance (Suzanne Brockman, Kendra Elliot), but this doesn't come near them.

I say it's false advertising for Amazon Publishing to portray this as serious historical fiction, and I hope to prevent some other reader from spending carefully-budgeted book funds on this -- unless, of course, it was adolescent escapism they were after. I was spared the expense, since I got an advance readers copy through NetGalley. It was only my time that was wasted.

I love reading about strong women! Especially ones that are based on actual people and events. In this novel, the author based several of her characters loosely on actual female war correspondents and photographers, who were a rare breed during WWII. Perhaps the best well known was Martha Gelhorn, and I’m a big fan of hers. In this book, Ms. Lane draws three strong female characters in Dannie, Chloe and Ella. I love that they team up to help each other and literally save each other’s lives. Riveting book and I thoroughly enjoyed it.

Ella, Danni, and Chloe are all in WWII France for different reasons. Danni and Ella share a desire to document the War while Chloe, well, Chloe ended up in the Resistane almost by accident. This is a light treatment and regular readers of WWII fiction should know this is heavy on romance. That's to to say, btw, that Lane isn't a good storyteller- she is- and that you won't find yourself rooting for the women. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC.

An entertaining novel of three women from different backgrounds, that land in Europe to cover the war. Ella is a journalist that loses her job in the states, and signs on as a war correspondent. Dani is a photojournalist that is partnered with her best friend Andy, covering the fighting on the front and Chloe is a model, waiting impatiently for her lover that is in Paris. Chloe follows him there and becomes involved in the Resistance movement.
All three women eventually meet up and as a team, work desperately to survive and get back to safety.
This was a story of women trying to survive in a man’s war, dealing with the prejudices of the military and the men who resented women trying to work along side of them. It was a good example how a formidable trio of women, can skirt the barriers of tough battle trained men!
It was a pleasurable read and I found myself rooting for these ladies. My thanks to Soraya M Lane #LakeUnionPublishers and #Netgalley for the ARC. All opinions are my own. Fictional History buffs should like this!

WOW! Soraya M. Lane, the author of “The Last Correspondent” has written a riveting, compelling, captivating, intriguing, and intense novel. The genres for this book are Historical Fiction and Fiction. The timeline for this story is set around World War Two. The story is set in Europe, and mostly France. The author describes her dramatic and colorful characters as complex, complicated, determined, courageous, and brave. I love the way the author vividly describes the characters, events, and actions in the novel. Soraya M. Lane discusses the horrors and tragedy of war and the correspondents who risk their lives to report the news while interacting with the soldiers who are fighting.

During this time, women didn’t get the same equal rights as men in defending our country at war or reporting the news about it. Women were kept from much of the action and activity and some had to be quite resourceful in getting what they wanted, despite the danger. Men in authority believed that women weren’t up to the task. Luckily some men did see that women were capable of handling their tasks just as well.

Three women characters in this story risked their lives to reveal the truth to the public. Ella Franks was a determined journalist. Danni Bradford was lucky to have a male partner Andy. Andy’s model sister Chloe also finds herself in the turbulent war. Although at times the women viewed each other as competitors, they also realized that they were part of a sisterhood, and could work together.

I highly recommend this memorable and thought-provoking story for other readers.

First of all I need to say that i love WWII stories. It has been a compulsion of mine ever since I attended my first college history class and was like... What? They never taught me this in high school!!

The Last Correspondent by Soraya M. Lane is a wonderful representation of strong women in the 1940's. Ella, Danni and Chloe are all strong, independent women who know what they want. If someone tells them women can't go somewhere - they just figure out a way. Ella is a journalist that used a male pseudonym to get a job. When she was discovered and fired, she headed to London and decided there would be no more hiding her femininity and she became a war correspondent. Danni was a photographer who captured the minute and graphic images of the war accompanied by her friend Andy who kept her grounded and safe. Chloe is a Vogue model that follows her love interest into the danger zone. These women are drawn together by unusual circumstances and form a tribe where they can follow their dreams.

I loved this book for the strong female characters and the accurate portrayal of WWII from the point of view of a woman.
.

Christiane Amanpour, Elizabeth Palmer, Lara Logan…female war correspondents. We think nothing of these women being on the front lines of battle. But that was not always the case…

“The Last Correspondent” follows two female correspondents as they risk everything to get to the front lines to document and photograph the war. They will risk it all to show the truth of war to the people. Ella Franks and Danni Bradford are determined to get into war-torn France. Along with Danni’s best friend Andy they overcome all the obstacles to cover the troop landing in Normandy. Andy has another agenda – to find his sister Chloe who followed her lover into the French Resistance.

I found myself completely immersed in this story of three strong women who risked it all to follow their dreams. This is one of the best stories of strong female friendships I have read. It was informative about the treatment of female correspondents at the time. The pacing of the story was perfect. It was easy to read and took me on an emotional journey. (Warning: keep tissues near to hand.)

I received this book from the publisher/author free of charge with no expectation of a positive review.

The story of three courageous women fighting to survive during World War II.
I liked the character of Danni, the photographer. She was fearless in going for what she believed in, and was a strong character to have in your corner.
Ella, the wartime correspondent grew on me as she matured from the naive young writer who had to write under a male pseudonym, to someone who grabbed the opportunity in front of her.
Chloe was the least developed character and although she definitely changed from the selfish and immature girl in the first few chapters, I would have liked to have seen more of her with the Resistence.
The writing cleverly portrays the difficulties and hurdles women had to get past to get to the front line to do their job. An enjoyable wartime read.

I've read most of Soraya Lane's book and I think this has to be my favorite.

The books follows three women- Ella, Danni and Chloe.
Danni is a photojournalist who takes pictures so people can see what the war is really about in Italy.
Ella is a writer who has lost her job as a reporter for using a male pseudonym.
Chloe is a Vouge model who travels to Paris to be with her boyfriend who is now part of the Resistance.

The friendship between these women become stronger as they face dangerous situations om the midst of the war.

I loved that even though this is historical fiction, it's not the same, typical WWII historical fiction.
This story is about war and survival, female friendship and love and strong women.

Thanks to the publisher, Lake Union and SuzyApproved Book Tours for my advanced ebook copy.

Soraya Lane always writes relatable characters and this book was no different.
"When journalist Ella Franks is unmasked as a woman writing under a male pseudonym, she loses her job. But having risked everything to write, she refuses to be silenced and leaps at the chance to become a correspondent in war-torn France."

"Already entrenched in the thoroughly male arena of war reporting is feisty American photojournalist Danni Bradford. Together with her best friend and partner, Andy, she is determined to cover the events unfolding in Normandy. And to discover the whereabouts of Andy’s flighty sister, Vogue model Chloe, who has followed a lover into the French Resistance."

As the women join together to make their voices heard they must also rely on each other to remain safe. I recommend this book to those that enjoy historical fiction and stories about strong women during WWII.

(3.5/5) A good story about female war correspondents that takes place during WWII. Strong female characters although Chloe was my least favorite. She seemed immature and didn't make good decisions. The writing by Soraya Lane, as always, was good. This seemed more of a historical romance more than a WWII historical fiction book, but I do believe that historical fiction readers will enjoy this one.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the review copy.

🗞 This book is based on the real experiences of female war correspondents who risked so much to get their stories and photographs to audiences back home. It is told from the perspective of three different women. Ella a young journalist who was fired for writing under a male pseudonym. Danni an experienced war photographer who fights back against the restrictions placed on her due to her sex. Chloe a former model who wants nothing more than to be reunited with her French lover. We see these womens lives play out against the backdrop of the last days of the Second World War.

🗞 Through this book our three female protagonists face hardships and criticism from the men around them before realising their own strengths. This is a story of friendship, loyalty, courage and love.

🗞'She needed everyone to see what they went through, what it was like in a war zone, the risks they had to take to get the story and save one another's lives.'

🗞 I really enjoyed this book, I thought it was well written and emotive. It left me wanting to learn more about female correspondents during the Second World War and read more of Lane's books. While I have studied WWII on more than one occasion this is not a topic I'd ever encountered and one I definitely want to know more about.

🗞 I would recommend this book to anyone who likes historical fiction with a romantic element. It is not a hard hitting war story but perfect for anyone seeking a story about strong women, friendship and love.

Thanks to @netgalley @sorayalaneauthor for my advanced copy of the book.

Bravo! The Last Correspondent by Soraya M Lane will find a place in my top books of the year. There are some books that are tough to put into words how much in awe you are of the story and the author. This is definitely one of those books.

Let me tell you why I'm in awe. This story is about brave women who fought for their right to report from the front lines during World War II. The men didn't think little ladies should be anywhere near the fighting. These women have totally captivated my interest and respect.

The characters in the story were composites of the real women correspondents. There were also male correspondents that had it much easier. Some of them understood the women's desire and became their allies. The author made me care for, love and hate these characters. I eventually understood the ones I didn't like and respected their point of view. I don't think I've ever read a book that I actually felt what they were going through and fighting for. This story made you physically and mentally feel the hardship of war.

This is my first book by Soraya M Lane. I'm in awe of her ability to write such a moving book. She has a way of grabbing you from the first page and never letting you go until you've read the story. I'm still thinking about the story and the characters. This won't be my last book by her.

I received this book from the author and Netgalley for a fair and honest review. Thank you. I'm humbled to have read this story.

Europe is in the throes of war. Chloe is a young lady, honestly, chasing a man. Ella is a young lady chasing her dream of being a journalist. Danni is also chasing her dream of being a war correspondent. These three are thrown together because of the war. They have to lean on each other AND MORE to survive.

These three woman are tough as nails. Chloe is one I wanted to jerk a knot in. But, as the story unfolds she does exactly what she needs to do without hesitation.

Ella follows her dream to Europe. However, she is only supposed to be writing about women’s contributions to the war effort. She ends up in the middle of D- Day and much more!

Danni has already proven herself as a wonderful photographer for the war. She will do anything for the best picture. Her partner and writer of the stories, Andy, is her best friend. These two tend to get themselves in many dangerous situations.

This story is full of action, adventure and a tad bit of romance. This would make a great Netflix series. I certainly enjoyed the historical references and the fabulous women characters. And if you are not careful…you may shed a tear or two. This is a novel you do not want to miss!

I received this novel from the publisher for a honest review.

First, I loved the cover. Second, I real a lot of WWII historical fiction. I was intrigued to read about these lady correspondents. I somewhat enjoyed Ela and Danny’s stories. My eyes rolled when I was introduced to Chloe. I cannot imagine having lived in London for the first few war....the bombing.....and decide to make her way to Paris in 1943 to be with her boyfriend, Gabriel. My other problem was this book should be labeled as a romance set during the war. My thanks to Amazon UK and NetGalley for an ARC. The opinions are my own.

It's 1943. WWII is raging and the invasion of Normandy is on the horizon. Ella Franks is fired after her editor learns she's a woman and using a fake man's name. She refuses to "shut up" and is hired by the AP to do reporting on women's issues from England. Once across the pond she meets war correspondents and sets her eyes on reporting from war-torn France.
Feisty American photojournalist Danni Bradford has been covering wars for years with her best friend and partner, Andy. She is always coming up against the brass for being a woman. She is determined to cover the events unfolding in Normandy, and to locate Andy's sister, Vogue model Chloe, who has made her way to France disguised as a Moulin Rouge dancer. Once in France she follows her lover, Gabriel into the French Resistance. Tragedy brings Danni, Ella and Chloe together, and they form a capable and efficient team. Each woman is determined to follow her dreams “no matter what”, and to make her voice heard over the noise of war.
In France, they face danger at every turn, even from the US soldiers. Danni, Ella and Chloe will have to rely on each other if they want to file their stories and survive. Will the adventure and love they find be worth the journey of their lives? </li><li></li><li>I'm always excited about a book that features smart, strong women, especially women fighting the status quo. THE LAST CORRESPONDENT was particularly interesting for me, since I was a journalist. (just in the US) The characters were all fleshed out and compelling. Somehow I felt proud of what they represented, making women equal to men. I read it in one sitting. You may need some tissues close by.

Thanks to Amazon Publishing UK and Netgalley for an advanced copy of The Last Correspondent. I loved two of Soraya Lane's earlier books - Spitfire Girls and The Girls of Pearl Harbor so I was excited to read her newest one!

I love WWII Historical fiction (and I read a lot of it) so it was refreshing to see a different angle with a book focused on female correspondents during WWII. I of course loved the author's note at the end where she talks about the real women who she researched and based parts of her characters on. If you look at the author's Instagram she has a few posts about them!

About The Last Correspondent:
After loosing her job as a writer due to being a female, journalist Ella Franks jumps at the chance to be a war correspondent for a magazine willing to take a risk. In England, she meets fellow female photojournalist Dani Bradford and they are determined to cover the events of the Normandy invasion. Are they willing to risk everything to share the realities of war?

I really enjoyed this one! I like her writing style, how much research she does on the topics and I didn't want to put the book down. My only slight complaint was this was a little more of a historical romance than I was expecting, but I still highly recommend reading this. (And doing what I did of going and researching the real women who served as correspondents during WWII).

What a story about woman correspondents in the Workd War II.

I haven't read much about woman correspondents but I certainly enjoyed this book the woman in it are very brave.

We have Danni who is the one who takes the photographs of everything. She takes risks and ends up in circumstances that were so serious for her.

Then we have Ella who is new to being a war correspondent, at first she is safe in London but decides she wants to see the action first hand and of course thinks of ways to get to France.

Then we have Chloe her brother is Andy who is the partner with Danni when they go to report things together. Chloe met Gabriel in Paris when she was modelling there and she and Gabriel have been writing together she decides to find a way to go to him during the war.

Eventually the 3 girls end up together in a difficult situation will they be safe.

This book had everything romance and dangerous situations.

I would recommend this book to anyone.

The Last Correspondent is a fluffy, predictable historical romance. Not that this is a bad thing, it was enjoyable to read but the subject matter (WWII) and the main characters (a female war correspondent and a female war photographer) deserved a bit more. Ella and Danni are trying to make their way in a man's world and become the top in their fields of reporting and photo-journalism. They both make it to Europe to document the war effort for everyone in the US and they both quickly chafe at the restrictions and outright hostility they receive for being there. This leads to them taking great risks and becoming the only two correspondents that arrive at Normandy with the troops on D-Day and follows them as they try to locate a friend's sister who is hiding out somewhere in the area with a French resistance group. These characters had soo much potential and the book had potential to be a more epic tale of women during the war but it was softened by romantic fluff and predictability.

As in all of the quests for women’s equality, it took brave trailblazers to enable others to follow in their footsteps. In The Last Correspondent, we meet women who paved the way in the profession of war correspondence. In the author’s Reader Note at the end, Soraya M. Lane gives an interesting overview of the real-life pioneers who inspired the characters in the book.

The Last Correspondent begins in 1943 as WWII rages on. Ella Franks is an American journalist who has had to write under a male pseudonym to get published. An opportunity with the Associated Press takes her to Europe to cover the war. American photojournalist Danni Bradford has already made a name for herself covering the war, working with her best friend and work partner Andy. Chloe, Andy’s sister and a high fashion model, foolishly travels from London to Nazi-occupied France to be reunited with Gabriel with whom she had a brief affair with. Both Ella and Danni want to find a way to leave London and cover the impending action in Normandy where women journalists are forbidden. Andy wants to find his sister but has no idea where in France she is.

While the action and storyline as well as the romances provide a simplified and somewhat unrealistic view of the war, I was entertained by the book and enjoyed the determination and bravery of the characters.

Rated 3.75 stars.

THE LAST CORRESPONDENT by Soraya M. Lane is an historical, fictionalized and romantic account of women journalists, photographers and correspondents in World War II.

Based loosely on the exploits of two American women correspondents, told from three third person perspectives, American photojournalist Danni Bradford, and journalist Ella Franks, as well as former fashion model Chloe, THE LAST CORRESPONDENT follows three women in the few days before and after the invasion at Normandy, and the fall-out of finding themselves in a position to report from the front lines about the atrocities of war, the French resistance, and the loss of life including the people they loved.

Ella Franks is an American journalist who, writing under a male pseudonym, would find herself fired for lying, before accepting a position working for the Associated Press as one of the first women reporting from the front lines. Women journalists were expected to write about clothing, recipes, and life at home but no one expected women to write about the horrors of war, and the toll it takes on the body and mind.

Photojournalist Danni Bradford, along with best friend and fellow correspondent Andy found themselves in the trenches, with the allied soldiers but as a woman, Danni was unable to get passage and permission to report from the front lines about the Normandy Invasion. Danni and Andy, along with journalist Elle Franks would stow away on one of the medical ships, where they would find themselves facing a tremendous loss before rescuing a woman with close connections to someone they love.

Meanwhile, Chloe, sister to correspondent Andy, tired of waiting for Gabriel, the man that she loved to invite her to Europe, lands in Paris where she will be met with derision and fear. Gabriel works for the French resistance, work that now places Chloe in the direct line of fire.


THE LAST CORRESPONDENT is an intriguing and dramatic story of war and loss; family, friendships, relationships and love. A story about the rise of feminism; the struggle for equality and respect, and the misogynistic attitudes that continue to reign in the armed forces today, but saying that the behavior of the story line heroines is questionable on so many levels, placing not only themselves in danger but the lives of the men with whom they were working.

The believability factor is low. Former model Chloe journeys to France in 1943 in an effort to confront the man that she loves- a journey during the height of the war and the Nazi occupation of France and Italy: Ella Franks and Danni Bradford continuously disobey orders including those of General Patton and Major Cameron, and find themselves swarming the beaches of Normandy along with the tens of thousands of soldiers who died the same day. Surviving amidst one of the most notorious invasions of WWII, Danni and Ella venture on their own, stealing a jeep, to get up close and personal with war and death.

Overall, THE LAST CORRESPONDENT reveals to what extent women journalists may have had to secret themselves, lying and forging their way into a male dominated world at the front lines. Rules would be broken; lives would be lost; love will be found in the most unlikeliest of places. If you are able to suspend reality THE LAST CORRESPONDENT is an entertaining and engaging story of romance and fiction



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Chapters/Indigo (Sandy_At_the_Reading_Cafe) posted

The Last Correspondent is a fictional account of the additional obstacles female war correspondents encountered in an attempt to fulfill their dreams to bring the truth of the war to the public. They risked their lives to accomplish these goals. Although this story is fiction, it is based on the experiences of true female war correspondents like war photographer Lee Miller and war journalists Martha Gelhorn, Kathleen Harriman, and Mary Welsh (and many others).

This is my first Soraya M. Lane book that I've read, and it was definitely enjoyable. I enjoyed discussing the book with Soraya on The Lake Union Facebook page just last week.

Thank you #netgalley and Lake Union for the e-ARC in return for my honest review. #5stars

"I've been fired.
Just like that, for being a woman, she'd been fired."
____

THE LAST CORRESPONDENT.

✨37 chapters, 330 pages.
Genre: Women Fiction. General Adult Fiction. Historical fiction.
____
The ESSENCE of the story is rooted firmly in history.

It is about STRONG WOMEN, during WW II, shining light on their amazing accomplishments.

📌The female war correspondents, the photographers & journalists, the ones who fight their battles on the page rather than with bullets..who face adversities to bring the actual reality, on the fore...irrespective of the injustice they face of being a woman & not having a voice..
The social issues arising as a result of war..

The Last Correspondent, is based on facts with a dose of fiction.
The story begins in 1943 & ends in 1945.

It is the story of ELLA FRANKS, a journalist, who writes under a male pseudonym & MICHAEL.
It is also the story of DANNI BRADFORD, who is determined to cover the events unfolding in Normandy, her colleague & friend ANDY, who always had her back & of ROBERT CAMERON. Danni & Cameron find love in each other as their jobs collide during the war.
It is also the story of Andy's sister, CHLOE, who jumps right into the stressful scenario looking for her love..but eventually loses him.. She now has a son, from him, whom she named Andy, after her late brother.
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The author has given a READER'S NOTE wherein she has given short biographies of the actual, real life, incredible women like Martha Gellhorn, Marjory Collins..
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📌 FOR ME PERSONALLY, THIS WAS THE STORY OF REAL WOMEN, WHO DARED TO DREAM & ACHIEVE, OF SIBLING LOVE & OF TRUE FRIENDSHIPS & PURE LOVE.

Always a sucker for HEA, I loved this story, inspired from real incidents.

Fact + Fiction.
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📌What did I learn?

Be a go-getter. Give it your all.

Do not rest till you achieve your dreams!
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#noorthebookwormreviews
#thelastcorrespondent
#netgalley

The Last Correspondent details the story of Ella, Danni, Andy, and Chloe over the course of World War 2. Ella, Danni, and Andy are all correspondents that are working to cover war efforts, and are working to find Chloe (who is Andy's sister and goes missing early in the novel). It was overall an interesting story, with phrases and mannerisms relatively true to the time. I enjoyed the world building that was in part one, and was initially excited to see the three correspondents work together in part two.

However, part two felt like there was a lot of action packed in a short time frame — a major character died, and some of the romantic plot lines did feel forced. I didn't particularly enjoy how Danni held the mannerism that because she struggled when starting out as a female war correspondent, Ella should too. And, while I was happy to see that the remaining major characters did have a HEA, the ending felt as though because the characters did get a HEA, the trauma they witnessed was somehow diminished.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC!

The Last Correspondent is a well written novel about three strong and brave women caught in the time of devastation, and fighting not only against the third reich, but for their roles as women in the political backdrop of the second World War.

The writing was beautiful and action packed, with lots of things going on that made this read so exciting and fast-paced. The novel was well researched and I loved this feminist historical fiction novel that addressed strong female friendships, the courage to go against the grain, and the determination and fight to pave the way for women’s rights and place in society.

We are used to seeing journalists and reporters risk their lives to share with us the often dangerous and horrific events in our world.

In The Last Correspondent Soraya M. Lane gives us a graphic portrayal of what it was like for women correspondents to do what they so strongly felt called to do. Report what was happening at the front of World War 2.

She has thoroughly researched this time period and the gender discrimination that existed. Only men were deemed strong enough to report the war. It was very difficult for women to get a look in.

In Danni and Ella we meet very gutsy women. Danni a photographer and Ella a writer. They see and deal with life threatening circumstances. Chloe who starts off as a rather young and naive women, eventually becomes an amazing young woman. 

The story is gripping, sometimes shocking. But mainly it delighted me with the strong bonds of friendship and the determination of the characters to seek what felt true to them, whatever the obstacle.

The Last Correspondent is an emotionally riveting story of three courageous young women struggling to be seen as equals in a male dominated world. I've read a lot of WWII fiction and Soraya Lane is a breath of fresh air! Loved it!

THE LAST CORRESPONDENT by Soraya M. Lane focuses mainly on two women who are determined to break barriers in journalism during WWII. Ella, outed after submitting articles as a man, gets a second chance to with another to cover women’s war issues in Europe. Danni is a photojournalist already in the midst of the war, but still has to fight for her spot every step of the way. When they are left off the correspondent’s list for approval to cover the landings in Normandy, they both devise a way to get there on their own. When tragedy strikes, they band together to cover the war and fulfill Danni’s promise to her friend to find his sister, Chloe. Chloe, a former model, disregarded the war and smuggled herself into occupied Paris to reunite with the man she loves, only to discover things aren’t the way they were or imagined. Now, caught up in the French Resistance, she has choices to make.
Told from the alternating viewpoints of all three women, Lane shines a light on the trials of women during WWII in their attempts to break into the male-dominated field and show that women are just as competent. It is a work of fiction, based on actual events, and I thoroughly enjoyed the novel. The horrors of war were not sugar-coated, especially when it came to what Danni and Ella faced daily.
This was an enjoyable story with likeable characters. I liked the glimpse of what these women could have gone through. It is a work of fiction and, as such, I did not expect and in-depth look at exactly what happened. For that, I would look for a biography on Martha Gellhorn or a history of the landings. The horrors Lane brought to life were plenty for me, especially at this time. Danni and Ella were strong women, looking for their place and Chloe’s strength revealed itself as her time progresses. There is romance, but this story is more about the women, their struggle, their strength, and their friendship, and how they are shaped by their experiences. Lane did a skillful at portraying the women and their situations and there were many instances in the novel that I had tears in my eyes.
Thank you to the publisher for an advanced copy of this novel. All opinions are my own and freely given.
#thelastcorrespondent #sorayamlane #amazonpublishinguk

i really enjoyed reading this book, the characters were great and I really enjoyed going on this journey. I enjoyed the way the author writes as it really worked well for the story.

The Last Correspondent is told from the perspectives of three females who push gender boundaries in their efforts to be on the frontlines of WWII in order to provide eye-witness accounts for the world to see. American journalist, Ella, rejects the notion that women should solely write about domesticity as she leaps towards an opportunity to become a war correspondent in war-torn France. British photojournalist, Danni, will stop at nothing to show raw accounts of events unfolding in Normandy, even if preserving history means it will cost her her own life. And Chloe, a former Vogue model, refuses to stay home where she is safe, and follows a lover into the French resistance. Each female character fights her own internal battles with the war raging all around, while also fighting for the right to be heard in a male-dominated world.

I usually judge a book by its character development, plot, and storyline. From the moment I started The Last Correspondent I had a hard time putting it down. The author alternates her chapters between each of the three main characters, and I was impressed with how each character’s background is integrated in a way that does not stray from the main plot. In addition, the chapters are suspenseful and transition well, which is an added bonus considering the female characters come from completely different backgrounds. Ella, Danni, and Chloe all embark on their individual journeys alone, and by the end of the book, all three of them end up having a unique story to tell. Will each of the women find the truths that they seek? Will each of them survive?

Without giving away too much, the ending of the novel felt unrealistic and a bit cliché to me. I still enjoyed the book and the themes of survival, resistance, and compassion that are interwoven throughout the story. Lane uses her writing to shine light on a historical moment in time, specifically strong female war correspondents during WWII. I especially appreciated the author’s Reader Note, where she highlights her research on female war heroines and explains how they have inspired her novel. This is a must-read historical fiction, especially if you love WWII novels with strong female leads! I will definitely read more books by Soraya M. Lane!

Thank you to NetGalley and Amazon Publishing for gifting me the e-ARC version of The Last Correspondent, published November 1, 2020. This review is an unbiased perspective and all opinions are my own.

This is a do not disturb novel for me. What I mean by that is that once I began this book, I couldn’t put it down and I needed the time to transport myself back to 1943 and experience everything this book had to offer. I love historical fiction and this book about three women fighting against the norm to report the war from the front lines and their relationships with each and those they love is just wonderful!
This book is told in 3 separate voices of Ella, a journalist; Danni, a photographer; and Chloe a model who falls for a Resistance fighter.

During the course this book I took notes and made screen shots of details and quotes I felt were impactful and interesting and I wanted to share. I would run out of comment room so I’ll just share a few.
A detail that I never really thought about: the fact of the soldiers and war correspondents and how they kept their shoes on so long, their feet would become blistered, raw, and infected.
A quote to share: “I wonder sometimes if there is going to be a family left in England or America that isn’t going to be broken by this war”, Cameron

I have to say, Lane has a way of writing strong female characters that entrances me like no other author I've encountered. Each one of her books radiates the strength and versatility women in war displayed every day and this one is no different. Focusing on female war correspondents', this story doesn't shy away from the action and brutality of war. Each character was well developed and I thoroughly enjoyed reading their backstories and reasonings for wanting to be sent to the front lines. The way Lane is able to carefully weave these women together without it feeling forced or overplanned is something I commend her for. Everything about this novel was fast-paced, exciting and heartwrenching. Lane has quickly become one of my favourite historical fiction authors and this book further solidified that fact.

The Last Correspondent is the story of Ella, Danni, and Chloe, three women who find themselves in Normandy France during the D-Day invasion despite being told to stay in England. Ella and Danni snuck over as journalists, and Chloe snuck over for love. But France is dangerous and they need to get out of there if they can. Pooling together their strengths and their connections within the American military, these three women learn to trust each other like their lives depend on it, because they do.
This is a story about feminism. While this is a fictional account, these characters were inspired by real women who fought on the frontlines of sexism in journalism during the 1940s.
I felt like this had a slow start, but I kept going. Something about this book kept me drawn in and I'm glad I stayed through the end.

I couldn't be more thrilled to share my thoughts about this historical and more importantly women fiction today more than any other day. #Hertory or #Herstory might be a relatively new term but the women in this narrative were clearly a testament to what it meant. Its a story of the unsung fighters who risked their lives as much as the soldiers to report first hand information from the battle ground right to people's doors overseas. It's an engrossing narrative that takes us back in time to a world so war-torn and chaotic and how these fierce women find their footing in a male driven chauvinistic society.

This is a story of how the lives of three women come together during the D-Day invasion of world war II. We have two very strong female characters Ella and Danni who are female war correspondents denied from going to the front lines just because of their gender. But guess what? they aren't your average women who could be dictated around into how they need to act but women who will leave no stone unturned until the get what they want. Few incidents are actually inspired from the stories of real life war journalists which adds an interesting touch. Not only was the plot emotional at times for me but it was an action paced adventure as well.. Also I love stories that glorify strong female friendships because lets get real there's nothing that a women cant achieve but her power only augments when there is another women having her back. I really enjoyed the character growth of all three women even Chloe though she seemed gullible and impulsive at the beginning.

The first half did move slow but the second half was way better and fast paced. I would have enjoyed a it even more than i already did if the romance aspect was a bit toned downline is definitely an evocative storyteller and her female leads are sure to captivate you. This is a beautiful story of determination, bravery and friendship.

We get to learn so much more from the research done by the author about real life war correspondents and how few incidents in her book were actual fact and how the rest altered to fit her narrative. I especially enjoyed the Author's Afterward in which I was able to learn about real-life war journalists (ex Martha Gellhorn) and have been researching more about her since I finished this novel. I love when I am able to learn something new all the while enjoying an amazing historical fiction novel. The author also clarified what was fact, fiction, and what was slightly altered in order to fit the storyline appropriately. This book of for anyone who enjoys strong women characters and war themed fiction .

The Last Correspondent is everything a true historical; fiction fan wants! Add in a strong female protagonist, and this is a must read!

This book was received from the Author, and Publisher, in exchange for an honest review. Opinions and thoughts expressed in this review are completely my own.

This is a non spoiler review, because you as reader need to read this book. Also, I feel sometimes I have in the past gave away to much of the plot line. This has diminished the pleasure for would be readers

The Last Correspondent by Soraya M. Lane is an excellent historical fiction novel that is based during WWII.

Soraya M. Lane Newest novel is riveting historical fiction that is an emotional and well written book. It focuses on three courageous women whose paths cross in war-ravaged France during the time of the World War II.
Ella Franks is an American journalist who writes under a male pseudonym.
When her secret is discovered she out of a job. Taking her destiny in her own hands, she heads overseas determined to become a war correspondent.

Danni Bradford, a daring British photojournalist that has clawed her way up an all male dominated world of war reporting. Soon realizes that what she wants is just out of her grasp. Only male correspondents are allowed to cover the violent events in Normandy. Stopping at nothing she wants to be front and center at one the most horrific and electrifying events. She stops at nothing be apart of the delegation that will soon come to witness the bloody allied force landing on Omaha Beach.

but she soon learns she will be left behind when only male correspondents are allowed to cover the unfolding events in Normandy. She will stop at nothing to be part of the delegation that will witness the landing at Omaha Beach.

Ella and Danni will meet Chloe, who happens to be the sister of Danni’s partner, Andy
The women’s three lives will be interwoven and their struggles and friendship is set to the backdrop of the turbulent World War II. Their paths will cross in the war-torn county of Nazi occupied France. Chloe finds her self caught up in the daring French resistance, her life is in constant danger.
This historical fiction the author meticulously weaves historical facts with her voice of fiction to create a moving and compassion storyline. The author uses multiple narration of the three main POV’s characters to add a well executed novel. Giving the reader an inside perspective of the gut wrenching elements that make up this fast moving survival story.

Hats off to Soraya Lane for tackling the lousy treatment the female war correspondents received during WWII. I think the author, when she was dealing with this issue, did an admirable job of laying bare the stark inequality the women suffered by their bosses, the military and anyone in power at that time. But if we are going to be truthful that was how it was. Women were allowed to drive ambulances, be nurses, roll bandages, be riveters and assembly line workers as long as they were far back from the front lines and not threatening male authority.

I think the importance of the story was diminished by the romantic wanderings. The book was stronger when it was true to the notion that the correspondents, whether male or female, loved what they did and made it their life, admitting that nothing else was as important as the next story.

Once again wishing for that half star rating I just can’t round this one up. Thank you NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing for a copy

I really enjoyed this story by Soraya Lane. I have read a lot of her work, and this definitely stands out as one of her better novels.
Following female war correspondents as they fight to be heard in a world dominated by men, this story takes you alongside a writer and photographer who bend and break the rules to access to get access to the front lines, They are adamant about bringing the raw truth of war to the world, but are hindered by sensorship and their gender.
I think it's important to point out that this is a FICTION ROMANCE novel, as well as a historical piece. If you're looking for a gritty WWII novel, this probably isn't the one. While there are moments of intensity, they are largely smoothed over to instead showcase the growth and thought process of the character(s). The war is not the focus of the story, the women are.
This is definitely a book I would read again and recommend to a friend.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for a free, electronic ARC of this novel received in exchange for an honest review.

Always championing female roles in war, Soraya Lane really nails it for me with “The Last Correspondent”! The pulse of this novel beats like that of the human heart because you actually believe you are there alongside Ella, Danni & Chloe.
Being drawn in like this, the connection is beyond moving…..it almost sings!
How can you be a female reader and not fall in love with these woman? It resonated with me on so many levels.
I couldn’t help but think of the many strong women in history that give us the rights we have today as women.
So, in closing this book, I was so grateful for authors like Soraya Lane! Authors that dig deep to do the research to share these stories with us. Stories that help us celebrate these women.
Because even if the stories are fiction, you know these women existed!
Soraya wrote a book of strong women that sings of pride, gratitude and remembrance! I will never forget this story!!
I received a copy of this book from the author in exchange for a fair and honest review.

*received for free from netgalley for honest review* Enjoyable read, liked how the stories/characters met together too!

I loved The Last Correspondent it was a very interesting book and will recommend this book to all my friends. It is a must read for all.

I loved this book! Has great gripping war scenes, wonderful love stories, great stories of friendship that develops during difficult times. Covers what female's went through to get equality during the time of WWII. The characters are life like and I really liked them.
Giving a 5 star rating

📷 Book Review ✏️
The Last Correspondent
By: @sorayalaneauthor
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World War II Historical fiction is my favorite genre of books to read. I have read a ton! But this is the first book I have ever read about what it was like for war correspondents during WWII, women in particular. We all know that at the time only certain jobs were deemed worthy of women for the war efforts but women broke most of the boundaries set up for them. Women war correspondents Martha Gellhorn, Elizabeth “Lee” Miller, Dickey Chapelle, and Margaret Bourke-White just to name a few, changed the status quote and paved the way for women war correspondents.
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The Last War Correspondents follows Ella an American journalist who finds herself supported by an American Magazine to go to a Europe and report on women’s roles in the war. As she is trying to shine a light on what is really going on her writing is censored and she decides to take matters into her own hands. She end up finding herself, maturing as a journalist, and learns to depend on her female friends to make it out alive.
Danni is a photo journalist who is well know among the journalist community, and knows how to get the photos she wants. She is determined to show the world what WWII is like through her photos.
Chloe is a young girl who finds herself on the wrong side of enemy lines and unsure of what her purpose is in life or the war but soon she finds herself right in the middle of the fighting. She will lean on her new friends to find her way out.
It’s a wonderful story that sheds a light on something new for me in WWII.

I really enjoyed this fresh, insightful take on the role female correspondents played in WWII coverage. The protagonists were smart, relatable, and gutsy. I also really appreciated the way Lane handled the horrors of war - they were realistic without feeling gratuitous (we know war is horrific, sometimes less is more with war writing, Not because we should all be sheltered but because we need to be able to survive the secondhand trauma if we are going to stay with it long enough to be moved, changed, shaped by it).

This book was fastpaced, engaging, and a great portrayal of what women can do when they are willing to push back at the boundaries conventionally placed around them. Thank you Lane, and NetGalley for the ARC; I look forward to reading more of Lane's work.

Thanks to Netgalley for a preview copy of this book for an honest review.

Two women determined to make their way in World War 2.

Difficult topic handled ok but the Normandy Landings glossed over a little. Enjoyed the characters of Ella and Danni but found Chloe to be ridiculous. Some unbelievable parts that made me shake my head and could see how the book was going to end.

I have read quite a few novels based on the second World War, covering different storylines but none so far based on the journalists/ reporters and photo-journalists who faced a lot of risks and danger to cover it. The Last Correspondent deals with this and has three female protagonists in the midst of the action and danger- Elle Franks an American journalist who gets fired from her job when it is discovered she is writing under a male pseudonym but gets a chance to become a war correspondent when she is offered a job to cover the war in Britain, Danni Bradford a well known American photo-journalist who is feisty and is all about breaking rules and protocols put on women journalists in order get the 'real picture of the war' out there to the people and Chloe, a young and naïve model who finds herself in the midst of danger and intrigue when she decides to travel to France to give her lover a surprise. With their courage and determination, they not only fight the professional barriers placed on them but also overcome dangers they face while covering a war which makes them face a lot of realities- about themselves and the war.

The book is fast paced and there are a few instances where the author describes the horror of active combat, as witnessed by these journalists, with good detail and pathos. However, with the title of the book being 'The Last Correspondent' I expected an ending which would have matched it but it wasn't so and I was kind of disappointed.

My thanks to NetGalley, the publishers Amazon Publishing UK/ Lake Union Publishing and the author Soraya M. Lane for the e-Arc of the book,

The book was published on 1st November 2020.

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐✨💫

This was an outstanding book. I couldn’t put it down once I started reading it. I’ve read a lot of WWII fiction and this book rates among the best for the characters, the plot, and the writing. I can’t recommend this enough, I’d rate it 10 stars if I could. 5 stars!

Thanks to Amazon Publishing UK, Lake Union Publishing and NetGalley for the ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I really enjoyed reading this book. I found it very interesting how prejudiced globally governments were towards the role of female journalists.
The mixture of fact and fiction worked well with the crux of the story (Europe in WW2). The characters were believable and suited the story.

I was totally immersed reading about the lives of Ella, Danni and Chloe, three determined brave women reporters who during WW11 forged their way through incredible courage to the front lines of Normandy. Unwilling to accept the biased gender laws against women correspondents each of their stories is told with their compelling need to tell the truth despite the barriers preventing them. The historical facts and images gave me a vivid look into that era that I never imagined. I was struck by the women who lived in tents by the field hospital while the men correspondents stayed in beautiful chateaus. This book is brilliantly written about a terrible time in history with lives torn apart, loss, romance but a a change of heart that transposes their missions . I hope to read more from this author, I loved this book, and highly recommend it to anyone who likes historical fiction.

This was a great book to lose yourself in, though I felt a times the characters were underdeveloped and the plot rushed. However, I knew very little about female war correspondents in WW2 so it was enlightening to learn more about what they did during the war.

It seemed interesting at first glance and the first chapter i really liked, but then it went downhill from there.
I was just so bored, the characters didn`t have any character development and just went and did whatever they wanted. Their loveinterests were were uinteresting alpha-like males. Ugh no pass.

I received a copy of the book from Netgalley to review. Thank you for the opportunity.
A really interesting and engaging story. The writing is good and the story matter unique about an aspect of WW2 not commonly written about.
A good read.

*** I received an ARC of this book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review ***

This is the first book that I've read by Soraya M. Lane and I thoroughly enjoyed it! It is a wonderful story of 3 female WWII war correspondents in London and then in Nazi occupied France (Normandy and Paris). These women undergo a harrowing ordeal in France and develop a unlikely friendship. They are brave, independent, tenacious, and just overall bad-asses! Towards the end of this book, it does get a little "romance-y" compared to the beginning/middle parts, but I didn't mind. I'd definitely recommend this book to anyone who enjoys historical fiction and WWII novels. It offers a different take on the war (from the correspondents' point of view). Overall, this is a book of war, life/death, friendship, devotion, romance, and lots of feminism. I look forward to reading more of Soraya M. Lane's books involving strong female characters.

Not able to download this book. Did not have the necessary link, either NG App or Kindle.

I just thought I should share that I had a problem, just realized this was left open.

Sounds like an interesting book and I can purchase a copy if I want.

Thank you NetGalley for approving me, along w/Soraya M. Lane. Sorry, it did not work out.

My first book by Soraya Lane, but certainly not my last. I have many of her books on my Kindle. I look WWII genre historical fiction and that's what she writes. Ella Franks is an American girl who desperately wants to be a journalist, so she writes under a male pseudonym in order to get published. When she's found out, she gets fired. Then she gets a chance to write as an American at at an English publication. While there she takes an opportunity to work as a war correspondent in Europe. This job was exactly what she was hoping for, but she did not realize the danger and hard work involved reporting from war-torn France. With her partner Andy as her photographer she plunges headlong into the think of it. She meets up with female photographer Danni Bradford who is brash and fearless and fiercely independent. Danni teaches Ella the ropes but Ella finds Danni prickly and hard to like, until they are thrown together in some dangerous circumstances and must learn to rely on each other. #NetGalley #TheLastCorrespondant

This one didn’t do it for me unfortunately. I didn’t get very far with it until I had to give up and leave it.

First of all, I must say how beautiful the cover art on this novel is! This is a nice, but somewhat predictable WW2 romance novel. The book flowed nicely with the writing style, but sometimes felt like I was reading the perspective of a teen girl rather than an adult woman. I enjoyed reading about the women correspondents, and at times, I felt I was right there with them. I recommend this for any historical fiction lover.

I really enjoy reading historical fiction books set during WWII. This book focuses on three amazing women who serve as correspondents during the war. I continue to be in awe of the strength and bravery so many women demonstrated during this atrocious time period. Their willingness to stand up for themselves amidst such sexist attitudes was admirable. And their determination to reach the goals they set for themselves even while faced with danger had me cheering them on.

Thank you to NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing for my advanced review copy. All opinions and thoughts are my own.

The Last Correspondent, in reality, is a romance that happens during WWII. I was expecting more history and real facts but the story is more fiction than anything else. So, changing my expectations, I found this romance well-written, with women trying to reach their goals and finding their place in the world in rather difficult conditions. It's entertaining and easy to read.
I downloaded a free copy of this book through NetGalley and this is my honest opinion.

Took quite a while to get into, but was an interesting read although some of it seemed far fetched.

It began to lose its way when three correspondents smuggled themselves aboard a hospital ship heading to France. It then began to be a love story in three people and the their individual antics and reporting during the war.