The Girl from the Island

Lorna Cook's book is a two stranded story of Guernsey inhabitants with the link across time being family and pairs of sisters. As war raged across Europe the English abandoned the Channel Islands, leaving them to the mercy of the Germans. Sisters Persey and Dido were left to fight for survival and freedom. When Dido dies her distant relative Lucy returns to Guernsey to help her sister to arrange the funeral and deal with Dido's estate. Lucy becomes fascinated by Dido's story, especially wanting to discover what happened to her sister.

This is an engrossing love story but also a hint of what the Channel Islanders endured during WW2, their courage and determination.

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

I was looking forward to reading this book and I was not disappointed. The story was set in Guernsey during the second world war and the present time .The story was interesting and I learned a lot about the German invasion in Guernsey. There was a good story and all the characters were different. Some of them being Jewish and had to endure lots of problems. Then there were the people of Guernsey who had to put up with the Germans and try and live with them .The ending was a little sad but l would recommend that you read this book.

This beautifully written book, set in Guernsey, across two timelines, 1940 and 2016. I was drawn into this wonderful descriptive story from the start.

In 2016 Lucy is returning to Guernsey after three years, her cousin Dido has died and she is going to help her sister Clara sell Dido’s house. Lucy is intrigued about Dido’s sister Persey, apart from an old photo of the two sisters together and an old letter, there are no other possessions of Persey’s. Lucy starts to look into what happened to Persey.

We go back to 1940 during world war 2 where we meet sisters Dido and Persey. The Germans have arrived on the island and life will never be the same again.

This is such a heart wrenching story of love, loss and survival. The characters are so life like that you cannot help but fall in love with them.

I would definitely recommend this book.

Thank you to Netgalley for my copy in exchange for a review.

I discovered Lorna Cook through NetGalley last year and I absolutely fell in love with her writing. When I got the invite to read this book, I was beyond excited and downloaded and read the book in 2 days. I adore Lorna Cook!!

This book did not disappoint! I was gripped from the beginning and could not put it down. I lost a lot of sleep on this one and do not regret it in the slightest!! (That was a lot of exclamation points, I know.)

This is a story set in the Channel Isles, specifically Guernsey in (mostly) two different timelines- 1940 and present day. I knew nothing about this part of WWII history, so it was a pleasure to escape to this lovely island and be immersed in the story.

1930's- Persephone and Dido have lived on the island their whole lives with the housekeeper's son, Jack, who they considered like an older brother. For a few summers, Stefan would arrive from Germany to visit family and we get a sneak peak at what that childhood looked like.

1940. Two sisters are alone with their housekeeper as the Germans arrive on Guernsey. For 5 years the island is occupied by the German army. We get to sit back and watch as events unfold in a way never expected. Old friendships are rekindled, resistance is attempted, lives are changed in ways that we could never expect.

Present day. Lucy and her sister have been assigned by their father to clear out Dido's estate after her passing. Although she did not have much of a relationship with her, Lucy is intrigued to learn about Dido's past. As she and a neighbor begin digging into this unknown history, so much is exposed.

I love stories that link two time periods and Cook did a fabulous job with this one. The story unfolded so well and I was fully invested in these characters. I shed ugly tears at times, but the story was so beautiful it was okay. There is such a complicated history that is weeded out, plus a couple lovely (and clean!) romances mixed in. Loved this and will recommend to anyone and everyone. Will forward this to my teen daughter to read as well.

Thank you NetGalley and Avon for an ARC in exchange for my honest review!

The Girl from the Island By Lorna Cook is an excellent dual timeline historical fiction novel that kept me interested from beginning to end.

As with all dual timelines, it is a tricky business to balance the past story with the current day. Ms Cook pulled this off quite well.

I was equally interested in the sisters’ stories as they dealt with the German occupation of their home in Guernsey. I always enjoy a novel that includes this group of islands, and so far the few that I have come across, I have thoroughly enjoyed. I enjoyed the suspense and mystery involving Persephone and Dido.

The author was able to weave their suspenseful narrative with the current day story of estranged sisters Lucy and Clara. The fascinating story of unearthing a hidden family past where the stakes are high, and lives are on the line, is gripping. The fundamental concepts of: love, loss, war, sacrifices, family, loyalty, and triumph over wrong were tastefully expressed in this wonderful novel.

I really enjoyed this story and really, really enjoyed the ending.

5/5 stars

Thank you NG and Avon Books for this arc and in return I am submitting my unbiased and voluntary review and opinion.

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

If you enjoyed The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society, you will enjoy another visit to the isle of Guernsey during WWII in Lorna Cook's The Girl From the Island.. Lucy and Clara have inherited a majestic house on Guernsey from a second cousin, Didi. As they prepare to sell the house, Lucy, with the help of a neighbor Will, uncovers fascinating secrets that Didi and her sister, Persey, have kept hidden since WWII. Their mother passes away the very day the Germans take over the island, and a friend from the past, Stephan, shows up at their door in a German uniform requisitioning a room. Jack, the housekeeper's son, is back on the island to spy, but he misses his connection to return to England. Persey's friend, Lisa, is a Jew and with the German occupation, she must be hidden.

In a world where neighbors turn on neighbors, can Didi and Persey trust anyone? How can they be a part of the resistance on such a small island? Can they deny the love growing between them and German officers, who are opposed to the Nazi regime? Can Lucy and Will discover what happened to Persey and Stephan? Can Clara and Lucy resolve some "sister issues"? All the thready finally come together is this great read. I was allowed to read this on #NetGalley.

With grateful thanks to lorna cook and netgalley for an early copy in return for an honest opinion.
Having just finished this utterly beautiful and poignant story I want to share my journey through this book full of intriguing facts about two amazing sisters Dido and Persephone living an normal life in beautiful Gurnsey when war broke out and they were invaded by the German's and the book takes us on an outstanding tale that makes you laugh hold your breath many times makes you angry at what was taking place this is a twin timeline and how two sisters clara and Lucy find out what happened too there two elderly cousins .
I want to give nothing away all I can say is I was blown away with the way that the author has used such sensitivity to the book.

In 1940 Guernsey, Persephone and Dido are dismayed to find that they have been allocated a German officer to billet in their home shortly after the island is invaded. And especially the day after their mother has died.

In 2016 Lucy has been called back home to Guernsey after a distant relative has died. She’d ‘escaped’ from the confines of the small island as soon as she could, and rarely stayed very long whenever she had to come back. This time she finds herself getting drawn into Didos past, especially when neighbour Will helps. She’s also really trying to get on with her sister Clara.

This story shows how little most of us know of what went on the the Channel Islands during WWII, particularly on Alderney, which i hadn’t known about. It focuses on the the two pairs of sisters and the fragile relationships between them. A very vivid picture is painted of wartime Guernsey with its severe rationing, living in fear of neighbours denouncing you, and trying, in their own way, to help both their country and other residents of the island who had left it too late to leave. Lucy and Claras relationship is rocky at best, each never really letting their true feeling show to each other, putting up a front whenever they meet, almost envious of each other’s lives. A nicely researched book, with love stories winding through them too. A good example of this particular genre, which I thoroughly enjoyed.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review this book.

Two sisters in wartime occupied Guernsey, and two sisters now. The stories run alongside each other as modern day Lucy researches the history of the house she and Clara have inherited from an elderly aunt, uncovering secrets and sadness. Slow to start with but packed with tension as the wartime part of the story reaches its conclusion. All ends nicely tied up, and a little romance thrown into the mix too. Enjoyed it.

Poignant and atmospheric, The Girl from the Island is a gripping five-star read!

This book is historical fiction at its best. The dual-timeline narrative is split between the past (1940) and the present (2016), yet both halves of the story are expertly woven together. It's a hauntingly beautiful book packed with twists and turns right to the very end.

There are striking similarities between both stories, many of which are uncovered as the plot progresses. The book is cleverly written so that key events from each timeline seem to occur almost simultaneously, despite the separating decades. This also adds suspense to the novel - this is certainly a real page-turner!

The characters are relatable and likeable - they all have their flaws, but each is interesting and well-rounded. Young Dido is youthful and energetic, whereas her mysterious sister Persephone is sensible and much more guarded. In the present-day narrative, Lucy is at a crossroads in her life and unsure where to go next. Her relationship with her sister Clara is often fractious but she finds a sympathetic ear in Will, Dido's neighbour. As the story progresses, each of these characters become increasingly interlinked as Lucy and Will join forces to uncover the secrets of the past.

Although the characters are fictitious, much of the background and wider events in the book are based on real historical occurrences during the German Occupation of the Channel Islands. This makes the book even more striking; it adds an extra personal touch in memory of the islanders who tragically lost their lives during the war.

I loved The Girl from the Island and if you read it, I hope you will too!

"The Girl from the Island" by Lorna Cook
Release Date: 4.1.2021

Persey and Dido live on the island of Guernsey their whole lives, living with their housekeeper's son, Jack. Jack is like an older brother to them. The island of Guernsey was invaded by the Nazis in 1940. Two sisters try to rebel against the Germans anyway they can. Life is difficult. Food is scarce. The girls discover their true friends during the five year occupation.

When Dido dies, her cousin Lucy, returns to Guernsey to help with the funeral arrangements. Lucy is fascinated by Dido's life, especially during the German occupation.

I was immediately hooked, wanting to learn about Persey and Dido's life. It unfolded at a decent pace and kept my in suspense.

Although I realize this is becoming more common in historical fiction novels, I really do not like stories with two time periods; however, this did not bother me too much with this book.

Thank you to @NetGalley for providing me an ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

#bookstagram #bookstagrammer #netgalley #netgalleyreads #netgalleybooks #worldwariifiction #2021bookreleases #historicalfiction #2021historicalfiction #thegirlfromtheisland #girlfromtheisland #lornacook #avonbooks

This author is fast becoming a favorite! . She has great story lines and her characters are deep. This story is interesting because it is not a well known setting. Those who have read the Guernsey Literary and Potato peel pie Society will know a little of this island. This book will hold your attention, it is well written and very interesting. I became absorbed into the world and couldn’t put it down. It has just enough romance, mystery and history to get anyone’s attention. It is a clean romance too. There was only one minor (very minor) flaw where the main character twisted her ankle while being chased but it never was used or mentioned at all. I had to wonder why she even put it in the story, if it didn’t further the story. It wasn’t developed either like at least her mentioning it swelling or her hobbling the days after.

I think there would have been more tension with the main character if the time between seeing each other had only been 3 or 4 years (not a decade) and that she was older when the relationship with Stefan began had been slightly deeper than one stolen kiss.

I loved the plot and twists and turns. Great book that is highly recommended!

Another interesting and enjoyable read about Guernsey during WW2.
2016: Two sisters Chloe and Lucy are tasked with sorting out the funeral of a distant cousin Dido. Whilst going through her property they discover documents and it leads to search to find out more about what happened to her during the war. The discovery of a sister Persey intrigues Lucy, who uses the local museum to find out what it was like when the Germans arrived.
A story of love, friendships, families and secrets.
The book flits brilliantly between 2016 and WW2. A good easy read that mixes fact and fiction.

'The Girl From the Island' is another fabulous book from the incredible Lorna Cook. I laughed, I cried, I grieved, I mourned, I hoped, I rejoiced and I stayed on tenterhooks throughout the entire book. A truly powerful, captivating and immersive story.

‘The Girl from the Island’ is actually about four different women on the island of Guernsey, whose lives are separated by generations but connected by a small scrap of land in the English Channel and a lonely house with stories of its own to reveal.

Alternating point-of-view novels can be hit or miss for me, as it can be difficult to follow fluctuations between characters and time periods, and often I prefer one character over the others. At first I felt less connected to the modern aspect of the plot, but by the end of this poignant story I was emotionally invested in each timeline.

The German occupation of the channel islands is a fascinating and sad part of World War II — one of many such tragedies — and this book explores the impact the occupation had on the islanders. Cut off from both England and France, they were left to fend for themselves when German troops invaded and set up barriers and billeted in locals’ homes. There were resistance fighters, English spies, Jews desperate to escape notice, German soldiers who despaired of the Nazi regime, and even the mass deportation of British citizens not native to Guernsey to German camps.

These are their stories.

In some ways the story begins in 1930 with four teenagers on a beach, with the naïveté of youth preventing them from imagining what the next ten years will bring. Central to the plot are sisters Dido and Persephone Le Roy, living in their rambling estate, Deux Tourelles. In more ways than one, their lives are forever changed the day German forces land on Guernsey. Persephone, the older and more serious of the two, tries desperately to hold everyone in her life together, from their housekeeper Mrs. Grant and her son, Jack — much more like family than staff — to her younger sister Dido. Dido, vivacious and caring, who feels most alive when she’s singing in the local club. Everything shifts when a familiar-faced German officer moves into their home, helping set in motion a chain of events that leads to the bittersweet ending of the book.

In 2016, two other sisters from the island find themselves caught up in the stories Deux Tourelles conceals, when their distant relative Dido leaves the house to them. Lucy, who left Guernsey to pursue a career on the mainland, finds herself captivated by the mysteries surrounding Dido and Persey, while her pragmatic sister Clara just wants to sell the estate and move on with life. (I have to say Clara was my least favorite ‘girl from the island’, and I still didn’t care for her much after finishing, despite some redemption) With the help of her closest neighbor on the island, Will — handsome photographer and startler of young female neighbors playing Billie Holiday records too loudly — Lucy slowly unravels the mysteries surrounding the lives of Dido, Persey, Jack, and Stefan, and what happened to each of them during and after the war and occupation. Immersing herself in the history of the island and letting Deux Tourelles work its gentle magic helps Lucy decide what she wants the next chapter of her own life to be.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for the opportunity to read this in exchange for my honest review. I recommend it to anyone who enjoys history and all things England. And love, in all its forms.

Thank you for allowing me to read this book as an ARC.. I have read Lorna Cook before and couldn’t wait to get stuck in to this book.
It was so poignant and beautiful. The German occupation of Guernsey was so Informative, the characters in the story from that time was so believable you the reader really felt for them and that is down to the authors writing. Bringing the story up to date was also great story line. I would not hesitate to recommend this book.

The Girl from the Island is the first book that I’ve read by Lorna Cook and thoroughly enjoyed it. What a wonderful story! I love dual timelines. As soon as I finish writing this review, I’m going to see what other books Lorna Cook has written and put them in my TBR list.

In 2016, sisters Lucy and Clara are asked by their parents to settle the affairs of a distant cousin, Dido after she passes away. The sisters have a strained relationship and dealing with the shared responsibilities of funeral arrangements and the possessions of Dido’s home (Deux Tourelles) seems to create an even further strain. While in Guernsey Lucy stays in Dido’s home. Being there has Lucy’s interest peaked as to who was the quiet elderly relative that she vaguely recalls and what happened to the other sister Persephone, that seems to have just vanished. With the help of the neighbour next door Will, he and Lucy begin searching into an untold story of the sisters during the second world war.

During the 1930’s Persephone, Dido, Jack (the housekeepers son) and Stefan (a friend that visits his aunt and uncle each summer) are introduced to us while having a carefree time in one another’s company.

Flashforward 10 years and we are in the 1940’s and the island is now occupied. The four friends are together once again but under very different circumstances. This part of the story had me entranced. I truly couldn’t put the book down and my heart would speed up with anxiousness for the sisters. The suspense that builds as we reach the peak of the story was quite a ride.

This is exactly the kind of story that I enjoy reading! History, romance, mystery and suspense, it’s all in there and keeps your interest all the way through.

Thank you NetGalley and Avon Books UK for providing me with an ARC of this great book in exchange for an honest review.

This is my second book from this author and I enjoyed it as much as the first book.

The story takes places in Guernsey in two different time periods and it is only the second book I read which featured this island during WWII. It was an interesting story and it certainly didn’t end like I thought it would, it took by surprise.

It also showed not everything is black and white, even during a war. It also showed personal growth of the characters and making a choice that changes your life forever

The Girl from the Island is a wonderful book ,set in Guernsey and across two timelines .Dido and Persephone in 1940 and Lucy and Clare in 2016. In 1940 the Germans invaded Guernsey this was a terrible time for the sisters fast forward to 2016 and sisters Lucy and Clare find they have inherited their distant Aunt Dido's house in Guernsey ,they discover secrets and mysteries about this Aunt who they barely remember but also bravery and sadness as well .The story is cleverly weaved together through the two timelines ,so beautifully told and has a very satisfactory conclusion ,I absolutely loved this book .Many thanks to the Publisher the Author and NetGalley for my copy in return for an honest review .

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the arc of this book by Lorna Cook. I really enjoyed reading The Girl From the Island and am rating it 4 stars. All opinions expressed are my own.

The story is set in Guernsey in the Channel Islands where Persephone and Dido Le Roy live in a beautiful home. During the German Occupation of the island, a childhood friend billets with Dido and Persey and an old flame is ignited once more. Meanwhile, in present day- Clare and Lucy have inherited Dido’s beautiful home and are each finding their own path during their own personal hardships.

Reading about Dido’s secrets, Persey and Stefan’s bravery and love, and Lucy and Will’s determination to find the truth about Dido’s story was absolutely beautiful and heart-warming.

I really enjoyed reading this book!

A beautiful atmospheric love story told in two duel time zones.
The first is set in Guernsey during the Second World War when Germany occupied the Channel Islands.
It surrounds the life of two sisters Dido and Persephone and the events that changed their lives for ever.
The second is in present day when two sisters who are related to Dido as distant relatives are left her beautiful house after her death. Whilst they are clearing the house of Dido’s effects they discover personal documents and photographs which lead then to discover the horrendous trials and tribulations of life during the German occupation and the actions of individuals that had consequences even to the present day.
This book on another level deals with different aspects of love and the sacrifices one would go to to protect those that they love not just romantic love but the love for what is right and just regardless of the consequences and this was never more true that what is revealed in the epilogue

An intriguing story set in Guernsey jumping from present-day to 1940s just as the island was being taken over by the Germans. The main present-day characters are Lucy and Will, Lucy returning for the funeral of Dido an elderly relative, Will living and working on the island. Sorting out Dido's house they discovered that she had had a sister, Persey, and had left various snippets outlining life on the island under occupation. Dido and Persey, as well as their housekeeper, her son Jack and an old friend Stephan, now a German officer tell the war-time story. A story of family and friends, Jews, Resistance, romance and endurance. Things did tidy neatly at the end but read to find the details. Well-written, heart-wrenching and a context with which few of us are familiar. Thanks to NetGalley and Avon Books UK for an advance copy in exchange for my honest review.

Lorna Cook has become an auto-buy author for me. I am truly excited when I hear she is releasing a new book. The Girl from the Island is another fabulous read. Lorna deals so well with the dual timelines of occupation on Guernsey during the second world war and fast forward to the future and in present day and the mystery that our contemporary protagonist Lucy must solve. The location is fabulous with a beautiful old house filled with secrets, the characters are brilliant and I adored them all. I simply loved this book. Highly recommend.

What I'd really like to do here is shout about how good a book this is! Because it is. I selected The Girl from the Island to read because Guernsey is one of my favourite places and as closed off to me now as it was to others during the Occupation. That piece of Guernsey's history is tragic but fascinating. As the author, Lorna Cook, says it is hard now to imagine that the Nazis sat there for five years, so close but thankfully so far from the United Kingdom. As an outsider, it feels like it made have been made up (don't get me wrong - I know it wasn't and I know it was horrific) so unlikely does it seem.

But aside from the setting in time and space, I was captivated by the characters. The book has a dual time setting and whenever I was with one generation, I wanted to be back with the other finding out what was happening in their lives. The plots, particularly the earlier one, were handled well and didn't unravel too quickly or easily and the end left me wanting more.

Fantastic story about two sister in the present and two sisters in the past. It is a story that tells the history of the occupation of Guernsey Channel Islands during World War 2. Lucy and Clara come together to arrange a funeral for an elderly first cousin once removed, Dido.
As they moved from funeral to cleaning out the house and putting it on the market, Lucy begins to discover more about Dido’s life and her sister.

Really enjoyed the adventure of what happened in the past and how it influences the present.

Thank you Netgalley for complimentary copy. The thoughts and opinions are my own.

A world at war.
One woman will risk everything.
Another will uncover her story.

I was so excited when I seen this on my list! Set in WW2 this amazing story had me so hooked.
Told in different timelines which I thought was great. This book has just enough mystery and twist to keep you turning the pages quickly.
One of the best stories I've read in some time.

2016 ,and Chloe returns to her native Guernsey at the request of her sister Clara. She's not too happy to be back but she has promised to help her sister organise a funeral for their father's cousin Dido as they are her only relations.
Chloe decides to live in Dido's house and organise it's sale. As she looks through drawers and boxes she finds old photographs and realises Dido had a sister called Persephone that neither her nor her sister had heard of. There is one photo in particular of Dido, Persephone and two boys that makes Chloe wonder who they were to each other. She comes across newspaper cuttings about occupied Guernsey during the war and wants to know what the sisters did and what the newspaper cuttings mean.
Helped by Dido's nearest neighbour she searches the archives about the occupation and visits the church and museum determined to find out the sister's story.

The second half of this duel timeline story takes place when Guernsey is invaded by German soldiers and we hear how the family cope with it.
I loved this book so much and I don' t want to give any more of the story away. My heart kept missing beats as I read about life during the war in Guernsey. No one knew who to trust as some people would write letters to the Germans informing of their neighbours not obeying the rules. Normal life carried on for a while and then it became impossible. Food was scarce, people who weren't born on the island were rounded up and sent to camps in Europe along with anyone who was Jewish.
The story of Dido and Persephone was very moving and I had a cry at the ending. It was hard to move on to my next book .
I absolutely love the books that Lorna Cooke writes and this has been her best one.

A beautiful moving story another wonderful book by Lorna Cook.A story of two sisters during the war living in Guernsey when the Germans invaded and two sisters today.I laughed, cried all the emotions possible I read late into the night and hated for the story to end.#netgalley #avonbooksuk

The Girl from the Island is a beautiful historical romance set in the isle of Guernsey in Channel Islands. Set in 2 distinct eras, the dual timeline story is about the residents of Deux Tourelles, a beautiful vintage house.

The present story (2016) involves two sisters, Lucy and Clara, and the fragile relationship between them. Lucy visits Guernsey to help her sister with the funeral of a distant relative Dido. They are surprised to know they are the benefactors of her will; she has bequeathed the Deux Tourelles to the sisters. Lucy and Clara decide to put up the house for sale. While in Guernsey, Lucy stays in Dido’s home. As Lucy goes through the old photographs, Dido’s wardrobes and boxes; the author reveals the story set in the past. Lucy’s neighbour Will helps her in finding out more about Dido’s untold story.

The story set in the past is of another pair of sisters – Dido and Persephone. Set during the German Occupation, the past is a painful reminder of the ordeals of the residents, a saga of love, sacrifice and bravery. Dido, Persephone, Jack and Stefan (a German soldier) form the major characters of the past story. The way the author has connected Jack to the present story of Lucy is surprising and heartwarming.

Relatable characters, wonderful story line, amazing narrative, unexpected twists – overall an engrossing read.
Thank you to NetGalley and Avon Books for the opportunity to read this in exchange for my honest review. I recommend it to anyone who enjoys historical romance.

Friend or Enemy

A heartbreaking romantic story of sisters. It is a dual time line story set on the isle of Guernsey in the Channel Islands. The story involves the residents of a house called Deux Tourelles.

In 2016 Lucy returns to Guernsey to help her sister sell a home left by a distant cousin Dido. She meets a good looking neighbor Will and together they decide to check out the history of the house and Dido and her sister Persephone. This story is about Lucy and Clara as sisters and about Lucy and Will as good friends. Lucy and Clara work on their relationship as sisters. Lucy and Will research Dido and the history of the residents of Deux Tourelles during the war.

The second storyline is that of Persephone, Dido, their maid's son Jack and a past friend Stefan. All four of the characters were friends in high school. Now it is during the German occupation and one friend Stefan is now a captain in the German Army billeted at Deux Tourelles with the other three. This storyline takes place in the 1940's during WWII. It has excitement, resistance, a spy character and a Jewish girl in hiding. There are many twists and turns in this story and the ending is unexpected.

The story switches between the two storylines. I much preferred the WWII storyline as I often find with the dual time storylines one is preferred over the other. They are both engaging, just one more so than the other. That aside, it was a good read and I enjoyed reading the book. I felt like I was reading two stories with a connection. There was one modern day romance story and one WWII story. When I read it this way I was able to engage equally in both stories.

I did love the historical content and the description of the beaches, the conditions on the Island and how the Islanders handled the occupation. This was most interesting to me.

I did enjoy reading the book and I would recommend it.

Thanks to Lorna Cook, Avon Books, U.K., and NetGalley for allowing me to read an advanced copy for an honest review.

Another fantastic book from Lorna Cook. Based on historical facts this fictional book is clear and easy to follow as it goes between the occupation of Guernsey and 2016. During the occupation 2 sisters share their lives with German Officers and so the storyline is about their war time experience and loves. Once these sisters have died the great house they lived in is passed on to a new generation of 2 sisters and so the story follows their relationship and the selling of the house. Easy to read and easy to follow. Thanks to Lorna Cook, the publisher and to NetGalley.

This was such a poignant and beautifully written book . I read it in one sitting , I found the dual storylines riveting . The present day storyline revolves around two sister's who inherit a distant relatives property on Guernsey. The past timeline is set during the German occupation of the Island and how the occupants of the property coped with it.
You will definitely need a pack of tissues , you become so invested in the storyline and the characters are so relatable .
The characters stay with you even after the last page has been turned. I thoroughly recommend this to anyone who enjoys Lucinda Riley.

Lorna Cook really should be a name you have in your head the next time you're looking for a great historical fiction author with stories behind her stories.

This was such a good read. A story about the Nazi invasion of ....Guernsey...yes not a place often written about in war time. Add to that stories of human endeavour and kindness. Confusion over a childhood friend now ' on the other side' - There's so much to enjoy here - great writing, a great story and a really heartfelt study of human kindness and what human strength really is.

This really is a novel and an author I'd like to see even more popular and feted than she is. She's on my definite go to author list now.

This is a beautiful, wonderful, and poignant story. Told in dual timelines, one during the Occupation of Guernsey islands during WWII and the other in present day. I couldn’t put in words on how much I loved the past story. The spectacular cast of characters in it were truly outstanding. Both the stories were woven together seamlessly but I adored the past story. This story and the Cook’s writing have a magical quality that made it a compelling read and a memorable story.

It hasn’t taken me much time to fall in love with the sisters Persephone, Dido, their friend Jack, who had grown up with them, and Stefan who was from Germany had spent summer holidays on the island in his teenage years, came back to the island and been part of enemy troops.

Persephone is a brilliant character. Respect her for her selflessness by putting other people’s lives before hers, and would be ready to put life on line to save dear ones. The portrayal of love between her and Stefan was the best I have read in a long time. Their love story and these characters would stay with me for a while as I can’t stop pondering about them after closing the book. Dido was a lively and daring girl. Fell in love with Stefan; despite being a captain in the enemy's army, he was gentle, caring, protective of his friends in every step of the way. Guess without him there, they would have met a different fate. He was the savior of these people.

A very few writers’ writing fills you with happiness, caresses your soul, makes you lose yourself in the story. Cook falls under this category. Her prose holds your finger, gently leads you to the world she adeptly created where the characters leap out of the pages, lands in front of you and mesmerizes you. Her vivid descriptions transported to a different world in Guernsey island rife with Occupation and islander’s resistance against the enemy troops. This book has added this island to my bucket list.

Besides a spellbinding story, another great aspect of this was the way true historical events were incorporated in it, which were fascinating and melancholic.

I would highly recommend this enchanting tale of survival, courage, forbidden love, heartache, torment, and sacrifices, grit, friendship, sisterhood to all historical fiction aficionados.

Thank you NetGalley and Avon Books UK for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Lorna Cook is a new author for me and I thoroughly enjoyed The Girl from the Island. In 1940, two sisters living on the island of Guernsey find they are being invaded by German soldiers. They are determined to rebel wherever possible but when they are forced to take on a German officer, they find a familiar face on their doorstep from their past. Two generations later and Lucy is returning to the island following the death of a family member. As she begins clearing the house she finds some old paperwork and immediately recognised the word resistance. Intrigued she begins to uncover the truth about the author and the missing sister who vanished from the island and was never seen again.

I found this book hard to put down. It is set between last and present and these two halves intertwine perfectly. It’s an emotive story that will have you rooting for our heroes but also wanting to uncover their secrets.

Thank you to NetGalley, Avon Books and the author for the chance to review.

This novel takes place during WWII and the occupation of the Channel Islands. It deals with complex characters and explores sisterhood snd friendship and what one will risk and endure n times of war. I received this novel as an ARC from NetGalley.

My rating:

Plot: 5 out of 5 stars
Writing: 5 out of 5 stars
Character development: 5 out of 5 stars
Overall: 5 out of 5 stars

Recommended for readers of:

Women’s Fiction
Historical Fiction



Review:

Beautifully written and well researched the plot is told over a dual time line. The location the Channel Island of Guernsey which I thought was a interesting location. As the writing is very vivid and captivating, the scenery and the characters truly come to life. The characters were nice and felt realistic their actions were explained well.

Overall:
This is a well written book, the historical time line taking place during the WII occupation of the Channel Islands, was very interesting from a historical perspective as it was the only part of the UK that was invaded. The characters are complex and interesting. The plot is very captivating and the surroundings are vividly depicted. This is one of those books that are hard to put down and you have to know what happens next. I loved it!

Review copy provided by NetGalley at no cost to me

In 1940 Germany invaded the Channel Islands and everything changed overnight. This is a story of what might have happened to the people there.
Centred around two sisters from the 1949 Persephone and Dido and two sisters from the present day Clara and Lucy the story goes between the times to tell the story of war under occupation. Although this is a work of fiction you can believe that maybe things like this happened.
A wonderful read that brings the characters to life.

Guernsey 1940.
Two young sisters have just lost their Mother when the islands are occupied and they are ready for the Germans. However, they find a German soldier billeted with them but not any soldier, a childhood friend of the both. How will this change their plans?

2016 and two generations later two sisters meet after the death of a distant cousin to sell the family property. Lucy, one of the sisters, starts looking in to the past history of the cousin, her house and the period of the Occupation with the help of papers she finds.
Can she piece the puzzle together and find out their stories?

Another wonderful book from Lorna Cook! Every book I’ve read of hers I’ve thoroughly enjoyed and having visited this island years ago and seen what happened during the war years made it all the more enjoyable. Again a dual time-line which I love so this was a win win for me. I would love to read more from this author. My thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for giving me the opportunity to read this book in return for an honest review

This is the first book I’ve read by Lorna Cook and I loved it. A totally compelling story about sisterhood, relationships, trust, sacrifices and choices during two time lines which are connected. I also enjoyed reading the author’s inspiration at the back of the book alongside interesting historical facts about the Channel Islands under the Nazi regime. I thoroughly recommend this book and look forward to reading more from Lorna Cook.
Thanks to Lorna Cook, HarperCollins and NetGalley for this ARC book in return for my honest review.

Powerful, yet tender!
I finished this novel last night and I cannot get it out of my head. A rich novel filled with romance, suspense, danger and choc full of wonderful characters. I've been a fan of Lorna's since her debut, The Forgotten Village (read it!) and was looking forward to this story since I heard about it. A time-slip set in contemporary and WW2 Guernsey, this novel took my emotions and wrung them out to dry, surely a sign of an author at the height of her powers? I will not tell you about the story, you can get that elsewhere, but suffice to say and IMHO, this is an accurate and vivid depiction of life under the Nazi jackboot in occupied Guernsey which, as a history buff, I was delighted to find.
In short, purchase this novel, put he phone on the hook, pour yourself a nice hot chocolate and settle down for a wonderful read.
My thanks to Avon and Netgalley for the preview copy!

Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for an early review copy.

A beautifully written story set in Guernsey, and across two timelines, 1940 and 2016.

2016 and Lucy is returning to Guernsey after three years, Dido her cousin, has passed and therefore she is going to help her sister Clara sell the house.

But Lucy is also thinking about about Persey, whose Dido’s sister. It seems that the only thing is a old photo of the two sisters with an old letter, and nothing else of Persey’s. So being intrigued, Lucy starts to look into what happened to Persey.

Then, back to 1940 during, its world war 2 where we meet sisters Dido and Persey. Germans have arrived on the island and, it seems that life will never be the same again.

A heart wrenching story of love, loss and survival. You can help but fall in love with the characters.

I would definitely recommend this book.

Thank you for my copy of this book to review.

Lorna Cook is a new author to me. I love a story split between the war and modern day so this really appealed to me. I loved absolutely everything about this book...the setting, the dual timeline, the descriptions, the characters. Although heartbreaking at times, it was just a beautiful story and now I feel lost that I’ve finished it.

I have already recommended this book to friends and will now go back and read Lorna Cooks previous ones. One of the best books I’ve read in a long time, a definite well-deserved 5 stars!

The island of the title is Guernsey, and the girl in the present day is Lucy, who has returned to the island to help her sister to sort out a property they have been left by a barely remembered second cousin, Dido. Dido's story is gradually revealed, along with that of her sister Persephone, as Lucy is drawn in to research and discover more about the rarely spoken of history of Guernsey under Nazi occupation. This is both uplifting and heartbreaking and another triumph for Lorna Cook.

I'm particularly partial to reading books that are set in the Channel Islands. I find the wartime history particularly fascinating and having spent a most pleasant holiday there some years ago I have enough firsthand experience talking to locals and visiting points of historical interest that it helps the story come alive for me. This particular novel, one of several that I've read recently situated in the Channel Isles, makes an excellent addition to my collection and it is one that I would highly recommend to friends.

The novel is told in dual timeline - 1940, soon after the island of Guernsey has been invaded by the Germans and 2016, which is actually one year after my husband and I travelled to Guernsey. In the modern day portion of the story, Lucy, a freelance writer, returns to the Island from the UK to help her sister settle the estate of a distant cousin that she never really knew. For some reason Lucy finds it hard to return to the place of her birth and her relationship with her sister is a strained one though she doesn't really understand why. While staying at the home of her deceased cousin, a pretty imposing and large old building called Deux Tourelles, Lucy is surprised at how very little there is in the house to tell the story of her cousins life. She does however, find some photographs and papers that seem to indicate there might be a very interesting story in her background. One picture that captures her attention is of two young women and two young men. She isn't sure who they are, but suspects that one is her cousin Dido and the other is a woman named Persey - perhaps a sister. Lucy's sister Clara is the practical sort and wants Lucy to grow up and take on the responsibility of preparing the house to go on the market. When one of the papers that Lucy has found has the word "resistance" written on it she knows that she must dig deeper to learn more about the cousin that she now wishes she could remember. She soon meets a nearby neighbour who had known Dido at least a little and together they begin to research and explore the story of the residents of Deux Tourelles.

Back in 1940, the reader meets Dido and her sister Persephone. Their father has been dead for some time and as the Germans have invaded the island their mother dies quite suddenly of natural causes. Before her body has even been removed from the house, there are German soldiers at the door commandeering a room for an officer - their mother's room. Persephone is the main narrator here and she quickly recognizes that the German soldier is someone who had spent summers on the Island and been part of her teenage years. One summer they had the barest beginning of a relationship only for him to suddenly leave and never be heard from again until this fateful knock on the door.

Persephone speaks for the past and Lucy speaks for the present. In the modern day there is a mystery to be solved, a sibling relationship to be mended, a coming of age of sorts along with a new relationship still in its infancy. In the past there is a forbidden attraction between Persey and her German soldier while Dido also develops a fondness for a German soldier becoming what was locally known as a Jerrybag. Persey at times seems to carry the weight of the world on her shoulders and she carries it pretty much on her own. She resists in what ways she can knowing that all their lives may well be in peril as a result. The author has done an excellent job incorporating the real history of what life was like under the Germans into her narrative.

I really felt for all the characters in the story, both past and present. I shed some tears while reading and felt at times as if my heart would break. This was a book that made me want to read and read if only real life didn't get in the way. I would highly recommend it to anyone interested in the wartime history of the Channel Islands or women's literature. I think Lorna Cook did an excellent job!

I received an advance reader's copy of this book from #NetGalley, #AvonBooksUK and the author. The opinions stated above are completely my own.

“Making choices that can change your life forever”
Duel timeline: Guernsey under Nazi control during WWII and 2016. Two sisters in the past and two sisters in the present....what a story they have to share.
A emotional story full of sacrifices, secrets, love and family. Mystery, suspense and intrigue abound throughout the story.
Good book for anyone that enjoys historical stories about England.
Thank you to NetGallery, the publisher and author for the opportunity to read this in exchange for my honest review.

The Girl from the Island by Lorna Cook.

I loved this book, and for me has everything in it to make a great read.
This title hops from German invaded Guernsey in 1940 to a much more peaceful one in 2016.
Lucy and her sister has just inherited a large house on the Island left to them by Dido
their aunt. The story tells of hardship during the occupied years on the Island and what the islanders had to do to make it through.
Lucy finds some paperwork in her aunt's wardrobe and it sets her off on the quest to find out more.
The author has cleverly entwined the lives of both sets of sisters and this brings the story to life . It was also very interesting to read about some of the history of that time. Fascinating and heart wrenching .

I have read Lorna Cook’s two other books and this is my favourite one. She just keeps getting better and better.
The storyline of two sisters in two different time frames was really enjoyable. I adored Persephone as a character and wanted to remain on Guernsey during the German invasion. I love books with a great setting and this one delivered. The dual timeline and the plot which was all pulled together at the end was just fantastic. There were more than a few surprises in this book. The story of independent women in a time where they had to take risks to follow their dreams was just so page turning. There were heart-breaking moments but I loved the atmosphere of wartime on the island and the sense that time was limited for life to go as it had been.
I loved this read - a clear 5 star read and thanks the to author, publisher and NetGalley for an ARC in return for an honest review. Lorna Cook is fast becoming one of my favourite writers.

Dido La Roy was ready to move on to the afterlife, but she has left a mystery for her descendants to figure out more specifically her cousin's daughter. Dido was young when the Nazis came to the Channel Islands but when they did she was torn. She had her sister Persephone by her side and soon came Jack and old friend Stefan, but also came rules and restrictions, and this all came just after losing her mother. Persephone did her best to look out for Dido who was singing in a cabaret, but everything changes near the end. Lucy and her sister Clara have inherited the house after Dido passes on but Lucy begins to unravel Persephone's secrets during wartime. She is joined by neighbour Will who has his own past that becomes connected with the war. Lorna brings between 1940 and 20016 easily as she goes back and forth between Lucy and Clara's story and Persephone and Dido, she guides us through the journey. Persephone took to help others and Lucy's to discover lost family secrets. It has you guessing right up to the end of what happens with both sets of sisters and why Dido left the house to the younger generation.

Beutifully crafted novel in which Lucy returns to Guernsey after many years to attend the funeral of her elderly relative. She finds some letters from the war, at the time when the islands were occupied by the German forces. Lucy sets out to find out what happened to her mysterious relative Persey with the help of her neighbour Will.

One of the many facts we in the UK would like to forget is how close we came to being invaded and the high cost the Channel Islands paid. This book gives insight into the ways in which island life was challenged, its freedoms removed and its hidden secrets that many would like to forget.


Thank you Netgalley for an advance copy of the eBook in return for an honest review.

Another dual time novel by Lorna, this time we are in Guernsey and St Peter Port. Having been to Guernsey a couple of times, I can picture certain places. One of them the shell church.

The time is 1940 when the Germans invade, and centres on 2 sisters and two of their friends from 10 years previous, only problem one of the friends is German. and 2016 just after Dido - one of the sisters - has died. Two more sisters are clearing her house, Dido had left it to them in her will.

There are numerous people in this story, but Lorna introduces them gradually and it is easy to follow.

At the end of the book is a section that gives you a brief history of the occupation and some of the people involved. I urge any reader to read this as well to enable you to understand the story 0f 'The Girl from the Island'

This is another brilliant read and one I can fully recommend, I was sorry when I had finished reading.

A thoroughly good read! This novel has great characters and a very interesting historical setting. I learnt a lot about the history of Guernsey in a very entertaining way! I enjoyed the split timings of present day to World War 2. The book is easy to read, and draws you in so you carry on reading! I wholeheartedly recommend this book.

I enjoyed this novel, the characters, the story and the history. Clara and Lucy, sisters, both very different characters. Guernsey in Spring 2016, we find Clara, married to John, they have a 5 year old daughter, Molly.. Lucy, who is single and free and lives on mainland England, travels to Guernsey to assist her sister with the selling of an old Manor House, Deux Tourelles, after the death of their second cousin, elderly Dido.

The chapters alternate from 2016 to 1940 Guernsey, telling the story of sisters Persephone & Dido Le Roy in 1940 in occupied Guernsey during the German occupation. I found the novel light-hearted, informative, sad and would recommend this book.

I give a 4 star rating.

I WANT TO THANK NETGALLEY FOR THE OPPORTUNITY OF READING AN ADVANCED COPY OF THIS BOOK FOR AN HONEST REVIEW

This was a gripping read. The story is told over two different time frames and I found the histological time frame a lot more interesting. I enjoyed learning about something I wasn't aware of and found myself absorbed in the story.

I loved this book. This is the third novel I've read by this author and she didn't disappoint. Would highly recommend to anyone who likes stories set around world war 2. Loved the fact it was set in the channel Islands giving a completely different take on the usual wartime romance. Looking forward to reading the next book from this author.

I was interested in this book having lived in the Channel Islands during my 30s. We mainly lived on Jersey but visited Guernsey a few times and was fascinated with the events of the Occupation during WW2.
The book is really interesting and uses a dual narrative to explore sisterly relationships, love and fulfilling one's destiny. The detail of the island is rich and vivid and the war-time characters provide lasting impressions of what it would have been like to live through those times.
I especially enjoyed the aspects of the WW2 storyline, as it matched up to the authentic experiences I read about while visiting the Occupation museums and war tunnels of the Channel Islands. The author also manages to evoke a real sense of place on Guernsey, employing that 'je ne sais quoi' about living on the islands - not quite British and not quite European - but definitely unique!
Overall, a really satisfying story to read with enough plot twists to keep me turning the pages until the end. I will be looking for more Lorna Cook books to read in future.

Many thanks to the publishers and NetGalley for pre-release copy in exchange for an honest review.

The Girl from the Island By Lorna Cook is an excellent dual timeline historical fiction novel that kept me interested from beginning to end.. Two sisters in wartime occupied Guernsey, and two sisters now. The stories run alongside each other as modern day Lucy researches the history of the house she and Clara have inherited from an elderly aunt, uncovering secrets and sadness.

As with all dual timelines, it is a tricky business to balance the past story with the current day. Ms Cook pulled this off quite well. In 2016 Lucy is returning to Guernsey after three years, her cousin Dido has died and she is going to help her sister Clara sell Dido’s house. Lucy is intrigued about Dido’s sister Persey, apart from an old photo of the two sisters together and an old letter, there are no other possessions of Persey’s. Lucy starts to look into what happened to Persey. We go back to 1940 during world war 2 where we meet sisters Dido and Persey. The Germans have arrived on the island and life will never be the same again.

This is a fascinating book which gives a real insight into life under German occupation on the island and shows the conflicts and battles that the islanders had to face as well as the occupying German forces as well. The book certainly pushed your expectations to make you think of both sides during the war and for that I commend it.

The stories interweave distinctly backwards and forwards and with an added piece of romance just made the story more intriguing as it added another element to the puzzle that Lucy was trying to solve about the house and its occupants.

Thank you NetGalley and Avon Books UK, the author for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

A beautifully told story of 2 sisters during the Nazi Occupation of Guernsey. This book is so well-written, so emotional, and completely engrossing. As with all war books, it has a few parts that are hard to read, heavy moments, but they're absolutely worth pushing through and remembering the hard and the good parts of history.
A must read for fans of WWII fiction.

Romance, heartbreak and bravery
This story has a dual timeline, weaving between the present-day and the German occupation of Guernsey during WW2. Lucy goes back home to Guernsey for the funeral of her distant relation. Her sister Clara still lives there with her husband and daughter. The two sisters have a difficult relationship. Their relative, Dido, leaves them her wonderful old house. While getting it ready for sale they discover Dido had a sister Persephone and over the course of the book they find out what happened to the occupants of the house during the German occupation.
The Girl from the Island is a great read for those who enjoy romance, family saga or historical fiction. Fact and fiction are blended with great skill by the author. It’s a great story, my first from Lorna Cook and will not be my last. Well-written, well-paced and with several great twists, I would recommend it.
Thank you to Avon Books and NetGalley for an advance copy in return for my honest review.

Unputdownable, Passionate, Captivating, and Magnetic!!
Lorna Cook has introduced us to a different glimpse into what life was like for others during the World War II. The Germans actually did occupy the area from 30 June 1940 until it was liberated 9 May 1945. Not only did the author incorporate informative facts, but the characters were so poignant and strong that they made the pages flip themselves. I even forgot to eat lunch and start dinner I was so engrossed in the storyline. I would definitely give this a solid five stars plus more if I could.

The storyline flowed between two different time periods, but it was definitely no hindrance. Lucy & Clara were from the present and like all siblings they had differences that needed working out. Lucy found a box in the house of their Great-Aunt who left them the house and it seemed that they had another Aunt they never knew.
Lucy was now determined to find out about this missing Aunt from the WWII era and a new neighbor man was going to aide her in the hunt.
Things were going to heat up in more ways than one on this journey for all those involved to include the new neighbor because there are secrets from the past that are going to unfold!

I received a free advanced copy from NetGalley and these are my willingly given thoughts and opinions.,

I’m pleased to say that this is another enjoyable historical fiction novel from Lorna Cook. This novel is based in Guernsey, a place I would like to visit after the Covid 19 pandemic has finished. It is only in very recent years that I became aware of how the Channel Islands had been occupied by the Germans during the Second World War.

This book looks at one family, who had to deal with the occupation, where neighbours were deported to prison camps, the wireless was banned and neighbours would inform on each other. How would Persephone and Dido cope with the challenges?

In this time slip novel, Lucy is back in Guernsey in 2016, after the death of her distant cousin Dido. When clearing out the house, Lucy becomes interested in some of the old papers she finds and sets out to solve the mystery about what happened to the residents of the house.

I enjoyed how the characters developed, the secrets revealed, the parallel sister stories and the historical details. As you would expect from a novel set during the occupation, there are some heartbreaking stories. But we also have happy and humorous moments too, when Lucy spends time with her new neighbour.

Happy to recommend to readers who enjoy time slip historical fiction nov

I had not read any books by Lorna Cook previously, but i absolutely loved this story. Highly recommended.

The story is set in Guernsey during the second World war and now. Two sisters who lived in a house on the island during the occupation by the Germans and two sisters who inherited the house now. It is a story of love, resistance, coming of age and compassion. It was easy to read and switched easily between the two time periods. I couldn't put the book down as I just wanted to know what happened.
The author wrote well, feelings experiences, the location and time setting were well described. I was unaware how Guernsey had been treated during the occupation having heard more about the treatment of the inhabitants of Jersey. It was clear that the author had done her research.
I must now look for her two previous titles to read.

If you look at the range of my reviews you will see that I am quite clear about which books I have liked and those which do not grab me or even on some occassions, I cannot waste time on completing. I will only give a book 4 or 5 stars if I believe it really deserves that rating for a variety of reasons as I do not want to give a false impression to other readers. Naturally everyone has to make up their own mind in the end.

So coming to this book..... Lorna's writing has been one of my favourite books of the year so far! I chose it as the Channel Islands are my favourite holiday destination and I haven't been able to go there for over a year! However I realise that I am fortunate to not be living through the times back in the 1940's when this novel is set. I have visited the museum of Occupation on Guernsey myself and read true life accounts of those times. Lorna gives a realistic snapshot of life then and now (as this book is written in two time frames). A real mix of romance and drama/thriller, I was kept on edge until the end. I really wanted to know more about what happened to Lucy beyond the timescale we were led into but perhaps that is just left to our own imagination!

I will be looking out for more novels by Lorna Cook and look forward to seeing where the next one is set.

Thank you to NetGalley and Avon books for an advanced copy of "The Girl From The Island" by Lorna Cook.

It is 2016 and Lucy must return to Guernsey, her childhood home, to organise a funeral of a relative, Dido LeRoy, who she barely remembers. While she is staying at Deux Torrelles, Dido's old house, she finds photos of Dido with her sister Persephone and friends Jack and Stefan taken as teenagers in the years before WW2 along with a shorthand letter.

She decides to look into the lives of Dido and Persephone and their activities under Nazi occupation in Guerney

This books is a excellently written historical novel with a difference. What happens when your house is taken by a German officer during WW2 but that German officer is an old friend from the past ? How does the dynamic change ?
How do you keep your activities a secret ?
What are the consequences for all involved ?

All characters in the book are well developed and each have their own story during the Occupation that Lucy discovers giving a more complete overview of the Channel Islands during Nazi Occupation

Would recommend.

This an exciting dual timeline novel set in Guernsey in 1940 and 2016. The historical story explores the lives of two sisters left alone to face the German occupation in 1940. Lucy reluctantly returns to Guernsey in 2016 to sort out the estate of Dido, a distant cousin, which forces her to reconnect with her sister Clara.

The historical timeline is poignant and illustrates what living with the enemy was like. Lucy and a neighbour explore what happened to Dido's sister, who disappeared in the war. The mystery is complex and full of danger and heartbreak.

Both timelines are of interest, and the story is an engaging medley of betrayal, courage, loss and love in a beautiful island setting.

I received a copy of this book from Avon Books UK via NetGalley in return for an honest review.

Lucy was desperate to escape Guernsey as soon as she could, she felt trapped, that life wasn’t going anywhere and she would be better off living her life anywhere but there.

But when an aged relative, Dido dies she is called back to the island of her youth, and to Dido’s home as plans are made to put it up for sale. As she starts to put the house in order she discovers, some old papers and photographs. One of these is of someone called Persey, who was she and why do the sisters know nothing about her. Now with Dido dead, it seems there is no one to ask and Lucy decides to piece all the pieces together herself. It is a story that will be heart breaking and heart warming and perhaps makes Lucy look at life in a very different way.

The dual narrative of this book takes us back on occasions to the 1930s, still on Guernsey and then to the 1940s during the occupation by the Germans. Here two sisters have spent their childhood days of the 1930s playing around the island with no care in the world with the housekeeper’s son, Jack and the German boy Stefan who visits relatives during the summer months.

When their mother dies the same day as the occupation life changes forever for these two sisters and it seems as if those carefree days are now going to cause them pain and anguish.

This is a fascinating book which gives a real insight into life under German occupation on the island and shows the conflicts and battles that the islanders had to face as well as the occupying German forces as well. The book certainly pushed your expectations to make you think of both sides during the war and for that I commend it.

The stories interweave distinctly backwards and forwards and with an added piece of romance just made the story more intriguing as it added another element to the puzzle that Lucy was trying to solve about the house and its occupants.

This latest from Lorna Cook, like her previous novels takes an element of history that is perhaps overlooked or not given as much page space and weaves the fact with the fiction to create a story to draw you in and care. Care about the characters, the places, the storyline and the conclusion so it becomes a joyous occasion to have read the book. This is very much the case with The Girl From the Island.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book by Lorna Cook. I’ve not read any of her books before but when I saw that it was set in Guernsey, a place I have sailed to a number of times and really love, I knew I’d be hooked. The dual timelines of present day and WW2 worked really well and the storylines were very good. Thanks to the publishers and NetGalley for letting me read this book. I can definitely recommend it!

I really enjoyed reading this book.

The story is across two timelines: Persey and Dido during WWII and Lucy and Clara in the present day. Both of them sets of sisters but couldn't be more different if they tried. Very different times, very different relationships as well.

Persey and Dido lived in a large house in Guernsey when WWII started. It seemed in no time at all, their tiny island paradise was being invaded by Nazi troops, who turned their lives upside down. Both sisters tried to live life as usual but they both had secret loves which put them in danger.

In the present day, Lucy finds herself in Dido's home, not knowing very much about her second cousin at all, and needing to clear the house with her sister Clara, so they can prepare the house for sale. Her sister Clara has stayed in Guernsey and married a local boy, whereas Lucy left as soon as she could, and that has led to tensions between the sisters.

As this story unfolds, I found myself really tense at times, because I could just HEAR those Nazi jackboots marching down the streets and the curfews imposed by them which were strictly enforced. I can't even imagine having to live my life under those circumstances - in fact, I had no idea that Guernsey even had a Nazi occupation, so that was a real revelation to me.

This novel is terrific. The characters were so very real to me, in both timelines, and my heart hurt for all that Persey and Dido had to go through. I also understood the Lucy and Clara dynamic.

5 stars from me.

Thank you to NetGalley and Avon.

The Girl from the Island is a beautifully written story of love and survival during the Occupation of Guernsey in the Second World War, which then brings hidden family history to the forefront two generations later.

The author has well-researched the historical facts of the Occupation of the Channel Islands and woven this alongside her fictional characters to create a marvellous story. The mystery element of this story, along with the twists and turns in the plot had me gripped. This is the first time I have read any of Lorna Cook’s work and I would happily read other novels of hers.

I highly recommend The Girl from the Island - the characters are wonderfully depicted, the pace is good and the story flows really well between the dual timelines and narratives. The plot is really fantastic - so well thought out and all the elements put together beautifully. Definitely a book I didn’t want to put down.

I am grateful to the publisher, Avon Books UK, via NetGalley for an advance digital copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I love the formula of Lorna Cooks books, two timelines intricately entwined make an immersive gripping read!

I gobbled up this book, it was a delicious read and a very relatable story. Jumping backwards and forwards from WW2 to the present day, we could immerse ourselves into the story, it was beautifully linked and each timeline was given the same thought and attention on detail of the plot and the characters. Some books have lead characters that you don't really like but each person in this book was beautifully thought out. The book flowed beautifully and when you thought you had sussed out the story line a little nudge was given in a different direction, capturing you again and immersing you back into the trials and tribulations of the characters.
It was a pleasure to read you didn't want the story to end.

I don't normally read historical fiction, but this advance copy was my opportunity to. Set in Guernsey during the second world war, it was interesting to read what happened then the island was occupied by the Germans to this family. We also had another time line set in the present (2016) when a further generation continued the story. It is an emotional book, which is very well researched and written.

The Girl from the Island is the third book from the fantastic author that is Lorna Cook. If you haven’t read anything by this talented writer before then you are really missing out. Lorna has a natural gift for storytelling that truly impresses me and I have been a fan of her books ever since her brilliant debut. Once again right from page one you are drawn into this dual timeline storyline set on the island of Guernsey and you become completely invested in the eventual outcome for the main characters. Imagination is blended to perfection with historical fact and I felt I was given a glimpse into another aspect of World War Two that I had not previously known about, that of the German occupation of the Channel Islands. A fascinating time in history is explored and I have read lots and lots of books set during this time and at some stage you begin to think you have read all you can on the subject that the impact these books are meant to have on you begins to fade but then along comes this book which is an inspirational story. One full of bravery, courage, dedication and love in the face of hardship, cruelty, angst and endless rules and regulations imposed by a mad man.

Spring 2016 and it’s been so long since Lucy visited Guernsey even though her sister Clara still lives there. But now the death of a distant relative Dido sees her returning to make funeral arrangements on behalf of her father who is now living abroad. Lucy barely remembers Dido or the house she lives in, Deux Tourelles, but when she reaches the house she finds it void of any personal mementoes or photos her interest is piqued. Dido from what she learns was an active member of the community but why is there nothing of any personal note on display on the house? When Lucy locates a box of old newspaper clippings, notes and photos so sets in motion her quest to learn more about Dido and even more so when there is a photo with names on the back - Dido, Jack, Stefan and Persephone. Who were these people and what happened to them? Lucy knows the island has a deep history since its German occupation during the war and she wonders what part, if any, did Dido and the people named in the photo have to play in it.

I did enjoy reading about Lucy in the present day and how she navigates through her relationship with her sister, which is very fragile, and then how she wants to find the answers to connect the past to the present. Clara views Lucy as being very predictable in that she always chooses the easy way out of things or else she gives up entirely. Lucy wants to prove Clara wrong and decides she will dedicate herself to getting the house ready for sale and showing that she can stick at one thing. That she doesn’t always run away from things. In doing so she uncovers a remarkable story of fortitude, daring and fearlessness in the face of opposition, hatred and destruction.

The plot twists that occurred in the present towards the end of the book were just brilliant, so cleverly woven into the overall plot and they leave you reeling in surprise and gasping in shock. But for me the strongest part of the book were the chapters set back during the war. I couldn’t wait to get back to them after reading about Lucy in the present. It’s not that Lucy’s aspect of the story wasn’t well written, it was . I just became completely fascinated by the story of the two sisters who when confronted with a face from the past who has now become the enemy find their lives changed and being lived on a knife edge of tension. I found Lucy in the modern day served to bridge the gap and connect the dots between the island of the past and the island as it was in the present and it was all brilliantly written but my interest really was piqued reading about how the islanders coped with having their tiny patch of paradise invaded and their lives as they knew it changed forever.

On the day the Germans arrived on the island of Guernsey, Dido and Persephone’s mother passed away. No sooner had this occurred than there was a knock on the door of Deux Turelles and a face from the past was waiting on the doorstep. Stefan, a German, had spent summers on the island previously and struck up a friendship with the two sisters and Jack, the son of their housekeeper who was like a brother to the pair. But Stefan left one summer and never came back and nor did he write. Now he is back on the island in a different capacity and one in which Persey never thought possible. Stefan is billeted at the house which causes endless tension amongst the residents. Persey wrestles with past events and so many emotions come to the surface. Stefan, who was once a friend but now is a foe, surely can not be viewed in the same manner as he once was but yet Persey has these feelings that connect back to an incident on a cliff that last fateful summer.

Throughout the course of the novel we see her wrestle with her conscience as she knows what her heart is trying to say and she just can’t reconcile the fact that Stefan is the one to watch, to be careful around. No misplaced word or drop of information can be uttered especially as Jack who had enlisted finds himself stuck on the island as the work he was carrying out all went wrong. It’s such a complicated situation for everyone to be in and the characters all dance warily around each other in fear of doing the wrong thing that could see disaster befall them all. The development of Persey’s story, and that of her family, was superbly executed with an assured pace, increasing tension and plenty of crafty twists. Lorna Cook is an expert at bringing the past to life and I felt I was right there with Persey as she balances so many balls in the air. If one dropped her whole world and that of the people she so dearly loved would come crashing down.

With the German’s arrival new rules and regulations were imposed and I just couldn’t comprehend how the islanders must have felt. I couldn’t imagine myself facing all these changes not knowing was this to be my life forever. Not to mention the island became so cut off from the outside world, that even to hide a wireless became an offence. They must have felt so abandoned and lived in constant fear of doing the wrong thing. Something which up until the occupation would have been deemed normal but now it could have been a criminal offence and seen you taken away. Persey despite emotionally wrestling with what she was dealing with with regards to Stefan always showed such resilience. She was constantly thinking of the bigger picture and of others less fortunate then herself and her family. The new laws affecting Jews throughout German occupied territories also came into play on the island and I found this strand of the story intriguing and gripping. Loyalties are constantly questioned and Persey and the islanders do remarkable things which form the backbone of the overall plot. I find it incredible to think that the people living on a tiny island where every move was scrutinised by those who had taken power were able to carry out such heroic deeds in the face of so many burdens to be just incredible and their story definitely deserved to be told. Persey’s story was intense, riveting, inspiring and heart wrenching but it only served to highlight the grit and determination she had deep within her.

If you haven’t previously read anything by Lorna Cook make sure you also check out her previous books, The Forgotten Village and The Forbidden Promise. They are just as good as this new book and I envy those who have yet to discover this wonderful author. The only disappointment I now have is the time I will now have to wait until the next book is published and that’s my own fault as I read The Girl from the Island far too fast. I should have taken things more slowly but really it was just too good to put down. A brilliant storyline, a superb sense of place, strong believable characters and those brilliant plot twists that I didn’t see coming all make for an excellent read that I wouldn’t hesitate to recommended. Lorna Cook is definitely an author who has secured her place on my go-to authors list.