Her Secret War

Fans of WWII novels will find this distinguished by the fact that it starts in Dublin, which, despite Ireland being neutral, was bombed by Germany in 1941,. Sarah, who loses her family in the attack, opts to move in with other relatives in England. She works for the MOD and is slowly drawn into a counterespionage effort. No spoilers from me but know that not everyone she meets is who they purport to be. She's a good protagonist, there are some nice twists, and the storytelling is good. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. A good read.

Set in 1941 in Dublin and then England, this gorgeous book is loaded with intrigue, friendship, love, loyalty, sorrow and despair. Dublin unexpectedly gets bombed by Germans, causing swathes of destruction and loss of life. Not only does Sarah Gillespie lose her family home and her entire family but she breaks up with her RAF boyfriend, Paul. Her relatives in England invite her to live with them, an entirely different dynamic. Her job is in the Drawing Office, home of the Spitfire, and places her in a rather interesting position. Her boss is difficult but she excels at her work. Many life changes!

When faced with a huge decision, Sarah does what she feels is best for her and her new family. Espionage, mysteries, secret missions, friendships and romance follow. In spades.

My favourite aspects of this book are the Ireland perspective, the espionage and brilliant range of characters. I appreciate that the book includes hardship along with joy. For me it has a special indefinable something which swept me away. Sort of a spark. I completely got lost in the writing and story and really cared about the characters. More, please!

My sincere thank you to Avon Books UK and NetGalley for the privilege of reading this wonderful book! Historical Fiction readers will surely enjoy it, especially if drawn in by twists and turns.

Set in the second world war from an Irish slant, this story is full of intrigue, espionage, deception and keep alert as there are a few red herrings in there too - and, as it’s set in war time, there is also sorrow and loss.
I thoroughly enjoyed this read however; attempting to decipher whether the characters were who they claimed to be. It’s an excellent book and would highly recommend reading. Particularly the very last cliff hanging sentence - please let there be a sequel.

The Irish Spy

In Dublin, during a bombing by a German Bomber Sarah Gillespie loses her sister and her father, the only family she has left after the death of her mother years earlier. She goes to live with an Aunt and Uncle in England.

She had a fight with her boyfriend Paul because he wants to enlist in the British RAF and fly airplanes. Later she feels she has made a mistake, but doesn't know how to fix it with Paul and he leaves to join the RAF.

She doesn't know when she goes to work at a company designing spitfire airplanes she will meet a boy named Rob and be drawn into an espionage ring. She still misses Paul but doesn't know how to let him know how she feels. She is confused and threatened if she doesn't steal airplane plans for Rob she will be deported and her Aunt and Uncle and cousins as well. She doesn't know what to do.
The story of Sarah, Rob, Paul and her other friends Ruth, Gladys, and Martin her cousin are told within the pages of this book. Will Sarah be caught as a spy? Will she get back with Paul or with Rob? You will want to read this fast paced, suspenseful novel filled with intrigue, romance and a twist at the very end.

I loved the characters and the descriptions of the landmarks and the battles during the bombings. Exciting and historical. I just wanted to keep reading to find out what was going to happen next. It Was a great read and I would recommend it.

Thanks to Pam Lecky, Avon Books U.K. , and NetGalley for allowing me to read a complimentary copy of the book for my honest review.