A Mother's War A BRAND NEW gripping WW2 historical novel from Helen Parusel for 2023 by Helen Parusel | Book review

Book review :

'The compelling story of Laila - a woman of great hope and courage - who showed how love, loyalty and compassion can endure despite the evils of war.' This book is powerful,, thought provoking and is written in such a beautiful way. I think it depicts the difficult and equally heartbreaking situations unmarried women found themselves in at that time perfectly.

How ironic that a heroine who strongly believes that family is important, is let down by the very people she thought she could rely on. Set in Norway beginning in April of 1940 when the Nazi’s invaded, the main character Laila is angry and heartbroken as her homeland is invaded. She vows to do whatever it takes to fight back and remain true to her country and its people. But, fate intervenes and before Laila can stop herself, she falls for the young soldier Josef, who also hates the Nazi’s and what they’ve done to his homeland of Germany, and does whatever he can to defy the uniform he’s forced to wear. The romance of a summers night by the fjord with Josef ends with Laila pregnant.

As Josef is sent to the Russian front, Laila confesses to her family, who immediately disown her. With nowhere to go, she ends up a Nazi run women's home who promise to provide for her and her child. It is here that she learns how insidious the Nazi regime is. But with nowhere to go and no one to support her, can she untangle herself from the web she's trapped in?

The author tells a beautiful story of heroism, bravery, womanhood, motherhood, and love amidst the chaos of war. It’s such an addicting and beautifully written story. All the characters were well drawn and likable.

Overall , the book is a  beautiful story of heroism, bravery, womanhood, motherhood, and love amidst the chaos of war. It’s such an addicting and beautifully written story. I stayed up way past my bedtime to finish this book. I am thankful to @netgalley and the publisher for providing me the book in return of an honest review.