Review: A Woman of Courage

Title: A Woman of Courage

Author: Tania Blanchard

Publisher: 1st November 2023 by HarperCollins Publishers Australia

Pages: 448 pages

Genre: General Fiction (Adult) | Historical Fiction | Romance

My Rating: 4 cups

Synopsis:

A gripping, moving story of love, tenacity and the right to be heard by bestseller Tania Blanchard, inspired by a true story

1890, Northern England. Hannah Todd dreams of a future where women have the right to vote. Fresh from her teaching studies in Durham, the university city, she joins her parents in a rural village, brimming with newly found passion and the groundswell towards women's suffrage unfolding in London. Working tirelessly to help women and children in the county, Hannah is determined to make the fight for the vote her life's work, adding her voice to the rising chorus across the nation and hopes of a new world and a new way of thinking. 

But soon she must fight a new, unexpected battle - that of the yearning of her own heart - and discovers that when power is threatened, darkness, brutality and dangerous, closely guarded secrets are never too far from the surface. How far can she go to fight for what's right? 

From the exciting, progressive hive of London to the traditional villages of the rural north, A Woman of Courage rings with the strength and struggles of women at time of momentous change ... and the choices one woman must make to help forge a new future. 

My Thoughts

‘The world was changing fast as we crept toward the new century and we were immersed in new modern ideas and opportunities. I for one was determined to evolve to live the life I wanted.’

A Woman of Courage is the fifth novel by Aussie author Tania Blanchard and I was excited to read it as I have very much enjoyed her previous offerings. This is such a well researched tale of the fight for the right to vote. Set in such a different era from her previous works, Tania makes it so personable that the reader cannot help but become immersed in what life must have been like for women during this period. 

‘Is this suffrage talk?’ ‘Don’t, Mama!’ I said sharply. She just didn’t understand that I wanted a different life, a life where I could choose how I lived it.’

Set in northern England in the 1890s, the reader follows Hannah’s struggles between her dreams and her family’s wishes. The 1890s is a period of social change in England with women asking questions and wanting more from their life - more freedom to choose its direction. Whether that be to marry or not, or whether to have children or not, or how to remove oneself from dangerous situations. Tania also touches on social changes in light of vaccinations, mental illness and things as basic to us as education for both the young and older generations. 

‘I was part of a new generation who wanted to be at the forefront of change.’

The story moves in a different direction from Tania’s previous novels, on this occasion she is said to be inspired by her husband’s family stories. Once more she does another sensational job of melding fact and fiction. As in her previous works, Tania blends the events of the rights of women beautifully with a story bringing real heart and soul to a momentous period in history for women. With themes of family and ambition, dreams and heartbreak, I recommend lovers of historical fiction to take this journey with all the drama that this period brings with it. Looks like Hannah will get another opportunity to pursue the rights of women with Tania alluding to a follow up book in 2024 where Hannah’s passionate journey to achieve the vote for women will continue.

“… remember why you’re doing this. Not just for your own sanity and sense of self but for Annie. We’re doing this for the future of our daughters. One day they’ll understand and be proud of what we’ve done, no matter how difficult it might have been for us.”

This review is based on a complimentary copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. The quoted material may have changed in the final release.

Review: Daughter of Calabria

Title: Daughter of Calabria

(Previously published as Echoes of War)

Author: Tania Blanchard

Publisher: 7th September 2022 by Simon & Schuster Au

Pages: 448 pages

Genre: historical fiction

My Rating: 4.5 cups

Synopsis:

Previously published as Echoes of War

Set in Mussolini’s Italy amid great upheaval, this is the story of one woman’s determination to find her place in a world that men are threatening to tear apart. Another heart-rending novel inspired by a true story from Australia's bestselling author of The Girl from Munich.

Calabria, Italy, 1936

In a remote farming village nestled in the mountains that descend into the sparkling Ionian Sea, young and spirited Giulia Tallariti longs for something more. While she loves her home and her lively family, she would much rather follow in her nonna’s footsteps and pursue her dream of becoming a healer.

But as Mussolini’s focus shifts to the war in Europe, civil unrest looms. Whispers of war are at every corner and her beloved village, once safe from the fascist agenda of the North, is now in very real danger.

Caught between her desire to forge her own path and her duty to her family, Giulia must draw on the passion in her heart and the strength of her conviction.

Can she find a way to fulfill her dreams without sacrificing all she holds dear?

My Thoughts

‘You have to be smart, be realistic, work within the boundaries to find a way to do what you want.’

Daughter of Calabria (previously published as Echoes of War in 2021) is the fourth novel by Aussie author Tania Blanchard and I was excited to read it as I have very much enjoyed her previous offerings. On this occasion we have a young girl, Guilia, who just wants to be a healer like her Nonna. However, this puts her at odds with her father who’s only wish is to see his daughters married off as quickly as possible. Add into the mix, the outbreak of WWII and it is a recipe for a drama filled tale. 

‘I was finally free of Papà’s controlling ways and about to learn from one of the best herbalists in Calabria.’

Extending from 1936 into the 1950s, the reader follows Guilia’s struggles between her dreams and her family’s wishes. In the background, Mussolini and the world are waging war. Tania does a fantastic job of bringing to life not only this dictatorial government but also the patriarchal society and how life might have played out for someone such as Guilia.

‘The greatest responsibility of all rested on the shoulders of women. We were the ones who kept the family together, kept our farms and businesses running, put food on the table and made sure we all survived. But we couldn’t do it without each other.’

The story is inspired by Tania’s grandparents as mentioned in her Author Notes and she does another sensational job of melding fact and fiction. As in her previous works, Tania blends the events of the war beautifully with a story, in fact, the war most definitely is in the background for this one. With themes of family and ambition, dreams and heartbreak, I recommend lovers of historical fiction to take this journey with all the drama that this period brings with it. 

‘Oh, Giulia, you’ve always had a passion for life, a thirst for knowledge and the strength of will to reach for your dreams. You only needed to know how to harness your talents and recognise the strength within you.’

This review is based on a complimentary copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. The quoted material may have changed in the final release.

Review: Echoes of War

Title: Echoes of War

Author: Tania Blanchard

Publisher: 29th September 2021 by Simon & Schuster Australia

Pages: 448 pages

How I Read It: ARC book

Genre: historical fiction

My Rating: 4.5 crowns

Synopsis:

Set in Mussolini’s Italy amid great upheaval, this is the story of one woman’s determination to find her place in a world that men are threatening to tear apart. Another heart-rending novel inspired by a true story from the bestselling author of The Girl from Munich. 

 

Calabria, Italy, 1936

In a remote farming village nestled in the mountains that descend into the sparkling Ionian Sea, young and spirited Giulia Tallariti longs for something more. While she loves her home and her lively family, she would much rather follow in her nonna’s footsteps and pursue her dream of becoming a healer.

But as Mussolini’s focus shifts to the war in Europe, civil unrest looms. Whispers of war are at every corner and her beloved village, once safe from the fascist agenda of the North, is now in very real danger.

Caught between her desire to forge her own path and her duty to her family, Giulia must draw on the passion in her heart and the strength of her conviction. Can she find a way to fulfill her dreams or will the echoes of war drown out her voice?

My Thoughts

‘You have to be smart, be realistic, work within the boundaries to find a way to do what you want.’

Echoes of War is the fourth novel by Aussie author Tania Blanchard and I was excited to read it as I have very much enjoyed her previous offerings. On this occasion we have a young girl, Guilia, who just wants to be a healer like her Nonna. However, this puts her at odds with her father who’s only wish is to see his daughters married off as quickly as possible. Add into the mix, the outbreak of WWII and it is a recipe for a drama filled tale. 

‘I was finally free of Papà’s controlling ways and about to learn from one of the best herbalists in Calabria.’

Extending from 1936 into the 1950s, the reader follows Guilia’s struggles between her dreams and her family’s wishes. In the background, Mussolini and the world are waging war. Tania does a fantastic job of bringing to life not only this dictatorial government but also the patriarchal society and how life might have played out for someone such as Guilia.

‘The greatest responsibility of all rested on the shoulders of women. We were the ones who kept the family together, kept our farms and businesses running, put food on the table and made sure we all survived. But we couldn’t do it without each other.’

The story is inspired by Tania’s grandparents as mentioned in her Author Notes and she does another sensational job of melding fact and fiction. As in her previous works, Tania blends the events of the war beautifully with a story, in fact, the war most definitely is in the background for this one. With themes of family and ambition, dreams and heartbreak, I recommend lovers of historical fiction to take this journey with all the drama that this period brings with it. 

‘Oh, Giulia, you’ve always had a passion for life, a thirst for knowledge and the strength of will to reach for your dreams. You only needed to know how to harness your talents and recognise the strength within you.’

This review is based on a complimentary copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. The quoted material may have changed in the final release.

Review: Letters from Berlin

Title: Letters from Berlin

Author: Tania Blanchard

Publisher: 7th October 2020 by Simon & Schuster (Australia)

Pages: 448 pages

How I Read It: ARC book

Genre: historical fiction

My Rating: 4.5 cups

Synopsis:

From the bestselling author of The Girl from Munich and Suitcase of Dreams comes an unforgettable tale of love, courage and betrayal inspired by a true story

Berlin, 1943

As the Allied forces edge closer, the Third Reich tightens its grip on its people. For eighteen-year-old Susanna Göttmann, this means her adopted family including the man she loves, Leo, are at risk.

Desperate to protect her loved ones any way she can, Susie accepts the help of an influential Nazi officer. But it comes at a terrible cost – she must abandon any hope of a future with Leo and enter the frightening world of the Nazi elite. 

Yet all is not lost as her newfound position offers more than she could have hoped for … With critical intelligence at her fingertips, Susie seizes a dangerous opportunity to help the Resistance.

The decisions she makes could change the course of the war, but what will they mean for her family and her future? 

My Thoughts

Tania Blanchard continues to enthral her audiences with high quality wartime sagas. Inspired once more by facts from her own family’s history, she captures all the brutality of WWII but from the often overlooked German perspective. I have read and reviewed all Tania’s books - The Girl from Munich and Suitcase of Dreams - and Letters from Berlin is equally engaging. 

‘Take the moments of joy whenever you can get them. They’ll sustain you through the difficult times that are a part of life.’

What I enjoyed most about this story was the inside perspective of life in Berlin during this volatile time. Tania slowly lays out all the pieces on her story board - history, plot, characters - and then weaves her writer’s magic to present a compelling tale that will keep the reader engaged to the very end. 

What you see here is the slow demise of the Nazis and how they all began to turn on one another with the Russians and Americans advancing on two fronts. Berlin and its people were trapped and betrayed with often madness ensuing in an effort to eliminate any and all evidence. No one could be trusted as desperation overtook the Nazis and their followers. So many German citizens longed for Hitler’s downfall and the characters Tania includes are strong and determined to stand up for all that is right and just.  

‘We knew what the Nazi racial policy involved only too well. I felt ashamed to be German.’

My only concern (and loss of half a star) was the opening and closings of the book -it just did not sit comfortably for me. In some respects, I could have done without these short ‘bookends’, as I felt it detracted from a strong wartime saga. The modern day link did not add enough and the quick closure for the leads in the present day was not satisfying after all I had been through with them. However, do not let this distract you from a wonderful wartime read. 

‘There wasn’t always a right and a wrong. Life was more complicated than that. It was about the shades that lay in between. I was beginning to learn what people were prepared to do for the right reasons.’

Letters from Berlin simmers with authenticity because of Tania's inside knowledge and you will appreciate this when you read her endnote. I congratulate Tania for providing us with German perspectives in such a time of uncertainty, with characters who are resilient and believable. I highly recommend this book for historical fiction lovers. 

‘We each have a way of surviving, a way of keeping our soul intact. We need hope to live.’

This review is based on a complimentary copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. The quoted material may have changed in the final release.

Review: Suitcase of Dreams

Title: Suitcase of Dreams

Author: Tania Blanchard

Publisher: 1st November 2018 by Simon & Schuster (Australia)

Pages: 400 pages

How I Read It: ARC book

Genre: historical fiction

My Rating: 4 cups

Synopsis:

From the bestselling author of The Girl from Munich, a sweeping, dramatic tale of love and identity, inspired by a true story.

After enduring the horror of Nazi Germany and the chaos of postwar occupation, Lotte Drescher and her family arrive in Australia in 1956 full of hope for a new life. It’s a land of opportunity, where Lotte and her husband Erich dream of giving their children the future they have always wanted.

After years of struggling to find their feet as New Australians, Erich turns his skill as a wood carver into a successful business and Lotte makes a career out of her lifelong passion, photography. The sacrifices they have made finally seem worth it until Erich’s role in the trade union movement threatens to have him branded a communist and endanger their family. Then darker shadows of the past reach out to them from Germany, a world and a lifetime away.

As the Vietnam War looms, an unexpected visitor forces Lotte to a turning point. Her decision will change her life forever . . . and will finally show her the true meaning of home.

My Thoughts

‘I didn’t even know why we were here. It wasn’t like we were wanted when there’d been nothing but disregard, disrespect and lies since our arrival.’

Tania Blanchard wrote a tremendous debut, ‘The Girl from Munich’ (HERE) and therefore I was most excited to read her follow up story of Lotte and Erich. Once again, this proved easy to read with that familiar  mix of fiction and nonfiction, that this time, will have you disembarking on Australian shores during the years of post war migration.

After surviving the horrors of Nazi Germany, Lotte and her family arrive in Australia in 1956 full of hope to make a fresh start. After all, Australia had been presented as the ‘land of opportunity’ and they had been promised so much. This was their opportunity to give their children the future they had only ever dreamed of.

‘Look at us! We’re no better off. All the broken promises, the broken dreams.’

Once more Blanchard bases her tale on the true story of her grandparents as we follow them from their initial start at the Bonegilla migrant camp up until the time they finally are in a position to get their own house and land, ‘the all Australian dream’. It is no easy journey and Tania will shine the light on the many hardships migrants had to face at this time - everything from the language barrier to being taken advantage of in the workplace.

I loved spending time with Lotte and Erich once more, their love is so special and their life was not easy. There is a wonderful cast of characters and settings, especially their love of the Australian bush. I did not find this book to be as strong as the first. Admittedly it was difficult as the time frame was that much larger, around twenty years. This had an impact towards the end when there were jumps in time that interrupted the flow of events. I also found that some events e.g. unionism, Vietnam war etc, we were given rather large information dumps that I could have done without and certain plot twists that, although served a purpose, did not sit comfortably with me.

Overall, however, I really enjoyed this book and I’m grateful that Tania gave us the second part to Lotte and Erich’s story, no matter  how heartbreaking it might prove to be. This is a window into an important episode of Australian history - the social, political and cultural ethos, that was Australia at that time.

‘All my hopes and dreams were dashed but what I said was true. What mattered was having those we loved close to us. That much I had learnt.’

This review is based on a complimentary copy from the publisher and provided through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. The quoted material may have changed in the final release.

Review: The Girl from Munich

Title: The Girl from Munich

Author: Tania Blanchard

Publisher: 1 September  2017 by Simon & Schuster Australia

Pages: 352 pages
How I Read It: ARC book
Genre: historical fiction, romance

My Rating: 5 cups

Synopsis:

Germany, 1943. The choices she makes will change her life forever.

Growing up in Hitler’s Germany, Charlotte von Klein has big dreams for the future. Her mind is full of plans for a sumptuous wedding to her childhood sweetheart Heinrich while working for the Luftwaffe, proudly giving her all for the Fatherland.

But in 1943, the tide of the war is turning against Germany, and Lotte’s life of privilege and comfort begins to collapsing around her. As Hitler’s Reich abandons Germany and the country falls to the Allied forces, Lotte is forced to flee from the unfolding chaos to the country with the darkly attractive Erich Drescher, her Luftwaffe superior.

Amid the danger, pain and heartbreak of a country turning on itself, Lotte must forge a new life for herself. But as the country struggles to find its future, shadows of the past come rushing back and Lotte finds herself questioning everything she has fought for - love, duty and freedom.

My Thoughts

‘It was as if a tiny crack in the very ordered, planned world of mine had appeared, allowing me to look at life around me, at the life I might want to take for myself.’

I thoroughly enjoyed ‘The Girl from Munich’ by Aussie author Tania Blanchard set in the final years of World War II. It was refreshing to read a book from the perspective of a young German girl during this period and I found it to be excellent historical fiction, especially considering it is her debut. Inspired by tales from her German grandmother, it most definitely rings true and I am thrilled to see that she intends to continue the story with a new novel set in the 1950s.

‘The war had opened doors to exciting possibilities never available to a girl like me before but my mother made sure I walked the rigid path of tradition.’

I confess to being completely swept up in this tale of duty, love, survival and new beginnings. However, it is learning about German civilians during the war, that I found the most compelling. You cannot help but feel for these people who were also victims to Nazi brainwashing - ordinary people who truly believed that the Fuhrer was doing the very best for their country. This tale provides real insights into how many Germans felt during the war and at their shame in the end when the terrible atrocities were brought to their attention. It is a most compelling narrative.

‘All the reports over the wireless, at the cinema and in the local newspapers stated emphatically that Germany was winning the war. Slowly to be sure, but winning all the same, and I had no reason to doubt those reports.’

This is a coming of age story for Charlotte and the writing has you invested in many of the characters with whom you will make an emotional connections.  You will be inspired by Lotte’s strength, courage and fortitude throughout; appreciative of Erich’s dedication and compassion; understand Lotte’s ‘Vati’ (father) love, unsure of Heinrich motives - just to name a few. It may for some at times, be a little too wrapped up in the romance, but it ticked all the right boxes for me at this time.

If you enjoy a good wartime story, especially one with a most unique perspective, then I highly recommend ‘The Girl from Munich’. It is easy to read with a good mix of fiction and nonfiction that will have you swept away as the tide turns against Germany and the impact it had upon its people.

'How could he have let these things happen? How could Germany have stooped so low? After all I had seen and heard, I had to accept that Hitler wasn’t the perfect man I had believed him to be. Germany was no better off. It was destroyed, its citizens left destitute, scarred and bereft.'

This review is based on a complimentary copy from the publisher and provided through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. The quoted material may have changed in the final release