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A Rose For The Resistance by Angela K. Couch - The Nazis are occupying France, and in the village of Ste Mere Eglise, Rosalie is doing her best to endure, keep quiet and out of trouble, and hope that it will soon be over. With her father in a POW camp and her mother withdrawn and distant, Rosalie takes charge of the family business and tries to keep her younger brother from involvement in the resistance. Eventually her attempts to keep him from endangering himself leads to her own participation in the underground, reasoning that as a woman she would fall under less suspicion than a teenage boy.
German soldier Franz has also survived the war thus far by keeping quiet and following orders, but after an injury he is transferred to Normandy and is increasingly opposed to the actions and goals of the army in which he serves. While wrestling with his own conscience and the possible consequences, he comes in contact with Rosalie and finds himself sympathetic to her. When he receives an unexpected promotion and then finds a wounded British pilot, he makes a quick decision to take the pilot to Rosalie rather than take him prisoner.
Rosalie isn't sure why Franz is helping her family, or whether he can be trusted, but since she has little choice she cooperates and hides the pilot, and decides to trust Franz. As the weeks go by, their uneasy truce develops into a friendship as Franz helps Rosalie and the resistance again and again. But Franz has enemies within the army and as rumblings of an Allied invasion grow louder, both Franz and Rosalie are in increasing danger of being betrayed.
This story was hard to read at times, as I considered the current situation in Europe, but I thought it a good reminder that even enemy soldiers are human. For the most part, I thought this story did a wonderful job of bringing to life the plights of people in occupied territories, soldiers who struggle with questions of conscience, and everyone who wants to be free. Admittedly, I don't often read historical fiction set during the world wars, but this seemed like a perspective that hasn't been explored as much - that of the Christians in occupied territories during the World War.
From the publisher:
A French Woman and German Soldier Create a Truce
Full of intrigue, adventure, and romance, this new series celebrates the unsung heroes - the heroines of WWII.
With her father in a German POW camp and her home in Ste Mere Eglise, France, under Nazi occupation, Rosalie Barrieau will do anything to keep her younger brother safe . . . even from his desire to join the French resistance. Until she falls into the debt of a German soldier - one who delivers a wounded British pilot to her door. Though not sure what to make of her German ally, Rosalie is thrust deep into the heart of the local underground. As tensions build toward the allied invasion of Normandy, she must decide how much she is willing to risk for freedom.
Visit Barbour Publishing for more info on where to buy.
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This is a book with a bilingual character (protagonist Rosalind is French but also speaks English well, and works hard to learn German during the story) (#33) for The 52 Book Club's 2022 Reading Challenge
#the52bookclub2022
I received a complimentary copy of this book from Barbour Publishing and was under no obligation to post a review.
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by Anna Lee Huber - Kiera and Gage return to London but their peace is short-lived when body-snatchers and 'burkers' terrorize the city and put Kiera in danger.
