What do you think?
Rate this book
Only I Can Save Them
The little girl’s eyes brim with tears. My hands shake with fear as I take her picture, right before the carriage doors bolt shut, taking her and hundreds of others to Auschwitz. This photo proves what the Nazis are doing. But what will I have to sacrifice to show the world the truth?
Nazi-occupied Holland, 1942: Rudolf’s heart breaks as the gates of Westerbork transit camp clang shut behind his Jewish family. He had no choice but to accept a job as the camp’s photographer to keep his children safe. He sees the barbed wire surrounding them. Is this a trap, and will they ever walk out of here again?
Rudolf takes portraits of hundreds of tired souls, their clothes stitched with the yellow star they are forced to wear, marking them for deportation. He knows what the Nazis are doing to families just like his. But with each day come little acts of resistance. And one day, when the guards aren’t looking, he takes a picture of a little girl on a train to Auschwitz, her tear-filled eyes pleading for help.
That night, holding his young son in his arms, Rudolf’s heart is torn. This is no life for his children. His photographs could change the course of the war. And this could be his only chance to save them all.
Then, Rudolf and his family are ordered to report to the platform at daybreak. And as light creeps into the eastern sky, the atmosphere in the camp is tense. Do the Nazis know about the photo of the little girl? And can he still save the people he loves the most?
Inspired by the incredible true story of wartime photographer Rudolf Breslauer, Only I Can Save Them is a heart-rending tale about the choices we make in the darkest times to save those we love. Fans of Heather Morris, Ellie Midwood, Suzanne Goldring and Anna Stuart won’t be able to put this down.
Nazi-occupied Holland, 1942: Rudolf’s heart breaks as the gates of Westerbork transit camp clang shut behind his Jewish family. He had no choice but to accept a job as the camp’s photographer to keep his children safe. He sees the barbed wire surrounding them. Is this a trap, and will they ever walk out of here again?
Rudolf takes portraits of hundreds of tired souls, their clothes stitched with the yellow star they are forced to wear, marking them for deportation. He knows what the Nazis are doing to families just like his. But with each day come little acts of resistance. And one day, when the guards aren’t looking, he takes a picture of a little girl on a train to Auschwitz, her tear-filled eyes pleading for help.
That night, holding his young son in his arms, Rudolf’s heart is torn. This is no life for his children. His photographs could change the course of the war. And this could be his only chance to save them all.
Then, Rudolf and his family are ordered to report to the platform at daybreak. And as light creeps into the eastern sky, the atmosphere in the camp is tense. Do the Nazis know about the photo of the little girl? And can he still save the people he loves the most?
Inspired by the incredible true story of wartime photographer Rudolf Breslauer, Only I Can Save Them is a heart-rending tale about the choices we make in the darkest times to save those we love. Fans of Heather Morris, Ellie Midwood, Suzanne Goldring and Anna Stuart won’t be able to put this down.
320 pages, Kindle Edition
Published October 10, 2025
146 people are currently reading
99 people want to read
About the author
Imogen Matthews
17 books88 followersImogen Matthews lives in Oxford, England, and is the author of two romantic fiction novels. The Hidden Village is her first foray into historical fiction and YA.
She was born in Holland to a Dutch mother and English father and moved to England when she was still a baby.
Imogen has always enjoyed holidays in Holland and since 1990, has gone regularly with her husband and two children to Nunspeet on the edge of the Veluwe woods.
It was here she discovered the story of the hidden village and, together with her mother's vivid stories of life in WW2 Holland, she was inspired to write her historical fiction novels about bravery, courage, resilience and love.
She was born in Holland to a Dutch mother and English father and moved to England when she was still a baby.
Imogen has always enjoyed holidays in Holland and since 1990, has gone regularly with her husband and two children to Nunspeet on the edge of the Veluwe woods.
It was here she discovered the story of the hidden village and, together with her mother's vivid stories of life in WW2 Holland, she was inspired to write her historical fiction novels about bravery, courage, resilience and love.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 46 reviews
October 11, 2025
This is another 5-star dual-timeline historical fiction from Imogen Matthews! I can always be assured that Matthews will pull on my heartstrings while highlighting a little known piece of wartime history. This time, her focus was on the transports to and from the transit camp, Westerbork, in Nazi-occupied Holland.
Her brave hero is Rudolf Breslauer, a Jewish photographer, who has been ‘hired’ by Kommandant Albert Gemmeker to produce photographic evidence of how well he runs this camp. Gemmeker’s agreement with Breslauer is that as long as the film is in production the names of the photographer and his family won’t appear on the Tuesday list, or as Schlesinger termed it, ‘the thousand list.’
Matthews encourages her readers to step into Breslauer’s shoes and live the daily dread of recording lies, “pretending that everything was fine when there was so much suffering all around him.” An avid photographer, I can’t imagine not having free reign to capture the truth, so I could appreciate the push and pull each time Breslauer would have raised is camera. Breslauer’s acts of heroism are elevated once readers become aware of what’s at risk for him.
I appreciated the modern day timeline which tied up the 1942 timeline and gave readers a clearer understanding of survivor’s guilt and the need to preserve the past.
It was good for me to contemplate what I’d sacrifice to tell the truth.
I was gifted this copy and was under no obligation to provide a review.
Her brave hero is Rudolf Breslauer, a Jewish photographer, who has been ‘hired’ by Kommandant Albert Gemmeker to produce photographic evidence of how well he runs this camp. Gemmeker’s agreement with Breslauer is that as long as the film is in production the names of the photographer and his family won’t appear on the Tuesday list, or as Schlesinger termed it, ‘the thousand list.’
Matthews encourages her readers to step into Breslauer’s shoes and live the daily dread of recording lies, “pretending that everything was fine when there was so much suffering all around him.” An avid photographer, I can’t imagine not having free reign to capture the truth, so I could appreciate the push and pull each time Breslauer would have raised is camera. Breslauer’s acts of heroism are elevated once readers become aware of what’s at risk for him.
I appreciated the modern day timeline which tied up the 1942 timeline and gave readers a clearer understanding of survivor’s guilt and the need to preserve the past.
It was good for me to contemplate what I’d sacrifice to tell the truth.
I was gifted this copy and was under no obligation to provide a review.
October 12, 2025
Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for the ARC (Advance Reader Copy) of Only I Can Save Them by Imogen Matthews. This is my first book by this author and I thoroughly enjoyed it. It is the story of Rudolph Breslauer who was a German Jewish photographer who documented Nazi atrocities. He first lived in Germany, then off to Amsterdam with his family, and then to a concentration camp called Westerbork in German occupied Netherlands and finally to Auschwitz. I had never heard of him before. Such a good story! I gave it a 4 star rating. #Bookouture #ImogenMatthews
September 13, 2025
I received a free copy of, Only I Can Save Them, by Imogen Matthews, from the publisher and Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. Rudolph Breslauer is a photographer, only its 1942 in Holland, and Hitler is in charge. This book goes back and forth between Rudolph and his great granddaughter, Eloise. This was an important and interesting read, about a man I have never heard of, but will never forget about.
August 29, 2025
a must read thank you to netgalley for letting me read this e arc in exchange for an honest opinion
October 6, 2025
2.5 stars rounded up.
Okay. So this book tells the story of Rudolf Breslauer, the official photographer of Westerbork transit camp. And it's a story that should be known, however horrifying it is. The bravery that people showed during the Holocaust is well described here. And their possible fates too.
And yet I had a lot of trouble with how the telling was executed?
There was a lot of telling rather than showing, and I couldn't really get attached to Eloise, Rudolf's great-granddaughter. On the other hand, I was able to connect with most of Rudolf's family from the World War II timeline - that is, his wife and daughter, and Rudolf himself, because they had chapters with their POVS.
There was also, in my opinion, kind of an imbalance between the World War II timeline and the present timeline? What I mean by that is, there were times when a lot of chapters from the World War II timeline followed each other, only to be interrupted by a single chapter from a present timeline, which felt somehow... abrupt.
I think one of my favorite things from the book have to be the few chapters in Ursula's POV. I liked her from the beginning, and I absolutely loved hearing her thoughts. Those chapters were the ones that moved me the most.
I also feel like the ending was quite satisfying, even if it was abrupt.
Thank you to Net Galley, the author and the publisher for this Advanced Reader Copy. All the opinions above are my own.
Okay. So this book tells the story of Rudolf Breslauer, the official photographer of Westerbork transit camp. And it's a story that should be known, however horrifying it is. The bravery that people showed during the Holocaust is well described here. And their possible fates too.
And yet I had a lot of trouble with how the telling was executed?
There was a lot of telling rather than showing, and I couldn't really get attached to Eloise, Rudolf's great-granddaughter. On the other hand, I was able to connect with most of Rudolf's family from the World War II timeline - that is, his wife and daughter, and Rudolf himself, because they had chapters with their POVS.
There was also, in my opinion, kind of an imbalance between the World War II timeline and the present timeline? What I mean by that is, there were times when a lot of chapters from the World War II timeline followed each other, only to be interrupted by a single chapter from a present timeline, which felt somehow... abrupt.
I think one of my favorite things from the book have to be the few chapters in Ursula's POV. I liked her from the beginning, and I absolutely loved hearing her thoughts. Those chapters were the ones that moved me the most.
I also feel like the ending was quite satisfying, even if it was abrupt.
Thank you to Net Galley, the author and the publisher for this Advanced Reader Copy. All the opinions above are my own.
October 10, 2025
Based on a true story, Only I Can Save them is the story of a man trying to keep his family at a time when their fate is precarious. Most of the story takes place at Westerbork, a transit camp for Jews in The Netherlands. I had never heard about this place, and one of the things I loved about this book was that it is set in a unique location, providing readers information as well as entertainment. The main character of the book is Rudolf Breslauer, a photographer who was sent with his family to Westerbork to take pictures of prisoners, as well as taking pictures that were used in Nazi propaganda. Truly, though, this is the story of a family who love and care for each other, even as their livelihood and lives are in danger. I read this book with my heart in my throat, as I grew to care about Rudolf, Bella, Ursula, Stefan and Mischa. I received a copy of this book from the publisher.
October 8, 2025
Very interesting historical fiction!
This is one of the few novels I’ve read that is about the Westerbork transit camp. Originally established to be a haven for refugees, it was changed by the Nazis into a prison camp. Internees were held there until their names showed up on a list for those to be taken to concentration camps such as Auschwitz and Bergen-Belsen. (Anne Frank was on the last transport out of Westerbork.)
Rudolf Breslauer and his family had left Lepzieg for Amsterdam, thinking they would be safe there from Nazi persecution. He owned a portrait studio which did a thriving business. After the Nazis occupied the Netherlands, Rudolf was “requested” to become their official photographer at the Westerbork camp. Thinking that this was the only way in which he could ensure his family’s safety, he accepted the job. He photographed what he was ordered to; propaganda pictures which portrayed the camp as a pleasant place. As the transports to concentration camps kept leaving, week after week, with fewer people on them, Rudolf realizes that the Nazi’s plan to rid the Netherlands of Jews is becoming all too successful. At risk to himself and his loved ones, he makes the decision to photograph and film some of the final transports…
The author’s notes at the end about the real Rudolf Breslauer are very interesting, as is the information about the Westerbork memorial and museum.
This novel is a must-read for history buffs!
*I received a digital copy from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are strictly my own.*
This is one of the few novels I’ve read that is about the Westerbork transit camp. Originally established to be a haven for refugees, it was changed by the Nazis into a prison camp. Internees were held there until their names showed up on a list for those to be taken to concentration camps such as Auschwitz and Bergen-Belsen. (Anne Frank was on the last transport out of Westerbork.)
Rudolf Breslauer and his family had left Lepzieg for Amsterdam, thinking they would be safe there from Nazi persecution. He owned a portrait studio which did a thriving business. After the Nazis occupied the Netherlands, Rudolf was “requested” to become their official photographer at the Westerbork camp. Thinking that this was the only way in which he could ensure his family’s safety, he accepted the job. He photographed what he was ordered to; propaganda pictures which portrayed the camp as a pleasant place. As the transports to concentration camps kept leaving, week after week, with fewer people on them, Rudolf realizes that the Nazi’s plan to rid the Netherlands of Jews is becoming all too successful. At risk to himself and his loved ones, he makes the decision to photograph and film some of the final transports…
The author’s notes at the end about the real Rudolf Breslauer are very interesting, as is the information about the Westerbork memorial and museum.
This novel is a must-read for history buffs!
*I received a digital copy from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are strictly my own.*
October 10, 2025
My heart ached for Robert from the very first page. The impossible choices he faced, starting with the agonizing decision to work as a photographer at Westerbork transit camp to protect his family… knowing the alternative was even worse. 💔
Robert's job was to take pictures of the people in the camp, and one day he secretly photographs a girl being deported. That picture haunts him, and he decides to rebel, hiding photos in the hopes that the outside world will see.
Knowing this story is based on a real person and real events makes it even MORE heartbreaking. I can't imagine the weight of those decisions. 🥺 "Only I Can Save Them" is one of those books that will stay with me for a long time.
The extensive research and fact-checking Imogen Matthews must have done is incredible. Despite the harrowing historical setting, the bravery and resilience of the human spirit shines through.
If you love historical fiction based on true stories, plots with a ticking clock, and stories of powerful family love, take a chance on "Only I Can Save Them." You won't regret it.
Robert's job was to take pictures of the people in the camp, and one day he secretly photographs a girl being deported. That picture haunts him, and he decides to rebel, hiding photos in the hopes that the outside world will see.
Knowing this story is based on a real person and real events makes it even MORE heartbreaking. I can't imagine the weight of those decisions. 🥺 "Only I Can Save Them" is one of those books that will stay with me for a long time.
The extensive research and fact-checking Imogen Matthews must have done is incredible. Despite the harrowing historical setting, the bravery and resilience of the human spirit shines through.
If you love historical fiction based on true stories, plots with a ticking clock, and stories of powerful family love, take a chance on "Only I Can Save Them." You won't regret it.
September 10, 2025
This book is amazing, I loved it. The story of a photographer, a husband and father fighting to keep his family safe and out of Auschwitz. To do this he has to be the camp photographer at Westerbork Camp which is a transition camp. The Nazis want him to photograph happy people for propaganda ads for the world to see but in an act of complete bravery he starts to film and photograph the “real” camp. It’s a dual timeline story which gives it another level of interest. I thoroughly enjoyed this book, parts were hard to read, heartbreaking and so sad but also so strong and courageous. Highly recommend!
October 5, 2025
I read a lot of Holocaust fiction because I find it somewhat comforting during uncertain times -- we won that war, right? Well, this book (to be released Tuesday) has left me feeling more unsettled than comforted... am I somehow related to that photographer? Neighbors or cousins generations and generations and generations removed? Did one Breslauer remain in Germany when my great-great-great grandparents came to the U.S.?
Thank you to Libro.fm for the audio ARC. I realize my review isn't a typical review. What I will say -- it deserved the five stars... definitely recommend.
Thank you to Libro.fm for the audio ARC. I realize my review isn't a typical review. What I will say -- it deserved the five stars... definitely recommend.
October 8, 2025
This is the story of Rudolph Breslauer, the official photographer of the Westerbork camp, which was a prison. camp in the Netherlands for people on their way to Auschwitz. I had never heard of him or the camp before but t is definilaly a story that needs to be told and people need to know about. The bravery of the people during the Holocaust is something that never ceases to amaze me
it is told in dual timelines, from the POV of Rudolf in his time, and then his great granddaughter Eloise, who discovers her great grandfather's story while spending time with her elderly grandmother and going through pictures with her All throughout both timelines, you grow to care about the characters, especially Rudoll. Bella Ursula. Stelan & Mischa as they loved and lved through the war while their lives were constantly in danger Especially when he decides to fum the real" camp instead of the propaganda that they want him to fim This was a tough story to read but one that reminds you of the courage of the human spilt 1 will defritely read more from this author
Thanks to Bookouture and NetGalley for this eArc in exchange for my review
it is told in dual timelines, from the POV of Rudolf in his time, and then his great granddaughter Eloise, who discovers her great grandfather's story while spending time with her elderly grandmother and going through pictures with her All throughout both timelines, you grow to care about the characters, especially Rudoll. Bella Ursula. Stelan & Mischa as they loved and lved through the war while their lives were constantly in danger Especially when he decides to fum the real" camp instead of the propaganda that they want him to fim This was a tough story to read but one that reminds you of the courage of the human spilt 1 will defritely read more from this author
Thanks to Bookouture and NetGalley for this eArc in exchange for my review
October 22, 2025
I haven't read any historical fiction set around the world war for a long time, but when I read the synopsis of Only I Can Save Them by Imogen Matthews, I was so intrigued to give it a read and I'm so glad I did because it's brilliant.
Inspired by the true story of Rudolph Breslauer, the war time photographer, this is his and his families story of their time at Westerbork, a Jewish refugee transit camp in nazi occupied Holland.
This novel tells the journey not only of Rudolph and his family but a lesser known piece of wartime history and one I certainly knew little about.
If Only I Can Save Them tore my heart to pieces as I read the story of this Jewish photographer and how he was forcibly hired by the nazi commander to uproot his family and produce photographic evidence of how well Westerbork was run and the humanity with which Jews were treated.
This was far from the truth, with so much suffering and maltreatment, Ruldolph was torn between showing the world the truth and protecting his family from a worse fate such as Auschwitz.
We really get to walk in Rudolph's shoes as we see the conflict he faces and the push and pull every time he picks up his camera.
A story of how much one is willing to sacrifice in under to tell the truth and the choices we must make in order to protect those we love this story will leave a mark on its reader that isn't easy to forget.
It's captivating and incredibly emotional, but more importantly It gives the heroism of Rudolph Breslauer a voice.
If you enjoy historical fiction, especially books by Heather Morris, I think you'd enjoy this one.
Inspired by the true story of Rudolph Breslauer, the war time photographer, this is his and his families story of their time at Westerbork, a Jewish refugee transit camp in nazi occupied Holland.
This novel tells the journey not only of Rudolph and his family but a lesser known piece of wartime history and one I certainly knew little about.
If Only I Can Save Them tore my heart to pieces as I read the story of this Jewish photographer and how he was forcibly hired by the nazi commander to uproot his family and produce photographic evidence of how well Westerbork was run and the humanity with which Jews were treated.
This was far from the truth, with so much suffering and maltreatment, Ruldolph was torn between showing the world the truth and protecting his family from a worse fate such as Auschwitz.
We really get to walk in Rudolph's shoes as we see the conflict he faces and the push and pull every time he picks up his camera.
A story of how much one is willing to sacrifice in under to tell the truth and the choices we must make in order to protect those we love this story will leave a mark on its reader that isn't easy to forget.
It's captivating and incredibly emotional, but more importantly It gives the heroism of Rudolph Breslauer a voice.
If you enjoy historical fiction, especially books by Heather Morris, I think you'd enjoy this one.
October 10, 2025
Rudolph Breslauer is a Jewish photographer. He is forced to accept a position at a camp, where Jews are in transit to Bergen Belson, Auschwitz, and other concentration camps. Secretly, he begins taking photographs to document the Nazi evil that is taking place. Will he be able to keep them hidden, and his family safe?
This book is a fictional account of a real person. This is the first I have heard of Rudolph Breslauer, and I've read a lot of books about World War II. It's well written, and a very sobering read. Highly recommended.
Thanks to NetGalley for providing me with an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an unbiased review.
This book is a fictional account of a real person. This is the first I have heard of Rudolph Breslauer, and I've read a lot of books about World War II. It's well written, and a very sobering read. Highly recommended.
Thanks to NetGalley for providing me with an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an unbiased review.
October 20, 2025
Only I can save them by Imogen Matthews
The latest novel by Imogen Matthews did not disappoint. It has you hooked from get go and leaves you imagining a different ending, or a feeling of how the story can continue.
This is a heartbreaking sad story that is based on a true story and events. It has a dual time line set in 1936 Leipzig Germany, Amsterdam and Westerbork Transit Camp Holland in 1944, then a train to either Auschwitz in Poland, Bergen Belsen in Germany or any other POW camp, to modern day Oxford University in 2022.
It tells you the story through the lense of a Leica photographic camera owned by Rudolf Breslauer a German Jewish photographer and studio owner in Amsterdam. Rudolf was forced by Nazi officer Kurt Schlesinger and Camp Commander Albert Konrad Gemmeker to take photos and film showing that life in Westerbork was good when in reality it was not. He was asked to take photos for all the Nazi official receptions, events and dinners etc.
As Rudolf was the official photographer for the camp he lived in separate quarters than the prisoners who lived in cramped barracks and poor conditions. He felt he was the lucky one and followed these order at first to protect and keep his wife Bella and his three children a daughter named Ursula, and two sons Stefan and Misha safe during a horrific period in history.
Rudolf would be asked to take portrait photos of everyone who came into the camp on transport trains. Later, these prisoners would be transferred in cattle transport trains with hard floors no seats, light or food and water to other camps on Tuesday mornings after their names were read out on a list with 1000 names on them. Would they arrive to their destinations safely? No one knew the answer to that. What was the fate for Rudolf and his family? Would Rudolf and his family be forced on one of these trains out of Westerbork?
Whilst in Westerbork Rudolf meets Phillip a fellow Jewish prisoner who had a collection of exercise books that he diarised the reality and horrific events that occurred in the camp. Phillip suggested and seeked Rudolf assistance to find a safe place to stow away these diaries so that after the war future generations could see the atrocities that the Nazis inflicted on the Jewish and other nationalities world wide.
Rudolf was scared at first he was worried he would put himself and his family in danger. However, he later decide to accept these books hiding them away in his dark room that only he was allocated and had access to in the camp to carry out the requests of both Schlesinger and Gemmeker.
He knew they would be safe. He also added his photographs and film there to show the actual evidence of the crimes conducted by the Nazis. Rudolf only hoped that he and his family would be spared from being caught or killed and be able to return to their home after the war.
In 2022, first year Oxford University student Eloise is the Grand Daughter of Ursula Mosses-Breslauer, she arrives on campus to begins her studies. She unpacks her belongings in her dormitory room and discovers a photo of a young girl with a white ribbon in her hair amongst the pages of her pride and the prejudice book. She knows it’s a photo of her grandmother and wants to get to know the story behind the little girl in the old photo.
Eloise loves her grandmother dearly and visits her regularly. She asks her grandmother about the photo she has and discovers that her grandmother has a photo album full of photos from her childhood memories and life growing up in the War.
Eloise meets James a fellow history Oxford student who helps her find the story behind the life of her grandmother Ursula. In James final year at Oxford he discovers that there now is a museum in Westerbork and for the last two years this museum is preparing for an exhibition that connects his now girlfriend Eloise and her grandmother to their family history.
Will the past bring Eloise closer to understanding her Grandmother lifelong secrets and memories?
Will Eloise discover the exhibition has all the answers she seeks and an extended family bond she knew nothing about?
I would like to thank NetGalley, the publishers bookouture and Imogen Matthews and greatly appreciate this advanced copy of this brilliantly written book. This is my honest review.
I have read many novels and stories about this particular period of time and never knew about the life of Rudolf and his family or life experience he had. The book tells a different perspective of what many Jewish families encountered but not through the passionate man who sacrificed his life by documenting via his beloved Leica camera the reality of war for freedom of the future generations in his family and for the love of his little girl Ursula. I highly recommend this book and give it 5 stars.
The latest novel by Imogen Matthews did not disappoint. It has you hooked from get go and leaves you imagining a different ending, or a feeling of how the story can continue.
This is a heartbreaking sad story that is based on a true story and events. It has a dual time line set in 1936 Leipzig Germany, Amsterdam and Westerbork Transit Camp Holland in 1944, then a train to either Auschwitz in Poland, Bergen Belsen in Germany or any other POW camp, to modern day Oxford University in 2022.
It tells you the story through the lense of a Leica photographic camera owned by Rudolf Breslauer a German Jewish photographer and studio owner in Amsterdam. Rudolf was forced by Nazi officer Kurt Schlesinger and Camp Commander Albert Konrad Gemmeker to take photos and film showing that life in Westerbork was good when in reality it was not. He was asked to take photos for all the Nazi official receptions, events and dinners etc.
As Rudolf was the official photographer for the camp he lived in separate quarters than the prisoners who lived in cramped barracks and poor conditions. He felt he was the lucky one and followed these order at first to protect and keep his wife Bella and his three children a daughter named Ursula, and two sons Stefan and Misha safe during a horrific period in history.
Rudolf would be asked to take portrait photos of everyone who came into the camp on transport trains. Later, these prisoners would be transferred in cattle transport trains with hard floors no seats, light or food and water to other camps on Tuesday mornings after their names were read out on a list with 1000 names on them. Would they arrive to their destinations safely? No one knew the answer to that. What was the fate for Rudolf and his family? Would Rudolf and his family be forced on one of these trains out of Westerbork?
Whilst in Westerbork Rudolf meets Phillip a fellow Jewish prisoner who had a collection of exercise books that he diarised the reality and horrific events that occurred in the camp. Phillip suggested and seeked Rudolf assistance to find a safe place to stow away these diaries so that after the war future generations could see the atrocities that the Nazis inflicted on the Jewish and other nationalities world wide.
Rudolf was scared at first he was worried he would put himself and his family in danger. However, he later decide to accept these books hiding them away in his dark room that only he was allocated and had access to in the camp to carry out the requests of both Schlesinger and Gemmeker.
He knew they would be safe. He also added his photographs and film there to show the actual evidence of the crimes conducted by the Nazis. Rudolf only hoped that he and his family would be spared from being caught or killed and be able to return to their home after the war.
In 2022, first year Oxford University student Eloise is the Grand Daughter of Ursula Mosses-Breslauer, she arrives on campus to begins her studies. She unpacks her belongings in her dormitory room and discovers a photo of a young girl with a white ribbon in her hair amongst the pages of her pride and the prejudice book. She knows it’s a photo of her grandmother and wants to get to know the story behind the little girl in the old photo.
Eloise loves her grandmother dearly and visits her regularly. She asks her grandmother about the photo she has and discovers that her grandmother has a photo album full of photos from her childhood memories and life growing up in the War.
Eloise meets James a fellow history Oxford student who helps her find the story behind the life of her grandmother Ursula. In James final year at Oxford he discovers that there now is a museum in Westerbork and for the last two years this museum is preparing for an exhibition that connects his now girlfriend Eloise and her grandmother to their family history.
Will the past bring Eloise closer to understanding her Grandmother lifelong secrets and memories?
Will Eloise discover the exhibition has all the answers she seeks and an extended family bond she knew nothing about?
I would like to thank NetGalley, the publishers bookouture and Imogen Matthews and greatly appreciate this advanced copy of this brilliantly written book. This is my honest review.
I have read many novels and stories about this particular period of time and never knew about the life of Rudolf and his family or life experience he had. The book tells a different perspective of what many Jewish families encountered but not through the passionate man who sacrificed his life by documenting via his beloved Leica camera the reality of war for freedom of the future generations in his family and for the love of his little girl Ursula. I highly recommend this book and give it 5 stars.
October 8, 2025
Book review: Only I Can Save Them by Imogen Matthews.
Thank you to Bookouture and NetGalley for my gifted ARC.
Let me just say it—this book wrecked me. I went in expecting a moving World War II novel, but what I got was a gut-punch wrapped in sharp prose and quiet fury. Only I Can Save Them isn’t just another historical fiction tearjerker; it’s a full-body experience. It grabs you by the heart, drags you into the shadows of history, and doesn’t let go until the very last page. Even then, you’ll be thinking about it long after you’ve put it down.
Imogen Matthews does something remarkable here: she takes the true story of Rudolf Breslauer, a Jewish photographer forced to document life inside Westerbork transit camp, and turns it into a novel that feels intimate, gripping, and painfully real. Her fictionalized Rudolf isn’t some bold, charismatic rebel. He’s a father trying to stay alive, keep his family safe, and make sense of the impossible. His only weapon? A camera. But what a weapon it is.
Through that lens, we see everything—the fear, the despair, the stolen moments of defiance. Rudolf’s job is to take portraits of the camp’s prisoners, each one marked with a yellow star, each one one step closer to the trains that lead to Auschwitz. The horror is never loud or sensational. It simmers. It builds. And every time Rudolf clicks that shutter, it’s a small act of resistance. He’s preserving truth in a place built on lies.
Matthews’ writing is razor-sharp and emotionally loaded. No fluff, no filler. She knows how to land a sentence like a punch to the ribs. At one point, Rudolf reflects: “I pressed the shutter. The camera clicked. And in that fraction of a second, I stole something the Nazis could never erase—truth.” That line hit me so hard I had to stop reading for a second and just feel it. That’s the kind of writing we’re working with here.
But what truly makes this novel sing is the emotional heartbeat of Rudolf’s family. You feel their closeness, their fear, their hope hanging by a thread. Every scene with his children is a mix of tenderness and dread. There’s a constant ticking clock under every interaction—when will the Nazis come for them? What can Rudolf do to buy them one more day? One more breath?
The tension builds slowly but relentlessly. Matthews paces the story like a thriller, even though there are no chases or explosions—just a man with a camera and a family he’d do anything to save. You find yourself holding your breath, dreading the moment when everything might collapse. And when the call comes—the order to report to the platform at daybreak—you feel it like a slap. You know it’s coming. You still hope it won’t.
The historical detail is woven in seamlessly. No info-dumps, no dry history lessons. Just pure atmosphere. You feel the cold, the grime, the quiet terror in the camp. You see the guards pretending civility while holding absolute power. You see the prisoners trying to stay invisible and still hold on to their dignity. And through it all, you have Rudolf, quietly documenting everything with a camera he barely trusts anymore.
This isn’t a story about grand gestures—it’s about the small ones. A photo. A whispered warning. A decision to look away—or to look closer. Matthews shows us that resistance doesn’t always look like a fight. Sometimes, it looks like clicking a shutter at the exact right second. Sometimes, that’s all there is.
Only I Can Save Them is unflinching, beautifully written, and impossible to forget. It’s not an easy read, and it shouldn’t be. This book doesn’t ask for your attention—it demands it, and earns every second. It settles in your bones and dares you to look away.
Five stars, and then some.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
#OnlyICanSaveThem #ImogenMatthews #HistoricalFiction #WWIINovel #HolocaustFiction #BookReview2025 #ARCReview #BasedOnTrueStory #PhotographerOfTruth #Unputdownable #HeartbreakingFiction #MustReadBooks #BookstagramRecs #NetGalley #Bookouture #BooksThatMatter #EmotionalReads #HistoricalDrama #WWIIReads #BooksWithImpact
Thank you to Bookouture and NetGalley for my gifted ARC.
Let me just say it—this book wrecked me. I went in expecting a moving World War II novel, but what I got was a gut-punch wrapped in sharp prose and quiet fury. Only I Can Save Them isn’t just another historical fiction tearjerker; it’s a full-body experience. It grabs you by the heart, drags you into the shadows of history, and doesn’t let go until the very last page. Even then, you’ll be thinking about it long after you’ve put it down.
Imogen Matthews does something remarkable here: she takes the true story of Rudolf Breslauer, a Jewish photographer forced to document life inside Westerbork transit camp, and turns it into a novel that feels intimate, gripping, and painfully real. Her fictionalized Rudolf isn’t some bold, charismatic rebel. He’s a father trying to stay alive, keep his family safe, and make sense of the impossible. His only weapon? A camera. But what a weapon it is.
Through that lens, we see everything—the fear, the despair, the stolen moments of defiance. Rudolf’s job is to take portraits of the camp’s prisoners, each one marked with a yellow star, each one one step closer to the trains that lead to Auschwitz. The horror is never loud or sensational. It simmers. It builds. And every time Rudolf clicks that shutter, it’s a small act of resistance. He’s preserving truth in a place built on lies.
Matthews’ writing is razor-sharp and emotionally loaded. No fluff, no filler. She knows how to land a sentence like a punch to the ribs. At one point, Rudolf reflects: “I pressed the shutter. The camera clicked. And in that fraction of a second, I stole something the Nazis could never erase—truth.” That line hit me so hard I had to stop reading for a second and just feel it. That’s the kind of writing we’re working with here.
But what truly makes this novel sing is the emotional heartbeat of Rudolf’s family. You feel their closeness, their fear, their hope hanging by a thread. Every scene with his children is a mix of tenderness and dread. There’s a constant ticking clock under every interaction—when will the Nazis come for them? What can Rudolf do to buy them one more day? One more breath?
The tension builds slowly but relentlessly. Matthews paces the story like a thriller, even though there are no chases or explosions—just a man with a camera and a family he’d do anything to save. You find yourself holding your breath, dreading the moment when everything might collapse. And when the call comes—the order to report to the platform at daybreak—you feel it like a slap. You know it’s coming. You still hope it won’t.
The historical detail is woven in seamlessly. No info-dumps, no dry history lessons. Just pure atmosphere. You feel the cold, the grime, the quiet terror in the camp. You see the guards pretending civility while holding absolute power. You see the prisoners trying to stay invisible and still hold on to their dignity. And through it all, you have Rudolf, quietly documenting everything with a camera he barely trusts anymore.
This isn’t a story about grand gestures—it’s about the small ones. A photo. A whispered warning. A decision to look away—or to look closer. Matthews shows us that resistance doesn’t always look like a fight. Sometimes, it looks like clicking a shutter at the exact right second. Sometimes, that’s all there is.
Only I Can Save Them is unflinching, beautifully written, and impossible to forget. It’s not an easy read, and it shouldn’t be. This book doesn’t ask for your attention—it demands it, and earns every second. It settles in your bones and dares you to look away.
Five stars, and then some.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
#OnlyICanSaveThem #ImogenMatthews #HistoricalFiction #WWIINovel #HolocaustFiction #BookReview2025 #ARCReview #BasedOnTrueStory #PhotographerOfTruth #Unputdownable #HeartbreakingFiction #MustReadBooks #BookstagramRecs #NetGalley #Bookouture #BooksThatMatter #EmotionalReads #HistoricalDrama #WWIIReads #BooksWithImpact
September 24, 2025
I was drawn to this book by the cover. To see those two children clinging to each other in the middle of a camp was something that I simply couldn't look away from. It didn't take me very long to discover that this dual timeline story had a real person as the inspiration for the war-time portion of the book. Rudolf Breslauer was a real photographer who took photographs in Westerbork Camp in the Netherlands. He was the official camp photographer (albeit not willingly) and while he took pictures at the request of the Nazi's, he complied to survive, and save his family from the transports for as long as he could. The more modern day part of the story focuses on Rudolf's daughter Ursula, the only member of the family to survive the camps, and her grand-daughter Eloise. Before I even made it through the prologue, I was pretty sure knew about a particular photograph the author described and I was off to research and learn more about this man and his story. What I learned brought the book even more to life for me. I love it when an author inspires me to look for more. Well done Imogen Matthews.
Matthews did an amazing job of tying past and present together to give a full picture from Ursula as she experienced the past through her memories shared with her grand-daughter and Rudolf as he was actually living it in the past. His job was to photograph each new individual brought to the camp, but also to take photo's that depicted life in the camp in a positive way to please the German Camp Commandant. His work fell under the Jewish German Schlesinger, who also held some power in the camp - at least to a certain point. There is a real poignancy to the story as Ursula shares with Eloise family history that she has never spoken of before. When James, a friend of Eloise from Oxford, meets Ursula, he, too, is intrigued by her story and his interest leads Eloise and James to the Netherlands where they can see what is left of Westerbork for themselves and discover more of Breslauer's photographic work. Some people would always feel that Rudolf co-operated too much with the Nazi's, but his work speaks for itself and I understand there are videos that can be watched online of his work.
As a reader and a parent, I can only imagine how horrific life must have been for all the people that entered the gates of Westerbork and were eventually sent on to other camps. This book shares some of what that must have been like. It is an emotional read and at times it wasn't easy for me, but ignorance is no excuse and this story has a valuable message to share in the present day. I would definitely recommend it to those who are fascinated with historical fiction, particularly that set in Europe during the Second World War.
Many thanks to #NetGalley and #Bookouture for allowing me to read an advanced reader's copy. All opinions are my own.
Matthews did an amazing job of tying past and present together to give a full picture from Ursula as she experienced the past through her memories shared with her grand-daughter and Rudolf as he was actually living it in the past. His job was to photograph each new individual brought to the camp, but also to take photo's that depicted life in the camp in a positive way to please the German Camp Commandant. His work fell under the Jewish German Schlesinger, who also held some power in the camp - at least to a certain point. There is a real poignancy to the story as Ursula shares with Eloise family history that she has never spoken of before. When James, a friend of Eloise from Oxford, meets Ursula, he, too, is intrigued by her story and his interest leads Eloise and James to the Netherlands where they can see what is left of Westerbork for themselves and discover more of Breslauer's photographic work. Some people would always feel that Rudolf co-operated too much with the Nazi's, but his work speaks for itself and I understand there are videos that can be watched online of his work.
As a reader and a parent, I can only imagine how horrific life must have been for all the people that entered the gates of Westerbork and were eventually sent on to other camps. This book shares some of what that must have been like. It is an emotional read and at times it wasn't easy for me, but ignorance is no excuse and this story has a valuable message to share in the present day. I would definitely recommend it to those who are fascinated with historical fiction, particularly that set in Europe during the Second World War.
Many thanks to #NetGalley and #Bookouture for allowing me to read an advanced reader's copy. All opinions are my own.
October 12, 2025
Only I Can Save Them highlights the experience of a German Jewish family who was subjected to the horrors of the WWII concentration camps, but in a slightly different capacity from most prisoners. Like Heather Morris' The Tattooist of Auschwitz and it's two companion novels, Imogen Matthews story describes the heartbreaking lives of a family made to be "employee" prisoners. The Breslauer family did not have to reside in the dormitory/bunkers where most prisoners lived but they were subjected to the same threat to their lives as all the other prisoners if they defied the Nazis running the Westerbork transit camp and deportation center in the northeastern Netherlands, just outside the border of Germany.
This historical fiction story introduced me to Rudolf Breslauer and his family, to include his daughter, Ursula Moses Breslauer. Mr. Breslauer was a well-known and successful photographer in Germany, and then for a short time, in Amsterdam. After the Nazis took control of the Netherlands, he was forced to relocate his family to Westerbork to work as a camp photographer for the Kommandant. To keep his family safe, he tolerated the degradation heaped upon him by the Nazis and tried to hide the atrocities he witnessed and heard of from his family. Tasked by the Kommandant with producing photographic "evidence" that life at Westerbork was happy and satisfying for the prisoners, eventually, he made the courageous choice to document what was really happening at Westerbork, knowing that he would not survive to share his this evidence with the world but hoping that it would be found and the world would never again allow such things to take place.
Inspired by the true story of Imogen Matthews skillfully weaves the historical details of this story with the dual timelines of 1942-1944 and the 2020s, highlighting the courage it takes to be brave and to do whatever you can to save those you love. I recommend this to any fan of historical fiction, particularly those who have an interest in WWII.
My sincere thanks to Bookouture, NetGalley, and Imogen Matthews for the gift of this compelling electronic ARC. All opinions are my own.
This historical fiction story introduced me to Rudolf Breslauer and his family, to include his daughter, Ursula Moses Breslauer. Mr. Breslauer was a well-known and successful photographer in Germany, and then for a short time, in Amsterdam. After the Nazis took control of the Netherlands, he was forced to relocate his family to Westerbork to work as a camp photographer for the Kommandant. To keep his family safe, he tolerated the degradation heaped upon him by the Nazis and tried to hide the atrocities he witnessed and heard of from his family. Tasked by the Kommandant with producing photographic "evidence" that life at Westerbork was happy and satisfying for the prisoners, eventually, he made the courageous choice to document what was really happening at Westerbork, knowing that he would not survive to share his this evidence with the world but hoping that it would be found and the world would never again allow such things to take place.
Inspired by the true story of Imogen Matthews skillfully weaves the historical details of this story with the dual timelines of 1942-1944 and the 2020s, highlighting the courage it takes to be brave and to do whatever you can to save those you love. I recommend this to any fan of historical fiction, particularly those who have an interest in WWII.
My sincere thanks to Bookouture, NetGalley, and Imogen Matthews for the gift of this compelling electronic ARC. All opinions are my own.
September 30, 2025
What a story! Although the content is emotive, it is told respectfully. The timeline moving through the 1930s and 1940s paralleled with 2022-2024 experience of Eloise as she learns about her grandmother and her great-grandparents experiences during World War 2 in Holland. The story begins in Leipzig, Germany, 1936 with details of the rising persecution of Jewish families. Rudolf Breslauer, a photographer of note and his wife Bella and their children Ursula (Eloise's grandmother) and Stefan escape to Amsterdam where they make a new life for themselves. Life is good until the War gets underway and the Nazis march into Holland. Life changes for the family which now includes baby Mischa, when Rudolf is visited by an SS officer who 'offers' Rudolf a job at Westerbork Camp on the German border as the camp photographer. This turns out to be a privileged position (at least for a while) and although there is no pay for the work he does, the family are given a secluded apartment and camp food. The children are able to attend school and experience friendships. Rudolf meanwhile is challenged first to photograph all new arrivals at Westerbork and then to find and photograph joy and 'the good' life in the camp and finally to film it. Behind the challenge of this, Rudolf secretly photographs and film's the reality of life in the camp. And this is paralleled with the preparations for an exhibition and celebration of his life and work which begin in the Museum at Westerbork on 15th July 2024.
Imogen Matthews has done an excellent job of retelling his story, and although it brings, as you would expect, a degree of sadness, there is also joy through the life of Eloise. Whether or not you are familiar with the events in Holland during world war 2 this book is a good read. It is informative and well written. Thanks to Netgalley, Bookouture, and Imogen Matthews for the ARC. All opinions are my own given freely.
Imogen Matthews has done an excellent job of retelling his story, and although it brings, as you would expect, a degree of sadness, there is also joy through the life of Eloise. Whether or not you are familiar with the events in Holland during world war 2 this book is a good read. It is informative and well written. Thanks to Netgalley, Bookouture, and Imogen Matthews for the ARC. All opinions are my own given freely.
August 26, 2025
Only I Can Save Them by Imogen Matthews is a powerful dual timeline novel that has its’ roots in facts as we follow photographer Rudolf Breslauer from Leipzig in 1936 and onwards. The second period is in present day and seen through the eyes of Rudolf Breslauer’s great granddaughter.
The novel spans the Second World War years as we follow Rudolf Breslauer and his family from their home in Amsterdam (where they located to avoid the persecution) to the camp of Westerbork, which was a holding camp for Dutch Jews before continuing on to Auschwitz, Birkenau or Theresienstadt.
In present day, a great granddaughter finds a photo of her grandmother aged thirteen in a book. She wants to seek the truth about her grandmother’s family and their wartime experiences.
For all of her life, the grandmother has kept quiet but as she approaches the end of her life, is it now time for the truth to come out?
Rudolf Breslauer did what he could in order to protect his family. He was chosen as the official photographer of Westerbork – but there were only so many photos that the commandant wanted before it would be a one-way ticket to Auschwitz.
While in Westerbork Rudolf Breslauer “knew he had to record the truth.” He bravely took unofficial photographs and cine, hiding it, in the hope that someone would find it and the world would see the truth and not believe the Nazi lies.
We see the truth of the Jewish saying “whoever saves one life saves the world entire” in the number of descendants from Rudolf Breslauer.
Only I Can Save Them is such a powerful tale. It needs to be read in memory of the six million innocents who died and of those who survived.
I received a free copy via the publishers. A favourable review was not required. All opinions are my own.
The novel spans the Second World War years as we follow Rudolf Breslauer and his family from their home in Amsterdam (where they located to avoid the persecution) to the camp of Westerbork, which was a holding camp for Dutch Jews before continuing on to Auschwitz, Birkenau or Theresienstadt.
In present day, a great granddaughter finds a photo of her grandmother aged thirteen in a book. She wants to seek the truth about her grandmother’s family and their wartime experiences.
For all of her life, the grandmother has kept quiet but as she approaches the end of her life, is it now time for the truth to come out?
Rudolf Breslauer did what he could in order to protect his family. He was chosen as the official photographer of Westerbork – but there were only so many photos that the commandant wanted before it would be a one-way ticket to Auschwitz.
While in Westerbork Rudolf Breslauer “knew he had to record the truth.” He bravely took unofficial photographs and cine, hiding it, in the hope that someone would find it and the world would see the truth and not believe the Nazi lies.
We see the truth of the Jewish saying “whoever saves one life saves the world entire” in the number of descendants from Rudolf Breslauer.
Only I Can Save Them is such a powerful tale. It needs to be read in memory of the six million innocents who died and of those who survived.
I received a free copy via the publishers. A favourable review was not required. All opinions are my own.
November 10, 2025
Imogen Matthews has done it again, delivering a powerful, emotionally charged World War II story that pulled me in from the very first page. Only I Can Save Them tells the story of Rudolf Breslauer, a Jewish photographer imprisoned at the Westerbork transit camp in Nazi-occupied Holland. Ordered by the camp’s Kommandant to create propaganda images showing how “well” the camp was run, Rudolf strikes a fragile bargain: as long as he keeps filming, his family’s names will stay off the transport list to Auschwitz. But every click of his camera becomes an unbearable act of complicity and, eventually, of courage.
What struck me most was how Matthews captures Rudolf’s impossible moral tightrope. He’s not a larger-than-life hero - he’s a father trying to save his family with the only weapon he has: truth. Through his lens, we see both the manufactured smiles and the unbearable reality behind them. The story never sensationalizes the horror; it lingers quietly, in the dread of a Tuesday transport, in the hush of a darkroom, in a father’s desperate hope that one more photograph might buy one more day. It’s deeply human and heartbreakingly real.
The dual timeline adds another layer, showing the modern-day reckoning with survivor’s guilt and the importance of remembering. Matthews weaves history and emotion seamlessly, reminding us that the smallest acts - such as pressing a shutter, preserving a truth - can be a form of resistance. I finished this book in awe. It’s one of those rare novels that doesn’t just tell a story - it makes you feel the weight of history in your bones. Highly recommended for anyone who believes stories like this should never be forgotten.
What struck me most was how Matthews captures Rudolf’s impossible moral tightrope. He’s not a larger-than-life hero - he’s a father trying to save his family with the only weapon he has: truth. Through his lens, we see both the manufactured smiles and the unbearable reality behind them. The story never sensationalizes the horror; it lingers quietly, in the dread of a Tuesday transport, in the hush of a darkroom, in a father’s desperate hope that one more photograph might buy one more day. It’s deeply human and heartbreakingly real.
The dual timeline adds another layer, showing the modern-day reckoning with survivor’s guilt and the importance of remembering. Matthews weaves history and emotion seamlessly, reminding us that the smallest acts - such as pressing a shutter, preserving a truth - can be a form of resistance. I finished this book in awe. It’s one of those rare novels that doesn’t just tell a story - it makes you feel the weight of history in your bones. Highly recommended for anyone who believes stories like this should never be forgotten.
October 13, 2025
Only I Can Save Them introduces the reader to Rudolf Breslauer, a Jewish man who moved his family to Amsterdam from Leipzig, Germany after Kristallnacht. He was a photographer, who was quite well known and opened a business in Amsterdam. He was recruited by the Nazis and forced to move to Westerbork, a transition camp on the border of Germany and the Netherlands. His family, Rudolf and Bella, and their children, Ursula, Stefan and Mischa, got to live in their own home/cabin in the camp and were promised not to be deported as long as his services were needed. Unfortunately that day eventually came. This is a dual timeline story, with the present story being told by Eloise, Rudolf's great granddaughter. She finds out that her grandmother had survived living in a concentration camp and through flashbacks and memories, learns about her family's story. There is a bit of a romantic element in the present story, but it is not a huge part. I had never heard of Rudolf Breslauer and his story was interesting, but heartbreaking. He was able to take photos of what was really happening at Westerbork, as well as film one of the deportations. Those images survived and are available online to view. A well written story where both timelines mesh well together and the story brought this time to life. If you enjoy historical fiction, especially learning about people who are unsung heroes and often forgotten, then I highly recommend Only I Can Save Them by Imogen Matthews.
September 6, 2025
I became enthralled with the story from the beginning. As I read and searched for more information about what I read; I became obsessed. Every tear, every crack in my heart, every moment of sadness has created a lasting impression. Rudolf Breslauer was forced to go to Westerork Camp as the camp photographer. His photos of life at Westerbork Camp were supposed to be propoganda for the Germans. The photos he took in secret show the real truth. I will not forget the risks Rudolf Breslauer took every time he clicked his Leica camera.
I cannot forget the horrors described. I cannot forget what Rudolf Breslauer risked in order to document to atrocious treatment the the Jews experienced at the hands of the Nazis. The author brought the story to life with her words is such away that I had to keep reading even when it was through teary eyes.
This story is one of the most emotional World War Two historical fictions that I have read in awhile. I became invested in the family, hoping for the best, not knowing what the worst would be. The glimpse into the Breslauer family brought life to the boring textbooks that barely touched on what occurred. Only I Can Save Them needs to be read by everyone. We all need to learn and remember. We need to make sure no one is ever treated so horribly again.
I cannot forget the horrors described. I cannot forget what Rudolf Breslauer risked in order to document to atrocious treatment the the Jews experienced at the hands of the Nazis. The author brought the story to life with her words is such away that I had to keep reading even when it was through teary eyes.
This story is one of the most emotional World War Two historical fictions that I have read in awhile. I became invested in the family, hoping for the best, not knowing what the worst would be. The glimpse into the Breslauer family brought life to the boring textbooks that barely touched on what occurred. Only I Can Save Them needs to be read by everyone. We all need to learn and remember. We need to make sure no one is ever treated so horribly again.
September 11, 2025
Imogen Matthews wrote a compelling story about Rudolf Breslauer's family and how they faced the tragedy that was being Jewish during WWII. The book is fiction but it reads as completely true and the emotions that come from hearing the story about his family members and their lives having to relocate and then being forced to travel to Westbork transit camp and all they were faced with before being sent to Auschwitz.
The non-linear timeline as we learn more about Mr. Breslauer's work as a photographer and the risks he took to share with the world what the Nazis were doing destroy Jews during this horrific time. His daughter sharing her life with her granddaughter now in the current timeframe is enlightening but also very difficult to read as someone who has never known anyone who was impacted by this awful time in history.
I cried tears of joy and sadness throughout the book and know that it is a very touching story about the Breslauer family and their contributions to let others know more about what life was like during this time and the horrors that were faced in the concentration camps.
Thank you Bookouture and NetGalley for the opportunity to review Only I Can Save Them.
**I read this Advanced Readers' Copy through NetGalley, Release date is October 10, 2025**
The non-linear timeline as we learn more about Mr. Breslauer's work as a photographer and the risks he took to share with the world what the Nazis were doing destroy Jews during this horrific time. His daughter sharing her life with her granddaughter now in the current timeframe is enlightening but also very difficult to read as someone who has never known anyone who was impacted by this awful time in history.
I cried tears of joy and sadness throughout the book and know that it is a very touching story about the Breslauer family and their contributions to let others know more about what life was like during this time and the horrors that were faced in the concentration camps.
Thank you Bookouture and NetGalley for the opportunity to review Only I Can Save Them.
**I read this Advanced Readers' Copy through NetGalley, Release date is October 10, 2025**
October 10, 2025
In ONLY I CAN SAVE THEM by IMOGEN MATTHEWS we follow the Jewish Breslauer family from Leipsig in Germany to Amsterdam, then to the Westerbork Transit facility, where Rudolf Breslauer, well known and brilliant photographer, is forced by the Nazis to become the camp photographer, and finally to Auschwitz. The author paints a heart-breaking picture of the horrors of the German occupation of Holland during WW2, based on a true story, and dedicating her novel to Rudolf’s daughter Ursula, who survived Auschwitz…….
Two time frames complement one another. In 2022, Ursula Moses’ granddaughter Eloise, who is studying at Oxford, comes across an old photo album when visiting her beloved grandma……
This is a story of incredible courage shown by a man who is forced to take photographs for the enemy in order to keep his precious family safe, but who also takes honest pictures showing the horrors perpetrated in the camp and the misery of the prisoners, hiding them for a furure generation to learn the truth.
I cannot recommend this incredible book strongly enough.
I was given a free copy of the book by NetGalley from Bookouture. The opinions in this review are completely my own.
Two time frames complement one another. In 2022, Ursula Moses’ granddaughter Eloise, who is studying at Oxford, comes across an old photo album when visiting her beloved grandma……
This is a story of incredible courage shown by a man who is forced to take photographs for the enemy in order to keep his precious family safe, but who also takes honest pictures showing the horrors perpetrated in the camp and the misery of the prisoners, hiding them for a furure generation to learn the truth.
I cannot recommend this incredible book strongly enough.
I was given a free copy of the book by NetGalley from Bookouture. The opinions in this review are completely my own.
October 11, 2025
The Nazis have occupied Holland, and more and more Jews are being forcibly taken away. Rudolf, desperate to protect his children, accepts a job as the camp’s photographer. However, he struggles with the thought of how and if they will survive this harrowing time.
Rudolf captures heart-wrenching portraits of the people behind the iron gates. He realizes that he must use his photographs to expose the truth to the world. He risks everything to save those who cannot save themselves.
“Only I Can Save Them” by Imogen Matthews, is a historical novel inspired by a true story. Its emotional depth makes it even more heartbreaking. It vividly depicts the devastating impact of the Jews, shattering the spirits of countless individuals.
As I turned each page, I couldn’t help but shed tears for not only the children but also for all the Jewish people who endured this horrific period. Despite the immense hardships, they displayed remarkable strength and resilience, clinging to each other as their only source of hope. I found myself unable to put this book down until the very last page. It’s a truly remarkable story, and I highly recommend it to anyone who enjoys historical fiction.
Rudolf captures heart-wrenching portraits of the people behind the iron gates. He realizes that he must use his photographs to expose the truth to the world. He risks everything to save those who cannot save themselves.
“Only I Can Save Them” by Imogen Matthews, is a historical novel inspired by a true story. Its emotional depth makes it even more heartbreaking. It vividly depicts the devastating impact of the Jews, shattering the spirits of countless individuals.
As I turned each page, I couldn’t help but shed tears for not only the children but also for all the Jewish people who endured this horrific period. Despite the immense hardships, they displayed remarkable strength and resilience, clinging to each other as their only source of hope. I found myself unable to put this book down until the very last page. It’s a truly remarkable story, and I highly recommend it to anyone who enjoys historical fiction.
October 26, 2025
Incredibly well written and put together. What a horrific picture in time.
Rudolf a Jewish photographer eventually decides to make the steps to escape Leizig, Germany and relocate his family to Amsterdam in the Netherlands, hoping to be safe. His wife Bella and children Ursula and Stefan trust his judgement.
This story is told from Eloise's more recent perspective and that of her Grandmother Ursula's, her memories of a time she tries to keep buried.
Rudolf is visited by a Nazi to take her is photo, this doesn’t feel right or bode well as he is recruited to be the camp photographer at Westerbork Camp. A move that scared him. He had to again relocate his family.
In his heart he is ensuring their safety, but how long can it last. For one perspective he is selling himself and his family out in order to smooze.
The memories and facts eventually meet.
Its a deeply told story and secrets left to you dear reader to uncover within this book. A recommended emotional read.
Rudolf a Jewish photographer eventually decides to make the steps to escape Leizig, Germany and relocate his family to Amsterdam in the Netherlands, hoping to be safe. His wife Bella and children Ursula and Stefan trust his judgement.
This story is told from Eloise's more recent perspective and that of her Grandmother Ursula's, her memories of a time she tries to keep buried.
Rudolf is visited by a Nazi to take her is photo, this doesn’t feel right or bode well as he is recruited to be the camp photographer at Westerbork Camp. A move that scared him. He had to again relocate his family.
In his heart he is ensuring their safety, but how long can it last. For one perspective he is selling himself and his family out in order to smooze.
The memories and facts eventually meet.
Its a deeply told story and secrets left to you dear reader to uncover within this book. A recommended emotional read.
October 12, 2025
🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
Imogen Matthews has the amazing ability to write a wonderful story while weaving in little know historical events. This book takes us to the transit camp, Westerbork, in Nazi-occupied Holland.
We meet Rudolf Breslauer, a Jewish photographer, who is tasked to photograph the camp to show how well it is run. If he does this, him and his family won’t be on the list.
This is a powerful novel about what someone will do to protect their family while trying to tell the truth. This book will stay with you long after you read it. Many thanks to the author, Bookouture and NetGalley for a complimentary copy of the book. The opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.
#OnlyICanSaveThem #ImogenMatthews #NetGalley #Bookouture #BooksOnTour #BookLove #Bookstagram #NewBook #ILoveBooks #BooksSetDuringWWII #BooksSetInHolland
Imogen Matthews has the amazing ability to write a wonderful story while weaving in little know historical events. This book takes us to the transit camp, Westerbork, in Nazi-occupied Holland.
We meet Rudolf Breslauer, a Jewish photographer, who is tasked to photograph the camp to show how well it is run. If he does this, him and his family won’t be on the list.
This is a powerful novel about what someone will do to protect their family while trying to tell the truth. This book will stay with you long after you read it. Many thanks to the author, Bookouture and NetGalley for a complimentary copy of the book. The opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.
#OnlyICanSaveThem #ImogenMatthews #NetGalley #Bookouture #BooksOnTour #BookLove #Bookstagram #NewBook #ILoveBooks #BooksSetDuringWWII #BooksSetInHolland
October 9, 2025
This is the story of a photographer called Rudolph and his family during a time when the Nazis are brutally treating and capturing the Jewish people. Rudolph is told by a Nazi that he will be there photographer and so Rudolph is hoping that this will keep his family from Auschwitz. The plot is heartbreaking and I feel so dreadful for how they were treated. It's inspired by a true story and I am grateful that I wasn't alive during the trying times. I love how the timelines weave from past to present with the family of Rudolph as it keeps you alert and speculating while being engaged. It's a well told story that needed to be written and the author has done it with brutal honesty, integrity and kindness.
October 14, 2025
This was quite the emotional book. It’s a dual timeline, dual POV novel. The WWII timeline is about Rudolf, who is a famous photographer of his time. He is forced into Nazi service and taking pictures of those in the concentration camp. He’s forced to take his family with him, and even that doesn’t protect them from ending up in Auschwitz.
The current timeline is of Ursula and her great granddaughter. Learning Ursula’s story and her connection to Rudolf and her time in Westerbrork was the hardest part to read. Her story was definitely my favorite. I was crying by the end.
I love how Imogen tells a story. She covers all the history and still keeps the reader enthralled.
Thank you NetGalley and Bookouture for my copy of this book.
The current timeline is of Ursula and her great granddaughter. Learning Ursula’s story and her connection to Rudolf and her time in Westerbrork was the hardest part to read. Her story was definitely my favorite. I was crying by the end.
I love how Imogen tells a story. She covers all the history and still keeps the reader enthralled.
Thank you NetGalley and Bookouture for my copy of this book.
November 6, 2025
4.25 ⭐ Thank you netgalley and Bookouture for this ARC. This is the first book I have read by this author, but it won't be the last. Based on true events on photographer Rudolf Breslauer who risked his life photographing what went on in a Dutch Transit camp during WWII. This story was beautifully told from both the past and present perspective, which for me really worked to elevate the reading experience. I fell in love with Ursula's character in the present and respected her strength in trying to come to terms with what was happening to her family in the past. Eloise was a well written character and how the present and past came together through her and her connection with her grandmother was so beautiful and emotional. What a fantastic story!
Displaying 1 - 30 of 46 reviews