Sisters of the Midnight Sun

by Fiona Valpy

Two women from different generations connect over their shared need to recover from traumas as they attempt to heal and begin their lives anew, from the acclaimed bestselling author of The Dressmaker's Gift and The Beekeeper's Promise.

2001: Overwhelmed by grief in the wake of losing her twin sister, Ruby Reid has come to Scotland to escape. Her new job as companion to Hanna Kristiansen, an elderly woman living on a remote homestead in the wild and remote Shetland Islands, offers plenty of challenges and a welcome distraction from the devastating choice Ruby has to make.

1940: Hanna's quiet life on the fjords of northern Norway is overturned when her hometown is attacked and her country falls into the hands of Nazi occupiers. But the Norwegians are a people as resilient as the ancient bedrock of their land. Hanna becomes involved in the resistance movement, fighting to help end the war that has taken so much from her. She's sent to Scotland for training, where she meets a charismatic member of the shadowy special forces who are supporting Norway's fight for freedom. Though she's eager to join the fight in Scotland, Hanna must return to her homeland, and face the dangerous underground work that lies ahead for her and her twin sister, Liv.

As Hanna shares her story, Ruby begins to navigate the path of her grief. Hanna in turn finds comfort in discovering that confiding in her younger friend is helping them both heal. Ruby also learns that, like the beautiful untamed land of Hanna's rural croft, there is strength to be found in fragility, as well as hope for new life, in the wildness of an island at the end of the world.

As she slowly finds healing in a place as delicate yet defiant as the people who tend it, can Ruby find the courage to face up to the heartbreaking decisions she must now make?

Genres: Historical Fiction, Historical

304 pages, Hardcover

Expected publication September 15, 2026

About the author

Fiona Valpy spent seven years living in France, having moved there from the UK in 2007. She and her family renovated an old, rambling farmhouse in the Bordeaux winelands, during which time she developed new-found skills in cement-mixing, interior decorating and wine-tasting.

All of these inspirations, along with a love for the place, the people and their history, have found their way into the books she’s written, which have been translated into more than 30 languages and sold more than 2 million copies worldwide.

Fiona now lives in Scotland, but enjoys regular visits to France in search of the sun.

Sign up to be the first to hear about her NEW releases here: http://bit.ly/184zc8B

Reviews

[Abbeigh · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fiona Valpy’s most vivid, bold and heartbreaking novel yet. ‘Sisters Of The Midnight Sun’ follows Ruby, who has just moved to Shetland to look after the elderly Hanna, who was born in Norway and experienced the Second World War there.

This was such a tearjerker! It really showcased the bond of sisterhood/twins, and I was utterly engrossed in the story and the characters.

Valpy is a powerhouse at writing historical fiction, and I always know that I’m going to get a five star read from her. I’m always amazed by the details and feelings she manages to get into the amount of pages; I didn’t want this story to end.

𝐓𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐤 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐭𝐨 𝐌𝐢𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐞𝐥 𝐉 𝐁𝐨𝐨𝐤𝐬 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐦𝐲 𝐞-𝐚𝐫𝐜 𝐢𝐧 𝐞𝐱𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐞 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐦𝐲 𝐡𝐨𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐭 𝐫𝐞𝐯𝐢𝐞𝐰.

[Maureen Timerman · Rating 5 out of 5]

A beautifully written dual time read, from the horrors of living in Norway in WWII, to 2002 Shetland Islands, Scotland.
We are given a women whom has recently lost her twin and need to get away, she has agreed to be a care taker, what she doesn't expect is the vibrant elderly women she finds. I can't and don't want to put myself in Hanna's shoes, but in the end as they struggle for a relationship, she does share with Ruby.
A read that lingers with you long after the last page is turned.
We are offered some current danger, past horrors, life changing decisions, and the prospect of some romance.
In the end, I didn't want this read to conclude.
I received this book through Net Galley and the Publisher Ballantine, and was not required to give a positive review.

[Jeremy Reppy · Rating 4 out of 5]

The death of Ruby’s twin sister (Lucy) has left her adrift. So, she takes advantage of the opportunity to escape Edinburgh and its reminders of her sister for a companion position at a remote croft in Shetland. Her client, Hanna, is a feisty old Norwegian woman who has lived in Shetland for years and does not want a companion/caretaker. However, Hanna also had a twin sister, Liv, who was a casualty of WWII. The trauma of losing a twin will create a bond between Ruby and Hanna, two women who otherwise are very different in terms of age and life experience. Watching that relationship develop was enjoyable.

I was familiar with the term “quisling” but did not realize it came from a Norwegian politician who collaborated with the Nazis.

I am glad that the Norwegian resistance to the Nazis played a significant role in the story because that is an aspect of WWII history with which I was not familiar. It was interesting to learn more about it. Although this is a work of historical fiction, the author based some of the characters and events on real people and events. The afterword provides more information about the real people and events, including resources for learning more.

I liked that the story also emphasizes Shetland culture, traditions and dialect. The author makes great use of imagery to convey a sense of life in Shetland and in the area of Norway from which Hanna hailed, as well as to convey the grit and determination of Hanna (especially through the comparison to and link with the storm petrel).

The scenes in the concentration camps are powerful, especially the inclusion of Dr. Mengele and the twin studies.

[Anne Wolfe · Rating 4 out of 5]

This must-read novel is written in two alternating viewpoints. The first is Ruby's, a young woman who has just lost her beloved twin sister to cancer. The other is Hanna, now in her 80's, born in Norway and now living on Shetland Island, north of Scotland. Hanna, too, was a twin who lost her beloved sister in World War II.

Ruby comes to Shetland, hired by Hanna's two grown doctor children to help their mother who lives on a croft where she raises sheep in a croft near the sea. I usually prefer a one-narrator one timeline, but Valpy's beautifully written book works well in this format. There is much in Hanna's story that is difficult to read, chilling and frightening as it explores her work for the Norwegian underground as a radio operator who passer-on of vital information to help defeat the German invaders. There are some parallels in Ruby and Hanna's stories, but they are not contrived.

Fiona Valpys descriptions of storm petrels, Northern Lights, and life in far north winters and endlessly lit summer days transported me to a place I have never experienced. (Unfortunately, the descriptions of living and escaping from the Nazis is something I lived through.)

The author's researched and terrifying passages about Adolf Mengeles inhuman experiments on twins and survival in Auschwitz will chill you. But there is much that will uplift you in stories of selfless behavior exhibited by some heroic people in terrible circumstances.

This fine novel is worth your time. Thank you to the publisher and Net Galley for the ARC copy. This is my honest opinion.

[Joyce Cacioppo stein · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sisters of the Midnight Sun by Fiona Valley finds us following the lives of two women from different generations. Ruby takes a job as a companion to Hanna Kristiansen, an older women who is extremely strong both in mind and body but lives alone on a croft in Shetland. Her children feel that she should no longer be living alone and do all the work required to care for this piece of land on this remote island. They hire Ruby to be her companion and help around the croft. Hanna has lived through WWII and has many secrets attached to that period of her life.

Ruby has secrets of her own, hence her decision to move away to this remote island. At first Hanna is not receptive to having a companion, but as she grows to accept Ruby, she opens up to her about her life and survival during the war. Ruby fits in nicely on the croft, becoming accustomed to the work and living, as the island lives half the year in total darkness the the other in light.

The story goes back and forth between their present day life and Hanna’s time during the war. They discover that their lives share a special bond. Not only does Hanna open up to Ruby but Ruby is able to face the decision she has to make and move forward.

The story is written beautifully and flows well. It hooks you in right from the beginning and makes you want to keep reading until finished. I would highly recommend this story.

Thank you Net Galley and Ballantine Bantam Dell/Penguin Random House for giving me the opportunity to read this ARC.

[Amy · Rating 5 out of 5]

“An axe age, a sword age, when shields are broken.”

“The flowers are linked to courage and protection, and to the gift of attuning to the fairy realm.”

Disrespect the land, and you’ll live to regret it.

to forget the darkness for a short while and just concentrate on the blood flowing through my veins, breathing in and out, the fact of being alive

“Live your life well, for both of us.”

Sisters of the Midnight Sun by Fiona Valpy beautifully weaves together the story of two women, both a set of twins. Each has lost their twin sister. Ruby has recently lost her twin to Breast Cancer.
Ruby has applied for a caretaker position to help Hanna an elderly woman whose twin has died due to very tragic circumstances.
As Hanna starts to tell Ruby about how she came to live on Shetland Island a bond starts to form slowly between the two.
I didn’t know a lot about the history of in Norway during World War II and was definitely given a better understanding.
I was drawn in from the start to this emotional, heartbreaking story. Very hard to put down and I did have tears in my eyes many times while reading.

Thank you NetGalley and Ballantine Books for the opportunity to read this compelling story.

[E. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sisters of the Midnight Sun is another beautifully crafted historical novel by Fiona Valpy, blending two timelines into a moving story of love, loss, courage, and healing. Set between wartime Norway and the remote Shetland Islands, the novel follows two women from different generations whose shared experiences of grief gradually bring them hope and renewal. As a twin, I appreciated the strong bonds she explored in the book. Valpy’s descriptions of the rugged northern landscapes are as compelling as her richly developed characters, and her meticulous historical research brings the Norwegian resistance during World War II vividly to life. This is an emotional read that explores the enduring strength of sisterhood and the resilience of the human spirit. Highly recommended for readers who enjoy historical fiction.

Thank you to NetGalley and Ballantine Books for the ARCin exchange for my honest opinions.

[Sarah Pitcher-hoffman · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book surprised me - I don't know if it was because I had not read much about it before I started it, but I was surprised and pleased with the storyline. Sometimes, I feel like I read too many books focused on WWII, and I need a break, and I guess that was what surprised me about this book: it had a WWII connection, but it wasn't just sad and depressing. The dual story lines of the sets of twins dealing with hardship and death was engrossing and not just depressing. This story of Ruby and her desire to escape her sadness by moving to the middle of nowhere in Shetland to look after Hanna was entertaining. The livelihood of croft farming and how one survives in such a difficult environment and the fight to keep the land wild and undeveloped is a timeless one, and Fiona Valpy did it all well. I recommend this book to anyone who likes historical fiction and give it 4 stars. Thanks to NetGalley and Penguin Random House for the e-arc in exchange for an honest review.

[Pat Trattles · Rating 5 out of 5]

In an effort to escape the grief of losing her twin sister and trying to avoid a life altering decision she needs to make, Ruby Reid accepts a position as a companion to an elderly woman living on a croft on the remote Shetland Islands in Scotland. At first Hanna wants nothing to do with her but eventually the two connect over a shared grief – both are twins who lost their sister, albeit in different circumstances. Told in two time periods we learn of the hard life lived in the remote northernmost regions of Scotland in 2001, and the dangers faced by the Norwegian resistance during WWII. Loss, danger, healing and hope combine to make a powerful story of found family in the face of tragedy and its aftermath. Recommended read. Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for giving me an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

[Carolyn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sisters of the Midnight Sun by Fiona Valpy is a beautiful novel of two women set both in Norway during WWII and on the Shetland Isles of Scotland in 2001. Both women have lost their twins, Hanna many years prior and Ruby, just recently to breast cancer. Ruby, needing to get away from her life and a difficult decision she must make, signs on to be the caretaker for Hanna who manages a small croft on Shetland. Ms. Valpy's descriptions of the lands and the wildlife evoke such mesmerizing images, it's almost as if you are there. A beautifully touching work, this story will remain with you long after you've turned the last page.

Thank you to the author, publisher and Netgalley for an ARC of this novel in exchange for my honest review.

[Helen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Two women, generations apart, come together under unusual circumstances. The setting is in Norway where the summer sun seems to never set. Ruby is a young women trying to escape her grief and Hanna is her elderly charge who she is assisting with her farm and daily activities.
Both Rudy and Hanna have experienced loss and as the book progresses their interesting stories emerge.
This historical fiction story mostly focuses on Hanna’s experiences during the second world war. I learned a lot about the resistance movement when the Natzis occupied Norway and about the bravery and determination of the Norway people. There is much suspense and horror displayed in this novel and I found that the slower start soon led to an engrossing conclusion.

[Libby Reidy · Rating 5 out of 5]

A well written story of two women bought together by tragedy. In the present, Ruby has taken a job in the Shetland Islands (Scotland) as a caretaker to Hanna, an elderly woman who lives alone on a working croft. Alternating between the past (Norway under German rule during WWII) and the present where these two women lives intertwine. Both have undergone personal misfortunes, both loosing twin sisters in terrible ways. For those who do not know the history of Norway during WWII, this is a must read. Also, the hardships of living on a remote island off Scotland is well described. I will definitely recommend this historical fiction book.

[Darlene · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received this copy of Fiona Valpy's from NetGalley. I feel so blessed to get to read, well, listen to this story using Kindle's text-to-speech.

The story starts with two women getting to know each other. Both in grief. Soon we learn their stories. I don't want to give too much away because the depth of their lives and loves is the best part of the adventure.

War. Interrupts life, and this part of the story about survival is the saddest.

Stories about families and loved ones are my favorite kind of story. I loved this book so much. I highly recommend it. I can't wait for it to be an audiobook, as I would love to hear the languages, if not the accents, of the people in this book.

[Vanessa · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was very emotional.

A young woman accepts a caretaker position on a remote Shetland island after the death of her twin sister. The woman she is hired to help also had a twin that died in tragic circumstances and as she begins to trust her new companion she tells the story of how she came to be living on a Shetland island.

This is sort of a new take on WWII resistance fighters. I had never heard of what is referred to as the Shetland bus (a harrowing supply route from Scotland to Norway) and I thought the entire book was very well researched and I loved the characters.

I definitely recommend this one.

[Kathleen · Rating 4 out of 5]

SISTERS OF THE MIDNIGHT SUN by Fiona Valpy is told from the alternating points of view of Ruby and Hannah. Ruby Reid is a companion to an elderly woman, Hannah Williamson, who lives in Shetland. Hannah originally comes from Norway with World War II resistance experiences.

I am interested in the story from the beginning. The Shetland setting is described well, and the writing invites me to read on. I like that there are a reasonable number of characters to keep track of. The alternating points of view make sense. The sadness moves me. Thank you, Ballantine and NetGalley, for the chance to read and review an advance reader copy of SISTERS OF THE MIDNIGHT SUN.

[Hannelore Cheney · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you NetGalley and Ballantyne for the eARC.
What a wonderful book; it weaves together the story of 2 sets of twins, one in 201 and the other during WWII. Ruby recently lost her twin sister and is beyond heartbroken, while Hanna lost her twin due to horrendous treatment in the German camps.
Ruby has come to the Shetland Islands to help Anna work her croft and help with the animals.
Eventually the young woman and the elderly woman form an unbreakable bond.
It's a fabulous read, don't miss this one!
I didn't realize the Germans came as far north as Norway, causing many to flee as the Nazis tightened their grip.

[Cristina De lamar · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sisters of the Midnight Sun was a dual timeline of the two main characters, Hanna(WW2) and Ruby(present). Hanna suffered a lot of horrific incidents and many losses. Ruby went to a croft in the Shetland Islands to work as Hanna’s caretaker and escape a loss of her own. Hanna shared her story with Ruby throughout her first year on the islands and Ruby decided to take on the responsibilities at the croft when Hanna passes away.

I enjoyed this book, albeit it with some reservations. I thought that Hanna’s story could have been more concise and feel that making her story so detailed then rushed the ending. That being said,I had never heard of this author, but will look for more of her books.

[Inga · Rating 4 out of 5]

My first exposure to Valpy’s novels and a good one. Appreciated the strong role of landscape and nature (especially the birds!) anchored in Norway and the Shetlands. The two parallel stories each had their arc, with one storyline driving the novel, and the other offering space to process. Worth the read, especially for perspective on World War II in Norway.

Thanks to Ballantine and NetGalley for the ARC.

[Barbi · Rating 5 out of 5]

excellent book! The book weaves together the story of 2 women who have both lost a twin. The story is very compelling and hits on a different resistance group for WWII. It's the first I've read of a connection between Norway and the Shetland Islands. The back and forth between present day and the past works well and fills in the details. You won't want to put this one down.

Thanks for the ARC Netgalley!

[Mari · Rating 5 out of 5]

Instantly drew me in until the end. Cried at the end unexpectedly. Loved this story.

[WhatFrizRead · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book cleverly weaves together two stories from two different timeframes; in 2001, Ruby Reid has moved to Shetland to accept a job and hide from a decision she doesn't want to make. In Norway 1940, Hanna's world is turned upside down as her country, Norway, is ravaged by war and her family feel the consequences.

How the stories interweave is not one for me to spoil, but it is clever and works beautifully. The plot is propelled with speed through the chapters and I found myself desperate to discover the link and find out how it all worked out. I didn't know much of Norway's plight during WW2 and I enjoyed the historical fiction part of this book, as tough as it was to read at times. The stories are sensitively written and the whole book feels raw but sensitively written.

I enjoyed Valpy's writing style - it is descriptive and engaging but not overly flowery or hard to follow. I think if you enjoy novels by Kristin Hannah, you'll enjoy this.