When It's Over: A Novel

by Barbara Ridley

Coming of age in Prague in the 1930s, Lena Kulkova is inspired by the left-wing activists who resist the rise of fascism. She meets Otto, a refugee from Hitler’s Germany, and follows him to Paris to work for the Republican side in the Spanish Civil War. As the war in Spain ends and a far greater war engulfs the continent, Lena gets stuck in Paris with no news from her Jewish family, including her beloved baby sister, left behind in Nazi-occupied Czechoslovakia. Otto, meanwhile, has fled to a village in England, and urges Lena to join him, but she can’t obtain a visa.
When Lena and Otto are finally reunited, the safe haven Lena has hoped for doesn’t last long. Their relationship becomes strained, and Lena is torn between her loyalty to Otto and her growing attraction to Milton, the son of the eccentric Lady of the Manor. As the war continues, she yearns to be reunited with her sister, while Milton is preoccupied with the political turmoil that leads to the landslide defeat of Churchill in the 1945 election.
Based on a true story, When It’s Over is a moving, resonant, and timely read about the lives of war refugees, dramatic political changes, and the importance of family, love, and hope.

Genres: Historical Fiction, Fiction, World War II, Historical, 20th Century, Holocaust

350 pages, Paperback

First published September 26, 2017

About the author

I was born in England but have lived in Northern California for most of my adult life. I am now focused on creative writing after a successful career in nursing, which included publication of several academic articles. My debut novel, "When It's Over" based on my mother's story as a refugee from the Holocaust, won the IBPA Ben Franklin Silver Medal in historical fiction. My writing has appeared in The Forge Literary Magazine, Persimmon Tree, The Copperfield Review and Stoneboat, among other places, I have a second novel "Unswerving" set in contemporary California, published 2024 by the University of Wisconsin Press.

Reviews

[Patty · Rating 4 out of 5]

I keep breaking my promise to myself to not read any more WWII books. It is, I suppose, a very deep well to draw upon for story inspiration. When the tale you bring to life is based on your own family’s history it makes the telling all the more compelling. Such is the case of When It’s Over for Ms. Ridley as it is based on her parents’ lives.

The heroine of the story is Lena, a young Czech woman who feels strongly about what she learns is going in Spain with the rise of Fascism. As she and her friends go to protest meetings she encounters a young man named Otto who is far more involved in fighting the evil that is rising. Against her father’s wishes, Lena follows Otto to Paris as Hitler starts his march through Austria into Poland and beyond. As things worsen Otto gets a visa to England but Lena is stuck in Paris until something breaks and she finds her way to Otto. But England is not going to be the safe place they hoped it would be as the Blitz is just around the corner.

This is more than just another war story as it was so personal to the author. That deep meaning comes through in the character development and the feelings presented between the main characters – not just Lena and Otto, but the close circle of refugee friends and their English sponsors. The descriptions brought war time England to life which managed to ruin a couple of night’s sleep. So I am again swearing off WWII novels.

Ms. Ridley writes with power and conviction. Her research is deep – both the personal kind and the historical and it gives her reader an experience in reading that stays with them. I am still thinking about these characters and it’s been days since I turned the last page

4.5

[Cathy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Find all my books reviews, plus author interviews, book extracts and guest posts, on my blog: https://whatcathyreadnext.wordpress.com/

I’ve read a lot of historical fiction set in WW2, and, to be frank, I’ll probably never tire of it. However, it’s always refreshing to get a new angle and this novel delivers it. It opens in Prague and focuses on the experiences of a family of Czech Jews. As the author explains in her afterword, the book is a work of fiction but based on the experiences of her parents. The narrative switches back and forth in time covering the period 1938 to 1944. The reader is transported from pre-war Prague, to occupied Paris and to England during the period of the Blitz.

The story focuses on Lena Kulkova, intelligent and independent-minded, who joins the left-wing movements active in pre-war Prague, much to the anger of her father. She forms a close friendship with a group of like-minded individuals, including the idealistic and charismatic Otto. Through Otto, Lena becomes involved in intelligence work and as the threat of war grows, she follows Otto to Paris to continue this work, leaving her father, mother, brother and young sister in Prague. This is a decision that will come to haunt Lena once the Nazis occupy Czechoslovakia and she finds herself alone in Paris, unable either to follow Otto to safety in England or return to help her family. Eventually, Lena does escape to England where she joins a community of Czech exiles given refuge by a socialist sympathiser.

It is difficult now to imagine the scale of displacement that took place during this period, as people sought refuge in one country after another, dependent on charity from others and never knowing if or when they might return to their homeland. Through Lena’s experiences, the author conveys this sense of displacement, the challenge of having to survive on your own in a strange country, the agony of separation from your family, potentially the object of suspicion or worse and starved of news of what is happening to those left behind.

The book charts the complex relationship between Otto and Lena which is never conventional and experiences many stresses and strains over the years. Although Lena yearns for news of her mother and sister and worries that her actions may have unwittingly exposed them to danger, her feelings about returning to Czechoslovakia become more complicated. She grows to like England, to admire the spirit of its people, their resilience during the Blitz and determination to, if you like, ‘Keep Calm and Carry On’.

‘Lena…felt the promise of something else: a home away from home in this newly adopted country; a new family to stand in for hers, which was scattered and fragmented; a sanctuary in these scary times.’

The author creates a really authentic period feel, particularly in the sections set in London. There are all the things you associated with wartime England: rationing, Lyon’s Tea Rooms, dried egg, spam, the national loaf, fish paste sandwiches and tea – lots and lots of tea.

‘We carry on as if this is all normal, she thought. We do everyday things, like make the tea and find clean cups. The mundane normalcy: we have to cling to this.’

In the end, Lena chooses a different future for herself but emotional scars from her wartime experiences persist, as the very moving conclusion to the novel demonstrates. I really enjoyed When It’s Over. It’s well-written, well-structured and I found myself drawn into the story of Lena and the other characters. Even if I hadn’t known it was based on true events, it would have felt authentic and real.

I received an advance reader copy courtesy of NetGalley and publishers, She Writes Press, in return for an honest review.

[Bonnye Reed · Rating 5 out of 5]

GNab I received a free electronic copy of this historical novel from Netgalley, Barbara Ridley, and She Writes Press in exchange for an honest review. Thank you all for sharing your hard work with me.

I LOVE that this novel had as an opening salvo a calendar of actual historical events covering the duration of this historical novel. It is a help my poor old brain needs. The big events hold their place in line but when the story travels from now until then it makes it difficult to stay focused. Thank you!

This is a look at WWII from a completely different aspect. We follow a group of political refugees as they move through Europe working against fascism, some just a step or two ahead of capture by the Germans. This is a novel I can heartily recommend to anyone who enjoys history. Barbara Ridley has a way with words and knows just how to touch your heart strings.

Our protagonist Lena is a strong, courageous woman with a firm respect for herself and her place in the flow of those times. A Czechoslovakian Jew, Lena is proficient in several languages and works as a secretary and translator for the Economic Information Bureau in Prague, a cover business for anti-fascists. She moves to Paris in May of 1938 with her employer and lover Otto, a German man with a price on his head who is working to aid the Republican cause in Spain. She quickly fits into a small community of fellow Czechs, and is still in Paris in the fall of '38 when Czechoslovakia falls to the Nazi's. Lena is heartbroken as she is unable to further encourage her families' often postponed efforts to flee Prague, or to return and collect her little sister Sasha. Her friend Otto is already in England and attempting to get Lena a visa to join him, but what was simple in the summer of 1939 becomes a boondoggle as England and France declare war on Germany in September of 1939. Although her English is not as strong as her French, Lena again finds a place of community and helpful work upon her delayed arrival in England in March of 1940.

I love that the title is 'When it's Over" but you rarely hear people say it. Everyone is yearning for an end to this massive conflict, but they keep busy with the problems of 'now'. Lena is very upbeat and people oriented, and quickly makes herself a place in a community of strangers and in your heart.


pub date Sept 26, 2017
She Writes Press

[Sue · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoy reading books about WWII but this is different slant on the era. It's told from a more personal view with well researched information about what it was really like to live during this time period - from the difficulties getting food due to rationing (Spam was a real treat!) the contributions that women made to the war - from office jobs to factory jobs, they helped win the war. Plus this is based on history from the author's own family - the main character is based on what her mother went through during WWII.

The novel begins in Prague in the late 1930s when Lena lived with her family. They are Jewish and starting to feel the wrath of antisemitism. Lena much admires Otto, a refugee from Germany who is well known for his speeches about the Spanish War. She goes to work for him, falls in love with him and moves to Paris to work with him. During the time period that she is in Paris, the author rewards us with beautiful descriptions of Paris and the people who are getting ready for war. After Otto again moves - to England this time, she stays behind in Paris hoping that her younger sister from Prague will be joining her in Paris. Finally with help from Otto, she is able to move to Paris right before the borders are totally closed. In England, she survives the Blitz and begins to grow up and face some harsh realities about her life and the lives of her mother and sister that were left behind in Prague.

This is a well researched, well written book and I loved the personal aspect of the way it was written. Lena is a character that I won't soon forget. I look forward to Barbara Ridley's future books.

[Brighton Belle · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an outstanding first novel. The storyline, well rehearsed elsewhere in these reviews, is immediately compelling. We are quickly drawn into Lena’s situation and concerned for her safety. The writing is clean and self assured. The gentle and luminous observation of detail throughout effectively draw us in and we live through events as they unfold. This is a WW2 setting from a perspective that most of us will not have experienced and it is told in such a moving and heartfelt way. I was fascinated throughout:- the touch is delicate, the reflections both illuminating of human nature and lightly humorous. This is more than a gripping tale. It has relevance in today’s world as the reality of daily life and of the situation facing refugees echo across the intervening decades. A delight from start to finish, thought provoking and accomplished. I loved it.

[Mary · Rating 5 out of 5]

This marvelous novel delivers completely on the promise of its extraordinary cover, which shows a faintly colored woman walking toward the black and white and grey devastation of London during the Blitz. Barbara Ridley gives us a heroine we can love in so many ways -- smart, agonizing over her choices, and ultimately able to act in her own best interests. I found myself swept away by the story, and even though I've read many books set in this time period, there were unexpected descriptions and small, carefully researched facts that enriched the book enormously. Kudos to the author for creating a whole assembly of characters who bring this time to life. A wonderful gift to anyone who likes serious historical fiction.

[Holly · Rating 4 out of 5]

The author did a wonderful job of making you feel like you're experiencing the early 1940s. I wasn't very enamored with the characters themselves, but the backdrop made the book more than worth a read.

[Story Circle Book Reviews · Rating 4 out of 5]

Living through major historical events is, for many people, a pretense of their previous life, normal-ish, only different around the edges. For all the heroes storming the hills, there are the civilians living (mostly) how they have before the sky fell.

It isn't as if Lena Kulkova, the protagonist in Barbara Ridley's When It's Over had not been profoundly affected by the rise of the Nazis in the Thirties and Forties. She had moved from her native Czechoslovakia, first to Paris, then to England. Her mother and younger sister are still in Prague when the Nazis invade. Her brother and father escape by joining the Czech Army. She, however, is trying to act as if those profound effects are normal.

Lena's life, however, is largely a matter of existing at the sufferance of others. When we meet her, she is staying with a friend in Paris, hoping to join her lover in England. Her daily routine includes finding food and petitioning the British Embassy for a visa. In a particularly vivid scene, she is treated in the manner perfected by the British civil service: an almost polite way of making the target feel less than human. Then, out of the blue, her lover Otto sends her the precious means to escape.

Escape means first the English countryside, then London during the Blitz.

Even in the worst of times, Lena strives to make things "normal," wherever she is. She wants to cooks meals at home, mend clothes, recreate the world her mother had, even as she fears that world has been destroyed.

Ridley's book is full of the details that make historical fiction satisfying. In Paris, Lena gets a government-issued gas mask from a kindly Frenchwoman, although, as an illegal resident, she is not entitled to one. The meals served on the commercial flight from Paris to England include pate, served by a steward. Churchill, the hero of the war effort, irritates voters with his bellicose campaigning near the end of the war. Readers share the experience of Lena and her fellow expatriates as they live day to day as civilians during the war.

As charming as it is to know that "Kolkova" is the feminine of the family name "Kolka," and that cocoa-milk powder was rationed in 1944, it isn't the same as action. Despite being set in a time of tumult, Ridley's book has a curious lack of momentum. Lena does not break out of her passivity until just short of page 300. Even then, she doesn't really take hold of her own life.

That doesn't mean this isn't a compelling story. The slower pace accentuates Ridley's attention to detail. It allows the reader to inhabit Lena's world of waiting, watching and making do, lending it verisimilitude.

Where the book did not work for me was the time shifting, which Ridley practiced in a tentative manner. There is a brief flashback to the Spanish Civil War, a little back and forth between 1939 and 1940, then a more or less linear story. It ends with a leap to the almost present that seems unrelated to the rest of the book, as if the author wanted to add a modern button to the piece. There are helpful headings—"Paris, 1939"—Sussex, 1940"—but the shifting doesn't build suspense or reveal character particularly well.

Still, When It's Over is a good read, and sure to be especially enjoyable for those with a particular interest in World War II.

by D Ferrara
for Story Circle Book Reviews
reviewing books by, for, and about women

[Monica Clark · Rating 5 out of 5]

“When It’s Over” is not just another novel set in WWII England. Barbara Ridley skillfully weaves the life of Lena Kulkova and her Czech Resistance friends into a powerful story of love, determination, grief and triumph. Based in part on experiences of her Czech Jewish mother who escaped to England as the Nazis began their assault on Prague, Ridley delves deeply into the emotional experiences of Lena without ever being melodramatic or histrionic. Her well-researched historical facts flow smoothly within the narrative. The reader becomes completely engrossed in accompanying Lena as she lives each day in fear and hope.

[Ellen Notbohm · Rating 5 out of 5]

The author bills the book as a coming of age story, and it does have all those elements—chafing against and breaking away from parental restrictions on dress, curfew, choice of friends and activities. First love, sexual awakening, bittersweet realization that first love will not be the last. But before we even open the book, we know from the bombed-out London front cover of the book and the back-cover synopsis that Lena Kulkova’s rites of passage, both literal and figurative, will span three countries and unfold in one of the most infamous and formidable periods in modern history. When Lena leaves Prague in 1938 to follow her political-activist lover Otto, a German escaping Hitler’s regime, to Paris, she can’t imagine the destiny awaiting her parents and siblings—that the father she parts with on bitter terms will rise to heroic action and that her mother and sister will be left to an unthinkable fate. The dawning of these realizations in Lena is, to say the least, jolting.

The character of Lena is based on author Ridley’s mother. Ridley’s meticulous research is evident, but it’s the smooth hand with which she applies the details that gives the book a tone more readable and more relatable than many similar stories. The overarching truths that frame the story are of course horrific, but in the fictionalized Lena we have an accessible portrait of a woman holding her own as a refugee amidst seemingly unnavigable chaos. It is a story from another century, but undeniably a story for our times as well.

[Barbara Stark-Nemon · Rating 5 out of 5]

Barbara Ridley’s When It’s Over is a welcome addition to that treasured section on my bookshelf devoted to authors who document their family’s World War II experiences through compelling historical fiction.

In Lena Kulkova, the reader finds an engaging, resilient character who comes of age amidst the turbulence, chaos, and devastation of 1930s and 40s Europe. Her involvement with a group of young leftist activists leads her to break free from her repressive father in Czechoslovakia. She escapes to France and then, as the Nazis threaten, to England, but she is ultimately saddled with the torment of divided loyalties and the guilt of a survivor. Lena’s intelligent and sensitive perspective exposes all the idealism and hope of young love and optimism, followed by the poignant realizations of human frailty and political reality as adulthood dawns. Lena’s beautifully developed character, Ridley’s commanding sense of place and well-drawn supporting cast bring this intricate historical fiction vividly to life.

[Starhistnake · Rating 4 out of 5]

I won this book in a Goodreads Giveaway.

I was a little worried this book would focus heavily on a romance torn apart by war - which is, of course a true thing but also a story that's been told past the point of cliche. While the war definitely impacted the the main character's romantic life the novel looked at all the ways in which her world was changed and all the costs war imposes on everyone, even those who don't step on a battlefield. As the story skipped forward in time it was made clear (without being too obvious) the ironic nature of the title.

A sad, lingering story of a WWII refugee that reminds readers of the long term impact of war on everyone. Including people born after it ended.

[David Spero · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved it and I'm not a fiction person. The characters were so well-defined and lovingly drawn; I had no choice but to care about them. Learned history, like what WW2 was like when seen from England. When It's Over feels relevant to our situation today - what to do when you see fascism coming: run, hide, fight back, or some combination of those? Highly recommend it; Ridley even got me reading more fiction since I finished her book.

[Philip V · Rating 5 out of 5]

This historical novel provides a riveting and compelling account of the impact on the lives of several vividly-portrayed individuals of what is arguably the most important event in modern history: The rise of fascism in Europe, specifically the rise of the Nazism in Germany led by Hitler and the ensuing five brutal years of war that eventually secured its demise.

As a psychologist, the novel's character development is of such depth and breadth that it's refreshing to have one's understanding expanded of what it means to experience trauma and loss and the ways that ordinary people devise to cope with feelings of guilt, common to those who survive unspeakable trauma, leaving behind loved ones who did not live to survive. We learn that survival can have its own burdens.

Undoubtedly, this novel would make particularly compelling reading for anyone with direct experience of trauma, especially for those who lived through WW-II in Europe. But it also makes a riveting read for those such as myself who belong to the generation born to parents who lived through the years of the London blitz and who grew up with regular first-hand accounts of that experience from older relatives. There's also a way in which this has a direct influence on how one might develop as an adult since the intergenerational transmission of some aspects of trauma is an accepted phenomenon of subjective experience in contemporary psychological theory: Who could not be affected long-term by listening to the accounts of one's primary caregivers' 1st-hand experiences of surviving the deprivations, the years of nightly blackouts, the ever-present dangers, and the insecurities that accompanied preparing for bed each night? Would the regulary-heard screech of an overhead “doodlebug” (the name given by Londoners to describe the earliest type of cruise missile used by Germany to try to terrorize them into submission) mean that tonight would be the night to suffer the fate last week of one's neighbors who never lived to see the light of the next dawn?

Make no mistake, this is no bleak novel that dwells on human depravity and suffering: Not for a second does it feel like“heavy” reading. In fact, this may be where this author demonstrates best her undeniable skills as writer since she successfully weaves a delightful and sometimes mischevious humor and curiosity into her narrative, which is no easy feat of accomplishment given the overall context in which this novel is embedded. Through the actions and words of vividly-portayed and believable characters, she doesn't shy away from unspeakable suffering but she manages this without the reader ever doubting the strength and endurance of the human spirit and its ability to overcome such suffering. 

The net result is to finish this book with a greater, not reduced, sense of hope and optimism. Given our currently bleak domestic landscape, this novel offers a much-needed and timely spiritual tonic.

[Alina · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a very first book that I read by Barbara Ridley. This is a historical fiction, based on a true story. I like the fact that events are set in the chronological order

The story starts in 1938. Lena, a young Jewish girl, who falls for Otto, German-born and now Spanish spy. At the beginning of the war, he is able to get Lena out of Chekoslovakia to France and later with a help of his friends to England. Lena is heartbroken to leave her family behind. Often she blames her father for not trying to move Mama and Sasha to safety on time.

While living in English suburbs, Lena feels attraction to Milton, son of the lady of the Manor. However she is dedicated to Otto and when he is arrested for simply being German - Lena marries him to get him out of jail. After moving to London, Lena and Otto find different interests, he is stuck in the past, angry that people no longer interested in his political views. Lena, on the other hand, is eager to move forward, learn the language and new skills. She still hopes that one day she will be reunited with her Mama and Sasha. Lena is estranged from her father, who is retired from Czech army located in England, however, she keeps contact with her younger brother.

As years go by, Lena realizes she no longer wants to be married to Otto. During one of the political gatherings, Lena and Otto reconnect with Milton, their mutual friend. Milton invites them to come back to suburbs and visit his mother. Lena accepts an invitation alone and takes it as a break from Otto. After her return, Lena accepts the fact that her marriage to Otto is over, she moves out, starts an affair with Milton, that will end in their marriage.

And at last the war is over. Lena receives the devastating news that her Mama and little sister were sent to concentration camp. The news completely crashes her heart and Lena forsware anything that ties her back to the country she was born and grew up in. She has minimum contact with her father and brother ever since. She marries Milton and they have 2 beautiful children together. They live a happy and calm life after the war. However, the loss of her mother and sister forever engraved on her heart.

This is not just another WW2 novel. This is a story of young girl's courage and stubbornness to survive. Many times thru the novel I picked up a phone and called my mom just to tell her I love her. I feel the pain Lena experience for not knowing what had happened to her beloved mother and little sister. And afterward her reaction to the news and the fact that she wanted to longer have anything associated with her motherland.

[April · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’m ashamed to say I started the first few chapters of this book shortly after it was first published and given the distraction (what I now know to be lots of superficial nonsense) of life, I had to shelve it until now. Since I am self isolating and my business was mandated to close due to the Covid-19 outbreak. I picked it up again two nights ago before bed and I couldn’t put it down. I read half the book on the first night and the rest on the second evening. I just had to know Lena’s whole story once I started it. I had thought about the book all day and I finished it by midnight on night two. I can’t express the rollercoaster of emotions your novel took me on. I was laughing and crying and worrying the whole way through. The detail of the political climate during WWII and the personal endurance of your mother throughout her life was incredible. What a strong and grounded woman and family you come from. I truly believe that we carry the grief and trauma of our ancestors, especially when your own mother endured so much profound grief. I imagine growing up not knowing it all left a disconnect somewhere in your understanding of her as an adult and you can see this story come full circle and y see stand why England became home. I’m sure this book helped bring some closure to her family’s story, even after her passing. I know you must be and should be so incredibly proud of this novel. I hope it continues to get the accolades you deserve and that you will write your next one soon because I can’t wait to read it. I’m so sorry it took me so long to read it, but I’m glad I saved it for this exact moment during this pandemic. It felt right to read it now. Congratulations and I’ll be patiently awaiting your second!

[Linda Atwell · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book transported me back in time. At night, when I finally had to put the book down to sleep, the characters stayed with me. I worried about Lena and all her friends. When I finished, I found myself still thinking about these young people and what they (and their loved ones) went through. (I guess some of these concerns are heavy on my mind because of today's political climate and I keep telling myself--we must learn from history! We must not repeat history!!) Ridley shared that this story was inspired by family letters which made me want to read this book even more. I am drawn to stories inspired by real life experiences. In addition, my husband and I visited Prague and Terezin last July. The references in the book to those places (and several others, i.e. Paris and London) sure brought back many travel memories—I could picture myself walking some of the same streets, crossing the same bridges, etc. There was one other tidbit that made me love this book even more. My husband's parents were married in England right after the war. They honeymooned in Bournemouth (I have their hotel expense register displayed in our home)--which is also referenced in the book. Reading "When It's Over" was a huge treat for me. Thank you for writing such a splendid book, Barbara!

[Catherine C · Rating 5 out of 5]

Review of When It’s Over by Barbara Ridley
Barbara Ridley’s first novel, When It’s Over, engages and moves in a new and unspeakable way. The intimacy and specific detail not just of the character development, but of the underlying, restrained, emotional suspense places the reader at the immediate center of the events. One becomes part of the community’s informal observation of the movement of the tanks and the men in preparation for the Normandy invasion, although nobody knows where the invasion is going to take place. One looks forward to the spiritual renewal of the calm, the hope, the vision inspired by the brief, though powerful, lunchtime concerts, made all the more touching by our expectation of a building romance for Lena. Ridley’s references to the many musical pieces, especially Smetana’s Ma Vlast deepens the heartbreak of the lost, beautiful country and impassions the determination to fight back. At no time does the writer let the reader forget that all the characters and those surrounding them are embroiled in a fight to the death with a bully, which Ridley so aptly delivers in the epilogue, which makes this novel much more than just another WWII novel, but one that carries a relevant, universal meaning for our contemporary world.

[Reese · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ms. Ridley has done a beautiful job constructing her authorial debut; When It's Over is a balanced, engaging, and touching work. Her characters—based on her own mother and father, and their compatriots—are nuanced and realistic, and I often found myself so immersed that I was sure the author herself was simply reporting true events from memory. Additionally, although I was briefed on Ridley's family history prior to reading, I was enthralled in the her well-crafted and thoughtfully-written moments of tension. Despite the novel's setting of WWII Europe (a rightfully serious and often melancholy backdrop) Ridley skillfully peppers lighthearted, humorous, and joyful moments throughout, which do much to keep the novel flowing. While a tad slow to start, the pace picks up quickly about 30% of the way in, and hurdles satisfyingly forward in the final chapters. I'll definitely be reading it again!

[Kathy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this book because I know the author, but would still give it an excellent review if I had no association with the book/author. This sorry is based largely on Ms. Ridley's mother's experiences before and during WWII as a Czech refugee, first in Paris, and then in England. The main character, Lena, is well developed, and complex, and other supporting characters, including Lena's first husband are not stereotypes, but appear to be based on real people. The book is well researched, and is prefaced with a useful WWII time-line to help readers who may not be as familiar with this era in history. I read the Kindle edition, and would have loved to see some photos of the real Lena, but that is a minor complaint. I also wish the epilogue had included a bit more about Lena's eventual immigration to the USA. I recommend this book for women to help them understand the roles that other women played in Europe during WWII, and also to those interested in WWII history in general.

[Stephanie B · Rating 4 out of 5]

World War II is my favorite time period for historical fiction, so I was very happy to receive an early copy of this beautifully written novel for review. As we follow protagonist Lena Kulkova’s experiences in her native Czechoslovakia, Paris, and eventually London, we explore how each area is impacted by the war, and, in turn, how Lena and her friends—fellow refugees and activists—are affected. The novel is one part war saga, one part political drama, and one part love story, but what interested me most was Lena’s growth, change, and coming of age. I’m impressed that this is Barbara Ridley’s first novel, as she smoothly tackles the challenge of spanning multiple settings over many years, and introduces us to a multi-dimensional cast of characters, each altered in different ways due to the course of the war and political climate. I look forward to reading more from Ridley in the future.

[Cathy Zane · Rating 5 out of 5]

When I read historical fiction, I look to be transported to a different time and place and Barbara Ridley's novel does just that. The protagonist, Lena, leaves her home of Pre- WWII Prague for Paris and then London. The historical events and era specific descriptions flow seamlessly into this wonderful coming of age love story. As Lena and her friends live through the escalation of the war, I felt the overwhelming hardship and fear that was their reality as well as the hopefulness and solidarity it engendered. This was a beautifully written and meticulously researched book that engaged me on so many levels. I look forward to reading more from Barbara Ridley.

[Debbie Shoulders · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a WWII story that focuses on life outside of battle. Otto, a German Jew leaves his home and works in Czechoslovakia sending sensitive information about German movements abroad. He meets Lena and eventually the two make their way to England, where they spend the war years. Otto is a communist and pessimist not quite fitting in with the united front of many Englishmen. Lena is more conservative but like many a common person is interested with how the world will be when the war is over. Politics don't go away in a world in crisis and Ridley shines light on how that plays out for some Czech expats in war time Britain.

[Joanna · Rating 4 out of 5]

The book is a good one and well-written . It's based on the author's parents story. Give us a picture of life during WWII. The characters Lena and Otto came to life on the pages and their struggles of leaving Lenas country and the loved ones behind to survive the Nazi occupation in Czech . Describes every day challenges when she went to France and then to England and how they deal with the issues . I liked Lena....but Otto -not so much. It held my interest well enough till the end. It is a story of friendship ,love and loss ,definitely worth reading.

[D.H. Schleicher · Rating 4 out of 5]

"When It's Over" is an excellent piece of historical fiction (inspired by the life of the author's mother) and details the lives of Czech and German refugees in England during WWII. I highly recommend it for its intimate portrayal of their everyday life: the rationing, the blitzkrieg, the political upheavals, the personal entaglements, and the emotional torture of not knowing what happened to loved ones left behind or fighting on the front.

Though it does drag a bit in parts, it packs a real emotional wallop in the end. This would make a splendid PBS Masterpiece Theater series.

[Jude Berman · Rating 5 out of 5]

As someone whose own parents followed a parallel path, also arriving in England in the 1930s, I was eager to read When It's Over. I found the characters to be real and believable, so much so that I wondered if members my family had met them at one or another cafe. Although it is a story of war time, it is narrated at a pace that allows space for deep psychological development--even as it builds suspense around the fate of Lena's loved ones. This is a tale of historical fiction, yet the title is powerfully ironic. Until we can truly say "It's Over," this is a must-read.

[Nissa · Rating 5 out of 5]

As you read about stories of resistance in Europe during the German occupation of Europe, it is easy to think of just the low points on the oppression. But, on the flip side it always reminds me of the good in people, of heroic acts and selflessness. The best that people are capable of to help each other. A riveting read. I had a hard time putting it down. I would definitely recommend this book to anyone who likes to read historical fiction.

[Cheryl Suchors · Rating 5 out of 5]

This novel felt real to me. I enjoyed being taken back to WWII era; I find the period fascinating and this book did not disappoint. Through its pages, I was able to visit several countries and cities, as well as the English countryside, a masterful job by the author. I learned even more about what the war was like in these places. Each character offered a fully rounded human being and I cared a great deal about the protagonist, Lena. Would like to read more by this author!

[Alesia · Rating 5 out of 5]

I found this book enthralling–– barely able to put it down once I began reading. Historical fiction is my favorite genre, and the author successfully put me in the time and place and allowed me to feel as if I were with Lena experiencing her life along side of her. The details, politics and personalities of the period were all captivating. Lena and her life continue to linger in your thoughts long after the book has been read.

[Louann Ginn · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed reading this book. It transported me back in time and in the shoes of Lena. I have read a lot of WWII books but none as personal as this. It let us know what it was like to be there during such difficult times. Knowing this was based on real events made it even more interesting. Barbara spoke at our book club and we enjoyed learning how she pieced this all together from years of research. A must read book.

Louann