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Churchill's Secret Messenger
A riveting story of World War II and the courage of one young woman as she is drafted into Churchill’s overseas spy network, aiding the French Resistance behind enemy lines and working to liberate Nazi-occupied Paris…
London, 1941: In a cramped bunker in Winston Churchill’s Cabinet War Rooms, underneath Westminster’s Treasury building, civilian women huddle at desks, typing up confidential documents and reports. Since her parents were killed in a bombing raid, Rose Teasdale has spent more hours than usual in Room 60, working double shifts, growing accustomed to the burnt scent of the Prime Minister’s cigars permeating the stale air. Winning the war is the only thing that matters, and she will gladly do her part. And when Rose’s fluency in French comes to the attention of Churchill himself, it brings a rare yet dangerous opportunity.
Rose is recruited for the Special Operations Executive, a secret British organization that conducts espionage in Nazi-occupied Europe. After weeks of grueling training, Rose parachutes into France with a new codename: Dragonfly. Posing as a cosmetics saleswoman in Paris, she ferries messages to and from the Resistance, knowing that the slightest misstep means capture or death.
Soon Rose is assigned to a new mission with Lazare Aron, a French Resistance fighter who has watched his beloved Paris become a shell of itself, with desolate streets and buildings draped in Swastikas. Since his parents were sent to a German work camp, Lazare has dedicated himself to the cause with the same fervor as Rose. Yet Rose’s very loyalty brings risks as she undertakes a high-stakes prison raid, and discovers how much she may have to sacrifice to justify Churchill’s faith in her . . .
London, 1941: In a cramped bunker in Winston Churchill’s Cabinet War Rooms, underneath Westminster’s Treasury building, civilian women huddle at desks, typing up confidential documents and reports. Since her parents were killed in a bombing raid, Rose Teasdale has spent more hours than usual in Room 60, working double shifts, growing accustomed to the burnt scent of the Prime Minister’s cigars permeating the stale air. Winning the war is the only thing that matters, and she will gladly do her part. And when Rose’s fluency in French comes to the attention of Churchill himself, it brings a rare yet dangerous opportunity.
Rose is recruited for the Special Operations Executive, a secret British organization that conducts espionage in Nazi-occupied Europe. After weeks of grueling training, Rose parachutes into France with a new codename: Dragonfly. Posing as a cosmetics saleswoman in Paris, she ferries messages to and from the Resistance, knowing that the slightest misstep means capture or death.
Soon Rose is assigned to a new mission with Lazare Aron, a French Resistance fighter who has watched his beloved Paris become a shell of itself, with desolate streets and buildings draped in Swastikas. Since his parents were sent to a German work camp, Lazare has dedicated himself to the cause with the same fervor as Rose. Yet Rose’s very loyalty brings risks as she undertakes a high-stakes prison raid, and discovers how much she may have to sacrifice to justify Churchill’s faith in her . . .
406 pages, Paperback
First published April 27, 2021
2524 people are currently reading
27209 people want to read
About the author
Alan Hlad
9 books1,090 followersAlan Hlad is the internationally bestselling author of historical fiction novels inspired by real people and events of WWI and WWII, including The Book Spy, Churchill’s Secret Messenger, A Light Beyond the Trenches, and the USA Today and IndieBound bestseller The Long Flight Home. A member of the Historical Novel Society, Literary Cleveland, Novelitics, and the Akron Writers' Group, he is a frequent speaker at conferences, literary events, and book club gatherings. He currently divides his time between Ohio and Portugal and can be found online at AlanHlad.com.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 856 reviews
April 15, 2022
4.5 strong and well deserved stars! I had read Alan Hlad’s debut book, The Long Flight Home and really enjoyed it so when I discovered that he had written a second book I was excited to read it. Churchill’s Secret Messenger was equally as enjoyable as his first book. I actually own a copy of this book but chose to listen to the audiobook. I referred to the actual book when I wanted to reread a passage or two. The audiobook was narrated by Simon Vance. He did a great job narrating this riveting story and switching between the voices of the various characters. Alan Hlad proved once again what a masterful storyteller he is. His research was impeccable. Although I had read about occupied France, the French resistance movement and the work of British women SOE agents in other books, Alan Hlad’s presentation and ability to pay attention to detail was quite impressive. Many of the characters in Churchill’s Secret Messenger were either real people who lived during that time period or were based on the lives and experiences of real people. Alan Hlad did an excellent job revealing all these details in his author’s notes. The initial catalyst for writing Churchill’s Secret Messenger was Alan Hlad’s fascination with the controversy that surrounded Operation Jericho, “ an RAF bombing raid on Nazi-held Amiens Prison in France.” The attack occurred on February 18, 1944, just one day before over one hundred French resistance prisoners were scheduled to be shot. Churchill’s Secret Messenger recognized and paid tribute to the brave and valiant acts of the members of the French Resistance and the SOE recruits and volunteers.
Rose Treasdale worked as a typist in Room 60 in Churchill’s bunker located under Westminster’s Treasury Building. It was 1941 and London was experiencing the repercussions of The Blitz. Night after night, German planes bombed the city of London. Rose was one of many London women civilians who worked as either typists or switchboard operators in the bunker. Her older brother had lost his life in the war when his plane was shot down. Rose wanted to do everything she could for the war effort and the memory of her dead brother. Whenever volunteers were needed to work double shifts, Rose often volunteered. It was on one of those nights that her own house was hit by a German plane and both her parents were killed. When Churchill discovered that Rose fluently spoke and understood the French language, he was instrumental in getting Rose an interview with the SOE (Special Operations Executive), an organization that conducted espionage in Nazi occupied countries.
Churchill’s Secret Messenger followed Rose through her grueling training necessary to become an accomplished and trustworthy member of the SOE, to her planned parachute landing in Nazi occupied France where she was met and rescued from the highest branches of a soaring tree by French resistant member, Lazare Aron in the spring of 1942. While in France, Rose and Lazare successfully placed explosives in strategic places and caused havoc among the Nazis. Rose posed as a traveling cosmetic salesperson while in occupied France. Her code name was Dragonfly. She and Lazare recognized a strong magnetism between them. Lazare had lost his parents when they were arrested in the Vel’d’ Hir roundup where over 13,000 French Jews were taken against their will and eventually sent to their death at Auschwitz Concentration Camp. When Lazare was taken prisoner at Amiens Prison and Rose learned that Lazare and one of her fellow SOE officers had been selected to be shot by the Nazis. Rose made the organization aware of this horrific act and pleaded for them to do something. As a result of Rose’s knowledge and her informing the SOE about it, Operation Jericho was devised and carried out. Rose was captured shortly after the British planes responsible for carrying out Operation Jericho struck enough Nazi buildings that allowed the prisoners to escape. The Nazis imprisoned Rose at Ravensbruck Concentration Camp until it was liberated by the Soviets. She was even put in solitary confinement for an expanded period of time when the Nazis discovered that she and her fellow prisoners were sabotaging the clothing that they were responsible to sew. Rose was reunited with her fellow SOE agent, Muriel, at Ravensbruck who had been their wireless operator in occupied France until she came down with Typhus and the Nazis carted her away. Her ordeal that she and the other women had to go through at Ravensbruck was horrific. The only thought that helped Rose survive it all was the hope of finding Lazare alive after the war was over and professing her love for him.
Rose’s character was inspired by the real SOE agent Pearl Witherington. Her strength, bravery, intuition, and tireless courage and dedication to helping France rid themselves of the brutal reign of the Nazis was nothing less than admirable and heroic. I really admired the characters Rose and Lazare represented as well as some of the secondary characters. Inserting real people like Churchill and others made this historical fiction novel more realistic and believable. I really enjoyed Churchill’s Secret Messenger by Alan Hlad and highly recommend it. If you have not read his debut book, The Long Flight Home, I also recommend that as well.
Rose Treasdale worked as a typist in Room 60 in Churchill’s bunker located under Westminster’s Treasury Building. It was 1941 and London was experiencing the repercussions of The Blitz. Night after night, German planes bombed the city of London. Rose was one of many London women civilians who worked as either typists or switchboard operators in the bunker. Her older brother had lost his life in the war when his plane was shot down. Rose wanted to do everything she could for the war effort and the memory of her dead brother. Whenever volunteers were needed to work double shifts, Rose often volunteered. It was on one of those nights that her own house was hit by a German plane and both her parents were killed. When Churchill discovered that Rose fluently spoke and understood the French language, he was instrumental in getting Rose an interview with the SOE (Special Operations Executive), an organization that conducted espionage in Nazi occupied countries.
Churchill’s Secret Messenger followed Rose through her grueling training necessary to become an accomplished and trustworthy member of the SOE, to her planned parachute landing in Nazi occupied France where she was met and rescued from the highest branches of a soaring tree by French resistant member, Lazare Aron in the spring of 1942. While in France, Rose and Lazare successfully placed explosives in strategic places and caused havoc among the Nazis. Rose posed as a traveling cosmetic salesperson while in occupied France. Her code name was Dragonfly. She and Lazare recognized a strong magnetism between them. Lazare had lost his parents when they were arrested in the Vel’d’ Hir roundup where over 13,000 French Jews were taken against their will and eventually sent to their death at Auschwitz Concentration Camp. When Lazare was taken prisoner at Amiens Prison and Rose learned that Lazare and one of her fellow SOE officers had been selected to be shot by the Nazis. Rose made the organization aware of this horrific act and pleaded for them to do something. As a result of Rose’s knowledge and her informing the SOE about it, Operation Jericho was devised and carried out. Rose was captured shortly after the British planes responsible for carrying out Operation Jericho struck enough Nazi buildings that allowed the prisoners to escape. The Nazis imprisoned Rose at Ravensbruck Concentration Camp until it was liberated by the Soviets. She was even put in solitary confinement for an expanded period of time when the Nazis discovered that she and her fellow prisoners were sabotaging the clothing that they were responsible to sew. Rose was reunited with her fellow SOE agent, Muriel, at Ravensbruck who had been their wireless operator in occupied France until she came down with Typhus and the Nazis carted her away. Her ordeal that she and the other women had to go through at Ravensbruck was horrific. The only thought that helped Rose survive it all was the hope of finding Lazare alive after the war was over and professing her love for him.
Rose’s character was inspired by the real SOE agent Pearl Witherington. Her strength, bravery, intuition, and tireless courage and dedication to helping France rid themselves of the brutal reign of the Nazis was nothing less than admirable and heroic. I really admired the characters Rose and Lazare represented as well as some of the secondary characters. Inserting real people like Churchill and others made this historical fiction novel more realistic and believable. I really enjoyed Churchill’s Secret Messenger by Alan Hlad and highly recommend it. If you have not read his debut book, The Long Flight Home, I also recommend that as well.
February 13, 2024
Churchill's Secret Messenger by Alan Hlad
Synopsis /
London, 1941: In a cramped bunker in Winston Churchill’s Cabinet War Rooms, underneath Westminster’s Treasury building, civilian women huddle at desks, typing up confidential documents and reports. Since her parents were killed in a bombing raid, Rose Teasdale has spent more hours than usual in Room 60, working double shifts, growing accustomed to the burnt scent of the Prime Minister’s cigars permeating the stale air. Winning the war is the only thing that matters, and she will gladly do her part. And when Rose’s fluency in French comes to the attention of Churchill himself, it brings a rare yet dangerous opportunity.
Rose is recruited for the Special Operations Executive, a secret British organization that conducts espionage in Nazi-occupied Europe. After weeks of gruelling training, Rose parachutes into France with a new codename: Dragonfly. Posing as a cosmetics saleswoman in Paris, she ferries messages to and from the Resistance, knowing that the slightest misstep means capture or death.
Soon Rose is assigned to a new mission with Lazare Aron, a French Resistance fighter who has watched his beloved Paris become a shell of itself, with desolate streets and buildings draped in Swastikas. Since his parents were sent to a German work camp, Lazare has dedicated himself to the cause with the same fervour as Rose. Yet Rose’s very loyalty brings risks as she undertakes a high-stakes prison raid, and discovers how much she may have to sacrifice to justify Churchill’s faith in her . . .
My Thoughts /
In Churchill's Secret Messenger, author, Alan Hlad takes the reader on a journey through the shadowy underground of WWII. Drawing inspiration from real life events, the author highlights the activities of a clandestine British organisation operating during the Second World War.
Between May and June of 1940, the German assault on north-west Europe, known as the Battle of France, resulted in the capture and subjugation of not only France but three other countries – Luxembourg, the Netherlands and Belgium. It also witnessed the retreat of the British Army and its evacuation home from Dunkirk and other western French ports.
Following the fall of France, Prime Minister Churchill tasked a gentleman by the name of Hugh Dalton, a parliamentarian who was a part of Churchill's wartime coalition government, to establish a clandestine organisation known as the SOE. The Special Operations Executive (SOE) was established in July of 1940 for the specific purpose of aiding local resistance movements and conducting espionage and sabotage in enemy held territories. The SOE recruited personnel from a wide variety of backgrounds - both military and civilian. All members of the SOE were there on a voluntary basis and had training in unarmed combat, firearms and explosives, wireless communications, and courier (dead drop) techniques. After completing a gruelling training regime, SOE agents were parachuted into occupied Europe and the Far East to work with resistance movements.
By 1945, SOE was a major organisation with agent networks extending across Occupied Europe and the Far East and had over 13,000 men and women within its ranks.
PARIS, FRANCE—FEBRUARY 27, 1941 The image of the old man, who’d been executed for merely viewing Resistance propaganda, filled Lazare’s head.
If you enjoy historical fiction, this one will tick off all your boxes. The writing style is engrossing and atmospheric. Hlad transports readers into the harrowing landscape of war-ravaged Europe. With well-developed characters like Rose Teasdale, who is a complex and resilient protagonist with bucket loads of courage! Rose’s journey as an SOE operative, forces her to face many difficult choices. Hlad has her grappling with themes of trust and betrayal, sacrifice, selflessness, and the many blurred lines between right and wrong.
I don't think I've read a story from the POV of a resistance leader before and it was quite the eye opener.
Exceptionally well-researched, the author incorporates many real-life events into his fictional story. Like Operation Jericho, an RAF bombing raid on Nazi-held Amiens Prison in France. The objective of the mission—which took place on February 18, 1944, one day before over one hundred French Resistance prisoners were to be shot—was to breach the walls of the prison and free the captives. Operation Jericho was thought to be initiated by an SOE operative and approved by Churchill - but the mystery surrounding its initiation is a closely guarded secret.
Only one small gripe. I picked this one up because of the title, and, whilst I think it's been a worthwhile read, I feel a little cheated. Churchill plays a miniscule part in the story and, although he was the one to push Rose's application for SOE forward, he certainly doesn't factor a major part. And Rose, initially her role in the SOE was as courier but it morphed into saboteur and resistance leader more so than courier. Full marks to the marketing team for the title, but I did feel a little ripped off.
Synopsis /
London, 1941: In a cramped bunker in Winston Churchill’s Cabinet War Rooms, underneath Westminster’s Treasury building, civilian women huddle at desks, typing up confidential documents and reports. Since her parents were killed in a bombing raid, Rose Teasdale has spent more hours than usual in Room 60, working double shifts, growing accustomed to the burnt scent of the Prime Minister’s cigars permeating the stale air. Winning the war is the only thing that matters, and she will gladly do her part. And when Rose’s fluency in French comes to the attention of Churchill himself, it brings a rare yet dangerous opportunity.
Rose is recruited for the Special Operations Executive, a secret British organization that conducts espionage in Nazi-occupied Europe. After weeks of gruelling training, Rose parachutes into France with a new codename: Dragonfly. Posing as a cosmetics saleswoman in Paris, she ferries messages to and from the Resistance, knowing that the slightest misstep means capture or death.
Soon Rose is assigned to a new mission with Lazare Aron, a French Resistance fighter who has watched his beloved Paris become a shell of itself, with desolate streets and buildings draped in Swastikas. Since his parents were sent to a German work camp, Lazare has dedicated himself to the cause with the same fervour as Rose. Yet Rose’s very loyalty brings risks as she undertakes a high-stakes prison raid, and discovers how much she may have to sacrifice to justify Churchill’s faith in her . . .
My Thoughts /
In Churchill's Secret Messenger, author, Alan Hlad takes the reader on a journey through the shadowy underground of WWII. Drawing inspiration from real life events, the author highlights the activities of a clandestine British organisation operating during the Second World War.
Between May and June of 1940, the German assault on north-west Europe, known as the Battle of France, resulted in the capture and subjugation of not only France but three other countries – Luxembourg, the Netherlands and Belgium. It also witnessed the retreat of the British Army and its evacuation home from Dunkirk and other western French ports.
Following the fall of France, Prime Minister Churchill tasked a gentleman by the name of Hugh Dalton, a parliamentarian who was a part of Churchill's wartime coalition government, to establish a clandestine organisation known as the SOE. The Special Operations Executive (SOE) was established in July of 1940 for the specific purpose of aiding local resistance movements and conducting espionage and sabotage in enemy held territories. The SOE recruited personnel from a wide variety of backgrounds - both military and civilian. All members of the SOE were there on a voluntary basis and had training in unarmed combat, firearms and explosives, wireless communications, and courier (dead drop) techniques. After completing a gruelling training regime, SOE agents were parachuted into occupied Europe and the Far East to work with resistance movements.
By 1945, SOE was a major organisation with agent networks extending across Occupied Europe and the Far East and had over 13,000 men and women within its ranks.
PARIS, FRANCE—FEBRUARY 27, 1941 The image of the old man, who’d been executed for merely viewing Resistance propaganda, filled Lazare’s head.
If you enjoy historical fiction, this one will tick off all your boxes. The writing style is engrossing and atmospheric. Hlad transports readers into the harrowing landscape of war-ravaged Europe. With well-developed characters like Rose Teasdale, who is a complex and resilient protagonist with bucket loads of courage! Rose’s journey as an SOE operative, forces her to face many difficult choices. Hlad has her grappling with themes of trust and betrayal, sacrifice, selflessness, and the many blurred lines between right and wrong.
I don't think I've read a story from the POV of a resistance leader before and it was quite the eye opener.
Exceptionally well-researched, the author incorporates many real-life events into his fictional story. Like Operation Jericho, an RAF bombing raid on Nazi-held Amiens Prison in France. The objective of the mission—which took place on February 18, 1944, one day before over one hundred French Resistance prisoners were to be shot—was to breach the walls of the prison and free the captives. Operation Jericho was thought to be initiated by an SOE operative and approved by Churchill - but the mystery surrounding its initiation is a closely guarded secret.
Only one small gripe. I picked this one up because of the title, and, whilst I think it's been a worthwhile read, I feel a little cheated. Churchill plays a miniscule part in the story and, although he was the one to push Rose's application for SOE forward, he certainly doesn't factor a major part. And Rose, initially her role in the SOE was as courier but it morphed into saboteur and resistance leader more so than courier. Full marks to the marketing team for the title, but I did feel a little ripped off.
June 24, 2021
London 1941.
Rose Teasdale is a typist in room 60, its part of Winston Churchill’s War Cabinet and it’s situated underneath Westminster’s Treasury building. Sworn to secrecy, civilian women work around the clock, manning the switchboards and typing up official documents. Rose’s mother was French, as a child she visited France on holidays and she speaks the language fluently. Her brother Charlie died flying a RAF mission over the English Channel and when her parents are tragically killed in a bombing raid and Rose is very determined to help defeat the Germans. Winston Churchill discovers Rose can speak French, she begins training in Scotland and becomes a Special Operation Executive or SOE.
At this stage of the war women are needed to work as special agents in France, healthy men are far too obvious, they wouldn’t last a week and women easily blend into the population. It’s extremely dangerous, she’s dropped by parachute into France and Rose now goes by the name Aline Bonnet a cosmetics saleswoman and her code name is Dragonfly. She’s a messenger, a dead drop is when she passes on a note only, no one else is involved and a live drop is when she works with another agent or someone from the French resistance.
Rose is assigned to help Lazare Aron, a Jewish French Resistance fighter and he lives underground in Paris’s maze of catacombs. His parents are arrested in the Vel'd'Hiv round up or operation Vent Printanier and have been sent to a work camp in Germany? Lazare and Rose have had similar experiences, both have lost their entire families during the war, are determined to defeat the German's and liberate France. Rose and Lazare take part in daring missions, the chances of being caught and the entire network being exposed are high. When Rose attempts to save Lazare from an Amiens prison she puts herself in danger, she’s captured and is sent to Ravensbruck. This isn’t the end of Rose and Lazare’s stories and plot has so many twist and turns and keeps you guessing until the end.
Churchill’s Secret Messenger is a story about Rose and her incredible dedication. To England, France, Lazare, her friends, and her fellow secret service officers. An inspiring and well written story about WW II, love, loss, sacrifice, spirit, determination and justice. I received a copy of this book from Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review, I highly recommend it and five stars from me. https://karrenreadsbooks.blogspot.com/
Rose Teasdale is a typist in room 60, its part of Winston Churchill’s War Cabinet and it’s situated underneath Westminster’s Treasury building. Sworn to secrecy, civilian women work around the clock, manning the switchboards and typing up official documents. Rose’s mother was French, as a child she visited France on holidays and she speaks the language fluently. Her brother Charlie died flying a RAF mission over the English Channel and when her parents are tragically killed in a bombing raid and Rose is very determined to help defeat the Germans. Winston Churchill discovers Rose can speak French, she begins training in Scotland and becomes a Special Operation Executive or SOE.
At this stage of the war women are needed to work as special agents in France, healthy men are far too obvious, they wouldn’t last a week and women easily blend into the population. It’s extremely dangerous, she’s dropped by parachute into France and Rose now goes by the name Aline Bonnet a cosmetics saleswoman and her code name is Dragonfly. She’s a messenger, a dead drop is when she passes on a note only, no one else is involved and a live drop is when she works with another agent or someone from the French resistance.
Rose is assigned to help Lazare Aron, a Jewish French Resistance fighter and he lives underground in Paris’s maze of catacombs. His parents are arrested in the Vel'd'Hiv round up or operation Vent Printanier and have been sent to a work camp in Germany? Lazare and Rose have had similar experiences, both have lost their entire families during the war, are determined to defeat the German's and liberate France. Rose and Lazare take part in daring missions, the chances of being caught and the entire network being exposed are high. When Rose attempts to save Lazare from an Amiens prison she puts herself in danger, she’s captured and is sent to Ravensbruck. This isn’t the end of Rose and Lazare’s stories and plot has so many twist and turns and keeps you guessing until the end.
Churchill’s Secret Messenger is a story about Rose and her incredible dedication. To England, France, Lazare, her friends, and her fellow secret service officers. An inspiring and well written story about WW II, love, loss, sacrifice, spirit, determination and justice. I received a copy of this book from Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review, I highly recommend it and five stars from me. https://karrenreadsbooks.blogspot.com/
April 30, 2021
4 stars
You can read all of my reviews at Nerd Girl Loves Books.
This is a very good historical fiction book about one of Churchill's female SOE agents who works to sabotage the German military in Nazi-occupied France.
Rose works in Winston Churchill’s Cabinet War Rooms, underneath Westminster’s Treasury building as a civilian secretary typing up confidential war reports. Her brother and parents were killed in the war and she is determined to do her part to defeat Hitler. When Churchill discovers Rose's fluency in French, he recommends her for his secret SOE program. Rose, eager for a chance to play a bigger part in the war effort, jumps at the chance despite the risks.
She arrives in Paris with a cover as a traveling cosmetic saleswoman, ferrying messages between the British and French Resistance. There she meets Lazare, a French resistance fighter whose parents were sent to a German concentration camp and despises what has become of his beloved Paris. The duo risk their lives to disrupt the Nazi occupation of Paris, and endure extreme hardships in their quest to help defeat Germany.
I've read quite a few books about different aspects of WWII. This was a fast-paced and intriguing book that I really enjoyed reading. Rose is smart, loyal and capable. Despite her small stature, she is a force to be reckoned with and displays amazing bravery and fortitude. Instead of wallowing in despair at the loss of her family, she uses it as fuel to do whatever it takes to defeat Hitler. Her relationship with Lazare is sweet without being overly sentimental and the writer does a good job of depicting it as more than just lost souls seeking temporary comfort in the arms of a stranger. Some aspects of the book were hard to read, but I knew going in that any book about WWII is going to have parts that are uncomfortable to read. These portions weren't so graphic as to be off-putting, but they helped paint the picture of the story.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from NetGalley and Kensington Books. All opinions are my own.
You can read all of my reviews at Nerd Girl Loves Books.
This is a very good historical fiction book about one of Churchill's female SOE agents who works to sabotage the German military in Nazi-occupied France.
Rose works in Winston Churchill’s Cabinet War Rooms, underneath Westminster’s Treasury building as a civilian secretary typing up confidential war reports. Her brother and parents were killed in the war and she is determined to do her part to defeat Hitler. When Churchill discovers Rose's fluency in French, he recommends her for his secret SOE program. Rose, eager for a chance to play a bigger part in the war effort, jumps at the chance despite the risks.
She arrives in Paris with a cover as a traveling cosmetic saleswoman, ferrying messages between the British and French Resistance. There she meets Lazare, a French resistance fighter whose parents were sent to a German concentration camp and despises what has become of his beloved Paris. The duo risk their lives to disrupt the Nazi occupation of Paris, and endure extreme hardships in their quest to help defeat Germany.
I've read quite a few books about different aspects of WWII. This was a fast-paced and intriguing book that I really enjoyed reading. Rose is smart, loyal and capable. Despite her small stature, she is a force to be reckoned with and displays amazing bravery and fortitude. Instead of wallowing in despair at the loss of her family, she uses it as fuel to do whatever it takes to defeat Hitler. Her relationship with Lazare is sweet without being overly sentimental and the writer does a good job of depicting it as more than just lost souls seeking temporary comfort in the arms of a stranger. Some aspects of the book were hard to read, but I knew going in that any book about WWII is going to have parts that are uncomfortable to read. These portions weren't so graphic as to be off-putting, but they helped paint the picture of the story.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from NetGalley and Kensington Books. All opinions are my own.
February 17, 2021
Scads have been written of late about Churchills’s secret agents and the French Resistance during WWII. Yet I found author Alan Hlad’s treatment thrilling and was glued to the pages as we meet Rose Teasdale, who becomes a British spy after her family perishes in the Blitz, and Lazare Aron, a Resistance member in Paris, whose parents are sent to a Nazi concentration camp. How their lives intertwine as they work against a common enemy makes for one engrossing story I dare you to put down. Highly recommended for WWII hist fic fans!
5 of 5 Stars
Pub Date 27 Apr 2021
#ChurchillsSecretMessenger #NetGalley
Thanks to the author, Kensington Books, and NetGalley for the ARC. Opinions are mine.
5 of 5 Stars
Pub Date 27 Apr 2021
#ChurchillsSecretMessenger #NetGalley
Thanks to the author, Kensington Books, and NetGalley for the ARC. Opinions are mine.
April 21, 2022
This is a book of historical fiction based to some extent on the accounts of those who acted for the British and the French Resistance in Nazi-held Europe. The principal characters are Rose, a typist in Churchill’s London underground office pool. And Lazare, a Paris man whose parents have raised him to share their ideals of democracy. The story begins in 1941 when the Nazis have already been hard at work bombing London (and Britain) into rubble and have occupied much of France including Paris.
Both have suffered losses and those losses have been factors in their commitment to working for secret organizations determined to resist the Nazi aggression. We get plenty of details about how these organizations do their work and how Lazare and Rose train and subsequently work to become important members of their teams. The skills from coding and "blind drops" to spy-craft and demolition are provided in great detail.
They meet and there are opportunities for them to work together. Their relationship grows. "Deep down, she knew she could trust Lazare. He was risking everything to liberate France. He’d told her about his parents and Jewish heritage, and he’d revealed to her his secret passage to the catacombs. Lazare had held nothing back, she believed, and he’d placed himself in jeopardy by opening up his heart. Why can’t I do the same? So, she told him everything."
All around them there are evil people doing evil things from mass murder to torture. The book doesn’t stray from the accounts of the way the Nazis pursued their plan of world domination.
The book is very conventional in its plotting but that isn’t necessarily a fault. We follow both characters as their wartime commitments lead them into danger and privation. We come to understand and admire their sense of duty and other virtues. Churchill’s presence provides some additional interest.
For me, the thriller aspects held up a bit better than the romance, but this was a quick and satisfying read.
Both have suffered losses and those losses have been factors in their commitment to working for secret organizations determined to resist the Nazi aggression. We get plenty of details about how these organizations do their work and how Lazare and Rose train and subsequently work to become important members of their teams. The skills from coding and "blind drops" to spy-craft and demolition are provided in great detail.
They meet and there are opportunities for them to work together. Their relationship grows. "Deep down, she knew she could trust Lazare. He was risking everything to liberate France. He’d told her about his parents and Jewish heritage, and he’d revealed to her his secret passage to the catacombs. Lazare had held nothing back, she believed, and he’d placed himself in jeopardy by opening up his heart. Why can’t I do the same? So, she told him everything."
All around them there are evil people doing evil things from mass murder to torture. The book doesn’t stray from the accounts of the way the Nazis pursued their plan of world domination.
The book is very conventional in its plotting but that isn’t necessarily a fault. We follow both characters as their wartime commitments lead them into danger and privation. We come to understand and admire their sense of duty and other virtues. Churchill’s presence provides some additional interest.
For me, the thriller aspects held up a bit better than the romance, but this was a quick and satisfying read.
June 16, 2021
Ohhhhh this book!!! It goes into my list of ALL TIME FAVORITES. I had trouble putting this down and came back to it every free second I had. Bravo Alan Hlad, BRAVO!!! 👏👏👏👏👏
Rose Teasdale is a typist in Room 60 of Winston Churchill's Cabinet War Rooms. She has already lost her brother Charlie to the war. His plane was shot down and his body was never recovered. Rose's parents Emilienne and Herbert own Teasdale Grocery. One early morning when Rose finished working, she makes her way home to find that a German bomb has destroyed the grocery store. She soon sees rescue workers pulling her dead parents from the rubble. She is beyond devastated and throws herself into her work. She is soon approached by Winston Churchill who suggests that she become an SOE agent and leave London and go to France. Rose accepts.
Rose goes through gruesome training and almost does not make it. Most of the recruits are older men or women since most young men have already been sent into the war. Many have died. Soon, Rose (now known as code name Dragonfly) and her fellow SOE agents Felix and Muriel are jumping out of a plane in France, ready to fight the good fight against Hitler and the Nazis.
You go through ALL the feels in this book. So many people were so brave and courageous. Rose soon meets Lazare who is a member of the French Resistance. In a short period of time, she falls in love with him. Not long after, he is captured and sent off and tortured in a building in France. Then he is sent to a prison in Amiens. Rose soon learns he is alive and plans an escape for him with the help of the British government. However, things do not go as planned and Rose is sent to a concentration camp.
The author did an incredible job with all of his research which shows through the details in every part of this book. I cried in the chapters about the concentration camp and the gas chamber. Those poor people were living in hell. It is so disgusting that Hitler was so evil and he convinced so many soldiers to follow him and carry out his sadistic orders. I have read many WWII novels, but this is by far one of my favorites!!!
Thank you to Goodreads for my copy of this book.
Rose Teasdale is a typist in Room 60 of Winston Churchill's Cabinet War Rooms. She has already lost her brother Charlie to the war. His plane was shot down and his body was never recovered. Rose's parents Emilienne and Herbert own Teasdale Grocery. One early morning when Rose finished working, she makes her way home to find that a German bomb has destroyed the grocery store. She soon sees rescue workers pulling her dead parents from the rubble. She is beyond devastated and throws herself into her work. She is soon approached by Winston Churchill who suggests that she become an SOE agent and leave London and go to France. Rose accepts.
Rose goes through gruesome training and almost does not make it. Most of the recruits are older men or women since most young men have already been sent into the war. Many have died. Soon, Rose (now known as code name Dragonfly) and her fellow SOE agents Felix and Muriel are jumping out of a plane in France, ready to fight the good fight against Hitler and the Nazis.
You go through ALL the feels in this book. So many people were so brave and courageous. Rose soon meets Lazare who is a member of the French Resistance. In a short period of time, she falls in love with him. Not long after, he is captured and sent off and tortured in a building in France. Then he is sent to a prison in Amiens. Rose soon learns he is alive and plans an escape for him with the help of the British government. However, things do not go as planned and Rose is sent to a concentration camp.
The author did an incredible job with all of his research which shows through the details in every part of this book. I cried in the chapters about the concentration camp and the gas chamber. Those poor people were living in hell. It is so disgusting that Hitler was so evil and he convinced so many soldiers to follow him and carry out his sadistic orders. I have read many WWII novels, but this is by far one of my favorites!!!
Thank you to Goodreads for my copy of this book.
July 14, 2023
This is a well-written, entertaining, fast paced, WWII historical fiction novel which is based on actual persons and events. It has a likable, brave, intelligent, enterprising, strong and capable female protagonist, heartbreak, deprivation, suspense, courage, a touch of romance, and hope. I listened to the audio version of this novel, and the narrator, Mr. Simon Vance, has a captivating voice and is truly talented.
I found the author's notes, which are posted on Kensington's BTC webpage, to be fascinating, and have included the link below.
https://www.kensingtonbooks.com/betwe...
I found the author's notes, which are posted on Kensington's BTC webpage, to be fascinating, and have included the link below.
https://www.kensingtonbooks.com/betwe...
May 13, 2021
I was totally engaged with the characters of Rose and Lazare. The author made me cheer for them and turn pages to make sure they were successful in their missions.
Rose’s journey from typist in Churchill’s underground ‘bunker’ to SOE agent and Lazare’s solitary one-man resistance activity to being brought into a real operational resistance group in Paris is the story of ordinary people making the sacrifice to fight for freedom knowing full well that their lives would be in danger.
There are other wonderful characters as well such as Felix and Muriel who play a large part in the Resistance alongside Rose and Lazare and their stories are no less engaging.
The author has made all these characters feel real with interesting back stories that the reader can easily relate to.
There are parts that are pretty gruesome but entirely based in fact.
The many women who were active in the SOE during WWII showed outstanding skills, courage and valour and the author has shown this in his book in spades! Bravo!
Rose’s journey from typist in Churchill’s underground ‘bunker’ to SOE agent and Lazare’s solitary one-man resistance activity to being brought into a real operational resistance group in Paris is the story of ordinary people making the sacrifice to fight for freedom knowing full well that their lives would be in danger.
There are other wonderful characters as well such as Felix and Muriel who play a large part in the Resistance alongside Rose and Lazare and their stories are no less engaging.
The author has made all these characters feel real with interesting back stories that the reader can easily relate to.
There are parts that are pretty gruesome but entirely based in fact.
The many women who were active in the SOE during WWII showed outstanding skills, courage and valour and the author has shown this in his book in spades! Bravo!
February 23, 2023
Mesagerul secret al lui Churchill are o poveste frumoasă, complexă și echilibrată. Se simte de la primele rânduri evoluția autorului, mâna sigură cu care orchestrează întâmplări și cioplește destine.
Pentru că știam sensibilitatea autorului, am continuat să o caut și acum. Și eram pregătită pentru toate emoțiile care aveau să îmi zumzăie în piept. Cum aș fi putut însă să le găsesc în acea perioadă? Cum aș fi putut să mai aud murmurul lor când aerul gemea sub greutatea bombelor și gloanțele răsunau în loc de saluturi la colț de stradă? Cum aș fi făcut loc pentru emoții în buncăre și în camerele înțesate de telefoniste și dactilografe?
Exista însă ceva deasupra lor. Nu emoțiile pe care voiam eu, cea aflată la loc călduț și sigur, să le găsesc. Dar ceva traversa aerul. Se simțea vibrația unei nevoi și a unor dorințe. Nevoia de liniște, de pace și de siguranță. Încrederea că lucrurile vor reveni la normal. Dorința de a-și aduce contribuția la tot ce se întâmpla la doi pași de ei.
https://ancasicartile.ro/mesagerul-se...
Pentru că știam sensibilitatea autorului, am continuat să o caut și acum. Și eram pregătită pentru toate emoțiile care aveau să îmi zumzăie în piept. Cum aș fi putut însă să le găsesc în acea perioadă? Cum aș fi putut să mai aud murmurul lor când aerul gemea sub greutatea bombelor și gloanțele răsunau în loc de saluturi la colț de stradă? Cum aș fi făcut loc pentru emoții în buncăre și în camerele înțesate de telefoniste și dactilografe?
Exista însă ceva deasupra lor. Nu emoțiile pe care voiam eu, cea aflată la loc călduț și sigur, să le găsesc. Dar ceva traversa aerul. Se simțea vibrația unei nevoi și a unor dorințe. Nevoia de liniște, de pace și de siguranță. Încrederea că lucrurile vor reveni la normal. Dorința de a-și aduce contribuția la tot ce se întâmpla la doi pași de ei.
https://ancasicartile.ro/mesagerul-se...
July 28, 2022
4,75 stars - English Ebook
A riveting story of World War II and the courage of one young woman as she is drafted into Churchill’s overseas spy network, aiding the French Resistance behind enemy lines and working to liberate Nazi-occupied Paris…
London, 1941: In a cramped bunker in Winston Churchill’s Cabinet War Rooms, underneath Westminster’s Treasury building, civilian women huddle at desks, typing up confidential documents and reports. Since her parents were killed in a bombing raid, Rose Teasdale has spent more hours than usual in Room 60, working double shifts, growing accustomed to the burnt scent of the Prime Minister’s cigars permeating the stale air. Winning the war is the only thing that matters, and she will gladly do her part. And when Rose’s fluency in French comes to the attention of Churchill himself, it brings a rare yet dangerous opportunity.
Rose is recruited for the Special Operations Executive, a secret British organization that conducts espionage in Nazi-occupied Europe. After weeks of grueling training, Rose parachutes into France with a new codename: Dragonfly. Posing as a cosmetics saleswoman in Paris, she ferries messages to and from the Resistance, knowing that the slightest misstep means capture or death.
Soon Rose is assigned to a new mission with Lazare Aron, a French Resistance fighter who has watched his beloved Paris become a shell of itself, with desolate streets and buildings draped in Swastikas. Since his parents were sent to a German work camp, Lazare has dedicated himself to the cause with the same fervor as Rose. Yet Rose’s very loyalty brings risks as she undertakes a high-stakes prison raid, and discovers how much she may have to sacrifice to justify Churchill’s faith in her . . .
Tense and heartwarming this story. 5 stars from me. Realy enjoyed it a lot. Great characters in a "real" setting. Suspence with some romance.
A riveting story of World War II and the courage of one young woman as she is drafted into Churchill’s overseas spy network, aiding the French Resistance behind enemy lines and working to liberate Nazi-occupied Paris…
London, 1941: In a cramped bunker in Winston Churchill’s Cabinet War Rooms, underneath Westminster’s Treasury building, civilian women huddle at desks, typing up confidential documents and reports. Since her parents were killed in a bombing raid, Rose Teasdale has spent more hours than usual in Room 60, working double shifts, growing accustomed to the burnt scent of the Prime Minister’s cigars permeating the stale air. Winning the war is the only thing that matters, and she will gladly do her part. And when Rose’s fluency in French comes to the attention of Churchill himself, it brings a rare yet dangerous opportunity.
Rose is recruited for the Special Operations Executive, a secret British organization that conducts espionage in Nazi-occupied Europe. After weeks of grueling training, Rose parachutes into France with a new codename: Dragonfly. Posing as a cosmetics saleswoman in Paris, she ferries messages to and from the Resistance, knowing that the slightest misstep means capture or death.
Soon Rose is assigned to a new mission with Lazare Aron, a French Resistance fighter who has watched his beloved Paris become a shell of itself, with desolate streets and buildings draped in Swastikas. Since his parents were sent to a German work camp, Lazare has dedicated himself to the cause with the same fervor as Rose. Yet Rose’s very loyalty brings risks as she undertakes a high-stakes prison raid, and discovers how much she may have to sacrifice to justify Churchill’s faith in her . . .
Tense and heartwarming this story. 5 stars from me. Realy enjoyed it a lot. Great characters in a "real" setting. Suspence with some romance.
August 8, 2021
The stunning acts of resistance, horrendous acts of cruelty and the overwhelming amount of people who sacrificed their lives makes this one hell of a book.#ChurchillsSecretMessenger
March 5, 2021
Alan Hlad has been added to my list of ‘go to’ historical fiction authors!
Hlad has written a spectacular WWII-era story of a woman who is recruited from Winston Churchill’s typing pool to become an undercover spy in German-occupied France. “Churchill’s Secret Messenger,” will tick all the boxes for fans of historical fiction and is a must-read come April 27, 2021.
Rose Teasdale has lost everything that matters; her parents, her family home and her only sibling, Charles. Throwing herself into her work, Rose works double shifts typing up confidential documents in Room 60, a cramped bunker in Winston Churchill’s Cabinet War Rooms underneath the treasury building. Rose’s hatred of the enemy fuels her desire to defeat the Germans and her dedication catches the attention of Churchill. After filling in as an interpreter during a meeting with General Charles de Gaulle and Commandant Martel, Rose is offered a rare and dangerous opportunity; a position in Churchill’s secret army. Rose is trained by the Special Operations Executive (SOE) to be one of the 470 agents in German-occupied France. As one of only 39 women dropped into France, she’s got nothing to lose. Codenamed Dragonfly, she poses as a cosmetics saleswoman while helping the resistance. When her path crosses a Jewish French resistance fighter, Lazare Anon, her hardened heart softens and, while it doesn’t change her direction and focus, the chance at love gives her something to look forward to after the war. Rose’s determination mixed with Hlad’s expert skills, makes this book an unputdownable read!
I learned about the Vel d’Hiv roundup, The Ravensbruck Concentration Camp, Operation Jericho and the Special Operations Executive, none of which I had any prior knowledge. Hlad found a way to impart knowledge from his meticulous research without making it sound like he was lecturing. Furthermore, his deeply layered and lovable characters (based on real people) showed, not told, the emotional toll involved in carrying out undercover ops. I loved Rose and her dedication, determination, and willingness to sacrifice in order to justify Winston Churchill’s faith in her ability.
Please tell us there’s another ‘Hlad historical fiction’ in the works!
Thank you to Alan Hlad, Kensington Books and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this phenomenal advance copy in exchange for an honest review.
Hlad has written a spectacular WWII-era story of a woman who is recruited from Winston Churchill’s typing pool to become an undercover spy in German-occupied France. “Churchill’s Secret Messenger,” will tick all the boxes for fans of historical fiction and is a must-read come April 27, 2021.
Rose Teasdale has lost everything that matters; her parents, her family home and her only sibling, Charles. Throwing herself into her work, Rose works double shifts typing up confidential documents in Room 60, a cramped bunker in Winston Churchill’s Cabinet War Rooms underneath the treasury building. Rose’s hatred of the enemy fuels her desire to defeat the Germans and her dedication catches the attention of Churchill. After filling in as an interpreter during a meeting with General Charles de Gaulle and Commandant Martel, Rose is offered a rare and dangerous opportunity; a position in Churchill’s secret army. Rose is trained by the Special Operations Executive (SOE) to be one of the 470 agents in German-occupied France. As one of only 39 women dropped into France, she’s got nothing to lose. Codenamed Dragonfly, she poses as a cosmetics saleswoman while helping the resistance. When her path crosses a Jewish French resistance fighter, Lazare Anon, her hardened heart softens and, while it doesn’t change her direction and focus, the chance at love gives her something to look forward to after the war. Rose’s determination mixed with Hlad’s expert skills, makes this book an unputdownable read!
I learned about the Vel d’Hiv roundup, The Ravensbruck Concentration Camp, Operation Jericho and the Special Operations Executive, none of which I had any prior knowledge. Hlad found a way to impart knowledge from his meticulous research without making it sound like he was lecturing. Furthermore, his deeply layered and lovable characters (based on real people) showed, not told, the emotional toll involved in carrying out undercover ops. I loved Rose and her dedication, determination, and willingness to sacrifice in order to justify Winston Churchill’s faith in her ability.
Please tell us there’s another ‘Hlad historical fiction’ in the works!
Thank you to Alan Hlad, Kensington Books and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this phenomenal advance copy in exchange for an honest review.
February 27, 2021
I just finished an advance copy of Churchill’s Secret Messenger; a most excellent book & a must read by the Author of The Long Flight Home; Alan Hlad. As good as his first book was; this one is even better. The writing is fast paced & eloquent, his writing is insightful, well researched & so interesting; the characters are people you will come to care about and you will cheer & cry for them all the way through.
This historical novel is about World War ll and about Rose & Lazare who risk everything to fight for their respective countries. Rose is a British typist in Churchill’s underground War room & Lazare a Parisian who joins the French Resistance to help his Countrymen. They will meet & change each other’s lives and they will see atrocities that no human should ever endure, but the will to survive it all is so brave & heroic.
Hlad will have you cheering & crying at the same time in this lovely novel, and you will wish for more chapters at the end of this splendid book. I can heartily recommend this to any and everyone. It comes out in April!
This historical novel is about World War ll and about Rose & Lazare who risk everything to fight for their respective countries. Rose is a British typist in Churchill’s underground War room & Lazare a Parisian who joins the French Resistance to help his Countrymen. They will meet & change each other’s lives and they will see atrocities that no human should ever endure, but the will to survive it all is so brave & heroic.
Hlad will have you cheering & crying at the same time in this lovely novel, and you will wish for more chapters at the end of this splendid book. I can heartily recommend this to any and everyone. It comes out in April!
January 17, 2022
i truly don’t really understand why this got such high reviews. incredibly reliant on cliches, the romance was incredibly forced, and the dialogue was not well written. plus, she is a terrible spy? she meets this man and within a week tells him everything!!! if she made one more vow/promise i was gonna lose it. also, no way all of the characters held their cover through that much torture. just not possible. also there was no consistency on when french was written. none at all.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 8, 2025
A perfect read for my London/Paris trip since it takes place in both cities. Such a somber story about such a depressing time in history. My heart breaks for all who suffered during this war. 😢
December 9, 2021
I had high hopes for this novel, but was sorely disappointed when it became marred with romance. Why is it some many would be war novels are in reality romance novels? Is there some rule in creative writing classes dictating war novels must have romance?
I would just like to find war novels that are about history and not romance!
2.5
I would just like to find war novels that are about history and not romance!
2.5
January 25, 2022
The first two thirds of the book was an interesting story about those in Britain and France who joined the resistance and the Special Operations Executive. I enjoyed the story but I did find myself no longer engaged about 2/3ds through, but that may simply be because I have been reading too much historical fiction centered on WWII.
March 15, 2023
Un volum despre ambitie, durere, putere, determinare, dragoste, suferinta, indarjire si secrete.
Povestea lui Rose Teasdale, o dactilografa miniona, dar cu o determinare si o ambitie iesite din comun, m-a atins atat de mult, incat spre final am plans.
Povestea lui Rose Teasdale, o dactilografa miniona, dar cu o determinare si o ambitie iesite din comun, m-a atins atat de mult, incat spre final am plans.
March 26, 2021
This unputdownable WWII book utterly captivated me in every way from the era, settings and characters to the heart crushing stories of concentration camps to human resiliency and hope. Talk about suspenseful, engaging and riveting! Though fiction, this could very well be the true story of many heroic young men and women during WWII Europe. The author was inspired by true elements such as Operation Jericho.
Rose Teasdale, a young typist Room 60 of the Winston Churchill's Cabinet War Rooms, packs up and leaves her position without telling a soul. She is being taken to a top secret interview and through a lot of hard physical work (including parachute and explosives training escaping handcuffs), ingenuity and pluck, she becomes a Special Operations Executive agent. She has deep personal reasons to give her all in the war effort against the Nazis. She quickly learns to lead a clandestine life, fraught with constant danger.
Meanwhile, Lazare Anon, a Jewish young man, leaves home to fight for the Resistance. He also has reason for revenge against the Nazis. He is forced underground to work on projects and brainstorm. His path crosses with Rose and the story develops from there. We are told of the unspeakable mental and physical horrors of war from their perspectives and of others. The anguish of isolation and not knowing whether they and their loved ones will live or die any moment seeps through the author's words. Atrocities at concentration camps are not glossed over.
I love that the main characters have flaws but use their strengths to accomplish great things. The pace of this novel is often fast and vividly fascinating and the ending is marvelous! Alan Hlad has a beautiful way with words. Every historical fiction reader ought to experience this.
My sincere thank you to Kensington Books and NetGalley for the privilege of reading an early e-ARC of this beautiful and heart breaking book.
Rose Teasdale, a young typist Room 60 of the Winston Churchill's Cabinet War Rooms, packs up and leaves her position without telling a soul. She is being taken to a top secret interview and through a lot of hard physical work (including parachute and explosives training escaping handcuffs), ingenuity and pluck, she becomes a Special Operations Executive agent. She has deep personal reasons to give her all in the war effort against the Nazis. She quickly learns to lead a clandestine life, fraught with constant danger.
Meanwhile, Lazare Anon, a Jewish young man, leaves home to fight for the Resistance. He also has reason for revenge against the Nazis. He is forced underground to work on projects and brainstorm. His path crosses with Rose and the story develops from there. We are told of the unspeakable mental and physical horrors of war from their perspectives and of others. The anguish of isolation and not knowing whether they and their loved ones will live or die any moment seeps through the author's words. Atrocities at concentration camps are not glossed over.
I love that the main characters have flaws but use their strengths to accomplish great things. The pace of this novel is often fast and vividly fascinating and the ending is marvelous! Alan Hlad has a beautiful way with words. Every historical fiction reader ought to experience this.
My sincere thank you to Kensington Books and NetGalley for the privilege of reading an early e-ARC of this beautiful and heart breaking book.
February 15, 2021
Churchill’s Secret Messenger by Alan Hlad is an excellent WWII era historical fiction novel that kept me enthralled from beginning to end.
This is the second book I have read by Mr. Hlad, hello The Long Flight Home was awesome!!!), and this new book has cemented my star-struck opinion and admiration for this author.
From London to France and Europe, this book covers so much within its narrative.
I loved the concept of two people, their lives intersecting, both in France on secret missions, trying to right the wrongs done to not only their own people and nations by the Nazis, but also the wrongs done to their own respective families. Now, Rose and Lazare are together with a purpose (Rose from London working with the SOE and Lazare with the French Resistance) and are fighting for justice in whatever ways they can and are more alike then their pasts that brought them to this present would suggest.
The story from that point on is nothing but sheer bravery, fortitude, selflessness, and heroics. The reader is placed literally within the thick of it. It is an excellent and gripping read, and I will leave the rest for the readers to discover for themselves.
A wonderful novel and historical fiction at its finest.
5/5 stars
Thank you NG and Kensington for this wonderful arc and in return I am submitting my unbiased and voluntary review and opinion.
I am posting this review to my GR and Bookbub accounts immediately and will post it to my Amazon, Instagram, and B&N accounts upon publication.
This is the second book I have read by Mr. Hlad, hello The Long Flight Home was awesome!!!), and this new book has cemented my star-struck opinion and admiration for this author.
From London to France and Europe, this book covers so much within its narrative.
I loved the concept of two people, their lives intersecting, both in France on secret missions, trying to right the wrongs done to not only their own people and nations by the Nazis, but also the wrongs done to their own respective families. Now, Rose and Lazare are together with a purpose (Rose from London working with the SOE and Lazare with the French Resistance) and are fighting for justice in whatever ways they can and are more alike then their pasts that brought them to this present would suggest.
The story from that point on is nothing but sheer bravery, fortitude, selflessness, and heroics. The reader is placed literally within the thick of it. It is an excellent and gripping read, and I will leave the rest for the readers to discover for themselves.
A wonderful novel and historical fiction at its finest.
5/5 stars
Thank you NG and Kensington for this wonderful arc and in return I am submitting my unbiased and voluntary review and opinion.
I am posting this review to my GR and Bookbub accounts immediately and will post it to my Amazon, Instagram, and B&N accounts upon publication.
May 28, 2021
I win this in a giveaway. It’s a well research book I recommend reading it if you’re interested in WW2 novels
March 7, 2023
😭😭😭
5 stars because this book crushed my heart into pieces. Akala ko di I ibigay yung happiness na para kay Rose at Lazare kahit sa fiction lang. WW2 novels are really personal to me and my hatred for Hitler go worst as I read different books about Nazi atrocities.
---
#thoughtathought 💭
(03.07.23)
Churchill's Secret Messenger
Alan Hlad
This book is heartbreakingly sad. It shattered my heart into pieces and made my eyes swell. Before picking up this book, I read "The Story of the Young Girl" by Anne Frank, watched Dunkirk, followed by sticking my nose, binging the WW2 documentary on Netflix. So, the emotion within me was built up, and I was definitely feeling the agony in my chest.
This book is told from a dual point of view. One is from Rose Teasdale, who is a typist in Churchill's war cabin in London. With the active air raid attacks of Germans using their Luftwaffe on the United Kingdom, Rose's parents are among the people who died from the attack while she is on duty. But then her talent in speaking French language puts her on a mission boarding to German-occupied France to help coordinate with the allies.
The second point of view is from Lazare. He is part of the resistance aiming to liberate Paris. He tries to convince his parents to flee Paris and is able to secure false identifications for them because soon, the Nazis will come to their door and arrest them for being Jews, but they don't listen. And his fear confirms when he comes home without any presence of his parents.
Honestly, what I see in the documentary about Churchill is in this book. He was clever yet had a goal to help and protect. He was a very important person in what the world was experiencing, such as freedom but still no peace. I know America has done great too, but it's with Churchill's mind that pushed everything to the finish line. Although there were bad and wrong decisions made during this time, like Operation Jericho, which I don't have a deep background about except that it's still a mystery for who requested that attack. Operation Jericho is the air raid made by RAF fighters to one of the prisons in Paris where the Nazis kept the French prisoners. In the book, there is a bad and good effect of that attack, but for a realistic perception, blood is shed, and lives end.
I love how the author built the characters, not just the two narrators, but some people who made a big impact on the story. It's so painful reading about the pain of losing loved ones, witnessing fellow countrymen being murdered before your eyes, the tortures, and collaborations of Parisians turning their countrymen to the Nazis in exchange for scraps of food. The ration cards, the fake identification cards, and the yellow patch stars must be sewn in every Jew's garment. It's so ridiculous that I just want to vomit. I want to say something more about this book more so, my personal take about WW2, but I'm losing my wits and thoughts in the process.
Pick this if you have the courage to witness the bravery of all people who fought in world war 2.
5 stars because this book crushed my heart into pieces. Akala ko di I ibigay yung happiness na para kay Rose at Lazare kahit sa fiction lang. WW2 novels are really personal to me and my hatred for Hitler go worst as I read different books about Nazi atrocities.
---
#thoughtathought 💭
(03.07.23)
Churchill's Secret Messenger
Alan Hlad
This book is heartbreakingly sad. It shattered my heart into pieces and made my eyes swell. Before picking up this book, I read "The Story of the Young Girl" by Anne Frank, watched Dunkirk, followed by sticking my nose, binging the WW2 documentary on Netflix. So, the emotion within me was built up, and I was definitely feeling the agony in my chest.
This book is told from a dual point of view. One is from Rose Teasdale, who is a typist in Churchill's war cabin in London. With the active air raid attacks of Germans using their Luftwaffe on the United Kingdom, Rose's parents are among the people who died from the attack while she is on duty. But then her talent in speaking French language puts her on a mission boarding to German-occupied France to help coordinate with the allies.
The second point of view is from Lazare. He is part of the resistance aiming to liberate Paris. He tries to convince his parents to flee Paris and is able to secure false identifications for them because soon, the Nazis will come to their door and arrest them for being Jews, but they don't listen. And his fear confirms when he comes home without any presence of his parents.
Honestly, what I see in the documentary about Churchill is in this book. He was clever yet had a goal to help and protect. He was a very important person in what the world was experiencing, such as freedom but still no peace. I know America has done great too, but it's with Churchill's mind that pushed everything to the finish line. Although there were bad and wrong decisions made during this time, like Operation Jericho, which I don't have a deep background about except that it's still a mystery for who requested that attack. Operation Jericho is the air raid made by RAF fighters to one of the prisons in Paris where the Nazis kept the French prisoners. In the book, there is a bad and good effect of that attack, but for a realistic perception, blood is shed, and lives end.
I love how the author built the characters, not just the two narrators, but some people who made a big impact on the story. It's so painful reading about the pain of losing loved ones, witnessing fellow countrymen being murdered before your eyes, the tortures, and collaborations of Parisians turning their countrymen to the Nazis in exchange for scraps of food. The ration cards, the fake identification cards, and the yellow patch stars must be sewn in every Jew's garment. It's so ridiculous that I just want to vomit. I want to say something more about this book more so, my personal take about WW2, but I'm losing my wits and thoughts in the process.
Pick this if you have the courage to witness the bravery of all people who fought in world war 2.
March 29, 2023
3.5
Really engaging book that wasn't afraid to throw some heavy emotional punches. I appreciate when books about such a crazy time in human history don't shy away from showing some of the atrocities being done.
It did feel like the beginning-middle sections did pull those punches a bit, whereas I think it would have been better to have the same rawness as the section of Rose's peril. I also felt the ending 50 or so pages dragged on, and could have been consolidated quite a bit.
Really engaging book that wasn't afraid to throw some heavy emotional punches. I appreciate when books about such a crazy time in human history don't shy away from showing some of the atrocities being done.
It did feel like the beginning-middle sections did pull those punches a bit, whereas I think it would have been better to have the same rawness as the section of Rose's peril. I also felt the ending 50 or so pages dragged on, and could have been consolidated quite a bit.
February 13, 2022
3.8. Good historical fiction. I thought this would be more like the movie The Darkest Hour (about Churchill). But this was more about Churchill's Secret Army and SOE's trained women. Bits of WWII history I didn't know about. The fictional love story is sweet but to me too unrealistic.
July 5, 2025
I generally am tired of World War 2 books, but I love Winston Churchill so read this. I adored it. Highly recommended.
April 18, 2021
I read a lot of WWII fiction and some of it gets kind of boring and repetitive. That is not the case with this new WWII book by Alan Hlad. The book is so suspenseful that I was enthralled until the last page. It's full of wonderful characters who end up in dangerous conditions as they work to destroy the Nazi hold on Paris.
London, 1941: Rose works as a secretary in the Cabinet War Rooms beneath the streets of London. Her brother was killed during the beginning of the war and she works as much as possible to do her part to end the war. When Churchill becomes aware that she is fluent in French, he has her interviewed to be part of the SOE - a secret group that sent spies to France to work with the resistance. She accepts the job and her role is to act like a cosmetics salesperson so that she can bicycle all over Paris without suspicion. Her real job is to get information about the Nazi's plans and to send information back to London. The consequence of discovery will be death and every minute she is in Paris is fraught with danger. One of Rose's first assignments it to work with Lazare - a member of the French Resistance who is upset to see what is happening to his beloved city at the hands of the German troops. He risks danger every minute as he does what he can to free Paris.
Rose is a strong resilient woman who wants to make sure that Churchill's faith in her is justified and that she can help her country defeat the Germans. Rose and Lazare work well together and try to spend more time with each other as their interest grows but in war torn Paris, the job has to take precedence over any personal relationship. Will they be successful and live until the end of the war?
Be sure to read the author's notes at the end of the book where he describes some of the situations and people that the novel is based on.
Thanks to goodreads for a copy of this book to read and review. All opinions are my own.
London, 1941: Rose works as a secretary in the Cabinet War Rooms beneath the streets of London. Her brother was killed during the beginning of the war and she works as much as possible to do her part to end the war. When Churchill becomes aware that she is fluent in French, he has her interviewed to be part of the SOE - a secret group that sent spies to France to work with the resistance. She accepts the job and her role is to act like a cosmetics salesperson so that she can bicycle all over Paris without suspicion. Her real job is to get information about the Nazi's plans and to send information back to London. The consequence of discovery will be death and every minute she is in Paris is fraught with danger. One of Rose's first assignments it to work with Lazare - a member of the French Resistance who is upset to see what is happening to his beloved city at the hands of the German troops. He risks danger every minute as he does what he can to free Paris.
Rose is a strong resilient woman who wants to make sure that Churchill's faith in her is justified and that she can help her country defeat the Germans. Rose and Lazare work well together and try to spend more time with each other as their interest grows but in war torn Paris, the job has to take precedence over any personal relationship. Will they be successful and live until the end of the war?
Be sure to read the author's notes at the end of the book where he describes some of the situations and people that the novel is based on.
Thanks to goodreads for a copy of this book to read and review. All opinions are my own.
May 27, 2021
Alan Hlad has written a well searched book depicting the resistance movement in occupied France during WWII. The main characters Rose, Lazare, Muriel, and Felix are fictional but very believable and likable people. One is in their corner early on wanting them to succeed as they carry out acts of sabotage against the Nazis.
Many of the events described actually took place, such as the bombing of Amiens Prison to free prisoners held by the Germans and the arrest of over 13,000 Jews during the Vel’d’Hiv roundup conducted by the French police.
Parts of the book are difficult to read, such as Rose and Muriel”s imprisonment in Ravensbruck Concentration Camp and the interrogation and torture of Lazare, Felix, and others. Mr. Hlad doesn’t sugar coat how bad it was, but doesn’t become overly graphic either. One always wonders how one group of people can treat another group so poorly and inhumanly with no regard for them as fellow human beings.
I’ve read many books of historical fiction with a WW II setting and always learn something new each time. Alan Hlad has written one that is well researched, has compelling characters, and a plot which is riveting enough to keep a reader interested and involved. I appreciate receiving a copy from Kensington Publishing Company and author Alan Hlad.
Many of the events described actually took place, such as the bombing of Amiens Prison to free prisoners held by the Germans and the arrest of over 13,000 Jews during the Vel’d’Hiv roundup conducted by the French police.
Parts of the book are difficult to read, such as Rose and Muriel”s imprisonment in Ravensbruck Concentration Camp and the interrogation and torture of Lazare, Felix, and others. Mr. Hlad doesn’t sugar coat how bad it was, but doesn’t become overly graphic either. One always wonders how one group of people can treat another group so poorly and inhumanly with no regard for them as fellow human beings.
I’ve read many books of historical fiction with a WW II setting and always learn something new each time. Alan Hlad has written one that is well researched, has compelling characters, and a plot which is riveting enough to keep a reader interested and involved. I appreciate receiving a copy from Kensington Publishing Company and author Alan Hlad.
April 23, 2021
This book is historical fiction however, after reading Mr. Hlad's, author notes, I was speechless! The things I read about SOE and the women spies, Operation Jericho, The Physicians Network, Churchill's Secret Army and, so much more....I had never heard about or learned in school.
So many times I cried while reading this book, tears of joy as well as sorrow. A reader can and will be transported to WW II also be prepared to get invested in the character's lives/story. An excellent book club book for the discussions alone.
Mr. Alan Hlad, thank you for writing this story, it needed to be told! Even though it is a historical fiction, you based it, off of real people/events/stories. This book was hard to put down and very informative.
So many times I cried while reading this book, tears of joy as well as sorrow. A reader can and will be transported to WW II also be prepared to get invested in the character's lives/story. An excellent book club book for the discussions alone.
Mr. Alan Hlad, thank you for writing this story, it needed to be told! Even though it is a historical fiction, you based it, off of real people/events/stories. This book was hard to put down and very informative.
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