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The Lost Mother
She looked at the empty cradle where her baby had been. Her heart felt tattered and empty, like the hollow streets of Berlin after its people began to live in fear.
Berlin, 1934. Homes once filled with laughter stand empty as the Nazi party’s grip on the city tightens. When Anna Tiegel’s beautiful best friend catches Reich Minister Goebbels’ special attention, an impulsive act to save her brings Anna under his unforgiving scrutiny. First, she loses her job, then slowly, mercilessly, she finds her life stripped away. After her father is killed by the Nazis, Anna’s final hope is to escape to America with her boyfriend Eddy, but when she reaches his apartment on the agreed date, she finds it deserted. Alone and pregnant, the future feels terrifying, but she must try to protect the life inside her.
Rhode Island, 1957. Peggy Bailey stares in shock at the faded photograph of two laughing women which her beloved adoptive mother struggled to pass on to her before she died, whispering ‘It was inside your baby blanket when we brought you home’. As Peggy continues to stare, she realises that she has seen one of the girls before, in the most unlikely of places… Bursting at the realisation, she embarks on a mission which takes her across America to find the truth behind her heritage. Nothing, however, could prepare her for the tragic story her actions uncover…
Berlin, 1934. Homes once filled with laughter stand empty as the Nazi party’s grip on the city tightens. When Anna Tiegel’s beautiful best friend catches Reich Minister Goebbels’ special attention, an impulsive act to save her brings Anna under his unforgiving scrutiny. First, she loses her job, then slowly, mercilessly, she finds her life stripped away. After her father is killed by the Nazis, Anna’s final hope is to escape to America with her boyfriend Eddy, but when she reaches his apartment on the agreed date, she finds it deserted. Alone and pregnant, the future feels terrifying, but she must try to protect the life inside her.
Rhode Island, 1957. Peggy Bailey stares in shock at the faded photograph of two laughing women which her beloved adoptive mother struggled to pass on to her before she died, whispering ‘It was inside your baby blanket when we brought you home’. As Peggy continues to stare, she realises that she has seen one of the girls before, in the most unlikely of places… Bursting at the realisation, she embarks on a mission which takes her across America to find the truth behind her heritage. Nothing, however, could prepare her for the tragic story her actions uncover…
361 pages, Kindle Edition
Published January 28, 2021
848 people are currently reading
1064 people want to read
About the author
Catherine Hokin
37 books240 followersWelcome to my author page and my novels, including the Hanni Winter series which is the newest of the pack. I write books set primarily in Berlin, covering the period from 1933 up to the fall of the Berlin Wall and dealing with the long shadows left by war. I am a story lover as well as a story writer and this period really fascinates me. Writing about it also means that I get to spend a lot of time in Berlin, which is my second favourite city - my favourite is Buenos Aires.
I am from the North of England but now live very happily in Glasgow with my American husband. If I'm not at my desk you'll most probably find me in the cinema, or just follow the sound of very loud music.
I'd love to hear from you and there are lots of ways you can find me, so jump in via my website https://www.catherinehokin.com/ or on my Cat Hokin FB page or on twitter @cathokin
I am from the North of England but now live very happily in Glasgow with my American husband. If I'm not at my desk you'll most probably find me in the cinema, or just follow the sound of very loud music.
I'd love to hear from you and there are lots of ways you can find me, so jump in via my website https://www.catherinehokin.com/ or on my Cat Hokin FB page or on twitter @cathokin
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 73 reviews
January 29, 2021
The Lost Mother is a great World War II novel that focuses on so much more than the war. Some parts of the book take place in Germany starting in 1934, around World War II and leading throughout the war. There are other parts taking place in 1957 when Peggy is looking for her mother. Peggy will do anything to find her mother. Peggy gets scared and frustrated but doesn’t let that stop her. Peggy is always questioning who she can trust to help, but quickly realizes she has to trust someone or she won’t get very far. The parts in Germany with Anna are heartbreaking and unique perspectives from World War II. Anna is very hard working and is forced to make some hard choices. There are many situations where Anna is forced to do something she doesn’t believe in but is always fighting for her goals. I liked the variety in this story.
I recommend The Lost Mother to World War II fans and fans of stories about mother daughter relationships.
Thank you Bookouture and NetGalley for The Lost Mother.
Full Review: https://justreadingjess.wordpress.com...
I recommend The Lost Mother to World War II fans and fans of stories about mother daughter relationships.
Thank you Bookouture and NetGalley for The Lost Mother.
Full Review: https://justreadingjess.wordpress.com...
January 22, 2021
Berlin 1934: Homes once filled with laughter stand empty as the Nazi party's grip on the city tightens. When Anna Tiegel's beautiful best friend catches Reich Minister Gsebbels' special attention, an impulse act to save her brings Anna under his unforgiving scrutiny. She loses her job, then slowly and mercilessly, she finds her life stripped away, After her father is killed by the Nazis, Anna's final hope is to escape to America with her boyfriend Eddy.
What a heartbreaking read this is. We also meet Peggy who has lost her adoptive parents. The story flips back and forth in time from before and after WWII. it's a well written story but it does drag out in parts. Anna wants to find her daughter she was forced to give up. But fear and terror follow Anna an fill her new life the same way it did her old one. This is an emotional book to read.
I would like to thank #NetGalley, #Bookouture and the author #CatherineHokin for myARC in exchange for an honest review.
What a heartbreaking read this is. We also meet Peggy who has lost her adoptive parents. The story flips back and forth in time from before and after WWII. it's a well written story but it does drag out in parts. Anna wants to find her daughter she was forced to give up. But fear and terror follow Anna an fill her new life the same way it did her old one. This is an emotional book to read.
I would like to thank #NetGalley, #Bookouture and the author #CatherineHokin for myARC in exchange for an honest review.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 1, 2021
This book was the epitome of the heartbreaks and suffering people had during the worst time of humankind...
I am obsessed with World War stories as it lets you see a glimpse of the true nature of human, how some can be strong, remain good and go through so much suffering and other go through such length to hurt other.
Author Hokin has created an amazing world-building to a world we can now only imagine the agony of the characters, their separation from their loved ones...
Peggy...one of our main Protagonist had just lost her mother when a secret reveals itself which turn her whole life into a lie....the unknown identity of her true mother. She embarks on an adventure in search of her but the blows of shocks keep coming till the end.
Although this was a personal story between Anna, Marika, Eddy, and Peggy in a dual time sense....it was full of history unknown to me till now.
I learned about the German immigrants and the discriminations they faced and kinda blamed them too. How there were inside the war in the germans too for the resistance of the Nazis.
I shed tears upon tears for Peggy and Anna, they had a touch of reality and it was hard to make me understand that they were just fiction...DONT CRY!...
I would definitely recommend this book to readers who like me are interested in the World war 2 friction trope...
I am obsessed with World War stories as it lets you see a glimpse of the true nature of human, how some can be strong, remain good and go through so much suffering and other go through such length to hurt other.
Author Hokin has created an amazing world-building to a world we can now only imagine the agony of the characters, their separation from their loved ones...
Peggy...one of our main Protagonist had just lost her mother when a secret reveals itself which turn her whole life into a lie....the unknown identity of her true mother. She embarks on an adventure in search of her but the blows of shocks keep coming till the end.
Although this was a personal story between Anna, Marika, Eddy, and Peggy in a dual time sense....it was full of history unknown to me till now.
I learned about the German immigrants and the discriminations they faced and kinda blamed them too. How there were inside the war in the germans too for the resistance of the Nazis.
I shed tears upon tears for Peggy and Anna, they had a touch of reality and it was hard to make me understand that they were just fiction...DONT CRY!...
I would definitely recommend this book to readers who like me are interested in the World war 2 friction trope...
January 27, 2021
★★★ 3.5 stars
I am excited to be taking part in the #BooksOnTour #BlogTour for Catherine Hokin's latest heartbreaking tale THE LOST MOTHER (previously titled "All Who Wander").
I love Catherine Hokin's historical novels but they are like climbing a mountain. A long slow arduous climb to get to its peak but once you're there, the view is magnificent. And the journey was worth it. I always feel like this about her books...slow to start with but I know I will be rewarded with a wonderful heartwarming story. However, I'm not sure how I felt about THE LOST MOTHER. The climb dipped and bowed from slow to petering out to slow again. Just as I started to really get interested, it dipped once again with a story arc I was disappointed in. But it did have a heartwarming ending which was at least satisfying.
New York, 1935: The story begins with Anna sitting on a bench in Central Park ruminating over the past year that has lead her to this point. The highs, the lows, the love, the losses, the tragedy and the heartache. She sees a mother and her baby in a pram, the little child cooing and giggling gently as the mother says she has suddenly started doing that. It brings up a wealth of memories and heartbreak of her own. Of when she gave birth to her daughter and was forced to give her up back in Germany. But now that is why she is here...to find her baby.
Rhode Island, 1957: Twenty two year old Peggy Bailey looks up the house that has been her home for the past 15 years. Its shuttered windows and the life that has now gone from its walls. After losing her father at aged 15, Peggy went on to complete high school and then go on to get her degree in journalism. But she had no time to think about a job as her mother's cancer diagnosis came shortly before her graduation and though as ill as she was, her mother made it to see her get her degree. Then Peggy became a permanent carer for her beloved mother Joan.
Then before she died, Joan gave Peggy a photograph telling her that it was in the blanket they brought her home in...that her mother must have slipped it in. Her birth mother. And Peggy's world fell apart. Not only had she lost the only mother she has ever known, she now discovers that she has a birth mother out there somewhere...and she sets out to find her. Looking closely at the photograph, Peggy wonders which of the two women in it is her mother. As she continues to stare, she gasps realising that she recognises one of them...having seen her in the most unlikely of places.
And so now, Peggy sits in the car that was her mother's, her suitcases packed, looking up at the house as she ponders where this journey will take her. Embarking on a mission that will take her across the country in search of the truth about her heritage, Peggy prepares herself for the drive that will take her roughly a fortnight to make across the hot dry and arid deserts of Arizona and New Mexico. Is she prepared for what she will find there?
Berlin, Germany, 1934: A beautiful country with homes once filled with laughter as the onset of the Nazi party's grip on the city tightens, two beautiful young women - Anna Tiegel and Marika Baikker - light up the stage and screen. Anna is a theatre actress while Marika's love is for the movies. But the film industry in Germany is tightly controlled by the Party and under the firm hand of Hitler's Reichminister Joesph Goebbels.
All films made must highlight the Party's progaganda and anyone who dares to disagree is ostracised by the industry so Anna has no choice but to co-operate when Goebbels sets his sights on her. And Goebbels is not a man to be crossed. Although Anna is a theatre actress, Goebbels wants her to sign with the UFA which was tightly controlled by the Party and therefore by him. His promises included work for Anna's boyfriend, Eddy Hartmann, who is a film director. Unable to say no or risk ostracism, Anna has no choice but to co-operate.
Marika, who has her sights set firmly on stardom, falls under Goebbels' spell and chastises Anna for refuting him. She is clearly his new favourite, lining her up to be his next mistress, but Anna fears for her best friend and tries talking her out cosying up to him. But Marika will not be swayed. Goebbels is powerful and she wants to be a star...whatever the cost.
Goebbels' grip tightens as he paves the way for an exclusive party in which Anna and Marika have a starring role but Anna feels that something is dreadfully wrong. And so she conjures up a ploy for her and Marika to make their escape but Goebbels sees right through the subterfuge and, as they leave, whispers threats in Anna's ear which are anything but idle.
Anna knows she must escape if she is to survive and plans to sail for America with Eddy. But when Anna arrives at his flat on the day they are due to depart, she finds it empty. And to make matters worse...Anna has discovered she is pregnant. She had come to tell Eddy but she was too late.
Suddenly, with no job and nowhere to go, Anna must find a way to survive. The Party has taken everything from her but they will not take her baby. But will she have a choice?
THE LOST MOTHER is a very different story to the first two historical novels by Catherine Hokin. It's very different from any other WW2 era books and not at all what I expected. For the most part I enjoyed it but then it petered out and I found myself a little disappointed after Anna had successfully fled Germany only to find herself an unwilling double agent forced to infiltrate the German American Bund, the American band of Nazis. But if that wasn't enough, she was then interned as an enemy alien! It was a heartbreaking read as her sole purpose for coming to America was to find her daughter...and then she found herself caught up in something she had no control over.
The book is broken up into three parts. After the prologue, Part One alternates between Anna, as her story just begins, in 1934 and Peggy, as she embarks on a journey of self discovery and for her lost mother, in 1957. Part Two is solely Anna's story from 1934 to 1947 in all its heartbreaking detail. Part Three is Peggy's story as she delves deeper into Louise Baker's past in her search for her mother. It is very cleverly done and the story is both original and unique, filled with emotion, strength, love and heartbreak.
While I didn't enjoy quite as much as her previous two, THE LOST MOTHER is still a good read and a must for historical fiction fans.
I would like to thank #CatherineHokin, #NetGalley, #Bookouture for an ARC of #TheLostMother aka #AllWhoWander in exchange for an honest review.
This review appears on my blog at https://stinathebookaholic.blogspot.com/.
I am excited to be taking part in the #BooksOnTour #BlogTour for Catherine Hokin's latest heartbreaking tale THE LOST MOTHER (previously titled "All Who Wander").
I love Catherine Hokin's historical novels but they are like climbing a mountain. A long slow arduous climb to get to its peak but once you're there, the view is magnificent. And the journey was worth it. I always feel like this about her books...slow to start with but I know I will be rewarded with a wonderful heartwarming story. However, I'm not sure how I felt about THE LOST MOTHER. The climb dipped and bowed from slow to petering out to slow again. Just as I started to really get interested, it dipped once again with a story arc I was disappointed in. But it did have a heartwarming ending which was at least satisfying.
New York, 1935: The story begins with Anna sitting on a bench in Central Park ruminating over the past year that has lead her to this point. The highs, the lows, the love, the losses, the tragedy and the heartache. She sees a mother and her baby in a pram, the little child cooing and giggling gently as the mother says she has suddenly started doing that. It brings up a wealth of memories and heartbreak of her own. Of when she gave birth to her daughter and was forced to give her up back in Germany. But now that is why she is here...to find her baby.
Rhode Island, 1957: Twenty two year old Peggy Bailey looks up the house that has been her home for the past 15 years. Its shuttered windows and the life that has now gone from its walls. After losing her father at aged 15, Peggy went on to complete high school and then go on to get her degree in journalism. But she had no time to think about a job as her mother's cancer diagnosis came shortly before her graduation and though as ill as she was, her mother made it to see her get her degree. Then Peggy became a permanent carer for her beloved mother Joan.
Then before she died, Joan gave Peggy a photograph telling her that it was in the blanket they brought her home in...that her mother must have slipped it in. Her birth mother. And Peggy's world fell apart. Not only had she lost the only mother she has ever known, she now discovers that she has a birth mother out there somewhere...and she sets out to find her. Looking closely at the photograph, Peggy wonders which of the two women in it is her mother. As she continues to stare, she gasps realising that she recognises one of them...having seen her in the most unlikely of places.
And so now, Peggy sits in the car that was her mother's, her suitcases packed, looking up at the house as she ponders where this journey will take her. Embarking on a mission that will take her across the country in search of the truth about her heritage, Peggy prepares herself for the drive that will take her roughly a fortnight to make across the hot dry and arid deserts of Arizona and New Mexico. Is she prepared for what she will find there?
Berlin, Germany, 1934: A beautiful country with homes once filled with laughter as the onset of the Nazi party's grip on the city tightens, two beautiful young women - Anna Tiegel and Marika Baikker - light up the stage and screen. Anna is a theatre actress while Marika's love is for the movies. But the film industry in Germany is tightly controlled by the Party and under the firm hand of Hitler's Reichminister Joesph Goebbels.
All films made must highlight the Party's progaganda and anyone who dares to disagree is ostracised by the industry so Anna has no choice but to co-operate when Goebbels sets his sights on her. And Goebbels is not a man to be crossed. Although Anna is a theatre actress, Goebbels wants her to sign with the UFA which was tightly controlled by the Party and therefore by him. His promises included work for Anna's boyfriend, Eddy Hartmann, who is a film director. Unable to say no or risk ostracism, Anna has no choice but to co-operate.
Marika, who has her sights set firmly on stardom, falls under Goebbels' spell and chastises Anna for refuting him. She is clearly his new favourite, lining her up to be his next mistress, but Anna fears for her best friend and tries talking her out cosying up to him. But Marika will not be swayed. Goebbels is powerful and she wants to be a star...whatever the cost.
Goebbels' grip tightens as he paves the way for an exclusive party in which Anna and Marika have a starring role but Anna feels that something is dreadfully wrong. And so she conjures up a ploy for her and Marika to make their escape but Goebbels sees right through the subterfuge and, as they leave, whispers threats in Anna's ear which are anything but idle.
Anna knows she must escape if she is to survive and plans to sail for America with Eddy. But when Anna arrives at his flat on the day they are due to depart, she finds it empty. And to make matters worse...Anna has discovered she is pregnant. She had come to tell Eddy but she was too late.
Suddenly, with no job and nowhere to go, Anna must find a way to survive. The Party has taken everything from her but they will not take her baby. But will she have a choice?
THE LOST MOTHER is a very different story to the first two historical novels by Catherine Hokin. It's very different from any other WW2 era books and not at all what I expected. For the most part I enjoyed it but then it petered out and I found myself a little disappointed after Anna had successfully fled Germany only to find herself an unwilling double agent forced to infiltrate the German American Bund, the American band of Nazis. But if that wasn't enough, she was then interned as an enemy alien! It was a heartbreaking read as her sole purpose for coming to America was to find her daughter...and then she found herself caught up in something she had no control over.
The book is broken up into three parts. After the prologue, Part One alternates between Anna, as her story just begins, in 1934 and Peggy, as she embarks on a journey of self discovery and for her lost mother, in 1957. Part Two is solely Anna's story from 1934 to 1947 in all its heartbreaking detail. Part Three is Peggy's story as she delves deeper into Louise Baker's past in her search for her mother. It is very cleverly done and the story is both original and unique, filled with emotion, strength, love and heartbreak.
While I didn't enjoy quite as much as her previous two, THE LOST MOTHER is still a good read and a must for historical fiction fans.
I would like to thank #CatherineHokin, #NetGalley, #Bookouture for an ARC of #TheLostMother aka #AllWhoWander in exchange for an honest review.
This review appears on my blog at https://stinathebookaholic.blogspot.com/.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 6, 2021
In search of a dream
This is a dual timeline story which stretches across years. It all begins in Berlin, Germany at the onset of the Nazi control. Anna and Marika are best friends and Eddy is Anna's boyfriend. They are both actresses, Anna in theatre and Marika in movies. Eddy is the movie photographer. After Goebbels, Hitler's right hand man, takes over the movies Marika gets involved and Anna and Marika find themselves in a bad situation. Anna saves the day but incurs the wrath of Goebbels.
Marika is desperate to leave the country because of her fear of Goebbels. Eddy is going to America to work on a film. He is allowed to take an actress with him. He was going to take Anna, but Marika sets it up so that only she goes and Anna stays behind. Eddy does not know that Anna is carrying his child.
What happens to Anna next is a huge part of the story as she faces death in Germany and makes it to America searching for the child she unwillingly gave up for adoption to an American Couple.
The dual timeline comes in when Peggy (Anna's child that has been adopted) loses her mother Joan and at the end is given a picture and told it is her real mother. Joan dies before she can give Peggy details. From the picture Peggy recognizes Marika who is now going as Louise Baker in Hollywood and is a famous star. She tracks her down thinking she is her mother.
This is where the story starts to bring the two timelines together as Peggy searches for her mother.
The story is heartbreaking. It is very sad what happened to the Jewish population in Germany during the war. Although this touches on it the book is mostly about the Nazi hate group in America and the personal story between Anna, Marika, Eddy and Peggy. I learned much about the Nazi socialist hate group in America right before the second world war. I never really knew about this group. I researched some and found it was really a group called "German American Bund" or "German American Federation" established in 1936. It Consisted of only German born and was an unpatriotic group formed to promote a favorable view of Nazi Germany, it was a pro Nazi group. It sprang up in several cities like New York and Chicago. The member wore white shirts, black pants or skirts and the men wore black hats with a red symbol on them.
It is sad that even though some escaped Germany to the U.S. they faced so much discrimination in the U.S. because of the war . I never knew about the German immigrants being put in internment camps during the war. This is a part of history that I had just never heard about. It was interesting to read about it. This is a fiction book but after reading this I looked it up and found that they were interned and many were deported to Germany even some that were born in the U.S. and never lived in Germany. Mothers and children as well as the male members of the family were treated as spies. Although many were associated with the hate group the Bund most were not.
I enjoyed reading this book and learning so much about history that I did not know before. Many books have the German history of this time period but this is the first with so much information on the U.S. history during this time period.
I would definitely recommend this book.
Thanks to Catherin Hokin, Bookouture, and NetGalley for allowing me to read a copy for an honest review.
This is a dual timeline story which stretches across years. It all begins in Berlin, Germany at the onset of the Nazi control. Anna and Marika are best friends and Eddy is Anna's boyfriend. They are both actresses, Anna in theatre and Marika in movies. Eddy is the movie photographer. After Goebbels, Hitler's right hand man, takes over the movies Marika gets involved and Anna and Marika find themselves in a bad situation. Anna saves the day but incurs the wrath of Goebbels.
Marika is desperate to leave the country because of her fear of Goebbels. Eddy is going to America to work on a film. He is allowed to take an actress with him. He was going to take Anna, but Marika sets it up so that only she goes and Anna stays behind. Eddy does not know that Anna is carrying his child.
What happens to Anna next is a huge part of the story as she faces death in Germany and makes it to America searching for the child she unwillingly gave up for adoption to an American Couple.
The dual timeline comes in when Peggy (Anna's child that has been adopted) loses her mother Joan and at the end is given a picture and told it is her real mother. Joan dies before she can give Peggy details. From the picture Peggy recognizes Marika who is now going as Louise Baker in Hollywood and is a famous star. She tracks her down thinking she is her mother.
This is where the story starts to bring the two timelines together as Peggy searches for her mother.
The story is heartbreaking. It is very sad what happened to the Jewish population in Germany during the war. Although this touches on it the book is mostly about the Nazi hate group in America and the personal story between Anna, Marika, Eddy and Peggy. I learned much about the Nazi socialist hate group in America right before the second world war. I never really knew about this group. I researched some and found it was really a group called "German American Bund" or "German American Federation" established in 1936. It Consisted of only German born and was an unpatriotic group formed to promote a favorable view of Nazi Germany, it was a pro Nazi group. It sprang up in several cities like New York and Chicago. The member wore white shirts, black pants or skirts and the men wore black hats with a red symbol on them.
It is sad that even though some escaped Germany to the U.S. they faced so much discrimination in the U.S. because of the war . I never knew about the German immigrants being put in internment camps during the war. This is a part of history that I had just never heard about. It was interesting to read about it. This is a fiction book but after reading this I looked it up and found that they were interned and many were deported to Germany even some that were born in the U.S. and never lived in Germany. Mothers and children as well as the male members of the family were treated as spies. Although many were associated with the hate group the Bund most were not.
I enjoyed reading this book and learning so much about history that I did not know before. Many books have the German history of this time period but this is the first with so much information on the U.S. history during this time period.
I would definitely recommend this book.
Thanks to Catherin Hokin, Bookouture, and NetGalley for allowing me to read a copy for an honest review.
March 8, 2021
An extraordinary book. This story has different timelines. Anna Tiegel is concerned about the recent rise of the new political party that is in power. Germany is apparently no longer a safe place. Anna's best friend attracts the attention of a government minister. She acts impulsively to save her friend. However, this brings her dire consequences, she loses her job, and her life becomes more complicated. Her last hope is to escape the barbarity that her country is suffering. I like this story, like many others about WWII. What this book has, in particular, is that it managed to move and intrigue me to the point that I could not stop reading it. I wanted to know what was going to happen to Anna. The author recounts the experiences of other characters that I did not mention. Although, I can tell you that they are vital for the development and outcome of the novel. I recommend this story because it has fascinated me.
January 23, 2021
The Lost Mother is a story that flicks between past and present as well as between Anna and her time during the war and Peggy, her daughter, trying to find her mother in the present day in 1957.
What makes this story stand out from the other books in this genre, is the movie aspect. Anna and her friend are actresses of who were doing well in Germany until things started to escalate against the Jewish people and the war started. Anna's fight for survival and time during those years, were a constant struggle and was heart-breaking reading. To be ostracized in your own country is bad enough but sadly things are no better in America for poor Anna.
I loved Peggy's enthusiasm in finding her mother. She is like a dog with a bone and won't let things lie in finding out the truth. Things definitely are not straight forward in her search and again, it makes for an emotional roller coaster of a read.
A must for historical fiction readers. The author brings the characters to life and whilst there are a few unsavoury characters to say the least, this is very much Anna and Peggy's story which offers hope and understanding. I was gripped whilst reading of both their journeys and how it all ends was especially moving.
What makes this story stand out from the other books in this genre, is the movie aspect. Anna and her friend are actresses of who were doing well in Germany until things started to escalate against the Jewish people and the war started. Anna's fight for survival and time during those years, were a constant struggle and was heart-breaking reading. To be ostracized in your own country is bad enough but sadly things are no better in America for poor Anna.
I loved Peggy's enthusiasm in finding her mother. She is like a dog with a bone and won't let things lie in finding out the truth. Things definitely are not straight forward in her search and again, it makes for an emotional roller coaster of a read.
A must for historical fiction readers. The author brings the characters to life and whilst there are a few unsavoury characters to say the least, this is very much Anna and Peggy's story which offers hope and understanding. I was gripped whilst reading of both their journeys and how it all ends was especially moving.
January 18, 2021
Wow, what a page turner! Upon the death of her mother in the 1950’s, her adoptive mother, Peggy is handed a picture of two women who appear to be in Berlin. It’s quite evident that one of these two women is Peggy’s biological mother. One woman is a complete mystery but the other one has the striking resemblance to a famous actress. So Peggy sets off on a journey of self discovery. Who are these women in the picture? Which one is her real mother? A story set in a dual timeline maps out Peggy’s journey and that of her mother, the other girl in the picture and the tragic life that unfolds for her during and immediately after WWII. AND, how does this famous actress fit into the puzzle?
This book grabbed my attention from the very first paragraph. I love WWII books that uncover secrets and sometimes lies. This book definitely did not disappoint in the arena. It also gives light to a different perspective of WWII, the German film industry and the death grip the Nazi regime had on it and its actors and directors. The author provides lots of sources for further info so be sure to check out her acknowledgments. She also says that she spends lots of time in Berlin because she likes to immerse herself in the locations of her stories. Her descriptions of the city before the war and its aftermath paint a very vivid picture.
Thanks so much to Bookouture, NetGalley & Catherine Hokin for early access to this great weekend read!
This book grabbed my attention from the very first paragraph. I love WWII books that uncover secrets and sometimes lies. This book definitely did not disappoint in the arena. It also gives light to a different perspective of WWII, the German film industry and the death grip the Nazi regime had on it and its actors and directors. The author provides lots of sources for further info so be sure to check out her acknowledgments. She also says that she spends lots of time in Berlin because she likes to immerse herself in the locations of her stories. Her descriptions of the city before the war and its aftermath paint a very vivid picture.
Thanks so much to Bookouture, NetGalley & Catherine Hokin for early access to this great weekend read!
January 24, 2021
Loved it!!! It definitely wasn't the story that I expected when I started reading the book. I enjoyed how the book alternated between the 1930s and 1950s. Loved the characters, story and writing style. Marika would use anyone if she thought it would get her ahead in life. She was definitely jealous of Anna. Anna was a true friend to her and would do anything to keep her safe, but I can't say the same about Marika. Anna should have left Marika deal with Goebbels all on her own. I disliked her even more when the truth came out about how she got out of Germany. Marika got to live a life of luxury, while Anna's life went in the opposite direction. Anna's story was heartbreaking. She endured so much, not only in Germany but also in the United States. All she wanted was to find her daughter. I don't think the FBI agents would have even helped her. She gave them so much information but never got anything in return. I was sad to see the book end because I wanted to read more about Anna and Peggy.
Definitely recommend the book. It was a great historical fiction with a bit of a mystery as Peggy tries to find out the truth about her biological mother. Beautiful and heartbreaking is a perfect description of the book. This was the first book I read by the author and I look forward to reading more. I love the cover of the book.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from Bookouture through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
Definitely recommend the book. It was a great historical fiction with a bit of a mystery as Peggy tries to find out the truth about her biological mother. Beautiful and heartbreaking is a perfect description of the book. This was the first book I read by the author and I look forward to reading more. I love the cover of the book.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from Bookouture through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
March 7, 2021
I was drawn to this novel, The Lost Mother, for two reasons. One was that it was a historical fiction story centered around WWII. the other was that I was intrigued with the story of an young women who was given up for adoption in Germany, just before the outbreak of the war. The baby was adopted by an American couple. Jump ahead about 20 years later and this baby is now seeking her biological parents.
Most historical WWII novels focus on the rise of the Nazi movement and the horrors that the Jewish population experienced. This story does the same but it also depicts the struggles and fears that many German citizens faced. There were many Germans who lived in fear of Hitler and his Nazi movement. German American citizens were also persecuted in the United States and accused of being spies and Natzi supporters during the war.
This book ties in these two story elements and it makes for a very good story. Tie in a bit of Hollywood drama, some mystery, and a few surprises and the book becomes even more enjoyable.
Most historical WWII novels focus on the rise of the Nazi movement and the horrors that the Jewish population experienced. This story does the same but it also depicts the struggles and fears that many German citizens faced. There were many Germans who lived in fear of Hitler and his Nazi movement. German American citizens were also persecuted in the United States and accused of being spies and Natzi supporters during the war.
This book ties in these two story elements and it makes for a very good story. Tie in a bit of Hollywood drama, some mystery, and a few surprises and the book becomes even more enjoyable.
January 28, 2021
The Lost Mother is the new book from historical fiction author Catherine Hokin. It’s a dual timeline story of sorts, I say this because a lot of the books I read with dual timelines are set in the present day and then perhaps back during the war years. Here the story takes place in the late 1950’s and then goes back to the pre war years and in turn the war itself. In New York in 1935, in the brief prologue, we are introduced to Anna. She is filled with longing and pain and she would give anything to have her baby back in her arms. She is wretched and afraid and instantly the reader wonders what has happened to her for her to be in this state of separation and feeling this way? Fast forward to Rhode Island in 1957 and we meet Peggy. She is at a time in her life when so many questions remain unanswered and so many words left unsaid. Her mother has just passed away and as she had been her carer in those last few months now Peggy feels lost, adrift, isolated and full of pain. She is rudderless with no idea what to do but there is a puzzle she could try solving if only she was brave enough to do it.
On her deathbed her mother left her a photo of her real mother. It showed two young women in a hoppegarten in Germany. Peggy is afraid that Germany has a very deep claim on her and she is not sure if she is willing and able to assert this claim given the consequences that revelation might bring. Peggy goes back and forth an awful lot as to what she should do. Whereas I thought, really she has nothing to lose she should just go for it. When she realises that one of the women in the picture is actress Louise Baker, who is still alive and working in Hollywood, Peggy’s mind is made for her. She sets off on a road trip across America until she reaches Los Angeles. Is this the city where all her questions will be answered? A change in her life’s direction and a confrontation may await. Can she cope with what she discovers and at the same time can she boost her career as a journalist and make it big in a new city? Or is the story she is pursuing just too personal to be splashed across the pages of a newspaper?
To be honest I didn’t really care for Peggy, all that much. Initially she came across as weak, insecure and indecisive and I just couldn’t gel with her at all. I was glad when she reached Hollywood because then we started to be brought back to the past and this aspect of the story I found to be much more interesting and gripping. Yes, we needed Peggy in the later years carrying out her search/quest in order to tie the two strands of the story together and to complete the bigger picture but I found myself rushing through chapters from her perspective when they appeared in order to get back to Anna’s story which really grew in intensity the further it progressed. Peggy has the task of finding Louise Baker and getting answers but when someone is cold and aloof, they mightn’t be willing to give all the answers in order to protect their own skin. It’s only towards the end I felt that Peggy grew a real backbone and started using her investigative journalistic skills to the max. She was pushing forward in seeking the truth and wouldn’t let sleeping dogs lie. After all the answers she seeks although they may be detrimental to others she needs to find them to satisfy her own personal issues and to resolve her past. Yes there was some love interest for her along the way but if that had been omitted it wouldn’t have bothered me in the slightest as it really isn’t a major focus of the overall plot.
Anna was the stand out character for me. She grew up in Berlin and along with her friend Marika in 1939, after attending drama school was about to audition for UFA, Germany’s biggest and oldest film company. A job here meant an illustrious career awaited. Marika was very different to anyone that Anna had ever met before. She was a whirlwind in that she was charming and ambitious but at the same she was nobody’s fool and she was spoiled, selfish, and ruthlessly competitive. I didn’t like Marika one bit, I always thought she believed herself too good for a friendship with Anna and that she would walk all over her to get what she wanted for more gain and fame. Anna has a relationship with Eddy, a trainee director, but even Marika doesn’t see fit that this should last and happiness be found. With the rise of Hitler and his propaganda, laws and cruelty the girls were stuck between a rock and a hard place especially as Joseph Goebbels the minister for propaganda for the Nationalist Socialist Party really sets his teeth into the pair.
Here is where I felt, there was a lot of to-ing and fro-ing without much happening and I think it could have been shortened and the real major part of the story would have gotten going much quicker. For reasons I won’t go into, Anna finds her life torn in two and what was promised for her is no more. An act of betrayal and just pure selfishness and worrying about one’s own personal ego and further career development leaves Anna in danger and from this point on the story ramped up a gear and the momentum did not let up until the very last page. I became deeply invested in Anna’s story. She wanted just to fall apart but she knew she couldn’t given what she had discovered about her personal circumstances. I thought part two really gave us a fascinating insight into what happened to Anna once what she believed to be the worst that could befall her had happened. Little did she know what awaited her and part two was brilliantly written and I felt I was on a real journey with the character. America becomes the predominant setting and to be honest this was a real eye opener as one just presumes that although the Americans did join the war that not much happened on American soil rather the people continued on as best they could.
But this story shows the Germans and Nazi’s rule extended far and wide. That they got in and immersed themselves in communities and spread fear, their absurd ideas and radicalism everywhere. Anna was brave, forthright and she put her life on the line so many times all with one goal in mind and through her story I was given a glimpse into an aspect of America during the war that I had never heard about before. Anna really was caught, the love for someone that was hers but for a brief moment drove her own through the hardships, dangers and fears she endures and she earned my respect for the dignity she showed in what she went through. You could tell she is restless, angry and has one goal in mind but so many obstacles are thrown in her way. The direction she takes is a surprising one and I felt at times with her it was out of the frying pan and into the fire. She was a remarkable woman that was served such an injustice. As you read, you just hope that this wrong can be put right and some form of happiness be found for all involved. But old wounds do cut very deep.
What is it that for me books by Catherine Hokin that after a very slow start it’s only at the midway point or in this case the 60% mark that within a turn of a page they become gripping. It’s like an entirely different story is unfolding with a sentence or two things suddenly change and I become invested in what is happening. Part two had me even forgetting about Peggy and her search in the 1950’s. The beginning for me was too drawn out until we finally got to the heart of the story and we get to see what happened to Anna. I found there was too much extra information given in the initial chapters and I thought the reason for and the point where Anna and Marika are separated could have been covered in a chapter or two and therefore we would have reached the crux of the story much quicker. Admittedly, this is where I really became gripped and I thought things were much more exciting as we followed Anna’s journey. All that said, Catherine Hokin is a brilliant writer and each of the three books that I have read by her have been fantastic after my initial issues which always resolve themselves. I’d just love to be hooked from page one because when the author really gets going its difficult to leave one of her books down. The Lost Mother is a beautiful and heart breaking read as mentioned on the front cover and definitely a worthy addition to the historical fiction genre.
On her deathbed her mother left her a photo of her real mother. It showed two young women in a hoppegarten in Germany. Peggy is afraid that Germany has a very deep claim on her and she is not sure if she is willing and able to assert this claim given the consequences that revelation might bring. Peggy goes back and forth an awful lot as to what she should do. Whereas I thought, really she has nothing to lose she should just go for it. When she realises that one of the women in the picture is actress Louise Baker, who is still alive and working in Hollywood, Peggy’s mind is made for her. She sets off on a road trip across America until she reaches Los Angeles. Is this the city where all her questions will be answered? A change in her life’s direction and a confrontation may await. Can she cope with what she discovers and at the same time can she boost her career as a journalist and make it big in a new city? Or is the story she is pursuing just too personal to be splashed across the pages of a newspaper?
To be honest I didn’t really care for Peggy, all that much. Initially she came across as weak, insecure and indecisive and I just couldn’t gel with her at all. I was glad when she reached Hollywood because then we started to be brought back to the past and this aspect of the story I found to be much more interesting and gripping. Yes, we needed Peggy in the later years carrying out her search/quest in order to tie the two strands of the story together and to complete the bigger picture but I found myself rushing through chapters from her perspective when they appeared in order to get back to Anna’s story which really grew in intensity the further it progressed. Peggy has the task of finding Louise Baker and getting answers but when someone is cold and aloof, they mightn’t be willing to give all the answers in order to protect their own skin. It’s only towards the end I felt that Peggy grew a real backbone and started using her investigative journalistic skills to the max. She was pushing forward in seeking the truth and wouldn’t let sleeping dogs lie. After all the answers she seeks although they may be detrimental to others she needs to find them to satisfy her own personal issues and to resolve her past. Yes there was some love interest for her along the way but if that had been omitted it wouldn’t have bothered me in the slightest as it really isn’t a major focus of the overall plot.
Anna was the stand out character for me. She grew up in Berlin and along with her friend Marika in 1939, after attending drama school was about to audition for UFA, Germany’s biggest and oldest film company. A job here meant an illustrious career awaited. Marika was very different to anyone that Anna had ever met before. She was a whirlwind in that she was charming and ambitious but at the same she was nobody’s fool and she was spoiled, selfish, and ruthlessly competitive. I didn’t like Marika one bit, I always thought she believed herself too good for a friendship with Anna and that she would walk all over her to get what she wanted for more gain and fame. Anna has a relationship with Eddy, a trainee director, but even Marika doesn’t see fit that this should last and happiness be found. With the rise of Hitler and his propaganda, laws and cruelty the girls were stuck between a rock and a hard place especially as Joseph Goebbels the minister for propaganda for the Nationalist Socialist Party really sets his teeth into the pair.
Here is where I felt, there was a lot of to-ing and fro-ing without much happening and I think it could have been shortened and the real major part of the story would have gotten going much quicker. For reasons I won’t go into, Anna finds her life torn in two and what was promised for her is no more. An act of betrayal and just pure selfishness and worrying about one’s own personal ego and further career development leaves Anna in danger and from this point on the story ramped up a gear and the momentum did not let up until the very last page. I became deeply invested in Anna’s story. She wanted just to fall apart but she knew she couldn’t given what she had discovered about her personal circumstances. I thought part two really gave us a fascinating insight into what happened to Anna once what she believed to be the worst that could befall her had happened. Little did she know what awaited her and part two was brilliantly written and I felt I was on a real journey with the character. America becomes the predominant setting and to be honest this was a real eye opener as one just presumes that although the Americans did join the war that not much happened on American soil rather the people continued on as best they could.
But this story shows the Germans and Nazi’s rule extended far and wide. That they got in and immersed themselves in communities and spread fear, their absurd ideas and radicalism everywhere. Anna was brave, forthright and she put her life on the line so many times all with one goal in mind and through her story I was given a glimpse into an aspect of America during the war that I had never heard about before. Anna really was caught, the love for someone that was hers but for a brief moment drove her own through the hardships, dangers and fears she endures and she earned my respect for the dignity she showed in what she went through. You could tell she is restless, angry and has one goal in mind but so many obstacles are thrown in her way. The direction she takes is a surprising one and I felt at times with her it was out of the frying pan and into the fire. She was a remarkable woman that was served such an injustice. As you read, you just hope that this wrong can be put right and some form of happiness be found for all involved. But old wounds do cut very deep.
What is it that for me books by Catherine Hokin that after a very slow start it’s only at the midway point or in this case the 60% mark that within a turn of a page they become gripping. It’s like an entirely different story is unfolding with a sentence or two things suddenly change and I become invested in what is happening. Part two had me even forgetting about Peggy and her search in the 1950’s. The beginning for me was too drawn out until we finally got to the heart of the story and we get to see what happened to Anna. I found there was too much extra information given in the initial chapters and I thought the reason for and the point where Anna and Marika are separated could have been covered in a chapter or two and therefore we would have reached the crux of the story much quicker. Admittedly, this is where I really became gripped and I thought things were much more exciting as we followed Anna’s journey. All that said, Catherine Hokin is a brilliant writer and each of the three books that I have read by her have been fantastic after my initial issues which always resolve themselves. I’d just love to be hooked from page one because when the author really gets going its difficult to leave one of her books down. The Lost Mother is a beautiful and heart breaking read as mentioned on the front cover and definitely a worthy addition to the historical fiction genre.
February 15, 2021
A truly captivating story filled with strong female characters that is equal parts heartbreaking and heartwarming
January 26, 2023
God underholdning, men heller ikke mere.
Read
July 8, 2021Heartbreaking yet satisfying
I am an avid reader of WWII historical fiction. Sometimes I stay away for a while as the stories can be very similar. That was not the case here. This was a completely new perspective from those forced to be in Goebbels presence the years prior to the war to how Germans were received and perceived when they emigrated to the U.S. Lots of new information for me which I inhaled! Loved this story! Read it - you won't be disappointed.
I am an avid reader of WWII historical fiction. Sometimes I stay away for a while as the stories can be very similar. That was not the case here. This was a completely new perspective from those forced to be in Goebbels presence the years prior to the war to how Germans were received and perceived when they emigrated to the U.S. Lots of new information for me which I inhaled! Loved this story! Read it - you won't be disappointed.
December 17, 2020
What is it about World War Two stories that are endlessly fascinating to both readers and authors? I think it’s because WW2 is full of monsters as well as many who suffered atrocities almost impossible to imagine. In the historical novel, ‘All Who Wander’ by Catherine Hokin, German Propaganda Minister Joseph Goebbels is the monster and Anna Tiegel reveals the injustice she suffered at the cruel hand of someone with far-reaching power. To a lesser extent, but by no means any less monstrous, is bunds-fuehrer, Fritz Kuhn, and his hand in the suffering of both Anna and her best friend, Marika.
This is also a story about a woman, Peggy Bailey, from Rhode Island, who in 1957 embarks on a journey to find her birth mother, armed only with a photo that was tucked into her blanket at adoption. Peggy didn’t know her birth mother’s name but had discovered a broach in her adoptive mother’s belongings that she believed linked to her birth mother. Peggy’s desperate search for belonging and identity brings her in touch with two women involved in the film industry who had fled from Goebbels’ influence and escaped to America. Will they be willing to reveal their former identity to help Peggy or will they remain hidden?
This unique perspective on some lesser-known aspects of WW2 is extremely well-researched and well-written. There are many historical fiction novels written during this time period, but none I’ve read focus on the story of German internment and the activities of the Bund in WW2. I was completely unaware of Goebbels controlling force in German cinema nor how propaganda became a major element in the films produced during this time. It stands to sense that the Nazi Party saw cinema’s true power and the scope of influence it had. Goebbels ran every media outlet in Germany and the cinema was his favourite. Hokin builds her story on the documented influence and demands of Goebbels: actors were considered his property and if they refused his demands, careers and families were destroyed. In addition, Hokin informs readers about the German-American Bund that was founded in 1936 and led by German immigrant Fritz Kuhn.
Hokin has crafted a richly rewarding novel that draws readers in from the first few pages and continues to engage them due to her storyline full of the unexpected. It’s a story that will make you pause and think about war, consequences, choices and the power of love. To be published January 28, 2021, this is one of those novels that should be on every historical fiction lovers ‘must-have’ list.
Thank you to Catherine Hokin, Bookouture and NetGalley for this amazing gift in exchange for my honest review.
This is also a story about a woman, Peggy Bailey, from Rhode Island, who in 1957 embarks on a journey to find her birth mother, armed only with a photo that was tucked into her blanket at adoption. Peggy didn’t know her birth mother’s name but had discovered a broach in her adoptive mother’s belongings that she believed linked to her birth mother. Peggy’s desperate search for belonging and identity brings her in touch with two women involved in the film industry who had fled from Goebbels’ influence and escaped to America. Will they be willing to reveal their former identity to help Peggy or will they remain hidden?
This unique perspective on some lesser-known aspects of WW2 is extremely well-researched and well-written. There are many historical fiction novels written during this time period, but none I’ve read focus on the story of German internment and the activities of the Bund in WW2. I was completely unaware of Goebbels controlling force in German cinema nor how propaganda became a major element in the films produced during this time. It stands to sense that the Nazi Party saw cinema’s true power and the scope of influence it had. Goebbels ran every media outlet in Germany and the cinema was his favourite. Hokin builds her story on the documented influence and demands of Goebbels: actors were considered his property and if they refused his demands, careers and families were destroyed. In addition, Hokin informs readers about the German-American Bund that was founded in 1936 and led by German immigrant Fritz Kuhn.
Hokin has crafted a richly rewarding novel that draws readers in from the first few pages and continues to engage them due to her storyline full of the unexpected. It’s a story that will make you pause and think about war, consequences, choices and the power of love. To be published January 28, 2021, this is one of those novels that should be on every historical fiction lovers ‘must-have’ list.
Thank you to Catherine Hokin, Bookouture and NetGalley for this amazing gift in exchange for my honest review.
July 17, 2021
This is a good story. It follows the life of a young girl in Germany during WW11 and the decisions she made. Those decisions impacted her life and the years during and after the war. The lost years of not knowing her child and the reunion is emotional but so heart wrenching. A good ending to this story.
April 29, 2021
I am a HUGE fan of Catherine Hokin’s books. They’re always well-crafted with memorable characters and storylines that weave timelines seamlessly. That’s certainly the case here. As with many historical fiction novels, there is the need for a more contemporary storyline that allows for the historical line to be told. In this case, the contemporary storyline was 1957, where we get Peggy’s story. However, it’s really Anna’s story to be told, and that’s what had me turning pages. There were many unique sections to this book – events and other things that aren’t as common in WWII historical fiction. You’ll learn a lot of forgotten history in the midst of a compelling storyline in this book. Highly recommended. For a detailed review, please visit Fireflies and Free Kicks. Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for a digital ARC of the book.
June 6, 2021
A poignant, heartbreaking ww2 story.
What a unusual plot with so many twists and turns. I had a hard time keeping up with it all. Truly a intense read that pulls you. Written in two timelines of the 1930’s and 1950.
I felt the story jumped around a bit too much and was slow in parts. It, not slow enough to stop me from reading on. The history aspect was very interesting and showed a part of history I hadn’t read too much about.
I would definitely recommend this historical fiction to anyone intrigued in this era. There is a fountain of information included you may not have knowledge of.
Thank you to NetGallery, the publisher and author for the opportunity to read this book for my honest opinion. All opinions expressed are my own.
What a unusual plot with so many twists and turns. I had a hard time keeping up with it all. Truly a intense read that pulls you. Written in two timelines of the 1930’s and 1950.
I felt the story jumped around a bit too much and was slow in parts. It, not slow enough to stop me from reading on. The history aspect was very interesting and showed a part of history I hadn’t read too much about.
I would definitely recommend this historical fiction to anyone intrigued in this era. There is a fountain of information included you may not have knowledge of.
Thank you to NetGallery, the publisher and author for the opportunity to read this book for my honest opinion. All opinions expressed are my own.
Read
February 5, 2022I haven't found a review by a male reader so far which is a pity because it is a really great book hich will appeal to both sexes. I read a lot about the pre and post war periods and this is a sensitive, thoughtful, well written and fascinating story. I will definitely buy more of her books.
January 4, 2021
The Lost Mother by Catherine Hokin is a wonderful piece of historical fiction that blends together World War 2 era Germany and 1950's Hollywood in an epic and heart breaking story of love and loss, family and fame.
In 1950's Rhode Island Peggy Bailey is struggling to come to terms with her mother's death, and with the puzzle she left behind, a mysterious photograph of two young women which seems to have been taken in pre war Germany. Peggy knows she was adopted but knows nothing about her birth mother , other than that she was German , and now she has a clue that could lead her to the woman who gave her up. A little detective work soon leads to a shocking discovery, one of the women in the photograph has reinvented herself as a siren of the silver screen while hiding her past in Nazi Germany. Could Peggy be her daughter, or if not then the daughter of the other woman in the photograph?
In the second timeline we travel to 1930's Berlin where we meet Anna and Marika. two young actresses on the verge of launching their careers. Anna dreams of becoming a leading lady on the stage while Markia is drawn to the rapidly evolving art of the cinema, and has caught the eye of Goebbels who sees her potential as more than a leading lady.
While one thread of the story follows Peggy in the hunt for her roots, the other follows Anna as she is forced by Goebbels to flee Germany for the United States , where she soon finds herself an unwilling double agent forced to infiltrate the German American Bund , an organisation which supported the Nazi cause and later interned as an Enemy Alien for the duration of the war.
I very much enjoyed this book, particularly Anna's story which was different from any of the other WW2 era books I had read before. The research into German cinema of that era pays off in the story telling , and I found the description of her life as an immigrant in New York fascinating as well as the time she spent in the internment camp.
I had not read any of this author's books before but if they are all of the calibre of this one I am thrilled to add them to my to read list.
I read and reviewed an ARC courtesy of NetGalley and the publisher , all opinions are my own.
In 1950's Rhode Island Peggy Bailey is struggling to come to terms with her mother's death, and with the puzzle she left behind, a mysterious photograph of two young women which seems to have been taken in pre war Germany. Peggy knows she was adopted but knows nothing about her birth mother , other than that she was German , and now she has a clue that could lead her to the woman who gave her up. A little detective work soon leads to a shocking discovery, one of the women in the photograph has reinvented herself as a siren of the silver screen while hiding her past in Nazi Germany. Could Peggy be her daughter, or if not then the daughter of the other woman in the photograph?
In the second timeline we travel to 1930's Berlin where we meet Anna and Marika. two young actresses on the verge of launching their careers. Anna dreams of becoming a leading lady on the stage while Markia is drawn to the rapidly evolving art of the cinema, and has caught the eye of Goebbels who sees her potential as more than a leading lady.
While one thread of the story follows Peggy in the hunt for her roots, the other follows Anna as she is forced by Goebbels to flee Germany for the United States , where she soon finds herself an unwilling double agent forced to infiltrate the German American Bund , an organisation which supported the Nazi cause and later interned as an Enemy Alien for the duration of the war.
I very much enjoyed this book, particularly Anna's story which was different from any of the other WW2 era books I had read before. The research into German cinema of that era pays off in the story telling , and I found the description of her life as an immigrant in New York fascinating as well as the time she spent in the internment camp.
I had not read any of this author's books before but if they are all of the calibre of this one I am thrilled to add them to my to read list.
I read and reviewed an ARC courtesy of NetGalley and the publisher , all opinions are my own.
June 6, 2021
The Lost Mother: A Beautiful and Heartbreaking World War 2 Historical Novel is by Catherine Hokin. This incredible novel spans the years of 1931-1959 and has us traveling from Berlin to New York City to Hollywood and back. It is told with incredible attention to details and conveys all the emotions you can imagine. Traveling from the rise of the Nazi movement to the internment of German- American citizens and refugees in the United States to the realization of the total destruction of Berlin after the War, we catch a glimpse of the life Germans (not Nazis) lived through during World War II. The novel shows the tearing apart of families and friends during the war. The connection between Mothers and Daughters is brought to the forefront of the novel. Finally, we get a glimpse of pre-war filmmaking in Berlin and a glimpse of Hollywood as well. Catherine Hokin does not try to sugarcoat the treatment of Germans who came to America to escape from Germany between the wars and from the Nazis. One of the cruelest acts the United States did to German-American families who had been interred in camps in the United States was to send them to Germany, where some of them had never been, at the end of the war. They were sent back with nothing and to nothing as Germany had been bombed to her knees. How were they to cope and what was their “crime”? The book is told in alternate chapters between the early years in Germany and the later years with Peggy Bailey and her search for her mother. The complexity of Peggy’s search doesn’t always include looking at the results her search might bring to others. The book definitely has many points to make us think about a variety of issues as well as just being pure entertainment.
February 24, 2021
On her deathbed, Peggy's adoptive mother reveals a photo of two women, one of which is Peggy's birth mother. Peggy sets off to discover the truth after identifying one of the women as celebrated actress Louise Baker.
The Lost Mother is set over two timelines. We have Peggy's journey for the truth in the 1950s after her discovery of the photo of her birth mother. We also have the story of her mother Anna in the 1930s as she flees from the attention of Goebbels, hides her Jewish heritage and is regarded as a Nazi traitor by the Americans.
Peggy is a wonderfully tenacious character as she ploughs on with her search for her birth mother. Anna is a much gentler character and endures much suffering. Her inner strength and bravery are obvious but more subtly depicted. Her loyalty to her friends, family and the Germany she loves lead her to unhappiness.
I was not aware of the discrimination against Germans in America and wonder how different the story would have been if Anna had focussed on her Jewish heritage and claimed refugee status. This angle is unique among other historical books I have read (and I have read quite a few!) I liked the way that the author didn't shy away from the more unpleasant elements of the American treatment of Germans nor the plot to create a Nazi satelite on American soil.
The Lost Mother is a powerful story of love against the odds and the ending ties up the narrative starnds and offers hope for the characters' futures.
The Lost Mother is set over two timelines. We have Peggy's journey for the truth in the 1950s after her discovery of the photo of her birth mother. We also have the story of her mother Anna in the 1930s as she flees from the attention of Goebbels, hides her Jewish heritage and is regarded as a Nazi traitor by the Americans.
Peggy is a wonderfully tenacious character as she ploughs on with her search for her birth mother. Anna is a much gentler character and endures much suffering. Her inner strength and bravery are obvious but more subtly depicted. Her loyalty to her friends, family and the Germany she loves lead her to unhappiness.
I was not aware of the discrimination against Germans in America and wonder how different the story would have been if Anna had focussed on her Jewish heritage and claimed refugee status. This angle is unique among other historical books I have read (and I have read quite a few!) I liked the way that the author didn't shy away from the more unpleasant elements of the American treatment of Germans nor the plot to create a Nazi satelite on American soil.
The Lost Mother is a powerful story of love against the odds and the ending ties up the narrative starnds and offers hope for the characters' futures.
January 3, 2021
I love Historical Fiction and almost never give a book in that genre less than 4 stars. However, this book fell a little flat for me.
Had it just been from the perspective of Anna, this would have been a higher rated book for me. I really loved her story, even though it was heartbreaking. I connected with her because she showed emotion. It felt real to me. Thats what I look for in Historical Fiction.
Peggy, on the other hand, I could have done without her. Which is odd I know, considering the premise of the book. Nothing about her story, her character was believable. She came across as a whiny, all about me young woman and I was not here for it. I would have much preferred her to be written a little differently to reflect the story that was being told.
The book did take me a bit to get into but once I finally did I was engrossed enough to not want to put it down at times. I do prefer shorter chapters and this book had some that were fairly long. The story also seemed to jump around a bit. I love dual timelines, which this book had, but this didn’t seem to have a seamless flow at points.
Overall, I give this 3.5 stars. I enjoyed it and would recommend. I will also be checking out more from this author.
Thank You to Netgalley, Catherine Hokin and the publisher for an early copy of this book.
Had it just been from the perspective of Anna, this would have been a higher rated book for me. I really loved her story, even though it was heartbreaking. I connected with her because she showed emotion. It felt real to me. Thats what I look for in Historical Fiction.
Peggy, on the other hand, I could have done without her. Which is odd I know, considering the premise of the book. Nothing about her story, her character was believable. She came across as a whiny, all about me young woman and I was not here for it. I would have much preferred her to be written a little differently to reflect the story that was being told.
The book did take me a bit to get into but once I finally did I was engrossed enough to not want to put it down at times. I do prefer shorter chapters and this book had some that were fairly long. The story also seemed to jump around a bit. I love dual timelines, which this book had, but this didn’t seem to have a seamless flow at points.
Overall, I give this 3.5 stars. I enjoyed it and would recommend. I will also be checking out more from this author.
Thank You to Netgalley, Catherine Hokin and the publisher for an early copy of this book.
January 17, 2021
Thank you @netgalley and @bookouture for this advance reader copy of The Lost Mother written by Catherine Hokin in exchange for an honest review.
With life, love and loss being the central themes of this novel set in the turmultous time period of 1930 through to 1950, we follow two strong female leads:
✨Talented actress Anna living with her family and partner Eddy in Berlin, having to use her acting not just on the stage but now in a way like no other; to survive as both herself and best friend and fellow actress Marika receive unwanted attention from infamous Joseph Goebbels, minister of propaganda for the German Third Reich, responsible for presenting a favourable image of the Nazi regime to the German people; and
✨ Young Penny living on Rhode Island, survivor of her late adopted parents, in search of her family’s heritage with just a faded photograph to go by and leads that are less than willing to unearth the past and provide her with information to assist in locating the whereabouts of her biological parents.
This book is full of emotion and strength, of love and of heartbreak. Whilst it felt a bit rushed in parts, this is a beautifully written historical fiction novel. A great piece of storytelling that I’d highly recommend you pick up. 4 🌟 from me!
✨ Publication date: 28th January 2021 ✨
With life, love and loss being the central themes of this novel set in the turmultous time period of 1930 through to 1950, we follow two strong female leads:
✨Talented actress Anna living with her family and partner Eddy in Berlin, having to use her acting not just on the stage but now in a way like no other; to survive as both herself and best friend and fellow actress Marika receive unwanted attention from infamous Joseph Goebbels, minister of propaganda for the German Third Reich, responsible for presenting a favourable image of the Nazi regime to the German people; and
✨ Young Penny living on Rhode Island, survivor of her late adopted parents, in search of her family’s heritage with just a faded photograph to go by and leads that are less than willing to unearth the past and provide her with information to assist in locating the whereabouts of her biological parents.
This book is full of emotion and strength, of love and of heartbreak. Whilst it felt a bit rushed in parts, this is a beautifully written historical fiction novel. A great piece of storytelling that I’d highly recommend you pick up. 4 🌟 from me!
✨ Publication date: 28th January 2021 ✨
January 31, 2021
Review originally published here: https://joyfulantidotes.com/2021/01/2...
I’ve read a lot of WWII historical fiction at this point so with each new book I read, I try to pick out something I hadn’t come encountered previously In this case, it was interesting to learn how Germans were treated in America during the war. And, although it makes perfect sense, I wasn’t aware of Nazi party support groups set up in other countries. I really enjoyed delving into that aspect of the war.
However, I was disappointed that it took a large chunk of the book for me to find a more unique story. Although everything previous allowed me to get a good feel for the characters, I felt the chapters set in Berlin went too much into explaining the war. There wasn’t any new perspective and some sections rattled off too much like a school history book for me.
As a character, I loved what Anna brought to the table. I built up such empathy towards her that didn’t falter throughout the course of the book. Through her character, the reader got a sense of the people who tried to stand up against the regime and those that were forced into situations they didn’t agree with. On the flip side to that was Marika, Anna’s best friend, who represented those that made choices against their morals if those choices suited their own selfish purpose at the time. While the book didn’t go extremely deep into these areas, they were a welcome addition.
Peggy serves as another main character in The Lost Mother. I actually enjoyed Peggy’s story the most. While the story of finding a birth mother is not necessarily new, I enjoyed following her search, coupled with her desire to become a journalist. Actually, I was disappointed that Peggy’s story suffers a big pause in the book to focus on Anna. Of course this was necessary to the plot, but it stunted my reading flow to be dragged away from a character I was enjoying.
Overall, I enjoyed The Lost Mother. It has some different elements to other books I’ve read based during WWII, and I was appreciative that the main focus wasn’t a love story.
I’ve read a lot of WWII historical fiction at this point so with each new book I read, I try to pick out something I hadn’t come encountered previously In this case, it was interesting to learn how Germans were treated in America during the war. And, although it makes perfect sense, I wasn’t aware of Nazi party support groups set up in other countries. I really enjoyed delving into that aspect of the war.
However, I was disappointed that it took a large chunk of the book for me to find a more unique story. Although everything previous allowed me to get a good feel for the characters, I felt the chapters set in Berlin went too much into explaining the war. There wasn’t any new perspective and some sections rattled off too much like a school history book for me.
As a character, I loved what Anna brought to the table. I built up such empathy towards her that didn’t falter throughout the course of the book. Through her character, the reader got a sense of the people who tried to stand up against the regime and those that were forced into situations they didn’t agree with. On the flip side to that was Marika, Anna’s best friend, who represented those that made choices against their morals if those choices suited their own selfish purpose at the time. While the book didn’t go extremely deep into these areas, they were a welcome addition.
Peggy serves as another main character in The Lost Mother. I actually enjoyed Peggy’s story the most. While the story of finding a birth mother is not necessarily new, I enjoyed following her search, coupled with her desire to become a journalist. Actually, I was disappointed that Peggy’s story suffers a big pause in the book to focus on Anna. Of course this was necessary to the plot, but it stunted my reading flow to be dragged away from a character I was enjoying.
Overall, I enjoyed The Lost Mother. It has some different elements to other books I’ve read based during WWII, and I was appreciative that the main focus wasn’t a love story.
January 28, 2021
When Peggy's adoptive mom dies she's left without any family. Her mother waits until her last days to tell her what little she knows about the day they picked her up from the hospital.. A photo with two young girls was tucked inside Peggy's baby blanket and her mother held onto it all this time. Peggy can't stop looking at the photo because one of the girls looks familiar to her. Once she realizes she has a lead she travels to America to hopefully find her mother or someone who may know her mother.
Anna is an actress on the big screen but her real passion is the theater. She loves performing but doesn’t like the pressure of the parties and social life that comes with it. When the minister takes notices of Anna and her beauty she knows she cannot get away from him easily, or he’ll make her pay. Plans to star in a big film in America is her escape and her boyfriend and best friend have worked out all the details to escape. The Germans are making their presence known more and more so Anna must leave behind everything and leave. When she discovers that her boyfriend and best friend have left without her call she feels betrayed but also frightened. The minister is after her and little by little starts stripping her Of everything she loves. Her family, her job, and her freedom.
Anna is an actress on the big screen but her real passion is the theater. She loves performing but doesn’t like the pressure of the parties and social life that comes with it. When the minister takes notices of Anna and her beauty she knows she cannot get away from him easily, or he’ll make her pay. Plans to star in a big film in America is her escape and her boyfriend and best friend have worked out all the details to escape. The Germans are making their presence known more and more so Anna must leave behind everything and leave. When she discovers that her boyfriend and best friend have left without her call she feels betrayed but also frightened. The minister is after her and little by little starts stripping her Of everything she loves. Her family, her job, and her freedom.
January 26, 2021
The story is divided into Present Day set in 1957 and 1934 during the Nazi rule in Germany. In 1957, Peggy realizes that she was adopted when her adopted mother Joan gives her a picture of two women who happened to be German--and one of them is the famous Hollywood actress, Louise. As she flies all the way from Rhode Island to L.A. to cover about her birth mother did she finds out more about the history of her mother...
I do love historical fiction, mainly based on WWII and Holocaust, and this was actually a different kind of historical novel I read. Really do like the plot line. The writing was gripping and intense, the author did a good job drawing the reader into the story. There were some parts where it was too emotional and heartbreaking particularly Anna Tiegel who went through hardships after she left Berlin to escape from Goebbels's revenge and that she was part Jewish to America, where she still couldn't escape the fact that she was German. It was so heart wrenching and too sad. Overall, this book reminds me of We Were the Lucky Ones--emotional gripping and utterly wrenching story that will make you cry.
Worth five stars!
I do love historical fiction, mainly based on WWII and Holocaust, and this was actually a different kind of historical novel I read. Really do like the plot line. The writing was gripping and intense, the author did a good job drawing the reader into the story. There were some parts where it was too emotional and heartbreaking particularly Anna Tiegel who went through hardships after she left Berlin to escape from Goebbels's revenge and that she was part Jewish to America, where she still couldn't escape the fact that she was German. It was so heart wrenching and too sad. Overall, this book reminds me of We Were the Lucky Ones--emotional gripping and utterly wrenching story that will make you cry.
Worth five stars!
January 29, 2021
It’s hard to even start imagining the kind of trauma, fear and absolute torture people went through during the WW2 in Germany and subsequently other countries.
This story alternated between pre-war / WW2 days of the 1930s and the post war, 1950s. It’s the story of two young women – one from each of these times – bound together.
Peggy, in the 1950s, has recently lost her adoptive mother. The only mother Peggy knew, on her dying bed, pressed a photograph of two young women into Peggy’s hand and whispered that this was found tucked into the blanket she was wrapped in as a baby.
Anna, having faced terrible times, heartache and loss of her father in Nazi Germany, is forced to give up her baby and when she finally lands in the US is constantly looking out for her daughter.
Now Peggy, a journalist by profession, feels compelled to find out which of the young women in the photograph is her mother. And so begins the search for her mother.
How love and the desire to belong to each other wins over fear and betrayal is the essence of this lovely story.
Another winner from this author!
This story alternated between pre-war / WW2 days of the 1930s and the post war, 1950s. It’s the story of two young women – one from each of these times – bound together.
Peggy, in the 1950s, has recently lost her adoptive mother. The only mother Peggy knew, on her dying bed, pressed a photograph of two young women into Peggy’s hand and whispered that this was found tucked into the blanket she was wrapped in as a baby.
Anna, having faced terrible times, heartache and loss of her father in Nazi Germany, is forced to give up her baby and when she finally lands in the US is constantly looking out for her daughter.
Now Peggy, a journalist by profession, feels compelled to find out which of the young women in the photograph is her mother. And so begins the search for her mother.
How love and the desire to belong to each other wins over fear and betrayal is the essence of this lovely story.
Another winner from this author!
January 16, 2021
2 stories intertwined. The story of Anna, an actress in pre-WWII Germany, her resistance of the upcoming regime, betrayal, how she was left behind in Germany by her best friend and her boyfriend. Being stripped of everything, her career, work, life, but also her family, Anna gives birth to a daughter, and gives her up. We follow Anna to New York to find her daughter as she was adopted by an American couple, what it was like to be a German in USA at that time, her struggle, the Bundt (something I never knew) and the Internment camps …. The story of Peggy, a newly graduate journalist, after the death of her mom embarks on the search for her mother.
A different look on WWII, the power of the movies, the grip Goebbels had on the movie industry in Germany. And the “German American Bund" an, of only German born, group formed to promote a favorable view of Nazi Germany in several large US cities.
Thankful to NetGalley and Bookouture for the chance to read this book. I highly recommend reading it, it had me on the edge of my seat, and I learned which is always a plus.
A different look on WWII, the power of the movies, the grip Goebbels had on the movie industry in Germany. And the “German American Bund" an, of only German born, group formed to promote a favorable view of Nazi Germany in several large US cities.
Thankful to NetGalley and Bookouture for the chance to read this book. I highly recommend reading it, it had me on the edge of my seat, and I learned which is always a plus.
March 12, 2021
I love this author, but I didn't love this book as much as her other two WWII books, although the subject matter was fresh. The book takes place in 1930's Berlin and New York, and 1950's California.
Marika and Anna are best friends, although the friendship is dominated by Marika's wants and Anna basically goes along. Marika's ambition and charisma go to her head, and she shamelessly manipulates people to do her bidding, ultimately including the love of Anna's life. Anna comes to America and ultimately falls victim to the prejudice against ALL Germans that prevails at the time. She is treated horribly by those in authority, from the FBI to the police. In fact, Anna's whole life is marked by being manipulated and tricked by others.
Peggy was adopted as a baby and after her adoptive parents have both died, finds a clue that leads her to look for her biological mother. She finds Marika first, who is now famous and has changed her name and would like to manipulate both Anna and Peggy as she always has with everyone. But Peggy does get the best of her in the end.
Marika and Anna are best friends, although the friendship is dominated by Marika's wants and Anna basically goes along. Marika's ambition and charisma go to her head, and she shamelessly manipulates people to do her bidding, ultimately including the love of Anna's life. Anna comes to America and ultimately falls victim to the prejudice against ALL Germans that prevails at the time. She is treated horribly by those in authority, from the FBI to the police. In fact, Anna's whole life is marked by being manipulated and tricked by others.
Peggy was adopted as a baby and after her adoptive parents have both died, finds a clue that leads her to look for her biological mother. She finds Marika first, who is now famous and has changed her name and would like to manipulate both Anna and Peggy as she always has with everyone. But Peggy does get the best of her in the end.
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