The Stolen Baby

by Diney Costeloe

A new Second World War novel from bestselling author Diney Costeloe, based on a gripping and moving true story. Plymouth, 1941. As sirens blare all around, the Shawbrook family take refuge in a packed shelter. Bombs have already begun to fall through the night sky when they realise their infant son, Freddie, has been forgotten in the rush , left to sleep in his crib. Terrified, Vera, his young mother races to find him and bring him to safety. The next morning, air raid warden David Shawbrook returns from his watch to find the shelter pulverised, and his family seemingly all dead . Dirty footprints inside their home betray the looters who have rifled through the house. Meanwhile, Maggie waits alone for her husband. Since the death of her infant son, she passes her days at home with neither joy nor aim. But not this morning. For this morning her husband has brought home a child , found abandoned in the aftermath of the terrible raid – a child she is sure is the one she held in her arms so many months before. Praise for Diney 'Truly captivating' Woman & Home
'This is a truly captivating read that brings together vibrant characters and a historical setting' Woman's Own
'A gripping saga' My Weekly

Genres: Historical Fiction, Audiobook, Fiction, Historical, Crime, War, World War II

448 pages, Paperback

First published September 2, 2021

About the author

Encouraged by my publisher father, I have been writing all my life. When I was five, he took my first effort to his office and brought it back in a cardboard cover with the label, 'Tom's Party'written by Diney, published by Daddy.
I've never looked back and always have some writing on the go.
To date I have written 10 romantic novels under the name of Diney Delancey (I liked the shape of the name and it sounded like a romantic novelist) and four novels as Diney Costeloe.
All are also in large print and several recently published as e-books.
See my reviews on Amazon and on my website, http://www.dineycosteloe.co.uk or http://castlehavenbooks.co.uk

Reviews

[MarilynW · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Stolen Baby by Diney Costeloe (Author), Ella Lynch (Narrator)

This story grabbed my attention when I saw the audiobook available on NetGalley. The audio narration had me picturing all the events so very well, as if I was there with the characters. There were a couple of times when tears came to my eyes, knowing that not only these characters went through losing so much to the bombing of the English cities, but countless real life families. Life with bombings of homes, hospitals, bomb shelters and more, took a toll on everybody, one way or another.

It's 1941, Plymouth, and air raid warden, David Shawbrook, is hard at work helping people get to safety during the latest heavy bombing. When it's over, he finds his home bombed and the shelter where his family took refuge, pulverized. The loss of his wife and so many of his children is unbearable and only the fact that he is so desperately needed by others. who've lost so much, is all that keeps him going. Thank goodness he still has a son overseas (if he hasn't been killed in the war) and a daughter who is nursing in another city.

During that same bombing, Maggie's husband found a nine month old baby, left alone in a bombed out house. Knowing he shouldn't do it, he takes the baby home to his wife, who has been despondent since they lost their newborn nine months ago. Little does he know it but he's setting into motion devious plans by Maggie, while David and his remaining daughter(s) search for the baby that was accidently left in their house during the air raid.

I've been drawn to stories the detail the hardships and heartbreak of those living in the English cities being bombed during WWII. There were those who would take advantage of others when they were at their lowest but even more so were the people who worked to exhaustion trying to help those in need. The love and loyalty of family and friends shines through in this story of a family doing all they can do to find their baby Freddy. I'm definitely going to check out more books by this author.

Expected pub: Oct 12th 2021 (audio version)

Thank you to Dreamscape Media and NetGalley for this ARC.

[Di · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have read several books by Diney Costeloe and enjoyed each one. She primarily writes books that are set during WW2. But she doesn't write about the war as much as she writes about the people.

The writing style is simple yet reading one of Ms. Costeloe's books is like meeting a new friend.

This book is about a baby that was accidentally left behind as a family fled to a bunker during an air raid in London. He was found the next day by a police officer who took him home until the next day when he would turn the baby over to the proper authorities. Through war circumstances, the baby ended up with the police officer's widow and she decided the flee with the baby. Thus, the baby ended up being “stolen”. The rest of the book centres around the birth family trying to track down their baby. There are lots of juicy details along the way.

I have read other stories about children that are stolen. While this is obviously a crime, it often is not with criminal intent. As a reader observing from afar I can sympathize with the birth family and empathize with the perpetrator. Although this particular perp didn't garner as much empathy as others have done. This story is interesting, the characters are good people, victims of terrible circumstances. There is a bit of intrigue, a bit of romance, and some suspense.

The one problem I did have was that there were a couple of coincidences that occurred that seemed very unlikely. But, since I read for the sole purpose of entertainment and relaxation, I am not dwelling on this.

While The Stolen Baby kept me turning pages, waiting to see how everything would come together, I don't think this one is as good as the other books by Ms. Costeloe. But, nevertheless, it was still a satisfying read.

[Jennifer · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5⭐️
This was unthinkable to me because I couldn’t imagine stealing a baby? It was war time and I really thought that this child would fall through the cracks. The story was sorta sad and it was making me crazy how long it took to get to the truth. I liked the story but wanted a little more details and wanted to like the main characters more.
I chose to listen to this book on audio and really liked the narrator Ella Lynch.
This was 11 hours and 22 minutes.
Thanks Dreamscape Media via Netgalley.

[Marloes · Rating 3 out of 5]

Plymouth, 1941. Wanneer de sirene afgaat om te waarschuwen voor een nieuwe luchtaanval, rent de 18-jarige Vera Shawbrook vanuit de pub naar de openbare schuilkelder, waar ze haar familie treft. Tot haar schrik is haar zoontje Freddie daar niet aanwezig. De 9 maanden oude baby ligt nog thuis in zijn bedje, omdat Vera hem tijdens een evacuatie zou meenemen maar nog niet thuis was toen het alarm begon te loeien. Wanhopig rent ze terug naar huis om hem op te halen, terwijl de bommen al vallen.

Maggie Peterson verloor haar zoontje Roger vlak na de bevalling, en sindsdien heeft ze het gevoel dat haar leven geen zin meer heeft. Ze sleept zich door de dagen heen, houdt zich afzijdig van alles en iedereen en wil het liefst verdwijnen. Totdat haar man, een brigadier, op een ochtend thuiskomt met een baby die hij na het bombardement van de afgelopen nacht in een huis heeft gevonden. Maggie is ervan overtuigd dat haar baby naar haar is teruggekomen en doet er alles aan om hem bij zich te houden.

Diney Costeloe schrijft meeslepende, emotionele verhalen over de levens van gewone mensen tijdens de oorlog, en Het gestolen kind is hierop geen uitzondering. Door haar uiterst soepele en beeldende stijl blijf je bladzijde na bladzijde omslaan en de verschillende personages worden goed uitgewerkt, waardoor je met hen gaat meeleven. Vooral de perspectieven van de leden van de familie Shawbrook spraken mij aan, want hoewel je de acties van Maggie natuurlijk moet koppelen aan haar psychische gesteldheid, kon ik veel van haar beslissingen niet volledig begrijpen. Ze weet immers vaak heel goed wat ze doet, terwijl ze zelf ook de pijn van zo’n groot verlies kent.

Het grote verdriet van de vader van de familie Shawbrook, de kracht van dochter Mu die als verpleegster werkt en overplaatsing naar Plymouth aanvraagt om bij haar familie te zijn, terwijl ze daarvoor haar eigen geluk opgeeft, en de zoektocht naar Freddie zijn levensecht op papier gezet en raken je. Hoewel er veel toevalligheden in het verhaal voorkomen waardoor enkele gebeurtenissen elkaar kunnen opvolgen, wat ik niet overal even geloofwaardig vond, worden de levens van de verschillende personages zo sterk met elkaar verbonden en brengen enkele ontwikkelingen wat spanning met zich mee. Dit verhaal over hoe één beslissing verschillende levens kan beïnvloeden, over angst, hoop, verlies, liefde, kracht, saamhorigheid, leugens, verdriet en moed is dan ook zeker een aanrader als je eens een boeiend, ontroerend en origineel oorlogsverhaal wilt lezen!

3.5⭐️

[Bookworm · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars

I was unexpectedly emotional listening to this audiobook. The first half was heartfelt and pulled at my heart strings. The second half shifted into more of a crime adventure. Both halves were engaging but I wasn’t as emotionally impacted during the second half.

The story takes place in Plymouth during the air raids in WW2, in which many civilians were killed and homes destroyed. Muriel is a nurse in Portsmouth, where she meets the love of her life. As they are making plans to marry, she receives the devastating news that almost her whole family has been killed by a bomb. Meanwhile, Maggie is grieving the loss of her newborn son seven months ago when her husband brings home a rescued baby. She immediately falls in love with the boy and wants to keep him, despite her husband’s plans to take the baby to a home and register him so his real family can find him. The two storylines eventually merge.

The WW2 setting was one I haven’t read about before and I was fascinated by the historical details. Some of the police dialogue towards the end was annoying and frustrating, given their patronizing demeanours. However, I’m sure that it was probably historically accurate. The audio performance was mediocre. I didn’t like some of the character voices, in particular Muriel’s. I think a narrator with a more confident sounding voice would’ve been a better fit.

Thank you to Netgalley and Dreamscape Media for an advanced audio copy in exchange for an honest review.

[mrsbookburnee Niamh Burnett · Rating 4 out of 5]

I adored every page of this book, such beautiful writing, the fact that this is based on a true story, makes it even more special.

Through the authors writing style, you really feel that you are within the story, I fully envisaged what was happing during the air raids and the emotions those who experienced them felt. My heart broke for those in the opening scenes.

I had full sympathy for Maggie and understood the decisions she made, the remaining Shawbrooks demonstrated how families pull together and the strength of character that those during those times had.

I am looking forward to reading more of the authors work and highly recommend this book to any history fans.

[Mozaika Literacka · Rating 4 out of 5]

Poruszająca konfrontacja matczynych uczuć – historia zauważalnie dramatyczna, emocjonalna i delikatna, w odczuciu wręcz dobitna i rozczulająca. Skradzione dziecko to niezwykle angażująca powieść historyczna, książka jawnie domagająca się troski i współczucia, efektownie portretująca bezkresną siłę macierzyństwa i jednocześnie ukazująca naturalnie rodzące się piękno miłości, nawet w obliczu szaleństwa wojennej zawieruchy. Bo przecież tłem jest tutaj trwająca wojna, która rani i zabija dosłownie na oczach czytelnika. I to właśnie bezduszna sceneria sprawia, że powieść staje się tak bardzo charakterna, nieprzewidywalna i zajmująca.

[Sarah Edwards · Rating 4 out of 5]

Set in Plymouth during the second world war, this is a far more modern setting than some of the author’s other books, but the story was equally as absorbing. I really enjoyed following the twists & turns of both fate & the determined efforts of the characters as the story unfolded. Whilst the police procedural aspects were not overly representative of the time, this was a hugely enjoyable read & shouldn’t disappoint Diney’s many fans. Please keep them coming Diney!

[Joyce tuffs · Rating 5 out of 5]

A brilliant story.

I really loved this story. It was so emotional and told the devastation of war and how a family pulled together.

[Demi Stein · Rating 4 out of 5]

Samenvatting:
Een bombardement zorgt ervoor dat de familie Shawbrook in Plymouth hun toevlucht zoekt in de openbare schuilkelder. De afspraak is: Moeders van het gezin zorgt ervoor dat bijna iedereen in de schuilkelder komt. Vera zorgt ervoor dat de kleine Freddie mee komt. Vera is op het moment echter niet thuis, waardoor de kleine Freddie vergeten wordt. Met gevaar voor eigen leven gaat Vera door de vallende bommen alsnog naar Freddie toe...

Maggie heeft haar zoontje verloren, direct na de geboorte. Haar man komt op een ochtend thuis. Na de bombardementen van de afgelopen nacht heeft hij in een verlaten huis een baby aangetroffen. Maggie is ervan overtuigd dat dit haar zoontje is.

--

Gevonden kind in oorlogstijd
Vanuit de achterflap krijg je al een vermoeden wat er gaat gebeuren. Wie de jongen is die Maggie als haar zoon ziet. Hierdoor verwachtte ik dat het boek saai en langdradig zal zijn, maar dit is niet het geval.

Colin, de man van Maggie, maakt een beslissing die verkeerd uitpakt. Het is echter een beslissing die zeer logisch is, waardoor je je gemakkelijk kan voorstellen hoe het gegaan is. Diney Costeloe schrijft dan ook erg beeldend en belicht het verhaal vanuit veel personages, waardoor je een goed beeld krijgt van de situatie.

Schrijfstijl

De schrijfstijl van Costeloe is heel mooi. De zinnen lopen soepel over in elkaar en het verhaal is erg beeldend geschreven. De personages hebben duidelijk herkenbare trekken, waardoor het verhaal goed te volgen is. De schrijfstijl voelt daarnaast vlot aan, waardoor je door het boek heen vliegt.

Onverwacht spannend

Het boek is, totaal onverwacht, behoorlijk spannend. Hoe meer je te weten komt over de familie Shawbrook, de omstandigheden en Maggie, hoe spannender het eigenlijk wordt. Het is een historische roman, maar de spanning valt hier precies goed op zijn plek en maakt het boek des te interessanter om te lezen. Het maakt dat je niet graag stopt met lezen, je wilt weten hoe het eindigt.

Veel personages

Doordat er veel personages in het boek voorkomen, krijg je een duidelijk beeld van de situatie en de gebeurtenissen. Het is echter wel zo dat je hierdoor moet opletten vanuit wie er verteld wordt. Er zijn geen duidelijke tussenkopjes en je kan ineens van het ene personage overspringen naar het andere. Dit voelt wat chaotisch en kan het leesplezier verminderen. Een nadeel aan de vele personages is ook dat het op een aantal stukken wat oppervlakkig overkomt.

Mooie afsluiting

Ondanks dat er veel spanning in het verhaal zit, wordt het verhaal op een prachtige wijze afgesloten. Het einde was niet verassend, maar wel gewenst en zorgt ervoor dat je het boek met een gerust gevoel kan sluiten. Door het gehele boek heen gebeuren er schokkende/ trieste zaken, het is dan ook prachtig wanneer een auteur toch een mooi einde weet te creëren.

Het gestolen kind is een spannende historische roman. Het verhaal is zeker geschikt voor mensen die graag historische romans lezen en graag een stukje diepgang/ spanning in het verhaal willen hebben.

[Jamie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you Netgalley and Dreamscape Media for this advance listener copy in exchange for my honest review.

I enjoyed this book. It wasn't a favorite of mine, but it was interesting. The plot was unique and really set it apart form other WWII fiction. There was no talk of concentration camps, Nazis, Jews or the Holocaust. This was a simple story of a woman who kidnapped a child during the war. The only focuses on the war itself was the mention of air raid sirens and a brief scene upon a warship. The rest of this was a family drama of a family searching for their lost child and the woman who was raising the child as her own.

This was a complicated story that would almost seem unbelievable if it were written about any other time period. During war, there is mass confusion and this was a story of a woman taking advantage of that.

The characters were realistic and I found my self sympathizing with them frequently, even Maggie, the woman who takes the baby. She was just a grieving mother who wanted her child back.

This book really delves into loss and what it was like to lose people during the war. It was a sad story with a happy ending. All in all, three stars. The audio was average, but it fit well with the story itself.

[Shirley McAllister · Rating 5 out of 5]

Where's Freddie?

A story written during WWII, A fatal air raid, a daring rescue, and a baby named Freddie.

The air raid sirens sound and Nancy Shawbrook gathers her family and head for the nearest air raid shelter. While she is in the shelter with her children her daughter Vera comes in at the last minute from the bar where she works. She was having a drink with the bar keep when the sirens sounded. Her mother asks her where is Freddie? Vera says with you and her mother says no you are responsible for Freddie. Vera leaves the shelter to find Freddie who has been left at home.

David Shawbrook is a warden and when he is off shift the next morning after the air raid he finds that his whole family has been killed in the shelter that was directly hit by a bomb during the night. His daughter Meh works at a hospital in another town. He contacts her to let her know what happened. Then Meh finds Vera in the hospital, she was knocked unconscious during the raid and never made it home.

David goes to the home that is now practically falling down. He see's footprints in the dust and thinks it is from looters. Then the Shawbrook family hear from a neighbor boy that a policeman rescued a baby from the home. The policeman is now gone as he died in an air raid the next night.

Now they search for Freddie, where could he have gone, will they ever find him again?

This is a touching story of the grief of a mother losing a child. I have to say I wasn't sympathetic to Vera at all. She was not a character I particularly liked at all, but I did like her sister Mew.

It is a great story of a family banding together to find Vera's child and keep the remaining part of their family together. It is also Mew's story of finding her own life and letting Vera finally fend for herself.

I enjoyed the story as I have all of Diney Costeloe's books. I would recommend this book. I listened to the audiobook and the narrator was very good.

Thanks to Diney Costeloe, Dreamscape Media and NetGalley for allowing me a complimentary copy of the audio-book for my honest review.

[Alexandra - Alexs books and socks · Rating 4 out of 5]

Historische romans in een oorlogse setting, er is maar een auteur die elke keer weer weet te scoren met deze formule. Ook dit keer is Diney Costeloe er weer in geslaagd een mooi en aangrijpend boek te schrijven onder een setting van vallende bommen en oorlog.

De vele personage, die allemaal met elkaar verweven zijn, korte hoofdstukken, een vlotte schrijfstijl zijn maar enkele elementen die een boek van deze auteur zo herkenbaar maken. Angst, oorlog, leugens, verdriet, liefde,… vooral deze lijst aan emoties maken van dit boek weer een succes en een echt Costeloe boek.

Een verhaal dat je meteen raakt en een verhaal dat je een heel boek lang geboeid houdt en waar je moet verder lezen omdat je wil weten hoe dit mooie en aangrijpend verhaal afloopt. Beeldend geschreven zodat je mee schuilt in de kelder van het Plymouth, 1941.

Een boek van Diney Costeloe lezen is altijd een goed idee en Het gestolen kind zal je niet teleurstellen.

[Amy Hagberg · Rating 5 out of 5]

I devoured this book! It’s a real page-turner with great pacing, well-drawn characters, and terrific writing. What more could you ask? Oh yeah, it’s also based on a true story! If you like audiobooks, this one’s a winner. Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an advance reader copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. 5 stars.

[Jeanne · Rating 4 out of 5]

Although this work of historical fiction got off to a slow start, once the plot developed the book was hard to put down. It amazes me the talent some authors have to put a book such as this together, and have everything come together. While I read other stories by this author that I've enjoyed more, this one is worth a read. 7 out of 10.

[Martina · Rating 4 out of 5]

Heerlijk!,, het verhaal (onderwerp)deed me een beetje denken aan het licht van de zee van stedman, maar dan toch wel weer heel anders.
Alle ingrediënten voor een goed verhaal zaten in dit boek;.liefde, rouw, verdriet,
Maar ook weer een opbouw van leven. Aanrader!

[Angela · Rating 5 out of 5]

Story from WW2 set in Plymouth during the air raids. Will the baby get returned to its rightful mother. Read to find out.

Another book by the author of The Girl With No Name.

[Donna McCaul Thibodeau · Rating 4 out of 5]

Baby Freddie is accidentally left behind when his family heads to the bomb shelter. A young boy hears him crying and police constable Colin brings him home to his wife Margaret. They lost their son, Roger, at birth and Margaret immediately thinks that Freddie is Roger's replacement. Colin plans to take the boy into the station but is killed on duty. Margaret decides that Freddie is now Roger, and intends to keep him. But Freddie's mother was not killed in the bombing. Is there any way that she can get her baby back?
I really enjoyed this book. The story flowed nicely and the characters were well developed. I would recommend it.

[Andrea · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was alright. There were spots that were terribly cheesey (and I like cheese), and parts that I thought could be left out completely. I may have felt differently about the characters had I read the book, but I listened to it, and as a result I did not like Vera at all. She was an annoying, whiney brat. Murial was annoying too, but not as bad. If you are thinking of listening, I’d say skip this book. Overall, this book feels very amateurish, and I’m hoping this is the authors first attempt at a novel with room for improvement in the future.

[Lisa · Rating 4 out of 5]

THIS BOOK IS BASED ON A TRUE STORY!?!?!?!

It's 1941, in Plymouth, during World War II. Bombs are falling, sirens screaming, and families are headed to bomb shelters. The Shawbrook family, in particular, has a plan to account for everyone. However, their infant son, Freddie, has been left in his crib, unaccounted for. When his young mother, Vera, realizes this, she leaves the shelter to bring him to safety. Then...a bomb explodes and Vera is knocked unconscious.

The next morning, David Shawbrook, an air warden finds the shelter that his family takes safety in demolished. When he goes to his house, no one is there and there are footprints in the dust near the baby's crib. A sure sign of looters! Did they get little Freddy? Where is he?

Maggie and Colin have just lost their son. Colin Peterson, a police sergeant, has saved little Freddie from the overfilled orphanage he will surely be a part of since his family left him abandoned during the raid. He knows that the boy will be better off with him and Maggie for a bit until he can work things out about the child....until the unthinkable happens.

This was a well played out book! I was not sure HOW the Shawbrooks were going to get baby Freddie back during a time when the world, people and places were in such chaos!! It had me glued to find out Freddie's outcome!

This book had a whole mess of turmoil and disorder during a war; obviously. It also had love, trust and faith. I enjoyed the calm and courageous character of Vera's sister, Mu (Murielle). I despised the cunning and deceitful mindset of Maggie. But this is exactly what makes a compelling read!!

If you enjoy Historical Fiction, don't let this one go...it's captivating in the power of humanity.

Will the baby be found? Will Maggie get her just reward? How does the mystery transpire?

Would you be able to keep a baby that didn't belong to you?

[Lori · Rating 4 out of 5]

Diney Costeloe has a magical way of transporting me back to different places in time. I was first drawn to her books because many are written from a period in time that I’m drawn to. Her covers are also stunning and I am one of those that does judge a book by its cover… initially at least, after all, first impressions do matter; a beautiful cover draws my attention and piques my interest and I’ve several works from this author proudly displayed on my bookshelf. After reading several works from this author, I’ve grown to love her beautiful prose and fine storytelling. The Stolen Baby is a heart wrenching tale that takes place during WWIl, primarily in Plymouth, England. While the story is deemed historical fiction, it’s based on real events and that makes it even more special to me. The Narration by Ella Lynch was fabulous and really brought this one to life. I look forward to adding a copy of this one to to my collection! Readers that enjoy the works of Pam Jenoff, Natasha Leister, Marion Kummerow and Kate Hewitt will enjoy this one.

Thank you to NetGally (@NetGalley), Dream Scape Media (@DreamScapeMedia) and of course the author, Diney Costeloe (@DineyCosteloe) for the opportunity to listen to this advanced audio copy that was wonderfully narrated by @EllaLynch in exchange for an honest and unbiased review. All opinions are my own.

[Kristen Nelson · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received this an audio ARC through Netgalley. The Stolen Baby is a heart wrenching story about a baby that gets left at home during an air raid strike during WWII in England. Ella Lynch does an excellent job as the narrator for this story and made me feel like I was there as she would be talking. In the confusion of an air raid strike, baby Freddy gets left at home. A kind officer finds him the next day and brings him back to his house as the shelters would be packed with people. His wife who had lost a baby 9 months before, believes this is her second chance to be a mum and dreads when she'll have to give the baby back to it's rightful family......or will she try to find a way to keep him as her own?

[Crystal W · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great story and narration!!
Reviewed in the United States on September 30, 2021
This was a wonderful story with an amazing plot, and narration. I would even LOVE to see this turned into a film.

War, bombings, loss, love, and small world connections can all be found in this story. The way Diney Costeloe describes everything, and the way it is read by Ella Lynch, is a match made in Heaven! Together they bring the story to life, helping the reader envision everything that is happening.

When Plymouth is hit with bombs, and families are dispersed into madness, a baby is forgotten. As the story proceeds, we find out what happens with that baby. How his family’s world, can be connected in so many ways to another’s and the affects that can have.

Thank you to: Dreamscape Media for the opportunity to read this book before release. Thank you to Netgalley for providing a service like this that helps promote authors and publishers, and gives readers a chance to help as well.

#TheStolenBaby #NetGalley #Dreamscape Media

[Evelyn · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely loved this book! It's set in England during WWII and is one of the best homefront stories I've read. My favorite character was Muriel Shawbrook, a nurse and the aunt of a baby missing after a night of bombing; she came across as very appealing and the ups and downs of her romantic relationship really had me rooting for her. The other two female characters--Vera, the mother of the missing baby, and Maggie, the woman who keeps the baby even when she realizes his family is looking for him, are somewhat less sympathetic, but given what they each had endured, their flaws are understandable and they are not unlikable. The men in the book are, for the most part, also well drawn and compelling. I had the great pleasure of listening to the audiobook and the narrator, Ella Lynch, is absolutely enchanting, delivering both the lines of the young women and of the men, including one with a Scottish accent, with great charm and authenticity. I highly recommend this wonderful book and thank Dreamscape Media and NetGalley for the audio e-ARC.

[Liz · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a riveting audiobook! The narrator was absolutely perfect for this unusual WWII story - men’s inflections as well as women’s. I could think of little else after I’d started to listen! It certainly reminded me that not all the devastation of war is physical.
The baby at the center of this story is first raised by his young grandmother (to protect her unwed daughter’s reputation), and then by a childless woman on the edge of depression. But is that the end of the story? Little Freddy’s family, the few who survived the German bombing that cast him into a stranger’s home, work feverishly to find him. Woven into their efforts are love stories and friendships and miracles that remind us to never give up. I was surprised by some of the kidnapper’s choices near the end of the book, but pleased with the ending. My first book by Diney Costeloe, but certainly not my last! Thanks to Dreamscape Media and NetGalley for the privilege of an early listen to this marvelous tale.

[Star Gater · Rating 4 out of 5]

Solid four stars. There was no profanity. I enjoyed the storyline, and found it believable. The ending was perfect. While reading/listening I didn't find my mind wandering. The story flowed really well. While the back drop is war, the story is about the baby not the war. I liked the characters and was invested.

Thank you for the opportunity to read and review The Stolen Baby.

#NetGalley
#TheStolenBaby
#DineyCosteloe
#DreamscapeMedia
#Audiobook
#NarratorEllaLynch

[Stacey Anne · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was my first audio book. It was rather enjoyable. The speaker was not monotone and the story easily hooked you. A couple of characters were rather obnoxious in my opinion, but I could have been swayed by the speakers voice. Overall a good read.

[Książkolandia · Rating 4 out of 5]

Książek o tematyce wojennej napisano już bardzo wiele. Choć nie jestem wielbicielką takiej literatury, ta książka mnie przyciągnęła, być może dlatego, że wojna stanowi jedynie tło opowieści.
Dwie rodziny żyjace w Plymouth w czasie drugiej wojny światowej. Co je łączy?
Wielodzietna rodzina Showbrooków ma opracowany plan na wypadek nalotów, w którym każdy członek rodziny ma zadanie do wykonania. Niestety z powodu pośpiechu i paniki spowodowanej niebezpieczeństwem, plan nie zadziałał i malutki Freddie został sam w domu. Jego matka Vera wybiega ze schronu by zabrać synka. Rodzina Petersonów przeniosła się do Plymouth z Londynu po tym, gdy po przedwczesnym porodzie zmarł ich synek Roger. Maggie popada w depresję i nie potrafi się z tym pogodzić. Następnego dnia po nalotach, Colin, mąż Maggie, znajduje w zrujnowanym domu płaczące niemowlę. Biorąc pod uwagę zamieszanie jakie panuje w mieście uznaje, że na razie dziecko będzie bezpieczniejsze i lepiej zaopiekowanie u niego w domu, a nie w sierocińcu. Nie bierze jednak pod uwagę, że Maggie, będąca w depresji po śmierci synka uzna dziecko za swoje i nie będzie chciała go oddać.
Główny wątek obejmuje walkę dwóch kochających matek o dziecko. Vera po traumatycznych przeżyciach po nalocie chce odzyskać swojego syna, a Maggie, która czuje że dziecko odzyskała, zrobi wszystko by je zatrzymać. Tragiczne wydarzenia wojenne mają wpływ na losy obu rodzin, a chwile smutne przeplatane są momentami szczęścia.
Książka oparta jest na prawdziwej historii i na pewno Was zachwyci.

[Stephanie Widdoes · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5 I listened to this on audio and I’m not sure if that’s what made me feel “just ok” about this book, or if it was the book itself. The book starts off with more than half of the family dying, but I didn’t really care because we didn’t get to know them at all.

By the end of the book I didn’t like any of the characters. Vera seems like a spoiled brat the entire book and I didn’t really want her to be reunited with Freddy. Maggie also seemed like an awful person.

I found the parts with Mu and Colin just ok, but I immediately predicted that Colin didn’t really die. I also found it predictable that Vera and Andy got married. But also, like why? What does he see in her? She’s horrible the whole time.

By the end I was just ready for the book to be over.

[Reeca Elliott · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Shawbrook family has a plan for when the sirens go off. Everyone is responsible for somebody. So, when Vera was late one evening because she was partying, Freddie was not picked up out of his crib. He was left at home during the air raid. The next day, a cop happens to hear a baby crying inside the bombed house. He scoops up Freddie. Instead of taking him to one of the shelters, he takes him home to his depressed wife, Maggie.

As you can guess, this story twists around and due to some extreme circumstances, Maggie keeps this sweet baby to raise on her own. But, it does not stop any of his family from searching for him.

I enjoyed the hunt in this story. The process of elimination and the deductions were used to create a unique tale. You will just have to read this to find out how all this works out!

The only issue I had with the narrator was Vera’s voice. But, it may be that I just disliked Vera. But, when Vera was mad the narrator tended to get shrill. But, that is just minor. But, honestly it could be that I really disliked Vera. I found her overbearing and selfish. And sometimes…plain rude!

Need an all around good story…THIS IS IT! Grab your copy today.

I received this novel from the publisher for a honest review.