I’m deeply grateful to everyone who has purchased, read, and taken the time to review one of my books. All profits from my books go to help get dogs like Biscuit, Rosie, Wilbur, Hoggy, Jack, Rickenbacker, Takoda, pregnant Lucy, Gretchen, Boomer, Snow, Tawny, Logan, bonded siblings cookie & honey, Jody, Stella, Gunther, Lola, Jasper, Clancy, Lindsey, Brownie, Gabby, Joceyln, Harry, Eddie, Skippy, Sandy, Sinclair, Teddy Bear, Phoebe, Mickey, Titus, Lonnie, Sofie, Stoic, Bryce, Charlie, Gidget, Kensey, Henry, Sadie, Andorra, Trevor, Praline, Drake, Einstein, Ruger, Lovey & Alfie (see photos below) out of kill shelters. So far in 2019 155 dogs have been rescued. In 2018 670 dogs have been rescued. In 2017 we’ve helped free 904 dogs. In 2016, 250 dogs were freed. In 2015, 149 dogs were freed.
AND please for everyone who’s purchased a book could I humbly ask you to write a review when you’ve completed the read. Amazon promotes and ranks books according to number of reviews in addition to sales. Every voice helps spread the word and that is an energy that can help a dog.
LINK TO PURCHASE ALL MY BOOKS and to see all reviews for all my books click on the books cover:
My books have been ranked in the top 100 best sellers on Amazon U.S. in their categories (historical fiction, teen and young adult, and literary fiction). What an honor to be ranked #87 LITERARY FICTION BEST SELLER next to Paulo Coelho; incredible author of The Alchemist and The Pilgrimage.
Amazon Australia ranked my book NUMBER ONE in all it’s categories: Literary Fiction, Historical Fiction & Teen and Young Adult and is #3 best seller in the entire kindle bookstore.
And in Amazon U.K. it just made it to#1 Best Seller List in Teen & Young Adult Category and #3 in Historical Fiction Category and #24 best seller in the kindle books store.
NEW RELEASE AMAZON RANKING #3 FOR A DIFFERENT KIND OF ANGEL
Well written, Paulette Mahurin pens a terrific historical fiction about a Woman’s heroic journey to America. A Different Kind of Angel: A Novel, sure opened my eyes to a not so ancient past., and sometimes I can’t believe the world in which we live. 5 stars!
A Different Kind of Angel by Paulette Mahurin is the incredible story of Klara Gelfman, a Russian Jew fleeing to America after her family life is destroyed in 1881 by soldiers massacring Jews. Klara flees to America with her father for safety. Her father dies on the way over. Alone and speaking no English, she gets mugged and everything she had was stolen. From here, her story takes a drastic turn for the worse. Well written and well researched, at times this story is very hard to read. It speaks to the courage and spirit of an individual to survive horrific conditions.
I have always loved Mahurin’s books and this one did not disappoint. While based on a true story, it is heartbreakingly told. Klara confined to a mental institute on an island in New York simply for not speaking English. The story splits between Klara’s early life and into the future towards her final escape. I loved the way it was told and found it to be beautifully written. A chilling story of prejudice and the lengths some people will go to to get what they want. An amazing book and one I highly recommend!
Excellent book! It’s amazing the experiences written about.
I couldn’t imagine being sentenced to an insane asylum as they existed at the time. I’m glad that system was eliminated.
I saw this on one of my reading friends book lists and I thought I would give it a try, it was a good little novel about a life filled with personal trauma, and soul-crushing debasement and tortures, but Klara Gelfman survives she meets others who help her and as she says in the book; “Beneath the differences you meet another’s heart, that’s where the light of love never dims the light where the power of healing and forgiveness lives. They were all unique. All different kinds of angels.” This is a good book club recommendation or a good book for anyone wanting to know about what strength it takes to survive during bad times.
I bought this book a few weeks ago. I picked it up yesterday to read on work break and I couldn’t put it down. I read the book last night. It is a hard story to get through but so real. The Germans did terrible things and the fact that it happened within the last 100 years, is frightening. There are many books written about the Holocaust—but this is one of the best ones I have ever read. Most touch on the horror but Helen’s story delves deep into the evil that people do out of hatred and fear. It was hard reading the rape scenes—but things like that happened all too frequently.
It’s a compelling book and I finished it in two days. Some of the non-historic scenes are usually not included in books on this subject. Each person has to decide if they should be there. I didn’t need them. Otherwise, the characters are very real and the story flows beautifully. I’m so glad I read it.
I’ve read a lot of concentration camp survival books and this is a very good one. A tale of endurance, love and the complete will to survive. I can thoroughly recommend this book to anyone who’s interested in that blackest of historic period, the Holocaust.
Although its a fiction book based on fact
I couldnt stop reading this sad and endearing book..What 1 piece of material can hold such memories and the horror they lived through.
And to come out of the horror and to be able to live freely again. Its must read.
A story about finding joy amongst the ashes of one’s life, this tale asks the reader to envision what they would do if they had just a few weeks left. Poignant and heartfelt, this book leaves the reader with all the right questions and a new perspective about love, loss and hope.
Sara and Ben’s story is a dramatic love story!!
The dynamic, power and dramatic impact in Mahurins tale, is based on the fact that both of them have no time left to lose!!
They are caught within a very narrow and limited time frame..Ben is a young lawyer having only months lo live due to a terminal cancer raging havoc in his body, and Sara is a survivor from breast cancer still struggling with it..”Being deeply loved by someone gives you strength, while loving someone deeply gives you courage”
Lao_TzuPaulette Mahurin has delivered a powerful story and captured the eternal spirit of an all-surpassing love!!
Even death is no match, and must surrender like an helpless hostage to the the eternal and regenerating power of love..At the end of the day I can say that reading Sara and Bens story has uplifted and inspired me!!!Although you will be confronted with sufferings and pain, let me say it clearly that this is not the main message carried out in this bitter- sweet love story!!Mahurins novel, gives and delivers powerful to the reader the preciousness of life itself..
And in spite of sufferings, pain and even death, the prevailing force behind the universum is love inhibited in eternal souls..
DOGS RESCUED FROM KILL SHELTERS
Biscuit’s been rescued
Biscuit’s freedom photo
Rosie has been rescued
Rosie rescued with bonded sibling Lily
Wilbur has been rescued
Wilbur’s freedom photo
Hoggy’s been rescued
Hoggy’s freedom photo
Jack’s has been rescued. This is is kennel photo.
Jack’s kennel information
Jack’s freedom photo
Rickenbacker has been rescued
Rickenbacker’s shelter info
Rickenbacker’s freedom photo
Takoda (named by rescue) has been rescued
Takoda’s freedom ride
Takoda’s freedom photo
Lucy, pregnant, has been rescued
Lucy’s freedom photo
Lucy comfy and waiting to give birth
Gretchen has been rescued
Gretchen’s freedom photo
Boomer’s been rescued
Boomer’s freedom photo
Snow has been rescued
Snow’s freedom photo
Tawny has been rescued
Tawny’s freedom
Logan has been rescued
Logan’s freedom photo
Cookie has been rescued with bonded sibling Honey
Cookie’s freedom photo
Honey has been rescued with bonded sibling Cookie
Honey’s freedom photo
Jody has been rescued
Jody’s freedom photo with new sibling
Stella has been rescued
Stella’s freedom photo
Gunther has been rescued
Gunther’s freedom photo
Lola has been rescued
Lola’s freedom photo
Jasper has been rescued
Jasper’s freedom photo
Clancy has been rescued
Clancy’s freedom photo
Lindsey has been rescued
Lindsey’s freedom photo
Brownie has been rescued
Brownie’s freedom photo
Gabby’s been rescued
Gabby’s freedom photo
Jocelyn has been rescued
Jocelyn’s freedom photo
Harry has been rescued
Harry’s freedom photo
Eddie has been rescued
Eddie’s freedom photo
Skippy has been rescued
Skippy’s freedom photo
Sandy has been rescued
Sandy’s freedom photo
Sinclair has been rescued
Sinclair’s freedom photo
Teddy Bear has been rescued
Teddy Bear’s freedom photo
Phoebe (named by rescue) has been rescued
Phoebe’s freedom photo.
Mickey has been rescued
Mickey’s freedom ride
Mickey’s freedom photo.
Titus has been rescued
Titus’ freedom photo
Lonnie’s been rescued
Lonnie’s freedom photo
Sofie has been rescued
Sofie’s freedom photo
Stoic has been rescued
Stoic’s freedom photo
Bryce’s been rescued
Bryce’s freedom photo
Charlie has been rescued
Charlie’s freedom photo
Gidget (named by rescue) has been rescued
Gidget’s freedom photo
Kensey has been rescued
Kensey’s freedom photo
Henry has been rescued
Henry’s freedom photo
Sadie has been rescued
Sadie’s shelter information
Sadie’s freedom video. Apologies as I’m unable to download the vid. Right after this shot, she was giving a nice big hamburger patty. She’s on her way to the vet.
I’m deeply grateful to everyone who has purchased, read, and taken the time to review one of my books. Profits from my books go to help get dogs like Hope, Mama May & her 6 puppies, bonded siblings Buddy & Belle, Bonita, Sally, Zuko, Fleck, Samson, Fernando, Donuka, Harrison, Barney, Jack, Mama Rosa & her puppy, Montana, Leo, Klondike, Reed, Charlie, Barney, Ralph, Mama Brightstar & her 10 puppes (see photos below) out of kill shelters. So far in 2024 40 dog has been rescued. In 2023 157 dogs have been rescued. In 2022 126 dogs were rescued. In 2021, 72 dogs were rescued. In 2020, 157 dogs were rescued. In 2019, 409 dogs were rescued. In 2018, 670 dogs were rescued. In 2017, we helped free 904 dogs. In 2016, 250 dogs were freed. In 2015, 149 dogs were freed.
LINK TO PURCHASE ALL MY BOOKS and to see all reviews for all my books click on the books cover:
Gripping Rosamund gets pulled into the work of the Dutch resistance by the work her father did before the Germans murdered him by helping Jewish children to be relocated safely but as things change, it becomes more dangerous than ever to be a part of the resistance I found this book totally gripping, I hadn’t read a story from the side of the Dutch resistance, normally it’s the SOE or similar so this was a change and it’s so well written that I instantly got pulled into the story and what made it even more compelling was that at least part of it was based on a true story I found that the characters came alive whilst I was reading and I could feel the danger but also the joy of children being rescued, I think the fact that it was written first person in Roz’s voice really helped with this, making the story feel even more real The men and women of the resistance changed history and books like this honour the work that they did and the risks they took to help those in need, and it reminds us that resistance activity took place all across Europe and not just France I would recommend this book to those who enjoy a gripping and compelling story that will capture your attention from the very first page
DOGS RESCUED FROM KILL SHELTERS
Hope has been rescued
Hope’s freedom photo
Mama May & her 6 puppies have been rescued
Mama May’s 6 puppies freedom photo
Mama May’s freedom photo
Buddy & Belle have been rescued
Buddy & Belle’s freedom photo
Bonita’s been rescued
Bonita’s freedom photo
Sally’s been rescued
Sally’s freedom photo
Zuko’s been rescued
Zuko’s freedom photo
Fleck’s been rescued
Fleck’s freedom photo
Samson has been rescued
Samson’s freedom photo
Fernando’s been rescued
Fernando’s freedom photo with new sibling
Donuka aka Dakuna has been rescued
Donuka aka Dakuna’s freedom photo
Harrison has been rescued
Harrison’s freedom photo
Barney has been rescued
Barney’s freedom photo
Jack’s safe
Jack’s freedom photo
Mama Rosa and her puppy have been rescued
Mama Rosa’s freedom photo
Mama Rosa’s puppy’s freedom photo
Montana has been rescued
Montana’s freedom photo
Leo has been rescued
Leo’s freedom photo
Klondike has been rescued
Klondike’s freedom photo
Reed has been rescued
Reed’s freedom photo
Charlie has been rescued
Charlie’s freedom photo
Barney’s been rescued
Barney’s freedom photo
Ralph has been rescued
Ralph’s freedom photo
Mama Brightstar & her 10 puppies have been rescued
I’m deeply grateful to everyone who has purchased, read, and taken the time to review one of my books. Profits from my books go to help get dogs like Sun & her 7 puppies, Levi Schmitt, bonded pair Flora & Fauna, Bushwacker, Mama Lin Lin & 3 puppies, Leti, Trevor, Champagne, Bubbles, Fiona & 8 puppies, Trey, Perry, Ariel, Aleina, Guadalupe, Martin, Ross, Kobe, Tammy, Regina, Juliet & her 9 puppies, Hilary & her 6 puppies, Gertrude, Myra & 8 puppies, Maddison, Kizer, Chi, Shadow, Holly & her 5 puppies & Mossimo, (see photos below) out of kill shelters. In 2023 157 dogs have been rescued. In 2022 126 dogs were rescued. In 2021, 72 dogs were rescued. In 2020, 157 dogs were rescued. In 2019, 409 dogs were rescued. In 2018, 670 dogs were rescued. In 2017, we helped free 904 dogs. In 2016, 250 dogs were freed. In 2015, 149 dogs were freed.
LINK TO PURCHASE ALL MY BOOKS and to see all reviews for all my books click on the books cover:
The Girl from Huizen was filled with suspenseful moments and terrifying situations told from the perspective of a young woman caught up in the horrors of the German occupation of Holland in World War II. Fearful and easily intimidated, Roz was an unlikely candidate for a hero, but as time went on, she overcame her fears, heeded the call of her conscience, and helped save many lives. As I read, it was hard to remember that Roz was so young, because she was forced by the circumstances in her life to grow up so quickly. She was old beyond her years. One of the most beautiful things about this book is the heartfelt emotions she experiences as she enters the world of the Dutch Resistance and grows into womanhood. I held my breath through much of this novel, wondering what would happen next. A coming of age story that makes you pray these events will never happen again.
A heartfelt page-turner. Join the journey and see how one woman’s journey transformed when the Nazis invaded her country. Life and death. The struggle to survive – especially when faced with execution, is what one must do to save lives. This is a heartfelt story based on facts. A must-read. I highly recommend this book.
Paulette Mahurin’s World War II story brings to life the experiences of a girl growing to adulthood in occupied Holland. Jewish neighbors are deported, to certain death. Words are secrets best kept silent. And danger is rife.
As Roz’s losses mount, so does her determination to be more than just an observer, and she draws herself slowly into the life and work of the resistance. The depictions of Roz’s world are vivid and heart-rending. Her character is convincingly both naïve and wise. And her growth as the novel grows is satisfying to the reader, as are the motivations and actions of other resistance members.
A cruel world finally changes, making this an enjoyable, evocative read, with a promise of hope to its readers.
Disclosure: I intended to read this much earlier, but life intervened. However, it’s a great read whenever you read it!
I’m deeply grateful to everyone who has purchased, read, and taken the time to review one of my books. Profits from my books go to help get dogs like Ava, Elaine, Mercury, elderly Jonah, Mama Takki & 3 puppies, Cheeto, Martin, Aiden, Petros,Triton, Pierro, Beauty, Dream, Gina, Marcus, Angel, Onyx, Carson & Tango (see photos below) out of kill shelters. In 2023 80 dogs have been rescued. In 2022 126 dogs were rescued. In 2021, 72 dogs were rescued. In 2020, 157 dogs were rescued. In 2019, 409 dogs were rescued. In 2018, 670 dogs were rescued. In 2017, we helped free 904 dogs. In 2016, 250 dogs were freed. In 2015, 149 dogs were freed.
LINK TO PURCHASE ALL MY BOOKS and to see all reviews for all my books click on the books cover:
This heart-pounding story based on actual events packs a powerful punch. Rosamond’s story of loss, personal triumph, and the perseverance of the human spirit really spoke to my heart. Her heartbreaking journey from an innocent girl to a horrified spectator of the German occupation and Nazi invasion of her beloved Netherlands to a determined, feisty young member of the resistance. A homage to all those who risked everything, even their lives, to fight against injustice and genocide. I couldn’t read fast enough, terrified for Rosamond and the children she saved. The story builds with wonderful tension and keeps the reader enthralled. A riveting, unforgettable book that should be read.
Beautifully written character driven story of a young girl coming of age during the Nazi occupation of The Netherlands. Historical fiction based on real people and events. Atmospheric descriptive and disturbing at times, a story of family love and loss, bravery betrayal the heroism of ordinary people in extraordinary circumstances. Completely recommended.
This author never disappoints in taking us right into her stories. Her characters are richly portrayed, as she takes us into both, the scenes of the action, and inside her character’s heads, having us feeling all their emotions as this tale unfolds. A well researched and gripping story from beginning to end. This incredible story had me turning the pages and picking up the book every chance I had.
It was a peaceful village in Gooimeer until the SS, Gestapo, and Dutch snitches and traitors turned Gooi into a starving village as most crops grown were mandatory donations to feed the enemy. As the war progressed and Hitler demanded his wolves to frequently check households for hidden Jews on a regular basis because he wanted to eliminate all the ‘vermin’, no home was safe from an SS invasion at any given time for spot checks.
Roz had been through enough already, watching her best friend Emma taken by the SS, and her job turned into typing for the SS. The cruelty of what was happening in her once peaceful life, had taken its toll.
When her father doesn’t return from a resistance mission, Roz was determined to join the resistance to help save children from being captured by the dirty Nazis. Roz leaves her job to help out on the farm, and is eventually introduced to Madelief, who she learns plays a big role in saving and hiding Jewish children (true events). And Madelief holds a deep secret about the villa which she is currently dwelling in, and using as a temporary holding, safehouse, before the children’s final safe destination. Once all is revealed by Madelief, and the relentless oppression, Roz’s life feels like spinning out of control.
This story will grip you through every mission taken by the resistance – risking their own lives to save the lives of innocent neighbors and strangers. Selfless and often hungry themselves, but sharing with someone worse off. Reality checks when Roz takes in pause to remember what it felt like to walk in shoes with soles, when she could enjoy the outdoors and life without fears off being stopped or raided by the Nazis who seemed to be everywhere, or where a sliver of chocolate could linger on her tongue long enough to take her back to plentiful times. These things reminded her of the simple pleasures that were once part of her life. Despite the climate of war, survival, and trying to help others, risking her own life, her strength to go on, despite her losses – both in life, and of life, a very important friendship made with Madelief kept her determination fueled to save the children.
As expected from this author, so much of the human condition in this story, and a wonderful telling of watching Roz turn from a mere girl to a young woman of maturity as the times had everyone growing up much too fast. This could be my favorite of many books I’ve read by this unsurprisingly, best selling author.
This book widely opened the door of my mind and educated me about the trials people went through while the Jews were suffering tribulation. Paulette did a great job of revealing what was happening on a smaller scale than what many of us think may have happened during that time. If you love history and is a student of paExcellentssed events, I highly recommend you read this book. It’s very enlightning. Thank’s Paulette. Great Job!
if you aren’t familiar with Debby please do yourself the favor of stopping by her site. She’s an extremely talented writer and beautiful woman inside and out.
I’m deeply grateful to everyone who has purchased, read, and taken the time to review one of my books. Profits from my books go to help get dogs like Oberon, Morty, Nisus, Torro, Lobo, Skittle, Melania, Ox, Gracie, Taska, Peggy & her 3 pups, Riley, Jupitar & 8 puppies & Ruka, (see photos below) out of kill shelters. In 2023 58 dogs have been rescued. In 2022 126 dogs were rescued. In 2021, 72 dogs were rescued. In 2020, 157 dogs were rescued. In 2019, 409 dogs were rescued. In 2018, 670 dogs were rescued. In 2017, we helped free 904 dogs. In 2016, 250 dogs were freed. In 2015, 149 dogs were freed.
LINK TO PURCHASE ALL MY BOOKS and to see all reviews for all my books click on the books cover:
The Girl From Huizen takes us into the heart and soul of the Dutch Resistance and the lives of those who risked everything to hide and then help Jewish families during the German occupation of the Netherlands. After months of near starvation and oppression, and losing her father as he helped Jewish children escape the SS, Rosamond Jansen is drawn into the resistance and becomes an important link in a chain of resistance that ultimate helped save thousands of lives. Paulette Mahurin is the master of putting a human face on the terror and sacrifice endured by the survivors of Hitler’s war. I highly recommend this book to those who continue to seek understanding about this dark period in our history.
I used to be addicted to potato chips, but I cured myself of that habit. Ima, still addicted to WWII fiction. The Netherlands was one of the hardest hit countries, overran by the Germans and plundered of every conceivable resource. The Dutch flight back, however and whenever they could. Mahurin based her novel on real stories to bring about a solid story of one family’s involvement with the resistance, sacrificing, but wanting to contribute. I often ponder how many would rise up today, if such a horrid occasion called for the similar type of action.
So many new books feature kick-ass heroines, who race into hails of bullets and escape unscathed. This is what made Mahurin’s book so refreshing. Roz experiences attacks of fear, she is a real girl who is not brave, although she acts bravely in her work for the Dutch Resistance in World War II. I’ve read all this author’s books and they just keep getting better and better. For an experience of living in war time, you can’t get better than this.
This is a riveting story of lost youth, devastating grief, but also the strength of the human spirit to overcome in the face of tyranny.
The author has a great ability to create an atmosphere and characters that draw you in and engage you in every aspect of their lives. Rosamond develops from a young woman forced to work within a brutal and callous food appropriation programme by the enemy to a resolute and courageous participant in a desperate effort to save children.
One can only imagine life under an iron fist where food, freedom and a sense of security is completely lacking, and you can trust nobody even your own neighbours. Despite being a time of great loss and grief however, there is also a chance meeting and romance. Though together fleetingly, this love sustains and motivates Rosamond to keep undertaking dangerous assignments hoping for a day when she can be reunited with the one she loves.
There are other wonderful characters such as a mother desperate not to lose a daughter, a brave young woman who is prepared to give her life if needed to save children and families from deportation and the extermination camps, and local down to earth men and women who secretly work to hamper the efforts of the enemy to starve and enslave them.
This scenario is not unique to this time in our history and even today there are entire populations living under similar regimes. This book is based on fact and as always the author has conducted immaculate research to bring the heroism of the few to our attention. I highly recommend the book and others by the author.
I thank BooksGoSocial and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC copy of this novel, which I freely chose to review. This is the second novel I’ve read by Paulette Mahurin, an author who excels at historical fiction, and this book is a perfect example of it. There are many historical novels set during the WWII period, and the best of them provide readers with an insight into what it must have been like to live at the time, especially important now that there are not that many survivors left to share their experiences. In this occasion, Mahurin chooses to focus on the experiences of those living in the Netherlands during the German occupation, and although most of us are familiar with Anna Frank and her diary, here the story is that of a gentile living in a rural area, with the advantages and disadvantages that entailed. The fictional protagonist of the story, Rosamond, Roz, an 18 y.o. girl at the beginning of the story, is an only child that lives on her parents’ farm (they grow onions and potatoes), and whose life (like that of everybody in her country, most of Europe, and a lot of the rest of the world) is totally disrupted by the war. This is not only a historical novel, but also a coming-of-age story, as she goes from a naïve and selfish girl to a brave and determined young woman by the end of the war and the narration. The main character, Roz, works perfectly as a conduit for the readers, as she isn’t aware of the realities of life, politics, and the ins and outs of the historical situation when the novel starts. Her journey towards awareness and knowledge is followed by the readers, who get a chance to experience in the first-person (used throughout the novel) the trauma of loss, the fear of reprisals, the deprivation, hunger, and boredom at the limited supply of basic goods (and how wonderful it is to get access to the tiniest luxuries, like a bit of milk or an apple), the difficult decisions (keeping quiet and keeping safe, pretending not to know what is really going on, or doing what feels morally right), the horror at the collaborators, and the price to pay for one’s kindness and good heart. As the author explains, in a note at the end of the novel, although she has collected the experiences of many people living in Holland during the war to write the novel (and we see how Roz’s mother’s reactions and behaviour are quite different to those of her daughter, for example, and we also hear about many other people, both, working for the resistance, and Nazi collaborators), she based one of the main characters, who plays an important part in the later part of the book, on a real historical figure, Marion Pritchard. I will not go into a lot of detail (you can do your own research, or better still, read this story), but I must admit I had never heard about her, and I am pleased I have now. A remarkable and heroic woman, who comes across as such in the novel, without losing her human dimension. The book is beautifully written, with lyrical descriptions of the scenery that go beyond the purely visual to include sounds, smells, and even textures. Although Roz is a young woman and the story is told from her point of view, it is clear from the writing style that this is meant as a reconstruction of how things were and felt at the time by the older Roz, a memoir and a somewhat nostalgic view, but not a less realistic one at that. These seem to be the reflections of a woman looking back at her youth, making sure that what she lived through is not forgotten, although that is never made explicit in the book. It is easy to see that Roz is a reflective and sensitive soul, one who feels more at home in nature and with the farm animals (her beloved horse Jongen) than in social situations, and one who hesitates and has doubts, but does what she feels is right, nonetheless. She might be annoying at times, but by the end, I really liked her and felt quite moved by her story and the events relayed in the novel. Any warnings? At the beginning of the story, Roz tries to avoid bad news and any details of what might be going on, but later on, she learns about the real plight of the Jews and the fate of many who had tried to help them (and later, of those who collaborated with the Germans also), but this is not in lurid detail, and most readers of historical fiction of this period would know what to expect and wouldn’t take issue with it. There is also a romantic love story (as romantic as can be expected in the circumstances, but the character experiences it as such), which feels like a pretty natural part of the growing-up Roz is going through, and that includes a sex scene, not a very explicit one, but it is worth pointing out. Also, as I mentioned, the book is written in the first person, and although I felt it worked very well in this instance, I am aware some people prefer not to read books written in that manner. I recommend this book to readers who enjoy historical fiction, especially set during WWII and based on true events and real historical figures. It is beautifully written, and it makes us reflect and wonder what would we do if something similar happened again, a scenario that appears much closer nowadays than it did just a few years back. We all hope we would be brave and help resist, but things are never as simple and straightforward as we might think when reality hits. Thoroughly recommended.
A story of courage and fortitude during the Nazi occupation of The Netherlands during WWII. Based on a true story of one young woman that decided to do her part against the evil Nazi invaders.
Roz lives on a farm and works as a typist in the government office. She hates her work and her evil Nazi bosses.
Roz’s Uncle and a resistance worker named Karl talked Roz’s father into working with the resistance. When Roz’s father does not return Roz feels she needs to carry on her father’s work helping the resistance. Karl helps pull some strings and she is assigned to work the farm in her father’s absence instead of the typing job she hates.
As she carries on her work with the resistance much to the dismay of her mother who is frightened that she might also perish because of it, she meets a woman named Madelief. Since Roz’s work with the resistance is important Madelief finds a young man to work on the farm and Roz begins to work at the villa in town with Madelief.
It is a story of two woman working against the odds to save the lives of Jewish children. They risk their lives so others may live.
I love how Roz never gives up her resolve to save lives and how she sometimes is scared and works through it. The friendship with Madelief is inspiring as both young women work together to save lives. The Romance between Karl and Roz is golden.
The story is sometimes sad, a bit suspenseful at times, but always inspirational. I loved reading this book it was a very good story.
Thanks to Paulette Mahurin for writing a great story, to Books Go Social for publishing it and to NetGalley for providing me with a free copy to read and review. All words in the review are my own.
I received a copy of this book from Goodreads in exchange for a review. Paulette Mahurin’s book ‘The Girl From Huizen’ is a stark reminder that even little acts of resistance lead to great results.
Rosalind ‘Roz’ Jansen is 18 years old and working as a typist under the Nazi Occupation in her town of Huizen. Her father Adrian is a farmer. As a family, they can barely eke out a living. Much of what is grown on the family farm is given to the Nazis. But one day, even gentle, kind Adrian reaches a point when he can no longer close his eyes to the atrocities happening in his beloved country. Against his wife Gerdi’s pleas, Adrian decides to assist the Resistance in transporting Jewish children. On one of these transport missions, he is discovered by the SS and executed. The story finds Roz stepping into her father’s shoes, to keep the farm running, and eventually, as a transporter of Jewish children.
I could feel the tension and emotion in the pages of this book as the characters in the story defy the Occupiers of their beloved Holland to do the right thing. Mahurin brought to life the fears that were overcome and the resolve that ordinary people possessed to do the right thing despite all the odds stacked against them.
Although fiction, this is based on the life of a young woman in the Dutch resistance during WWII. An engaging, heartbreaking, hopeful story. This e-book was received from Goodreads.
I received a free ARC of “ The Girl From Huizen” from Net Galley in return for an honest review. It is not difficult for me to honestly review this book because it was so good. . In fact , that I read it over a couple of days, the last one a day I sat inside because the air where I live was orange with smoke from Canadian forest fires. MS Mahurin took the true story of a hero of the Resistance, Marion Pritchard, and used it to write a novel of what it was like to be a young woman in a town under the Nazi occupation. The heroine, is Rosamond Jansen, who is sixteen at the beginning of the story. Through the five long years of occupation, she changes from a frightened girl into a frightened, but courageous resistance fighter Rosamond , Roz, lives on a farm with her father and mother . When her father is killed as he transported a “ package” as the Resistance fighters called a Jewish child, being smuggled away to a rural area where the child would safe , Roz becomes an active fighter. The novel describes the harrowing times she experienced : the searches and roadblocks, people dragged away to be interrogated or shot on the roadways. For years, in the darkest, hungriest and most dangerous years, Roz lives near home with a leader of the cause, Madeleif, who is hiding a Jewish family in a hidden room in the basement. Roz helps to feed and care for that family. who lives like moles in darkness. MS Mahurin writes beautifully and expressively of those dark days, of the quiet courage of Roz and others of the resistance . She shows of the stress of Roz’s mother , who fears that she will lose her daughter as she lost her husband. Reading of Roz’s painful longing and despair when her lover Karl, another transporter, had to flee into hiding is a painful part of the sorrow and the pity of this war on in the shadows. Yet she, an d other brave neighbors a continued to fight, hope and wait until Liberation. This is a book that is easy to recommend to all readers who love good fiction, well written;, with a tense story line. Cautions. To sensitive types: Some as one should expect of a story that take place in wartime. My only criticism is that I do not recall the author ever really describing Roz . Maybe that was the author’s intent to make her an example of everyone who fought back in whatever way they could against the Nazis. There is also a love scene, not objectionable, which is part of the love story of “ The Girl From Huizen” One last thought: the book cries out for adaptation into a dramatic series.
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Darleen rated a book it was amazing ***** The Girl From Huizen Although basically fiction ,this story reads as true. Perfect WWII story about German invasion in a country other than Germany, in which Jews were persecuted. The atrocities of war revealed through a young adult. Good day read.
Rosamond is the story of a girl living in the Netherlands during the Nazi Occupation. She watches her father become involved in dangerous activities when he is talked into helping hide a Jewish child and smuggle him to a safer place. She is confused about why he would risk his life for someone he doesn’t know. When he doesn’t come home one night, she soon meets others involved in the smuggling of Jewish children to foster homes outside German rule.
The story is based on actual events and is inspirational. While sometimes overlooked, the people who stood for what they believed was right in the face of death are true heroes.
I have recommended this book to friends of history, especially those who like novels based on true events. I will recommend this to some of my more advanced students.
I was given the opportunity to read this book by NetGalley, in exchange for an honest review.
My thanks to the Author publisher’s and NetGalley for providing me with a Kindle version of this book to read and honestly review. Beautifully written character driven story of a young girl coming of age during the Nazi occupation of The Netherlands. Historical fiction based on real people and events. Atmospheric descriptive and disturbing at times, a story of family love and loss, bravery betrayal the heroism of ordinary people in extraordinary circumstances. Completely recommended.
NETGALLEY
Kathryn M, Reviewer*****
This was such a unique take on World War 2, I appreciated that Paulette Mahurin used the German occupation of the Netherlands. It does a great job in creating a great story and I enjoyed the way the characters going on. I appreciated how good this was.
Kayla L. Reviewer*****
This was very good book. I really enjoyed the character development and I enjoyed the story. The characters were very likable and their stories I found to be very intriguing. The author did a great job on this story!
I’m thrilled to have my book reviewed by the very talented author Olga Núñez Miret. If you’re not familiar with her or her books, please have a stop by her blog site for a real treat.
I bring you a book by an author beloved and well-respected, especially for her historical fiction, and a novel I am sure will appeal to many of you.
The Girl from Huizen by Paulette Mahurin
The Girl from Huizen by Paulette Mahurin
The German occupation of the Netherlands brings with it food shortages, harsh treatment for resistants and deportation of Jews. The changes dramatically affect Rosamond Jansen’s life on her family’s farm on the outskirts of Huizen. When she finds herself under constant surveillance and oppressive treatment in her government typist job and the Nazis deport her best friend, her resentment turns to fear and a deepening hatred. Verbal cruelty, belittlement and emotional turmoil take their toll on her until a man arrives at the farm who, along with her uncle from Amsterdam, enlist her father into resistance work. When her father does not return home, Rosamond, too…
I’m thrilled to have my book, The Girl From Huizen, reviewed by Sally Cronin. For those of you who don’t know the very talented and generous Sally, please have a stop by her blog. There are many delightful posts to cheer your day.
Delighted to share my review for the latest book by Paulette Mahurin set in WW2 and The Netherlands – The Girl From Huizen
About the book
The German occupation of the Netherlands brings with it food shortages, harsh treatment for resistants and deportation of Jews. The changes dramatically affect Rosamond Jansen’s life on her family’s farm on the outskirts of Huizen. When she finds herself under constant surveillance and oppressive treatment in her government typist job and the Nazis deport her best friend, her resentment turns to fear and a deepening hatred. Verbal cruelty, belittlement and emotional turmoil take their toll on her until a man arrives at the farm who, along with her uncle from Amsterdam, enlist her father into resistance work. When her father does not return home, Rosamond, too, is drawn into resistance activity. As more people disappear from her life, her involvement goes deeper, bringing her…
I’m deeply grateful to everyone who has purchased, read, and taken the time to review one of my books. Profits from my books go to help get dogs like Willow, Jacks, senior Johnny, Scruffy, Roxy, Rambo, Sean, Aster, Sasha, Snickers, Grapefruit, Elaine Benes, Bella, Kenny, Tessie & Chi (see photos below) out of kill shelters. In 2023 33 dogs have been rescued. In 2022 126 dogs were rescued. In 2021, 72 dogs were rescued. In 2020, 157 dogs were rescued. In 2019, 409 dogs were rescued. In 2018, 670 dogs were rescued. In 2017, we helped free 904 dogs. In 2016, 250 dogs were freed. In 2015, 149 dogs were freed.
LINK TO PURCHASE ALL MY BOOKS and to see all reviews for all my books click on the books cover:
The Girl From Huizen captured me from the first pages when Roz, the protagonist sat among a group of women in a typing pool, sweating under the oppressive Nazi leadership. The Netherlands had been occupied for a couple of years and the Dutch were suffering from lack of food and witnessing their Jewish friends and neighbors being deported. Roz, and eighteen year old, grows up fast as her friend turns up missing one day. That loss is followed by another and another until she is swept up in revenge and joins the resistance where she helps to rescue Jewish children in her family’s farm wagon. The story is intense and fast moving but picks up even more action when Roz connects with a heroic woman in a villa with a secret (no spoilers). As the SS and Dutch collaborators close in on Roz and the women in the villa the secret is revealed and the book moves at a very fast clip. Just when everything seems to be closing in on the women in the villa something unbelievable happens, something I hadn’t expected and didn’t believe was real until I researched the facts the author presented in the book. Viola, truth be told, this is a remarkable hard to put down story. One of Paulette Mahurin’s best.
Another exemplary story by Paulette Mahurin. One thing I love about the author’s books is that she takes a look at events from a unique perspective. Rarely have I seen novels about WWII that discuss the plight of the farmer. So many focus only on the horrific death camps. The war held many many more atrocities, and the author helps bring these to light, so that we will not forget. Another thing about her books is that she gives the reader a glimmer of hope amid all the despair. The reader gets caught up in the lives of the characters, feels their fears, their joys, their anxieties. I highly recommend this story and all the others from this author.
Another stellar, well-researched book from this author. This a story of ordinary people trying to survive the brutal German occupation of Holland without losing their own humanity. The plot is a familiar one of trying to save Dutch Jewish children and the consequences when caught are difficult to read about. Also difficult to understand was the fact that Nazis were assisted by so many Dutch collaborators, including the police & railway workers. This is a timely read with antisemitism and fascism raising its ugly head here in our own country. This book makes you ask yourself, what would you do?
WWII. The Nazi occupied Holland. The nation divided into two camps. This is the backdrop for the story of the kind and brave hearts, of deadly danger and sacrifice, in a time when life and death balances on a razor blade. It’s a chilling experience to read about heinous crimes committed by Nazis and the local collaborators. The most often feeling I had while reading was fear of what would come next. And often it was the loss of a family member, or a fellow resistant fighter, or a child. Because that’s what they did: they risked their lives trying to save as many Jewish children as possible. Roz and her parents, Karl and Madelief, and many others are the characters this reader instantly rooted for. The writing is so sensual and detailed that you can truly picture the scenes in your mind’s eye. The prose is captivating and beautiful, the events—horrendous or of jubilation at the end of the story—breathtaking. Along the way, I got goosebumps many times. The story is page-turning and with an ending that’s impossible not to tug at your heart. To say I loved this book is an understatement. For writers like me who need an exemplar of what good writing looks like, sounds like, and how it is built, this is the book. For readers, it may be a story they will not forget soon if ever. I can’t help but heartily recommend this heart-warming, passionately told story from the author of many highly acclaimed books.
I have read a lot of Paulette Mahurin’s books, but I think this one is my favourite. Roz is a fantastic heroine – multi-layered and realistic – she kept me turning pages, hoping for a happy ending. The story really made me think, as I considered how I would react in some of the incredibly challenging situations Roz and her family faced.
Just like all of this author’s books, this is impeccably researched and based in fact, and brings to life a part of the World War II story that is rarely told.
I respect this author. She handles sensitive subjects with delicacy and brings to life the response of ordinary people to sheer wickedness. This book is set in World War II Holland, where the German occupation is hitting hard, both in terms of bleeding the country’s food supply dry and in terms of seeking out and deporting Jews to the concentration camps. People, ordinary people, doing what they can to survive – and help others survive, especially Jewish children. It is a book, like her others, for our times as well…… “When bad men combine, the good must associate; else they will fall, one by one, an unpitied sacrifice in a contemptible struggle.”
It is obvious when reading this book that the author has done a lot of research. The characters and situations are well written and believable. It brings across the horror and hardship of living under occupation during WWII without going into graphic detail which might put some readers off. I challenge you not to cry at the end.
This isn’t the first book I have read by this author and I will definitely be reading more.
‘The very last thing discussed before Karl left was what to do with my father’s body.’ With that short, terse sentence Paulette Mahurin brings home the chilling reality of life under the Nazi jackboot. It is May 1942, two years after the German invasion of Holland, and the grieving wife and daughter of Adrian Jansen, shot while trying to smuggle a Jewish child to safety, are not even allowed the dignity of a funeral for their loved one. Like other resistance members, Adrian deliberately carried no identification papers; although fellow resistants were able to recover his body, they were forced to cremate it in secret – the body of ‘a nameless Dutchman’. This is not Mahurin’s first book about the evils of fascism, nor indeed about the struggle that went on in Holland between the occupying army and resistance fighters. But what is striking about this novel is the skilful way she uses a coming-of-age story to give us a different perspective on this dark period in history, a beautifully done, convincing portrait of a young woman’s transition from naivety to maturity in extraordinary circumstances. We first meet Roz (who will later become a friend and co-conspirator with real-life resistance fighter Marion ‘Madelief’ Pritchard), as an 18-year-old: ‘young and naïve…a virgin in mind and body.’ The only child of a farming couple eking out an existence growing potatoes and onions, she perceives the invaders mainly in terms of how they impact the daily life of the villagers, forced to suffer hunger, hardship and the humiliation of having to bow their heads to the cruel oppressors. Her father’s murder is the catalyst that pushes Roz to join the Resistance. Initially motivated by a desire for revenge, she gradually realises the full extent of what is involved in such a decision– the unremitting dangers and difficulties, the fears of reprisal, the moral and existential dilemmas. But her conviction that she is doing the right thing is strengthened as she finds out more about what is happening in the wider world, and the bigger issues involved – the persecution and extermination of hundreds of thousands of Jews, gypsies, undesirables, homosexuals, the rumours of death camps, and, the final hammer blow, the heart-breaking realisation that many in her own country are complicit in helping with such atrocities. And in the middle of it all, she falls in love, only to see her lover forced to flee for his life. One of the things I liked most was the way in which Mahurin shows Roz being guided by the spirit of her father. Adrian’s vision of the world lives on in his daughter’s memory – one of celebration and affirmation. His love of nature, of the growing things on what he called ‘our beautiful miracle-producing planet’ inspires his daughter to overcome her fears, and to reject the Nazi embrace of a necrophiliac vision of the world where death and destruction are justified in the quest to establish a master race. But will Roz and Madelief make it? Will Roz ever see her lover again? The author, having thoroughly engaged the reader’s empathy in the story of this courageous young woman, keeps us on the edge of our seats until the end… Highly recommended.
I’ve read many books based around the time of World War 2, but this was the first one showcasing the German occupation in the Netherlands. My grandma was a Jew living in the Netherlands and fortunately left before this occurred. The implications of what that could have meant for her never really dawned on me until reading this book.
Even though this book is nonfiction, it is based on a real person. Often times it read like a memoir, which I loved. I felt like the narrator, Roz, draws you into the story immediately. I really enjoyed reading about the brave souls that stood up for human lives while sacrificing their own safety. I admire their resilience, self-sacrifice, and determination. This story highlights what people will do in the name of love. Love for strangers, their families, their country, and themselves.
If you like historical fiction this a definite must read!
Its very important before writing a book like this to also put in the time into researching. Both about the war itself and the people the characters are based on.
I applaud the author for doing the search needed to write this. She genuinely did justice to the topic of the story along with the book itself.
However moving on.
The writing in this is Stellar. Beautiful prose, elegant usage of vocabulary, I simply was immediately transmitted into the story from the very moment I picked the book up
The characters were so interesting as well, written so realistically I felt for them with each turn of the page.
Its Also worth noting that besides how short it is this book DOES deal with heavy topics making it very needed for the reader to take breaks at times.
Utterly soul shattering and an absolute reccomedation.
An engaging and thought provoking historical fiction novel based on real events.
Mahurin does a great job describing the perils in Holland for not only Jews, but also citizens who wanted to do the right thing by protecting innocent children and families.
The story depicts tales of heroism of a seemingly ordinary girl who risks her life to save innocents around her. A must ready for any historical fiction fan.
The Girl from Huizen by Paulette Mahurin is breathtaking, heartbreaking and beautiful in its raw prose. It is obvious the author did meticulous research in the rich historical details and character portrayals, almost as she were there herself. Though it is fiction, it is based on real events and people. The book is about the Dutch Resistance in WWII and unbearable grief and hardships under Nazi occupation.
The Jansen family from the working village of Huizen, Netherlands, is directly affected by the horrors of war. At first 18-year-old Roz and her mother are horrified that her father joins Karl and other Resistance members to smuggle deported children. But they realize trying to stop them would be futile. Death, bartering, scarcity of food and anguish are constants. People disappear. The country is in turmoil. But the Resistance saves lives and brings hope.
Historical Fiction readers, do prioritize this one. It’s simply and passionately written and doesn’t gloss over difficult details. But that’s what makes it so powerful. I am so glad to have read it.
I’ve read a few of Paulette’s books but I do believe this is my favorite so far. The writing is crisp and captivating, drawing the reader into a world of tragedy, heartache, and triumph. The story follows holocaust survivor, Helen Stein and mixes fact with fiction to deliver a story that defines the strength of the human spirit and our will to survive even in our darkest hours. It is a truly gripping story and highly recommended.
Delighted to share the news of the latest book by Paulette Mahurin set in WW2 and The Netherlands – The Girl From Huizen About the book The German occupation of the Netherlands brings with it food shortages, harsh treatment for resistants and deportation of Jews. The changes dramatically affect Rosamond Jansen’s life on her family’s […]
I’m very grateful for everyone of you who has purchased my new book and taken the time to write a review. Reviews are the lifeblood for us authors and I read each and every one, relishing the feedback. I’m keeping the cost of this book at 99cents so it’s affordable to anyone interested in reading it. So please feel free to grab a copy and I’d love it if when you’re done you’d kindly post a review to Amazon.
‘The very last thing discussed before Karl left was what to do with my father’s body.’ With that short, terse sentence Paulette Mahurin brings home the chilling reality of life under the Nazi jackboot. It is May 1942, two years after the German invasion of Holland, and the grieving wife and daughter of Adrian Jansen, shot while trying to smuggle a Jewish child to safety, are not even allowed the dignity of a funeral for their loved one. Like other resistance members, Adrian deliberately carried no identification papers; although fellow resistants were able to recover his body, they were forced to cremate it in secret – the body of ‘a nameless Dutchman’. This is not Mahurin’s first book about the evils of fascism, nor indeed about the struggle that went on in Holland between the occupying army and resistance fighters. But what is striking about this novel is the skilful way she uses a coming-of-age story to give us a different perspective on this dark period in history, a beautifully done, convincing portrait of a young woman’s transition from naivety to maturity in extraordinary circumstances. We first meet Roz (who will later become a friend and co-conspirator with real-life resistance fighter Marion ‘Madelief’ Pritchard), as an 18-year-old: ‘young and naïve…a virgin in mind and body.’ The only child of a farming couple eking out an existence growing potatoes and onions, she perceives the invaders mainly in terms of how they impact the daily life of the villagers, forced to suffer hunger, hardship and the humiliation of having to bow their heads to the cruel oppressors. Her father’s murder is the catalyst that pushes Roz to join the Resistance. Initially motivated by a desire for revenge, she gradually realises the full extent of what is involved in such a decision– the unremitting dangers and difficulties, the fears of reprisal, the moral and existential dilemmas. But her conviction that she is doing the right thing is strengthened as she finds out more about what is happening in the wider world, and the bigger issues involved – the persecution and extermination of hundreds of thousands of Jews, gypsies, undesirables, homosexuals, the rumours of death camps, and, the final hammer blow, the heart-breaking realisation that many in her own country are complicit in helping with such atrocities. And in the middle of it all, she falls in love, only to see her lover forced to flee for his life. One of the things I liked most was the way in which Mahurin shows Roz being guided by the spirit of her father. Adrian’s vision of the world lives on in his daughter’s memory – one of celebration and affirmation. His love of nature, of the growing things on what he called ‘our beautiful miracle-producing planet’ inspires his daughter to overcome her fears, and to reject the Nazi embrace of a necrophiliac vision of the world where death and destruction are justified in the quest to establish a master race. But will Roz and Madelief make it? Will Roz ever see her lover again? The author, having thoroughly engaged the reader’s empathy in the story of this courageous young woman, keeps us on the edge of our seats until the end… Highly recommended.
Very happy to have my books featured at Sally’s great blog site. Have a stop by to check out wonderful authors and many other terrific entertaining posts. And meet the wonderful and funny and generous Sally Cronin. ❤️ Paulette
I’m happy to announce my new book is out. I hope you all stop by and grab a copy.
The German occupation of the Netherlands brings with it food shortages, harsh treatment for resistants and deportation of Jews. The changes dramatically affect Rosamond Jansen’s life on her family’s farm on the outskirts of Huizen. When she finds herself under constant surveillance and oppressive treatment in her government typist job and the Nazis deport her best friend, her resentment turns to fear and a deepening hatred. Verbal cruelty, belittlement and emotional turmoil take their toll on her until a man arrives at the farm who, along with her uncle from Amsterdam, enlist her father into resistance work. When her father does not return home, Rosamond, too, is drawn into resistance activity. As more people disappear from her life, her involvement goes deeper, bringing her to a villa in Huizen where a woman named Madelief has a secret. As Rosamond becomes close to Madelief and the secret is revealed, her life starts to unravel.
Based on actual events at the villa, The Girl from Huizen tells the story of how Rosamond, working with Madelief, dared to defy the SS and their collaborators. But this is no ordinary Resistance versus Nazi story, rather it is a story of a shocking and unexpected unfolding where flames of tension ignite the page, as loss and grief consume and drive the girl from Huizen. It is a powerful story about the trusting friendship between two women. Ultimately The Girl from Huizen is a homage to the brave resistance members who risked everything to fight against Nazi oppression. Their efforts saved thousands upon thousands of lives.
I’m deeply grateful to everyone who has purchased, read, and taken the time to review one of my books. Profits from my books go to help get dogs like bonded seniors Lucky & Duke, Katrina, Rudy, Caramel, Angelica, Sir, Buddy, Holly, Mercy, Fran, Soldier, Juliet, Einstein, Carino, pregnant Maya & senior Sierra, (see photos below) out of kill shelters. In 2023 17 dogs have been rescued. In 2022 126 dogs were rescued. In 2021, 72 dogs were rescued. In 2020, 157 dogs were rescued. In 2019, 409 dogs were rescued. In 2018, 670 dogs were rescued. In 2017, we helped free 904 dogs. In 2016, 250 dogs were freed. In 2015, 149 dogs were freed.
LINK TO PURCHASE ALL MY BOOKS and to see all reviews for all my books click on the books cover:
The Peaceful Village is an expertly penned story. Paulette Mahurin has a talent for establishing empathy with the characters. She lets the reader into the lives of the villagers and illustrates thier humanity. You feel fearful for them with the knowledge of whats on the way to terrorize and threaten their way of life. When the inevitable occurs, you feel it as if it’s happening to your neighbors or family members. Another must read story about this troubled period in history.
I’m deeply grateful to everyone who has purchased, read, and taken the time to review one of my books. Profits from my books go to help get dogs like Marco, Moby, Johnny, Sonja, Dolce, Lucky, Justin, Maggie, Bo, Beauregard, Snickers, Herod, Link, Levant, Jack, Mia, Maison, Viktor, Kyle, Sam, Bruce, Happy, Amelia, Koda, Jules, Canelo, EJ, Jax, Carlisle, Twilight & 3 puppies, Brixton, Mocha & 9 puppies, Martha & Chance (see photos below) out of kill shelters. In 2022 126 dogs have been rescued. In 2021, 72 dogs were rescued. In 2020, 157 dogs were rescued. In 2019, 409 dogs were rescued. In 2018, 670 dogs were rescued. In 2017, we helped free 904 dogs. In 2016, 250 dogs were freed. In 2015, 149 dogs were freed.
LINK TO PURCHASE ALL MY BOOKS and to see all reviews for all my books click on the books cover:
Marco’s been rescuedMarco’s freedom photoMoby has been rescued Moby’s freedom photoJohnny has been rescued
Johnny freedom photo
Sonja has been rescuedSonjas’ freedom photoDolce’s been rescuedDolce’s freedom photoLucky has been rescuedLucky’s freedom photoLucky with new siblingJustin has been rescuedJustin’s freedom photoMaggie’s been rescuedMaggie’s freedom photoBo’s been rescued
Bo’s freedom photo
Beauregard’s been rescuedBeauregard’s freedom photoSnicker’s has been rescuedSnickers’ freedom photoHerod has been rescuedJack’s freedom photoMia’s been rescuedMia’s freedom photoMaison’s been rescued Maison’s freedom photoViktor’s been rescuedViktor’s freedom photoKyle’s been rescued Kyle’s freedom photoSam’s been rescuedSam’s freedom photoBruce has been rescued Bruce’s freedom photo
Happy has been rescued
Happy’s kennel data
Happy’s freedom photo
Amelia has been rescued
Amelia’s freedom photo
Koda has been rescued
Koda’s freedom photo
Jules has been rescued
Jules freedom photo
Canelo has been rescued
Canelo’s freedom photo
EJ has been rescued
EJ’s freedom photo
Jax has been rescued
Jax’s freedom photo
Carlisle has been rescued
Carlisle’s freedom photo
Twilight & puppies have been rescued
Twilight & 3 puppies freedom photo
Brixton has been rescued
Brixton’s freedom photo
Mocha & 9 puppies rescued
Mocha & 9 puppies freedom photo
Martha has been rescued
Martha’s freedom photo
Chance has been rescued
Chance’s freedom photo
RECENT REVIEWS FOR THE PEACEFUL VALLEY
AMAZON U.S.
Robbie Cheadle’s review Sep 10, 2022 it was amazing*****
I enjoy reading books about World War II and I’ve read and enjoyed another book by this author, so when I saw The Peaceful Village, I knew I had to read it. I knew it would be a tough read before I started but I must admit that this particular event shocked me to my core. It seems beyond comprehension that any normal human being with a soul can behave in such a callous and brutal way towards civilians.
This book is historical fiction and based on a real event so I knew the ending before I began. Reading a couple of paragraphs about a tragedy of this nature is, however, quite a different experience to reading a fictionalized account of it. The author’s great strength with this book is the detailed manner in which she depicted the main characters and the specifics of their lives and how she made the reader care about them. Even the supporting characters feel like neighbours and friends.
Francoise is one of the main characters. The wife of a French carrot farmer, she is worn down from years of working the land and her spirit is ailing due to the German occupation. Francoise is given an opportunity of a job at the local church in the village of Oradour-sur-Glane, which leads to her becoming involved in a small way with the French resistance and their efforts to hide Jewish families. Francoise blossoms in her new role and becomes the reader’s measure of normality and representation of the comfortable and peaceful lifestyles of the villagers.
The story moves between life in the village, largely told through the eyes of Francoise, and the activities of the French resistance who are using terrorist tactics to fight the occupying German forces. This tactic works well as the reader knows more about what is happening with the French resistance and the Nazi occupiers than the villagers of Oradour. It creates a lot of tension as the reader can see how the events are likely to unfold as the villagers go about their daily lives.
This is a beautifully written and heart rending book which has been well researched and presented. Anyone who is interested in WW2 and the effect of the Nazi regime on the local population in France will appreciate this book.
Once I got into the middle of the story, I was riveted until the end. Oradour-Sur-Glane was once a peaceful village until it was mistakenly pinpointed as the seat of French fighters against the Nazi regime, when one of its Generals was killed and another tortured. The revenge was horrifying when houses were burnt and innocent men a women were killed disproportionately. I love how the author writes. I recommend reading it.
GOODREADS
The Peaceful Village – Tony’s review
Sep 14, 2022 it was amazing*****
In the first half of this book, Paulette Mahurin paints a wonderfully evocative picture of Oradour-sur-Glane, an idyllic rural village in the centre of France whose citizens are very aware of but largely untouched by the Nazi occupation of their country. The people of the village and surrounding farms go about their business quietly, with a true sense of community and real compassion for their neighbours. Not far away, in the town of Limoges, the Nazi occupiers are becoming increasing infuriated by attacks on their soldiers by the armed French resistance. After a high-ranking, highly-decorated Nazi officer is kidnapped and executed by the resistance, the occupiers are determined to exact a terrible revenge on, and make an horrific example of, an unfortunate community. On the flimsiest of evidence, they pinpoint Oradour-sur-Glane as a shelter for the resistance fighters.
The second half of the book is a harrowing account of the events which resulted in the name of Oradour-sur-Glane becoming synonymous with the evil depravity of the Nazi regime. In heartbreaking detail, Paulette Mahurin describes the murderous brutality with which a Waffen SS detachment metes out a barbaric punishment for the military actions of the resistance to the innocent men, women and children of the village. But even amongst this scarcely imaginable terror, there are stories of love, sacrifice, bravery and survival against all the odds.
This is a powerful, heartbreaking telling of the true story of Oradour-sur-Glane. It is an important book which deserves to be read as widely as possible as a constant reminder of why the world must not allow the likes of the Nazis to darken the planet ever again.
William’s review
Nov 27, 2022
it was amazing*****
Excellent Read! This book widely opened the door of my mind and educated me about the trials people went through while the Jews were suffering tribulation. Paulette did a great job of revealing what was happening on a smaller scale than what many of us think may have happened during that time. If you love history and is a student of passed events, I highly recommend you read this book. It’s very enlightning. Thank’s Paulette. Great Job!
NETGALLEY
Marianne B, Reviewer ****
Wow. I read this leisurely paced book about a French village. I got to know the villagers and envy their life during the war but not part of the war. I never saw the end coming. I then entered the Google rabbit hole to find out more about the story. I recommend this book.
Christine R, Reviewer ****
Really good book. The plot was well-written and engrossing. I look forward to reading more from this author.
What Amazon says During the German occupation of France, nestled in the lush, verdant countryside in the Haute-Vienne department of central France was the peaceful village of Oradour-sur-Glane. It was a community where villagers woke to the medley of nature’s songs, roosters crowing, birds chirping, cats purring, and cows plodding on their way out to […]
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An engaging historical fiction set in France during WWII. I enjoyed the plot and the story was well paced. The characters are likable and interesting. Highly recommended. Thank you to Paulette Mahurin, NetGalley and for the arc of this book
Paulette Mahurin has succeeded in bringing to life a set of characters as they may have lived in Oradour-sur-Glane in 1944. They are wonderfully fleshed out. Françoise, a middle-aged central character, is so typical of a French farmer of that era that I felt I knew her. She finds her calling and we see her change. Another great character portrayal is Father Delage, a tower of strength, yet with weaknesses and doubts making him so very human. It takes a masterful writer to fictionalized with great sensitivity one of the most awful atrocities of WWII and still respect history.
I rarely choose to review independently published fiction as I find the quality of such to be hit and miss. But when I saw the subject matter of The Peaceful Village on NetGalley, I knew I had to take the chance. I can’t remember how or when I came across the story of Oradour-sur-Glane – possibly on a news website – but I’d heard enough to recognize the location’s name. Oradour-sur-Glane in France, much like Lidici in the modern-day Czech Republic, is a permanent memorial to the murder of inhabitants by the Nazis.
This book focuses on a woman named Marguerite and the work she does at a local church in the community. It’s no spoiler to say she is one of the few survivors. She would later testify on the events of 10th June 1944. The first half of the novel looks at the six months leading up to that day. These chapters convey the sense of normalcy, as much as there can be, in the so-called “Free France” aka Vichy France. Because of its location, the village was essentially ignored by the Nazis. Many villagers were convinced that “It won’t happen here,” whenever they heard of bad events happening elsewhere. Perhaps it was naivete, or maybe they hoped if they said it enough it would stay true. Readers not only read the thoughts of Marguerite; we also meet the mayor, the doctor, and the clergy among others including refugees. We also get scenes with various Nazis, including Klaus Barbie himself.
The second half contains the events of the afternoon of June 10th. It begins with the order for retaliation for the kidnap of two Nazi officers and the subsequent murder of one. The other escapes and, according to the text, names Oradour-sur-Glane as the location of his abduction. What follows is the rounding up of the villagers, ostensibly for an identification check, and then Marguerite’s perspective of the massacre. Is it easy reading? Not exactly. But I don’t think it should be. What I later discovered is that some of the words author Paulette Mahurin has the characters speak ARE actual quotes from survivors. I was surprised at how much did appear to have been taken from factual reports.
If there’s a downside to the book it’s that I would’ve loved to have seen a bibliography or a list of sources. Oradour-sur-Glane should NOT be forgotten, and I think such a list would help readers learn more.
Disclaimer: Although I received an electronic copy of this book via NetGalley, the opinions above are my own.
This is based on true events and centers around a village called Oradour in France, where all the villagers feel somewhat safe despite the war carrying on around them.
Marguerite Rouffanche is forty-seven years old and a wife and mother. Her husband, Simon, is a carrot farmer. Marguerite feels listless about her life and helping her husband. She wishes to do something more and makes a plan to get a job.
Stopping at the church to give a confession, she is approached by Father Chapelle who offers her a job at the church. It is here that her snooping she encounters an article hidden inside a book. From her confessions, Father Chapelle takes her into confidence to ask for her help. He is one of a few that make up the Resistance and take in Jewish families to hide and find them safe passage out.
Marguerite believed the stories as hogwash, after all; Oradour is an idyllic place and far removed from the occupation carried out.
A mistake made will bring Nazis to Oradour.
It took me a little while to get into this book but it didn’t take me long to start turning the pages. I grew up in a small town, so I did get caught up in the village atmosphere of camaraderie. Parts were very disturbing to read but the ending was one of hope.
I received an ARC from NetGalley via BooksGoSocial and I voluntarily reviewed this book.
The Peaceful Village takes one of the most notorious murderous acts of the Nazi occupation of France and weaves a story around the horror of the bare facts that means that, by the time the so-called reprisal action against Oradour sur Glane takes place, the reader feels that s/he has lived alongside the villagers in the weeks before the murders took place. Readers may have mixed views about a novel being written about such a tragedy. However, the novel’s technique to introduce the reader to both victims and survivors and to render each group as real three-dimensional people means that what can often be rendered as simply yet another war crime – if appalling in its scale and inhumanity – is made real. In this way, perhaps, the need for us all t9 learn from history is reinforced. This is a story that cries out not to be forgotten. Ms Mahurin does the world a service in this retelling. Strongly recommended.
A compelling read about a small village and its experience during World War II. The author’s description of the beautiful surroundings allowed me to picture the setting clearly. The characters are well drawn. I would recommend
NETGALLEY
Donna R, Reviewer *****
A very good, perfect length, historical fiction. Having read so many books lately of around 400 pages it is refreshing to read a book with less pages but just as much content, excitement and depth as a long read.
A story based on actual events this is a very interesting read, it is so emotional and real yet so sad, so painful. To think what a quiet rural village went through, what families went through at the hands of such cruel and brutal people is something I can't comprehend.
This is a gripping tale, flows in a sense that you can understand what was going on at the time and although it is a hard subject the author makes it so that you can read it easily. It is a story that should be read by all as it is so poignant.
I highly recommend this book and will be checking out more books by this author soon.
I write this review as a member of Rosie’s Book Review Team and thank her, NetGalley, and the author for this opportunity. I have been following the author over the years, have checked her blog on occasions, and have read many positive reviews of her novels. I am sure that several of her novels are on my e-reader already, and after reading this one, I will make sure I locate them and put them on my “sooner-rather-than-later” to-be-read list. This is a novelised account of a real event that took place during WWII, one that I didn’t know anything about before I read the novel, but I will never forget now. I don’t hesitate to recommend this book to all readers, those who love fiction and those who prefer non-fiction, as it should be read. Due to the events that take place, this is not an easy read (it is hard, harrowing, and emotional), so I would recommend caution to readers who are not in the right place or frame of mind to read about such subjects. It is impossible not to think about the war and its victims these days, and that makes this narration more poignant and urgent than ever. We should never forget what happened because we all know what happens to those who forget. I will not spend too much time on the plot, as the book description provides plenty of information, and anybody interested can research what is known of what happened on that day, the 10th of June of 1944 in Oradour-sur-Glane. The author includes a disclaimer, where she explains that the book is a work of fiction, and other than the historical characters included, the rest is her attempt at fitting what is known to have happened into a narrative. Her research shines through, and, to clarify matters even more, together with her disclaimer, the author includes a Glossary of Terms and Historical Figures, a list of the German military ranks used in the novel, of the organizations and political groupings, and of the locations, and also the translation of a few German terms used in the book (when the translation is not included in the text itself) right at the beginning of the book. There is also a postnote that explains what happened afterwards, to the village and at the trial of a few of those involved in the onslaught. Mahurin manages to recreate Oradour for us. Through the locations, the characters, and the events that take place there, we get a good sense of what a lovely place it was, a peaceful village in the German-controlled part of France, where life goes on almost undisturbed, although there are also things happening that remind the inhabitants of the war, and there is a sense of dread hanging over the proceedings. The beauty is in the detail: we see characters going about their jobs and their lives (the doctor, who is also the mayor, looks after his patients, and so does one of his sons, also a doctor; the priest is involved in welfare and also tries to help families in need [Jewish families escaping the Nazi regime among others]; we have mechanics; we have farmers; we have teachers; we have children; we have hard-working mothers…) and we have people who know each other and who do what they can to help others, their family, their neighbours, their friends, and also the newcomers who need help. This is an ensemble novel, and although we perhaps learn more about some characters than others (like Marguerite, who is exhausted by farm work —among other things— and manages to find her perfect role in helping the priest with his church work and his other tasks, or the mayor, the priest, and even others who don’t live in the village, like the head of the Maquis du Limousin…), this is a novel about a community, where everybody has a part to play, as must have been the case at the real Oradour. The shock of that normality, where nothing out of the ordinary had happened, being interrupted by the senseless massacre, has a devastating effect upon us, and it is not surprising to read how the people in the village were totally stunned and unable to believe what was going on. The author writes beautifully about the place, the people, their lives, and their customs, and despite the horrific tragedy that eventually unfolds, there are incredibly beautiful passages as well. Plenty of happy and inspiring moments fill up the pages of this novel, and, the choice of a third-person omniscient point of view works very well for the story, as it allows us to see and understand how the different characters feel and what their lives are like, and it also shows us some of the events that preceded the massacre (although the reasons, as the author explains, have never been fully explained, and there are only a variety of conjectures historians have proposed over the years). We do see and follow what the Germans do as well, and the third-person narrative plays a pretty neutral observer’s role, not overdramatising events because it is totally unnecessary. It leaves it up to the readers to make their own minds up, experience the events, and feel the emotions. And that makes it even more moving and poignant. This is not a mystery novel, and we know what is going to happen (what really happened, not the details, but the bare facts), so the ending of the story is not, in itself, surprising, but I felt it was perfect. There was a hopeful note, but a somewhat bittersweet one, as the postnote reminds us of how many crimes of war are never solved, properly investigated, or even truly acknowledged. I have already recommended the novel to all readers (with a note of warning), in particular to those interested in stories set in WWII in France, both fictional and non-fictional; to those who enjoy reading beautifully written books with a historical theme, and to anybody who likes to learn about real events, especially those that affect us all and should never be forgotten. I was inspired to read more about the village of Oradour-sur-Glane, and discovered that 19 of the victims were Spaniards (11 of them children), refugees who had escaped from Spain during the Civil War to avoid the fascist reprisals by Franco’s regime. After that, it felt even more personal, if that were possible. What else can I tell you? Read it, if at all you can. I have learned something I won’t forget and discovered a writer I will carry on reading for a long time to come.
I’m deeply grateful to everyone who has purchased, read, and taken the time to review one of my books. Profits from my books go to help get dogs like Porpentina, Snow, Mirage, Claret, senior Captain, Olivia, Coco, Norman, bonded siblings Vulcan & Magneto, Mimosa & Jewel (see photos below) out of kill shelters. In 2022 52 dogs have been rescued. In 2021, 72 dogs were rescued. In 2020, 157 dogs were rescued. In 2019, 409 dogs were rescued. In 2018, 670 dogs were rescued. In 2017, we helped free 904 dogs. In 2016, 250 dogs were freed. In 2015, 149 dogs were freed.
LINK TO PURCHASE ALL MY BOOKS and to see all reviews for all my books click on the books cover:
Like all of Paulette Mahurin’s books, The Peaceful Village draws readers into a time in history that should never be forgotten. The amount of research that must have been required for this book is amazing, but it’s the human relationships that really stood out for me. Experiencing the haunting events that took place in Oradour-sur-glane through the eyes of its residents – in particular Marguerite and Father Chapelle – really brought the story to life for me. Highly recommended- this is a book you won’t soon forget.
The Peaceful Village is a powerful story of tragedy and love that no atrocities can destroy. Opening the story with a poetical air, the author doesn’t let the reader to enjoy the seemingly calm course of life in a beautiful village in France for very long. The narrative transfers the reader into the world of ruthless war between two opposing camps—the lovable villagers of Oradour and Maquisards, the partisans against the sinister occupants. Masterfully crafted scenes of peaceful family life, love, and camaraderie tugged at this reader’s heart; the acts of the unparalleled brutality made it stop at times. The imagery was so vivid, I couldn’t stop admiring the author’s ability to feel the characters and the place where the events unfold as though she lived there and met those people. I’m not going to give away any details here. Read this book, a work of historical fiction at its best. I was enthralled by this tale from the beginning to the end. Intense and unforgettable. And it’s amazing how timely this novel, based on the actual events, which happened 78 years ago, sounds nowadays. A strong reminder of the heinous crimes that mustn’t be forgotten or forgiven. Highly recommended.
The Peaceful Village touched my heart very deeply. While the outcome of Hitler’s war machine and the evil henchmen he employed was heartbreaking, I truly admired the ability of the people who lived in The Peaceful Village to transcend the evils of war, to carry on and perserve their idyllic lifestyle, helping when possible, but not giving in to hatred or violence or betrayal of their faith or their core beliefs. I loved each of the characters and their commitment to each other, the community, and the village church. It really tugged at my heartstrings – especially to know that the story is based on a true story of what happened in a real village in France. My prayer is that by making the past known, nothing like this will ever happen again. Kudos to Paulette Mahurin for bringing it to light – another excellent book. Highly recommended.
I just had the distinct pleasure to read Paulette Mahurin’s The Peaceful Village. I say privilege in the way that I view being allowed to usher a loved family member from this life. I say privilege because no one writes an otherwise difficult story about true, tragic, historical events with more compassion, more insight, and more love than Paulette Mahurin. The massacre of the village of Oradour-sur-Glane documented by Mahurin isn’t just another in a long list of atrocities that occurred during the occupation of Vichy France. It is a portrait of an idyllic life, the very individual, eccentric, and completely innocent, lovable people who occupied the town before vengeance and ego took a wrong turn and wound up at their door, and the very few, tormented souls who made it through. Definitely a five star historical read.
I love books about WWII Europe. Paulette Mahurin has written several, each of which is powerful and poignant. The Peaceful Village takes place in an area of France about which I knew nothing. The story, the people, the place all touched me so deeply. I finished the book but can’t help but continue to think about what happened. I appreciate Mahurin’s detailed research as she continues to give us historical novels based on real events and real places. A beautiful, painful story, and a must read for WWII buffs
The Peaceful Village was a riveting page-turner for me. This fictionalized account really set the scene for a senseless massacre brought on by pride, deceit and indifferent cruelty. The author brings to life the brave and doomed villagers and their idyllic life in a peaceful community destined for annihilation. It’s an excellent illustration of how war draws the innocent along with the combatants into its horrors.
I was unaware of this side of the German occupation of Vichy France during World War II and I am grateful to author Paulette Mahurin and her translator for telling the story of Oradour-sur-Glane and its wanton destruction in such a readible and relatable manner.
Thanks to BooksGoSocial and NetGalley for sharing a complimentary advance copy of the book; this is my voluntary and honest opinion.
The Peaceful Village is chilling, somber, and well executed. Paulette Mahurin has done an excellent job at allowing the reader into a time we would like to ingore and should not ever forget. Well done.
I am a great fan of this author and have enjoyed all of her books set during World War II. This time the read was not as comfortable as now there is currently a war in Europe, it is much closer to home. The story of the massacre of a whole village matches the images we see on our television screens every night, which brings it right into the present, instead of reading about a historical event. This is a well-written heart-breaking account of an incident that highlights man’s inhumanity to man. A book I will remember for years to come.
This book isn’t the sort I usually read, but when it came up in my book club I decided to step out of my comfort zone. And I’m really glad I did. It’s an enjoyable read. Disturbing, but enjoyable. Though a work of fiction, it is based on true events and it could all too easily be what really happened.
To begin with, I didn’t like the protagonist, but she quickly grew on me. As the story progresses, you find yourself wanting to read more to find out that happens, but at the same time dreading it. I challenge you to get to the end without crying.
Marguerite lives on her carrot farm with her husband and other family in the beautiful, peaceful village of Oradour, France. During WWII, this quiet and peaceful village had not yet been threatened or occupied as much as other parts of France and Europe by the nazis, despite the Vichy accepting German rule, until a German capture that had gone wrong had brought forth the brutal nazi regime (no, I will NEVER capitalize the word ‘nazi’) to this peaceful ‘untouched’ by war, town, just before the allies landed in Normandy.
As Marguerite was approaching menopause, the gruel of farming without enough hands was getting to her physically and mentally. She went to church one Sunday and discovered the clergy could use some well needed office help and approached her understanding husband asking for time away from working the farm and by taking up the offer to work for the church office. When she discovered a horrifying piece of paper in a book, as she was tidying the rectory, she approached Father Chapelle, asking if anyone else shared the office, ultimately, showing him what she’d found in a book as she was organizing a bookshelf. Their eye contact established a mutual understanding that they were both on the side against the nazis, when the Father let her know that he was part of the resistance helping place Jewish families where he could. Marguerite’s sympathetic and good nature led her to helping out the church by delivering secret messages, food and clothing where she could.
All was calm, but Marguerite had a foreboding feeling in her stomach, and it wasn’t long before the SS butchers rounded up the whole village in retaliation for the resistance killing one of their higher up murderous high rank nazi leaders. It was first the resistance who made a fatal mistake by letting another of their captured nazis escape, who made it back to headquarters and lied about what happened to him in this innocent village.
Mahurin tells a gripping story in such detail, it’s as though we are there witnessing the action. She paints a picture of this blissful town full of compassionate, loving, neighborly people going on with their business as though the rest of France had nothing to do with them in their sacred untouched perimeters, and just as the serenity turns to hell on earth, she equally writes of the pain, brutality, butchering of innocent mankind because of one SS trying to cover his ass by lying about his attack saying it had taken place in Oradour – when it did not! This lie became the war that wiped out an entire peaceful village in one day.
Based on true events as told by survivors, one of biggest WWII massacres that ever took place on French soil. The expensive price of human life paid for letting one of those heinous, murderous nazis escape capture. The author never disappoints in her gripping true tales of some of the true horrors that innocent people endured under the brutal tyranny of Hitler and his nazi evil regime.
I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
A powerful story, simply written but mesmerizing in its character development and location descriptions. The massacre of the people and the destruction of the village of Oradour-Sur-Glan came about as a lack of communication between the Nazis and their headquarters. Chilling and real, this is recommended reading for its insight into the brutal history of the Nazi regime.
The village is far away from the concentrations of Nazi’s in the metropolitan areas of France. The village of Oradour enjoys the ambiance of pre-war France. There is no occupation force and the area is a haven for Jews being sheltered by the local populace. The primarily Catholic area spreads the families out through the countryside and all is well.
Someone within the area has been tortured and reveals the large number of Jewish refugees hidden within the surrounding homes. Retaliation is carried out by a small group of the Resistance who decided to eliminate two offending German officers. This triggered swift German retaliation as the entire village down to the dogs is wiped out in a slaughter.
Why did these people have to die that close to the end of the war?
I was gripped by the narrative and the efforts the local people took to remain neutral during WW II. Living a quiet life while the war raged all around them was the best of circumstances. I thought the Resistance leaders did not adequately think through the consequences of executing two German officers with the resultant carnage. Why was it necessary to kill them?
The author presented a very good description of a quiet area in war-torn France. The actions of a few resulted in the death of many. Rated at 4.5 sad stars – CE Williams
Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with the opportunity to read and review this book.
I finished the book about 2 AM and couldn’t sleep the rest of the night. The next day I felt compelled to research and learn more about the horrific tragedy described in this book. What I found was how accurately Paulette Mahurin brought the tragedy to life. Ordinary people, living and loving, until the indescribable happens. Written with such attention to detail, I felt like I made new friends in the characters of the book, and then lost them. Nobody can remain untouched by this fictional story steeped in historical accuracy.
NETGALLEY
Michele F, Reviewer *****
One of the most heart wrenching true stories of WW2 I have read in a long time. A story that truly needs to be read by everyone. I would definitely recommend this to anyone who likes this genre. Thank you to netgalley for letting me give an honest review of this book.
Tony M. Reviewer *****
In the first half of this book, Paulette Mahurin paints a wonderfully evocative picture of Oradour-sur-Glane, an idyllic rural village in the centre of France whose citizens are very aware of but largely untouched by the Nazi occupation of their country. The people of the village and surrounding farms go about their business quietly, with a true sense of community and real compassion for their neighbours. Not far away, in the town of Limoges, the Nazi occupiers are becoming increasing infuriated by attacks on their soldiers by the armed French resistance. After a high-ranking, highly-decorated Nazi officer is kidnapped and executed by the resistance, the occupiers are determined to exact a terrible revenge on, and make an horrific example of, an unfortunate community. On the flimsiest of evidence, they pinpoint Oradour-sur-Glane as a shelter for the resistance fighters.
The second half of the book is a harrowing account of the events which resulted in the name of Oradour-sur-Glane becoming synonymous with the evil depravity of the Nazi regime. In heartbreaking detail, Paulette Mahurin describes the murderous brutality with which a Waffen SS detachment metes out a barbaric punishment for the military actions of the resistance to the innocent men, women and children of the village. But even amongst this scarcely imaginable terror, there are stories of love, bravery and survival against all the odds.
This is a powerful, heartbreaking telling of the true story of Oradour-sur-Glane. It is an important book which deserves to be read as widely as possible as a constant reminder of why the world must not allow the likes of the Nazis to darken the planet ever again.
Smitha A, Reviewer*****
'm a great fan of historical World War novels. I truly enjoyed this book, Stories of various villagers in Oradour were told in an authentic manner by Paulette Mahurin. This was France in 1940's, a civilized nation. What the French police did - Thousands of Jews, men and women, were rounded up put in trucks, and sent to camps. Parents shoved into trucks when children were left in the streets with outstretched arms.
I loved the story about the Oradour sur Glane village, a wonderful peace-loving place for all who call it home at the time of WW2. Oradour was a place of safety where the Germans rarely entered for bloodletting. Sixty six year old Jean Desourteaux was Oradour's mayor as well as doctor of this peaceful Village. The war was happening far from Oradour.
While Oradour-sur-Glane enjoyed calmness and the lack of German presence, twenty-two kilometers to the northwest in Limoges, the Germans were reacting with increasing cruelty to organized attacks on their soldiers by the armed resistance organization Francs-Tireurs et Partisans (FTP).
The villagers least expected the SS would enter thier vibrant pastoral homes but they were not immune from ravages of war. On hitting the 2nd Waffen-SS Panzer Division, two men from the German Lines were hurt, Kampfe's death, who was not just a highly decorated Sturmbannfuhrer, who had been awarded the knight's cross of the Iron Cross, the highest award in the German military, he was Diekmann's personal friend. Karl Gerlach, Orderly officer and Commander's Kidnapping, having blame pointing the Village and wanting revenge by Diekmann, the very reason the SS stormed down the streets of Oradour - sur - Glane. Guingouin was one target for the Nazis, a man the SS sought as priority capture and kill.
Loved the Character Father Chapelle and Marquerite who were closely associated as Oradour's citizens. Well researched events of the Great war in Europe. I would rate it 5 star!
I just reviewed the book, The Peaceful Village by Paulette Mahurin. Thanks to the author and publisher, Paulette Mahurin and NetGalley for an advance copy of this book for my honest review.
DOGS RESCUED FROM KILL SHELTERS
Porpentina has been rescuedPorpentina’s freedom photo
Snow has been rescuedSnow’s freedom photoMirage has been rescued
Mirage’s freedom photo
Claret’s been rescuedClaret’s freedom photo, in her new home with new siblingSenior Captain (named by rescue) has been rescuedSenior Captain’s freedom photoOlivia’s been rescuedOlivia’s freedom photoCoco has been rescuedCoco’s freedom photoNorman has been rescuedNorman’s freedom photoVulcan has been rescued with her sibling MagnetoVulcan’s freedom photo on the right. Her bonded sibling Magneto on the left.Magneto has been rescued with his sibling VulcanMagneto’s freedom photo. In kennel on left. His bonded sibling Vulcan on the right.
Mimosa has been rescued
Mimosa’s freedom photoJewel has been rescuedJewel’s freedom photo
Michele F, Reviewer *****
The Persecution of Mildred Dunlap 
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