Last year I read Andie Newton’s debut novel, The Girl I Left Behind, and I loved it. After reading that debut, I was so excited to see what she came up with next.
Newton is a strong and rising voice in the historical fiction genre so when I saw this was her next book, I couldn’t wait to check it out! Not only is this cover absolutely stunning, but the summary sounded incredible.
Obviously I am a big fan of historical fiction and I am always looking for a new and exciting author’s to watch and this author is right up there at the top of my up and coming hot authors.
Summary
1942, occupied France.
As the war in Europe rages on, Adèle Ambeh dreams of a France that is free from the clutches of the new regime. The date of her marriage to a ruthless man is drawing closer, and she only has one choice – she must run.
With the help of her mother, Adèle flees to Lyon, seeking refuge at the Sisters of Notre Dame de la Compassion. From the outside this is a simple nunnery, but the sisters are secretly aiding the French Resistance, hiding and supplying the fighters with weapons.
While it is not quite the escape Adèle imagined, she is drawn to the nuns and quickly finds herself part of the resistance. But her new role means she must return to Vichy, and those she left behind, no matter the cost.
Each day is filled with a different danger and as she begins to fall for another man, Adèle’s entire world could come crashing down around her.
Adèle must fight for her family, her own destiny, as well as her country. (summary from Goodreads)
Review
As many of you know, the historical fiction genre is dominated by WWII books, many with a romantic element. But there is also a reason they are so popular and to be honest I never get tired of reading war time historical fiction with a little romance. What sets Newton’s book apart from others though is her talented storytelling and prose. I absolutely love the voice and tone of her novels, not to mention the setting. In this book the main characters flees to a nunnery and right away I was whisked away into a story of resistance fighters, war time France and a little romance.
I absolutely loved this one just as much as I loved Newton’s debut novel. In this one, I loved how much details she incorporated about the resistance. This is where she shines, the research and the detail to the inner workings of the organization were believable and well developed. I was completely invested in the resistance story but when all the other details and plot points were added in, it felt like a bonus because the central story was so well done.
While the historical details are exciting and well researched, which would have been enough for me, but then Newton takes it a step further and creates wonderfully developed and well written characters that readers can;’t help but enjoy and sympathize with. I felt like I knew them intimately and that we would be friends in real life, especially Adele. I really enjoyed her character and felt all of her struggles and triumphs.
Overall this book was such a treat to read. It took me a little while to read it but that was because I was trying to savor it when my instincts just wanted to devour it, I had to force myself to slow down and enjoy it. Absolutely fantastic!
Book Info and Rating
WHERE TO BUY (AFFILIATE LINKS)
About the Author
Andie is an American writer living in Washington State with her husband and two boys. She is the author of The Girl I Left Behind (Aria 2019) and The Girl from Vichy (Aria 2020). She has a Bachelor’s degree in History from Washington State University and a Master in Teaching. She would love to say she spends her free time gardening and cooking, but she’s killed everything she’s ever planted and set off more fire alarms than she cares to admit. Andie does, however, love spending time with her family, trail running, and drinking copious amounts of coffee.
Andie would love to be a guest at your next book club! You can find discussion questions for her novels on her website www.andienewton.com. You can also find Andie on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, BookBub, and Goodreads.
Blog Tour Schedule
Thursday, August 13
Review at 100 Pages a Day
Friday, August 14
Review at Passages to the Past
Saturday, August 15
Feature at Lost in a Book Reviewer
Sunday, August 16
Review at Carole’s Ramblings
Tuesday, August 18
Review at The Lit Bitch
Excerpt at Gwendalyn’s Books
Wednesday, August 19
Feature at I’m All About Books
Thursday, August 20
Review at Girl Who Reads
Feature at What Is That Book About
Saturday, August 22
Feature at Reading is My Remedy
Monday, August 24
Review at Bookworlder
Tuesday, August 25
Review at Books In Their Natural Habitat
Friday, August 28
Review at Little But Fierce Book Diary
Giveaway
During the Blog Tour, we are giving away a signed copy of The Girl from Vichy! To enter, please use the Gleam form below.
The giveaway is open to US residents only and ends on August 28th. You must be 18 or older to enter.
The Girl from Vichy
https://widget.gleamjs.io/e.js
The Lit Bitch 
This review made my week! Thank you for this wonderful review and for being part of my blog tour!
Yay, I’m so glad you loved it! Thank you for being on the tour!
Amy
HF Virtual Book Tours