Book Synopsis
The line between enemy and ally can shift in a heartbeat.
1940
After her father is murdered, fifteen-year-old Ingrid Lang flees her home in Austria only to become separated from her siblings and stranded in the Dutch city of Arnhem with a pair of broken legs. Her future would be bleak if not for the kindness of a local doctor and his daughter Anita van der Veen. But before Ingrid can finish her healing and continue her journey to find her brother and sister, the forces of Nazi Germany overrun the Netherlands, leaving her trapped in an enemy occupation.
Four years later, Gerrit Hendriks, wanted by the Gestapo for his work with the underground, flees to his grandfather’s home in Arnhem, where he finds Ingrid and the van der Veens deeply ensconced in the local resistance. But suspicion, prejudice, and conflicting beliefs soon leave Ingrid and Gerrit at odds with each other.
As Ingrid and Gerrit gather intelligence for the Allies, smuggle airmen and other refugees to safety, and plan acts of defiance against the Nazis, irritations soften and teamwork blossoms. They soon realize that if they want to have any hope of outsmarting a German intelligence officer with a tie to Ingrid’s past, they’ll have to work together. As Ingrid and Gerrit begin to recognize just how much they mean to each other, they find themselves in the middle of an enormous airborne operation, and the imminent battles have the potential to change everything—for Ingrid, for Gerrit, and for the Netherlands.
Book Details
- Publisher : Covenant Communications
- Publication date : July 15, 2025
- Language : English
- Print length : 392 pages
- ISBN-10 : 1524427861
****I received a complimentary book from publishers, publicists, NetGalley, book tours, and or authors. A review was not required and all opinions and ideas expressed are my own.****
My Review
I started writing this review through tears, overwhelmed by the emotion in this story. This story touched me more deeply than most books. War is gritty and ugly, and this novel reflects that realism perfectly. It doesn’t matter which country the author writes about during WWII, it’s all profoundly heartbreaking. This story takes place in the Netherlands from 1940-1945. A.L. Sowards crafts characters that quickly find a place in your heart. Ingrid and Gerrit are remarkably brave and show what true courage, loyalty, empathy, and selflessness look like. My grandmother used to call people like them the “Salt of the Earth,” honest, hardworking, and kind in all they do. Roads of Resistance is part of The Heirs of Falcon Point series, and Sowards has the challenging task of telling the historical stories within it. She excels at capturing history with precise details, backed by thorough research. Her notes at the end, where she shares more about real events, are especially impressive.
Since I’ve already read about the modern-day family in earlier books, I gained a deep respect for the ancestors who faced war’s worst horrors. Nothing is spared—resistance dangers, war wounds, espionage, battles, death, hunger, and torture all make an appearance. Sadly, not all the characters survive the war. I found myself crying often and felt their pain and sorrows.
You should read Codes of Courage first. It ties the family story and the larger historical background together perfectly. I didn’t share many details about the plot, and that was intentional. It’s best to go into this book knowing as little as possible so your experience remains fresh. I stayed up past midnight,{3:30 a.m.} finishing Roads of Resistance. It’s a clear five-star read and exactly what you’d expect from this author: a powerful and emotional story.
****Meet Author A.L. Sowards****
A. L. Sowards is the author of multiple historical fiction novels, with settings spanning the globe from the fourteenth to twentieth centuries. Her stories have earned a Whitney Award, several Whitney Finalists positions, and a Readers’ Favorite Gold Medal. She enjoys hiking and swimming, usually manages to keep up with the laundry, and loves it when someone else cooks dinner. She lives in Alaska with her husband, three children, and an ever-growing library.
For more information, please visit her website, ALSowards.com
~*~*~*~*Purchase Roads of Resistance ~*~*~*~*
HERE:
Paperback-https://a.co/d/8RzoI1L
Kindle-https://a.co/d/cthUlGo
No comments:
Post a Comment