Julie's Review: The Girl from the Channel Islands

Author: Jenny LeCoat
Series: None
Publication Date:  February 2, 2021
Publisher: Graydon House
Pages: 328
Obtained: publisher via Netgalley
Genre:  Historical Fiction
Rating: 4/5
Bottom Line: A part of WWII history that I had no clue about and another fierce female
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Summary: Summer 1940: Hedy Bercu fled Vienna two years ago. Now she watches the skies over Jersey for German planes, convinced that an invasion is imminent. When it finally comes, there is no counterattack from Allied forces—the Channel Islands are simply not worth defending. Most islanders and occupying forces settle into an uneasy coexistence, but for Hedy, the situation is perilously different. For Hedy is Jewish—a fact that could mean deportation, or worse. With no means of escape, Hedy hides in plain sight, working as a translator for the Germans while silently working against them. She forges a tentative friendship with a sympathetic German officer who is likewise trapped by circumstance. But as the war intensifies, Hedy knows she is in greater danger each day. Soon, her survival will depend not just on her own courage but on the community she has come to cherish and a man who should be her enemy. Vividly recreating little-known events, this is an unforgettable tale of resilience and bravery, and of the extraordinary power found in quiet acts of heroism and love. ~amazon.com

Review: Yea I'm a broken record but I really do like it when a novel can teach me about a part of history and that's exactly what The Girl From the Channel Islands does for me. I had no clue that the Nazi's occupied the British Channel Islands during World War II and that they thought it would give them an advantage. Hedy escaped to the Island from Austria to be rid of the Nazis, only to have them show up again. She's still an outsider and relies on only a couple people on the island. As the Nazi's take hold of the island, she has to find a way to take care of herself and have no cause to standout. 

So she does the only thing she can, takes a job as a translator working for the Germans. Of course some people in the office know that she's Jewish because she had to register in order to get her ration cards. It's there that she meets Kurt, who is a German Officer but he seems a bit different.  Attraction on both sides can't be denied but Hedy is always scared of the worst thing that could happen, which is understandable. As Kurt and Hedy deepen their relationship, the truth comes out about her heritage before she can tell him. Try as they might to stay apart, they can't.

Hedy is also trying to do her part against the Germans by secretly working against them but as things get worse, she starts to worry about her life and what she's doing. What is amazing is that she hid from the Nazi's even as they were hunting her down for a long time. She had friends who were willing to risk their own safety and lives to keep her alive. It is the bravery of those people like Hedy and her friends that we need to remember and honor. 

I definitely recommend this novel to those who enjoy learning a bit of history through a fictional story.