The truck stopped for a moment in the freezing, bombed-out street and Kate caught sight of a little girl in a ragged dress on the steps of a once-beautiful mansion. The child’s eyes were startling blue, a pair of endless pools, drawing Kate towards her…
1946, Berlin. War correspondent Kate Mancini is in Germany, reporting on the aftermath of the devastating war. For her readers back home in New York, she tells the stories of innocent families, trying to rebuild the wreckage of their lives now the soldiers have left at last. But in the Russian-held sector of Berlin on an icy winter’s day, Kate breaks all the rules, rescuing Mia Stein, a silent orphan who she fears will otherwise perish.
Together with her fellow journalist, handsome Rick Shearer, Kate manages to find a safe house for Mia before she returns to America and vows to keep in touch. Back home, the reality of post-war life for women is stark. Whilst Rick walks into his dream job, no newspaper will hire a woman. The editors laugh her out of their offices, telling her to get married and raise a family. Rick does all he can to support her, as she takes her first steps towards the new medium of television news, and their friendship deepens into something more.
Then tragedy strikes: Rick is falsely named as a communist sympathizer. He is arrested, blacklisted and faces prison.
Kate knows she must do all she can to free the man she loves. But that means returning to Germany, to seek out the little orphan girl who is her only chance at salvation. Kate and Rick saved Mia—will she help them both now? And even if Kate succeeds, freedom might never be hers when she returns home…
From Amazon Charts bestseller Ella Carey comes an utterly heartbreaking historical novel, inspired by true events, about the courage, love and friendships that sustain us in the darkest of days. Fans of Fiona Davis, All the Light We Cannot See and My Name is Eva will be totally captivated.
My Thoughts
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Ella Carey never fails to provide us with a story that captures your heart entirely, and The Lost Girl of Berlin certainly ticks all of the boxes.
War correspondent Kate Mancini is in Berlin following the devastation left behind after WWII. She tries to provide people with the more positive stories that are taking place around her, like the families that are being reunited following Hitlers reign coming to an end. But that is far from the truth, and before long Kate finds herself putting herself in immense danger as she rescues orphan Mia Stein who is facing certain death.
Kate manages to successfully save the girls life with the help of fellow journalist Rick Shearer. Kate makes it her own personal mission to find Mia a safe and loving home before she has to leave and head back to America, but promises to keep in touch with the young girl.
Kate is wanting to get into news reading, but unfortunately she is living in a time where sexism is still ripe. Whilst Rick has every door open before him, Kate is constantly faced with the pressure of starting a family as is expected of all women. Rick tries to help her as well as he can, and their friendship deepens with every passing day, but then her world is turned upside down when Rick is falsely named as a Nazi sympathiser.
This is such a moving story that really makes you feel connected to the characters and their situations from the start. The characters are well developed and have intriguing personalities, accompanied by their own flaws that provide us with some delightful dialogue throughout this book. The storyline itself is powerful and is perfectly paced, keeping you fully invested to the end. Another fabulous read by one of my favourite authors.
You can purchase a copy of this book by following the link below
Amazon: https://bit.ly/3dK8lEK
About the Author
Ella Carey is the international bestselling author of The Things We Don’t Say, Secret Shores, From a Paris Balcony, The House by the Lake, and Paris Time Capsule. Her books have been published in over fourteen languages, in twelve countries, and have been shortlisted for ARRA awards. A Francophile who has long been fascinated by secret histories set in Europe’s entrancing past, Ella has degrees in music, nineteenth-century women’s fiction, and modern European history. She lives in Melbourne with her two children and two Italian greyhounds who are constantly mistaken for whippets.
Ella loves to connect with her readers regularly through her facebook page and on her website.
*Thank you to Sarah Hardy at Bookouture and Ella Carey for providing me with a gifted copy of this book in return for my honest review. All thoughts are entirely my own and not influenced in any way.*
Victoria Wilks 