Smorgasbord Book Promotions 2023 – Book Review – #WWII #Netherlands – The Girl From Huizen by Paulette Mahurin

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 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.

My review for the book July 1st 2023

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.

Read the reviews and buy the book: Amazon US – And: Amazon UK

Also by Paulette Mahurin

Profits from Pauline’s books go to help rescue dogs from kill shelters.

Read the reviews and buy the books: Amazon US – And : Amazon UK – follow Paulette : Goodreads – Blog: The Persecution of Mildred Dunlap on WordPress – Twitter: @MahurinPaulette

About Paulette Mahurin

Paulette Mahurin is an international best selling literary fiction and historical fiction novelist. She lives with her husband Terry and two dogs, Max and Bella, in Ventura County, California. She grew up in West Los Angeles and attended UCLA, where she received a Master’s Degree in Science.

Her first novel, The Persecution of Mildred Dunlap, made it to Amazon bestseller lists and won awards, including best historical fiction 2012 in Turning the Pages Magazine. Her second novel, His Name Was Ben, originally written as an award winning short story while she was in college and later expanded into a novel, rose to bestseller lists its second week out. Her third novel, To Live Out Loud, won international critical acclaim and made it to multiple sites as favorite read book of 2015. Her fourth book, The Seven Year Dress, made it to the bestseller lists for literary fiction and historical fiction on Amazon U.S., Amazon U.K. and Amazon Australia. Her fifth book, The Day I Saw The Hummingbird, was released in 2017 to rave reviews. Her sixth book, A Different Kind of Angel, was released in the summer of 2018 also to rave reviews.

Semi-retired, she continues to work part-time as a Nurse Practitioner in Ventura County. When she’s not writing, she does pro-bono consultation work with women with cancer, works in the Westminster Free Clinic as a volunteer provider, volunteers as a mediator in the Ventura County Courthouse for small claims cases, and involves herself, along with her husband, in dog rescue. Profits from her books go to help rescue dogs from kill shelters.

 

Thank you for dropping in today and I hope you will be leaving with some books.  Thanks Sally.