When we were brave

The face of woman in the photograph was tilted upwards, as if enjoying the sunshine just for a moment, even as the wreckage of the bombed-out street lay behind her… 

1944, Cornwall: Blinded by love, Vivienne Hamilton eloped to Paris with a Nazi prisoner-of-war, never to be seen again. A disgrace to her family, her name would not be mentioned by any of her relatives for over 75 years. 

Present day, London: When Sophie discovers a photograph of her great aunt Vivi from World War Two, it throws her into a world of confusion. Because, as she learns about this secret relative, she quickly realises that the photograph doesn’t fit with her family’s story. It shows Vivi leaving an address associated with a spy network in London – a place she had no reason to be – and it is dated right before she disappeared. 

Meanwhile Sophie’s own life feels as blasted and bombed as the Blitzed city in the photograph she’s looking at. Her beautiful daughter – as full of joy and wild energy as Vivi had apparently once been – is gone; and Sophie’s heart has been left broken into pieces. 

Retreating to the family home in rural Cornwall to seek solace from her pain and the feelings of guilt that she could have done more to protect her daughter, Sophie finds herself becoming obsessed with Vivi’s life. 

But nothing can prepare Sophie for what she is about to uncover – the story of a woman who risked everything for the person she loved the most; and a secret family history that could be the key to Sophie’s own future. 

Suzanne Kelman is the Amazon International Bestselling author of "The Rejected Writers' Book Club", published by Lake Union, which is the first book in the Southlea Bay series. Also in the series, "Rejected Writers Take the Stage" and "The Rejected Writers' Christmas Wedding".

In 2019 Suzanne is releasing her first Historical Fiction book inspired by a true story called, "A View Across the Rooftops", published by Bookouture, an imprint for Hachette U.K. 

Kelman is also an award-winning writer/screenwriter whose accolades include the Best Comedy Feature Screenplay Award from the L.A. International Film Festival, the Gold Award from the California Film Awards, and the Van Gogh Award from the Amsterdam Film Festival. 

In 2015 her script, Held, was regonized by the Academy of Motion Pictures and was shortlisted to the top ten in the Academy Of Motion Pictures Nichols Fellowship competition. 

As well as an screenwriter and a published author, Suzanne is also a playwright and her award-winning comedy play, "Over My Dead Body", has its World Premiere at Outcast Theatre in Washington, Fall 2019. 

Born in the United Kingdom, Suzanne now resides in Washington State.

My Review

This is a fascinating read and draws the reader in as we discover Vivi's story. Little by little her great-niece Sophie pieces together what must have happened to make Vivi, once an undercover agent for her country, change sides and join the Nazi party. This is cleverly told but absolutely heartbreaking and the ending will leave you in tears.