Powerful & Engaging

The Girl With Two Names by Imogen Matthews is a powerful historical novel that is grounded in facts.

We follow the leading lady who is Dutch through her wartime experiences in World War II.

We ‘travel’ from Holland to Britain and back again, as she is part of the S.O.E. and parachuted into Holland. “I couldn’t just sit back and accept what the Germans were doing to the Dutch.”

The Nazis quickly took over much of mainland Europe. Their intelligence was one step ahead of the British, meaning they were ready and waiting for any parachute drops.

The leading lady has a dreadful second half of the war as she is in Ravensbrück and then Mauthausen. Kindness was in short supply but grabbed when seen. “Lotte’s kind, wise words… seemed to shine like a beacon in the darkness.” The women pulled together in order to keep going. They held on to the hope of a better future.

Before the war the leading lady had achieved her ambition to be a flight attendant. Bonds made with the plots remained.

All the characters were well drawn and realistic. The inclusion of Airey Neave added to the realistic feel as I remembered him as an M.P. being blown up by a car bomb when I was young.

Life after the war took some adjusting to. A character declares “I don’t know why I wasn’t chosen to die and why I’m still here.” Her war was truly awful and she needed both mental and physical rehabilitation.

The Girl With Two Names is a powerful and engaging read that I loved.

I received a free copy. A favourable review was not required. All opinions are my own.

JULIA WILSON

Imogen Matthews

Imogen Matthews is an Oxford-based, award-winning author and journalist with an interest in forgotten stories from WW2 Holland. Imogen was born in Rijswijk, Holland, to a Dutch mother and English father who moved the family to England when Imogen was very young. All her life, she listened to her mother’s stories about her life in Holland, in particular the hardships she faced during the Hunger Winter in 1944-5, which has had a profound impact on her writing.

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The Girl with Two Names

Imogen Matthews

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She smooths her light blue coat with trembling hands as a man approaches. ‘Felix?’ he says, and she nods. ‘We weren’t expecting a girl.’ He smiles, but panic grips her throat at what he says next. ‘Whoever you are, you’ve been betrayed…’

1943, Nazi-occupied Holland. Turning up her collar against the wind, Trix prepares for her rendezvous. Hidden in the bottom of her bag are coded instructions from the British Special Operations Executive and a silk handkerchief, secretly printed with a map of her next meeting point. She knows working for the Dutch resistance is dangerous, but she must put her past behind her and become someone new… someone brave.

Trix’s friends think she’s a secretary – they can never know the truth. Living a double life is desperately lonely, but the longer she goes under her alias, Felix, the more comfortable she becomes with this new version of herself: one who will stand up for what is right, and fight for those who can’t. That is, until the warm brown eyes of a pilot from her past spark hope for a life after the war.

But when she’s ambushed and imprisoned by German soldiers posing as men from the Dutch resistance, Trix must lean on everything she’s learnt if she’s going to survive and grasp her chance at love. These soldiers see her as just a woman. But is that her greatest weapon? In war, often it’s those we underestimate the most who have the power to change everything…

Inspired by a remarkable true story, The Girl with Two Names is a totally heartbreaking and emotional World War Two novel of bravery, sacrifice and the power of hope in dark times. Perfect for fans of Heather Morris, Kristin Hannah and Fiona Valpy.

What readers are saying about The Girl with Two Names:

‘Incrediblycompelling… Heartbreaking… Emotional and moving… stayed with me after I finished it.’ addictedtobooks1990, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

‘I loved this book so much… I couldn’t put it down… This one really got into my heart… So real and emotional as if I was right there in the story.’ NetGalley reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

‘Fabulous… I was gripped… Heartbreaking.’ Goodreads reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

‘Wow… Gripping and emotional… Heartbreaking. Goodreads reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Readers love Imogen Matthews:

‘Wrecked me… A gut punch… Hit me so hard I had to stop reading for a second and just feel it… Impossible to forget.’ bookscoffeebrews, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

‘Heartbreaking and so inspiring, I couldn’t put it down. I absolutely loved this… My heart was pounding… This phenomenal story is one you will never forget.’ Page Turners, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

‘Broke my heart… Left me floored… Wonderful… Pulled at my heart in ways only books like this can… Stunning… I cried… The best I’ve ever read and trust me I’ve read a lot. Just wow… A must-read.’ Goodreads reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

‘Excellent!… So good I couldn’t put it down… I read it in a day… I even found myself warning them when they were due to be raided – OUT LOUD!’ Goodreads reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

‘Truly heartbreaking and emotional… Tear-jerking… Glued to the story… A page-turner and unputdownable read that will make you cry till the end!’ Tropical Girl Reads Books, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

‘Brilliant… I was gripped from the start… Really couldn’t put it down… Amazing.’ NetGalley reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

‘I was blown away… Inspiring, unputdownable… Gripping… Such a moving story.’ Goodreads reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐