Brave Hearts

The Children On The Train by Anna Stuart is a powerful novel of World War II that grabbed my attention from the start.

The story surrounds the Jewish children and orphans who escaped Nazi Germany via the Kindertransport before the outbreak of war and closed borders in 1939. We witness the bravery of all those involved. Lives were put on hold; sacrifices made, in order to get the children to safety.

Along the way, good friends were made, and lost.

As the grip of the Nazis tightened on society, a gentile husband and his Jewish wife, make a painful decision, designed to keep the whole family safer – but will it? We see the cruelty inflicted by the Nazis via both physical and mental torture.

Huge hearts put the children first, above all else, including personal safety.

As the storm clouds darken over Europe, there are still pockets of goodness. Hope for a better future still lives in hearts.

All the characters were well drawn and believable. With her marvellous pen, the author has evoked the atmosphere of both love, and also terror, as the Nazis raged across Europe.

The Children On The Train must be read in memory of all those who facilitated the Kindertransport, of those who survived, and of those six million innocents who perished in the Holocaust.

I received a free copy via the publishers for a blog tour. A favourable review was not required. All opinions are my own.

JULIA WILSON

Anna Stuart

Anna Stuart lives in Derbyshire with her campervan-mad husband, two hungry teenagers and a slightly loopy dog. She was hooked on books from the moment she first opened one in her cot so is thrilled to now have several of her own to her name. Having studied English literature at Cambridge university, she took an enjoyable temporary trip into the ‘real world’ as a factory planner, before returning to her first love and becoming an author. History has also always fascinated her. Living in an old house with a stone fireplace, she often wonders who sat around it before her and is intrigued by how actively the past is woven into the present, something she likes to explore in her novels. Anna loves the way that writing lets her ‘try on’ so many different lives, but her favourite part of the job is undoubtedly hearing from readers. You can reach her on Facebook @annastuartauthor or Twitter @annastuartbooks.

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The Children on the Train

Anna Stuart

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November 1938, Germany. Grete guides two small children onto the train. Placing her arms protectively around their shoulders, she prays the journey is uneventful because she must get six-year-old Adele and eight-year-old Rosa out of Germany…

Grete always longed to be a mother, but it never happened for her so, as the clouds of war gather over Europe, she’s devoting her time to helping Jewish children escape the Nazis. She remembers the face of every single child she’s taken on trains to freedom in the Netherlands. The danger increases with each trip, but, today, she has to get her best friend’s children to safety, because they are closest thing she has to family.

But at the border, the train screeches to a halt and she hears the shout of a Nazi guard. Then the sound of boots coming towards their carriage. When the door bursts open, she draws herself up tall, and prepares to face the interrogation she knows will come. With shaking hands, she passes over Rosa and Adele’s tattered papers and hopes they aren’t scrutinised too closely.

Grete is ready to do whatever it takes to keep her small charges safe…

A completely heart-breaking and emotional WW2 historical fiction novel of incredible bravery, friendship and love in the darkest of times inspired by true stories of the Kindertransport. From the bestselling author of The Midwife of Auschwitz, this unforgettable story is perfect for fans of Orphan Train, The Book of Lost Names and The Nightingale.

What readers are saying about Anna Stuart:

‘BLEW me away… I was in absolute AWE reading this… I could picture everything… SPEECHLESS… Brought tears to my eyes.’ thatbookishvixen, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

‘Absolutely heart-wrenching… I raced through this book… Grabbed me from the first paragraph and didn’t let gountil the last line of the fabulous ending. Anna Stuart is fast becoming my favourite WW2 author. A cracker of a story.’ Goodreads reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

‘Shattered my heart… I was in tears… So powerful you feel as if you are there… Incredibly moving… Absolutely brilliant… this gut-wrenching journey will hit your heart… I highly recommend.’ Cindy L. Spear, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

‘This book is everything! It deserves every one of its five stars and more!… I can’t recommend this book highly enough, the writing and the storyline are exquisite.’ Goodreads reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

‘I couldn’t put it down… A heart-wrenching and emotional journey that will leave you in tears… My heart brokemultiple times throughout the story… Powerful…Gripping historical fiction novel that will tug at your heartstrings.’ NetGalley reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

‘Reading this book absolutely broke my heart… A haunting story that will stay with me long after I’ve turned the last page… Heartbreaking historical fiction… Gripping and emotional…A must-read.’ Vegan Book Blogger,⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

‘From start to finish, this book had me captured… Heart-wrenching… An emotional rollercoaster… I think I went through every emotion as I read this story. What a page-turner!’ celticcaston, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

‘Utterly brilliant, emotionally charged… This truly is one of the best books I’ve ever read.’ Goodreads reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

ISBN: 9781807223137

Publication Date: 04 August 2026