Thank you NetGalley and Bookouture!

The Winter Child is the story of Irena, a young girl who is forced to become a young woman due to horrific circumstances.

Written in multiple perspectives and dual timelines, it allows us to see the struggle from the beginning. We see Irena as a young girl all the way into Irena in old age, still trying to cope with the atrocities that were committed.

I could not put this book down. I felt I was on a journey with a friend, and I had to stick with her until the end. Carly Schabowski has written an amazing and heart-wrenching tale of family, loyalty, friendship, and strength, which is sure to take you on an emotional roller coaster.

The Winter Child is a heart gripping story of pain, survival, heart break, perseverance, and fate. Irena is faced with unspeakable dilemmas when her beloved country of Poland is invaded by the Nazi’s. Everything from her family, friends, job, and life are turned upside down thanks to the Nazi’s. A brute of a man, a high ranking Nazi, takes a liking for Irena and much to her disdain, he is relentless.

One cold winter day, in the middle of the night during a freezing cold snow storm, Irenas life is changed forever. This story spans between WWII and 1994. Chapters are told from the perspectives of multiple characters but it’s easy to follow.

It’s a great book and I highly recommend.

Carly Schabowksi’s new novel, The Winter Child, takes the reader back and forth between Poland during World War Two and Argentina in the 1990’s. It’s a tale of emotional trauma as one woman searches for redemption after unspeakable events were perpetrated on her during the Nazi’s occupation of her hometown in Poland. I found this to be a quick read but it did pack an emotional punch as Irena’s search for her perpetrator allows her to relive her past but there is a grey area which deals with the morality of the situation and both the reader and Irena face a constant battle between what is right and wrong.

The book opens with a brief prologue where a man describes receiving a letter every year on the same date and the words written are always the same - you are going to die. There is never a return address and the stamps could be from a range of countries. These letters inspire memories of a woman and a situation that he was involved in many years ago. But all these years later there is little remorse shown although someone wants him to pay for his cruel and callous deeds. The plot effortlessly moves back and forth between the town of Zakopane in Poland during the war and the seaside of Pinamar in Argentina in 1994. The storyline is easy to follow and easy to get sucked into. Although, I will admit around the halfway point things did start to click with me and I figured out how things were going to work out and what the connections between characters were but this didn’t detract from my enjoyment of the story and my compulsion to keep reading on.

January 1994 and Irena is burying her husband Mateusz on a cold winter’s day. She had needed him to die before her as there is something she has been waiting to do for many years and she knows he would not have allowed her to undertake the journey she is about to embark on. The years and layers of trauma, pain, and worry have been building and she has a strong desire to put things right. Instantly, you can tell that Irena is a woman scorned and she wants revenge no matter what. But what happened to her? Who caused her this pain that has impacted her for so long. The clue is in the title and as the chapters pass by and the story unfolds, I found the image used on the cover had a strong forbearing on the story. In fact, I thought the title and the imagery were absolutely perfect and fitted so well with the overall themes and plot and it’s not often that that can happen.

Irena along with her best friend Anna travels to Argentina. It’s a trip which she has wanted to take for a very long time and she goes there with passion and a fire in her belly. She is edging ever closer to her end goal but she must be calm and patient. For she has waited so long, it wouldn’t do for things to go wrong at the most crucial point. The descriptions of the Argentian city of Pinamar were fantastic and such a stark contrast to her experiences in Poland during the war. You could feel the heat as she explores the streets with the help of Peter who offers guided tours. As Irena seeks the person who has haunted her every waking moment for an endless amount of time the tension increases, and I was rapidly turning the pages to discover who she was seeking and for what reason.

We also gain a deeper insight into Peter and his partner Sara who each have chapters from their viewpoint. Peter too is deeply affected by his past although the answers he seeks he feels are further from his grasp than ever before. I loved how Peter and Sara tied into the story and the author had the perfect balance between what they were learning and trying to deal with and how Irena fitted into the overall picture too. Anna as a character in the present day was a bit of a conundrum. The way she spoke and acted was quite strange and after a while I realised this was because she was deeply affected by her war experiences. She had been scarred and in some way Irena’s quest was also to get redemption for Anna also.

In Zakopane, a town surrounding by mountains and countryside, the Nazi’s have taken over everything and the residents live in fear. Irena lives with her parents and longs for the freedom she once enjoyed. Instead, there is a dark cloud hanging over Zakopane which only grows in intensity. Everyone is stuck in a limbo of uncertainty and forced to do things they never thought possible. Irena works in the Grand Stamary Hotel where the Gestapo have rooms. Her job is in the kitchens, but an incident means she is soon forced to wait tables where one man in particular has become quite taken with her. Christoph Richter is a Nazi and enjoys nothing more than brutality, persecution and instilling pain and fear in those not deemed worthy of existing. Irena becomes his plaything. He is the master pulling the strings and she is the puppet that must dance attendance on him. Whatever he desires she must provide and she is given no choice.

Irena becomes drawn into a cruel game of cat and mouse. Richter is a master manipulator and she knows that if she does not do his bidding then the worst fate could befall herself and her family. But Irena wants to do her bit for the Resistance no matter that it could potentially find her at the Gestapo headquarters facing interrogation. I desperately hoped that things would not come to that but I hated the fact that she had to submit to Richter. He was a cruel bully who degraded her in so many ways and the trauma he goes on to inflict on her will imprint itself on her for many years. I did wonder when Mateusz would feature in the past timeline and when he did I actually wanted more of him. I wanted to know in greater detail his war experiences and the brave and courageous work that he was undertaking. I knew that Irena couldn’t be seen with him but their romance felt a bit quick and fleeting and it was as if they never got to spend any real time together yet there was a real deep connection between the pair. I wished something could have been done to rid Richter from Irena’s life but I felt once she got sucked into his games there was no escaping his evil clutches. He enjoyed ruining people’s lives and as the story progresses and the shrouds of secrecy are pulled back the reader sees the impact of his time in Zakopane had on Irena and her family.

Irena was a fantastic character who was expertly developed throughout the course of the story. She was very driven and focused but wasn’t shouting everything from the roof tops. She had bided her time planning everything to a t. The reader is waiting for a big climax and I knew what I wanted to happen. Instead, it was subtly played out and yes there was a slight element of disappointment for me as I wanted retribution fast and instant. But here is where the grey area of morality came into play and the reader has to pause and go with the way Irena is thinking. Although, I will say one particular thing that occurs towards the end brought a smile to my face and left me deeply satisfied and I’m sure other readers will feel the same too. The Winter Child was a very good, emotional story that raises many questions and will certainly set you thinking about good and bad, right and wrong. If you long for something a little bit different with your historical fiction reads then this is the book for you.

Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for the ARC (Advance Reader Copy) of The Winter Child by Carly Schabowski. This is the first book I have read by this author and I am looking forward to reading more. This historical fiction book kept me on the edge of my seat, anxious to read more. It did invoke some tears from me as well. The story is written in two timelines. Poland in the 1940's and Argentina in 1994. It was very emotional and I just wanted to keep reading it. I highly recommend this book if you like historical fiction. A 5 star rating from me.

Poland, 1943, World War II rages on across Europe. People take on horrible jobs so that they can provide for their families. They don’t have a choice. Irena serves cocktails in the local hotel, to the Nazis that visit often. Trying to not get noticed by any of the German’s is not easy. And then when she catches the eye of Richter who is a member of the Gestapo, she knows her life will never be the same. Her worst fear comes true when she becomes pregnant. She goes into hiding and knows she must do everything possible to keep her baby safe. But, Richter is a high ranking officer and it is impossible for Irena to keep her baby a secret. When she gives birth, the baby is taken from her. Argentina, 1994 Irena’s husband passes away and she decides to return to Poland, her mission is to avenge her son that was taken from her all those years ago.

The Winter Child written by Carly Schabowski is a phenomenal and heartbreaking story. There aren’t many storylines like this in the Historical Fiction genre. This amazing story includes a dual timeline which is a favorite of mine. I always love stories of history and present day, because they teach historical events and then at the flip of the page, fast forward you to current events. Schabowski does it again, with a heartfelt, emotional and unputdownable story that will leave you in tears. This is an absolute must read for every historical fiction fan and I highly recommend it.

WOW! An excellent story that you will read through quickly. Everything that a reader of this genre is looking for will be found in this book. Carly writes wonderful stories and this is no different@!

I love Carly’s books, and this one was no exception. I read it all in one day while I was working 🤫 This one was quite an emotional read. Granted, most books that have at least one timeline is during WWII are emotional, this one was on a different level. There are lots of TW in this one.
I enjoyed the multiple POVs. I felt so deeply for Irena. Herr Richter spent years tormenting her, both physically and mentally. I can’t imagine the suffering she endured, even after the war. The dual timeline gave us the opportunity to see Irena as an old woman also.

Thank you NetGalley and Bookouture for my ARC of this book.

The Winter Child
Set in Poland during WWII, Irena becomes the unreluctant recipient of the attention of a high-ranking Gestapo member - Richter. Her fate is sealed when she becomes pregnant and attempts to hide her son from him
In 1994 in Argentina, following the death of her husband, Irena, decides the time has come for her to now find Richter and avenge her child

Firstly, thank you @bookouture & @netgalley for the advanced copy. Historical fiction set in this time period is by far my go to genre. Having not read Carly Shabowski’s work prior I was not sure what to expect.

I found the dual timeline a favourite feature of the book, and enjoyed trying to connect the dots between characters and particularly relished the way that was set up.

I did however, struggle to connect with Irena at times, and while I felt compassion for story and understood her need to retribution, I also failed to connect to her as a character or truly get immersed in her plight. I couldn’t emote to her, even her love for her husband seemed to be conveyed in a very abstract unemotional way.

Overall, 1 enjoyed reading this ARC, but it felt it just did not connect with me like other stories in the same time period do.

THE WINTER CHILD by Carly Schabowski is an emotionally intense WWII historical fiction told in dual timelines primarily by the main protagonist who is a young girl in 1940’s occupied Poland and then a grown woman seeking revenge in 1994 Argentina. While this book is difficult to read at times due to the inclusion of scenes of wartime rape and abuse, it is not gratuitous and necessary to the plot.

Poland 1940’s: Irena works in the local hotel in the kitchen to make money to help support her parents, but she is terrified of the Gestapo troops that have taken over the town. When one of the servers drops a plate on the head of the local Gestapo, Irena is forced to replace her. Richter makes her his personal server and more…

Irena has a child, but one winter night her baby is taken, and she vows to stop at nothing to get revenge.

Argentina 1994: Five decades later, after the death of her husband, Irena is searching for the man of her nightmares to finally fulfill her vow.

This is a story that had me on an emotional roller coaster. For the first time, the second portion of the title states “A heartbreaking and unputdownable World War 2 historical novel” was true. Irena is such a strong character that suffers so much loss and trauma during the war and yet it does not destroy her. There are some plot surprises that made this story and ending unique from other WWII historical fiction books I have read.

I highly recommend this WWII historical fiction.

From the very first page, Schabowski immerses readers in the chilling atmosphere of a small Polish town under the shadow of war. Irena's struggle to support her family while navigating the dangers of serving Nazi officers at the local hotel is depicted with haunting realism. The palpable tension of living under constant fear, especially of the menacing Gestapo officer Richter, keeps the reader on edge, eagerly turning pages. Such a beautiful, yet heartbreaking, read perfect for anyone who loves stories about courage and resilience.

THE WINTER CHILD is a phenomenal WWll tale, my first by Carly Schabowski. I was completely captivated by this bittersweet story written in yet a whole NEW perspective regarding WWll. This begins in 1942 Poland during the German occupation, with Irena (in her twenties) being targeted by the highest ranking gestapo official in her town.. she finds herself pregnant, hides, but he finds her and steals her baby. 1994: Present day Argentina, Irena is there to find him, her hate still festering for revenge. It’s also where she makes a miraculous discovery. Schabowski brings Irena’s life full-circle; -her mindset to be courageous through the sufferings of war and loss.. making choices out of necessity.. to right the wrongs.. and her unconditional love that carries onto future generations. Highly recommend. ❥ 4.5 stars — Pub. 5/16/24

I received a copy from the publisher through NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

What an incredibly emotional and compelling story of love and loss, trauma and survival.

The Winter Child is a gripping story - every single character is so wonderfully depicted - particularly Irena - and what she endured is truly heartbreaking. The pace is good and the story flows really well between the dual timelines and narratives. The plot is really fantastic - so well thought out and all the elements put together beautifully. Carly Schabowski has sensitively portrayed the brutality of the Nazis and also educated the reader about events that took place in Zakopane during WW2.

The Winter Child is beautifully written and a real page-turner that encourages the reader to think about the moral aspects of right and wrong.

I am grateful to the publisher, Bookouture, via NetGalley for an advance digital copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

would like to thank netgalley and the publisher for letting me read this heartbreaking story

oh my word this was heartbreaking to read and experience.... the author wrote it as though you would experience every little thing that happened.... and yes i cried at times....

its not a easy read but read it you must

Thank you to Netgalley and Bookouture for my gifted advanced readers copy of this book!

After reading The Note by Schabowski and loving it, I couldn't pass up the opportunity to read this one. Any lover of WWII historical fiction should definately read both of these books. Written with so much heart and emotion The Winter Child is simply another tragic part of WWII that doesn't get discussed.

Told in dual timelines we meet Irena, who in 1942 Poland is a young girl working to support her family. When a high ranking member of the Gestapo sets his eyes on her, she has no choice but to do as he wishes. Eventually, Irena becomes pregnant and goes into hiding. Unfortunately, she cannot hide from Richter and he soon finds her and takes the baby boy from her.

In present day Agentina, 1994, Irena is set to find Richter and set the scales even. But in doing so she finds friends and family she never thought possible.

Any story that revolves around a strong woman, is a good story. Irena is so much stronger than she gives herself credit for. Both as a young teen and a woman in her 70's. All that she had to endure as the property of another person was heartbreaking and brutal. I couldn't tear myself away until the very end. Highly recommend!

This is my first time reading Carly Schabowski and it was a great experience. The subject matter is sad but the story is well written. Irena lives in fear of Nazis during the war. She tries to protect her friends and family but the circumstances keep getting worse and worse. The timeframe alternates from Irena's past and present life. If you like historical fiction, The Winter Child is worth reading. Thank you NetGalley and Bookouture for a copy of this book. I was happy to have the chance to read it.

I am going to have to come back to this review as my heart is breaking but swelling at the same time. What an utterly incredible book!

Not my favourite book. Really struggled to get into it and the split storyline didn't help. I am sure that there are some people out there that would really enjoy it but it just wasn't the right book for me.

The Winter Child is about Irene, friends and family but it also is about what happened to her during WW2 and then 50 years later. This book was such an emotional read that had me turning pages till the very end. The author wrote this so beautifully and I loved every character in this book. I enjoyed this book a lot and would recommend this book to any reader who loves historical fiction. Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for this ARC read in exchange of my honest review of The Winter Child.

A mother’s love story for her missing child is heart wrenching, sad, and beautiful all at the same time. The Winter Child by Carly Schabowski is a historical fiction that takes place during the WW2 time period. Carly did a wonderful job writing Irena’s story as first person point of view. I could not put the book down as I wanted to keep reading Irena’s story to find out if she ever finds her son. The Winter Child takes you on a journey from past to present which I enjoy bouncing back and forth in a storyline.


**Thank you NetGalley, Bookouture, and Carly Schabowski for an eARC of The Winter Child.

I love that I somehow keep getting e-arcs of this author as she somehow always seems to bring me back to WWII era in a completely different way. I know some readers feel a little fatigue with HF within the wars but if the author is able to show another perspective or tug another emotional piece then it feels so worth the read. Just because you may have heard or read these fiction books about the Holocaust doesn't mean that they should stop being written. Each generation of reader may connect to another author... in another book.

In any case, this one by Carly is about a Polish woman named Irena during the occupation in Poland. It's dual timelines (1930's and 1994 in Argentina) that deals with the trauma of being one of the "lucky" ones. The novel takes on a revenge story after her husband dies because she's never fully healed from the pain of losing her child or the monster of a Nazi officer.

It's as you expect emotional but in a slower read. My favourite book by this author is The Watchmaker of Dachau. A novel about the concentration camp that I visited countless times when I lived in Germany. But truth is, the other 2 I read were also 4 star reads. I think this one was a bit slower for me, so took me longer to get into it. The emotional pieces were there, just felt harder to get into until the mid way point.

3.75 stars from me. Still a very well done, well developed story, just didn't grasp me in the same way. I do recommend this author's work though because her emotional writing brings a connection to the experience she is trying to bring to life. Thank you to the publisher for the gifted copy <3