A brilliant read, gripping and a great plot. I loved the characters and connected with them hugely. Looking forward to reading more historical fiction from the author.

A historical drama set in World War Two and after the terrible Katyn massacre which claimed the lives of members of the Polish air force. Well written and researched, the story held my attention.

This book is based on true events in history and is so powerful
The author has an amazing ability to write such amazing characterisation into her stories.
It was obvious that the author had conducted a lot of research.
A great book

This story was published to coincide with the 75th anniversary of VE Day.

This isn’t my usual genre and my history knowledge is very poor, so I wasn’t sure how I would get on with this book.

Fortunately, it was very easy to read and follow. It’s told from the points of view of Eva and Vee, two very different women connected by one man, Stefan. Stefan wants to bring to justice the people who committed the Katyn Massacre.


I particularly liked Vee’s character, she could be quite headstrong and was passionate about flying. It’s great to see female pilots represented so well in this book.

The setting is well described in this book and you get a real sense of the atmosphere and destruction during the war.

Since reading this book, I have gone on to read about the Katyn Massacre to learn more about it.

The cover of the book is an eye catching yellow and the silhouette of a woman falling to the ground is meaningful. On the surface, it links to Eva going to the swimming pool and what unfolds there. I felt it also linked to Vee and her time as a pilot.

Overall I enjoyed this book and would recommend it.

Thanks to NetGalley and No Exit Press for a copy for review.

When We Fallby Carolyn Kirby

This is about a distressing little
known part of history. Set in ww2 about 3 people who’s lives are mysteriously drawn together . Stefan is an RaF pilot who meets Vea when she makes an emergency landing in fog in an raf base whilst delivering a plane for the British Air Auxiliary. Ewa who was engaged to Stefan til he was imprisoned in a russian pow camp and lives in German occupied Poland, is part of the polish resistance.

It is a very well written book and lots of things are not what they seem. Not for the faint hearted as with this part of history some may be upset by it a very good book non the less.

When We Fall, set in 1943, follows the stories of two women leading very different lives but both playing their part in the war effort. First, we are introduced to Valerie – Vee – Katchatourian, a British pilot whose job is to fly planes between airfields for the Air Transport Auxiliary. Forced to make an emergency landing due to fog one day, Vee encounters a Polish airman, Flight Sergeant Stefan Bergel of 302 Squadron. It’s only a brief meeting, but Stefan makes a big impression on Vee and she finds that she is unable to forget about him.

Meanwhile, in the city of Poznań in occupied Poland, Ewa Hartman is helping her father to run his guest house. At the same time as offering hospitality to German officers, Ewa is carrying out undercover work for the AK (the Polish resistance) – a dangerous thing to do, which becomes even more dangerous when she begins to attract the attention of a high-ranking German guest, SS-Obersturmführer Heinrich Beck. Ewa becomes close to Beck, but in her heart she remains loyal to her former lover, Stefan Bergel, whom she has not seen since he became a prisoner of the Soviet army a few years earlier.

Stefan provides the link between Ewa and Vee, but who is he really and where do his true allegiances lie? He is a complex and enigmatic character whose motives and loyalties are never clear, even to the reader who sees both sides of the story, unlike Ewa and Vee who see only their own. This, along with Ewa’s support for the resistance and the dangers of Vee’s work as a pilot, keeps the novel filled with tension and suspense until the end as there is no guarantee that any or all of our characters are going to survive the war.

The novel switches between the two storylines, although Vee’s almost disappears for a while in the middle of the book while most of the action is taking place in Poland. I liked both characters and both settings, but Ewa’s story was the most compelling, I thought. In all of my reading about the war, I don’t seem to have come across many books that describe life in occupied Poland, so I found it very interesting to read about the challenges Ewa faced on a daily basis. With the Nazi occupiers in the process of renaming streets and towns to make them sound more ‘German’ – Poznan becomes Posen, for example – Ewa must learn to respond to the German form of her own name (Eva), to avoid lapsing into her native language, and to come to terms with the local synagogue being converted into a swimming pool.

Names are also important for Vee, who was born in England but whose Armenian surname makes her the subject of prejudice and suspicion, as well as the prejudice she already experiences as a female aviator – even though the ATA was notable for paying women the same as men, Vee senses that she is not always considered an equal. Although I’m not really interested in aviation, Vee’s enthusiasm for her work as a pilot and for the different types of planes she is asked to fly comes across strongly.

Finally, I should mention the Katyn Massacre, a wartime atrocity which marked its 80th anniversary this year and casts its shadow over the lives of the characters in this book. I won’t say too much about it but will leave you to find out how it affects Stefan, Ewa and Vee if you decide to read When We Fall – which I do recommend, as it’s such an interesting and moving novel, very different from Carolyn Kirby’s previous book, The Conviction of Cora Burns, which I also enjoyed!

Once I picked this book up I couldn't put it down. I was instantly drawn to the two brave and plucky women in the story. England 1943 and Pilot Vee Katchatourian is lost in the fog. She makes an emergency landing and meets RAF airman Stefan Bergel, who is gorgeous. Vee's smitten from that very first meeting.

Meanwhile in occupied Poland, Ewa Hartman serves German Officers in her father's guest house while secretly working for the Polish resistance on the side. She misses her lover, Stefan who is a POW or so she believes.

The story is based around the little known Katyn massacre and Stefan uses both women to enable the world to know the truth. Later in the book we find out the connection to the German Officer Beck. I loved the story although I found it bittersweet. in places. It's a really good read.

I was lucky enough to be given the opportunity to read The Conviction of Cora Burns recently and I enjoyed it thoroughly so when No Exit Press and NetGalley gave me the chance to read When We Fall, I was chuffed to bits.

First off, let me say that I’m not a big fan of WW2 fiction but as this is written by Carolyn Kirby, I thought I’d give it a shot. I’m pleased that I did because I found this book to be well researched, brilliantly written and a joy to read considering some of the subject matter. I’d not heard of the Katyn Massacre before though I can understand why as it was hidden from the world for so long by both sides of the war.

The two women in the story, Vee and Ewa, are as strong, brave and heroic as any man involved with the war and the writer’s portrayal of them is excellent. That said, I genuinely cannot understand what either woman sees in Stefan. I felt all the way through the book that I couldn’t trust him as far as I could throw him, I thought that he was a pretty shifty character.

I didn’t enjoy this as much as the writer’s previous book but I think that’s because it’s set in WW2, my least favourite historical period.

When We Fall is a unique WWII novel, based in part on the lesser known Katyn Massacre.

British Air Transport Auxiliary pilot Vee Katchatourian is lost in fog and forced to make an emergency landing at a RAF base, where she meets fellow pilot Stefan Bergel. Once departed and on her way back to her own base, she cannot forget the handsome, enigmatic airman.

In occupied Poland, Ewa Hartman runs her Father's guesthouse believing that her fiance Stefan is dead, captured by the Soviets at the beginning of the war. When a high ranking Nazi officer begins to take an interest in her, Ewa questions her own loyalties both to Stefan and her own country.

The man who captures both Vee and Ewa's hearts is Stefan Bergen, escaped POW, RAF pilot and member of the Polish resistance, or is he? His loyalties to the women in his life, as well as the side he is fighting for, are at times unclear.

Stefan is a complex character, unlikable at times, and vulnerable and lovable at others. It is easy to see why he has at least two women falling at his feet.

Who knows how many others there could be, and will his love of a beautiful woman ultimately be his downfall?

I absolutely loved this author’s first book so I was very excited to read more from her. Once again she blew me away with another beautiful, heartbreaking and thoroughly engrossing read.

Firstly I hadn’t heard of the Katyn massacre before so I found it very interesting to learn more about it especially as it’s a part of ww2 history which is one of my favourite periods of history. The author has cleverly weaved real life facts from the event, like there being one women victim, into the story which makes the story seem more realistic and made me care about the characters. It was great to learn more about the roles women played in the war too as I feel they are sometimes overlooked.

One of the things I most enjoy about this author is her ability to create storylines that the reader can get completely absorbed into. I felt like I was living events alongside the characters, feeling everything that they did. This book manages to be a gripping thriller but also a heartbreaking read which helped keep me glued to the page. I can’t wait to see what she writes next.

Huge thanks to Anne Cater for inviting me onto the blog tour and to No Exit Press for my copy of this book via Netgalley. If you are a fan of beautifully written, absorbing historical fiction then I thoroughly recommend this book!

I really enjoyed Carolyn Kirby’s debut novel, The Conviction of Cora Burns, describing it in my review as “an intensely satisfying read that I can wholeheartedly recommend to readers who like their historical fiction to have real depth”. I’m happy to say those comments equally apply to When We Fall.

When We Fall combines the gradual unfolding of a complex web of relationships with moments of intense darkness and high drama, all set against the backdrop of World War II. I also loved that the book explores other themes, such as questions of identity and the symbolism of how we name things.

For example, Ewa, has German heritage but considers Poland her homeland. Poland’s history is one of occupation and re-occupation by other countries and in 1943, the occupying power is Nazi Germany. They have outlawed the Polish language and are engaged in changing the names of people and places to their German versions. For instance, Poznan to Posen. So Ewa must discipline herself to respond to the name Eva and to suppress her natural inclination to speak Polish. A lapse in the latter could be viewed as a ‘symptom of questionable national loyalty’ and bring unwelcome attention from the authorities on herself, and her father. Leading essentially a double life – as Eva, the attentive, German speaking guest house waitress and Ewa, the Polish speaking Resistance operative – she observes of her two identities that “each one speaks and acts like a different person”. She even dresses to match her role on occasions.

Incidentally, I thought it a clever touch to have the other main female character choose to be known as Vee, although her name is actually Valerie, and have her surname of Katchatourian suggest she is foreign when she was in fact born in England. Interestingly, Vee’s heritage is Armenian, a country that through the centuries was under the sway of both the Russian and Ottoman empires. Sadly, it was also the location of a massacre, now designated a genocide, during and after the First World War.

Talking of Vee, I really enjoyed the scenes in which she takes to the skies. As a reader, you get a sense of the exhilaration of flying in a small aircraft, something I’ve never done and, frankly, am unlikely ever to do. For example, this description of Vee’s first time flying the iconic Spitfire: ‘Never has an aeroplane felt more at home in its element. Higher, higher. The Spitfire is cushioned by the air. Falling is inconceivable.’ I was brought down to earth (apologies for the pun) by learning that, being a single seater plane, at some point every Spitfire pilot had to get in what was then ‘the fastest machine on earth’ and fly it, for the first time, alone.

In Stefan Bergel, and in the other man who comes to play a pivotal role in Ewa’s life, the author has created two complex characters who possess both attractive and decidedly unattractive sides. I confess I found it difficult to understand Ewa’s devotion to Stefan, even leaving aside what the reader knows but Ewa doesn’t. He shows little awareness of the impact his long, unexplained absence has had on her and, when they are reunited, seems more interested in resuming the physical side of their relationship than anything else. And the other man? On first sight, he appears more of a catch. However, as one character remarks, “It may not be clear where everyone’s loyalties really lie until they are tested”. Or, what form that test will take.

There are many clever touches I could mention such as the atmospheric section titles. [Ed: That’s enough of the puns now.] In addition, the book’s title lends itself to a variety of interpretations: falling in the literal sense, either by accident or design; in a philosophical sense, as when we fail to meet our own or other’s expectations; or in a moral sense when we give in to temptation.

In the final chapters, the revelations come thick and fast; some of these took my breath away. In a sense, When We Fall completes the mission its characters struggle so hard to achieve. The book is a great example of why I love historical fiction. It transported me to a different time and place, drew me into the lives of its characters and taught me things I didn’t know. When We Fall is a wonderful mix of historical fact and fiction, fuelled by a gripping story. Like Vee’s Spitfire, it soars joyfully.

This story drew me in to the lives of Vee in England, and Ewa in German occupied Poland during WW2. Two strong, independent women, both involved with Pilot Stefan Bergel. RAF pilot, escaped Polish POW, member of the Polish AK resistance, or German spy? Whatever role he plays, Stefan is a charmer, and seems to care for both women, although using them to achieve his end. Ewa's story is heartbreaking, while Vee's is a real illustration of a woman trying to progress in a man's world as a pilot. Stefan's story is unveiled at the end and wasn't what I expected. The German officer Heinrich Beck is inextricably linked to Ewa and Stefan also, and we have to wait until the very end to find out his story. I didn't know from one chapter to the next what role Stefan would play, where he would appear and where his allegiance lay. A tale of some of the human suffering during WW2. #netgalley #WhenWeFall

When We Fall is set during WWII and is a fictional story which centres on the real Katyn massacre.

Vee is a pilot, flying planes between RAF airbases in the UK. Lost in the fog, she lands and meets Stefan, a Polish man in the RAF.

Ewa lives in Poland in a German occupied town. Her father runs a hotel for Germans only, he does this to protect his family. Ewa is a member of the Polish Resistance and passes information from SS officers to them. Her lover, Stefan was a POW and has been missing now for 3 years.

This marvellous tale tells of life during these troubled times, how Vee deals with racism and sexism as a female pilot of Armenian descent, and of Ewa, her bravery and commitment to fighting for what’s right. All linked by Stefan and the horrific massacre at Katyn.

Beautifully written with great characters, full of an atmosphere so evocative of the time and place. A mix of love, bravery and the horrors of war. A truly stunning read.

Thank you to The author, the publishers and NetGalley for an eARC of the book. This is my honest, unbiased review.

Vee's fog bound emergency landing will change her life.

I absolutely loved When We Fall. Firstly, the quality of Carolyn Kirby's writing is so good because it has a modern freshness whist retaining an authentic period feel too so that it was easy to be totally immersed in the narrative. Descriptions are so subtly included that they paint a picture in the reader's mind that transports them to the setting and action as if they are part of the events too. 

Also adding to the credibility and authenticity is the meticulous research that has gone into the book. I confess I had no idea about the particular historical event that underpins this novel, but I finished When We Fall educated, entertained and emotionally connected to the people and the era. When We Fall truly is an hypnotic presentation of the period. 

I found the entire story utterly gripping. Nearer the end my heart was thumping, partly because I wasn't convinced that the outcomes would be ones I wanted. I was completely invested in the characters and knowing that the events were founded in historical fact somehow made these fictional people all the more real. Although there are several vivid peripheral characters, the focus on Vee, Ewa and Stefan feels intimate and precise, making for an immersive, totally engaging read. I thought Vee was magnificent. She embodies a feminism ahead of her time whilst retaining a vulnerability that made me concerned for her throughout.

I actually found Stefan quite difficult to like despite the attraction Ewa and Vee feel for him and that is what makes When We Fall such a wonderful book. I may not have liked the male lead character but I cared about him, understood his behaviour and wanted him to succeed because of Carolyn Kirby's fantastic writing.

Obviously war is central to the narrative, but the themes presented are beautifully woven into the story. Loyalty, love, identity, bravery, sexism, nationalism, passion, grief and so on, form a compelling maelstrom that draws in the reader and won't let them go. Alongside the history in When We Fall is mystery and a love story too so that there is something for any reader.

I devoured When We Fall over a weekend. This isn't to say it is an easy and insubstantial read, but rather that Carolyn Kirby hypnotises the reader, making them desperate to know what will happen to the characters and holding them spellbound until the very last word. When We Fall is one of those novels that stays with the reader long after the pages are closed. I loved it.

I really like historical fiction and I thought that this book was an interesting read. There was just the right amount of historical detail and character detail to make it a compelling read. Very well thought out and researched and very well written.

Thank you to Netgalley for my copy.

When We Fall by Carolyn Kirby has been published to coincide with the 75th anniversary of VE Day and is based upon the Katyn massacre of 1940. Set during World War 2 in both England and occupied Poland, this book is about three people, Vee, Ewa and Stefan. Vee is a female pilot transporting aeroplanes in England whilst Ewa runs a guesthouse with her father in Poland. Stefan is the man who they both fall for. Ewa and he are engaged but the last time she heard from him he was in a Russian prison and she fears that he may be dead. Vee meets him at an RAF base where he is an airman and is entranced by him almost immediately.

I adore books set during this time period and this is my first read set in occupied Poland. I learnt so much about life for those living under occupation; street names changed, synagogues turned into swimming pools, houses requisitioned for Germans. Carolyn Kirby conveys the overarching sense of menace and fear of this time with suspicion lurking around every corner.

I was struck by the similarities between the two women at the heart of this novel. Ewa is a brave and fearless woman who serves German SS Officers their breakfast before hiding away in her bedroom typing information on a silent typewriter for the resistance. Vee is a woman in man’s world, a world where she has to work that little bit harder to be noticed and to succeed. She is also brave and puts herself into precarious and dangerous situations. They are both wonderful characters, and ones which wormed their way deep into my heart.

This is a powerful read about a difficult part of history. There are some images of the destruction and devastation wrought by war which made me pause and take a breath before reading again. Carolyn Kirby has woven a beautiful tale of two women and the man they both love. It is a compelling and heartbreaking read which doesn’t pull any punches in its depictions of loss.

If you’re a fan of well-written historical fiction then this could be the book for you. It reminded me of The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah and Kate Furnivall’s books and it has its roots firmly placed in fact with its exploration of the Katyn Massacre. Highly recommended

An accomplished piece of work!

I will openly admit that my detailed knowledge of the Second World War is quite limited as far as the outrageous atrocities that were carried out during that time. This piece of writing taught me quite a lot about some shocking and harrowing historical events.

When We Fall, a superb historical fiction novel, is well researched and eloquently written. Set during WWII in occupied Poland there are 3 key characters caught up in a triangle of lust, love, espionage and the Polish resistance movement.

Stefan, a Polish Spitfire fighter pilot loves Ewa who he has left behind in Poland, Stefan spent time in a concentration camp, but managed to get out after committing a cruel act that haunted him. He is also in lust with Vee Katchatourian. Vee is an English air transport auxiliary who he meets when she has to make an emergency landing at RAF Bradwell whilst he was based in the UK.

One comment that I liked, when reading was:

‘’It’s cramped, isn’t it?’ ‘Sorry? ‘You know, small.’ ‘Ah yes. But it has to be. When you are fighting, you must wear the aeroplane like a coat.’’

I learnt quite a lot especially about Air Transport Auxiliaries. They delivered new planes and flew old ones back to hangers across the country. Kirby also introduced me to the 1940 Katyn Massacres where a series of mass executions of Polish by the Soviet Union was discovered by Nazi Germany. Part of the aftermath of the Soviet invasion of Poland during World War II and Soviet repression’s of Polish citizens.

At the time the USSR claimed the Nazis had killed the victims. The way in which Kirby wove the knowledge of this brutal slaughter of so many people into the plot was convincing, all quite shocking.

Ewa’s father owned a B&B in Poland and to ensure his and his family’s survival he had to claim to be of German descent rather than a German speaking Pole. His B&B was host to the German military. One person in particular, a very handsome man SS-Obersturmführe Heinrich Beck, did lead Ewa into temptation and there’s a great twist at the end where Beck is concerned.

The attraction and desire between Stefan and Vee, compromised Vee and a decision she made did more than jeopardise her future as a pilot.

‘And then, before she has realised what he is doing, Stefan brings the back of her hand to his mouth, pressing her knuckles to his lips. Vee stands, unable to move. His pale eyes fix on hers as he turns her hand over and this time brings her palm to his mouth. Heat flickers from his lips to the flesh of her hand and into the pit of her stomach.’

So superbly put!

‘Is she really allowing herself to jeopardise her future as a pilot, indeed her future full stop, because of a school-girlish crush?’

I don’t want to give away any more detail, this is a great read, I loved it and the twists and turns made compelling reading. Even though there are some dark and shocking parts it is all pulled together quite cleverly by romance, love, lust, treachery, espionage, sabotage, punishment and a good appreciation of how difficult it was during that time. You’ll learn no-one could be trusted 100% when you read the book. It is most definitely an emotional and intriguing book to read.

Most definitely 5 stars from me.

Thank you NetGalley and Oldcastle books/No Exit Press for this ARC and in return I am submitting my unbiased review.

Very well written literary fiction with realistic and interesting characters. Loved reading it. Emotional and interesting.

Thanks a lot to NG and the publisher for this copy.

This book took a bit for me to get into and I got a bit lost with the jumping back and forth between the different characters from chapter to chapter. The formatting on my preview copy in kindle wasn't great either with what I assumed should have been page breaks.

Intriguing storyline once you got into the swing of things but as much as the women were portrayed as strong characters, it ultimately felt like they were hanging their future on a man.

Interesting bit of historical fiction with an unexpected yet unsurprising twist at the end.

A really good read from Carolyn. Well drawn plot and characters. An excellent diversion in these difficult times. Haven’t read any of her novels before, but would actively seek out further novels by her