This is an incredibly moving story about women in the war. This is a dual timeline novel. The writing is amazing and tell the story so well, the characters are so multi layered.
This is a beautiful story of love, romance, loss and grief. It made me cry.

Fantastic read! I enjoyed the secrets and relationships within families and between the characters, the bravery too. Of course, the novel is based on my favourite period in history so I’m slightly biased, but not every WW2 novel captures my attention so Sarah Steele deserves credit for her story telling, and I enjoyed her note at the end about how she came up with the ideas for her book after talking to her friend in France. I’d definitely recommend a read if you enjoy a story based on resistance during WW2, suspense, courage and tragedy.

The school teacher of saint Michel by Sarah Steel
Wow such an amazing well wrote work of fiction. It is that good you really believe it's a true story. I can't recommend this book enough. The characters are so captivating, you believe in them and feel there emotions. This book is so fast paced and high in action with so many twists and turns you will be on the edge of your seat. You just can't put it down. You will be so emotional due to its great sense of atmosphere. It is so heart warming and heartbreaking at the same time. The ending is just wow amazing! I didn't see any of the book happening before it did. We all love an unpredictable tale. So much praise to the author and publishers. This author is definitely one to watch. I will be reading all their books.

Please read this book, an amazing story of France in WW2 and set with my favourite dual timeline aspect as Hannah deals with her own modern day problems. It will thrill and educate you and you will want to make a cherry cake.
Highly recommend , thank you for the opportunity to read this book.

I loved Sarah Steele’s debut novel, The Missing Pieces of Nancy Moon, reviewed here and when I saw that she had a new book, set during the period of WW2, this was going to be a must read.

The Schoolteacher of Saint-Michel, is a dual time novel, set during occupied France in 1942 and the present day, where schoolteacher Hannah has had a tumultuous time after a long term breakup whilst looking after her newly widowed father who is in ill health. The discovery of a letter from her adored late grandmother Gigi and a change of circumstances allows Hannah to go to France to try and fulfil Gigi’s wishes and the story goes back and forth in time as gradually Hannah tries to piece together events from over 70 years before as to what happened in the village of Saint Michel during the German occupation and in particular, the story of schoolteacher, Lucie Laval.

Lucie Laval was one of a number of people working against the Germans in the Dordogne which had been split by the demarcation line separating Free France from occupied France. Surrounded by collaborators and not knowing who they could trust amongst neighbours, her contribution was vital and it is thanks to the courage and bravery of Lucie and her companions that many young lives were saved. Without giving away any plot detail, the historical aspect was without a doubt the favourite part for me and whenever the tension and worry got too much I was glad to get back to Hannah in the present day for some relief!

Even though I felt that Hannah was mainly there as a vehicle to tell the historical part of the story it didn’t spoil anything for me. I enjoyed the way that the links to the past were discovered by Hannah and her contemporaries and the surprises that were revealed.

I really did enjoy this so much and with this second book, Sarah Steele has firmly cemented her place on my must read author list. The historical part of the story is a such a compelling read, it draws you in so completely to the plight of these people and the dangers they faced. The characters are superbly drawn, there is an atmospheric sense of place and the cruelty of the regime made me shudder, no matter how many times I read of similar stories. It is a beautifully told story of the bravery of ordinary people doing extraordinary things in doing what they see as the right thing. I am sure this would greatly appeal to any reader who enjoys WW2 fiction.


There is an interesting author note at the end explaining the real life events that inspired this novel.

would like to thank netgalley and the publisher for letting me read this amazing book

though this is a work of fiction there are many stories around that time about the bravery of the resistance and what they went through....

this is a story about a teacher called lucie who helped save jewish children escape the germans, they became known as the cherries, a ploy to evade the german army.

and the village with its known collaborators, and spies abound...this is a well thought out account with many a truth lurking through it...

brilliantly written and expertly written to bring the conclusion at the end...its well worth a read and maybe a tissue might be needed at the end

My thanks to NetGalley for this advance copy in exchange for an honest review.

An interesting story based on the French resistance movement during WW2 and the risks taken to get children across the frontier into the free French zone. The characters were well portrayed, with individuals from varying backgrounds highlighting their different roles and the risks involved. The novel switched between the past and present, for which I found the past the more interesting, whilst the present showed the success of current day research uncovering little known facts and secrets. An enjoyable read but perhaps a bit too drawn out before arriving at a fairly predictable ending.

Having read the missing pieces of Nancy Moon was delighted to receive this arc and happy to fully recommend this book! Sheer escapism, beautifully written, I will look for more of this author’s work.
My thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for my advance copy of this title. I highly recommend it.

Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for an early review copy.

Absolutely Fabulous

The story is set in dual timeline.

It’s France, in 1942, after the end of school, the teacher makes sure the pupils have their passes and tells them not to stop until the German guards have let them through a barrier that separates France from Free France.

In Berkshire, now in the present year, there’s a letter that was left by Hannah’s late grandmother, whose name was Gigi.

This letter takes her on a journey, far into the heart of Dordogne. Now, she’s turning the pages on a part of forgotten history, one of bravery and sacrifice in wartime. What she discovers, is the heartrending secret of Gigi that connects her to the schoolteacher, remarkable Lucie Laval........

Highly Recommend This - I’ve read The Missing Pieces of Nancy Moon - this is even better.

This was a lovely book, by turns emotional, exciting and heart-rending. In the present day, Hannah is dealing with a recent break-up, her widowed father's failing health, and the guilt of an event in her past. A letter from her dead grandmother is unearthed as she is sorting through her father's papers, sending her to an old house in the Dordogne to find out the truth of her grandmother GiGi's past and her connection with the wartime schoolteacher Lucie Laval.
The story splits into two timelines, interweaving Hannah's story with that of Lucie and her contemporaries, ordinary men and women showing extraordinary courage in fighting the Nazis occupying their country and working beneath their noses to keep people - including the most vulnerable children - safe from the Nazis.
The atmosphere and characterisation throughout the book is excellent, and the story is beautifully told and researched. The tension builds as the book goes on. Whilst I did find it a little slow to start with, from about halfway through it becomes very difficult to put down as Hannah's and Lucie's stories come together to the climax of events.
Definitely recommended, particularly to anyone with an interest in World War II historical novels. I learnt enough about occupied France and the Resistance to make me want more - the author gives a couple of recommendations for further reading in her author's note that I will be checking out. A book that will stay iwth me.
With thanks to NetGalley and Headline for the advanced review copy in return for an honest review.

I loved this book, I finished reading it on VE Day. It is certainly a fitting tribute to the everyday people in France who resisted the German occupation in WW2.. Ordinary people who put their lives on the line to help Jewish children who were being torn from their families, and killed at a whim. They tried to disrupt the Germans in whatever way they could but they had to be careful as they had traitors living among them who could easily betray them. A young English woman goes to a small town many years later to try and find out how her late grandmother was connected to the area, and to fullfil a promise to say sorry for something her grandmother had on her conscience all her life..

With grateful thanks to netgalley for an early copy in return for an honest opinion
Having read the missing pieces of Nancy Moon was delighted with an arc such a poignant story and beautiful characters I can highly recommend this book

A lovely story of courage and hope at a time of extreme adversity. This one is special in the way the author has carefully researched the personal emotions of how teachers and children at a local school in France are affected and what they have to do in order to survive. Wonderfully written, descriptive and poignant.