Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC of this book. I have chosen to write this honest review voluntarily and it reflects my personal opinion.
I enjoyed the start of this novel, the writing style accurately reflected the way a young boy would think. Thereafter I found the writing too simplistic to be credible, with Ruth's thoughts running from a strong desire to be allowed to do more, to being frozen on the spot and not even offering a cup of tea as she's trained to do, within a couple of lines. The timeline seemed odd with Anthony going to the pub then reappearing in a shelter a few hours later while Ruth received news of her husband then went on duty the next day. I could not engage with Ruth's character at all, crumbs about her background were dropped into the story too infrequently with little detail so I didn't feel I was getting to know or understand her. I didn't feel living in that era was conveyed accurately. I read 25% of the book before giving up.

A thrilling and intense story which shows the true meaning of spirit and understanding. Family means everything and in wartime every second counts. A fabulous read.

Thank you to @hqstories for letting me be a part of the blog tour for this title. This story is set in the city of Liverpool, and I didn’t have much knowledge about the terrible bombing they suffered during the war and the roles the locals played in supporting others and trying to keep everyone safe. The main character is Ruth, a strong, capable and brave woman who would sacrifice her principles to save her son and her journey through this book clear. Historical fiction is always my preferred genre and I feel like I’ve read a lot, and for me, this one fell a little short for me, I’m not entirely sure, it just didn’t grab me as much as usual.

This book show the insight to how Liverpool were so badly damaged in the World War 2 in 1940-41 how the people coped with it night after night. The book at the start was a bit slow but my goodness did the book gain momentum and I could not put the book down.

The book has a bit of everything in it sadness, romance and a bit of mystery. The book was well written and I really enjoyed the characters they worked well together.

Would certainly recommend this book.

A fabulous, really enjoyable read.
I would highly recommend to family and friends.
The story line is brilliant no boring parts and kept me interested to the end. Great author Can't wait for the next one!⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

MJ Hollows is back with another heartwrenching, atmospheric and emotional story, anyone who has read this author's previous work will know what an extraordinary talent he is for spinning a richly captivating historical tale full of drama and courage and this is no different!

I loved the setting, I so very rarely read historical's set in Liverpool - not sure why, seeing as it was such a major destination for bombing during the war, due to it being close to a major port, but this book doesn't tend to revolve around that aspect it's completely different to other WW2 historical fictions books I have read.

This is a great kidnapping/blackmail historical thriller, where Ruvy's son is snatched in broad daylight and she is later blackmailed to do the bidding of those who have taken her son. the difference here is that the kidnappers are Nazis and knowing that Ruby work's in a department which holds information that can be invaluable to anyone who holds it, she also has a few skeletons and secrets lurking in her cupboards which f known would be disastrous for her, so she must comply if she is to see her boy again.

The story is a real edge-of-your-seat drama, secrets and unknowns are at every corner and even the reader never knows who to trust. I did have a few issues with the pacing, at times it felt a little slow and sluggish and other parts speeded along, but that didn't take away my enjoyment of the overall story.

A must-read for anyone who loves their WW2 sagas/thrillers/ historical fiction as this does feel to me as though it could easily be placed in any of those categories.

This is the story of Ruth and her son, George, during the Blitz. It’s the story of what a widowed mother will do to save her kidnapped son. Along the way, she meets Anthony who is also a widower and an air raid warden. Their lives intersect and they all become a family during this horrible time of war. Thais book has a good storyline, but the book could have been so much better. At times, I felt like I was reading a textbook. I found the book to be wordy and tedious, Written in a different style, it could have been spectacular. I found it mediocre.

Great book which gives insight to WW11 living. Shows the hardships and struggles of the time interlaced with personal trials which were very real to individuals. Good read.

It's clear that the author has done his research on his location, time period and topic. He painted a vivid picture of what life was like in Liverpool during the blitz.

I just couldn't bring myself to find the characters enjoyable. Ruth, to me, didn't have any redeeming characteristics and was very unlikable (and selfish!). Anthony was just bland. The relationship between them, I felt, wasn't fleshed out or developed and it happened all too quickly. [A review with spoilers on why I think this is posted to Goodreads]

The pacing for the story was off. It was too slow at first and then too fast towards the end. Also, George doesn't even get kidnapped until 42% in!

Thank you to HQ and Netgalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This was yet another war story with a little bit of a twist.
Liverpool 1940.. A woman (Ruth Holt) losses her son to a kidnapper, a ransom is demanded and she has no choice but to do as she is told in ordered to get her son back or her secrets will be revealed.

This is a story of loss, choice and consequences. It is a story where you want everything to go right so Ruth will have her son back. It is heartbreaking, but it kept me reading. I loved the characters and the interactions, the fear, loyalty and devastation.

A good book and one that makes you think. It is emotional, a bit raw and very intriguing.

This was a different book to the usual WW2 sagas, very interesting and informative. I enjoyed this one very much. The descriptions of the Blitz were good and made my blood run cold. Hard to imagine. A real great book. My thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for giving me the opportunity to read this book in return for an honest review.

This book by M J Hollows is perfect for fans of historical fiction. It's a captivating novel based in 1940 in Liverpool. Ruth is threatened with sharing vital war information in return for the safety of her young son.
I couldn't put it down and was desperate to see what and how she would deal with this dilemma without compromising her believes and the future of her country

Set in the early years of WW2 in Liverpool, Ruth Holt is a journalist, trying to make her career in a man's world. However, her young son George is taken from her, and she is drawn into the world of espionage and danger in order to ensure his safety and keep her own secrets. She walks a difficult path between supplying false information and keeping the new man in her life out of danger by not telling him what is going on.

It was a bit difficult to believe in parts - the idea that George could be abducted and she merrily went on with life for months, hapharzardly trying to find him, whilst her lover accepted he had been evacuated with no contact or letters coming through. Also some of the sections were a bit clunky to read, but overall it was an exciting tale, with plenty of background about life during the Blitz.

Thank you to NetGalley and HQ for allowing me access to the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

My thanks to Net Galley for the invitation to review this arc, and to the publisher.

What would you do, if you find out your adopted son is kidnapped and to get him back, you have to steal information to give to the Nazis. That s what reporter Ruth Holt is facing ,and keeping secrets that may destroy her second chance at love and happiness.

Excellent read. Highly recommend.

I did enjoy this book, it was interesting reading about Liverpool during the war and how it was affected as it is local to me. I was expecting more about the 'German messenger' based off the title, but it was more focused on Ruth's struggles from having her son kidnapped and also a love interest along with it. So I feel the title may not entirely fit with the story.
Regardless of that, I did really enjoy this book and it did really make you think about what life would have been like here during that time. I thought it was very well written and I will definitely be reading more

The writing is exceptional and so descriptive I could hear the crumps, feel the heat and I was scared and overly emotional.
To many readers this is pre history. It could not possibly have happened. Such horrors have been exacerbated by the author.
To me it is recent history. Like Anthony my father was desperate to fight for his country. Like Anthony he was constantly turned away. Healthwise he was A1 but he was in a reserved occupation. He recalled being told 'we can get thousands of men to throw at the enemy but we cannae get them anywhere if you don't drive the trains'. But still he did his bit as a fire warden in London.
Ruth's predicament is so different to any I have come across before and though I am well aware of the internment camps I did not know of the conditions.
I live now in a city that was decimated by fire bombs. Where there are still temporary pre fabricated houses and empty spaces where once people lived and worked.
We need more writing of this ilk before it becomes just a novel.

An interesting story which did not hold back from the horrors of the blitz bombing of Liverpool during World War Two and the effect that it had on the residents of that city.
Combined with that was a mystery regarding Ruth and the kidnapping of her young son and the horrendous predicament that it placed on her to keep him safe.
Great read in this genre.

The German Messenger took me back in time, helping me gain more understanding of the atrocities of World War 2. The author's words helped create a picture in my mind, one that I never want to personally experience. In all the times I have been to England all I have seen is the beauty. I did not realize how much ugliness was buried underneath.

The story takes place in Liverpool. The devastation that the citizens experience were atrocious. The reader learns of the struggles by following Anthony and Ruth. They are both volunteers helping the city of Liverpool as they stumble through the darkness. They helped put out fires. They helped to dig for survivors. They helped in anyway they could. I never thought the struggles would end. Things were looking bleak.

Desperate times call for desperate measures. Ruth gets in a situation that I did not expect. I had never thought about the possibilities of what people could resort to in order to meet a goal. Ruth was stuck. If she didn't do what was necessary, she could loose everything she had left. She had already lost her husband and her favorite grandfather. How much more could she take?

The German Messenger is a historical fiction story that gives a greater understanding of the damages. Grab some tissues. The devastation, the loss of human life is heart wrenching. Textbooks did not prepare me for what actually happened. The plot twists were a shocker. I was hooked wanting to know how things were end. I knew the war would end, but I had know idea who would survive.

A different sort of WWII novel- a thriller with a plot we've seen in more current novels. Ruth's son is snatched from her and the villains demand that she supply them with classified information to support the Germans. We often forget about the large numbers of Nazi sympathizers among the general population but this brings them into focus in an emotional way. No spoilers from me but you'll root for Ruth. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. A g good read.

I enjoyed this historical novel set during the Liverpool.blitz.during WW2. I liked the way it transported you through the different ages and relationships all threaded through the novel with ease lots of emotion and believable tale