1942, Warsaw. Sofia works at the Social Welfare Department, through a colleague she’s introduced to Irena Sendler, and she rescues hundreds of Jewish children from the Warsaw Ghetto. Sofia wants to help, she decides to not tell her parents and sister to keep them safe, and they come up with clever ways for Sofia to enter the ghetto, what she witnesses is truly horrific and shocking and the hard for her to accept she can’t help everyone. Sofia risks her life taking in medicine, a little food and taking children out to safety in a variety of ingenious and well planned ways.

Present time, Seattle. Lizzie suffers another miscarriage, she returns home to Seattle to stay with her parents, and she feels like a failure and she needs some time to think and compose herself. Lizzie is in her parent’s attic when she finds a photo of her great-grandmother, she’s with a group of children and dressed as a nurse? Lizzie decides to visit her grandmother Magda in her nursing home, to ask her if she knows why her mother was dressed as a nurse and what happened in Poland during the Second World War and unfortunately her grandmother is confused.


A dual timeline story told from the two main women characters points of view and both are from the same family, generations apart and it's about each finding the courage to keep on going, when a times it seems too hard and difficult.

Lizzie searches on the internet, she contacts a woman called Roksana and she’s a reporter in Warsaw and has written several articles and a photo book on wartime ghettos. Roksana replies and she’s very interested in her family’s story, she thinks Lizzie should visit Warsaw and together they will try to uncover her great-grandmothers past and it’s more dangerous than they could ever have imagined.

Roksana takes Lizzie to see what’s left of the Warsaw Ghetto, one building and a small section of the wall, Jewish men were forced to build it and enclose themselves and their loved ones in cramped, squalid and inhumane living conditions.

I received a digital copy of Daughters of Warsaw by Maria Frances from Avon Books UK and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. The debut novel is an emotional story about Warsaw, it being invaded by the Germans, the Polish resistance, helping Jewish children escape the ghetto, hardship, afterwards people immigrated to other countries, many didn’t share what happened to them with their family and they had no idea.

The narrative also looks at Lizzie’s struggle with infertility, miscarriage to Alex and how desperately she wants to become a mother, the strain it puts on her marriage, through her journey to find about her great-grandmother and she discovers that mothering comes in many forms and ways. Four and a half stars from me, and a well written debut novel by Ms. Frances and I'm sure she will have a successful career as an author.

Maria Frances' Daughters of Warsaw is my first introduce to her work. I was intrigued from the start. Five stars.

I’ve always loved books which are set in Ww2 and having recently visited Poland this story was very powerful to me. Told from 2 different time periods, Poland during Ww2 and Seattle in the present day.

When Lizzie who lives in Seattle finds an old photograph of her great great grandmother she is curious to find out more about her and her connections to Poland. What she discovers is how Zofia has a hidden past one steeped in the secret Underground Resistance, helping save Jewish children from the horrors of the ghetto.

The heroic actions of the Underground Resistance and the dangers they faced were explored with such accuracy it made me marvel at their actions. Having visited the Jewish quarters in krakow it is unimaginable how not so long ago they were ghettos full of starving, terrified and sick people.

The two timelines were brought together beautifully, leaving me wanting to know how Zofia managed to travel to America and how her past had shaped her future

Full of bravery, courage, determination and family bonds this book pulled at my heartstrings. A story and time we must never forget and the brave people who put their own lives at risk to help others. It made me thankful for the life and time I live in. This book is a must read for anyone who loves historical fiction .

An emotional and enjoyable historical fiction, that was a little slow in parts but still packed a punch. I wish there was more focus on the history element rather than present day, but I did still have a good time reading this. It has all the elements of a classic, well researched WWII novel, and was a great Saturday evening read.

Told in parallel timelines: present day Seattle and WWll Warsaw The Daughters of Warsaw tells the story of the heroic actions of the women and men who worked with the incredible Irena Sendler to save the lives the children from the Warsaw Ghetto, it highlights one women’s story.

Maria Frances’s historical fiction novel depicted the true horrors of life in the ghetto, resistance fighters, and choices people had to make. It is a heartbreaking book is about love, connections, bravery, courage, and determination.

Thank you #netgalley for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

A gorgeous story told in two different timelines - Warsaw, Poland during WW2, and the present day. It’s a story of family history and knowing that you belong as well as a courageous fight against the Germans to save as many Jewish children as possible. It was easy to read, had great relatable characters in both timelines and had a lovely ending which made me smile. I will be looking out for more books by this author. Thank you to NetGalley for letting me read this book in exchange for my honest opinion.

The Daughters of Warsaw is a tribute to Irena Sendler of Żegota, a section of the Polish Underground Resistance who directed the efforts to rescue Jewish children from the Warsaw ghettos.
Told in dual timelines, 1942/43 and present day, it is a well written, well researched heart breaking story of courage, compassion. bravery and the horrors of world war two in Poland.
This book will appeal to readers of historical fiction, particularly world war two.
Highly recommended.

This story is told from 2 different time periods, Poland during WWII and modern day Seattle. It follow the story of the resistance during the war and now a descendant of a member of the resistance is trying to trace the family history. At times the story was hard to read but I kept turning the pages but the story was so compelling I wanted to find out what happened to the characters. The author did a good job bringing the two time lines together. This is a story of courage, sacrifice and family. Thank you to net galley for an advanced readers copy.

A really good story which also allows us an idea of what risks the Resistance took to save lives during the Second World War. It may be a fiction story but even so, it really gave me a feel of the fear they lived through and the bravery of these amazing people.
Our main character’s story is told across that time in the war to the present day and it was a captivating story. There is real sadness to be felt in parts of it, alongside joy.
For me and my imagination, there was also a mystery or could it just have been coincidence? Could the elderly man on the aeroplane, have been Filip?! Who is Filip? Read this excellent book to find out.

A captivating read which was heartrending at times but also heartwarming. Very well researched and well written the book is written in two time zones, present day and during WW2 and just after. Mainly set around the Jewish ghetto in Warsaw which is so barbaric but with Polish 'Aryan' resistance members willing to risk their lives to help the people stuck in the ghetto. Although fiction there is an element of real life within this book particularly the work of Irena Sandler a resistance member. Educational about this element of WW2 history but also poignant with many ups and downs although some parts seemed a little rushed or glossed over.

*Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for ARC, in exchange for an honest review*

A beautiful, heartening story.

Daughters Of Warsaw Is a story that broke my heart into millions but, at the same time, was inspirational for me. It’s not a book that you will be able to put down once you start reading it. Some parts of the book are hard to read, but you will find yourself to keep turning the pages. I loved that it was another dual-timeline book that connected the characters. Like Lizzie, I was curious about what she was going to discover. I think that finding that hidden photograph of her great-grandmother helped her heal from her loss. I don’t think she expected to find out what she had when she came across her picture. I loved the transition between Lizzie and Sofia and felt I was being transformed into both timelines.

Through the years, I have read a few books about resistance. Those are my favorite books. Sofia was doing what she knew was right, but hiding from her parents and sister couldn’t be easy. If I were in her position, I wouldn’t been able to hide it, or I would have left because I would be afraid to put my family at risk. Daughters Of Warsaw was such a beautifully written story, and it was clear how much research was put into it. I haven’t read any book by Maria Frances before, and I’m glad I got to check her book out. I would highly recommend this to any historical fiction fans. After reading this book, I’m eager to see what’s next for Maria Frances

Daughters of Warsaw was a gripping historical fiction novel that weaved two storylines set in different time periods together.
The book went back to 1942, in war-torn Warsaw, where Zofia found herself involved in a dangerous mission to save Jewish children from the horrors of the Warsaw Ghetto.
Zofia's bravery and determination shone through as she risked her life night after night to get the children to safety.

Present day in Seattle, Lizzie, while exploring her family's history, she stumbled upon a hidden photograph of her great-grandmother among a mysterious group of people.
This discovery set her on a quest to uncover the secrets of her family's past, and lead her to a buried history that was darker and more dangerous than she could have ever imagined.

Maria Francis brought together the two timelines beautifully, connecting the past and present in a way that kept me engaged and eager to uncover the truth.

The historical backdrop of World War II and the Warsaw Ghetto was a powerful and haunting setting.
The parts of courage, sacrifice, and the enduring strength of family bonds was beautifully written.

This was a captivating tale that historical fiction fans will love.
I was moved, and enthralled in this compelling story, it was very emotional.

A haeartbreaking story of two women attempting to save children from the Warsaw Ghetto. It mixes in with current day and a woman who finds a haunting photo and where it leads her,

Warsaw 1952 and Seattle in the present day. This is a story that crosses time, the story of war and the saving of children, the courage of one woman, Zofia. Then there is Lizzie who decides to research her family history while also dealing with her own problems.

Although a bit slow to start this book is heart-breaking yet heart-warming at the same time. This is a story about war and its affect on the people in it and who lived through it as well as about the present day and finding out about family that were in the war.

This is a well researched book and well written. The Warsaw Ghetto is a sad place and will bring a tear to your eye. The characters are so real, the story is emotional and I would recommend this book to other readers of great historical fiction.

Thank you NetGalley and Avon Books UK for giving me the opportunity to read and review this book.

This is a historical novel looking at the way Polish Nationals reacted to a Jewish ghetto formed in Warsaw during World War II. The story looks at a young Polish woman who was involved in arranging the escape of mostly Jewish children from the ghetto, and in this way, protecting them from the Nazis roundups and ultimate concentration camp deaths.
The book is told from the point of view of the historical figure, but also from the point of view of her modern relative, a young woman who whilst grieving for her recurrent miscarriages finds some documents relating to her family past and goes Poland to investigate these
The book has a very slow start. I’m beginning to wonder if it’s going to go anywhere and it’s not until the parts of the the story set in World War II that I started to enjoy the book more interesting .These sections are authentic and tell a story for my point of view that I have personally not read before. The atrocities of the war are dealt with with sensitivity and skill, it was easy to imagine yourself in the narrators position.
I did however not find myself not really caring for the American woman and her miscarriages and I found the modern sections for less interesting.
The section at the end when the two old women reunite is deeply emotional a fitting end to the novel.
The author has a clear, easy read prose style and the book was an easy read. The setting both historical and geographical are integral parts of the novel and are evocative and interesting in equal parts.
I read an early Copy of the novel on NetGalley, UK the book is published in the UK the 18th of January 2024 by Avon Books uk
This review will appear on NetGalley, UK, good reads and my book blog bionicsarahsbooks.Wordpress.com

A brilliant yet harrowing story of the Polish resistance from 1942 - 45 and a family finding out their history. The different chapters are all well signposted and without giving the story away there is a strong connection between the war and the present day. This is a heartbreaking story but one I couldn’t put down. Thanks to Maria Frances and her publisher. Thanks also to NetGalley.

Emotional WW2 book!

The story was crossing between the last time in 1942 in Warsaw and the present time in Seattle.

Zofia in 1942 was living a double life as she’s helping to save the Jewish children. After few missions, she put herself in a risky situation. While Lizzie in the current timeline found a picture of her great-grandmother and she discovered a dark secret about her great-grandmother during ww2.

This was an enjoyable read. I love seeing all the characters worked very well in the book. The dual time lines always made a ww2 historical fiction a fascinate read. The resilience, braveness and the eagerness to survive always made it an intriguing book.

I read a lot of books in the genre of WWII. I am really drawn to the stories and love reading about Irene Sandler and how she helped so many Jewish children escape. She is a “supporting” character in this story but the main characters are, Zofia and Lizzie. This is a dual time story of Zofia in Warsaw 1942 and present time Seattle with Lizzie. Lizzie begins researching her grandmother’s life after she finds a photo in an old suitcase of two women and a child. Her grandmother is in the early stages of dementia and doesn’t want to talk about the photo or about the fact that she was adopted . I preferred the timeline of the Warsaw story of Zofia and the Polish resistance of rescuing children from the ghettos. I understand why the Lizzie portion needed to be told but I found it to be less interesting to me. However, as a whole, this was an enjoyable book and I’m glad I read it.
Thanks to the publisher and author for the opportunity in exchange for my honest opinion.

This was an enjoyable book to read. It is two stories one set in Warsaw during the war and the other at the present time. It was heartbreaking to read about the horrors of the ghettos and the brave efforts of the Polish resistance workers to save the lives of so many children. It was so nice to read the book to discover where some of the children went to and how they were reunited. I do recommend that you read this book. Thank you for allowing me.

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. Many thanks to Netgalley and the Publishers for this opportunity.

This is a beautiful and heartwarming book, a tribute to Irena Sendler of Żegota, arm of the Polish Underground Resistance.

The book takes the reader into two time zones and two locations. Zofia is a social worker in Warsaw during WW2 and the other, modern day America where Lizzie struggles with personal problems.

Taking some time out from all of her commitments while staying at the family home, Lizzie decides to explore the attic and for which discovers something she never knew about her family, her maternal grandmother had been adopted. Her search reveals old photos of people that apart from her great grandmother, Zofia, then a young woman, the others are unknown to her. With the ease of the internet she is able to discover a connection and photo of her great grandmother alongside a woman who had organised the smuggling of countless numbers of children to safety out of the Jewish ghetto. Visiting her grandmother living in an aged facility but who is still very alert on asking her about her childhood and her mother the subject is quickly shut down. Not to be perturbed Lizzie through further internet searches discovers a Polish journalist who is eager to help with her search and with that Lizzie packs her bags for Warsaw.

Zofia discovers discrepancies when filing paperwork and in questioning her colleagues is persuaded to join the underground in assisting those in the sealed up section of the city, the Jewish ghetto. A very reluctant Zofia joins the resistance of smuggling all sorts of manner, medical supplies, food into the ghetto, dressed in a nurses uniform, if questioned the word "typhoid" has the desired effect of letting her get on with it. She also becomes involved in rescuing children from the ghetto where starvation and typhoid through overcrowding along with the ever threat of transportation to the death camps is always present. Zofia isn't a willing participant, she doesn't consider herself brave and with life becoming a real struggle and danger from the Nazis, food scarcity, her invalid sister and her father's shortage of work she struggles with the commitment, however in time she realises she can't sit by and do nothing.

Life is very tenuous for Zofia, the burden of the secrecy of her actions and lying to her parents is of great concern, however, the praise from her invalid sister and the bravery of her fellow resistance members drives her ever forward. Sadly with their escape methods being revealed to the Nazis by a traitor within their ranks it seemed any further rescues were practically impossible, however, with brave determination more children are helped. Zofia returns to the ghetto, a gravely ill mother pleads with Zofia to take her daughter with her for which eventually puts Zofia and her future life on a course that will give her a life of freedom and opportunity.

Returning to the present day, Lizzie and her Polish journalist are able to piece together some of the events that had occurred during the war and through past connections they are able to make a wonderful discovery, one that Zofia had struggled to complete giving closure to two sisters and for Lizzie an understanding and new appreciation of her life of love and safety.