Wow. I'm speechless after finishing this book.

I was very excited to read it because I loved the author's previous book "The Extraordinary Life of Sam Hell." While this particular book didn't suck me in like Sam Hell did, it was a very good one.

First of all, it was surreal to read it because my husband and I are named Sarah and Sam and it was strange to read about the main characters and their love story. It made it a bit more personal in a weird way haha.

The pacing in the beginning was a bit slow and slightly boring. I kept setting my kindle down and not wanting to pick it back up to read it. But by the 45% mark, I didn't put it down at all until it was finished.

It starts with Sam getting on the ship, then flashes back to his hometown and the start of his love story with Sarah, then how he joined and ended up in the Philippines and how Sarah ended up serving as well. The depictions of war, the POW camps, war crimes, suffering, etc is VERY detailed raw and real. There was a few times I winced, teared up, got sick to my stomach, and gasped. It truly is not for the faint of heart. But necessary to read.

The love story took a backseat more so than I expected it would. And I was honestly a bit surprised at the ending (will their love survive the war or not?). The scars of war will change a love story, and this book shows that but also still shines hope on love's role in survival.

All in all, if you are a fan of military history, "Unbroken" type of stories, "The Pacific", then this is the book for you.

This book was FABULOUS. I couldn't put it down, I couldn't get off the couch, I couldn't finish my household chores, I was riveted.

The story flowed so amazingly, I was amazed at how much I didn't know about this part of WWII - it upset me that I didn't know, I read all the notes at the end of the book and I plan to GOOGLE more info today.

I also LOVED that the book didn't wrap up in a neat bow. I thought it was excellent that the characters realized that there was growing and healing to do and they had to take time.

Thank you for the opportunity to read this amazing book.

I have sat here trying to put into words how much this book moved me, and have failed over and over again.

The atrocities committed by the Germans in Europe in WWII are so well documented, but prior to reading this book I knew little about the horrific acts committed by the Japanese in the Pacific. I also never knew just how many of their own were killed by the Allies - and cannot imagine the inner turmoil of having to decide whether to knowingly torpedo a ship carrying US POWs in order to prevent even more people from dying at the hands of the Japanese.

Overall, an incredible and very well researched book. 4.5 out of 5 ⭐️

I have read a couple of other books by Robert Dugoni and I’ve always enjoyed them, so I was thrilled when I was approved to read an early release of this book.

Sam and Sarah grew as friends up in a small town but didn’t have easy lives. As WW2 approaches, Sam is called to war and sent overseas but is taken as a POW. The story bounces back and forth between the POW camp and Sarah who uses her math skills to work as a code-breaker during the war.

Admittedly, I know very little about the details of WW2 so this book was a bit out of my comfort zone. I am curious about that time in our history, but my knowledge of the subject is lacking. I was astounded that much of this story is based on true events. It’s hard to think that humans were treated this poorly.

This story is heart-wrenching as it talks about the men in various POW camps. It’s admirable to read about the tenacity of those going through such horrific events. This story also gives the perspective of being an outsider and worrying/wondering about your loved one who is missing in action as Sarah worries about the whereabouts of Sam. It’s hard not knowing what has happened, or if they’re alive or dead. She has to live with the guilt of being alive, but also the feeling of being unable to help. She works her way up the ranks and finds a way to help the war through code-breaking. This is another aspect of WW2 I never thought of before.

I highly recommend this book to anyone who values reading stories of WW2 and the various ways it impacts people. Some of the scenes are hard to stomach due to the cruelty. I’m kind of a softy so I might be more sensitive to it than most.

Thank you Netgalley and Lake Union Publishing for allowing me to read this book early for an honest review.

"That is an imperialistic document which the Empire of Japan did not ratify and therefore has no legal binding. You will be treated as rats, vermin, inferior and unworthy of respect or humane treatment."

In an attempt to learn more about parts of WWII I know little about, I was on the lookout for books set in Asia. Now, while I have yet to read any of them, several of Dugoni's books are sitting on my shelf of shame, as I'd been recommended them over and over again, so to find this collaboration with Jeff Langholz and Chris Crabtree writing a piece of historical fiction about the "Hell Ships" carrying POWs captured by the Japanese in WWII, something I had never heard anything about before, seemed like a stroke of luck.

Hold Strong is tell the story of two young Americans: Sam Carlson and Sarah Haber. Sam and Sarah, grow up in a small town in Minnesota and while life hasn't always been easy for them, they have found each other and fallen head over heels. But as WWII develops, Sam is sent to the Philippines, while Sarah is recruited as a code-breaker for her remarkable math skills. While Sam is taken prisoner and send to a POW camp, Sarah works her way up in the ranks, until one day, she receives a message she knows might well be the end of Sam. Assuming he is still alive of course.

It took me longer than expected to read this book, and now I find myself at a loss for words. I've read too many books detailing horrible acts committed during period of war, but never did I have to stop reading to come to terms with what I just read, knowing that while I was reading a piece of fiction, those crimes were surely real. This time, I did have to stop. More than once. The accounts of atrocities committed in the POW camps, as well as later accounts of crimes committed by raiding Japanese parties in China, are nothing shy from gut-wrenching, yet I appreciate the authors including those stories, as they showcase what happens when we stop seeing each other as human. More than once, I found my heart racing to find out what would happen next.

Despite the many horrendous chapters in Hold Strong, I found myself drawn back to it almost instantaneously, as there were so many moments that provided light and a happiness of sorts. Moments that made the characters so... "human". From Sarah struggling with the guilt of enjoying her life without knowing whether Sam is still alive, to Sam wishing on the Northern Star, from Chavez making incredibly bad jokes and longing for his Hula girl to Padre Tom giving his little extra and bringing hope in the darkest of moments.

I think Hold Strong is a story that everyone should read to learn more about the POW camps in Asia, as well as the Hell Ships and the female code breakers, and the role they each played in the (US involvement in) WWII. But readers beware, make sure you have the headspace for this emotional heavy-weight. And if you need it, remember Qiu Jin's words: "A mind is like a movie projector. You can turn on and off. You choose which movies to watch. If you don't like a movie, you shut if off. Show only the good ones. Watch them again and again."

A huge thank you to NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing for gifting me an eARC of this book in return for an impartial review. All thoughts and comments are my own.

Another incredibly emotional story from Robert Dugoni that the reader will not be able to put down. Not the usual WWII novel!

I was given this book by NetGalley for an honest review
Dugoni writes another winner! What a great book!
Sams family lost their farm and had very little money, Sam ran the projector at the movie house and often his girlfriend Sarah joined him,—-until Pearl Harbor — Sam is off to war and captured as a POW. Sarah decides she wants to do more in the fight against the war than teaching so she heads to Washington and begins code breaking. Follow along in the lives of these two struggling with life during the war when everything is so different. Will they find the life they dreamed of after the war?

Dugoni is one of the brightest and best crime fiction writers of our time! He delivers a pulse-pounding mystery thriller with this endeavor.

It’s packed with detail and attitude, this is a not to be missed reading. Beyond Reasonable Doubt is filled with rich characterization and exceptional drama.

Courtroom dialogue at its best, with a neat closing argument! Thank you to NetGalley and the Publisher for the amazing early copy.

Hold Strong by R. Dugoni, J. Langholz and C. Crabtree, published by Lake Union Publishing is a Historical Fiction Novel based on real events.
Let me just say this book put me through the wringer, is raw and gritty, heartwrenchingly beautiful, leaves the reader with a major book hangover.
I don't want to spoiler here, only so much, it was like I could taste the air on board of Arisan Maru.
I met the author's writing in his Tracy Crosswhite Series and fell i insta love with writing, story and characters. I anticipated this so other story. And it's just as great as Tracy's stories. An other genre, but no less brilliant.
I recommend the book, 5 stars.

The story of high school sweethearts and the impact of WWII on their lives and how it changes them. This is a tribute to both POWs held in Japanese camps and the new roles women took on during the war. It also presents, based on facts, heartbreaking decisions made by the government to win the war. But ultimately it is a story of redemption and love.

Hold Strong is the remarkable story of Sarah and Sam, set in the United States during WWII in the Pacific theater. This book portrays the effect the war had on the entire country and the world, as portrayed in the lives of a young couple in love. Suspense, the rigors of war, heroism, and commitment to the country are all important elements in this exceptional novel.

I received an ARC for free and gave my honest opinion voluntarily.

The authors have done a great job of creating a tale that is sure to inspire. The characters, the scenes, and the plot development are all done with such a professional touch.

The title couldn't be more accurate. You cling to hope in difficult times. The novel is based on little-known events from World War 2 that are terrifying to experience. It was pretty heavy for me, and there were parts I could barely read, but the writing and details were well done. The endnotes provide even more in-depth insight for anyone interested in learning about this troubling historical time.