This is a very emotional story. What did these kids feel when put on a train without family? Received by strangers and not understanding the language. Evenly getting throughout the teenage years and becoming an adult. Living through the bombardment of London. Losing the foster family and not been welcome other places. This follows Gilde Margolis and other children from when getting on the train till a couple of years after the war. Hoping for reunion with her sister but afraid of pursuing in case nobody is alive. The book is friction but is realistic in what might have happened to these kids.

In the second book in her Michal’s Destiny World War II series, readers continue to follow the Margolis family as Nazi Germany reaches peak power and the wartime persecution really breaks out with the events of Kristallnacht in 1938. Following Tavvi’s attempt to save his future brother-in-law, readers follow Tavvi and Michal’s separation and the events that ensue as the Nazi regime’s full power and World War II break out on the international stage. With so much at stake -- especially regarding Tavvi and Michal’s relationship -- readers will be immersed in this new storyline and its twists and turns as the narrative and their relationship evolve. Kagan’s characters are unsurprisingly complex, detailed, and well-developed, and readers will love seeing the characters grow and change over the course of the novel and the world-shaking events covered in it. As the family breaks up to all corners of the world, readers continue to follow Tavvi, Michal, Gilde, and Alina as their world and family bonds shatter under the Nazis’ boot. Powerful descriptions and vibrant settings only add to Kagan’s brilliant characters and complex historical moments, and readers who enjoy Kagan’s other titles and other World War II historical fiction novels are sure to love this continuation of the Margolis family saga.

After her parents are arrested by the Nazis on Kristallnacht, twelve-year-old Gilde Margolis is sent away from her home, her sister Alina, and everyone she knows and loves. Alone and afraid, Gilde boards a train on the Kindertransport bound for London, where she will stay with strangers.
Over the next seven years, as Gilde comes of age in a foreign land, she learns about love, friendship, heartache, and betrayal. The Nazis' rise to power casts a dark shadow over Europe, and London is thrust into a brutal war against Hitler. Severe rationing grips the British, while air raids and bombings all but destroy the city. s she navigates the complexities of growing up, Gilde's journey is a testament to resilience, courage, and the enduring power of hope.

This series is wonderful and heartbreaking at the same time showing the courage of the people who endured WWII and their resilience and courage. I read the books in order and am glad I did and think others would benefit by doing so as the author leaves you hanging at the end of each book and then takes up the story and backstory in the next volume. Until I read this series, I was not familiar with the author, but would now like to read more of her books. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for introducing me to yet another author new to me and one that I want to read of her books.

Gilde gets sent on a train through kinder transport during war to Britain. This is her story along with some who travelled with her. From orphan to wife to widow back to wife she learns how to love again.

These books keep getting better and better!
One thing I wish is that the timeline was made more obvious - I felt like the story was still in the early stages of the war, and then all of a sudden Hitler was dead and the Allies had won. If it had been made more obvious then I feel like I would have been able to appreciate the characters growth a bit better.
Also, I would have loved to hear more of Elias’s story - it felt like it was almost added as an afterthought, and was rushed through very quickly.
Otherwise, this book was a great read and I can wait for the next one!!
3.5 stars out of 5 ⭐️

The third installment in the Michal's Destiny series. This book focuses on Gilde, the youngest daughter of Michal's.

While this book finally answers the questions I had about what happened to Gilde after she got on that train in the first book, it finishes with so many unanswered questions and various potential hurtles to overcome in the future.

Thank you to Netgalley, Roberta Kagan, and the publishers for this free ebook. This review is 100% my own and honest opinion.

I don't normally read historical fiction, but this book was amazing. I didn't realize it is part of a series. I'll be going to buy the other books on this series. The author is an amazing story teller.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC of ths book.

This is the third book in the series, particularly focusing on Gilde Margolis. With both of her parents missing after Kristallnacht, her older sister has sent her to England for safety. Going to a strange country, not knowing anyone or the language is difficult, particularly for a child. She is placed with a nice family who has a daughter close to her age. When the war comes to England, everything changes and Gilde must survive with only her wits. I found this very interesting and am looking forward to reading the final book in this captivating series.

I have not read the other titles in this series so that may be why I had a hard time connecting with the characters. But I also had a difficult time with the writing of this novel, it seemed very elementary.

The horror of the brutality of the Nazi regime on the Jewish people is brought to life in this well written book. Gilde Margolis, 12 years old, is part of the kindertransport saving Jewish children by taking them to safety in England. Over the next 7 years, she hopes against hope to reunited with her family again.

Wonderful story that gives you a direct feeling of being at the time period of WW2. This author is able to draw you into caring for the characters despite that he or she may have done in relationships with others. I felt like it had a lot of relevant information of the timeline woven into the story. Would love to read the next book in the series.

Courtesy of The Book Whisperer and Netgalley, I received the ARC of Watch Over My Child by Roberta Kagan, third book in the Michal's Destiny series. This historical novel follows the youngest daughter Gilde, evacuated from Berlin on the Kindertransport Train at twelve years of age. London suffers from German bombing raids, and Gilde survives an attack while her host family does not. With resilience, perseverance, and the opportunities that appear, Gilde changes direction and thrives in her new home. This is truly a coming of age story, with all the horrors of wartime experiences, and the effects of decisions made.

This is the third in the series of Michal's Destiny and I really liked this one. It can be read and enjoyed as a standalone book, but you will miss out on some in-depth background, though it is adequately explained. This is a coming-of-age story of Gilde who is put on the Kindertransport from Germany to England. She is placed with a British family and struggles to fit in. Learning English, anti Semitism, the Blitz, all on top of becoming a teenager. I feel so connected to this family and I am looking forward to the next installment of the series.

Watch Over My Child, Kagan
Having read several historical novels about the Kindertransport program arranged by Britain to help save Jewish children from the atrocities of the Holocaust, this is the only story I’ve read about evacuees as they become young adults. This story features Gilde, Shaul, and Elias, who boarded the same train on December 1, 1938, on their way to London.
Each of the three is placed with different families. Gilde goes to the Kendalls, who had children in the home, Shaul to an elderly lady, and Elias to live with an affluent family with grown children. They all struggled with learning English. School was difficult. And bullying, especially for the boys, was typical. “Shaul was having a terrible time adjusting to life in Britain. He wasn’t in school. He worked with an old man and had no contact with anyone his age. The red rash (i.e., Chilblains) he’d had the previous winter had returned. (Pg 53)
Soon, “The world as they knew it was in flames exploding around them. Britain was at war.”(Pg. 60). “The cloudless blue sky and bright sunlight of the June morning made it hard to believe a war was going on. Tender baby blades of grass were poking through the ground. Tiny flowering buds had formed on some trees, and Mother Nature seemed totally unaware of the pain and suffering of mankind.”(Pg.167) “The English were fighters. No matter what was thrown at them, they refused to surrender. They would not be broken. All the people she (sic Gilde) knew have endured so much since the beginning of the war: the death of friends or family, fear of invasion, and terrible shortages of everything with the bravery of lions. (Pg.178
Kagan takes the reader into the lives of the three main characters. We feel their desolation, regret their mistakes, and celebrate their triumphs. As the war progresses, they all suffer even more.
I was disappointed in how the book ended so abruptly. I realize the story continues in the second volume of this series; however, I wanted more closure.
Rating 3

This series is so good, completely different from any other historical series that I have read. Yes there are some 'saucy' scenes and the whole strata's of society are explored, inc. British anti-seminism . When I start reading I just cannot stop - as I wanted to know how it resolved. There were links to the other books in the series but this one concentrated on the prewar and war in England (plus spy missions).
Hopefully not a spoiler but I was surprised that William's family didn't stay in touch given how much they loved Gilde.
The ending was such a cliff hanger how is it going to go - I just cant wait.

Book 3 in the series ‘Michal’s Destiny”, doesn’t disappoint.
In this book, we follow three children who were evacuated from Germany on the kindertrqnsport bound for London.
Separated upon arrival, all three embark on different journeys.
Gilde, the youngest child of Michal, is adopted into a lovely home, with a loving family.
Elias, a strong minded, tough young boy is determined to go his own path.
Shaul, a shy introverted boy, struggles through life in London.

Following the bombing of London, Gilde’s own journey takes her to new loves, career opportunities, and motherhood.
This book concludes as WW2 comes to an end.

This is my favorite book so far. The characters are well written, each with their own experiences during war time. It was a fast reading, engaging book, despite the very sad events of the time period.

I’m looking forward to the next book in this series.
Thank you to NetGalley for the advanced copy in return for my honest review.

“Watch Over My Child” by Roberta Kagan is the third book in Margot’s Destiny series. I definitely recommend reading the books in order It follows Margot’s younger daughter, Gilde, as she is sent to England as part of the Kindertransport. We can really see the hardship that people went through during Hitler’s reign. Love the ending! I hope there’s another book in the series.
Many thanks to the author and NetGalley for a complimentary copy of this book. My options are my own.

the book is difficult to read, because the events take place during a storm, when survival is a heroic act. I am looking forward to the final book in the series. Thanks to book whisperers and NetGalley I read this historical drama and it left me with more moments of deep thought.

Watch Over My Child by Roberta Kagan is the third in Margot’s Destiny series and follow Margot’s younger daughter, Gilde, as she is sent to England as part of the Kindertransport. She is met by a kindly family with a daughter, Jane. They become the best of friends as Jane teaches her English and opens doors to her at school so she might have friends. All is well until a boy, Thomas, enters the picture several years later. Jane really likes him and he really likes Gilde and they rub along with Gilde holding him off until he is ready to enlist and he bursts out his feelings for Gilde. Despite the fact she had never responded to him, it destroys her friendship with Jane. After while Jane goes to train as a nurse leaving Gilde behind until one night, during a particularly horrific bombing, the house is destroyed and Jane’s parents are killed. Gilde had met a Jewish family and after trying other places returned to them, where they took her in. Things happened fast after that and within a couple of years Gilde found herself married to their son, William, and had only two nights with him before he left. Eventually, they got a telegrams saying he’d been killed. Circumstances became such that Gilde decided to go to train as a nurse, as well.

A lot happened in the intervening years and there is a lot more to come. Often we forget about how all of this mess affected those left behind, how their lives were torn apart. In this touching book, Kagan shows us one way that that could have happened. And there’s more to come. It is all so moving and so natural, one never suspects the danger that lies ahead. Kagan has shown us all of that and more in this series. Gilde, isolated in England, has had to figure out life for herself. It has not been easy for her and after years she is finally at a spot of happiness and security. What a lovely, multi-generational series this has been. Excellent characters, believable situations, and the never-ending war.

I was invited to read Watch Over My Child by Book Whisperer. All thoughts and opinions are mine. #Netgalley #BookWhisperer #RobertaKagan #WatchOverMyChild

This is the third instalment in the Michal's Destiny series. And this time we're following Michal's younger daughter, Gilde, to England on the first Kindertransport.

So firstly, the negatives. Unfortunately, there were some factual and timeline errors, the most glaring of which was stating that Hitler died by suicide in Poland, when we know it was Berlin. I also found that some of the chapters, whose purpose was solely to add factual background, jarred with the narrative of the rest of the book.

But now, for the positives, of which there are many, Roberta has created a family I have grown to love and care deeply about. At times it felt that Gilde had forgotten, or at least tried to forget, her German roots and family. However, I absolutely believe that this would be a trauma respons based on her tumultuous start to life. At times the characters felt too young to be having the relationships they had. But again, that would be a response to living in a war situation and being confronted with the fragility of life.

The story also follows some of the other orphans that came to England with Gilde, and the struggles and triumphs they had whilst starting a new life in a foreign country. It can't have been easy for the children, or the families who took them in. And whilst this is only a very small part of the overall story, I think Roberta has done a good job of capturing a snapshot of those issues.

Is book as a left me desperate to read the next instalment to see if any of the marginalised family will ever be allowed. Happiness, it's a series that will capture your heart and draw you in right from the first page.