When We Fall

This book slowly draws you in, building the drama and illustrating the innermost thoughts of its characters. Very well written.

This is a superb book which nimbly balances believable characters and a clever and well constructed plot. It’s a welcome addition to such fiction to find two very strong female protagonists, who each hold their own in difficult circumstances.

It is well paced and will hugely appeal to those who like historical fiction as well as crime/spy books and others who generally enjoy a page turning read.

Many thanks to Netgalley and No Exit Press for an ARC in consideration of an honest review.

‘‘When We Fall’ by Carolyn Kirby is an engrossing read set predominantly in Poland during the Second World War. The novel features two strong and courageous women: Ewa Hartman, who lives in her father’s guesthouse serving the occupying Germans whilst also working for the Polish resistance movement and Vee Katchatourian, who is a pilot in the British Air Transport Auxiliary, having to deal not just with daily institutional sexism but also racism courtesy of her Armenian surname. Whilst they only glance at each other once, fleetingly, they are linked by their relationships with Flight Sergeant Stefan Bergel, 302 Squadron, a Polish pilot who has escaped to the UK.
Kirby has created a charismatic hero in Bergel and his ongoing secret suffering, linked to the Katyn massacre, as detail in the novel’s epigraph, is part of this compelling tale. Bergel is one moment an action hero of derring-do and, another, a cheating cad who uses others for his own gains. However, the reader comes to appreciate that personal guilt is woven into his political determination. Desperate times call for desperate measures. Even so, it is the women’s roles in this story which are the most memorable. Kirby not only gives us a very detailed and convincing description of the battles they have to fight, the dangers they have to overcome and the emotional strain that they are both under but she also allows these women to be doubtful, jealous and despairing. They are far more than a pilot’s appendage.
This story is completely absorbing, combining fascinating and sometimes shocking historical elements with an unusual love story. It is not until the end of the tale that we can be completely sure of Stefan’s motives and true feelings – just as the person he lived for has spent decades in a state of emotional limbo. Whilst this novel deserves to be widely read on its own merits, it would also make a wonderful television adaptation, given its unusual storyline and its extraordinary characters.
My thanks to NetGalley and Oldcastle Books No Exit Press for a copy of this novel in exchange for a fair review.

An utterly engrossing story set in occupied Poland and England during 1943, that tells the story of two women caught up in the events of that time. Vee is an air transport auxiliary pilot, flying planes between air fields. Ewa, a waitress is also working for the resistance and waiting for her lover to return after being imprisoned in a Russian prisoner of war camp. The women never actually meet – although they do see each other, fleetingly , just once, but the man they both love, Stefan, connects them.
This is a love story that explores the depths that people went to protect and champion what they felt was right, in a time we can only imagine. Descriptions of war torn Poland are excellent as are the descriptions of the flights that Vee makes. The women are certainly the centre of the story – the men slightly less well drawn, although still realistic.
My thanks to NetGalley and Oldcastle Books No Exit press for a copy of this novel in exchange for a fair review.

I have heard good things about Carolyn Kirby’s first novel The Conviction of Cora Burns, so I was excited to be accepted for a copy of When we fall.
Set mainly in England and Poland in the Second world war Vee Katchatourian is a pilot for the ATA when she is asked to fly Tiger Moth to RAF Bradwell, when she meets the dashing Flight Sergeant Stefan Bergel of 302 Squadron, a Polish pilot who escaped Russia to come to Britain. There is an instant attraction which will lead her years later to her demise.
Ewa a waitress and cook at a boarding house in Berlin. She works with her father and is also a member of the Resistance. She is Stefan’s fiancé but, hasn’t seen him for a couple of years. She fears him dead.
The story follows the two women, their bravery and the struggles during the war and the link between them that includes Stefan Bergel. How he came into both their lives and how he uses both women for his own gains. Not thinking of their own feelings. The two women only meet into a fleeting glance, never to see each other again.
This is superbly written, quite shocking historical novel. It has a great unique storyline. Love the story of the two female protagonists but I didn’t like the character of Stefan and how selfish he was to get what he wanted. This had a different perspective to others of this type so because of that, this is well worth the read.

When We Fall by Carolyn Kirby is an excellent historical fiction that interweaves two strong female characters, Vee and Eva/Ewa, and what events occur to and around them during WWII.

It is fascinating to see the war and struggles from two different women: Eva/Ewa a Polish/German woman involved in the resistance and Vee Katchatourian a woman pilot that is a part of the ATA and their ties to a common denominator: Stefan Bergel. To step back and see how each woman is strong, defiant, intelligent, and going through their own personal and geographical struggles can be so different, yet have someone/something so much in common braiding them together, makes for an excellent story.

The author has created a hauntingly creative plot, character cast, and a bittersweet ending. Very unique and memorable. It is so awesome to see competent and strong female lead characters, that I quickly devoured this gem to see how it all ended. Excellent ending.

5/5 stars

Thank you NetGalley and Oldcastle books/No Exit Press for this ARC and in return I am submitting my unbiased and voluntary review and opinion.

I am posting this review to my GR and Bookbub accounts immediately and will post it to my Amazon and B&N accounts upon publication.

Edit: no BB listing has been created for Ms. Kirby’s book. It will be posted when created by BB.

The lives of the three main characters - Stefan, Ewa and Vee - are woven together in 1943 both in England and Poland during WWII. Vee Katchatourian has just qualified as a pilot with the ATA (Air Transport Auxiliary). While flying her plane cross country she becomes lost, and landing at the first airfield she sees, meets Flight Sergeant Stefan Bergel.
Ewa Hartman works in her fathers guest house in Poland, dealing with the German officers who are billeted there. She is a member of the Polish Resistance, using her position at the guest house to get snippets of information she can pass on to them. She is also engaged Stefan but hasn’t seen or heard anything from him in over 3 years. The last she heard he was a prisoner of the Russians. Then suddenly, she thinks she sees him on the street.
This is beautifully crafted, with 2 very strong female characters. There has obviously been a great deal of research done by the author, as the descriptions of life at that time feel so authentic. I really enjoyed this book, it caught my interest from the first page. We eventually see how Stefan used both women, perhaps loving them both but ultimately trying to find forgiveness for his actions in the Russian prison camp. This period has been written about a lot recently, but this is definitely one of the best.

Thanks to netgalley and the publishers for an ARC in return for an honest review

This is a riveting book set in one of my favourite periods, the end of the Second World War. It spans the stories of two strong women, one in Poland, the other in England, whose experiences of war are very different. They are linked by their resilience under difficult circumstances and by their love for a Polish airman, whose dedication to his country's cause threatens to override his feelings for the women. The novel flips from one desperate country to the other, keeping the interest in both, while increasing the tension as the war and the personal struggles of the characters reach their climax. A fascinating and unusual setting for this period, touching obliquely on a famous disaster near the start of the war, which looms large in the fates of the three protagonists. A gripping read.

A stunning novel set during World War II. The narrative changes between female characters- Vee, a British transport pilot who spends her war moving planes around and Ewa, Polish born but living as Eva under German occupation and working for the resistance.

Both their lives are linked together by Stefan, an enigmatic character who they both fall for but can they ever be truly sure who he is, what side he's on and whether they can trust him.

A story of intrigue, resistance and romance. Thoroughly recommended - each and every character is well-built and believable, all set in a clear historical context. Gripping all the way through.

At the heart of this moving novel is the tragedy of the Katyn Massacre of 1940, in which over 22,000 Polish military officers were murdered under orders of the Soviet Union. April 2020 marked the 80th anniversary of this horrific WWII crime and is also the 10th anniversary of the Smolensk Air Disaster, where Polish dignitaries were on their way to commemorate the massacre. The only female victim of the massacre – Polish pilot Janina Lewandowska is the basis of one of the characters in Carolyn Kirby’s novel When We Fall. Stefan is a Polish pilot of German ancestry. Born in Poznan, a Polish city with a history of German settlers, Stefan speaks both languages. At the time of the novel, the city had been incorporated into the Third Reich as the capital of Reichsgau Warteland. Many of the Polish inhabitants were executed, arrested, expelled, or used as forced labour; at the same time many Germans were settled in the city. The German population increased from around 5,000 in 1939, to around 95,000 by 1944. The Jewish population of about 2,000 had been moved into concentration camps. Stefan’s girlfriend Ewa has not heard from him for some time, and is worried he has been killed or taken as a prisoner of war.
Ewa is also from Stefan’s home town of Poznan and when we first meet her she is helping her father run their guesthouse. She is an incredible cook, often going foraging for ingredients and somehow able to conjure feasts out of very little. When Stefan left for war she gave him a distinctive pen in a case, hoping they will stay in touch by letter. Her life changes when a young German officer Heinrich Beck comes to stay at the guesthouse and there seems to be a connection between them. Ewa treads a very dangerous path, appearing quiet and unassuming on the surface, but secretly carrying documents for the Polish resistance. Beck suggests she take on a role preparing homes left abandoned or appropriated for new German settlers in the region. It is likely that many had housed Jewish families and Ewa makes reference to other buildings either daubed with graffiti or completely repurposed. Their municipal swimming pool is inside an old synagogue, and when swimming Ewa does imagine what an incredible place it must have been. Beck offers to take Ewa to the cinema one afternoon and before the main feature they see a black and white film showing a Russian dacha in a wood and the digging up of hundreds of bodies. Ewa feels sick, and doesn’t want to watch, but then her eyes focus on something she recognised. There, in a pile of belongings, is the very pen case she gave to Stefan.
Across Europe, Vee is in the ATA- a woman pilot, ferrying RAF planes to and from different bases. Vee fights a lack of confidence to get her wings, but loves being up there in the sky, never knowing from day to day which plane she’ll be flying or where in England she might be going. The girls collect a chit in the morning and this gives them their mission. The women aren’t allowed to fly over cloud cover, because they’re not trained to use instruments, so instead they fly using maps and landmarks. Vee meets a Polish pilot on the airbase and is immediately attracted to his dark good looks. He introduces himself as Stefan and the next day he sends her roses and an invitation to join him on a night out to a club frequented by the RAF. However, the night doesn’t go well and Vee is left wondering whether she’ll ever see him again. When their paths do cross again Vee’s defences are up, but she has to admit to herself that no other man has fascinated her in the same way. He appears back in her life just as her work with the ATA is coming to an end. Vee can feel time running out for her flying career and can’t imagine that anything in life will replace the thrill of being up in the air. Her passion for flying and for Stefan will lead her into a dangerous mission. Will it bring her closer to Stefan and to the truth of his double life?
I enjoyed the two different narrative viewpoints and the way the story builds like a jigsaw puzzle, one piece at a time. It’s not until close to the end that we see the full picture and I felt that this structure was an important part of the novel. It echoes the fragmentary nature of life lived through a war and the fragments salvaged from Katyn in an attempt to show the world the truth. People became separated and lost to each other in Poland at this time and I felt the novel reflected this well, particularly in Ewa’s story. The author makes us feel the importance of knowing the truth about those we have lost. I found myself thinking about those people dedicated to unearthing these stories and what an incredible job they do. Even if I found it hard to understand Stefan at times, I could see he was driven to expose the truth; it’s only late in the novel that we comprehend why. My late husband told me about his grandfather who was an officer in the Polish army. He was split from his family and killed by Russian forces who interred his wife and two sons in Siberia. The youngest brother died, before they could escape and migrate across to England. My mother-in-law was separated from both her parents, smuggled out of Warsaw and over to England. She never saw her father again. She was reunited with her mother in England and they stayed. Only years later did they find her father had ended up in the USA and thinking his family had died, he remarried and had a new family.
It’s hard for us to comprehend the enormity of this loss and displacement. The stories have such an impact when you hear them first hand, but somehow they still feel like the dim and distant past. Reading such a well- researched novel with a great sense of place actually takes me there. It lets me imagine my in-laws as young children, having to deal with this constant danger and change. It gives me so much respect for them, they lived through terrible atrocities but built such a meaningful and happy life together. When we lost them they’d spent a lifetime together and left behind two new generations? I read the novel in two sittings, because I was emotionally involved with the story. I needed to know who lived to be an old lady, or if none of the characters made it through the war. The ending is bittersweet, because although I was happy for the characters who survive, I’m aware they will live with the events at Katyn and Poznan for the rest of their lives.

This will be posted on my blog as part of the #RandomThingsTours blog tour.

Having read and really enjoyed the authors debut novel, I was eager to read her newest offering, When We Fall.

Set during the war, I really liked that we get to meet a female pilot. It’s certainly not something you see often in historical fiction so I was slightly in awe of Vee. I have to say the cover is just perfect for the story within in it.

Through the characters, we get to see what life was back then. The people in the front line as well as people trying to help out within the secret intelligence. It makes it at times a fraught read, knowing the risks that some of them are taking.

Vee and Ewa’s lives are entwined by one man. Stefan. Admittedly I wasn’t over keen on Stefan. It’s hard to know how any of us would act when we are faced with life threatening decisions and a war going on. I would like to think that I wouldn’t have messed with two different but strong women in their own rights, feelings.

When We Fall took me on an engrossing journey that had me go through an array of emotions. It is a stark look at the lengths people went to back then. The author’s writing is mesmerizing. She has a wonderful gift of story telling that captivates her readers. Very different to her last book but equally as good. I for one can’t wait to see what she has in store for us next.

Historical fiction is not my usual bag but this was brilliantly executed with great characters who you really identified with.

The story line was unique and sometimes shocking, kept you reading til the end.

I'm familiar with quite a lot of the atrocities that occurred during the second world war but I admit that I hadn't heard of the Katyn Massacre which is central to the plot of this book. We follow a young airwoman, Vee Katchatourian, as she gains her wings. Forced to make an emergency landing due to fog, she meets RAF airman Stefan Bergel who she connects with immediately and, upon departure, can't seem to forget him. Meanwhile in occupied Poland we follow the goings on at a guesthouse where the daughter of the owner, Ewa Hartman, plays hostess to the Germans that are billeted there. She is a spy for the resistance and passes on what she gleans. She is also the heartbroken ex of Stefan who she believes to be dead after being captured at the start of the war. One day though, she thinks she sees him in the street. Making contact, she is shocked by what he asks of her, but reluctantly agrees to help him. Back in the UK and Vee is pining for Stefan but, when he returns, she is also bemused by what he asks her to do... One man and two women hold the key to exposing one of the war's darkest secrets but will they live to tell the story?
What a powerful story this author has weaved around a real historical event. It grabbed my attention from the off and held me captive throughout. Both women involved, Vee and Ewa are strong and forthright and very gutsy. One a brave pilot ferrying planes to where they are needed, the other a spy for the resistance in amongst the very foe holding the world captive. Stefan however is harder to understand and connect to. He is a strange character who, on the face of things, uses his charm and looks to manipulate the two women who appear powerless to resist. But is it all manipulation or is it a very real means to an end that is wholly necessary. We know from the book that he has had a very bad start to his war and it's this that has shaped what follows in his life. Similarly, both Ewa and Vee do things that are necessary for survival and to get their respective jobs done. It really was a different world and time during WWII.
The story the author tells is harrowing and captivating and also very immersive. She really does set the scene and the time perfectly all the way through. We see what life was like on both sides of the water, in the UK and Poland and the differences therein. It's obvious that there has been a lot of hard work going into researching this novel and the attention to detail is second to none. The quality of writing is just as high as the author's debut novel The Conviction of Cora Burns, which I also thoroughly enjoyed and, along with this book, have no hesitation recommending. Me, I'm waiting to see what she serves up next time. My thanks go to the Publisher and Netgalley for the chance to read this book.

A really good read from Carolyn. Well drawn plot and characters. An excellent diversion in these difficult times. Haven’t read any of her novels before, but would actively seek out further novels by her

This is my favourite kind of read – one that takes me to another world but at the same time teaches me new things about the world.
I feel privileged that I was able to read this before publication and I thank Netgalley for the opportunity. The following is my honest review.
Wow – what a book! Caroline Kirby took twelve years to write this astounding debut novel and I am not surprised. It is beautifully written, with snippets and sentences that made me stop and re-read because they so perfectly and evocatively described the scenes for me:
“…a spark quickens in Ewa’s stomach like the first strike of a lighter.”
“… pigeon wings flapping like a round of applause.”
“Close by, there is a sudden lash of water. Ewa jerks round and Haller’s torch beam carves across the butter-yellow skirt and to to black trees…”
“… the bright egg of the moon…”
“The Sturmbannführer’s fishy breath is in her face. He is close enough for each fleck of dandruff to take on its own distinctive shape.”
“ …[coffee], like “the brown liquid tastes of school toilets and mud.”
These are only a few examples of the author’s amazing voice.
The love scene in the church is amazing, as is the scene in the swimming pool – they came to life like scenes in a film. There is a hint of how the story will all fall into place, mirrored in the architecture: “How elegantly the disparate shapes fit together, How naturally the architectural lines flow into each other.” In fact, I think this book would make an excellent film.
The main protagonists of “When we Fall” are four disparate main characters from England and Poland/Germany during World War 2, all faced with difficult choices, all flawed in their own ways. And they make for an interesting ride. My favourite character, Vee, is a fairly new pilot with the ATA (Air Transport Auxiliary), an organisation about which I knew very little. Many of these pilots were women – ferrying new and damaged military planes between factories, scrapyards, airfields and different delivery centres. [My only gripe with the book was the occasional use of jargon – I had to look up several abbreviations]. Vee is a “wobbly” pilot and she is head-over-heels (deliciously, reluctantly) with Stefan. I liked that I was never sure about this Polish character. Whose side was he really on? There is plenty of intrigue, mystery and complication in the story to keep you turning the pages. And, indeed, the history of the extinct Republic of Poland, the way Nazi occupation carved up the country, the involvement of Russia, its annexation – is all complicated. Sometimes, I felt truth was being stretched with some of the plot – but truth IS after all stranger than fiction and at the very beginning of the book, there is a British newspaper report from 2010 that sets the scene for the mystery that will unfold: the crash of a plane containing at least 90 passengers, including a delegation of Poland’s army chief, MPs and leading historians flying from Warsaw to mark the 70th anniversary of the Katyn massacre of more than 20,000 Polish officers during the Second World War… Reader, get ready for an intriguing ride!
The author has obviously spent a lot of time in research but she has more than successfully woven history into her narrative and given us extra besides. These characters were young people living in truly dreadful times: so, there are love stories that will tear at the heart strings (Ewa asks herself at the start of the story: “is the rest of her youth to slip by without any sort of love? She cannot save herself for a ghost”) and what happens between them will make you shout “no, no, no…” ) “will she choose the ghost of Stefan Bergl over Heinrich Beck, who is here beside her and pulsing with life?”) and “yes, yes, yes…” but reader, you will always want to turn the next page because, “No one can be trusted one hundred per cent” and you’ll want to know the truth.
I love the little illustrations of women flying or diving at the start of the relevant sections. Nice touch.
Congratulations to the author and my hat goes off to her persistence. Your twelve years were well used, Caroline Kirby. Thank you for writing your book.

Very well written literary fiction with realistic and interesting characters. Loved reading it. Emotional and interesting.

Thanks a lot to NG and the publisher for this copy.

An accomplished piece of work!

I will openly admit that my detailed knowledge of the Second World War is quite limited as far as the outrageous atrocities that were carried out during that time. This piece of writing taught me quite a lot about some shocking and harrowing historical events.

When We Fall, a superb historical fiction novel, is well researched and eloquently written. Set during WWII in occupied Poland there are 3 key characters caught up in a triangle of lust, love, espionage and the Polish resistance movement.

Stefan, a Polish Spitfire fighter pilot loves Ewa who he has left behind in Poland, Stefan spent time in a concentration camp, but managed to get out after committing a cruel act that haunted him. He is also in lust with Vee Katchatourian. Vee is an English air transport auxiliary who he meets when she has to make an emergency landing at RAF Bradwell whilst he was based in the UK.

One comment that I liked, when reading was:

‘’It’s cramped, isn’t it?’ ‘Sorry? ‘You know, small.’ ‘Ah yes. But it has to be. When you are fighting, you must wear the aeroplane like a coat.’’

I learnt quite a lot especially about Air Transport Auxiliaries. They delivered new planes and flew old ones back to hangers across the country. Kirby also introduced me to the 1940 Katyn Massacres where a series of mass executions of Polish by the Soviet Union was discovered by Nazi Germany. Part of the aftermath of the Soviet invasion of Poland during World War II and Soviet repression’s of Polish citizens.

At the time the USSR claimed the Nazis had killed the victims. The way in which Kirby wove the knowledge of this brutal slaughter of so many people into the plot was convincing, all quite shocking.

Ewa’s father owned a B&B in Poland and to ensure his and his family’s survival he had to claim to be of German descent rather than a German speaking Pole. His B&B was host to the German military. One person in particular, a very handsome man SS-Obersturmführe Heinrich Beck, did lead Ewa into temptation and there’s a great twist at the end where Beck is concerned.

The attraction and desire between Stefan and Vee, compromised Vee and a decision she made did more than jeopardise her future as a pilot.

‘And then, before she has realised what he is doing, Stefan brings the back of her hand to his mouth, pressing her knuckles to his lips. Vee stands, unable to move. His pale eyes fix on hers as he turns her hand over and this time brings her palm to his mouth. Heat flickers from his lips to the flesh of her hand and into the pit of her stomach.’

So superbly put!

‘Is she really allowing herself to jeopardise her future as a pilot, indeed her future full stop, because of a school-girlish crush?’

I don’t want to give away any more detail, this is a great read, I loved it and the twists and turns made compelling reading. Even though there are some dark and shocking parts it is all pulled together quite cleverly by romance, love, lust, treachery, espionage, sabotage, punishment and a good appreciation of how difficult it was during that time. You’ll learn no-one could be trusted 100% when you read the book. It is most definitely an emotional and intriguing book to read.

Most definitely 5 stars from me.

Thank you NetGalley and Oldcastle books/No Exit Press for this ARC and in return I am submitting my unbiased review.

Vee's fog bound emergency landing will change her life.

I absolutely loved When We Fall. Firstly, the quality of Carolyn Kirby's writing is so good because it has a modern freshness whist retaining an authentic period feel too so that it was easy to be totally immersed in the narrative. Descriptions are so subtly included that they paint a picture in the reader's mind that transports them to the setting and action as if they are part of the events too. 

Also adding to the credibility and authenticity is the meticulous research that has gone into the book. I confess I had no idea about the particular historical event that underpins this novel, but I finished When We Fall educated, entertained and emotionally connected to the people and the era. When We Fall truly is an hypnotic presentation of the period. 

I found the entire story utterly gripping. Nearer the end my heart was thumping, partly because I wasn't convinced that the outcomes would be ones I wanted. I was completely invested in the characters and knowing that the events were founded in historical fact somehow made these fictional people all the more real. Although there are several vivid peripheral characters, the focus on Vee, Ewa and Stefan feels intimate and precise, making for an immersive, totally engaging read. I thought Vee was magnificent. She embodies a feminism ahead of her time whilst retaining a vulnerability that made me concerned for her throughout.

I actually found Stefan quite difficult to like despite the attraction Ewa and Vee feel for him and that is what makes When We Fall such a wonderful book. I may not have liked the male lead character but I cared about him, understood his behaviour and wanted him to succeed because of Carolyn Kirby's fantastic writing.

Obviously war is central to the narrative, but the themes presented are beautifully woven into the story. Loyalty, love, identity, bravery, sexism, nationalism, passion, grief and so on, form a compelling maelstrom that draws in the reader and won't let them go. Alongside the history in When We Fall is mystery and a love story too so that there is something for any reader.

I devoured When We Fall over a weekend. This isn't to say it is an easy and insubstantial read, but rather that Carolyn Kirby hypnotises the reader, making them desperate to know what will happen to the characters and holding them spellbound until the very last word. When We Fall is one of those novels that stays with the reader long after the pages are closed. I loved it.

When We Fall by Carolyn Kirby has been published to coincide with the 75th anniversary of VE Day and is based upon the Katyn massacre of 1940. Set during World War 2 in both England and occupied Poland, this book is about three people, Vee, Ewa and Stefan. Vee is a female pilot transporting aeroplanes in England whilst Ewa runs a guesthouse with her father in Poland. Stefan is the man who they both fall for. Ewa and he are engaged but the last time she heard from him he was in a Russian prison and she fears that he may be dead. Vee meets him at an RAF base where he is an airman and is entranced by him almost immediately.

I adore books set during this time period and this is my first read set in occupied Poland. I learnt so much about life for those living under occupation; street names changed, synagogues turned into swimming pools, houses requisitioned for Germans. Carolyn Kirby conveys the overarching sense of menace and fear of this time with suspicion lurking around every corner.

I was struck by the similarities between the two women at the heart of this novel. Ewa is a brave and fearless woman who serves German SS Officers their breakfast before hiding away in her bedroom typing information on a silent typewriter for the resistance. Vee is a woman in man’s world, a world where she has to work that little bit harder to be noticed and to succeed. She is also brave and puts herself into precarious and dangerous situations. They are both wonderful characters, and ones which wormed their way deep into my heart.

This is a powerful read about a difficult part of history. There are some images of the destruction and devastation wrought by war which made me pause and take a breath before reading again. Carolyn Kirby has woven a beautiful tale of two women and the man they both love. It is a compelling and heartbreaking read which doesn’t pull any punches in its depictions of loss.

If you’re a fan of well-written historical fiction then this could be the book for you. It reminded me of The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah and Kate Furnivall’s books and it has its roots firmly placed in fact with its exploration of the Katyn Massacre. Highly recommended

When We Fall is set during WWII and is a fictional story which centres on the real Katyn massacre.

Vee is a pilot, flying planes between RAF airbases in the UK. Lost in the fog, she lands and meets Stefan, a Polish man in the RAF.

Ewa lives in Poland in a German occupied town. Her father runs a hotel for Germans only, he does this to protect his family. Ewa is a member of the Polish Resistance and passes information from SS officers to them. Her lover, Stefan was a POW and has been missing now for 3 years.

This marvellous tale tells of life during these troubled times, how Vee deals with racism and sexism as a female pilot of Armenian descent, and of Ewa, her bravery and commitment to fighting for what’s right. All linked by Stefan and the horrific massacre at Katyn.

Beautifully written with great characters, full of an atmosphere so evocative of the time and place. A mix of love, bravery and the horrors of war. A truly stunning read.

Thank you to The author, the publishers and NetGalley for an eARC of the book. This is my honest, unbiased review.

This story drew me in to the lives of Vee in England, and Ewa in German occupied Poland during WW2. Two strong, independent women, both involved with Pilot Stefan Bergel. RAF pilot, escaped Polish POW, member of the Polish AK resistance, or German spy? Whatever role he plays, Stefan is a charmer, and seems to care for both women, although using them to achieve his end. Ewa's story is heartbreaking, while Vee's is a real illustration of a woman trying to progress in a man's world as a pilot. Stefan's story is unveiled at the end and wasn't what I expected. The German officer Heinrich Beck is inextricably linked to Ewa and Stefan also, and we have to wait until the very end to find out his story. I didn't know from one chapter to the next what role Stefan would play, where he would appear and where his allegiance lay. A tale of some of the human suffering during WW2. #netgalley #WhenWeFall

I really enjoyed Carolyn Kirby’s debut novel, The Conviction of Cora Burns, describing it in my review as “an intensely satisfying read that I can wholeheartedly recommend to readers who like their historical fiction to have real depth”. I’m happy to say those comments equally apply to When We Fall.

When We Fall combines the gradual unfolding of a complex web of relationships with moments of intense darkness and high drama, all set against the backdrop of World War II. I also loved that the book explores other themes, such as questions of identity and the symbolism of how we name things.

For example, Ewa, has German heritage but considers Poland her homeland. Poland’s history is one of occupation and re-occupation by other countries and in 1943, the occupying power is Nazi Germany. They have outlawed the Polish language and are engaged in changing the names of people and places to their German versions. For instance, Poznan to Posen. So Ewa must discipline herself to respond to the name Eva and to suppress her natural inclination to speak Polish. A lapse in the latter could be viewed as a ‘symptom of questionable national loyalty’ and bring unwelcome attention from the authorities on herself, and her father. Leading essentially a double life – as Eva, the attentive, German speaking guest house waitress and Ewa, the Polish speaking Resistance operative – she observes of her two identities that “each one speaks and acts like a different person”. She even dresses to match her role on occasions.

Incidentally, I thought it a clever touch to have the other main female character choose to be known as Vee, although her name is actually Valerie, and have her surname of Katchatourian suggest she is foreign when she was in fact born in England. Interestingly, Vee’s heritage is Armenian, a country that through the centuries was under the sway of both the Russian and Ottoman empires. Sadly, it was also the location of a massacre, now designated a genocide, during and after the First World War.

Talking of Vee, I really enjoyed the scenes in which she takes to the skies. As a reader, you get a sense of the exhilaration of flying in a small aircraft, something I’ve never done and, frankly, am unlikely ever to do. For example, this description of Vee’s first time flying the iconic Spitfire: ‘Never has an aeroplane felt more at home in its element. Higher, higher. The Spitfire is cushioned by the air. Falling is inconceivable.’ I was brought down to earth (apologies for the pun) by learning that, being a single seater plane, at some point every Spitfire pilot had to get in what was then ‘the fastest machine on earth’ and fly it, for the first time, alone.

In Stefan Bergel, and in the other man who comes to play a pivotal role in Ewa’s life, the author has created two complex characters who possess both attractive and decidedly unattractive sides. I confess I found it difficult to understand Ewa’s devotion to Stefan, even leaving aside what the reader knows but Ewa doesn’t. He shows little awareness of the impact his long, unexplained absence has had on her and, when they are reunited, seems more interested in resuming the physical side of their relationship than anything else. And the other man? On first sight, he appears more of a catch. However, as one character remarks, “It may not be clear where everyone’s loyalties really lie until they are tested”. Or, what form that test will take.

There are many clever touches I could mention such as the atmospheric section titles. [Ed: That’s enough of the puns now.] In addition, the book’s title lends itself to a variety of interpretations: falling in the literal sense, either by accident or design; in a philosophical sense, as when we fail to meet our own or other’s expectations; or in a moral sense when we give in to temptation.

In the final chapters, the revelations come thick and fast; some of these took my breath away. In a sense, When We Fall completes the mission its characters struggle so hard to achieve. The book is a great example of why I love historical fiction. It transported me to a different time and place, drew me into the lives of its characters and taught me things I didn’t know. When We Fall is a wonderful mix of historical fact and fiction, fuelled by a gripping story. Like Vee’s Spitfire, it soars joyfully.

I absolutely loved this author’s first book so I was very excited to read more from her. Once again she blew me away with another beautiful, heartbreaking and thoroughly engrossing read.

Firstly I hadn’t heard of the Katyn massacre before so I found it very interesting to learn more about it especially as it’s a part of ww2 history which is one of my favourite periods of history. The author has cleverly weaved real life facts from the event, like there being one women victim, into the story which makes the story seem more realistic and made me care about the characters. It was great to learn more about the roles women played in the war too as I feel they are sometimes overlooked.

One of the things I most enjoy about this author is her ability to create storylines that the reader can get completely absorbed into. I felt like I was living events alongside the characters, feeling everything that they did. This book manages to be a gripping thriller but also a heartbreaking read which helped keep me glued to the page. I can’t wait to see what she writes next.

Huge thanks to Anne Cater for inviting me onto the blog tour and to No Exit Press for my copy of this book via Netgalley. If you are a fan of beautifully written, absorbing historical fiction then I thoroughly recommend this book!

When We Fall is a unique WWII novel, based in part on the lesser known Katyn Massacre.

British Air Transport Auxiliary pilot Vee Katchatourian is lost in fog and forced to make an emergency landing at a RAF base, where she meets fellow pilot Stefan Bergel. Once departed and on her way back to her own base, she cannot forget the handsome, enigmatic airman.

In occupied Poland, Ewa Hartman runs her Father's guesthouse believing that her fiance Stefan is dead, captured by the Soviets at the beginning of the war. When a high ranking Nazi officer begins to take an interest in her, Ewa questions her own loyalties both to Stefan and her own country.

The man who captures both Vee and Ewa's hearts is Stefan Bergen, escaped POW, RAF pilot and member of the Polish resistance, or is he? His loyalties to the women in his life, as well as the side he is fighting for, are at times unclear.

Stefan is a complex character, unlikable at times, and vulnerable and lovable at others. It is easy to see why he has at least two women falling at his feet.

Who knows how many others there could be, and will his love of a beautiful woman ultimately be his downfall?

When We Fall, set in 1943, follows the stories of two women leading very different lives but both playing their part in the war effort. First, we are introduced to Valerie – Vee – Katchatourian, a British pilot whose job is to fly planes between airfields for the Air Transport Auxiliary. Forced to make an emergency landing due to fog one day, Vee encounters a Polish airman, Flight Sergeant Stefan Bergel of 302 Squadron. It’s only a brief meeting, but Stefan makes a big impression on Vee and she finds that she is unable to forget about him.

Meanwhile, in the city of Poznań in occupied Poland, Ewa Hartman is helping her father to run his guest house. At the same time as offering hospitality to German officers, Ewa is carrying out undercover work for the AK (the Polish resistance) – a dangerous thing to do, which becomes even more dangerous when she begins to attract the attention of a high-ranking German guest, SS-Obersturmführer Heinrich Beck. Ewa becomes close to Beck, but in her heart she remains loyal to her former lover, Stefan Bergel, whom she has not seen since he became a prisoner of the Soviet army a few years earlier.

Stefan provides the link between Ewa and Vee, but who is he really and where do his true allegiances lie? He is a complex and enigmatic character whose motives and loyalties are never clear, even to the reader who sees both sides of the story, unlike Ewa and Vee who see only their own. This, along with Ewa’s support for the resistance and the dangers of Vee’s work as a pilot, keeps the novel filled with tension and suspense until the end as there is no guarantee that any or all of our characters are going to survive the war.

The novel switches between the two storylines, although Vee’s almost disappears for a while in the middle of the book while most of the action is taking place in Poland. I liked both characters and both settings, but Ewa’s story was the most compelling, I thought. In all of my reading about the war, I don’t seem to have come across many books that describe life in occupied Poland, so I found it very interesting to read about the challenges Ewa faced on a daily basis. With the Nazi occupiers in the process of renaming streets and towns to make them sound more ‘German’ – Poznan becomes Posen, for example – Ewa must learn to respond to the German form of her own name (Eva), to avoid lapsing into her native language, and to come to terms with the local synagogue being converted into a swimming pool.

Names are also important for Vee, who was born in England but whose Armenian surname makes her the subject of prejudice and suspicion, as well as the prejudice she already experiences as a female aviator – even though the ATA was notable for paying women the same as men, Vee senses that she is not always considered an equal. Although I’m not really interested in aviation, Vee’s enthusiasm for her work as a pilot and for the different types of planes she is asked to fly comes across strongly.

Finally, I should mention the Katyn Massacre, a wartime atrocity which marked its 80th anniversary this year and casts its shadow over the lives of the characters in this book. I won’t say too much about it but will leave you to find out how it affects Stefan, Ewa and Vee if you decide to read When We Fall – which I do recommend, as it’s such an interesting and moving novel, very different from Carolyn Kirby’s previous book, The Conviction of Cora Burns, which I also enjoyed!

When We Fallby Carolyn Kirby

This is about a distressing little
known part of history. Set in ww2 about 3 people who’s lives are mysteriously drawn together . Stefan is an RaF pilot who meets Vea when she makes an emergency landing in fog in an raf base whilst delivering a plane for the British Air Auxiliary. Ewa who was engaged to Stefan til he was imprisoned in a russian pow camp and lives in German occupied Poland, is part of the polish resistance.

It is a very well written book and lots of things are not what they seem. Not for the faint hearted as with this part of history some may be upset by it a very good book non the less.

Once I picked this book up I couldn't put it down. I was instantly drawn to the two brave and plucky women in the story. England 1943 and Pilot Vee Katchatourian is lost in the fog. She makes an emergency landing and meets RAF airman Stefan Bergel, who is gorgeous. Vee's smitten from that very first meeting.

Meanwhile in occupied Poland, Ewa Hartman serves German Officers in her father's guest house while secretly working for the Polish resistance on the side. She misses her lover, Stefan who is a POW or so she believes.

The story is based around the little known Katyn massacre and Stefan uses both women to enable the world to know the truth. Later in the book we find out the connection to the German Officer Beck. I loved the story although I found it bittersweet. in places. It's a really good read.

I was lucky enough to be given the opportunity to read The Conviction of Cora Burns recently and I enjoyed it thoroughly so when No Exit Press and NetGalley gave me the chance to read When We Fall, I was chuffed to bits.

First off, let me say that I’m not a big fan of WW2 fiction but as this is written by Carolyn Kirby, I thought I’d give it a shot. I’m pleased that I did because I found this book to be well researched, brilliantly written and a joy to read considering some of the subject matter. I’d not heard of the Katyn Massacre before though I can understand why as it was hidden from the world for so long by both sides of the war.

The two women in the story, Vee and Ewa, are as strong, brave and heroic as any man involved with the war and the writer’s portrayal of them is excellent. That said, I genuinely cannot understand what either woman sees in Stefan. I felt all the way through the book that I couldn’t trust him as far as I could throw him, I thought that he was a pretty shifty character.

I didn’t enjoy this as much as the writer’s previous book but I think that’s because it’s set in WW2, my least favourite historical period.

This book is based on true events in history and is so powerful
The author has an amazing ability to write such amazing characterisation into her stories.
It was obvious that the author had conducted a lot of research.
A great book