The Secrets We Left Behind
Written by Soraya M. Lane
Narrated by Elizabeth Knowelden
4.5/5
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About this audiobook
How far will they go for family, friendship, and love?
Occupied France, 1940. When the staff at a field hospital draw straws to find out who will join the evacuation from Dunkirk, Nurse Cate is left behind. But when the Nazis arrive to claim prisoners of war, she takes her chance and flees into the night, taking one patient with her.
Fifty miles away, the surrendering soldiers of the Royal Norfolk Regiment are shot dead by the advancing Germans. Beneath the pile of bodies two men survive, crawling to the safety of a nearby farmhouse, where sisters Elise and Adelaide risk their lives to take them in. When Cate, too, arrives at their door with her injured soldier, the pressure mounts.
The sisters are risking everything to keep their visitors safe. But with the Nazis coming ever closer and relationships in the farmhouse intensifying, they must all question the sacrifices they are willing to make for the lives of others. How far will they go for family, friendship, and love?
Soraya M. Lane
Soraya M. Lane graduated with a law degree before realising that law wasn’t the career for her and that her future was in writing. She is the author of historical and contemporary women’s fiction, and her novel Wives of War was an Amazon Charts bestseller. Soraya lives on a small farm in her native New Zealand with her husband, their two young sons, and a collection of four-legged friends. When she’s not writing, she loves to be outside playing make-believe with her children or snuggled up inside reading. For more information about Soraya and her books, visit www.sorayalane.com or www.facebook.com/SorayaLaneAuthor, or follow her on Twitter: @Soraya_Lane.
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Reviews for The Secrets We Left Behind
240 ratings24 reviews
What our readers think
Readers find this title gripping and captivating, with well-written characters and a sense of historical accuracy. The story explores the bravery of nurses and other women during World War II, shedding light on forgotten events. Some readers felt that the book was a bit rushed and could have been more detailed, but overall, they enjoyed the fast-paced and easy-to-follow narrative. The narrator was praised for their performance. The book offers a different perspective on the Dunkirk story and includes a heartwarming found family element. It is recommended for those interested in this period and the heroic women of the time.
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Brilliant! And to hear it was based on true events was even more touching!
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Amazing story and excellent reader! Characters were very well developed by this author!
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Very good book. I liked the time period it was set in and the point of view of the main characters. It was exciting and an interesting look back in history. Could have left the love stories out but it was ok.
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Another interesting based on real events in history where two young French sisters race to help two soldiers and a nurse escape France after the Nazis take over the country.
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Love this book. There are some troupes but all books have them the author does a great job getting you into the story
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The British Nurses helping their patients under such extreme duress.
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Absolutely a must read! The story is intense and helps us realize the depths of despair, fear and how evil some people were during WWII. I loved this read. The narrator was a perfect match for this story.
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Gripping and emotive. Based on true events. I loved it
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Gripping story of the Nazi invasion- always fascinating. I enjoyed this book
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Very good read. Based on true events. Worth listening to!
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Was a slow start in my opinion but stick with it. I am now going to look for other books that have been written
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Such a beautiful story. Will definitely be reading more from this author
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5A truly gripping story of how love, tragedy and survival are possible all at once.
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5This book is based on real events and facts. The bravery of nurses and other women during World War II are little known. I will be reading more if this author’s books.
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Love reading about this period! And the heroic women of the time!
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5These stories make me feel blessed to live where I live. Also makes my heart bleed for the countries at war atm.
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Enjoyed the story of forgotten people from the bigger events of WWII. Especially how the women would probably envoled themselves to fight for their country.
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5There are few books that have made me cry but this one did. It is a gripping and powerful story.
- Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5This story was good and I liked the characters but I felt like it was a little “holey.” I felt like I was watching a TV series and missed several minutes of the show here and there. I followed along & the story still made sense but I just felt like a lot of connecting parts were left out. Maybe I just like longer, more detailed books in this genre.
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5I was drawn into this book very quickly, which is unusual for me - truly well written and captivating! I love the historical accuracy also. Well worth the read/listen!
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5The history, the characters, although fictional, were real and created real feelings and reactions.
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Overall I really liked this! The narrator was fantastic, and parts of it were so intense and well written. I also enjoyed a different perspective of the Dunkirk story than I knew before.
I rounded up to 4 stars because I loved the “found family” element as well, and the only con for me was one of the characters being frustratingly naive, though it was important for her story and the story of the other characters to have her that way - it was just a struggle to get through some of those sections, though no disrespect to the author, I think Adelaide’s point of view was important for the plot.
Overall I’d recommend this! - Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5I like this book. It moved quickly and was an easy listen. Short and sweet. Thanks.
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Gripping! Some parts were so intense that I had to stop and come back later...
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