A Rose for the Resistance

 

A Rose for the Resistance is the fifth book in the Heroines of WWII series published by Barbour Books. It is a compelling and engaging read that delves into the lives of those living in occupied France throughout the war.  Angela K Couch has done a masterful job in writing a book that captures the reader from the beginning to the end.  I have only one criticism for the book, even though it is a minor thing, it bothers me.  One of the characters is named Franz Kafka, a name that is familiar in philosophical circles.  The real Franz Kafka was a Jewish man who died rather young at the age of almost 41 in 1924.  His writings are still considered classics today.  My criticism in using this name is that Kafka is a Jewish name and a man with that name would not have been allowed to serve in the German military during the second World War. There are so many other German names that could have been used for this character--I have a plethora of them in my family tree!  

Rosalie is a quiet woman who spends her time cultivating and growing plants for villagers around her to buy for their own gardens.  Her father is in a German POW camp and she wants to keep his legacy alive for when he comes back.  She is also taking care of her mother and her younger brother, Marcel, who wishes to join the resistance.  Her first encounter with Franz is after curfew on a night when her brother was involved in some resistance activities and gets shot.  When Franz finds them together, there is a Bible beside her on the ground and he lets them go.  

Franz is disenchanted with the German regime and ideology, and while fulfilling his duties, finds ways to circumvent the powers in control.  When he finds a British pilot in a crashed air plane, he takes the pilot to Rosalie so that she can hide him and take care of his wounds.  He even helps Rosalie get the pilot back to England. While Franz cannot overtly participate in the resistance, he turns a blind eye to whatever Rosalie and her brother do to aid in the cause, and even runs interference for Rosalie with some of the check-point guards.

I truly enjoyed this book to the point that I lost sleep over it, it has all the feels--anger, grief, love--and it has intrigue, double-crossing, and a bit of sweetness.  My only complaint is Franz's name.  Four Strong Stars. 

Barbour Books and NetGalley.com provided the copy I read for this review.  All opinions expressed are solely my own.