A moving look at WWII though the eyes of two sisters whose lives are affected by their choices. One is in Paris as a budding journalist and the other is stuck in Germany married to a man she is not sure she really even knew.
Highly recommend this one for anyone with a love of historical fiction and novels about the love of sisters. ( )

I think I have found another favorite author!! Last night I finished The Words I Never Wrote by Jane Thynne. What a wonderful book! After you have read as many historical fiction books based during WWII ,as I have, you don't think you can be surprised. You have a feeling how the story will be told, but this one surprised me, all the way until the end. It is a story of family, sacrifices, pain, heartbreak, redemption, and that doesn't even cover half the book. The story starts in present day New York and ends in present day Berlin, but the roads that are traveled in between are immense and spellbinding. I found myself crying and smiling over Cordelia and Irene's story, and I have no doubt that you will too!

I received this ebook from Netgalley in exchange for my honest review. ( )

The Words I Never Wrote by Jane Thynne is a sweeping historical novel. I found this book to be well-written with developed characters. The story takes us from 1936 through 2016 moving from England, New York, Paris and Berlin. Juno Lambert purchases a 1931 Underwood Portable typewriter for a photoshoot. It once belonged to the famed journalist Cordelia Capel and there is a partial manuscript inside the case. After reading the document, Juno wants to uncover the rest of the story. Cordelia’s sister, Irene married a German lawyer and moved to Berlin. Her husband is a Nazi sympathizer and they moved in exalted circles. There are endless parties and social functions for Irene to attend. At first, she believes everything is normal in Berlin. Slowly Irene begins to see what is really happening in Berlin, but she needs to be careful. Irene is watched because she is English and her letters to Cordelia are monitored. Cordelia becomes a journalist. Something happens between the two sisters that has them become estranged. The author captured the time period with her descriptions of the clothing, the atmosphere in Paris and Berlin, the attitudes of the people, the political climate and so much more. Real historical figures are included like Hitler, Joseph Goebbels, Martha Dodd, and Kim Philby. I did feel that some descriptions were too detailed and there were a few scenes that were drawn out which slowed down the pacing. The middle is a little sluggish, but then I reached the climax which had me quickly turning the pages to see how the story would turn out. It was interesting to learn what it was like in Germany leading up to World War II. I liked that each sister had a distinctive voice and point-of-view (as did Juno). I am glad that I decided to read this book and regret not fitting it into my schedule sooner. My favorite phrase is “. . . words could change the world.” The Words I Never Wrote is a complex and moving novel with a unique Underwood typewriter, a celebrated correspondent, a socialist socialite, lighthearted letters, an incomplete manuscript and a wicked war. ( )

Juno buys and old typewriter. Inside she finds a manuscript and some letters. She does some research and finds out the author is a journalist like herself. This leads her on a quest to find out more, more than she bargained for.

This story revolves around two sisters, Cordelia in England and Irene in Berlin. Politics and war get in the way of their relationship and causes a huge tear. When the war is over Cordelia travels to Berlin as an interpreter. She finds her sister but it is not easy to repair the fissure in their relationship.

I fluctuated between three and four stars on this read. Basically because of the flow. I settled on four stars because of the ending. But, this story had a slow start, picked up, slowed down again, then ended well. It is very well researched and I enjoyed reading about Berlin before and after the war. It just has some flow issues. But it is not enough to make you put the book down. The mystery surrounding this story is intriguing and unique. So give it a go!

I received this novel from the publisher for a honest review. ( )

As the book begins we are at the wedding of the older sister Irene’s, as her life is about to begin with her new husband, she is marrying a rather well to do man who is from Germany and we are in the 1930’s.
The author also gives us a younger sister Cordelia, and we follow her as she goes about her life to become a journalist.
What put the story together, well, we are given a young woman who happens to buy a beautiful vintage typewriter, how I would love one! With the typewriter is a partial novel about the owner and that happens to be Cordelia.
We get up close and personal into the lives of these woman, their loves and losses, their daily lives, and just the survival during these horrible times.
The author puts faces on these people, and we walk in each sister’s shoes with the help of Juno, an aspiring photographer who now has the typewriter and now wants the rest of the story,

I received this book through Net Galley and the Publisher Ballantine Books, and was not required to give a positive review. ( )