Dear Mrs. Sowards,
How it is that you write book that completely destroy me, and yet I love with every part of my soul, I’m not sure I’ll ever understand. But I do. I’d read this again in a heartbeat, and do plan to reread it one day. It’s a powerful, beautifully told story. I would recommend this to anyone who likes a good WWII fiction.
I really loved Karl’s character arc. The way he progresses and grows through this book is just phenomenal. It’s the kind of character growth we always want to see in the MCs of the stories we love. I loved how it took many experiences, people, and his faith to help him grow and change. He had a steadiness about him, and a desire to be the person his father knew he could become. And I admired his ability to be adaptable through the struggles he had.
Millie was such a dear, and I adored her from the beginning. I liked her tenacity, her desire to help with the war effort, her intelligence, and her ability to put her best into everything. And the code breaking bits were so good! She wasn’t afraid to speak her mind and I loved that. The relationship between her and Karl was so sweet and lovely. Their letters made me smile, and I thought they were a clever way to share the passage of time.
Your addition of Rolf really rounded out the story and gave it some added depth. It made the entire war more human, not just the side I always root for.
Did I cry while reading this book? Yes. I did more than cry. I sobbed uncontrollably, for the final 60 or so pages. I knew what was coming. I read Heirs of Falcon Point, and remembered vividly what Karl’s story was. I knew what was coming, and I still sobbed. And yet, I finished the book feeling hope, seeing the beauty in love and family, and amazed at how you brought everything together at the end. You are truly a master storyteller, and I relish the opportunity to enjoy your stories. Thank you for giving me the chance.
Ever yours,
Jessica

*CW/TW: This is not a book for those who can only enjoy books with an HEA. While this book does end with some happiness, there are still details that could leave you quite bereft if HEA. This is not a romance story a much as it is a WWII fiction, and it’s best enjoyed if that is remembered. (Reading Heirs of Falcon Point prior to this, though not required to enjoy, could also help with some details.) Also contains typical wartime details, such as bombings, sinking boats, death at sea, deprivations of Jewish peoples mentioned, hatred toward various groups, and focus on machines instead of lives.

**thanks to the publisher and author for the copy. These are my own thoughts. ( )

"...Helping him was also a way of following her father’s example. He always said he couldn’t fix everything, but if God put a person in his path who needed help, he’d be a rather poor Christian if he didn’t at least try to offer aid."

Things I liked:

Millie and her family. They were a pretty good bunch of people, and made the chapters focusing on them fun to read.

Carl and his mentor Captain Blake. They both were good strong male characters with a devotion to duty and a love for the sea despite the dangers, that was admirable.

The code breaking and other secret war work that was done in the book. Very cool!

The perspective of a character from the enemy side working in a German U-boat. This was well written and made the story much more deep as his character develops.

Negative content-

Language- hell is misused once.

A mention of a sailor reading horror tales and liking to read "Dracula".

One character asks a woman (of good character) if she was the "broad" that someone had been talking about.

There's many casualties due to the war going on, and part of the time bodies are described as having parts blown or burned off and missing, as well as some blood.
Not gory per se, but realistic.

There's an awkward scene where someone was shipwrecked and they lost their pants. A few too many details.

There was a couple scenes where the characters didn't do something wrong, but it wasn't wise to do. I can't specify because you know, spoilers.

This is one of the few books that I enjoyed part or most of, but most likely won't read again. Not to say that it's a bad book at all, but I didn't enjoy it as much as I expected.

Thank you to the publisher for the complimentary e-book I received to review through Netgalley. I was not required to write a positive review, and the thoughts are my own. ( )

Dear Mrs. Sowards,
How it is that you write book that completely destroy me, and yet I love with every part of my soul, I’m not sure I’ll ever understand. But I do. I’d read this again in a heartbeat, and do plan to reread it one day. It’s a powerful, beautifully told story. I would recommend this to anyone who likes a good WWII fiction.
I really loved Karl’s character arc. The way he progresses and grows through this book is just phenomenal. It’s the kind of character growth we always want to see in the MCs of the stories we love. I loved how it took many experiences, people, and his faith to help him grow and change. He had a steadiness about him, and a desire to be the person his father knew he could become. And I admired his ability to be adaptable through the struggles he had.
Millie was such a dear, and I adored her from the beginning. I liked her tenacity, her desire to help with the war effort, her intelligence, and her ability to put her best into everything. And the code breaking bits were so good! She wasn’t afraid to speak her mind and I loved that. The relationship between her and Karl was so sweet and lovely. Their letters made me smile, and I thought they were a clever way to share the passage of time.
Your addition of Rolf really rounded out the story and gave it some added depth. It made the entire war more human, not just the side I always root for.
Did I cry while reading this book? Yes. I did more than cry. I sobbed uncontrollably, for the final 60 or so pages. I knew what was coming. I read Heirs of Falcon Point, and remembered vividly what Karl’s story was. I knew what was coming, and I still sobbed. And yet, I finished the book feeling hope, seeing the beauty in love and family, and amazed at how you brought everything together at the end. You are truly a master storyteller, and I relish the opportunity to enjoy your stories. Thank you for giving me the chance.
Ever yours,
Jessica

*CW/TW: This is not a book for those who can only enjoy books with an HEA. While this book does end with some happiness, there are still details that could leave you quite bereft if HEA. This is not a romance story a much as it is a WWII fiction, and it’s best enjoyed if that is remembered. (Reading Heirs of Falcon Point prior to this, though not required to enjoy, could also help with some details.) Also contains typical wartime details, such as bombings, sinking boats, death at sea, deprivations of Jewish peoples mentioned, hatred toward various groups, and focus on machines instead of lives.

**thanks to the publisher and author for the copy. These are my own thoughts. ( )

I loved how the author allowed readers to experience history through three different people’s point of view. Millie Stevens, a diplomat’s daughter, and code breaker at Bletchley; Karl Lang, a wealthy Austrian who escaped Nazi persecution and enlisted in the merchant marine is searching for his missing sisters. Rolf Denhart, a German radio operator on a Nazi U-boat. I liked how the author shows Rolf, home on leave with his wife Frieda, who begins to doubt the Third Reich’s ideology. Rolf is alarmed that his wife is assisting Jews in fleeing persecution and worries for her wellbeing.

The plot twists and turns in Karl and Millie's narrative that surprised me in several ways. The author takes readers on a crazy ride as characters dodge torpedoes, crack codes, attempt to survive perilous situations, deal with loss, experience successes, witness unconditional love in action and watch regular people displaying bravery and having the guts to do the right thing. As I read, I felt as if I were watching a movie. I had trouble putting this novel down. The story is captivating, tragic, heartbreaking and beautiful as readers are given a peek into the daily lives of ordinary people living through war.

This book provided a fresh perspective on life at sea. I tried to envision what it must have been like for my family who served in the navy; the thought of being on board one of these ships during war was awful. Karl is exposed to the risks of being at sea when Nazi U-boats start patrolling the area. I like how the writer gave readers a behind-the-scenes look at the sacrifices sailors made to foil the Germans' war preparations while expertly combining action-adventure, suspense, drama, and a touch of romance.
This is the first novel I’ve read by this author it won’t be the last. This would make for a great book club pick.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a copy of this book from the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Nora St. Laurent
TBCN Where Book Fun Begins!
The Book Club Network blog https://psalm516.blogspot.com/ ( )

Codes of Courage by A. L. Sowards captures perfectly why historical fiction is my favorite genre. I get to learn about little-known slices of history while enjoying a riveting story. With obvious impeccable historical research, richly painted settings, and characters that come alive on the page, this tale kept me engrossed to the end. There were a few twists and turns that surprised me and had my emotions all over the place.

The story is told from various points of view. Karl Lang, Millie Stevens, and Rolf Denhart are all pulled into WWII, and their lives are irreparably changed because of it. It was interesting to have the different POVs, as they added much to the tale. Poignant and heart-breaking, yet also tender and healing, it’s a perfect read for historical fiction lovers. Although it can be read as a standalone book, more about Karl Lang’s story is told in Heirs of Falcon Point. I’m looking forward to reading more from this author.

I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy. All opinions are my own. ( )