A Picture of Hope (#01 in Heroines Of Wwii Series)

Nellie Wilkerson is an American reporter based in London who wants to be able to cover the 1944 D-Day landings in Normandy. When her boss refuses, saying only male reporters can go, Nellie heads to Southampton, talks her way onto a hospital ship where she helps tend the multitude of wounded. She sneaks into France with her camera to find her story, and finds herself trapped behind enemy lines. She teams up with Jean-Paul, a member of the local resistance, to try and get back to Allied territory. \\n\\nThe story was fast-paced, with plenty of action. The writing was good, but I didn't find the plot as compelling as I have with some other fiction set around this time and place. It all seemed a bit contrived. \\n\\nThe research was excellent, and many of the most dramatic scenes were straight out of history. But that was the problem: it felt as if the characters had been created and thrown into the plot simply to show these parts of history. I would have preferred more focus on the characters. Overall, this was a solid novel, but not one I'd reread. \\n\\nThis novel is part of the Heroines of World War II series, in which each book is written by a different author and with a different setting. The only common factor is World War II, which means each story can be read as a standalone novel. \\n\\nThanks to Barbour Publishing and NetGalley for providing a free ebook for review.