About the Book

Book: A Picture of Hope

Author: Liz Tolsma

Genre: Christian Historical Fiction

Release date: October, 2021

A Photojournalist Risks Her Life to Save Children

Full of intrigue, adventure, and romance, this new series celebrates the unsung heroes—the heroines of WWII.

Journalist Nellie Wilkerson has spent the bulk of the war in London, photographing pilots taking off and landing—and she’s bored. She jumps at the chance to go to France, where the Allied forces recently landed. She enlists Jean-Paul Breslau of the French underground to take her to the frontlines. On the journey, they come upon an orphanage where nuns shelter children with disabilities. Can they help save them before the Nazis come to liquidate it?

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About the Author

Liz Tolsma is the author of several WWII novels, romantic suspense novels, prairie romance novellas, and an Amish romance. She is a popular speaker and an editor and resides next to a Wisconsin farm field with her husband and their youngest daughter. Her son is a US Marine, and her oldest daughter is a college student. Liz enjoys reading, walking, working in her large perennial garden, kayaking, and camping. Please visit her website at www.liztolsma.com and follow her on Facebook, Twitter (@LizTolsma), Instagram, YouTube, and Pinterest. She is also the host of the Christian Historical Fiction Talk podcast.

More from Liz

Why Another WWII Novel Set in France

You may well read the back cover of my latest release, A Picture of Hope, and wonder why on earth we need another WWII novel set in France. After all, Kristy Cambron just had one. Melanie Dobson and Sarah Sundin will be coming out with theirs in 2022. So why did I feel the need to write my novel with the same setting?

First of all, I’m a Francophile. I love all things French. It started when I took French in high school. Everyone else was learning Spanish, but I wasn’t into being part of the crowd. There were only a few of us in the class, and it was great fun. We had a wonderful teacher. Being able to pull out some of that French, refine it a bit, and use it in the book was a blast. But I also love French food (who doesn’t?) and everything else.

Secondly, I hadn’t written about France before. When I wrote this proposal at least five or six years ago, I didn’t know France would be so hot. God did, and the book came about in His perfect timing. I’d explored the Netherlands, Germany, Hungary, Poland, Czechoslovakia, and the Philippines. Such a shame that I was leaving out France, so I set about to write a novel located in that country.

Thirdly, there was so much good material to pull from. The French resistance, while small, did good work and sacrificed a great deal to get Jews out of the country and into Switzerland or Spain. The books that Kristy, Melanie, Sarah, and I write are all so different. Only the setting is the same. And when I found out that the famous mime Marcel Marceau was part of the resistance, I couldn’t help but giving him a cameo. Be on the lookout!

Along the way, I discovered some truly heartrending incidents that took place in France. They also compelled me to write this book. I long for the world to remember what happened so that we will never forget. And so that the atrocities committed there will never be repeated.

Fourthly, this was originally the third book in a series. Don’t worry – it’s a stand-alone. Maybe someday I’ll get to publish the other two. The women in the series are all American journalists in Europe. One is a reporter, the other is a broadcaster, and so I decided to make Nellie, the heroine in A Picture of Hope, a photojournalist. And where better to take pictures than on Omaha Beach soon after D-day. How she gets there is based on a very interesting true story, so be sure to read to the end for that one.

There are so many stories about WWII to be told and so many countries that participated in the conflict in one way or the other. The ground is so rich that we aren’t plowing the same parcel. You’ll find all of these books to be very different from each other, each with its own message, its own voice, and its own plot.

The focus in my book is on children with Down syndrome. I have a background in special education, and my husband and I adopted a child from the Philippines with an intellectual disability, so I’ve always had a heart for people with special needs. My daughter brings us so much joy that I wanted to share a glimpse into what these remarkable people are truly capable of.

So that is why I wrote a WWII novel set in France. Make yourself a cup of café au lait, butter up a croissant, and enjoy A Picture of Hope!

My Thoughts

A Picture of Hope is written by Liz Tolsma. This is part of the Heroines of WWII series. The series is written by different authors, can be read as stand alones, but are all tied together by a strong female heroine during a time our world was at war. As a history nerd and major, I appreciate the amount of research that the author put into this story. I have my masters in military history, and the amount of truthfulness and horror that the Nazis put innocent families through is on point.

Journalist Nellie wants to capture an award winning photo. Even if that means that she could get hurt or killed in the process. She grows tired of waiting in London for the President to give permission for women journalists to get closer to the war. She sneaks off and lands at the site of D-Day. She was not prepared for the horrors and sites she sees. Nellie is strong, fearless, and wants to make a name for herself.

Jean-Paul Breslau has been working with the French Underground throughout the war. He finds Nellie alone and in the middle of enemy territory. He agrees to help return her to American Troops. Jean-Paul is puzzled by Nellie. She has put herself in danger willingly. While they are trying to seek out the American Troops they stumble across a young special needs girl who has wandered from her family.

Nellie falls in love with the girl immediately. She can't believe what this girl may have witnessed. Claire is drawn to Nellie and feels safe. The unlikely trio is trying to find someone or somewhere to safely take the girl for they know that if the Nazi's find her she will be killed on spot.

I appreciated the historical touches that the author put into her story. Sometimes it's forgotten that it was not just the Jews that were in danger of the Nazi Regime. Those who were considered imperfect, different or just disliked were exterminated. The author has crafted an engaging, page turning historical story. The characters are well written and relatable. The romance between the two builds slow but is worth it.

I received a copy of this book through the Celebrate Lit Blogging Program, all thoughts are my own.