Auschwitz, 1943: As I held the tiny baby in my arms, my fingers traced the black tattoo etched across her little thigh. And I prayed that one day this set of numbers, identical to her mother’s, would have the power to reunite a family torn apart by war… Inspired by an incredible true story, this poignant novel tells of one woman’s fight for love, life and hope during a time of unimaginable darkness. Ana Kaminski is pushed through the iron gates of Auschwitz beside her frightened young friend Ester Pasternak. As they reach the front of the line, Ana steps forward and quietly declares herself a midwife – and Ester her assistant. Their arms are tattooed and they’re ordered to the maternity hut. Holding an innocent new-born baby, Ana knows the fate of so many are in her hands, and vows to do everything she can to save them. When two guards in their chilling SS uniforms march in and snatch a blond-haired baby from its mother it’s almost too much for Ana to bear. Consoling the distraught woman, Ana realises amidst the terrible heartache there is a glimmer of hope. The guards are taking the healthiest babies and placing them with German families, so they will survive. And there are whispers the war is nearly over… Ana and Ester begin to secretly tattoo little ones with their mother’s numbers, praying one day they might be reunited. Then, early one morning, Ana notices the small bump under Ester’s thin striped clothing…

Auschwitz, 1943: I stroke my beautiful baby’s hair. It’s a miracle it’s blonde because it will keep her alive, it will keep her safe. Soon they will come and take Pippa out of Auschwitz-Birkenau – and out of my arms. But while there’s life, there’s hope I might find my daughter again… An incredible story of one woman’s courage and determination to reunite her family in the aftermath of surviving Auschwitz. 1945, Ester Pasternak walked out of the gates of Auschwitz barely alive. She survived against devastating odds, but her heartbreaking journey is only just beginning. In the camp, Ester gave birth to a tiny fair-haired infant, only for her precious baby to be snatched from her and taken to a German family. Now the war is over, Ester longs to find her little girl. But Europe is in chaos, Jewish families have been torn apart and everyone is desperately searching for their loved ones. In every orphanage and hospital she visits, Ester searches the faces of tear-stained toddlers; each mop of blonde hair and pair of blue eyes she sees sets her heart racing… But as the months and the years tick by, the possibility of finding her daughter shrinks smaller and smaller. And Ester starts to wonder if little Pippa is even safe, or whether the miracle that saved her has now put her in even more danger? Will Ester ever be able to find the child whose tattoo matches her own? Or is she already too late… A completely gripping and emotional WW2 novel of one woman’s bravery and determination to hold on to hope in a world torn apart by war. Perfect for fans of The Tattooist of Auschwitz, The Alice Network and The Nightingale . Why readers love The Midwife ‘ Wow … literally pulled my heart out of my chest … had me feeling all of the emotions .’ Spooky's Maze Of Books, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘ Absolutely heartbreaking … sobbed my heart out near the end of the book … AMAZING!! ’ NetGalley reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘ Heartbreaking yet also heart-warming … beautifully written … my favorite reads of 2022!! ’ NetGalley reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘ Absolutely stunning … pulled me out of a reading slump and bought me to tears … heart-wrenching … The tragedy mixed with a tale of friendship, survival and motherhood. The ending had me in tears at my desk at work .’ Goodreads reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘ More than five stars … Definitely a page-turner … the best one I’ve read this year .’ NetGalley reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘ Captured my heart … so immersed in the story it was hard to put it down … will grip you from start to finish & I just curled up in my own little world until I finished it … touching heartbreaking read… an absorbing story you do not want to miss .’ NetGalley reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘ A must-read, one of books of this year for sure … such a heartbreaking story … You will need plenty of tissues to get through this real-life story … The emotions I went through reading this book were unbelievable … I loved it. ’ Echoes in an Empty Room, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘ Gripping … completely heartbreaking … I couldn't put this one down, I read it in almost one sitting… Heart-wrenching ... I loved it .’NetGalley reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘ Almost impossible to put down … Truly a one-of-a-kind novel... A haunting story, that stays with the reader, long after the last page is turned .’ Goodreads reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘ A must-read for fans of The Tattooist of Auschwitz and The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas . I stayed up far too late reading this one .’ Goodreads reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

1945, I stumble out of the gates, tightly grasping the hands of two smaller children. Hunger swirls in my stomach and the barren landscape swims before my eyes. I can barely believe it. We’re free. We survived. But what happens now… Sixteen-year-old Tasha Ancel turns to take one last look at the imposing place that stole her freedom and her childhood. She has no idea how she continued to live when so many others did not. For the first time in months, her heart beats with hope for her future and that of the smaller children who cling to her now. Tasha was torn from her mother’s arms by an SS guard days before the gates of Auschwitz opened. Now she only has a lock of her mother’s fiery hair. Desperate to be reunited, Tasha asks everyone she meets if they’ve seen a woman with flame-red hair. But with so many people trying to locate their loved ones in the chaotic aftermath of war finding her feels like an impossible task. Officially an orphan, Tasha is given the chance to start a new life in the Lake District in England. She knows her mother would want her to take the opportunity but she can’t bear the thought of leaving Poland without her. Tasha must make a heartbreaking decision; will she stay in war-ravaged Europe and cling on to the hope that the person she loves most in the world is alive, or take a long journey across the sea towards an uncertain future? An absolutely unputdownable and heart-wrenching WW2 story of survival against all odds and learning to live and love again. Fans of The Tattooist of Auschwitz, Orphan Train and The Nightingale will be gripped.

1944, Poland. ‘Take this message, keep it hidden.’ Shaking, I tuck the torn slip of paper in between the loaves of bread. I pray I can make it through the bombed-out streets and into the tunnels beneath this broken city without being caught. If this secret falls into the wrong hands, my sisters’ lives are at stake… This heart-wrenching and unforgettable World War Two novel is inspired by the incredible true stories of the brave women who fought in the Warsaw Uprising. Hana’s home has gone up in flames; the little bakery at the heart of the city is no more. Smoke curls into the sky and the buildings around her burn. But Hana has already lost far more – her blue-eyed fiancé was wrenched from her arms at the start of the war and her brave father was murdered by the Nazis. She’s determined to protect her younger sisters but every day more people are being killed… Hana realises that one person alone won’t win the war and she has to accept her sisters are playing their own part in the resistance. Fiery Zuzi is working as part of a secret all-female combat unit while gentle Orla is a nurse in the underground hospital. As the women of Warsaw plan to rise up against the enemy, Hana risks her life to navigate the dangerous streets. The torn piece of paper she clutches in her hand has the potential to save her precious family. It’s time to fight back. But when the moment they’ve been waiting for comes, will Hana and her sisters finally win back their freedom? Or will they lose their own lives as they fight for their futures…? An emotional and gripping WW2 story of incredible courage against all odds and of the power of love and hope in the darkest of times.