Publication Date: September 12, 2024
‘They’re making me do this. I don’t want to, but I don’t have a choice. Please believe me.’ As I look into his blue eyes, I feel in my heart that he’s telling the truth. But can I trust a German spy?
England, 1940. When Rose sees a parachute crash into the woods behind her house she rushes to help. Finding an injured young soldier, Rose’s first instinct is to care for him. As she pushes the hair back from his handsome face, Rose feels an instant connection. But when he speaks, her blood turns to ice.
His name is Walter, he’s German and he’s an involuntary spy. He wants to turn himself in, even if it means he’ll be executed. As the pair share stories of their hopes and dreams after the war is over and their feelings begin to deepen, Rose knows she has to do whatever she can to save Walter’s life. Hiding him in an abandoned cottage in the woods, Rose prays he will be safe.
But after hearing the Germans are planning a deadly attack, Walter disappears and Rose fears the worst. Has he been discovered by the British, or has he been taken by the Germans and shot for desertion? With her heart in pieces Rose must decide – if she really loves Walter, how much will she sacrifice to save his life?
1990. When Emma unexpectedly inherits a cottage in the middle of a forest from her Great Aunt Rose, she wonders how anyone could live in such isolation. Searching the house for clues about the aunt she never knew, she’s shocked to discover old bones carefully wrapped in cloth, hidden in the cellar. As Emma begins to unravel the connection to Rose, will everything she has ever known about her family change forever?
Her Secret Soldier is an utterly gripping and heartbreaking wartime novel about the power of love and sacrifice against all odds. Deeply moving, it will have fans of Fiona Valpy, Soraya Lane and Rhys Bowen enthralled from start to finish.
On the verge of a divorce, Emma inherits property from her Great Aunt Rose, who supposedly disappeared during World War II.
Needing time to herself, she travels from Canada to England and finds Silverwood Vale isn’t quite what she expected. What unfolds is a fascinating dual storyline set 50 years apart in Her Secret Soldier.
Author Julie Hartley delivers a heart-breaking World War II novel inspired by actual events. She tells the story of young Rose, who stumbles across an injured man tangled in a parachute. She faces a dilemma, especially when she realizes he speaks a different language.
Readers get insight into Operation Lena, which was Hitler’s attempt to establish a network of spies across Great Britain. While the discovery of enemy agents could result in immediate execution, Rose sees Walter merely as a man.
As Emma tries to discover more about the relative she never met, her journalistic tendencies itch to find answers. In the process, she gets an unexpected gift from Great Aunt Rose.
Her Secret Soldier peels away the labels created by man and focuses on the natural connection between a man and a woman, with nature serving as a picturesque backdrop.
I’m a novelist, poet, creative writing teacher, editor, retreat leader, storyteller, and parrot owner. Here, you’ll find details of my books: a middle grade novel called The Finding Place, a collection of poetry bizarrely entitled Deboning a Dragon, and a guide for teachers who want to instil in their students a lifelong love of Shakespeare. You’ll also find information here about my annual creative writing retreats in Mexico and Costa Rica, and my creative writing classes for adults and teens. Check out my blog, too, for writing prompts and techniques, tales of travel and musings on a creative life. Oh – and there are a few stories about the parrot, too.
