​CATHERINE HOKIN - HISTORICAL FICTION INSPIRED BY WORLD WAR II 

 Some of the research that went into the novel...

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  Madrid on the front line in 1936

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Spain, 1935: I’m shaking as I watch my brother emerge from the truck, his hands bound behind his back. And when my lover gives the order for him to be executed, my heart breaks. My worst nightmare has come true. To save my brother, I must betray the man I love…

When Vivi arrives in Madrid, she is captivated by its heat and colour, a world away from the grey of her life as a lonely newlywed back in Berlin. But her diplomat husband and beloved brother Christian are here for one reason only: to bring the Nazi regime to Spain, and to destroy everything that stands in their path.

When Vivi is caught in a bombing raid, she is thrown unexpectedly into the arms of Emilio, a member of the militia. As she gets to know him and his love for his country, his passion inspires her, and her world changes overnight. And as he stares at her with his warm brown eyes, her heart races in her chest, knowing she is truly being seen for the first time in years…

But falling in love with Emilio is dangerous. Franco and his Nazi allies are closing in on the resistance in Madrid, and it’s only a matter of time before Emilio is discovered. Vivi does everything she can to protect him, but she knows time is running out.

When her worst fears come true and Emilio captures her brother, Vivi must decide where her loyalty lies. Should she betray her lover to save her family? Or will she choose love above all else? And once the war is over, can she live with the consequences?

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Lisbon, 1945: Vivi stands outside Café Amalia in the hot sun, jostled by the crowds. She stares at its door, small

and inconspicuous, and feels her heart race. Her shaking hands clasp the anonymous note that arrived at dawn.

Find me when you’ve read this, and I will reveal your brother’s secret.

Ever since Vivi betrayed the man she loved to save her brother Christian, her heart has been broken. But she is determined not to be fooled by her brother’s lies again. Instead, she must uncover his secret plans to destroy the Resistance in Spain and save her lover Emilio, no matter what…

But time is running out and Vivi’s only option is to go undercover. But as she dyes her hair in her apartment’s small bathroom sink, practising her new name under her breath, she can only hope that her disguise will be enough

to trick her brother. Because she knows that if she is

caught, Christian will do what is right for the Nazis and her life will be in his hands.

Vivi promised herself she would do whatever it took to

save her beloved Emilio. But when disaster strikes, is she prepared to make the ultimate sacrifice to spare his life?

And if she isn’t brave enough, will she be able to live with the consequences?
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