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Book Details
Title- The Lost Story of Sofia Castello
Author- Siobhan Curham
Genre- Historical Fiction

Book Summary
It’s the year 2000 and Lily Christie is sent to Portugal to ghost write a famous singer's life story. The problem is that this singer perished in an airplane accident during World War II. The story seamlessly slips between the two time periods.

What Makes This Book Special
This book was one of the best ones I have read this year! I read many books about WWII but never from a character’s perspective in Portugal. Get ready to be transported to Lisbon, along with the scenery and food. I was craving a pastel de nata when I was done!!! Thankfully, there is a bakery by me that sells them. But I digress.
Many thanks to the author, Bookouture and NetGalley for a complimentary copy of the book. The opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.
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I really enjoyed this mystery story centred around singer Sofia Castello who supposedly died in plane crash in the 1940s, and the writer Lily Christie who is tasked with writing the singers biography only to discover she didn't really die and has been carrying secrets her whole life. Similar in ilk to The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo, this was a lovely story and perfect holiday reading!

This was a fascinating dual timeline book. The story of Sophia and why she disappeared and then the writing of her biography in the modern day.

I found myself drawn to this book; every spare minute I'd read a page or two.
Lily is a ghostwriter and needs to get away for a break. Her manager tells offers her a job to write the momoir of a 'dead' WW2 singer in Portugal.
Whilst in Portugal, Sofia tells about her life, her loves and the secret as to why she faked her own death.
Whitst away, Lily soon discovers herself again and her younger self.
The book flows between 1941 and 2000 perfectly. It has great descriptions of the locations and London during the blitz.

This is historical fiction, with a dual timeline giving us the story of the ghost writer too.
I enjoyed the perspective of people living in Lisbon during WW2, not a perspective I’ve ever read before.
I did think some of the writing was a bit overkill at time - it was easy to read some sections just reading one sentence per paragraph. However, i thought the story was superb. Perfectly paced, intriguing, enough reveals throughout the book to keep the interest levels high, and a very satisfying ending.
This was my first from this author and I’d happily read more.

I thought this was a really good book, really hard to put down. I liked Sofia and her strength during troubling times. There were some surprises I wasn’t expecting too. It’s perfect for all historical fiction fans

What a lovely but really rather sad story. Lily Christie is a ghostwriter, her marriage of 18 years has ended badly and she is struggling with life. Then her literary agent, Jane offers her the job of a lifetime, to travel to Portugal to meet Sofia Castello a famous singer during WWII who tragically died when her plane was shot down by the Luftwaffe! But Sofia is still alive and living quietly on the Portuguese coast. A dual timeline story with a heartbreaking tale to tell, the plot was very good with red herrings (not sardines) that had me totally fooled.

Briefly, Sofia was plucked from obscurity at the age of 16 and very quickly became a famous and wealthy singer. She met a refugee from Germany called Judith who she became close to and tried to help avoid the gestapo who were looking for her, or rather a valuable item she was carrying. In her position she was also able to help the Allies and it was this that caused the Nazis to target her. Now nearly 60 years later she is ready to tell her story, but why was she insistent on having Lily as her ghostwriter?

Sofia’s decision to fake her own death was based on things she believed at the time and her desire to lead a more private life. Her rise to fame was quick and probably not easy to deal with and now she could go back to obscurity. Sofia was a wonderful feisty woman with a great sense of humour and I really felt for her friend Judith who had a tragic life during the war. I loved to see the close relationship between Sofia and Lucy grow and how Lucy stood up for herself despite risking losing her job. A story full of passion, secrets, grief and second chances. A very enjoyable read.

What I loved:
Storyline!
Plot twists
Setting in Portugal during WW2

What I didn’t:
More details of the setting since you don’t see much Ww2 fiction set in Portugal
Past POV execution—I would Have preferred being immersed with present tense rather than past tense. It just made it feel like the book was telling rather than showing.

What a page-turner!
The mystery and twists within the plot had me racing through the book - and there were some real shocks contained within the story! Such a superbly-crafted story and I was completely absorbed.

The setting felt unique - I cannot recall previously reading a World War Two based novel with a Portuguese location. I’m always glad of the informative, educational aspects of a book - in this case, learning about Lisbon being a hotbed of both spies and refugees during the war. Do read the author’s note at the end for some really interesting points about her inspiration for this book.

Fascinating characters and an extremely clever plot that really show off Siobhan Curham’s skilled writing. A thoroughly enjoyable book!

Thank you to the publisher, Bookouture, for a digital copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

The Lost Story of Sofia Castello is a gripping, immersive and emotional tale. It will take you on a whirlwind journey of love, betrayal, grief, secrecy, profound friendships and of course resilience.

The setting for this book couldn't be more perfect. The picturesque beauty of Portugal that the author describes, is a juxtaposition of an otherwise heavy book. I loved each and everyone of these characters. They were all crafted so beautifully, especially the women. Their strength and determination, as well as loyalty to each other, was palpable, and made me love this book even more.

They had great banter and I even found myself chuckling at a few scenes. Sofia is quite the force to be reckoned with. Yet, the character development of Lily is not something that we can overlook. The ending was beautiful but also bittersweet in a sense. So much was lost but so much was also gained. This is one that will stick with me for a long time. I loved every minute of it.

Thank you to Netgalley, Bookouture and Siobhan Curham. For my eARC of this book. All opinions are my own. Pub date April 25th, 2025.

An absolutely captivating read that conjures up so many different emotions. I found it so hard to put down.
The dual timeline was so well written and kept me engaged the whole time. It's set in World War II in Portugal and opened up so much information that was happening in that period. The characters were very easy to invest in because the sheer quality of the writing and the pace of the story,
I found it to be a very easy read and easily compelling. I will certainly be looking for more by this author

Thankyou to Bookouture and also NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read and review this advanced reader's copy.

I really enjoyed this book.
A captivating and emotional read, 'The Lost Story of Sofia Castello' by Siobhan Curham is a beautifully crafted novel that explores themes of friendship, love, resilience, and loss against the rich and tumultuous backdrop of Portugal during World War II.
The dual timeline is well-paced and structured, drawing the reader into the world of relatable characters with a strong focus on a resilient and inspiring female protagonist.
The writing is engaging and easy to read, making it a compelling page-turner.
This is a thoughtful and engaging read that will resonate with anyone who's experienced the complexities of life and human relationships.

A big thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for the opportunity to read and review this advanced reader's copy.

Look out for this book. Publication date: April 25, 2025.

Gripping tale of friendship, love, secrets and mystery. Love and lost followed by friendships being uncovered in many different ways.

In my experience of Curham's "The Lost Story of Sofia Castello," I found the reading experience challenging. While there were some unexpected twists, I felt that the story's overall concept was familiar and had been executed more effectively in other works, particularly Reid's "The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo," which shares a similar storyline but is better crafted. Though I managed to finish Curham's novel, it required considerable effort on my part.

this was such a perfect and beautiful book. it fit right amongst this genre but it stood out amongst them too. incredible. ive never seen this take on it before so was absorbed from start to finish and no in between.

everyone thought Sofia was an incredible singer. everyone thought she was dead. but decades later writer Lily is called upon to writer her memoir. Sofia was a singer of the time. and during war years she would have to use that voice as a front towards the Gestapo. but her nights were spent looking after those in need. and eventually she went on to use her fame to help the Allies. but something happened which changed her life forever and caused those around her to think she died. and now Sofia is finally ready to tell her story.

this is such an intimate and elegantly told story. it doenst shy away from the heartbreak and heart thumping moments of that time. and once again we are reminded of those horrors. and how and whoever you were living at that time it must have felt so scary. i felt that throughout this book. that tension, that danger, the fear. i dont know how they managed it. and for those that went above and beyond, that literally put themselves in harms way for either their loved ones or those who need saving, then i cant be in awe of them enough.
what Siobhan does so brilliantly is weave the humanity throughout this book. both with her telling and scene setting and mostly with the characters she gives us. and this book has some wonderful characters. she also manages to make you care about the past and present characters in equal measure. so you want to turn the pages rapidly to learn more about them. i was turning rapidly until the end!
not only that but she helps us see an arc and linkage throughout time and characters. and how other stories can help us heal. or help us learn. or at least like many when reading these books...they help us sit and think. which we never should stop doing about this time in our history. these stories be it fact or fiction need to be read again and again.

Talk about a heart wrenching book. I love historical books around World War 2. The story of Sofia Castello is just an incredible one. I love how the book was written. The transition between what's going on in the book world to Sofia telling her story is such an easy transition and easy to follow along with. The ending was perfect and I'm so glad with how it all ended. If you're looking for an entertaining story about a singer and a spy from World War 2 this is a great book to read.

Why did Sofia fake her death and why has she been hiding all these years? And why is she now willing to talk? This dual time line novel sees Lily,, a woman who is dealing with the end of her marriage, hired to write Sofia's memoir. Sofia lived a big life until she didn't. She did so much during WWII but all of that lingers. Lily knows that Sofia is holding back and so will you. No spoilers. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. As is so often the case, it's the WWII story that is most interesting and Curham has hit on an intriguing niche. A good read.

I liked this one! I enjoy dual timeline stories and I found this one really unique. Great characters and a fun secret. Great read!

A fabulous historical fiction story that captured firstly my attention and then, as I read the story and became immersed in Lily and Sofia's worlds, it captured my heart.

Lily is a ghostwriter who is invited to write the story of Sofia Castello, the much-loved Portuguese singer who tragically died in a plane crash in 1941, while WWII raged on. In order to write the story though, Lily is let in on a huge secret; Sofia is alive and now in her eighties. She faked her death to save herself from a massive betrayal and Lily will hear her truth.

This is such a powerful story packed with secrets, betrayals and heartbreak, intertwined with strength, joy and resilience. Vivid descriptions of the horrors of the war, combined with the joy that Sofia Castello brought to the people took me on an emotional rollercoaster of a ride with these wonderful characters. I was so drawn to all of the main characters in the book; Sofia and Lily, of course, and also Gabriel, Jane and Trafalger, who was definitely the most complex and intriguing character. Some brilliant twists elevated this story to one of my favourite WWII based books and it is a story that will stay with me for a long time.

5 ⭐️ Thanks to Netgalley, Siobhan Durham and Bookouture, for an ARC in return for an honest review.

This is a dual time line story set during World War 2 and the turn of the 21st century. Lily is a ghost writer who helps famous people tell their life stories. When she is asked by her editor to go to Portugal to help Sofia Castello, a famous singer, she jumps at the chance. It comes at a difficult time in her life after a break up with her long term partner and, more excitingly, Sofia supposedly died in a plane crash during the war!
As Lily listens to Sofia’s remarkable story and learns why she has remained in hiding, Lily has nothing but admiration for her, someone who has suffered unimaginable hardship and danger in the 1940s.
The female characters in this novel are very strong, I liked Sofia immensely and felt sad for Lily’s situation. Their interaction was interesting, particularly the way Lily tried to draw the story out of Sofia and also how Sofia incorporated her own life into her songs.
There were many twists and turns along the way and it was not clear who was going to survive and why Sofia felt the need to remain hidden. Thankfully all was revealed at the end after much heartbreak and a lot of sadness and betrayal.
I definitely recommend “ The Lost Story Of Sofia Castello”. as an engrossing page turner of a book.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for my advance copy.