The Things We Cannot Say by Kelly Rimmer is a story set in two timelines.
Poland 1942, two young people in love and trying their best to stay alive under the occupation. Alina a farmers daughter dreams of one day being the wife of Tomasz a medical student. Thomasz wants to become a doctor and come back home to work in his fathers medical practice.

Thank you Netgalley for the chance to read this book in exchange for an honest review. I am a fan of books in this genre, so I was very much looking forward to reading this one. I was not dissapointed and both the plot and characters gripped me from the start. I will definitley aim to read another by this author. Highly reccomended!

This beautiful and heartbreaking story tells two tales, one of Alice and her son Eddie and also the tale of Alina and her love Tomasz.
Alice is struggling with life with her two children and juggling everything. Eddie has autism and her daughter is extremely gifted. Alice is also struggling as her grandmother is unwell in hospital after having a stroke. This part of the story is set in modern times and Alice's grandmother asks her to go to Poland to find out some answers for questions she holds dear.
Alina and Tomasz are struggling in the second world war in Poland. Tomasz disappears and Alice wonders if she will ever see him again.
These two stories do join together after twists and turns that keep you reading.
The characters and settings are well created and this is definitely a book to lose yourself in.
A beautiful tale.
Thank you to the author, publisher and NetGalley in allowing me to read in return for a review.

This was my first Kelly Rimmer novel and what an induction it was! In The Things We Cannot Say, author Kelly Rimmer has penned a powerful, heart-breaking and hopeful love story set amidst the backdrop of loss and the unimaginable atrocities of WWII. This book grabbed me and held me in its clutches right through to the end.

Told using a dual narrative, I loved the author's effortless weaving of historical fiction with the modern day tale. Alina Dziak's story is set amidst the harrowing time-frame of Nazi occupied Poland and through her narrative the reader experiences some unimaginable atrocities of war, loss of family and friends and the heartbreak and joy of true love. I found Alina's story riveting and her inner strength and ability to remain hopeful was truly heartwarming.

The second timeline, in the present day, features Alice who has an autistic son and a gifted daughter. Coping with a stressful home life and a marriage in crisis, she also cares for her ageing Babica (grandma) who has had a stroke and to whom she is very close. Babica has secrets, and knowing her time will soon be coming to an end, she tasks Alice with returning to her childhood country of Poland to seek out people from her past.

A stunning, eloquently told and beautiful story brimming with heart, hope, and all kinds of emotion, so have a hanky handy! I recommend The Things We Cannot Say 100%.

I received a complimentary copy of this novel at my request from Headline via NetGalley and this review is my unbiased opinion.

The Things We Cannot Say was a fantastic book that I could not put it down. I was reading the ending with tears streaming down my face. A truly emotional book set in occupied Poland during World War Two and present day. Another great book by Kelly.

As someone who is always finding himself gravitating towards a story about war, I was very excited to read this book. Humbling, emotive and raw, I enjoyed it thoroughly. The story was simple, but effective. Would recommend.

I really loved this book, I really admired the two central characters of Alina and Alice and became very invested in their stories. I really enjoyed how the stories weaved between present day and the past.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for this ARC

Oh wow. What a wonderful beautifully written story. Slightly slow to begin with but then it built up, telling the story of a Polish couple in love against the backdrop of Nazi invasion and horror. Totally wonderful and tissues are an absolute must. A heartwarming story with amazing characters telling a different story of Nazi Poland. Loved it

This book was fantastic.

It was a heartbreaking love story based in the war and set around the atmosphere of the war.

It was thought provoking and I really enjoyed it, it didnt take me too long to get through it.

there were quite a few typos in the kindle version, but i am sure that this was sorted before the book was published.

An absolutely beautiful novel. This is really different to the usual genre I go for but I'll be making sure to expand my reading now. I loved the characters, the storyline and the accuracy of the historical setting. A perfect story.

Equally heartbreaking and uplifting. It is terrible what humans do to other humans. This story is written from the perspective of the modern day and WWII Poland. A recommended read for anyone interested in the social side of history. While it is fiction I had no doubt that there will be similar stories that are true. Bring your tissues and settle down for a gripping read.

A beautifully written book that flits between Poland in WW2 and modern day America.
We read about the horrors of the Nazi party taking over Poland, the struggles and the heroes that put their lives at risk for the freedom of others.
The connection is the grandmother who has had a major stroke and is on her deathbed requests her granddaughter to travel to Poland to get some answers for her.
Her grandson who's severely autistic; has an iPad app that helps him to communicate with the outside world and by showing his great grandmother this tool she's able to communicate with her family.
This book had me looking at the history of Poland during the war. I recommend it to readers who enjoy historical fiction.

I don't think I have read a more beautifully written book. Kelly Rimmer has been able to give us a story that spans the decades.
From Alina and Tomasz. A couple in love in occupied Poland. How they survived with the Nazi's on their heels.
To Alice a stay at home mum in Florida. her daughter is highly gifted but her son 'Eddie' is high on the autistic spectrum and takes all her time. When Alice's beloved Babcia (Grandmother) is taken into hospital it is obvious her time left. Via her sons tablet she asks Alice to visit her homeland for her.
Alice then begins a voyage of discovery. Both for the life of her Grandparents and herself.
Anyone who loves history will adore this book.

Brilliant. What a wonderful book. Didn’t want to put it down. Fabulous characters that you really care about, would highly recommend

This book was simply amazing. The story runs between 2 time lines which are current day and Alice relays this timeline and we get to know her and her family . We also have alternating chapters set in Poland during the Second World War when Poland was occupied by Nazis. This part of the story is relayed by Alina. I don’t want to give away any spoilers, so I will just say this book is a brilliant read and if you’re a fan of historical fiction you will love it. From the prologue of this book right up to the epilogue I was completely engrossed. The characters are wonderful as is the storyline, a must read.

There are some books that when you read them, you know that they will stay with you, etched on your memory. The Things We Cannot Say, is just such a novel.
The story is told in two voices: The first, Alina, is a young girl living on her parents farm in Poland at the beginning of WWII. The second, Alice, is a married woman with two children, living in present day Florida.

When we meet Alina she has just become engaged to her childhood sweetheart Tomasz Slaski. When their village is occupied by the German army Tomasz is away in Warsaw training to become a doctor. As the war gathers pace and Hitler's final solution is initiated, life for Alina changes beyond recognition. Suddenly she is having to make life and death decisions, to chose one path or another and keep secrets that will entangle her life till it's very end.
Alice is a full time carer for her autistic, non-verbal, son Edison and his older sister Callie, who is extremely gifted and equally challenging to parent. Alice's beloved maternal grandmother, her babcia, has had a stroke and although she is comfortable, it is clear that she is nearing her end. Babcia was Alice's main carer while she was growing up, as both her parents had very demanding careers, her mother, Julita, is still sitting on the court bench as a district judge. The many hours that Alice spent with Babcia over the years have left them with a very deep and special bond, that even the stroke is unable to break. Edison uses a communication app on his ipad and it is through this that Alice realises her grandmother wants her to go to Poland, to return to the village she was born in.

Kelly Rimmer does not shy away from tackling difficult topics and in this novel she has chosen two very controversial areas. Parenting a child who has any kind of additional need can be extremely lonely and isolating , even if you are surrounded by friends and family. Kelly has shown incredible understanding and compassion in her descriptions of Alice's struggles as a parent of Edison, this emotive subject is written with such understanding and insight. The same could be said for her handling of the Holocaust and the mass genocide that took place inside Poland during WWII.
This is an incredible read and one that I wont forget anytime soon.

Kelly Rimmer is an author that always writes with warmth and so much love, they are always written with great care and they have you hooked within the first few pages. So Kelly's latest book - The Things We Cannot Say was just...................Beautiful and an amazing story of two main characters Alina and Alice who are both living in two different times. This book jumps between 1940s Poland and today.

Alina lived in Poland in the 1940's during the WWII. Since Alina was nine and she knew she would marry her best friend Tomasz. When she was fifteen she was engaged to him and happy. Germany invaded Poland, Alina's life changes as her best friend and the man Tomasz she is going to marry disappears.
Alice lives in the current times with her husband called Wade who is a busy Scientist and her two children. Alice is dealing with a stressful family life with their autistic son Eddie who is seven, and their gifted daughter Callie who is ten. Her husband is more devoted to his work life than his family life.
Now, Alice's beloved grandmother Alina has been hospitalised after suffering a bad stroke and still in love with Tomasz. She wants to find out what happened to him all those years ago. Alina asks Alice to go home and find her Memory box. This quest starts an adventure and reveals family secrets of her grandmothers past

Does Alice find him in time?

Is he still alive?

All her books I have read have just blown me away and are just Brilliant, especially this one.

One thing I should say about Kelly's Books they should come with a Warning ** Have a box of Tissues by your Side as you will need them** I needed them. This book will stay with me some time now and I highly Recommend The Things We Cannot Say and all her other books,

Many thanks to #NetGalley and Headline for allowing me to read this book in exchange for an honest review

‘Life has a way of shattering our expectations, of leaving ours hopes in pieces without explanation. But when there’s love in a family, the fragments left behind from our shattered dreams can always be pulled together again, even if the end result is a mosaic..’

Since she was a child, Alina’s life has been set out before her, a life she dreams of and a path she cannot wait to tread. But that was before, and now, with the Nazi’s occupying her home land of Poland, everything has changed. Alina has to grow up quickly, and face hardships like she could never imagine. But as long as she has her love, Tomasz, she is sure that they can survive anything.

Alice, on the other hand, isn’t sure of anything. In fact, she’s can barely recognise herself. Her autistic son Eddie is a black hole for her attention, highly strung daughter Callie is on her way to a nervous breakdown, and as for her relationship with husband Wade? The less said the better. And all of that was before her beloved Babcia had a stroke. Fuelled by her love for her grandma, Alice is sent on a mission to Poland, with only a list of names to guide her on a mysterious quest to find out the truth of what happened 75 years before...

First of all, I feel I need to acknowledge how much I love historical fiction, especially set during WW2 - there was never really any chance of me jot enjoying this. However, this one was particularly exciting for me, as it provided a very unique insight into the rarely explored world of the Nazi occupation of Poland. Those sections for me where heartbreaking, seeing the slow burn of liberties being taken away and circumstances changing for the worse. And knowing what was coming just made it so brutal.

In the historical sections, I absolutely adored the romance. Honestly, it was so beautifully written, and truly made me hope for a love that inspires such actions. I won’t say anymore, but Tomasz and Alina are just a wonder to behold, and you were rooting for them instantly!

Alice on the other hand... sort of annoyed me. I get there’s a lot being heaped on her plate, but when people give you the option to talk, then talk! Don’t just storm off constantly to have a bloody bath! In all seriousness though I did warm to her once she made it to Poland, and I loved seeing her relax as she realised she didn’t need to be the only one who was in charge of Eddie’s life.

This was so beautifully written, and the plot was just wonderful. The contrast between the present day and historical sections was also perfectly pitched, sometimes complementing and sometimes contrasting, but keeping you intrigued by both. The ending in particular was very well paced, not being rushed but instead almost encouraging you to soak in the true beauty of how it all tied together and how the actions and sacrifices of many of the characters relate to Alice’s mystery.

It also made me reflect on how lucky we are nowadays. Yes, times are tough, and things are uncertain right now, but as Alice says, ‘it cost our ancestors too damned much for us to have this life - the best thing we can do to honour them is to live it to its fullest.’

Disclaimer - I was provided with an advance reading copy by NetGalley. This has not influenced my review in any way, and all opinions are my own.

I have wanted to read this book for a very long time. I am obsessed with WW2 and German Nazi storylines so could not wait to get stuck into this one. It did not disappoint. It was told over a duel timeline which I also love about books.

This novel is a very powerful and emotion story that I will not forget in a hurry.

In World War Two Alina and Tomasz are childhood sweethearts. The night before he leaves for college he proposes marriage. However, their village falls to the Nazis and Alina doesn’t know if Tomasz is alive or dead.

Back in the present day Alices grandmother is in hospital. Unable to speak, through an iPad app she has asked for Alice to go and find her box of memories, the box reveals a tattered old photo, a tiny leather shoe and a letter. Her grandmother begs Alice to return to Poland to see what became of what she held dearest. In Poland, separated from her family Alice begins to uncover the story that her grandmother is so desperate to tell. Will the past and present finally reach a heartbreaking resolution?

This was an amazing read. I felt every emotion whilst reading it. I am sitting here now just thinking about what I have read and I really have no words to do the book justice. There are two timelines going on in the story, one set in World War Two and another in the present day. The story is easy to follow and the characters are going to stay with me for a long time. Another unforgettable read.

Many thanks to Netgalley and the publisher Headline for an ARC in exchange for my honest review.