Well written love story with a difference set in the Second World War and the present day. The characters in both eras are interesting and the way the story is put together makes the reader want to get to the end to find out the conclusion. Recommended.

The Night Train to Berlin was unexpectedly moving and tugged at my heart.. it is set both now, and in 1944. The half set in 1944 is more effective, and I think it is meant to be.
It is also one of those stories that leaves it up to the reader whether there is a happy ending or not. I so wanted there to be. Love during wartime is destined to be a series of stolen moments and so it is for Alex and Eliza. It means so much more to see them drawn together and then torn apart. First this happens through societal pressures and then due to the war. Let them be together, I prayed!

The Night Train to Berlin is a beautiful, dual timeline novel that switches between the 1940s and present day. In both timelines, a train ride, a journal, and a clock bind together the love stories of two couples. Love, loss, war, and seizing the moment are major themes in this well written book by Melanie Hudson.

A dual timeline novel set in 1944 and the present day. Two independent women face different internal battles. Eliza is an upper-class artist travelling to Cornwall before hopefully joining WW2 as a war artist. In the present day, Ellie is a violinist, travelling on the same train she is battling a chronic illness that limits her life and aspirations. Both meet men who will change their lives forever.

The historical timeline, which is more compelling, depicts how living life to the full is often precipitated by the dangers inherent in wartime. The story is written with believable emotion, and the ties between past and present are credible.

This is a poignant romantic book with well-researched historical detail and insightful reflections.

I received a copy of this book from One More Chapter via NetGalley in return for an honest review.

I've previously read The Last Letter from Juliet by this author which I absolutely adored, and so I had high hopes for this story too. Sadly, I was quickly disappointed when I found I was not enjoying it as much as I'd expected. The blurb ticks all the boxes: WWII, duel time line, romance, coastal location... I was wrong-footed by the title. I thought the action would be aboard and around the night train heading for Berlin. Instead, for the greater part, it was a night train heading to Cornwall.

I felt the pace was too slow at the begining, and that's probably a lot to do with why I struggled to get into it. When the pace did quicken, I wasn't sufficiently invested in any of the characters or their stories to become totally absorbed in the story.

I managed to finish the book, but felt the ending was rushed. It left me without any satisfactory answers to my questions about the characters - how the two couples were linked and their stories were concluded.

In the middle of World War II, Lady Arbuthnot, Eliza Grey, escapes on the night train to Cornwall to ponder her future. Does she return to her husband, or continue her Red Cross nursing in France with her best friend Nancy. On the train she meets journalist Alex Levine; a chance encounter that will change both their lives. Seventy years later, Nancy's great granddaughter Ellie is taking the overnight train to spend a few days in Eliza's cottage. On the train, she too meets a handsome stranger. Will history repeat itself?

The Night Train to Berlin is a powerful story of the Second World War, as Eliza and Alex follow the troops through France. The opening chapter does give quite a big clue that the end of the journey, for Alex at least, may not be the outcome you'd hope for. At times I found the parallel story of Ellie and Joe slightly tedious and I'm not sure how much they added to the story really, but it was a minor issue.

A very enjoyable, gripping tale.

‘Ellie knew that life was not about the destination but the journey, and yet, tonight, the destination was all she could think of, and it was suddenly closing in on her far too fast.’

I was excited to read Melanie’s new book as I have so enjoyed her others. For this particular book, chapters alternate between Eliza in 1944 and Ellie in the present day. It investigates the parallels and synchronicity of the same train journey these two women take but separated by decades.

‘The roles we choose for ourselves, which are interchangeable, don’t always suit our true character, which is not interchangeable...’

The two chance encounters on these train journeys are quite varied. Eliza and Alex in war torn Britain (and the story ventures off to Europe as well) is full of special moments against a tragic background. Comparatively, Ellie and Joe’s story does not carry the same spark yet Melanie does her best to create a meaningful connection. This modern encounter may have lacked enough detail and depth (difficult with two storylines) to fully engage the reader.

‘I think it’s about choosing to live life with an open heart and an attitude of hope rather than one of dread and fear. It’s about just knowing, I suppose, that all will be well…’

Eliza and Alex’s story was the classic wartime love affair and the better of the two tales. So much so, that I often regretted being dragged away to the present day as sweet as Ellie’s story may have been. It appeared to be there as the thread to draw parallels with the wartime story. There are also some well researched details from the war pertaining to time spent on a nursing auxiliary hospital ship or the sketches Eliza drew from D-Day and onwards.

‘It seems that there is no end to the unfathomable waste of human life our generation must witness.’

This brings me to the inclusion of the role of war artists and their desire in detailing, or wanting to detail, the awful reality that they saw and felt compelled to communicate to those back home. It raises the issue of whether or not seeing the imagery of such atrocities should be both documented and shared as it made it so much more real through confronting imagery. An interesting point to ponder. So whilst not my favourite book of Melanie’s, there are definite elements - the train travel, the frontline stories, the serendipity of encounters - that make it worth your while to read.

‘Perhaps your being on the train was …’ ‘Fate?’ he asked. ‘I was going to say destiny, but yes, fate.’ ‘Next stop Berlin, then?’ he said, releasing her hand. ‘Absolutely. Next stop Berlin.’











This review is based on a complimentary copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. The quoted material may have changed in the final release.

This is an excellent story set across two time frames, one being 1944, the other being the present day. It tells a simple story, each based around a train journey originating at Paddington Station. Each ostensibly ending in Cornwall.

How the book has the title Night Train to Berlin, I won't say because it would spoil the complicated yet exquisite journeys of the people involved.

What I liked most about the book is the evocative quality of the writing. The descriptions of the sights, sound and places creates an enchanting atmosphere throughout.

I have not read any previous books by Melanie Hudson. I chose this based on the historical history subject matter. I didn't realise it was such a romantic fiction novel. However the attention to detail regarding the historical fact means that the author is able to craft some excellent characters which is what gives this book it's charm.

On the strength of this book I will certainly look out future Melanie Hudson books.

I give my thanks to Netgalley and HarperCollins UK (One More Chapter) for an advance copy of this book in exchange for this review.

The Night Train To Berlin by Melanie Hudson is a beautiful dual time-line love story that will lodge deep in your heart.
The stories are set in 1944 and present day. There were parallels in the two time periods between the two couples who meet on a night train to Cornwall. The two females are linked by a friendship thread from 1944. The chapters alternate the action as present day is aiming to recreate the war period. It is romanticized. The reader hears about the true horrors of war as we follow a war artist from Britain to mainland Europe.
Running alongside the love story in 1944 is the tremendous bravery of all those involved in the war effort – whether civilians or servicemen. It was a time of great sacrifice and courage. There are some truly dreadful scenes to be witnessed.
Throughout it all the characters hang on to the hope that “all shall be well.”
The Night Train To Berlin is beautifully written. The love radiates from the pages as we realise that true love never dies.
I received a free copy of the book from the Facebook group OMC Blogger Community via Net Galley. All opinions are my own.

Thanks NetGalley for the ARC. The book follows Eliza, a nurse and war artist, and Ellie, a fiddler who is on a journey to follow her granny’s friend’s journey. The book is split between these two women and the men they’re quickly falling in love with. Eliza’s story is one that had me on the edge of my seat the entire time and I kept waiting for a show to drop. This book was a wonderful surprise and I truly enjoyed it. Highly recommend.

Wow...for most of the journey I was truly enjoying this book. A sleeper car with a themed party overnight from London to Penzance...count me in! This story follows two couples along this same train route, one met on the train while the other is on the train through most of this story. One is modern day and the second is set during WWII. I was extremely invested in the characters and their stories. However, I was extremely disappointed at the abrupt ending for both couples. Yes, I have enjoyed books that leave the reader hanging, but this one just felt unfinished. No closure for either party. As a reader, I can infer at least one of the stories...but I wanted more. It was like the first three quarters of the book meandered along the journey at a decent pace and then boom... months went by with no information and then it was over. The title was also very confusing until the epilogue and then still didn't feel right. Overall it was enjoyable, just a let down at the end.

This is an awesome book that is told in two different timelines, Alex and Eliza met in 1944 on the night train from Paddington Station to Cornwall. She is an accomplished painter that is desperate to get to the frontline as a war artist. He is a wounded RAF pilot who is now commissioned as a war war correspondent. In the few weeks that they are together in Cornwall they fall deeply in love. They must go their separate ways and plan to meet in Berlin when the war is over. When Eliza meets with the official that requested that she go to war, he has changed his mind about a woman at the warfront. She then trains as a nurse so that she can go to the warfront as a nurse and then paint pictures while she is there.. They have several brief chance encounters at the warfront,

Ellie and Joe meet on the sleeper train to Cornwall in the current time. She carries a well read diary of sketches on the train with her. She is a very shy violinist that appears to be very sad when she plays, When she meets Joe on the train, she is drawn to him. and feel like she has been given a second chance at life. They enjoy their time together on the train and later when they are in Cornwall, Ellie is staying at a cottage that she has inherited from her aunt. This cottage is the same one that Eliza had stayed at many decades ago.

The novel tells the story of the epic loves of both couples, I highly recommend this book. It is a great historical fiction novel...

This was a thoroughly enjoyable story with two threads running through which came to a strange conclusion. I was completely enthralled throughout and felt for the characters involved. The descriptions made the story very real, especially the parts during the war. An inspired story.

The Night Train to Berlin has a very interesting premise. Dual timelines set on the Night Train to Cornwall. The first time period is 1944. Alex, a former pilot who survived the Battle of Britain with a scarred face meets Lady Eliza, an artist, in the dinner car when they are seated across from each other. The second time period is present day. Ellie, a violinist, is the great granddaughter of Eliza’s very good war-time friend Nancy meets Joe who owns a novelties shop on the night train. I thought the premise of the train, the beach in Cornwall, two love matches on the train was interesting.

I liked the idea of Eliza being stationed in France as a nurse and a sketch artist of the war from her perspective an interesting twist. Besides sketching scenes of what she saw. Eliza has another purpose given to her by Nora, Alex’s sister. Alex is in Europe as a journalist assigned to General Patton. The author gives he reader the feelings of what war is really like on a personal level.

My problem with the book is that the end comes quickly and does not resolve Alex and Eliza’s story. Too much time was spent on scenes from the various times Alex and Eliza see each other for a few seconds and on the train with Ellie and Joe. I think a more concrete effort on the Epilogue would have been helpful. For me, it was as foggy as the steam coming from the train on the beautiful cover of the book. My thanks to Harper Collins UK -One More Chapter and NetGalley. The opinions in this review are my own.

The action is set in two time periods, 1944 as World War II is nearing the end and present day. There are two protagonists, Eliza (aka Lady Arbuthnot) who is a painter with nursing ability and Eliza her granddaughter who is a violin player with a heart condition.

The WWII Eliza’s story was more interesting; she is married to a much older man, but falls for Joe who is a journalist and their lives become a series of brief meetings but with the promise ‘to meet in Berlin’. Joe scoffs at Eliza’s painting as he feels it has no depth and that she is not being true to herself. He encourages her to be brave and ‘tell the real story of the war with her paintings’. And so she does!

Meanwhile back in the present, Eliza armed with her forebear’s notebook/diary and a green silk dress sets out on the night train to Cornwall. She has inherited the cottage that features large in her grandmother’s story and is visiting it for the first time. Strong links to the earlier story – is it fate that intervenes when she meets Joe a fellow passenger on the night train?

I was more interested in the ‘WWII’ Eliza, but only just. It is true that Ms Hudson’s description of Eliza’s circumstances as a Lady resounds with the clang of privilege of that time, and the entre she had with the people that could help her cause. It is also true that there are details of the horror that doctors and nurses faced in the battlefield hospitals and nursing stations. It is also true that the descriptions of the concentration camps still horrifies. However, it did not resonate with me. I was not captivated by the romance; I was not spellbound by their love story. Sadly, I just didn’t care.

As for our younger Eliza – I just found the whole train ride dreary. As for the lady who was serving drinks etc. – I pity the other passengers, they must have been sadly ignored whilst she hovered over Eliza and Joe. This story line just did not ring true to me.

Having said all that, I cannot dispute that it is well-written. Sadly, and with apologies, I must just confess that it didn’t work for me – perhaps that says more about me than the book though. I do apologise Ms Hudson and I wish you great success.

Thank you to the author, publishers and NetGalley for providing an ARC via my Kindle in return for an honest review.

I really enjoyed this book by an author I had not encountered before. It was a gentle read with a heartbreaking historical storyline and a modern romance. The characters were believable and engaging. Perfect for lockdown

The Night Train to Berlin by Melanie Hudson is a historical romance that is full of mystery and intrigue. The characters are well-written and flows at a smooth, steady pace—an intriguing story to get lost in.

Haunting WWII Romance
This is a haunting novel of romance during WWII. The novel goes back and forth from present-day to wartime. The modern-day story is about a couple who meet on a night train similar to how the war couple meet. The war scenes take up most of the book. None are graphic, but they are all disturbing because it really happened. The book was written in such a way that I felt the war in a more realistic fashion than I have in other books. The author captures all of the emotions from so many points of view. The modern-day happenings add spice and distance to the war happenings that set the book off in a perfect manner. I highly recommend this novel. I received this ARC book for free from Net Galley and this is my honest review.

I was given an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an independent review.

This book was told over two different time periods - 1940s and the Second World War and the present day. It was well written and the characters were interesting.
I particularly enjoyed the historical elements of the book.
But I would have liked a deeper and more emotional involvement between the characters and their stories. I felt that the author needed to delve deeper and allow the reader to connect on a less superficial level. I felt the book lacked a bit of depth and intensity for the first two thirds of the book.

I liked reading it but was left wanting more. So overall 3.5 stars.

A dual timeline novel. Night Train To Berlin ties together the history of an emerald green dress, a clock and a night train journey from London Paddington To Penzance.

In 1944, Lady Eliza Arbuthnot (nee Grey), is a wartime artist and meets former RAF pilot, Joseph Alexander (Alex) Levine on the night train to Cornwall. Both are alone with tough personal decisions to make. They share a table in the dining car and over the course of the evening, they get to know one another. On arriving in Cornwall, they part ways only to meet again and begin a heart-wrenching relationship set against the backdrop of WWII.

Armed with her suitcase and violin, Ellie Nightingale boards the night train to Penzance. She is travelling to a cottage she has spent many childhood holidays. On-board, she meets Joe Burton from Leeds. Over the course of the journey, they realise a mutual coincidence, sparking the beginning of a tentative romance.

The author skilfully weaves the past with the present as the links between the two couples are unravelled. The synchronisation of the train journeys makes it easy to follow important aspects of their stories. The strongest timeline is Eliza and Alex's in WWII which includes vivid descriptions depicting the horror of war particularly around the time of the D-Day landing and beyond.

All the characters are likeable and relatable, although Eliza's attitude is questionable sometimes. Alex is a proud war hero, who takes risks. Ellie is sweet, in a fragile way. Joe is the one we don't learn so much about.

The ending is satisfactory. Ellie and Joe are happy for now while Eliza and Alex's is ambiguous. It leaves the reader to contemplate what happens subsequently. Although it's difficult to fully grasp what the author intends for us to understand. Overall, a captivating novel with an encompassing, epic love story.

***arc generously received courtesy of 0ne More Chapter via NetGalley***