The Spanish Girl

I was drawn to this book as I have ancestors that lived through and lost during the Spanish Civil War. It was well written with characters that were well written and full of determination and courage, I felt like I was right there with thwm and it made me feel so many emotions. I would highly recommend this book

This is a well researched dual time zone novel set in the Spanish Civil War of the 1930s and a “present day” Spain of 1976.
Isabella is a journalist writing about a Basque independence group, active in the 1976 just after the death of General Franco. Whilst on assignment she meets Raphael and Miguel and discovers information about her own family background. Orphaned as a baby Isabella has never known her parents and she is shocked to discover she might have a father who is still alive.
Jack is an English Brigadier who goes to Spain in 1937, searching for his brother Joe and also keen to fight against Franco. He meets Sofia and in the midst of a terrible war they gradually fall in love.
The two time lines and the well drawn characters of this novel effortlessly intertwine and each section is interesting, examining Spanish history in the two different periods.
There are romances in both sections although it becomes apparent early on that the Civil War love story will not have a happy ending.
The brutality of the war years was sad, particularly the fact that it was a civil war meaning that whole families were split by dint of choosing different sides.
It seemed that in the 1970s most people did not want to contemplate what had happened in the 1930s, preferring to forget the horrors so that some of the cruellest perpetrators escaped prosecution even after Franco’s demise. Unlike the many Nazis who were caught and tried by the allies after the Second World War, there was no one willing or able to deal with the Spanish Nationalist criminals. Too much time had passed and it would have to have come from within Spain itself.
I felt that I learnt a lot about Spanish history in an enjoyable historical read, so much more interesting and enjoyable than reading a factual book! I also discovered an author I had not read before and will definitely be looking out for any future novels.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for my arc in exchange for an honest review

Set over two time zones this is beautifully written and well researched. I enjoyed both the story and learning about Spain during this period in time. It was such a sad time but I loved the connection between the past and the present time in the story. I absolutey loved it

This book has me at feisty journalist I am one or at least I think I am ;)
Premise
A country torn apart by war.
Two love stories divided by decades.
One chance to discover the truth...

Feisty journalist Isabella has never known the truth about her family. Escaping from a dangerous assignment in the turbulent Basque country, she finds her world turned upside down, firstly by her irresistible attraction to the mysterious Rafael, and then by a new clue to her own past.

As she begins to unravel the tangled story of her identity, Isabella uncovers a story of passion, betrayal and loss that reaches back to the dark days of Spain's civil war - when a passionate Spanish girl risked everything for her country, and for the young British rebel who captured her heart.

But can Isabella trust the man she's fallen in love with? Or are some wartime secrets better left undisturbed...?
I loved reading Isabellas journey to finding herself and of course the mysterious Rafael made for some good reading. It is also a story of empowerment and I love that as well.