What Only We Know

A Heart-Wrenching and Unforgettable World War 2 Historical Novel

By: Catherine Hokin

Narrated by: Jasmine Blackborow

Length: 12 hrs and 46 mins

Publisher's Summary

A door slammed and the unmistakable sound of boots came crashing up the hall. Liese held her little daughter’s hand so tightly, the tiny fingers had turned purple. The SS officer’s hand was at Liese’s throat before she saw him move. "I can kill you easily, then I can kill your daughter." He relaxed his grip a little. "Or perhaps I could kill her first?"

England, 40 years later. When Karen Cartwright is unexpectedly called home to nurse her ailing father, she goes with a heavy heart. The house she grew up in feels haunted by the memory of her father’s closely guarded secrets about her beautiful mother Elizabeth’s tragic death years before. 

As she packs up the house, Karen discovers an old photograph and a stranger’s tattered love letter to her mother postmarked from Germany after the war. 

During her life, Karen struggled to understand her shy, fearful mother, but now she is realizing there was so much more to Elizabeth than she knew. For one thing, her name wasn’t even Elizabeth, and her harrowing story begins long before Karen was born. 

It’s 1941 in Berlin, and a young woman called Liese is being forced to wear a yellow star...

A beautiful and gripping wartime story about family secrets and impossible choices in the face of terrible hardship. Perfect for fans of The Tattooist of Auschwitz, We Were the Lucky Ones, and The Alice Network. 

©2020 Catherine Hokin (P)2020 Bookouture

Amazing!!

I am a picky reader and it takes a lot to really impress me, so I am stunned that this is another book by the same author where I was completely touched and at the end all I can think is “Wow, that was such an amazing book!” I do hope Catherine is busy writing her next novel, I am such a fan!!!

Heartbreaking and wonderful

An amazing story with pain and love at the same time. I thought it was a bit long but certainly kept my interest the entire time. Not sure why I continue to listen this type of genre? Generally, my heart breaks but this story actually has a wonderful ending filled with happiness and hope.

Frustrating

Good then frustrating- where is this going? Then slow, then on and on and when are we going to get to the part where the mom holds the girls hand so tight? Part 3?? Wow! Long . But finally I started getting more involved. But then went to another which was so awesome I couldn’t stop. Now I don’t even want to go back to this. Maybe someday

wonderful absolutely wonderful

one of the best books I've read in quite awhile the story is wonderful character development great. the story is deep and twisting I can't recommend this highly enough

A well researched book and compelling story

I really liked this book and parts of the story, but it became overly wrought and too long for me.

loved loved loved

such a great story!! I couldn't stop listening it was amazing. so heart wrenching and touching

always a sad story line

I'd like the book it's just most of the time in the audible books the translations of other languages other authors or readers read into,this lady did mostly just British even when she was reading a German or what was to be a German accent

Interesting story

The narrator is excellent. She makes a story that could be average a really great read.

Started off boring but glad I stuck with it.

I was bored in the beginning but decided to keep listening. Glad I did. Great storyline.

Ok.

Overall good story...a little fragmented and hard to follow at times. Too much lengthy description in some areas, but not enough in others.

Thoroughly Engrossing

If you enjoy WW2 human interest stories this is one of the best. The characters are very tangible, the story is compelling with no boring bits and the reader is one of the best. A thoroughly enjoyable book.

A beautiful book.

I really enjoyed this book. It was interesting and dealt with so many different aspects of that time and the war. It traced and retold the stories of the main characters, so divided, yet each had an effect on the other. Jasmine Blackborow narrated it beautifully.

Avid reader Jean

It was a very well written and entertaining book but one incident was horrible and even worse It was repeated again but with even more horror added .I know it's to be expected in that era but this was absolutely awful .So I fast forwarded past it to the end I was very upset .

A tearjerker

Wow a very moving but beautiful story. Really nice gentle narration which is so fitting for the book

A good listen.....

Thoroughly enjoyed this audible book. A good WW2 story and very well narrated. Would recommend.

A funny thing

Today I was listening to the last of Only What We Know as I was driving my truck back to the factory ( timber frame buildings )in Margate.
Andrew was just saying
" I was a British Officer and Michael was a German resistance fighter",
when I saw a WW2 Wehrmacht Kubelwagen being driven in the opposite direction on the M2. I thought it was funny that I'd not seen one for years and I just happened to be listening to a fantastic WW2 story.
Listening to this book has got me wanting to go to Germany again, I've worked and holidayed there many times, very nice people.
This is the second Catherine Hokin book I've finished, just starting the third as I drive my truck to another destination.

WW2 drama

I do like a WW2 book and have listened and read a fair few.

Now don’t get me wrong this was a good story however it was softened too much by a love story of the present day overlaying the principal story from the war years, making it a bit twee rather than gritty which it could have been.
Like ordering a double expresso and getting a cappuccino instead.

Narration was ok neither exciting or poor.

I personally think there are better WW2books which I would personally recommend over this book,
They are......The nightingale, Beneath a scarlett sky and People like us.