June 4th, 2021 THE LIBRARIAN OF SAINT-MALO BY MARIO ESCOBAR

 

The Librarian of Saint-Malo by Mario Escobar

Publication Date: June 1, 2021

Thomas Nelson

Paperback & eBook; 384 pages

Genre: Historical Fiction/Literary

Through letters with a famous author, one French librarian tells her love story and describes the brutal Nazi occupation of her small coastal village.

Saint-Malo, France: August 1939. Jocelyn and Antoine are childhood sweethearts, but just after they marry, Antoine is called up to fight against Germany. As the war rages, Jocelyn focuses on comforting and encouraging the local population by recommending books from her beloved library in Saint-Malo. She herself finds hope in her letters to a famous author.

After the French capitulation, the Nazis occupy the town and turn it into a fortress to control the north of French Brittany. Residents try passive resistance, but the German commander ruthlessly purges part of the city's libraries to destroy any potentially subversive writings. At great risk to herself, Jocelyn manages to hide some of the books while waiting to receive news from Antoine, who has been taken to a German prison camp.

What unfolds in her letters is Jocelyn's description of her mission: to protect the people of Saint-Malo and the books they hold so dear. With prose both sweeping and romantic, Mario Escobar brings to life the occupied city and re-creates the history of those who sacrificed all to care for the people they loved.

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MY REVIEW:

The Librarian of Saint-Malo is a sweeping story about the beautiful French coastal town of Saint- Malo and how the small community is affected by the German occupation.

The story is centered on Jocelyn, the courageous woman and a librarian who is also a newlywed whose husband Antoine was called to serve and protect France. In a series of letters to a famous author Marcel Zola, she recounts her story and the suffering her town is going through with the food shortages, the treatment of the Jewish people, and other deplorable acts by the Nazis. Jocelyn’s unflinching bravery in this gut wrenching historical fiction novel is the heart of the story.

Well researched and beautifully written, historical fiction lovers cannot miss this heart wrenching book that will inspire readers. Pick this one up now!

About the Author

Mario Escobar Golderos has a degree in History, with an advanced studies diploma in Modern History. He has written numerous books and articles about the Inquisition, the Protestant Reformation, and religious sects. He is the executive director of an NGO and directs the magazine Nueva historia para el debate, in addition to being a contributing columnist in various publications. Passionate about history and its mysteries, Escobar has delved into the depths of church history, the different sectarian groups that have struggled therein, and the discovery and colonization of the Americas. He specializes in the lives of unorthodox Spaniards and Americans.

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Blog Tour Schedule

Tuesday, June 1
Excerpt at Passages to the Past

Wednesday, June 2
Review at Gwendalyn's Books

Thursday, June 3
Review at Hallie Reads

Friday, June 4
Review at Nursebookie

Saturday, June 5 Review at Reading is My Remedy
Review at Books, Writings, and More

Monday, June 7
Review at Little But Fierce Book Diary

Wednesday, June 9
Review at Novels Alive
Review at Library of Clean Reads

Thursday, June 10
Review at McCombs on Main

Friday, June 11
Review at Impressions In Ink

Sunday, June 13
Review at A Darn Good Read

Monday, June 14
Review at Girl Who Reads

Wednesday, June 16
Review at The Enchanted Shelf

Giveaway

Enter to win a paperback copy of The Librarian of Saint-Malo by Mario Escobar! We have 5 copies up for grabs!

The giveaway is open to US residents only and ends on June 16th. You must be 18 or older to enter.

Libarian of Saint-Malo