Book Review: Stars Maintain Their Glow by M.G. da Mota | Historical Mystery Across Time & War
“Lisbon, 1940—a city of spies, secrets, and stolen books.”
🌟 Welcome to the Tour!
Welcome to my stop on the Goddess Fish Promotions Book Review Tour for Stars Maintain Their Glow by M.G. da Mota! If you love historical mysteries rich with emotional depth, cross-generational storytelling, and a touch of espionage, this is one you’ll want to add to your reading list.
Keep scrolling for a sneak peek excerpt, author info, and a $25 Amazon/BN gift card giveaway!
✨ Quick Summary
A stolen book. A vanished woman. A story whispered across generations.
From the glittering halls of 1940s Lisbon to the war-torn farms of Germany, Stars Maintain Their Glow follows two remarkable women bound by war, secrets, and the constraints of their time—until a modern-day woman brings their story to light.
🔻 Keep scrolling to enter the giveaway! 🔻
📝 Book Details
Stars Maintain Their Glow
By M G da Mota
Published by Independently Published on July 28, 2023
Genres: Historical Mystery
Formats: eBook, Hardcover, Paperback
Pages: 444
A mystery – the theft of a precious book. A disappearance without a trace. Three women, three very different destinies, all entwined in time and circumstance.
Maria Eduarda, a mixed-race beauty born into the elite of Portuguese aristocracy, who is reaching adulthood during World War II, in neutral Portugal, in its capital – a melting pot for refugees, the displaced, spies, diplomats and opportunists.
Hertha, born into German farming stock, destined to endure the terrible privations of war as a young child.
Valeria, a child born of a much later generation, who brings the two together.
And a man, Gerald Neale, English diplomat, and spy, devastatingly handsome, fluent in Portuguese but a not-so-nice guy, the shadow behind Eduarda and Hertha.
Stars Maintain Their Glow is the story of two exceptional women whose lives were impacted by social conventions of the time, war and men’s privileges. Their story is gradually revealed through the words of Valeria – her promise to Hertha to complete the book that Hertha felt she could not.
Source: Goddess Fish Promotions, Kindle Unlimited
⭐ Read an Excerpt
This excerpt introduces Gerald, one of the central characters in the novel—an English diplomat, fluent in secrets and languages, who casts long shadows in the lives of two extraordinary women.
Gerald Neale arrived at the Portuguese capital in late June 1940 and was dazzled by the light, the luminous blue of the sky, and the warmth of the sun. Young, irreverent, adventurous, and devastatingly handsome Gerald was a bit of a maverick.
His father, Frank Neale, had been a cultural attaché to the British embassy in Lisbon for many years. Gerald and his two-year-older brother Jonathan were born in Portugal, but after their mother’s death, a few months after Gerald’s birth, they moved back to England, where their father went to work for the government and never remarried.
Frank and his boys took with them a Portuguese nanny, a young woman with no family who had been raised in a convent but who didn’t feel a call to become a nun. Maria Filomena, her name, was happy to leave her country. She looked after the two boys until they were old enough to go to a prestigious public school in the Sussex Downs.
After the boys went away to school, Mena, as they called her, married an English pub owner and moved with her husband to the town of Horsham, south of London in West Sussex, continuing to be in touch with the family. Both Jonathan and Gerald looked at her more like a mother than a nanny, as neither of them could remember their birth mother.
With Mena, Gerald learned Portuguese and grew up bilingual. From his father, he inherited the passion for old books and rare first editions. Frank owned a valuable, enviable collection of famous authors’ first editions, spanning centuries and different countries.
🛒 Where to Find Stars Maintain Their Glow
Available on Amazon:
[amazon box ="B0CC2JR9CP"]
🛒 KINDLE | PAPERBACK | HARDCOVER
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🛍️ You can also purchase M G da Mota books from your favorite indie bookstore online. Use the search box below. ⬇️
Bookshop.org is an excellent option that supports indie authors—and book bloggers like me—while avoiding the big-box route.
🍿Video Trailer for this Historical Mystery
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I received a copy of the book as part of this tour. This review reflects my honest, unbiased opinion.
✨ My Thoughts on Stars Maintain Their Glow
“Portugal during WWII is not often explored in fiction—and da Mota brings it to life with texture and depth.”
Stars Maintain Their Glow is a thoughtful, richly woven historical mystery that follows three women—each from a different time, each with a story that echoes beyond her own lifetime. M.G. da Mota blends atmosphere, emotion, and storytelling in a way that really pulled me in.
The book begins in 1940s Lisbon, a city teeming with intrigue—refugees, diplomats, spies, and secrets. Maria Eduarda lives in the middle of it all, privileged and trapped at the same time. Hertha’s story, told from the heart of wartime Germany, offers a powerful contrast. Her life is rooted in fear, hunger, and quiet strength. And then there’s Valeria, the modern-day narrator who pieces their lives together with care and purpose.
The writing is graceful and reflective, with moments of quiet beauty that snuck up on me. The historical detail feels vivid without being overwhelming, and I especially appreciated the focus on Portugal—a WWII setting that doesn’t often get the spotlight. The characters felt real and complex, shaped by their circumstances but never defined by them.
That said, the story unfolds slowly, and it requires a bit of patience to keep track of the timelines. It’s not a fast-paced mystery; it’s more of a slow burn with an emotional payoff. I did wish for more depth in Valeria’s storyline at times, but overall, the novel's emotional resonance carried the day.
This is a book about connections—across time, across silence, across the things women are often expected to bury. If you enjoy quiet, character-driven historical fiction that lingers in your thoughts long after you finish, this one’s worth picking up.
📚 Recommended For:
Readers who love literary historical fiction, multi-timeline narratives, and stories where women reclaim forgotten histories through memory, legacy, and resilience.
If you’ve read Arabesque by M.G. da Mota (or are curious about it), this novel pairs beautifully with it—both are emotionally rich and anchored in beautifully drawn characters. You can read my Arabesque review HERE.
💬 I’d love to hear your thoughts on this compelling mystery! Drop a comment or share this post with your favorite historical fiction reader. Let's talk books.
📌 Don’t forget to enter the giveaway before August 13!
About M G da Mota
M G da Mota is Margarida Mota-Bull’s pen name for fiction. She is a Portuguese-British novelist with a love for classical music, ballet and opera. Under her real name she also writes reviews of live concerts, CDs, DVDs and books for two classical music magazines on the web: MusicWeb International and Seen and Heard International. She is a member of the UK Society of Authors, speaks four languages and lives in Sussex with her husband. Her website, called flowingprose.com, contains photos and information.
🎁 Giveaway Time!
M.G. da Mota will award a $25 Amazon or Barnes & Noble gift card to one randomly drawn winner via Rafflecopter!
“If the Rafflecopter form disappears like a stolen book… click here to enter the giveaway.”
July 30: The Faerie Review
August 6: Country Mamas With Kids
August 6: Sea's Nod
August 13: nanasbookreviews
August 13: Our Town Book Reviews
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nice cover
What was the initial spark or idea that led you to write this particular book
This looks like a fascinating novel. Thanks for sharing.
I like the cover. Thank you for sharing your review thoughts.
Question for author-What message or theme do you want readers to take away from this book?
The book sounds like a fascinating read. I love the cover. Sets the tone.
I liked the excerpt.
Sounds like a good read.
Sounds like a good book.
What is a specific scene or aspect of your book that you're particularly proud of, and what made it so challenging or rewarding to write
The cover art matches the title perfectly.
Thank you for featuring and reviewing today..