Tag: WWII

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historical fiction

Those I Have Lost : A heart-wrenching and unforgettable World War 2 historical novel

449 pages Bookouture publisher July 9, 2021 publication date

ABOUT THE BOOK

As a terrible war creeps ever closer, one young woman desperately tries to protect those she loves…

1940. When Rosie loses her mother and is sent to Sri Lanka to live with her mother’s friend Silvia and her three sons, her world changes in a heartbeat. As she is absorbed into the bosom of a noisy family, with boys she loves like brothers, she begins to feel at home.

But the war in Europe is heading for Asia. Searching for comfort from the bleak news and the bombings, Rosie meets a heroic soldier on leave, and falls in love for the first time. Yet the war will not stop for passion; he must move on, and she must say goodbye, knowing she might never see him again.

Meanwhile, one by one, the men she considers brothers leave to fight for their island paradise. As she waits in anguish for letters that never come, tortured by stories of torpedoed ships and massacres of innocent families, she realises that she, too, must do her bit.

Rosie volunteers to work in military intelligence, keeping secrets that will help those she loves and protect her island home. But then two telegrams arrive with the chilling words ‘missing believed captured’ and ‘missing believed dead’. Who of those that she loves will survive the devastating war, and who will she lose?

An emotional and heartbreaking read with rich historical detail set against the backdrop of Sri Lanka during World War Two. Fans of Hazel Gaynor, Fiona Valpy, Kristin Hannah and Clare Flynn will be swept away by Those I Have Lost.

MY THOUGHTS

Taking place in India and what we now know as Sri Lanka. 1940 India. This is Rosie’s story. She has suddenly lost her mother as a young girl. This coming-of-age story is a heartbreaker. Her father cannot properly care for her, and she is sent to live with a woman, her mother’s best friend “Aunty” and her three sons in Sri Lanka.

Told in time periods before and during the war. The men, some gladly leave the island to do their part as Europe is being torn apart by the maddening bombs flying.


Devastated, her first love is mia and she feels as though life for her will never be the same. When all she has known winds up in chaos and devastation can she possibly go on? Secrets are sometimes more hurtful when found out. Tragic but beyond the darkness is another day, another day full of hope and the possibility of light shining again.

I was given a complimentary copy of this book.
All opinions expressed are my own.

MEET THE AUTHOR

Sharon Maas was born into a prominent political family in Georgetown, Guyana, in 1951. She was educated in England, Guyana, and, later, Germany. After leaving school, she worked as a trainee reporter with the Guyana Graphic in Georgetown and later wrote feature articles for the Sunday Chronicle as a staff journalist.

Her first novel, Of Marriageable Age, is set in Guyana and India and was published by HarperCollins in 1999. In 2014 she moved to Bookouture, and now has ten novels under her belt. Her books span continents, cultures, and eras. From the sugar plantations of colonial British Guiana in South America, to the French battlefields of World War Two, to the present-day brothels of Mumbai and the rice-fields and villages of South India, Sharon never runs out of stories for the armchair traveller.

You only fail when you stop trying.

Categories
historical fiction

Letters Across the Sea -WWII-Canada

384 pages Simon & Schuster Canada publisher Pub Date Apr 27 2021

ABOUT THE BOOK

Inspired by a little-known chapter of World War II history, a young Protestant girl and her Jewish neighbour are caught up in the terrible wave of hate sweeping the globe on the eve of war in this powerful love story that’s perfect for fans of The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society.

If you’re reading this letter, that means I’m dead. I had obviously hoped to see you again, to explain in person, but fate had other plans.

1933

At eighteen years old, Molly Ryan dreams of becoming a journalist, but instead she spends her days working any job she can to help her family through the Depression crippling her city. The one bright spot in her life is watching baseball with her best friend, Hannah Dreyfus, and sneaking glances at Hannah’s handsome older brother, Max.

But as the summer unfolds, more and more of Hitler’s hateful ideas cross the sea and “Swastika Clubs” and “No Jews Allowed” signs spring up around Toronto, a city already simmering with mass unemployment, protests, and unrest. When tensions between the Irish and Jewish communities erupt in a riot one smouldering day in August, Molly and Max are caught in the middle, with devastating consequences for both their families.

1939

Six years later, the Depression has eased and Molly is a reporter at her local paper. But a new war is on the horizon, putting everyone she cares about most in peril. As letters trickle in from overseas, Molly is forced to confront what happened all those years ago, but is it too late to make things right?

From the desperate streets of Toronto to the embattled shores of Hong Kong, Letters Across the Sea is a poignant novel about the enduring power of love to cross dangerous divides even in the darkest of times—from the #1 bestselling author of The Forgotten Home Child.

MY THOUGHTS

Letters Across the Sea is an incredible historical fiction book based on actual events in history. We start off in 1933, Told from the point of view of Molly Ryan’s family and mainly Molly herself. Molly’s family is Protestant, but she has many friends and neighbors who are Jewish.

Times are carefree with her brother’s playing baseball and her best friend’s brother Max having caught her eye. This carefree time doesn’t last long and Molly longs to be a journalist but must take any low paying job she can get her hands on as the Depression settle in. Signs warning the Jews not to apply for a job there litter Toronto’s city streets.


Hitler’s hateful ideas have filtered in and unrest has run rampant with disastrous results for both Max and Molly’s family.
The ill-equipped and unprepared Canadian military was sent to Hong Kong without proper training or ammunition. Those who didn’t die were to become prisoners of war.


I have read many WWII books but none that have so completely covered this angle of it. Finely researched the sacrifices these men and women made are heartbreaking, but we see such resilience from them. I learned so much from this book.

I was given a complimentary copy of this book.
All opinions expressed are my own.

MEET THE AUTHOR

Genevieve Graham is the Globe & Mail, Toronto Star, and USA Today bestselling author of several novels, including #1 INSTANT NATIONAL BESTSELLERS Letters Across the Sea and The Forgotten Home Child—which was #1 across Canada for 11 weeks in 2020, and became the #5 bestselling Canadian fiction novel of 2020.

Genevieve graduated from the University of Toronto with a Bachelor of Music, worked in advertising, marketing, and fundraising, then became a stay-at-home mom. In 2007, Genevieve decided to try writing a book using everything she’d learned from years of reading, focusing on historical fiction. Upon moving to Nova Scotia, she was suddenly surrounded by Canadian history she knew nothing about. Alarmed by what she’d never learned, she has made it her mission to bring Canadian history to life, writing one book per year. Bluebird, publishing April 2022, will be her 7th novel. She lives in Halifax, Nova Scotia.

Have a wonderful day. Thanks for stopping in.

Categories
historical fiction

The Pianist’s Wife-A heartbreaking story of friendship, loyalty and the true cost of love

341 pages Lake Union Publishing February 4, 2025 publication date

ABOUT THE BOOK

A heartbreaking story of friendship, loyalty and the true cost of love, from the bestselling author of The Secret Midwife and Wives of War.

Berlin, 1944: Amira and Gisele have been best friends since they were children, and now Gisele is the only person who knows Amira’s secret. A secret that puts her and everyone she loves in unimaginable danger amid the daily horror and violence of Nazi Germany.

With the threat of exposure drawing closer, Gisele’s suggestion that Amira marries her friend Fred, a famous pianist, might just be the lifeline she needs to keep them both safe. Because Fred has secrets too.

As the two strangers promise to look after each other, a profound love develops. But while the war rages on, Amira, Fred and Gisele are soon faced with terrible choices that will test their loyalty—and their courage—to the ultimate limits. How far will they go to keep each other alive?

An unforgettable World War Two novel about those who chose to defy the Nazis from within Germany.

MY THOUGHTS

Based on true history. My heart aches for all affected by the war, any war, past present and future.


Childhood friends Amira and Gisele have enjoyed a lifelong friendship, now they are adults. Amira has a secret that she’s been shieled from and it really hasn’t affected her until her father passes away. After his death she must face the harsh realities who she is and realizes even more why her father kept her hidden away for her safety.


Full of secrets that if found out could be life altering. No one should have to worry about not being accepted for who you are and your secret meaning death if found out.

I love reading the author’s books. Her books are so well researched, and I simply can’t put them down. Engrossed in the book, it kept me company for the while afternoon.

This book honors women and the sacrifices they make. May we never forget the victims of the wars and the ultimate sacrifices they have given.
This author’s writing keeps me coming back every single time. Amazing!

I was given a complimentary copy of this book.
All opinions expressed are my own.

MEET THE AUTHOR

Soraya M. Lane graduated with a law degree before realizing that law wasn’t the career for her and that her future was in writing. She is the author of historical and contemporary women’s fiction, and her novel Wives of War was an Amazon Charts bestseller.

Soraya lives on a small farm in her native New Zealand with her husband, their two young sons and a collection of four legged friends. When she’s not writing, she loves to be outside playing make-believe with her children or snuggled up inside reading.

For more information about Soraya and her books, visit http://www.sorayalane.com or http://www.facebook.com/SorayaLaneAuthor, or follow her on Twitter @Soraya_Lane

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Daughters of Paris: An epic, heartbreaking and gripping World War II novel! 

ABOUT THE BOOK

A must-read for fans of Kate Quinn and Kristin Hannah!

Paris 1930s

A promise that binds them together. A war that pulls them apart.

Childhood companions Fleur and Colette make a vow, under the trailing ivy of their secret garden, that they will be secret sisters forever. But as they grow up, the promises of childhood are put to the ultimate test. For Colette is the daughter of the house, and her life is all jazz clubs, silk dresses and chilled champagne, while Fleur is the orphan niece of the housekeeper and doesn’t feel like she belongs anywhere.

Years later, in 1939, life as they know it will never be the same. As the German tanks roll in and Paris becomes an occupied city, the promise they made as children will have consequences they could never have imagined…

MY THOUGHTS

WWII historical fiction that was thought provoking yet entertaining. Two girls growing up together with vastly different backgrounds, one rich and accustomed to only the best life can offer, the other the niece of the housekeeper.


As these girls grow into women, they do their best to keep that childhood promise they made to stay in contact and be secret sisters. Besties for life. Paris, romantic, thrilling but then the war comes.

Life will never be the same for these women, life throws curves at them they could not have seen. So many circumstances they experience together and apart.

Life hits them hard but yet there is still joy to be find despite circumstances beyond their control. Romance is inevitable in a lovely book taking place in Paris but yet it is not the main focus.

The sisterhood, a lifetime of changes, vast differences still the bond is unbreakable between these women.
Very much enjoyed this book.

I was given a complimentary copy of this book.
All opinions expressed are my own.

MEET THE AUTHOR

lisabeth writes romantic historical fiction as Elisabeth Hobbes and historical folklore/fantasy romance as Elisabeth J. Hobbes.

She teaches Primary school and unlike her characters, the six year olds generally do what she tells them. She spends most of her spare time reading and is a pro at cooking one-handed while holding a book. She loves to travel and explore, looking for places to inspire her characters into life.

Elisabeth lives in Cheshire because the car broke down there in 1999 (though at heart she’s still a Yorkshirewoman). She has two almost grown kids, two cats, two dogs and a husband. The whole family are autistic. She dreams of having a tidy house one day.

May your day be pleasant.

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Blog Tour for The Forgotten Italian Restaurant by Barbara Josselsohn Books On Tour.

ABOUT THE BOOK

taly, 1943. The girl rushes down the winding streets, tucking the handwritten menu into the wicker basket and thinking only of the code hidden on the delicate paper. Will anyone forgive her for what she’s about to do to save the man she loves?

Present day. Arriving in sun-drenched Caccipulia, Callie grips the faded restaurant menu in trembling hands. Found hidden in her family home, she is certain it will lead her to the truth about her grandmother’s life in Italy during World War Two. Why did her Nonna run away from this beautiful small town, never to return? Lost and alone in the world, could it help Callie understand who she is?

Local café owner Oliver’s dark brown eyes light up when he sees the menu. During the war, one brave family secretly fed desperate Jewish families hidden in safe houses through the village. Callie’s heart soars at the thought that her own dear grandmother was involved.

Diving into the town’s history during long walks down cobbled streets, Callie begins to feel at home under Oliver’s soft gaze. She wonders if she could build a life here with him. Until they push aside magenta flowers on a monument at the heart of the village, and uncover a secret that changes everything…

A grave mistake was made one dark night as the Nazis stalked the village, putting the whole town in terrible danger. When Callie finds out what her grandmother did, will it change the way Oliver feels about her? Will she stay and right the wrongs of the past, or be forced to leave Italy too, just like her Nonna?

A heartbreaking love story that will sweep you away to sun-drenched Italian vineyards to watch hope and bravery prevail in the darkest days of war. For fans of Kristin Hannah, Victoria Hislop and Fiona Valpy.

MY THOUGHTS

Having read the other two books in the series I was looking forward to the youngest sister’s story and this one did not disappoint. So well researched I feel as though I was walking amongst the characters experiencing what they have. This poignant dual timeline will have you not able to put it down while experiencing many emotions as you read. The ending was superb, the light shines through in such a beautiful way! I loved this book! Recommended for all historical fiction readers.

I was given a complimentary copy of this book.
All opinions expressed are my own.

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AUTHOR BIO

Barbara Josselsohn is a best-selling novelist and journalist who loves crafting stories about strong protagonists facing a fork in the road. The Forgotten Italian Restaurant is the third and concluding novel in her Sisters of War series, about three sisters separated during the darkest days of World War 2. Earlier books in the series include Secrets of the Italian Island and The Lost Gift to the Italian Island. Her previous books are The Lilac House, The Bluebell Girls, The Lily Garden, The Cranberry Inn, and The Last Dreamer. Barbara has also written hundreds of articles and essays in major and regional publications about family, home and relationships. She lives just north of New York City and enjoys escaping to the beach whenever she can. Other than writing, her biggest passion is her family: her husband, her three kids, and her rescue pup, a mini-schnauzer named Albie. She is currently at work on her eighth novel, due out in 2025.

https://barbarajosselsohn.com/

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Sign up to be the first to hear about new releases from Barbara Josselsohn here: https://www.bookouture.com/barbara-josselsohn

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Amazon: https://geni.us/B0D42CZBV7social

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Have a fabulous day. Thank you for stopping in.

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Happy Publication Day and Blog tour of The Secret Hotel in Berlin: An utterly gripping and heart-wrenching World War 2 novel

ABOUT THE BOOK

Berlin, 1944. ‘It is a great honour to have you here, Herr Hitler.’ Lili doesn’t stumble over the lie, her hand steady as she pours champagne. Everything must be perfect, no one can suspect a thing…

Lili Rodenberg and her husband Marius run the Edel, Berlin’s most glamorous hotel. For its wealthy guests, it is an escape from the destruction outside, with its elegant piano bar and fine amber brandy. But Lili is Jewish, a secret she is terrified will end in tragedy for her and their beloved little girl.

Lili’s only choice is to hide in plain sight, her heart racing each time uniformed officers step through the Edel’s grand entrance. As Berlin becomes a more frightening place, Lili pleads with her husband to help shelter those in danger but Marius is adamant: he will not risk the lives of his wife and daughter. Until the day he is called to the front – and goes missing in action.

Left in sole charge of the Edel, a heartbroken Lili fixes her smile as she serves men who would have her killed in an instant if they knew the truth. She decides she must fight back, hiding Jews in the hotel’s wine cellar before moving them to safety. Though she is seized with terror, it gives her the strength to carry on.

But her courage catches the attention of the Resistance. What they ask of her is impossible.

Lili has protected her daughter by living a life full of secrets. Can she risk it all now and put her child in danger for the sake of her country?

An absolutely unforgettable and heartbreaking story of bravery, love and sacrifice that will keep you turning the pages and reaching for the tissues. Fans of The Nightingale and The Book of Lost Names will be swept away by this stunning novel.

MY THOUGHTS

Oh, my heart!
The more I read of this book the more I knew I had to continue it. The characters are so realistic in this dual timeline book. Taking place during the turbulence of WWII and more modern times we see an emergence of some characters during both timelines.

I loved the grand elegance of the Edel Hotel in Berlin. I love books with hotels and this one was exciting: this hotel kept made me want to cry buckets and it’s new and improved resurgence was unexpected but welcome with visions of days gone by full of glamour linger in the corners of my mind. It was uplifting to see such strong female leads

The story has such a heartwarming ending, it’ll uplift your spirits. This is one you’ll not want to miss.

I was given a complimentary copy of this book.
All opinions expressed are my own.

Buy Link

THE AUTHOR

I write historical fiction set primarily in Berlin, covering the period from the 1930s up to the fall of the Berlin Wall and dealing with the long shadows left by war. I’ve had nine novels published with Bookouture to date, including a series, and there are more to come. My books have also been translated into a number of languages including French, Danish and, most recently, German.

I spends as much time as I can in Berlin, where my son also lives, and can read German fluently, although I speak it more like a toddler. I’m from the North of England but now live in Glasgow with my American husband. I love to travel and am currently planning a trip next year to Japan. If I’m not at my desk, you’ll find me at the cinema or just follow the sound of very loud music but bear in mind that I’ve been told, more than once, that I have the musical tastes of a teenage boy…

I’d love to hear from you and there are lots of ways you can find me, so jump in via my website or at my Cat Hokin FB page, at Catherine Hokin Writer on Twitter or on my Cat Hokin Author page on Instagram. @cathokin catherinehokin.com

www.catherinehokin.com

WW2 fiction set in Berlin, published by Bookouture & Grand Central Publishing. Details of all books & purchase links at https://www.catherinehokin.com/

Thank you for stopping in.

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Sisters Under the Rising Sun

400 pages St. Martin’s Press Publish date October 23, 2023

Pub Date Sep 28 2023 Bonnier Books UK/Jaffre publisher

ABOUT THE BOOK

From the New York Times bestselling author of the multi-million copy bestseller The Tattooist of Auschwitz comes a story of sisterhood and survival, inspired by a true story.

A phenomenal novel of resilience and survival from bestselling author of The Tattooist of Auschwitz, Heather Morris.

In the midst of World War II, an English musician, Norah Chambers, places her eight-year-old daughter Sally on a ship leaving Singapore, desperate to keep her safe from the Japanese army as they move down through the Pacific. Norah remains to care for her husband and elderly parents, knowing she may never see her child again.

Sister Nesta James, a Welsh Australian nurse, has enlisted to tend to Allied troops. But as Singapore falls to the Japanese she joins the terrified cargo of people, including the heartbroken Norah, crammed aboard the Vyner Brooke merchant ship. Only two days later, they are bombarded from the air off the coast of Indonesia, and in a matter of hours, the Vyner Brooke lies broken on the seabed.

After surviving a brutal 24 hours in the sea, Nesta and Norah reach the beaches of a remote island, only to be captured by the Japanese and held in one of their notorious POW camps. The camps are places of starvation and brutality, where disease runs rampant. Sisters in arms, Norah and Nesta fight side by side every day, helping whoever they can, and discovering in themselves and each other extraordinary reserves of courage, resourcefulness and determination.

Sisters under the Rising Sun is a story of women in war: a novel of sisterhood, bravery and friendship in the darkest of circumstances, from the multimillion-copy bestselling author of The Tattooist of Auschwitz, Cilka’s Journey and Three Sisters.

MY THOUGHTS

One thing that gets to me when I read a Heather Morris book is how realistic they are. I love the fact that they are based on real people and situations and that I learn so much from them.


Her book, The Tattooist of Auschwitz is my absolute favorite historical fiction book of all time. It’s just an incredible book.
Sisters Under The rising Sun is an unputdownable book. It’s heartbreaking, yet full of courageous moments and actions.

The women displayed such bravery in the face of adversity time after time. This was a very well researched book, and I enjoyed the author’s notes in the back of the book. We learn more about the characters and their life after the events at the end of the book.


Brave women are struggling to survive in Japanese POW camps in WWII. Their lives were a living hell, faced with starvation, abuse, deprivation of the most basic needs. A novel of sisterhood, bound together by chance and the need to survive the dark circumstances that their life has become. Let us remember these women and the many sacrifices they have given.

I was given a complimentary copy of this book.
All opinions expressed are my own.

THE AUTHOR

Heather Morris is a native of New Zealand, now resident in Australia. For several years, while working in a large public hospital in Melbourne, she studied and wrote screenplays, one of which was optioned by an Academy Award-winning screenwriter in the US. In 2003, Heather was introduced to an elderly gentleman who ‘might just have a story worth telling’. The day she met Lale Sokolov changed both their lives. Their friendship grew and Lale embarked on a journey of self-scrutiny, entrusting the innermost details of his life during the Holocaust to her. Heather originally wrote Lale’s story as a screenplay – which ranked high in international competitions – before reshaping it into her debut novel, The Tattooist of Auschwitz.

I hope you’re having a wonderful day. Thank you for stopping in.

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Happy Publication Day and Blog Tour for The Nurse Behind the Gates by Shari J. Ryan

ABOUT THE BOOK

achau, 1942. Emilie has been told she’s here to nurse evil men. But the first patient she sees in the cold, dark room is hauntingly familiar. Her first love is not wicked. He couldn’t be. What is he doing here?

Emilie’s heart stops as she takes in her childhood sweetheart hunched in a tattered prisoner’s uniform, the light lost from his face. Her new husband, Otto, said this was a camp for criminals. He should know, he’s the doctor. But Danner would never have broken the law.

As she looks into Danner’s beautiful brown eyes, she’s transported back to their happy childhood in Munich. The friendship they shared. The way her heart once felt like it beat only for him. Before the Jewish laws were enforced and Danner pushed Emilie away to protect her, breaking her heart.

Now, Emilie rushes to find Otto, desperate for answers. But when she discovers him waiting with confidentiality papers for her to sign, she realizes her husband has been lying. This isn’t a place to treat sick criminals, but to murder the innocent. And Otto tells her if she doesn’t help, they’ll both die.

Her hands shake as she receives her instructions. But as she rushes back to the sickbay, searching for a way to escape, her gaze lands on Danner once more. In his eyes, she can see something that almost looks like hope…

The thought of losing her first love again tears Emilie’s heart in two. She’s determined to keep him alive, and perhaps she can alter the fate of more than just one prisoner. But can she save Danner? Or will she die trying to rescue the man she’s never stopped loving?

MY THOUGHTS

Oh, my heart, this book deserves nothing less than a five-star review. If I could give it more I would.
I was immersed in the characters and their situations as I read.
My heart ached as I read. Why is life so harsh, so unfair to some just because of their nationality, while the “right” people seem to have it so easy in life?


Based on true events, the book is heart wrenching, it brought tears to my eyes more than once.


Growing up in Munich, Emilie has had a happy childhood with many friends to play with, of both sexes. They go in and out of each other’s house like as though they were their own.


Emilie and Danner………. best of childhood friends to young sweethearts. Then he is lost to her as they are separated because he is Jewish and he doesn’t want to see her suffer because of him, and her heart is broken. With her heart broken she marries Otto, a doctor. Nurse Emilie’s patient is strikingly familiar, that voice she knows it. Doctor Otto’s instructions are not just to treat the patient but to do horrible things to the patients that will result in their deaths. She is sickened when she comes to the realization, who is this man she married that has been lying to her?


With her childhood dreams of love fading before her eyes will she be able to do what she knows her heart is calling her to do? Based on truth it’s important to not forget these dark times lest we repeat this time where so many suffered needlessly.


Realistic and poignant, reading this will evoke a variety of emotions. The women are the strong characters in this book, their strength turns the darkness into recovery and positivity. A not to miss read.

I was given a complimentary copy of this book.
All opinions expressed are my own.

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Buy Link(s): https://geni.us/B0CVGX2XYYsocial

AUTHOR BIO

USA Today and International Bestselling Author, Shari J. Ryan, is known for her captivating World War Two Historical Fiction, Women’s Romance Fiction, and gripping Psychological Thriller novels. Each series and standalone contains a wide range of dark suspense and heartbreaking emotions. 

Shari has a bachelor’s degree in marketing from Johnson & Wales University and started her career as a graphic artist and freelance writer until 2012 when she discovered her passion for writing books. Since then, she has been captivating readers with her compelling storytelling and has written over thirty-five novels with translated publications in twelve languages.

Shari’s talent and dedication have earned her a place on the USA Today Bestseller List, as well as rankings in Amazon’s Top 100, Barnes & Noble’s Top Ten, and iBooks at number one. She has also received two Rone awards for her outstanding work.

Some of Shari’s bestselling books include: “The Stolen Twins,” The Bookseller of Dachau,” “The Doctor’s Daughter,” “The Girl with the Diary,” “Prison Child,” “The Soldier’s Letters,” and “The Lieutenant’s Girl.” These gripping novels are sure to keep readers on the edge of their seats.

Shari, a lifelong Boston girl lives in a small town in the suburbs and has a loving marriage with her adored husband. Together, they have two incredible young sons who make her feel like the luckiest woman in the world. 

To learn more about Shari J. Ryan and her captivating books, visit her official website at www.sharijryan.com

Social Media

Website: https://www.sharijryan.com/

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Blog tour for The Berlin Wife’s Vow (German Wives Book 4) Happy Publication Day

ABOUT THE BOOK

She kneels by her husband, his face contorted with pain. “You must get yourself to safety,” he tells her. She grips his hand tighter as a tear tracks down her drawn, pale face. “I promised to stay beside you. I will keep that vow to the end.”

Berlin, 1944. Edith Falkenstein weeps with joy when the crowds of brave women protesting on Rosenstrasse manage to save their Jewish relatives, including her husband Julius, from deportation to the camps.

Julius once believed abiding by the rules would shield him and his wife. But now he knows better: there is no such thing as mercy from the Nazis, and they must do all they can to save others. Their apartment, long stripped of its luxurious furnishings, might offer little protection from the frigid winter air, but it has become a place of secret shelter—though it puts all their lives at risk.

As bombs rain a thunder of devastation on the city and Soviet soldiers close in from the east, the Nazis have only become more desperate, and more deadly. For the inhabitants, their only option is to flee. But when another raid leaves Julius critically injured, Edith realises he is far too frail to make the perilous journey. She closes her eyes and prays for a miracle.

The final days of the war are here, but there is no cause for celebration in Berlin, where death lingers on every corner. Their love has been the source of their strength and survival all these long years, but will either of them live to see the end?

MY THOUGHTS

This is the final book in the Berlin Wife’s series, and I have diligently read and followed along with it all.

Being fascinated with learning about past history especially WWII history I enjoy reading this author’s books so much for what I learn from them. Exceptionally well researched which I always appreciate she makes the stories come to life on the pages. It’s as though she’s there back in time and writing about her observations in day-to-day life, amidst the fear, danger, courage, blood, sweat, tears and shocking realizations.


I have read most of the books the author has written and was pleased to see a return of characters from other books in the series and even a few characters made it into the book I remember from other series. If I had to choose my favorite characters would be David and Roxie. Roxie has really come a long way from the time we were first introduced to her.


Such resilience in the face of darkness. We meet new characters, see failures but despite these, the human spirit is strong.
I am so impressed with the way the author portrays each character, so realistically, the struggles and hardships are real. Despite all this I felt the strong family love the characters have for each other. I greatly look forward to reading the new series the author is writing.

I was given a complimentary copy of this book.
All opinions expressed are my own.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Marion Kummerow writes historical fiction that explores the dark side of human history. A USA Today Bestselling author, she has received rave reviews from readers and critics for her novels about the German resistance during World War II. Her books feature characters who face moral dilemmas, make difficult decisions, and fight for what is right. She also infuses her stories with humor and undying love, because she believes that love is what makes the world go round.

Born and raised in Germany, Marion has lived in various countries before returning to Munich with her family. After writing several non-fiction books, she felt drawn to the past and the subject of resistance to the Nazi regime. It took her years of courage and hard work to turn the true story of her grandparents Ingeborg and Hansheinrich Kummerow into a trilogy: “Love and Resistance in the Second World War”. UNRELENTING is the first book in this series.

Bringing history to life through her books is Marion’s passion. She visits museums, travels to memorials and the locations in her books, reads original source material, and consults experts to meticulously research the historical facts and details in her novels.

Her stories are authentic and immersive, transporting readers to another time and place. She writes with the conviction that we must never forget the past, so it won’t repeat itself.

When she’s not writing or researching, Marion likes to travel, do yoga, and spend time with her family. She also enjoys reading books by other historical fiction authors.

If you want to get a taste of her writing, you can download a free short story about a downed British airman here: https://kummerow.info/

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Embers in the London Sky: (WWII Historical Fiction with Mystery, Suspense, and Clean Romance)

394 pages Revell publisher Feb 6 2024 publication date

ABOUT THE BOOK

As the German army invades the Netherlands in 1940, Aleida van der Zee Martens escapes to London to wait out the Occupation. Separated from her three-year-old son, Theo, in the process, the young widow desperately searches for her little boy even as she works for an agency responsible for evacuating children to the countryside.

When German bombs set London ablaze, BBC radio correspondent Hugh Collingwood reports on the Blitz, eager to boost morale while walking the fine line between truth and censorship. But the Germans are not the only ones Londoners have to fear as a series of murders flame up amid the ashes.

The deaths hit close to home for Hugh, and Aleida needs his help to locate her missing son. As they work together, they grow closer and closer, both to each other and the answers they seek. But with bombs falling and continued killings, they may be running out of time.

MY THOUGHTS

When I think of WWII books this is the author I think of. Her books are amazing, and she is an auto read author for me.
She has a new and interesting take on WWII that I’ve not seen presented before.


As the Nazi’s invade the Netherlands in 1940, Aleida van der Zee Martens is on her way to London with her husband and son to escape. Her son is separated from her without her permission and the young widow heartbrokenly makes it her mission to find him.

In a city as huge as London it may be next to impossible. It was interesting to read about the reporting the BBC did, how they had to give information but not too much so as to aid the enemies.


As she and BBC radio correspondent Hugh Collingwood draw closer, he vows to do whatever it takes to find her son. I could feel their frustration as they visit many children’s homes where refugee children have been taken, they are so close but yet so far away.


As the search continues you can feel the danger surrounding them with the London Blitz. There are so many twists and turns with events happening while the search continues: multiple murders and a mother’s unwavering love for her son leading to the most heartrending decision of her life.

Pub Date: 06 Feb 2024
I was given a complimentary copy of this book.
All opinions expressed are my own.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Sarah Sundin enjoys writing about the drama and romance of the World War II era. She is the bestselling and Christy Award-winning author of Embers in the London Sky (February 2024), The Sound of Light (2023), Until Leaves Fall in Paris (2022), When Twilight Breaks (2021), and several World War II series.

Sarah’s novels have received starred reviews from Publishers Weekly, Library Journal, and Booklist. Until Leaves Fall in Paris received the 2022 Christy Award and was a semi-finalist for the 2023 Carol Award, The Sound of Light, When Twilight Breaks, and The Land Beneath Us were finalists for the Christy Award, and The Sky Above Us won the 2020 Carol Award.

A mother of three, Sundin lives in Southern California and enjoys speaking to community, church, and writers’ groups. Sarah serves as Co-Director for the West Coast Christian Writers Conference.

Is this an author you have read yet? Do you have a favorite book she has written? When Twilight Breaks is one of my favorites by her.

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