The Bookseller of Dachau by Shari J Ryan

 

Germany, 1940: “Can’t I say goodbye?” I shout, cupping my hands over my mouth. The Nazis dragging him away stare at me, soldiers with icy glares. No. No, no, no, they can’t make him leave. 

In Nazi Germany, innocent people vanish every day, torn mercilessly from their homes and loved ones. When Matilda’s childhood sweetheart Hans is in danger, she doesn’t hesitate to hide him in her attic. Neighbors their whole lives, and desperately in love with one another, she’ll do anything to protect him. For months, they exist by candlelight, smuggling food and communicating in whispers. But, in the end, nothing can stop the soldiers charging in… 

America, 2018: Grace opens a mustard-yellow envelope, and her world unravels. She has inherited a bookstore in the small town of Dachau from the grandmother she had no idea existed. Her mom, adopted as a baby, spent her life searching for her biological parents––and died without ever knowing. 

Grace visits her legacy––a bookshop on a cobbled lane filled with lost memories. She combs through handwritten letters, unearthing the story of her grandmother Matilda. A woman whose one true love was locked within the barbed wire of Dachau––a woman who never gave up hope… 

As Grace pieces together her family’s heartbreaking past, she discovers the long-buried secret of her own identity. But when she learns the truth, will she ever be the same again? 

This heart-wrenching yet hopeful tale will restore your faith in humanity, and in the power of love to triumph over evil. Fans of The Tattooist of Auschwitz, Orphan Train and Kristin Hannah will be blown away by this breathtakingly gripping page-turner.

What did I think?

I love a story with a dual timeline - I enjoy the way the present links to the past. This was a definate plus when I looked at this book.

I knew that this book was going to be one that would pull on my heartstrings and might possibly be an easy read - which it wasn't. But more than that I thought it was a story of hope and one that will restore your faith in human nature.

I have read a few books about the Holocaust and you think you know what went on - but this story was written from a totally different perspective - from outside the camp rather than within it.

Shari is a new author to me and I can see she has written a fair few titles. Not all of them look like my cup of tea but there are several that have sparked my interest.

Shari J. Ryan is a USA Today Bestselling Historical Fiction writer. Her desire to write stories revolving Jewish livelihood during World War II stems from being a descendant of two Holocaust survivors. After the passing of Shari’s grandmother, she pursued an active interest in learning more about the inherited stories she yearned to understand better. 

Shortly after earning a bachelors degree from Johnson & Wales University, Shari began her career as a graphic artist and freelance writer. She then found her passion for writing books in 2012. In 2016, Shari began writing her first Historical Fiction novel, Last Words, a story about a lifelong journey through the eyes of a Holocaust survivor. With two character related books to follow, Shari quickly found a new passion to share untold World War II stories within a fictional setting. 

Shari is a lifelong New England girl who lives to make people laugh. She is happily married with two wonderful sons and a spunky Australian Shepard, who fits right in with the family. 

Website: https://www.sharijryan.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/authorsharijryan

Twitter: https://twitter.com/sharijryan

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/authorsharijryan/

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7060506.Shari_J_Ryan

It's Monday. What Are You Reading?

 

 It’s Monday! What Are You Reading? a place to meet up and share what you have been, and are about to be reading over the week. It’s a great post to organise yourself. It’s an opportunity to visit and comment and er… add to your groaning TBR pile! So welcome in everyone. This meme started on J Kaye’s blog and then was hosted by Sheila from Book Journey. Sheila then passed it on to Kathryn here at The Book Date.

What I read last week.

What I'm reading now.

What I'm going to read next.

For bookclub - Rob Ewing and Rachel Joyce

For review - David Videcette and Rebecca Raisin

The Pigeonhole - Heidi Swain

A Secret Gift by Amanda James

 

Three years ago, Joy Pentire lost her firefighter husband and she still hasn’t returned to the woman she once was. But then she meets Hope, one of the residents at the nursing home where she’s a carer.

Hope has a secret gift that she wants to pass on.
And Joy’s life is forever changed.

Surrounded by the community in her Cornish hometown, Joy’s unexpected inheritance soon leads to new opportunities, new friends, new love, and the part of herself she’d thought forever lost … her joy.

What did I think?

I loved the cover of this book and I love books set in Cornwall so despite Amanda being a new author to me I was thinking I was onto a winner.

A story of new beginnings, of hope and emotions. I think you have to be a special sort of person to work in a care home setting (my Mum is in one and I know how hard the staff work) so I knew I would like Joy. And I did.

It is a delightful heart warming story and will lift your spirits.

I will definitely be reading more by this author.

Amanda James has written since she was a child, and as an eight-year-old, she asked her parents for a typewriter for Christmas. She never imagined her words would ever be published however. Then in 2010, after many twists and turns, the dream of becoming a writer came true when she had her first short story published for a Born Free anthology. She left teaching in 2013 to pursue her dream full-time.

Originally from Sheffield, Amanda now lives in Cornwall and is inspired every day by the wild and beautiful coastline near her home. She has many suspense novels set there, but her last few books have been uplifting in nature with a twist of magic. She loves writing feel-good reads and has decided the world needs more joy in it right now, and her plan is to write many more novels in that genre. Amanda can usually be found playing on the beach with her family, or walking the cliff paths planning her next book.

 

Social Media Links – 

Twitter - @amandajames61

Facebook https://www.facebook.com/MandyJamesAuthorPage

Purchase Link - https://t.co/yIEdKqKKWB

Blind Date by Wendy Clark

 

When Mel is set up on a blind date by her best friends Chris and Simon, she’s as anxious as any woman would be. Her divorce came as such a shock and she’d been feeling lost and lonely, but that didn’t mean she was desperate to date again. It was a terrible day at work that made her say yes: it could be a bit of fun, a distraction at least. What did she have to lose?

When Mel meets Malik, she knows instantly that they could have more than just a fling. She tells him her deepest, darkest secrets and it doesn’t make him run away. He makes her feel wanted for the first time in years, and when she wakes up in his bed in the early hours she feels completely content.

Until she notices that he’s no longer lying beside her.

She’s tangled up in his sheets alone in his bedroom and she can’t remember how she got there.

And then she hears the metallic scrape of a key in the door and realises that Malik has locked her in. Is her dream man going to turn into her worst nightmare?

Thrilling and gripping until the final page, Blind Date is a dark and unsettling story about deception and how much we can trust the people we love. For fans of Gone Girl, The Girl on the Train and anything by Lisa Jewell.

What did I think?

A new author to me and the premise of the story sounded like a good one. I don't want to give anything away about the plot but creepy is one of the words I would use to describe it. I did want to keep shouting at Mel for the ill thought out decisions she was taking - maybe some events could have been avoided

If you like a good psychological thriller then I can recommend this one. A slow burner but well worth the wait.

Wendy Clarke was a teacher until the small primary school where she worked closed down. Now she is a writer of psychological suspense but is also well known for her short stories and serials which regularly appear in national women’s magazines. 

Wendy has two children and three step-children and lives with her husband, cat and step-dog in Sussex. When not writing, she is usually indulging in her passion for dancing, singing or watching any programme that involves food!

 

https://wendyswritingnow.blogspot.com/

https://www.facebook.com/WendyClarkeAuthor/

https://www.instagram.com/wendyclarke99/

https://twitter.com/WendyClarke99

 

Buy Links:

Amazon: https://bit.ly/3m3EUlO

Apple: https://apple.co/2Vx1g4g

Kobo: https://bit.ly/3jpBXcs

Google: https://bit.ly/3Aai2VL

Starting Over at Sunset Cottage by Lisa Hobman

 

Do you love someone enough to let them go?

It was love at first sight when talented art student Felicity “Flick” Johnston-Hart and Jim MacDuff’s worlds collided at Oxford University.

However, after years of blissful marriage, everything crashes down when their marriage comes to a painful and abrupt end, thanks to Flick’s interfering mother Penelope.

Finally succumbing to maternal pressure, Flick falls into the high-flying career her mother believed she was destined for.

However, she soon realises life without Jim isn’t all she’d hoped, and that some decisions, once made, cannot be undone.

Meanwhile, Jim is settling back into life as a single man in the beautiful Highland village of Shieldaig, when an unexpected visitor brings painful news. A letter from beyond the grave leads him to do something he never imagined and takes him on a journey he didn’t anticipate.

Can either of them heal and truly move on?

Or is it true that a broken heart can never be a blank canvas?

What did I think?

My first book by this author and the first thing that jumped out at me was the cover - the scene looks idyllic and made me want to dive straight in.

A love at first sight story of boy meets girl - only it doesn't turn out the way either of them expected.  Not your usual romantic comedy story as it starts at the end of the main characters marriage and as the story progresses we find out more about their relationship and how their marriage came to an end. A really modern take on a theme and the the characters made it really believable.

Warning - you might need a tissue or two.

Lisa Hobman has written many brilliantly reviewed women’s fiction titles – the first of which was shortlisted by the RNA for their debut novel award. In 2012 Lisa relocated her family from Yorkshire to a village in Scotland and this beautiful backdrop now inspires her uplifting and romantic stories.

Facebook https://www.facebook.com/LisaJHobmanAuthor/

Twitter https://twitter.com/LisaJHobmanAuth  

Instagram https://www.instagram.com/lisahobmanauthor/

Newsletter Sign Up Link https://mailchi.mp/a50c456447a3/lisahobman

Bookbub profile https://www.bookbub.com/authors/lisa-j-hobman  

 Purchase Link - https://amzn.to/3zD8cLO

 

It's Monday. What Are You Reading?

 

It’s Monday! What Are You Reading? a place to meet up and share what you have been, and are about to be reading over the week. It’s a great post to organise yourself. It’s an opportunity to visit and comment and er… add to your groaning TBR pile! So welcome in everyone. This meme started on J Kaye’s blog and then was hosted by Sheila from Book Journey. Sheila then passed it on to Kathryn here at The Book Date.

What I read last week.

What I'm reading now.

What I'm going to read next.

For bookclub - Rob Ewing

To review - rebecca Raisin, Amanda James and David Videcette

A Letter From Nana Rose by Kristin Harper

 

“My darling girls. You were once so happy in this house. Now I’m gone, all I ask is that you spend one last summer here together on Dune Island. And please forgive me, your Nana, for the secret I’m about to tell you…”

Arriving at the honeysuckle-covered beach house inherited from her beloved grandmother, recently heartbroken Jill hopes to convince her two feuding sisters not to sell a place so full of happy childhood memories. But the envelope waiting on the driftwood table changes everything. In her elegant handwriting, Nana Rose promises a new letter will arrive each day of the summer revealing a family secret she took to her grave.

Shaken, Jill anxiously awaits each letter filled with Nana’s bittersweet memories of her own sister who she loved more than anyone—and lost far too young. But why did Nana never speak of this tragic loss to her grandchildren?

Watching the sunset each night and wondering how well they really knew Nana Rose, Jill feels her family is closer than they’ve been in years. And after a chance encounter with blue-eyed tree surgeon Alex, she wonders if Nana believed being back on Dune Island would help Jill find love, too?

But when Nana’s final letter arrives, the revelation about how her sister died is more shocking than Jill ever imagined. Suddenly, despite the chance of happiness with Alex, selling the house seems the only way forward. Will Jill find a way to forge new bonds of sisterhood and save their inheritance, or will Nana Rose’s secret tear them all apart?

An absolutely gorgeous, gripping and heartbreaking read about the importance of family, and how even our loved ones can keep shattering secrets. Perfect for fans of Carolyn Brown, Debbie Macomber and Mary Alice Munroe.

What did I think?

Firstly I thought what an eye catching cover this book had - such a lovely bright colour.

This is my first book by this author so I didn't really know what to expect but the blurb sounded quite enticing.

It is a book of secrets - of family secrets. And the aftermath when these secrets are made public. I really liked the way the secrets were revealed - by daily letters rather than stumbling across something hidden. Had to keep reading to see what was going to be in the next letter.

Overall I would describe this book as a heartwarming feel good story - and I will definitely be reading more by this author.

Ever since she was a young girl, there were few things Kristin liked more than creative writing and spending time on Cape Cod, Massachusetts, with her family. Eventually (after a succession of jobs that bored her to tears), she found a way to combine those two passions by becoming a women’s fiction author whose stories occur in oceanside settings. While Kristin doesn’t live on the Cape year-round, she escapes to the beach whenever she can.

https://twitter.com/KHarperAuthor

 

Buy Links:

Amazon: https://bit.ly/3piezlQ

Apple: https://apple.co/3gaBFp1

Kobo: https://bit.ly/3jY1cDb

Google: https://bit.ly/3gaE2bp

Christmas Wishes at the Chocolate Shop by Jessica Redland

 

Sometimes you just need a little Christmas magic to make your wishes come true...

When master chocolatier, Charlee, takes the leap to move to the picturesque seaside town of

Whitsborough Bay, she is determined to follow in her grandfather's footsteps and set up a chocolate

shop. 

Luckily, she finds the perfect location for Charlee's Chocolates on beautiful Castle Street... Now she

just has to refurbish it in time for Christmas! 

With a useless boyfriend and countless DIY disasters, Charlee doesn't know if she'll make it in time.

With no 'traditional' family to support her, she feels lost in her new surroundings and the secrets of

the past are weighing her down. 

But the warmth and festive spirit of the Whitsborough Bay community will surprise her, and when

plumber, Matt, comes to the rescue, it might be that all of Charlee's dreams could come true this

Christmas, and she could learn what family really means...

 Escape to Castle Street for the perfect uplifting, festive read from top 10 bestseller Jessica Redland.

Christmas Wishes at the Chocolate Shop was originally released as Charlee and the Chocolate Shop.

Now re-released with a new title and new cover, this version has been freshly edited and features

several new chapters.

What did I think?

The festive books are coming thick and fast just now,

I love Jessica's books  - they always leave you with a warm and fuzzy feeling - and this one was no different.

A return visit to Castle Street and Whitsborough Bay. It is like returning to a childhood holiday spot or meeting up with dear friends again. And it involves chocolate - and Christmas. What is there not to like?

Thoroughly enjoyed this book. A delightful heartwarming story and for me it was just the pick me up I needed.

Next on my list is to start reading the hedgehog books I keep hearing so much about.

Jessica Redland writes uplifting stories of love, friendship, family and community set in Yorkshire where she lives. Her Whitsborough Bay books transport readers to the stunning North Yorkshire Coast and her Hedgehog Hollow series takes them into beautiful countryside of the Yorkshire Wolds. 

Facebook https://www.facebook.com/JessicaRedlandAuthor

Twitter https://twitter.com/JessicaRedland

Instagram https://www.instagram.com/jessicaredlandauthor/

Newsletter Sign Up Link http://bit.ly/JessicaRedlandNewsletter

Purchase Link -  https://amzn.to/3j0FZrF

The Parents by Claire Seeber

1.  

The other parents all seem so perfect. But it’s not long before I realise: I should have never made friends with them…

I knew it wouldn’t be easy for my kids to adjust when we moved to a tiny village where they didn’t know a soul. But after the death of my husband, we needed a fresh start.

Suddenly, we’re outsiders. I know the only way we’ll be accepted is if I throw myself into my new life, so when my son joins a local club, I volunteer to help along with the other parents.

Before moving here, I didn’t know people like this really existed; their lives seem too perfect to be real. Although my own life couldn’t be more different, they welcome me into the fold. For the first time since my husband died, I feel like I made the right decision for my family…

That is until I overhear something that tells me these other parents aren’t as perfect as they seem. Something that turns my world upside down again.

My secret has already ruined my life once. I thought the truth had died with my husband… I should have known that it wouldn’t be buried for long.

A completely addictive page-turner about the secrets and lies hiding beneath seemingly perfect lives. Fans of Big Little Lies, Lisa Jewell and Louise Candlish will be absolutely hooked by this pacey read with a jaw-dropping twist you just won’t see coming.

What did I think?

When I read a comparison of this book to Big Little Lies I knew I had to read it as I loved that book.

It looks as though I have marked several of Claire's books as to read over on Goodreads but this is the first of her titles that I have read.

This is a book about secrets, families and lies. The story was well paced with one drama following hot on the heals of a previous one. For me there were too many characters to try and keep track of - good job there was a handy reference to everyone at the start. Doesn't paint small town England in a very good light - quite dark.

Claire Seeber is a Londoner who started her professional life as a (bad) actress and went on to become a documentary maker, lucky enough to travel the world meeting amazing people. Also writing features for newspapers such as the Guardian and Independent, when she had her first baby in 2004, Claire started writing psychological thrillers. The Observer called her first novel, Lullaby, ‘a disturbing debut’ whilst the Guardian called it ‘powerful’. Her third thriller Never Tell became a bestseller, and she has been published in more than twelve different languages. 

Claire has been CWA Dagger-nominated, also writes for stage and screen, and today studies psychotherapy, as well as (trying to) manage a home of slightly feral children and animals. Luckily her very nice partner helps too.

Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/ClaireSeeberAuthor/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/claireseeber

Website: http://www.claireseeber.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/claireseeberauthor/

Buy Links: 

Amazon: https://geni.us/B09BW654BDcover 

Apple: http://ow.ly/ggti50FN4j9

Kobo: http://ow.ly/n8pc50FN4i4 

Google: http://ow.ly/ygXH50FN4oH