A Promise To Time
The Girl With The List by Shari J Ryan is a powerful historical novel that I read in just one sitting. It is a story of love in the darkest of times.
The tale starts in Poland during World War II, quickly progressing to Auschwitz as we follow the two lead characters, Rosalie, a gentile; Stefan a Jew. Within their small village, no distinctions are made between people – until the Nazis move in, spreading fear and hatred as they commit evil acts against the innocent.
A traumatic event in Rosalie’s childhood, saw he becoming a competent midwife by the age of sixteen. Her services find her ending up in the household of an officer serving in Auschwitz. It is just a small step to her becoming an enforced list maker in the camp.
It is here, against all the odds that Rosalie and Stefan find each other. They both cling to love and have hope to survive. “You know you can’t escape. We must survive.” Their wars are similar but different. Both face traumatic times.
We witness the evil Dr Mengele at work with his barbaric experiments on innocent men, women and children.
In order to survive, one needed hope and luck. Everyone needed another person in order to give them a reason to survive.
All the characters were well drawn and believable.
Shari J Ryan has presented another powerful tale of survival and the strength of the human spirt at a time of great evil. Their courage is to be commended.
The Girl With The List must be read in memory of the six million innocents who perished, and of those who survived.
I received a free copy from the publishers for a blog tour. A favourable review was not required. All opinions are my own.
JULIA WILSON
Shari J. Ryan
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, and Shari quickly found a new passion to share untold World War II stories within a fictional setting. In 2023 she also began exploring her first foray into the world of gripping, twisty psychological thrillers.
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.
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The Girl with the List
Shari J. Ryan
Auschwitz, 1944. Rosalie lifts her eyes from her list to the next prisoner in line—and her heart stops in shock. The man she loves stoops in front of her. Tears spring to her eyes, but she must pretend she doesn’t know him. It’s the only thing that might keep him alive…
Day in, day out, servant Rosalie is forced to aid in the harrowing medical selections at Auschwitz, marking prisoners as “fit” or “unfit” with trembling hands. She once thought “unfit” meant they’d get the help they needed. Now she knows the devastating truth: “Fit” means they live another day, “unfit” means they don’t…
Every day, her heart breaks further as she hopelessly scans the crowds for the face of the man she loves, torn from her a year ago simply for being Jewish. Praying that he’s still alive, Rosalie desperately tries to save as many other men as she can—risking everything by marking them as fit and hoping her act of rebellion isn’t noticed.
Then one icy morning, she looks up from her list into the stunning green eyes of the man in her line—the man her heart beats for. And now the real fight begins, as Rosalie risks her life to save Stefan’s again and again. But then one morning, Stefan isn’t there. Rosalie frantically searches for him, blood turning to ice. He’s gone. But how far will she go to find him? And can he stay alive without her until she does…?
A beautifully told, heart-wrenching yet hopeful World War Two page-turner which demonstrates the power of love in triumphing over evil. Perfect for fans of The Midwife of Auschwitz, The Choice and The Tattooist of Auschwitz.
Readers are loving The Girl with the List:
“6 STAR READ… Phenomenal… I cried… Incredibly beautiful… Heartbreaking… I absolutely loved it… A must-read!!… One you won’t be able to put down.” NetGalley reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
“5 STARS!… Incredible… Pulls you in with its raw emotion… Genuinely broke my heart… Reminds you why historical fiction matters… Unforgettable, devastating… A must-read.” Goodreads reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
“God this book tore my heart out!!… So heartbreaking… Beautiful… So stunning… Very inspiring!… Beautifully written.” Megsbookden, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
“Your heart will be aching, and your pulse will be racing… Heart-grabbing… One of the best love stories ever written.” NetGalley reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
“Omg this book broke my heart to pieces… Amongst it all it was glimmers of hope. I highly recommend this book, just have your tissues ready.” NetGalley reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
“Broke my heart… Emotional… Will stay with me for a long time… Truly inspiring… One I will remember forever… Powerful… A book that must be read.” Goodreads reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
“Oh my golly this book tore my little heart to pieces.” Goodreads reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
“Beautiful… I cannot recommend this heartbreaking – but at the same time heartwarming – novel strongly enough.” christiannovelreview, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
“Moving, powerful and beautifully written… made me want to keep turning the pages… Atmospheric, raw… Important.” Goodreads reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
“Powerful… I read [it] in just one sitting.” christianbookaholic, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
“Heartbreaking… Kept me reading nonstop… Great… Highly recommend.” NetGalley reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
“Truly amazing… Moving… Heartbreaking… Impeccable.’ Readers Haven, ⭐⭐⭐⭐
“Heart-wrenching and beautiful… Amazing… Made me cry.” NetGalley reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
“Get your tissues ready… Heartbreaking.” romancebookexplosion, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
ISBN: 9781805506218
Publication Date: 05 March 2026