Love Will Not Die
The Lost Husband by Shari J Ryan is a powerful and heartbreaking historical dual timeline novel that consumed me from the start.
The action is set in Amsterdam at the start of World War II, and then moves to Auschwitz in January 1945. Historians will recognise the latter date as the time when the Nazis emptied Auschwitz of all those who were able to walk, to go on a death march, before the Soviets liberated the camp. The story sees the leading characters marching through Poland. Both time periods alternate as the tale is told through the eyes of the leading lady.
We learn about the indomitable human spirit. Despite witnessing her husband die at the hands of the Nazis, the leading lady kept going for the life within. Darkness and despair could not kill the human spirit.
Ending up in Auschwitz, we see the dehumanisation of the people – their names, clothes and hair were taken from them but their humanity remained. “I still see humans. Suffering.” Little acts of kindness, that said ‘I see you’, meant a great deal.
Suffering from dysentery, a character wonders if she hallucinated seeing her husband in a Nazi uniform. She was left “in limbo between grief and a sliver of hope that my eyes had deceived me.” She needed to know. She clung to the hope that what she had seen all those years ago, simply wasn’t the truth.
Love spurred her on. “You aren’t just a survivor. You’re a fighter.”
Love was a powerful force. Love hopes. Love perseveres. Love protects. Love sacrifices. This is a book about love. In the pits of hell that was Auschwitz, when the Nazis practiced horrendous acts of cruelty, they could not kill love. Bodies died but love remained.
Shari J Ryan has once more written a powerful tale about love at a time of great evil.
The Lost Husband must be read in memory of the six million innocents who died, 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 Lost Husband
Shari J. Ryan
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- Amazon: https://geni.us/B0H4M2LK2Lsocial
Auschwitz, 1945. The gates are flung open. Prisoners flee for their lives. But as Celina stumbles toward safety, a man in a German uniform seizes her arm. She knows it’s impossible… but he looks just like her husband.
Celina has given up hope of ever leaving Auschwitz. Only memories of her beloved husband Noah keep her sane—her childhood sweetheart, her protector, once her entire world. If she allows herself to remember that he was killed, she knows she’ll be lost too…
Now, as the Soviets liberate the camp, Celina screams when a man in a German uniform grabs her. But the familiar green and gold sparkling in his eyes steals her breath. He looks exactly like Noah. But it can’t be him. Not here, not in this uniform…
As a Soviet officer hauls him away, Celina can’t let him go without making absolutely sure. Did her husband somehow survive the war, disguised as a German soldier?
To find the truth, she must follow as the Germans—now prisoners themselves—are marched away through the snowy forests of Poland. Staying hidden, and staying alive, will prove almost impossible.
But if it’s really Noah—and he’s still the good man Celina fell in love with—can she find a way to rescue him before she loses him all over again?
An inspiring, heartbreaking World War Two novel which celebrates the strength of human spirit and the power of love in the darkest of times. Perfect for fans of The Midwife of Auschwitz, The Choice and The Nightingale.
Readers are loving The Lost Husband:
“Wow!… A five-star read!… Shari J. Ryan at her finest… Fantastic. It had it all… Totally heartbreaking… I couldn’t put it down… I was hanging on to every word, I literally couldn’t stop reading… Perfect!” read_with_lola, ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
“My heart ached… I was deeply moved… Powerful… Kept tugging at my heart until the end… Both heartbreaking and deeply satisfying… 5+ stars… Will stay with me for a long time.” Goodreads reviewer, ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
“Wow, just wow… Heart-wrenching… A five-star read all the way.” Goodreads reviewer, ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
“I could not get enough! I was hooked from the start! I adored… Invites you in… You need to have tissues ready!… Incredible!” NetGalley reviewer, ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
“Beautifully written, passionate, and deeply emotional… I couldn’t put down!… Heartbreaking… Comforting… I love!” Goodreads reviewer, ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
“So emotional… Filled with heartbreak… Had me feeling every emotion…Highly recommend.” stamperlady50, ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
“Absolutely amazing. I could not put it down once I picked it up. Easily five stars.” Goodreads reviewer, ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
“Oh my. This book is amazing. I couldn’t stop reading.” lisabooksreviews_, ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
“Glued to the pages… Heartbreaking… I would definitely recommend… Beautiful.” Goodreads reviewer, ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
“Amazing… Once I started reading, I didn’t stop. Definitely a 5-star book.” NetGalley reviewer, ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
“Heartbreaking… One of my favourite authors. This is a must-read!” Goodreads reviewer, ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
“Powerful and heartbreaking… Consumed me from the start… A book about love… A powerful tale… Must be read.” christianbookaholic, ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
ISBN: 9781807221393
Publication Date: 07 August 2026
