Number 1 Bestselling Novel, Last Words, is where reality meets Fiction, and the lines in between are blurred by forbidden love. Amelia – 1942: The inside of my closet held the last bit of my freedom before I was torn from my home and shoved onto a dark train. Our destination was even darker. “Women and children to the right. Men to the left,” they shouted at us. Everything was taken from me, …
Everything was taken from me, leaving only the smoke filled air, piercing screams, and soul-burning cries.
I was slowly starved and weakened to the bone, but there was a man—a Nazi—who brought me extra food. He called himself a prisoner too, but he scared me, and I wondered if he was the enemy I should fear the most.
Emma – Current Day:
My grandmother hid her past in an old diary under her bed. The tattered, brown leather book sat there for years until she asked me to find it and read her unspoken words. Now, her stories and secrets are consuming every moment of my life.
She’s dying … and asking for a man no one in our family has ever heard of.
I never imagined a hand-written book could change my entire life, but it has. It opened my eyes to a new beginning, and I learned that love is not the unsaid word my grandmother has refused to speak. It’s an action—it’s longevity, taboo and sometimes forbidden. Do we fight for what’s wrong, or do we spend our lives searching for what’s right?
Last words were never spoken because love doesn’t stop until a heart is no longer beating.
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I absolutely loved this book! Emma is such a great character and it was so easy to like her from the very beginning. Amelia’s story is so heartbreaking. I’m looking forward to read the other books in the series.
I received an arc from the author in exchange for an honest review. I just finished the book, and all I can say is wow. This book was such a powerful and emotional story. The author described scenes from the Holocaust with such detail, that you felt Amelia’s pain and what she was going through. This is my favorite book by Shari so far, and I’ve read most of her books. I would recommend everyone to read this that wants to experience a powerful love story. This is one book that will become my favorite, and will be read multiple times.
“Last words were never spoken because love doesn’t stop until a heart is no longer beating.”
Last Words: Surviving the Holocaust is a very emotional story and depicts a granddaughter reading her grandmother’s diary of the Holocaust to her as she is dying and asking for a man her family has never heard of before. This story will capture you and not let you go until you have finished, at which point you will continue to think of the pain, fear, love, and emotions felt by both Emma and Amelia. The author’s descriptions of concentration camps, torture, executions, and the hopes and fears of those left behind are poignant. This is definitely a book that will be read more than one time.
I read and reviewed a copy of this book with no obligation.
Last Words
A Diary of Survival
By: Shari J. Ryan
Narrated by: Stephanie Willis, Susan Larkin, Chris Kayser
There are times when I listen, that I find a book and it sticks with me, not for the characters, but the story is so moving it stays in my heart. This is one of those books. Shari J Ryan has captured a love story that will change the way you think and show you how true love is never ending. Written as a dual couple story, Amelia and Charlie are the first that we meet. We live in the diary of Amelia, as the story of her time as a Jewish prisoner in a Nazi concentration camp unfolds, and an SS soldier, Charlie comes into her life. Their story is what captivated me. It’s written with such compassion for both sides, and it does not gloss over the tragic circumstances of either one of them. Amelia today is in the hospital, which brings us to the second couple, her granddaughter, Emma and her new love interest, Amelia’s cardiologist, Jackson. These two with a little nudging from the spunky grandmother is sweet and loving and pulls you right in. Their stories, as they intermingle kept me on the edge of my seat. Not in an action packed, suspenseful way, but I had to know what happens next, and if their story has a happy ending. It’s heart wrenching, painfully tragic, full of hope and love and entranced me the entire way through. I don’t cry when I listen, but this one had me grabbing the tissues and loving every minute of it!
The way this story is written, three narrators gave us the their portrayal of the story, and it could not have been performed better. Each voice gave us every emotion, every inflection made us feel their perspective and feelings, and it was absolutely stunning. Kudos to Stephanie Willis, Susan Larkin and Chris Kayser for bringing this gem to life!
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Love, forbidden and secret can exist even in the most unlikely of places and under the most dire of circumstances. A book of her grandmother reveals a love that developed in the extermination camp between a prisoner and a Nazi. The secret is kept by her until her death and then the family deals with the sensitive content of her story. The characters are so well developed they pop off the page keeping you engaged in the story. This is a wonderfully written book that touches your heart and brings forth your emotions. It is a book worth reading.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I have come to the conclusion that Shari Ryan takes on humorous love stories as well as quite serious ones equally well. This particular book has two romances, one based in the past which took place in a Nazi concentration camp, and one in the present involving the holocaust survivor’s grand-daughter while she was learning about her grandmother’s past. While Ms. Ryan described the experience in the concentration camp in a way that highlighted the horrible conditions that the heroine and others experienced, she acknowledged that much more horrific circumstances existed in these camps. I appreciated that she chose to do so as I think it would have distracted us from the characters’ actual story. I did feel that her acknowledgement that she had done so in the author’s notes was important because we should not minimize the experiences of holocaust victims. Unless we continue to acknowledge the fact human beings are capable of such horrific crimes, we run the risk of seeing history repeat itself. Ms. Ryan wove a story which requires her readers to look at the world and acknowledge that something which seems black and white such as a Nazi soldier working in the camps could be a victim of circumstance rather than an evil human. The shades of gray that she presents make it possible to accept the love story taking place in this setting.
I loved the method of telling this story through a series of journal entries which were written by the grandmother who had never talked at all of her experiences during the holocaust. The entries were read in piecemeal by the grand-daughter as she finally learns the story of her grandmother’s past. It was a touching story of two people who found love in an unlikely place and time and then lost each other. As a reader one gains understanding of the reasons behind a family’s dynamics as the past is revealed.
I highly recommend this book. It is a well-developed story and effectively moved between the past and present, gradually doling out the tale and drawing the readers
further and further in. Well done!
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
So I am not sure what I expected when I selected this book but the book blurb was interesting and sounded like a read I would enjoy. The book cover was intriguing too. I read this book and needed to digest it for a bit. I believe I went through a whole box of Kleenex! This book will knock your socks off. I cannot stress how good of a read it was and how badly you should pick it up and read it. I was captivated by listening to Emma read aloud to her ailing grandmother, Amelia, her own words from her diary. To learn of not only the life and the things she went through, her thoughts but also her feelings at the time make for a profound story. There is also a secret love that Amelia had and the family had no idea about him. This book has truly kept a piece of my heart and will definitely be on my read again shelf.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Her life changed when they came for her family and locked in a dark carriage. She was being taken to a camp where the men where taken away. She has survived the biodiversity the help of a guard. The granddaughter inspections her book and now her grandmother wants her to find the guard. Will she find him before her grandmother dies? See if they will
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Some information from the author regarding this book. First off, this is a fictitious novel but it is made up of non-fictitious details of the Holocaust. It can be incredibly graphic to some so if you are sensitive to violence this may not be a book for you. The author is a descendant of two Holocaust survivors from whom she has had the privilege of learning the facts of the Holocaust, her history and heritage. She has done hours of research to keep historical facts accurately laced in with this story.
This is the first book of this kind that I’ve read. The love between the prisoner and a guard grabbed my attention, a love that was forbidden. This is a powerful story of love, survival and finding strength to move on. This book may break your heart, give you tears flowing down your face and make you feel the love of the characters all at once. It’s told from 2 POV’s, granddaughter and grandmother, alternating between the Holocaust past and present day. One of the best books I’ve read!!!
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I really enjoyed this story that switches seamlessly from past to present. It had everything: romance, history, and mystery. The story was well told and the characters came across as authentic.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Last Words: Surviving the Holocaust – This is my first read by this author and I find this story is amazing. I’ve many stories by the survivors of the Holocaust and this is one of the best. Well written but full of emotions and experiences that rip the heart out of a decent person.
While the book isn’t as graphic about the horrors of Theresienstadt, there is plenty of the reader to grasp what everyone was going through in that terrible period of time. The four main characters are so loving, so decent, that what happened in the past wastes 75 years of a perfect love.
Ms. Ryan has a gift for telling a story full of horror and pain, and yet, lets the light of love shining brightly through the decades. I found this book on Booksprout. 5*
Wow! If you’re looking for something different in your romance reading, look no more. A modern day romance with a kind cardiologist whose heart is as big as his hospital, coupled with a World War I romance during harrowing times, Ryan weaves the stories of past and present together beautifully in a unique, poignant tale with incredible, timeless messages.
The first is that in remembering history, we honor those who suffered unspeakable circumstances and gave their descendants the chance to have a happy, healthy, fulfilled life. Its also a reminder not to pass quick judgements. We never know what secrets a person has in her past that have made her into the person she is today, and the vast majority of people are simply doing the best they can with what they’ve been given.
This book will give you a new appreciation for the significance of the past, and its impact will remain with you long after the last page. It’s an exceptional piece of work and an excellent novel for readers of any kind.
*I reviewed an advance copy of this book freely and voluntarily, having made no commitment to provide a review and receiving no compensation of any kind from any source for this review.
Last Words is beyond a must read. What Shari Ryan has written so damn beautifully is a story of courage and perseverance that has truly seared my soul. I knew going in that it would be a tense read but she masterfully took a subject matter, one that is still so tender in the minds of so many (and quite frankly, should be), and gave it the most touching of voices. I sobbed like a baby more than once but felt incredibly complete as the book neared its end.
With two burgeoning romances told side by side, alternating past and present, Emma Hill finds herself caught off guard as she finds out the secret life her beloved Grams has held inside of her for the past 70+ years. Amelia as the survivor of the Holocaust has quite the tale to tell and as Emma digs deeper into the well-worn diary, she finds her own life gaining new meaning as well. The very witty and thoughtful Jackson Beck becomes a life-line to both Amelia and Emma and not just because he is a renowned cardiologist. His bedside manner not only keeps Amelia strong despite her failing health but recharges Emma’s heart like nothing she’s ever felt before.
This book portrays past and present seamlessly with each woman’s story of love reflective of the will each has within them. Amelia’s journey is full of heartache and sadness and utter horror. But her Charlie as the imperfect white knight who is desperate to make sure she lives a life away from the evil of WWII, is Amelia’s strength when she is so weak from all the suffering she endures.
The author doesn’t hold back and we are witness to some of the savagery that way too many had to deal with during their time in the labor camps. I was aghast at info that I never even knew about and I grew up with many friends whose grandparents had survived these atrocities and was well aware, or so I thought, of the suffering that had occurred. But the author is respectful and diligent in her presentation and her own family history clearly helped with making this book so powerful.
There is hope despite all the darkness that surrounded Amelia in her early life as a prisoner of war. She has a wicked sense of humor and her daughters Annie and Clara along with her sweetheart Emma have given her everything to live for. I loved that she could find the joy after all the heartache she had to experience. And with a wonderful ending that I am so grateful for, it seems that Amelia as well as Emma could find their happy in the most unexpected ways.
This is an incredibly heartfelt book. It is not all doom and gloom and the love that is apparent with every turn of the page whether between Amelia and Charlie, Emma and Jackson or Grams’s family is a very pleasurable adventure. The kind of story I could read about forever. It’s that good.
Don’t hesitate like I did and let this book sit on you ereader any longer. Last Words deserves all the stars and more. A must read of epic proportions giving us yet another insight into an event we must make sure doesn’t happen again.
Never forget.
5 BEAUTIFUL LAST WORDS STARS!! Wow, just wow!! This book is a love story like no other I have ever read. Shari J. Ryan has written the most beautiful words on every page of this book. This is a forbidden love story that will pull on your heartstrings and hit every emotion buttons you have. Any true romance reader will definitely want to read this book. I voluntarily reviewed an advance reader copy of this book.
This tale of forbidden love captured my heart and wouldn’t let go from the very beginning. It is a powerful and moving story of those that are prisoners to their circumstances and fighting for survival. It’s about finding the strength to step out of your comfort zone to reach for love and life. It is about the life of a dying woman and her desire to help not only herself but her granddaughter as well. I didn’t know what to expect going into this book but it is a poignant journey that is so gripping, heartbreaking, but also hopeful and healing. It sinuously moved from past to present, weaving a tale that kept me engaged and my heart racing. The emotions it made me feel, from laughter to loss, horror to joy, and everything in between is the reason I love to read. I wish I could read it for the first time all over again, I loved it that much. This is a must read, it will touch your soul and make you believe, if you never give up, love always wins.
Last Words, where Non-Fiction meets Fiction, and the lines in between are blurred by forbidden love.
Wow! Just Stunning! Deserves more stars than available! One of the best books ever written about the Holocaust.
A contemporary romance novel which has a dual plot which transitions between Amelia’s life written in diary format which follows her captivity in 1942 within the confines of a nazi prison camp during the Holocaust, to the current day of her granddaughter Emma’s life.
The writing style is captivating. Told in dual first person POV which accentuates the narrative. A flawlessly written narrative that is purely poignant. A brilliant, unforgettable story that touched my heart, mind and soul. A masterpiece that is unrivaled.
No words can express how deeply I was touched by this story. I was totally invested in this novel and shed many tears.
One of the best books I ever read & will read. A unforgettable story that will leave you winded and in tears.
A must read novel for everyone.
I cannot wait until The Other Blue Sky which is Annie’s story is released.
Inspiring, powerful, beautiful, emotional read. This book was utterly amazing!!
Just finished reading Last Words and cannot quite put my thoughts into words. I couldn’t put the book down. Again I am blown away with Shari Ryan’s talent at captivating her readers attention. I had to keep reading to see not only how Emma’s story would play out but how Amelia’s life unfolded. Two stories intertwined and the reality of it being based on actual events of the past. Such a wonderful read. I cannot explain it to those who haven’t read it. Just do yourself a favor and read this book.
I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review for Stephanie’s Book Reports.
Last Words is probably going to be a very different book than anything you have read in a good long while. Last Words if told though the journals of Emma’s grandmother who lived thought the Holocaust and has hidden this journal from her entire family until she is convinced she is dying and can’t be saved. In the hospital, very confused and surrounded by her family she keeps asking for Charlie but no one knows who Charlie is. Emma is tasked with finding her grandmother and reading her journal to her. Though the reading of this journal to Amelia Emma learns things she never ever knew about her grandmother. Her grandmother never told her family any of the things that she had gone through nor that she had been in love with a Nazi soldier named Charlie. Hence Emma along with her grandmother and her doctor Jackson Beck discover a world that is so earth shattering that it changes their lives and loves forever.
Last Words is not just a book. It is a journey that will, and I promise it will, change your heart in ways you will never expect. I have read every single book that Shari Ryan has ever written and loved them. This however is her best book to date. Last Words is so different from anything else she has ever written and I have to say it is probably my favorite read of 2017. There is no way you will read Last Words and come out on the other side the same way that you went in. I could read this book a million times and I’m sure discover something new every time I open it. You will probably want a kleenex nearby at times and I had to lay it down and take a break several times it got so intense. Don’t you dare not go back to it though or you will be missing out on something amazing. Something you have never experienced before and I will warn you the After Word will leave you with big fat tears sliding down your face.
This story is everything. Seriously one of my favorite books that everyone should read!