[NetGalley ARC Copy}
Set in the 1940s, this book visits a less explored chapter of WWII history by centering the story on the experiences of both the Jewish refugees and the Chinese residents of Shanghai during the Japanese occupation of the port city. The heart of the book is the love story between Ernest Riesman, a penniless German Jew pianist seeking asylum in Shanghai, and Aiyi Shao, a Chinese Heiress, and entrepreneur who experiences several reversals of fortune due to the ever-changing political and economic climate of the time.

What was frustrating about this novel is that it is tonally inconsistent. While the love story is stereotypical of many historical romances (with plot conveniences and grand gestures of love) it still would have been a decent romp had it not been for its inability to mesh well with the dark subject matter. The main plot often clashed with the historical setting of the novel which grapples with the very real and very devastating realities of the oppression faced by Jews, women & other minorities. In my opinion, it would have been a far superior read if more focus was placed on unearthing the nuances of racism, subjugation, sexism, economic disparity, culture. The care the author paid to flush out the experiences of a diverse host of characters is the true strength of this novel, unfortunately, that got lost in the pursuit of an overly contrived attempt at an epic love saga.

Though I am intrigued to see what Randel puts out next.

The Last Rose of Shanghai
By: Weina Dai Randel

The Last Rose of Shanghai was everything I hoped it would be and more. I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley, and had only briefly skimmed the summary prior to picking it up.

I’m a huge fan of WW2-era historical fiction with strong female protagonists. This book was exactly that. While I’ve read much about the western front of the war (Europe), I had no exposure as to how it impacted refugees who fled to the east, or the places and people who lived further east than Eastern Europe. I also had no idea that German Jews were able to find refuge in Shanghai and across other eastern ports.

This story tells a love story that spans nearly forty years. It begins in the war, and has a satisfying ending. Despite the extreme hardships that the characters face—together and separately—love lives on. The detail in this book about wartime in Shanghai was incredible. Horrifying, enlightening, sickening, and unbelievably real. The characters were well developed, and their relationships were just as complicated and messy as relationships are in real life.

This was the first novel I’ve read by Weina Dai Randel, and it definitely won’t be the last. She writes with the same detail and passion for the story she’s telling as Martha Hall Kelly, Rachel Kadish, and Kristin Harmel. Highly recommend.

“There is a kind of love that strikes like a thunderbolt; it blinds you, yet opens your eyes to see the world anew.”

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

This is the tale of two strangers who meet in mid-war Shanghai in 1940. It seems like a common romance tale from the fact these two strangers keep meeting, and eventually become lovers, but this book is so much more than that.

Romance, heartbreak, death, loss of many kinds and long-lost relatives finding each other all play a part in this magnificent read! It was a book that I just couldn’t put down, right from the start. The wave of emotions this book will make you feel is impressive, I genuinely felt real concern for characters at some points! Ernest was definitely my favourite character, he would have done anything for his family and was so loveable!

I really recommend this book for if you’re looking for something new. Something with a little bit of history, romance, and soul-searching all wrapped up in one magnificent work of fiction!

Thank you to Lake Union Publishing, Weina Dai Randel and NetGalley for providing me with a copy!

Pub date: AVAILABLE NOW!!

Review also available on Instagram now!

The Last Rose of Shanghai looks at the Japanese occupation during WWII. I loved the first third part of the story and its dual timeline shifting between the 1940s and 1980. The writing, though uneven at times, the cast of characters, the setting and the storyline were gripping, eventful and fast-paced.

Then the book felt a little flat to me. A great majority of the story told the reader what happened rather than showing, making it a little dull and unvaried. I could not find myself immersed in the story as I wished I could. The characters and their relationships with one another were also off-putting. Both Aiyi and her family, coming from a wealthy background, and Ernest and his sister, Jewish refugees, constantly made selfish and poor decisions. The way the characters came back and forth in their decisions felt unnatural and frustrating.

Additionally, there were a lot of pure luck scenarios or coincidences happening throughout the book, which felt less credible and authentic, and a lot of repetition when it came to the characters' descriptions and main qualities. Lastly, the ending came extremely abruptly, with its 1980 premise being unfortunately not particularly believable.

The Last Rose of Shanghai left me pleased to gain knowledge of the events that shaped Shanghai in the 1940s. I only wished the book focused less on the romance between the two main characters and more on the Shanghai developments and life changes lived by the locals, the Jewish immigrants, and the American, British and Australian allies.

This was a great book to further learn about the Eastern part of WWII. I had no idea that Jews fled to China. I knew China was occupied by the Japanese, but you rarely see historical fictions about that and in that way this was a great book. However, I didn't really connect with the characters. I felt Aiyi was very unlikable and wishy-washy beyond being a confused woman in love. I felt there was too much going on in the first two thirds. Some which I felt distracted from the overall storyline. Avoiding spoilers, some of the decisions Aiyi made, didn't feel "right". Like the Aiyi that we had come to know would have made a different decision. The ending then feels like the author got to the end and was like oh no, my word count is almost up and just rushed the ending. If you're looking to learn more about what it was like living in Occupied China during WWII, I would definitely recommend this. If you're looking for a great love story, I wouldn't get your hopes up.

Thank you to NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing for providing me with with an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

DNF. I don’t have many specific critiques, but I realized pretty quickly that this book wasn’t for me.

First of all, I want to praise the setting of this book. There’s no shortage of WW2 historical fiction out there, and after a while even many of the more unique settings start to feel overdone. Setting this story in Shanghai was such a nice change of pace for me, and the author paints a beautiful and gritty image of the city from the very beginning. It is clear too that the author did her research, and I really commend the author for the overall set-up of this book.

The reason I dnf’ed despite this comes down to the pacing, the plot, and the writing style. While the characters were all interesting and appeared to be pretty fleshed out, everything happens so quickly and so dramatically. The two MCs meet in the first few pages, before anything about them is really set up, and by 10% they’re all but gone for each other. I do understand the appeal of stories paced like this, and how effective dramatics can be, it’s just not my personal taste. Beyond that, the writing style didn’t flow particularly well, and up front at least there was far too much telling without any showing.

This book is beautifully written and is about an aspet of World War Two that is lesser known, well to me anyway. I loved the historical aspects, I loved the romance aspects and I loved the setting. I took the characters to my heart and I will think about this book for a long time to come. I really enjoyed it.

Good historical fiction set in a new (to me) setting - Shanghai during the Japanese occupation in WWII. Very interesting look at the Japanese treatment of both the Chinese and the European Jewish refugees living in Shanghai of which I knew, unfortunately, nothing. The story follows Aiyi, a young wealthy Chinese woman and her family as she navigates living in occupied Shanghai and becomes involved with Ernest, a young German Jewish refugee. They both deal with survival in different and challenging circumstances, confronting class and societal prejudices and expectations, and personal loss. The author’s writing was very descriptive and I could vividly see the world she created.

I enjoyed this debut novel and thought it was a welcome addition to the WWII genre. I did, however, find the pacing to be somewhat uneven, particularly in the middle, and perhaps the novel could have been a bit shorter. That being said, this was a lovely story to read!

Thanks to Lake Union Publishing and @netgalley for a copy of this novel which released on December 1.

I read about 30% of this book but could go no further. The story and characters seem to have come from "central casting." For the most part, the story is predictable - especially to anyone with the least bit of familiarity with the history of Shanghai - and the characters lack real depth. I am sure that there are readers who will lap up the romance and melodrama. I'm afraid I'm not among them.

I got about 15% into this book before realizing this was a little too romance driven for me with a lot of over the top dramatics. I loved the idea of Shanghai in the 1930's but didn't quite connect as I had hoped.

A compelling historical fiction with a strong female character: twists and turns, very highs and extremely lows in life. Beautiful descriptions, great character development and a captivating story.

We tend to think that those Jews who had managed to get away from Germany before or at the very beginning of WWII could easily start a new life at the other end of the globe. The ability and resilience to start over, again and again, is one of the most useful of all human qualities, and a mindset essential for survival.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing for this Advance Review Copy.

WHY DID I FIND OUT ABOUT THIS BOOK SO LATE?!
This is such an amazing and beautiful book, I love the pace, the writing, the characters, I honestly just love this book and the had me hooked from the very first line! Aiyi and Ernest are amazing! Aiyi is my spirit animal because of how she just owns everything you know, she is a bada**
Their love, the tragedy and how this whole story comes together honestly has my heart and I'm gonna think about this book quite often.

Pacing 5/5
Characters 5/5
Writing 5/5
Romance 5/5

"I'm sixty years old, an entrepreneur, a philanthropist, and a troubled woman."

That's the first line. I cannot express how beautiful this book is without telling you the first line. Look me in the eye and tell me you are not intrigued just by that first sentence.

"There is a kind of love that strikes like a thunderbolt; it blinds you, yet opens your eyes to see the world anew. Within its light, a pathway is illuminated."

The Last Rose of Shanghai tells a beautiful story of love at first sight between Aiyi and Ernest. Despite the complex social context between the two, Aiyi being Chinese and Ernest being Jewish, they find love through music - definitely recommend this book to music lovers who wish to be able to describe their love for music into words. Aiyi is the definition of a GIRLBOSS. She is an heiress fighting her Chinese traditional family norms by owning a nightclub that plays jazz for people to dance to all night. Ernest is a refugee escaping Nazi Germany struggling to find a job that support him and his little sister. This overly well-researched story reveals a forbidden romance in a time of war and poverty.

It's hard for me to describe the impact this book made on me without copy and pasting the entire book into this review and asking you to read it. When I first saw that the author also wrote Moon in the Palace (another favorite) I had to drop everything to read it immediately. This book is a big representation of how small acts of love can have a big impact. I am still swooning from the intimacy of Ernest learning how to pronounce Aiyi's name correctly while playing the piano for her to the spicy scenes where they make love.

"It was unconscionable, and potentially serious consequences awaited me. But who would say it was wrong to indulge in song from your heart during the winter days of your life?"

Of course all love stories come with a tragedy. It is set up from the beginning that not all happiness lasts. Shanghai is crumbling from war and being overtaken. How can one find happiness in its rubble? Reading the two's love story and waiting for the 'drop' was an exhilarating drive. I couldn't put down the book and had to know what happened next. Will they be happy? Seems impossible. But their love is so passionate that it makes you want to squeeze the book, cry, and wish for happiness to come. And let me tell you I did cry at the end from all different kinds of tragedy that Weina Dai Randel taught me. I cannot stress enough how important this book is and the impact it will make in your life, especially if you are of Asian descent and don't get to read many stories of your people. I definitely recommend this book and hope to buy it for my cousin for Christmas :)

Warn regards,

Diana Banana

WII Historical fiction is a genre I read often as I find it fascinating and tend to learn something new. With The Last Rose of Shanghai, I learned quite a bit about Jewish refugees in Japanese-occupied Shanghai and how horribly the Japanese treated not only the refugees but also the Chinese. The author must have done an incredible amount of research for this book. It is filled with vivid descriptions of life in the streets, in jazz clubs and fancy hotels, and of the personal lives and customs of the wealthy in war-time Shanghai. The story is told by Aiyi Shao in 1980 to a documentarian she has hired to tell her story as well as the story of Ernest Reismann, a German Jewish refugee she met and fell in love with in 1940 Shanghai. I loved the way the flashbacks were written with the POV’s of Aiyi and Ernest, then it would go back to 1980 with Aiyi and the documentarian. This story is riveting. It is one filled with sadness, heartbreak, regrets, forgiveness, and so much love. I cannot tell you how surprised I was at the twist at the end. Wow! I did not see that coming. This book is amazing and so very well written. It is going on my Favorites 2021 book list. I highly recommend it.

I received a review copy of this book via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

Absolutely loved this book. Finished it in less than a day. I couldn't put it down. It was such a beautiful story and as a fan of historical fiction, especially pertaining to WWII, it truly held my interest. The author integrated a lot of information into the story such as the various cultures, the treatment of women, foreigners, refugees, music, the war and how China, and it's people were impacted. I cannot recommend this book enough!

Young, wealthy, Chinese businesswoman, Aiyi Shao is engaged to marry her cousin when she meets young, refugee pianist Ernest Reismann in Japanese-occupied Shanghai at a local hotel bar. He plays jazz piano for her and she hires him to play at her nightclub to revive her floundering business. Her nightclub begins to flourish and along with it, love between completely opposite Aiyi and Ernest. Family loyalty and war tear them apart, although they both kept trying to unite each time.

The Last Rose of Shanghai is a captivating historical romance filled with sadness and joy. Written as a story told by Aiyi to a young documentarian she hires to share her story, the flashbacks are deeply moving and emotional. I was completely unprepared for the jaw dropping twist at the end of the novel. I highly recommend this fantastic book.

The Historical Novels Review, November 2021.

As borders around the world close to Jews fleeing Nazi Germany, Shanghai becomes their destination. But now the Japanese are occupying Shanghai, and Jewish refugees are housed in a ghetto under appalling conditions. This is the wartime love story of Aiyi Shao and Ernest Reismann. As an older woman in 1980, Aiyi wants a documentarian to tell Ernest’s story and to right a wrong she’s done to him. The mystery remains throughout as to why his story and what the wrong was. Moving back to 1940, Aiyi’s and Ernest’s stories are told in alternating chapters.

Aiyi is a young Chinese woman from a prominent family who has arranged her upcoming marriage to Cheng, a controlling man with traditional values. She defies Chinese customs by owning her own jazz club, One Hundred Joys Nightclub. With Cheng’s opposition and a wartime economy, Aiyi struggles to keep her club from failing. Ernest, a pianist, and his young sister arrive in Shanghai from Berlin, destitute and hungry. With so much antagonism against the refugees, no one will hire a foreigner, let alone a Jew. After Ernest gives Aiyi an audition playing her favorite song, “The Last Rose of Shanghai,” she takes a chance in hiring him, hoping her patrons will overlook who he is and allow his piano to enthrall and entertain. Ernest, after suffering under Nazis in Germany, is subjected to brutality from the club’s patrons, a jealous Cheng, and cruel Japanese soldiers. Ernest and Aiyi find solace and happiness together, but that changes when they are separated after Germany persuades the Japanese to take action against the Jews.

The author has created resilient characters to love and admire along with a compelling story. Readers gain a new perspective of WWII from this narrative of the Japanese occupation in Shanghai. Weina Dai Randel’s novel deserves a place of distinction among WWII fiction.

The details and descriptions in this book are incredible. A lot of effort and research was put into the telling of this tale that takes place in WWII Shanghai. A departure from the oft written about European tour of the war, this story takes you through Japan’s occupation of China through the viewpoints of a Shanghai native and a German Jewish refugee.

The way the scenes are depicted really paint a picture in your mind. The sights and smells and sounds put you right there in the middle of the book. I did find the beginning a bit long. It took a while to get to the meat of the book, but when it did, it really took off.

I was asked to read this book for an honest review. I would absolutely recommend this book to anyone who enjoys historical fiction.

I read lots of World War II books but most of them are about the war in Europe and the reprehensible actions of the German troops. This book is about life in Shangri during the Japanese invasion. It gave a unique look at how badly the Japanese soldiers treated people during the occupation of China. It's a dual time line book taking place in the 1940s and 1980. The timeline during the war is told by Aiyi and Ernest and the 1960s timeline is told by told by Aiyi Shao .

Aiyi is a 20 year old heiress who is fighting against the wishes of her parents and brothers by owning a jazz club in Shangri. Her family has already picked out a husband for her but she has no intention of getting married and giving up her life and her job even though it was very much against the customs in Shangri where the major goal for women was getting married and having babies. In January of 1940, her club is running out of liquor and she is losing business. She meets Ernest when he helps her escape from some thugs who wanted to punish her for her race. Ernest is a German Jew who has come to Shangri with his younger sister to avoid the persecution of Jewish people in Germany. He used the last of his money to buy tickets on the ship and is hoping that their parents will be arriving soon from Germany. As soon as he gets off the boat, he starts looking for a job because gets turned down everywhere because he's a refugee. He eventually finds work as a piano player at Aiya's club and his talent makes it one of the famous clubs in town.. When she hires him, she is defying customs - there was much prejudice between the Chinese and the white people in the city. The more time they spend together - the more their feelings for each other grow. As the war escalates, they find themselves torn apart and the decisions they need to make will affect both of them for the rest of their lives. Will their love be strong enough to help them overcome the prejudice in Shangri and the war that is becoming part of their everyday lives?

This was a beautifully written novel and it was apparent that the author did significant research. The two main characters were so well written that I felt their pain during the war and their happiness at being together. I learned a lot about the war in China and the treatment of the Chinese by the Japanese soldiers. This is a beautiful story about the pain and sorrow of the war but the overall feeling is one of love and redemption.

I RECEIVED AN ADVANCE COPY OF THIS BOOK.