Every time I read one of Shari J. Ryan's incredible WWII fiction books, I am emotionally wrung out and yet filled with hope for humanity.

When Ella and her Jewish love, Luka, are separated in Warsaw, they vow to never give up fighting for each other but are tested to the absolute limit when they discover each other incarcerated in Auschwitz a few years later. Luka's singing was what initially drew Ella to him and serves as a way for her to know he is still alive, listening for his voice as he is forced to sing while he watches his fellow Jews being led to their death.

I find it abhorrent that humans could, and still can be, as barbaric and cruel to others as happened within the Auschwitz camps. Shari captures the hope and love amongst the cruelty and her wonderful and inspirational characters are superbly well written with raw emotion oozing from every page. Ella and Luka's journey is something that will stay with me for a long time.

5 ⭐️ Thanks to Netgalley, Shari J. Ryan and Bookouture, for an ARC in return for an honest review.

Ella is a young Polish girl living in war torn Warsaw. When she hears Jewish Luka singing in the city, she falls in love. The young couple battle against the rule of the Nazi Party, but when both are sent to Auschwitz, can they survive and be together?

A very emotional book, but full of hope. Shari J Ryan is a must read author for me, she writes beautifully, with her stories being full of heartbreak, amazing descriptions and wonderful characters. This book is no exception, I loved both main characters and their strength.

Thank you for the publisher bookouture and NetGalley for sending me the ARC of this novel. Surprisingly, I have not read any books by this author. I love WW2 fiction! I enjoyed this book, but I can't say that I loved it. It was a little slow. Perhaps I need to take a break from this genre for a while. I will definitely look for more books by this author...just not right away.

Where do I start …. This story was brutal and horrifying but I saw brief periods of love, hope and dreams. I loved this book I was totally captivated. This is exactly how I imagine a concentration camp in WW2 to be. Life was impossibly hard yet these strong and resilient people refused to give up whilst living in bloody awful conditions with barely enough food to sustain life. This book was so well written, I went through so many emotions whilst reading this story it was like I was on a rollercoaster. I felt wrung out by the end. Highly recommend, if I could give this more than 5 stars I would!

“You might not assume so, but there are several opportunities for Nazi chosen musicians here. However, you won’t find any to be gratifying, I’m afraid.”

The author masterfully weaves personal love, historical tragedy, and the unspeakable horrors of war into prose that feels both intimate and universal. This book wrecked me. Tension from the first page, heartbreak by the middle. A story of love, war, and unbearable loss that feels painfully real. I wasn’t ready for this one. The tension. The heartbreak. The history. Absolutely stunning. #FiveStarRead #TheSingerBehindtheWire #NetGalley