Shari J Ryan

OK
About Shari J Ryan
Shari J. Ryan is a USA Today Bestselling Author of Women’s Fiction, WWII Fiction, and 20th Century Historical Fiction with a focus on the Holocaust and Pearl Harbor.
Shortly after graduation from Johnson & Wales with a bachelor’s degree in marketing, Shari began her career as a graphic artist and freelance writer. She then found her passion for writing books in 2012 after her second son was born. Shari has been slaying words ever since.
Shari has hit the USA Today Bestseller List, the Amazon's Top 100, Barnes & Noble's Top Ten, and iBooks at number one. She has also received two Rone awards.
Some of Shari’s bestselling books include: The Bookseller of Dachau, The Doctor's Daughter, The Girl with the Diary, Prison Child, The Soldier's Letters, and The Lieutenant's Girl.
Shari, a lifelong Boston girl, is happily married to her personal hero and US Marine and have two wonderful little boys. For more details about her books, visit: www.sharijryan.com
___________________________________
Shari J. Ryan's VIP READER GROUP
https://www.facebook.com/groups/ShariJRyanVIPReaderGroup
- Newsletter Sign-Up - https://www.sharijryan.com/subscribe
- Instagram: https:/www.instagram.com/authorsharijryan
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/authorsharijryan
___________________________________
RECENT BOOKS BY SHARI
*The Maid's Secret (WWII Holocaust)*
*The Doctor's Daughter (WWII Holocaust)*
*The Bookseller of Dachau (WWII Holocaust)*
*The Lieutenant's Girl (WWII)*
*The Girl With the Diary - The Last Words Series, Book 1 (WWII Holocaust)*
*The Prison Child - The Last Words Series, Book 2 (WWII Holocaust)*
*The Solider's Letters - The Last Words Series, Book 3 (WWII Holocaust)*
*The Barrel House Series (Contemporary Romance)*
*The Heart Series (Contemporary Romance)*
*Fall to Pieces (Contemporary Romance)*
*Shattered Stars (Contemporary Romance)*
Customers Also Bought Items By
Author Updates
Books By Shari J Ryan
Germany, 1940: “Can’t I say goodbye?” I cry, cupping my hands over my mouth, my heart pummeling my chest. Tears cloud my eyes as the Nazis who are dragging away my beloved Hans stare at me, soldiers with icy glares. No. No, no, no, they can’t make him leave.
As the heartless Nazis smash down doors and tear innocent people mercilessly from their loved ones, Matilda’s childhood sweetheart, Hans, is in danger. She doesn’t hesitate to protect him, hiding him in her attic. For months, they exist by candlelight, smuggling food and communicating in whispers. But, in the end, nothing can stop the soldiers charging in…
America, 2018: Grace opens a mustard-yellow envelope, and her world unravels. She has inherited a bookstore in the small town of Dachau from the grandmother she had no idea existed. Her mom, adopted as a baby, spent her life searching for her biological parents––and died without ever knowing.
Grace visits her legacy––a bookshop on a cobbled lane filled with lost memories. She combs through handwritten letters, unearthing the story of her grandmother Matilda. A woman whose one true love was locked within the barbed wire of Dachau––a woman who never gave up hope…
As Grace pieces together her grandmother’s heartbreaking past, she discovers a shocking betrayal that shattered her family beyond repair. When Grace learns the long-buried secret of her own identity, will she ever be the same again?
This heart-wrenching yet hopeful tale will restore your faith in humanity, and in the power of love to triumph over evil. Fans of The Tattooist of Auschwitz, Orphan Train and Kristin Hannah will be blown away by this gripping page-turner.
Readers love The Bookseller of Dachau:
“I couldn’t put it down, even when I thought my heart would burst out of my chest and I had tears pouring down my face.” Goodreads reviewer, ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
“Pass me the tissues, wow. I devoured this book in one sitting… I loved everything about this… Absolutely fantastic.” Goodreads reviewer, ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
“Such a powerful and poignant story. One minute I was laughing, as the book brought me much joy, and the next minute, I was on the brink of tears. You definitely need to have tissues ready!… I loved this.” Goodreads reviewer, ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
“I read it in literally a few hours. I couldn't put it down and when I did, it was due to having to do something of necessity like eating or washing up… There were so many turns and twists that I just wanted to know what happened next as soon as possible.” Goodreads reviewer, ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
“Stop whatever you’re doing right now and order this book. This five-star historical fiction will claim a spot as one of the best books I’ve ever read. EVER… Phenomenal.
The worn leather-bound diary, tied with a red ribbon, has hidden the truth for seventy years. The spine crackles as she opens it, reading the long-forgotten words of her grandmother. “What if you never come back? What if you die trying?”
Nazi-occupied Prague, 1942: Amelia is hiding in her closet when flashlights blind her and she’s captured by the SS. Out on the cobblestone street, her heart shatters as her mother is shot before her eyes. She is shoved onto a freight train with hundreds of others—hours pass as they travel in darkness.
Arriving in a concentration camp, Amelia fears for her life when she is led to a block by a soldier. He is her enemy, yet he secretly passes her a piece of bread; an act that saves her.
They are meant to despise one another, but Amelia and Charlie are powerfully drawn to each other. Amelia sees how Charlie risks everything to save prisoners from deportation—and she sees the kindness in his eyes.
Amongst so much tragedy, falling in love is a miracle. Yet, one day, Charlie utters those miraculous words. “I’m in love with you. To everyone else, we’re wrong, but what does that matter when nothing in this world is right?”
But under the all-seeing gaze of the guards and endless watchtowers, there is only so long they can keep their secret—and the very act of loving each other endangers their lives. Will they remain loyal to each other in the face of death? And when they finally say goodbye, will it be by choice or by force?
Fans of The Tattooist of Auschwitz and Orphan Train will be totally swept away by this World War Two heartbreaker which shows that, even in hell, love can bloom.
This book was previously published as Last Words.
Readers love The Girl with the Diary:
“Wow, just wow!… Amazing, it truly was an emotional, powerful, heart-wrenching but beautiful read… I was left speechless… If you only read one book this year, please make it this one, you won’t be disappointed. I ugly cried. I wish I could give it more than 5*.” Goodreads reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
“Begs to be read in one sitting… I had tears running down my face… Heart-stopping… Gut-wrenching.” NetGalley reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
“Oh my gosh I literally was up all night reading this novel. It was so worth the lack of sleep… I laughed, cried and ultimately at the end I had tears of joy running down my face.” Goodreads reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
“I’m still at a loss for words. THIS BOOK IS AMAZING!” Goodreads reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
“I’m not going to lie, I cried like a baby… But I just could not put this book down...
Czechoslovakia, 1940: “We will always have our memories,” he says, as the soldiers pull him away. “You will survive this. You are braver than you know. Remember that, always.” This heartbreaking World War Two page-turner shows that love is more powerful than hatred, bravery can overcome evil, and hope is stronger than darkness.
In the middle of the night, while I am curled in Ben’s arms, there is a harsh knock on the door. My blood turns to ice. The love of my life is Jewish, and I am a Romany maid; every second that we exist in Hitler’s Europe, we are in danger. Every day, we have been huddling around a crackling radio, listening for news of this evil war. Every night, we have feared we won’t live till dawn.
The banging continues, and we leap out of bed. I can hardly breathe as I open the door, seeing Nazis standing before us. My heart cracks as the soldiers grab Ben. I’m powerless to stop them from shoving him into a wagon, bound for the place of no return.
The love of my life is now imprisoned in wire with thousands of other innocent inmates. For every moment he is trapped behind the gates of hell, he gets closer to death—surviving on scraps of food, and forced to work in gruelling conditions.
The soldiers haven’t arrested me yet, but it’s only a matter of time. I vow to stay alive for Ben, not to give up hope. I’ll stop at nothing to escape the enemy as they hunt me down.
With our fate in the hands of monsters, will we ever see each other again? And will our love for one another save us—or kill us?
Fans of The Tattooist of Auschwitz and The Book of Lost Names will be utterly glued to this heart-wrenching and utterly gripping World War Two novel which shows that, if you have love, you can survive anything…
See what readers are saying about The Maid’s Secret:
“Grabs you from the very beginning to the end… I was glued to this heartbreaking story. Ryan brings each character to life and I felt engrossed as their lives were torn apart. It is beautifully written, powerful, and emotional. Highly recommend!!” Goodreads reviewer, ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
“It blew me away. It is so emotional, you can feel the love, the uncertainty, the fear and forgiveness… I’m a little bit speechless, it’s so hard to sum up a book that touches your soul, and makes you feel honest and raw emotions. I cannot recommend The Maid’s Secret enough.” Emiie Avid Reader, ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
“Has blown me away… I loved it,
In Nazi-occupied Poland, Sofia cannot look her father in the eye. Sofia’s mother, her papa’s cherished wife, is Jewish—how dare he work as a doctor for the SS? She cannot forgive him, even if the bargain was made to spare their lives.
In the middle of the night, Isaac emerges from a packed train with hundreds of others. Beneath Auschwitz’s barbed wire, soldiers surround them, and gunshots pierce the dark sky. The SS decide prisoners’ fates on the spot—and Isaac is chosen to work, rather than to die.
Every day, Isaac and his fellow inmates are sent to a nearby farm. From sunup to sundown, they toil the land with barely a scrap to eat. Every breath feels like it could be Isaac’s last, so when he sees a beautiful auburn-haired girl peering out of the farmhouse window, it feels like a dream…
Sofia refuses to accept what she is seeing. Disobeying her father and evading the guards, she risks her life to sneak a letter to the green-eyed boy outside. She explains that she has hidden them food, and that she’ll do everything in her power to save them.
This secret exchange sparks an escape that should have been impossible—and a love story that is unforgettable. But is love enough in the face of evil? And when Sofia and Isaac are concealed underground, holding their breath as the Nazis hunt them, will they survive?
Fans of The Tattooist of Auschwitz, The Choice, and Orphan Train will be utterly gripped by this heartbreaking and unputdownable tale. This tear-jerking page-turner shows that even if your freedom has been robbed, and your loved ones torn from you, nobody can steal your hope…
Readers love The Doctor’s Daughter:
“Incredibly heartbreaking… I found myself tearing throughout this book… Heart-shattering… Had me crying.” NetGalley reviewer,
“Heart-pounding and heartbreaking… I was literally trapped between the pages… I couldn’t put this book down… Had me on the edge of my seat, with tears streaming down my face… Will stick with me for a very long time. Completely unforgettable… Wow… Just wow!!! Completely unputdownable.”
PageTurners, ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
“Grab tissues. Then grab some more tissues. My heart ached. My heart bled. Tears fell… My heart broke… Had me bawling.’ NetGalley reviewer, ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
“Absolutely amazing… Loved this so so much, wonderfully written. I was laughing, crying, sad, all the emotions. Amazing, amazing.
Nazi-occupied Czechoslovakia, 1943: In Theresienstadt concentration camp, a brown-eyed baby girl is born in darkness, surrounded by barbed wire. The innocent new-born has no hope of surviving—unless, by some kind of miracle, she is able to escape…
In New York, over a decade later, Annie listens to her mother and father’s urgent whispers on her twelfth birthday. “They’re going to find out that she doesn’t belong to us. She’ll be taken away.”
The little girl’s world crumbles. That day, her search for answers begins…
Everything in Annie’s life is a lie. As she grows older, she pieces together the fragments of her past. With a broken heart, she uncovers a story of bravery in the face of evil, hope amongst darkness, and forbidden love—the kind of love that takes immense courage.
Will the secret of who she really is come to light? And can she ever be reunited with her birth family—if they’re even alive?
Fans of The Tattooist of Auschwitz, The Choice, and Orphan Train will be utterly glued to this unforgettable tale. It may break your heart, but it will piece it back together…
This book was previously published as The Other Blue Sky.
Readers love The Prison Child:
“An absolute WOW of a read… It is beautifully written and I was in tears one minute and the next in awe… I absolutely loved it and have already recommended it several of my friends. Worth all the stars.” NetGalley reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
“I absolutely loved it! I read it in less than a day!… The EMOTIONS in this book were so raw and real… Really top notch.” NetGalley reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
“Wow…Wow…Wow! This amazing read made me so thankful to be living the life I have… My heart was in my throat… Don’t miss out on this gem.” Goodreads reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
“Wow, heartbreaking is the best way to describe this book… A truly remarkable story! Loved it.” Goodreads reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
“It really tugs at your emotions, one minute I was breathless with anticipation, the next I had tears running down my face.” NetGalley reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
“Be forewarned: this magical tale needs to be read with a box of Kleenex nearby… An elite star level – one ABOVE the 5-star status!” NetGalley reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
“I absolutely loved this book… I could hardly put it down. An amazing 5-star book, riveting.
Nazi-occupied Prague, 1941: On a foggy winter’s day, a solider called Charlie is ordered to murder an elderly Jewish woman. He refuses, but that doesn’t stop another Nazi shooting her. As the woman’s daughter cries out, “Mama, no, please don’t leave me!” Charlie knows that he is not a killer. He vows to save as many lives as he can.
In Theresienstadt concentration camp, he sees the same sapphire-eyed girl with beautiful auburn hair. Her name is Amelia. He escorts her to Block B and memorizes her prison number. They are meant to be enemies yet, in that instant, he falls in love.
Yet in such hell, love isn’t meant to exist and they are destined to be torn apart. Despite this, Charlie never stops looking for Amelia, writing letters to her and keeping them safe. But what are the chances of her surviving the war? Will the soldier’s letters remain unread forever?
Fans of The Tattooist of Auschwitz, The Choice, and Orphan Train will be absolutely gripped by this heart-wrenching World War Two page-turner––a story of forbidden love, and its power to survive the impossible.
This book was previously published as Unspoken Words.
Readers love The Soldier’s Letters:
“5 ++++ Stars (ALL THE STARS!!) Incredible! Incredible! What a journey! I really lost myself feeling like I was in World War Two. My heart broke so many times.” Goodreads reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
“This book is simply EVERYTHING... Shari J. Ryan has done it again.” Goodreads reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
“Wow!! This has left me speechless! Such a poignant story.” Goodreads reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
“I cannot begin to convey the emotions I felt when I read this amazing book… Absolutely heart-wrenching and poignant… It is the love story of the century. Amazing!!” Goodreads reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
“I had tears in my eyes… That doesn’t happen to me very often when I read a book. Shari J. Ryan nailed it!” Goodreads reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
“One of the best books I have read this year…and ever! I am not sure I will ever do this book the justice it deserves in this review. I am forever grateful to have read this book!” Goodreads reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
“Will make your soul weep and hold permanent residence in your heart. Definitely in my top five reads of a lifetime. You absolutely do not want to pass up the chance to read this powerful, profound, life-altering book.” Goodreads reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
“This book is captivating, raw, honest, emotional
Pearl Harbor, 1941. Gunpowder fills the air and the earth shatters. As my consciousness fades, I see only the gorgeous blue eyes of my beloved Everett. Will we make it out alive? I gave up everything to help those fighting for all that is good and right. Let me survive. Let me make sure it hasn’t all been for nothing.
War was coming. Elizabeth knew nothing outside of her sheltered life in Honolulu, Hawaii. But she knew she wanted to help. Defying her father’s wishes, she trained to be a nurse and as war began to tear apart everything she’d ever loved, her home was about to become hell on earth.
Elizabeth expected long nights, festering wounds, men too shaken by the war to speak. She didn’t expect to fall in love, but the moment she saw the handsome young pilot with the sparkling blue eyes, everything changed. Now, everything she did wasn’t just for the sake of doing the right thing – it was about fighting for a world where their love had a chance.
But when the bombs rain down, they are forced apart. Elizabeth is sent to Normandy with the Army Nurse Corps while Everett flies life-threatening missions across the world chasing down the enemy. And then Everett’s letters stop coming.
The world is not what Elizabeth thought, and the things she sees will change her. Does Elizabeth have the strength to survive and help others through the most devastating war the world has ever seen? Will she see it to the end, and if she does, will the boy she fell in love with in frangipani-scented sunshine find his way back to her?
An unforgettable and unputdownable World War Two novel about the strength of ordinary people and the power of love in the darkest of times. A stunning, heartbreaking page-turner for fans of The Girls of Pearl Harbor, The Alice Network and The Tattooist of Auschwitz.
Readers love The Lieutenant’s Girl:
“I can barely see now because I spent so much of the book in tears. I cried because my heart hurt. I cried in joy. I cried because I was laughing so hard. It’s also possible that I may be a little dehydrated now that I’m finished reading it. I will not hesitate to go back and read it over and over again… This felt like one part Pearl Harbor, one part Schindler’s List, and all the uniquely Shari J Ryan flair to tie it all together. My book hangover at the end of this one is going to take hours, possibly even days, to recover. Take this as the warning it’s meant to be and keep boxes of tissues handy.” Goodreads reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
“From start to finish, I absolutely loved this book. My only disappointment was when I came to the last page… Someone in Hollywood should snap up the rights to this because it would make a great movie!” Goodreads reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
“Will leave you feeling all the emotions. I was fully immersed in this book––as in I had tears streaming down my cheeks into my face mask while flying at 30,000 feet.
I won’t forget that moment I looked over at Ellie—the paleness of her once rosy cheeks, the blue hue coating her perfect lips—the woman I had been with since we were five years old.
My wife.
My best friend...and the mother to our newborn baby girl.
You promised me we would be together forever, I wanted to tell her.
She gave me her forever, I told myself.
Her forever just ended at twenty-five.
“You need to say your goodbyes...” the doctor said.
How do I say goodbye to the one person in my life I could never say goodbye to? My body is numb, and my heart hurts. Hurts like someone just ripped it out of my chest—which is ironic...
“We are going to remove her heart now, Hunter. It was her wish to donate,” the doctor said.
She never told me this.
She never told me another woman would carry on with her beating heart.
She never told me this woman knew me but wouldn’t let me know her.
She never told me if I should follow her heart, or if I should follow mine.
She knew. She could have told me...
What Readers Are Saying:
"Have you ever read a book that made you feel so much emotion you can feel it all the way to your toes? Those are the best kind of stories, the ones that leave you feeling like your heart know longer belongs to you. The first chapter will tear your heart to pieces. There are many characters you will meet and I can say for myself, I loved them all. They all brought such different levels of love and connection to this beautiful story. [...] So many things I want to say to explain how truly beautiful this story is. But I can't. It's an experience. A journey. A ride. A trip you will want to wear you seat belt for. Must read. This was my first book by this author and I can't wait to read more." - Yvette - booksandbandanas ★★★★★
"Shari Ryan has blown me away. I've loved everything I have ever read of hers but this book, this is her on a whole new level. You can feel while reading how much she has poured her heart and soul into a book she is sharing with the world. Thank you Shari so very much for the beauty that is A Heart Of Time. I will never ever forget the beauty of it all." - Renee -- Stephanie's Book Reports ★★★★★
"I highly recommend this book to anyone looking for a read that is heart-wrenching, beautiful, and eye-opening. It deals with loss and grief but in such a way that the reader doesn't feel as if the story is all about sadness but how life has so many amazing and hopeful moments in it. Please don't be scared to read this story because you will be missing out big time! It's worth the tears and i would read it again! If i could offer some advice though it would be to have a box of tissues handy just in case. If you haven't already One-Clicked A Heart of Time, go do it now and find out the beauty within the pain." - Theory of a Dreamer ★★★★★
Formerly titled: A Heart of Time
While flying home after a phone call that left me heartbroken, a row to myself would have been ideal. Instead, I was unknowingly sitting shoulder to shoulder with a strikingly attractive single dad and ex-Marine. I could have pretended not to notice the man, but there was something familiar about him.
It didn’t take long before I pieced together where I knew him from or why he was back in my life.
With chaos holding me hostage, I wanted to hide but couldn’t avoid Brett Pearson, our old family friend, and my teenage crush, because he kindly offered to help out with my family’s business—The Barrel House.
Handling my father’s distillery would be a distraction from my brutal reality. Except, I never paid close attention to the art of making bourbon, unlike Brett, who was full of bourbon knowledge. He offered to teach me a thing or two, but all I could focus on was the way his lips moved when he spoke to me.
I needed to grieve, and my head was in the wrong place at the wrong time, but my heart was splitting at the seams.
Bourbon was spilled, drinks were shared, but could passion ignite from a dying last wish?
*Bourbon Love Notes is a small-town second-chance angsty romance.
They warned me the first few days of motherhood would be exhausting, but I’m so deliriously happy, I don’t mind one bit.
Smiling, I glance at the baby blue blanket I crocheted. I’ve never knitted a thing in my life, but I was determined to make my new-born his very first blanket—a one-of-a-kind welcome home gift.
I tug the rocker closer to me, unable to resist peeking at my beautiful baby boy.
I pull back the blanket. It feels like my heart flatlines. He’s not here.
Sweat beads on my forehead and my limbs turn to ice.
“Where is he?” I cry, my whole body trembling, the wind knocked out of me. “Where is my baby?”
I don’t understand how he’s not in his crib. I don’t know who could have taken him. I can’t even trust my own husband, who keeps telling me we don’t have a baby.
But I know that he’s real. He has to be. And I will stop at nothing to get him back…
An absolutely gripping psychological thriller that will have your heart racing. Prepare yourself for jaw-dropping, mind-blowing twists! Perfect for fans of addictive page-turners like The Housemaid, The Family Across the Street and The Family Upstairs.
What readers are saying about Shari J. Ryan:
“5 ++++ Stars (ALL THE STARS!!) Incredible! Incredible! What a journey!” Goodreads reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
“THIS BOOK IS AMAZING!!!… I’ve read lots of books by this author and loved them all but this one really stands out for me!… This book… I’m still at a loss for words.” Goodreads reviewer, ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
“This book is simply EVERYTHING… Shari J. Ryan has done it again.” Goodreads reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
“Oh my word… what a story!! I was breathless and on pins from the very first to the very last word… I devoured it.” Goodreads reviewer, ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
“An absolute WOW of a read… I absolutely loved it and have already recommended it to several of my friends. Worth all the stars.” NetGalley reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
“One of the best books I have read this year… and ever! I am not sure I will ever do this book the justice it deserves in this review.” Goodreads reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
That dream ended the day one of them was found dead on the bathroom floor of the home they shared.
August Taylor thought she could manage the weight of the world on her shoulders. While forcing a smile, she hid the secrets of the man she loved and pretended everything was okay...
Until she failed to understand the sickness that consumed the person she devoted herself to. He chose his addiction over her. As August spirals into a self-destructive behavior, plummeting her life toward rock bottom, she finds a beacon of hope in the least suspecting place.
Chance Miller, a hard working man with a devastating past foresees his life as destined for solitude. For years he has spent his free time trying to help others overcome the similar traumas he has endured, but no one has needed him...
Until he spotted August in the local whiskey bar, alone, late at night. From a distance, Chance watched this beautiful stranger, a woman with desperation burnt into her eyes, lose herself within the reflection of an empty bottle.
Despite her resistance, Chance is compelled to step in and pull her back from the precipice of the pain and darkness she's inching toward.
Will these two strangers unite for the temptation of hope beyond a world of grief? Or will they collide and fall to pieces, never to become whole again?
- ←Previous Page
- 1
- 2
- 3
- Next Page→