Having visited Dachau, this book was a must read for me. It seems that books about living in concentration camps are almost always about Auschwitz and finding one about Dachau was immediately intriguing.

Because I have been to the ground the story takes place on, I felt living room transform and this story come to life. I am unable to put into words how this story made me feel. Heartbreaking discoveries, deep characters, and a plot that practically turned the pages for me. This is a must read for anyone who enjoys WWII books.

I enjoy reading books set during World War II and found The Bookseller of Dachau to be a very enjoyable read. The plot was very interesting and I found it very difficult to put down the book once I started. I look forward to reading more from the author in the future

Set both in Dachau Concentration Camp of WWII and in 2018, during the search for the horrifying past as well as the strength and perseverance of her ancestors, Grace finds that her history is nothing like she imagined. Well written historical fiction.

German teenager Matilda falls in love with Hans. But their love is forbidden. He is a Jew and the Nazi regime is preparing for genocide. Tilly hides Hans in her attic space but the pair live in constant fear of discovery...
The Bookseller of Dachau is a dual timeline book set in Germany under Nazi rule as well as the recent past. In 2018, Grace Laurent receives a letter from German lawyers informing her that she has inherited a property. However, her mother arrived from Germany in the 1940s as an orphan so how is an inheritance possible? She begins to read a pile of handwrItten pages and finds a love story...
Get your tissues ready... I devoured this book and went through so many emotions: fear, anger, hope, sympathy, trepidation, horror, grief. The brutality is never shied away from but the enduring power of love and hope shines so strongly through the pages of this book.
Grace finds her life unfulfilled but she has no idea of the struggles that her family endured just two generations earlier. Her journey of discovery concerning the past as well as her own realisation of the constraints holding her back is wonderful to watch unfold.
The book is written through Grace's third person experiences as she uncovers secrets and explores Dachau, and Matilda's first person narrative as events unfold in the past timeline. My body felt tense with anticipation whilst my heart ached for the various characters. I was completely immersed in both timelines equally, and found myself reading faster and faster wanting to know how it would end whilst also dreading a sad conclusion (no spoilers!)
The Bookseller of Dachau is a hugely emotional novel that held me captivated. Heartbreaking and heartwarming. Just wonderful.

I have read alot of historical fiction based on what happened inside concentration camps during the Holocaust but this is the first time I’ve read about one away from the camps. What an interesting perspective! Although this is a love story, it also touches on wanting to live and having the strength and resilience to do so.

This story follows Matilda Ellman, a German, and her love for her best friend Hans Brauer, a Jew. They grew up together and lived in the same building. That’s where their love grew but alas, all is lost when the Jews are being targetted in 1939 and Han’s family were forced to move. Matilda’s parents played a big role in this which caused her to run away to Dachau and begin a new life in a bookstore there while searching for news of Hans. Here, she met Galina, the bookstore owner who took her in. I love Galina’s character so much! She has so much kindness and love to offer and she helped Matilda heal and discover herself.

There are two timelines to this story - one in Matilda’s voice in 1940s and the other in Grace’s voice in present day. Grace received a letter from a lawyer telling her she has inherited a bookstore in Dachau. What’s the relationship between Matilda and Grace? She travelled to Dachau not knowing what to expect but finds herself discovering a written story about her lost family.

This was such a beautiful story! I absolutely love the concept of the bookstore and I will not spoil it for you. All the characters are filled with courage and hope despite living in fear. Some parts of the story really tugged at my heartstrings especially what Matilda had to go through - the betrayal, frustration and pain. This was a very engaging read and I found myself praying hard for a happy ending for Matilda and Hans.

Thank you Netgalley and Bookouture for the arc!

As a member of a family of a lone survivor, I find these stories fascinating, and this one in particular was simply wonderful! Well written, great world building, you were there. Thank you!

Superb from start to finish. Absolutely heartbreaking in so many ways. It's always a hard subject to read about, whether it's fiction, or non-fiction, you always know at the back of your mind that the kind of things described actually happened.
The story told here is set both in the war, and current day, and is superbly weaved together, i would highly recommend this to anyone.
Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for the ARC of this wonderful book.

Wow, this was a great read that wrecked my emotional soul!

I've read many WWII historicals this year and loved the different perspective on this one-- typically we are following a story from within the concentration camps, but this book follows a perspective from someone outside of them.

It is not often that I enjoy a book with dual timelines, but Shari Ryan did an excellent job presenting it. I truly felt a connection to each character. Highly recommend this one!!

The Bookseller of Dachau by Shari J. Ryan
What can I say about this author. She is one amazing writer. She wrote a book of hope and also about the hurt and pain the Jews went through. There was sections where it brought tears to my eyes but also caused me really think about how one person started with hatred. I love how she pulled me in from the very beginning. My favorite part is how the book switched from past to present.

I give this book a 5 out of 5 stars

I received this book from the publisher through netgalley for a

This novel presented such a unique look and perspective on WWII and the Holocaust. I liked that the book focused on the present and the past, and dealt with what happened to the people outside of the camps, as well as inside the camps. I could feel all the emotions from each character so vividly. Shari J Ryan did an excellent job writing this novel, and I will be on the lookout for some of her other titles!

The Bookseller of Dachau
by Shari J. Ryan

Synopsis:
"In Nazi Germany, innocent people vanish every day, torn mercilessly from their homes and loved ones. When Matilda’s childhood sweetheart Hans is in danger, she doesn’t hesitate to hide him in her attic. Neighbors their whole lives, and desperately in love with one another, she’ll do anything to protect him. 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 an envelope & 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 family’s heartbreaking past, she discovers the long-buried secret of her own identity. But when she learns the truth, will she ever be the same again?"

Review:
Dachau was the home of the first concentration camp established during the Holocaust and over 30,000 people died there during the first half of the 1940s. Dachau was also a city with an 11th century palace and people going about their normal day-to-day activities. Many observed smoke blanketing their town along with a pungent smell but questions were not allowed. Matilda, the book's heroine, moved to Dachau to escape her cruel parents, and to be near the camp where her beloved was being held. She lives and works in a bookshop and waits for the war's end. A heartbreaking and emotional story. Highly recommend.

I was gifted this advance copy by NetGalley and was under no obligation to provide a review.

Great, multi-faceted characters. Very interesting plot. Vivid descriptions. I felt every emotion. Kept me intrigued from the first page to the last. A fabulous and moving read!

*I received a complimentary ARC of this book in order to read and provide a voluntary, unbiased and honest review, should I choose to do so.

Grace receives a package through the post, a lawyer's letter saying she has inherited a book shop in Dauch; from her long-lost grandmother.

Matilda is in love, but she is in love with a Jew. Standing up for what she believes in, she will stay true and never give up. This is her story.

This novel is beautiful and intense. Ryan writes a novel leaving us guessing until the end.

Told from two points of view during two different time periods; these two narratives intertwine creating two love stories.

A novel about fighting for love, survival, and having hope throughout the worst possible experiences

When the Jews are rounded up and taken away, Matilda hides her childhood sweetheart Hans in an attic passageway. Months later, when Matilda's father betrays Hands to the Nazi's, Matilda is left pregnant. She leaves her family and travels to the town of Dachau, hoping to be near her love. In the present day, Grace is told that through DNA, she has been matched to a grandmother, who left her property in Dachau. Unhappy with her job and feeling adrift, Grace travels to Dachau determined to uncover her past.

The characters themselves were well developed but the story itself was slow moving. I could have done without Grace's point of view/timeline entirely. Grace's storyline felt very predictable and took away from Matilda's storyline. Overall, 3 out of 5 stars.

A love story between Hans a Jew and Matilda a German set during world war 2.
A duel story line in the present day and the tale of Grace ,an American discovering who her ancestors were.
I thought this was non fiction but discovered it was fiction. This did not put me off and I loved this book.

It's probably not too much of a spoiler to say that this is not a light and fluffy read. The subject matter itself sees to that. It's not as gut-wrenching as some of the other titles out there (given that the WWII narrative is told from the eyes of someone not experiencing horrors up close and personal, that's not surprising) but it still packs a punch. So, if you're going through an emotionally vulnerable time, this may be one to put on the shelf for later.

With that said, this is my overall opinion on "The Bookseller of Dachau". It was decent. Not a favorite, but I certainly don't regret the time that I devoted to reading it.

The overall plot was good with dual narratives stretching between WWII and modern-day (2018 to be exact). It's a structure that I've seen before, and I like how it allows for events to gradually be revealed. In that aspect, this book did not disappoint. It was enjoyable to see how the story unfolded. However, the characters and language kept me at arm's length.

In the case of Grace, there was not much to offend or entice. I enjoyed her relationship with Carla and would have enjoyed a scene with her telling off her boss, but beyond that, she was pretty bland. Even her romance subplot fell flat for me. I attribute it to too much tell and not enough show in the writing, but the relationship seemed forced. Grace and Carla's ignorance in regards to Germany irked me slightly as well. From her friend's reaction and constant messaging, you would have thought Grace was headed into a war zone. There was a lot of potential here, but in the end, it just didn't work.

On the other hand, Matilda also failed to hit the mark. She was better developed than Grace and I admired her moral compass, but...she struck me as very juvenile. That's not to say that she was wrong in any of her views, but they seemed unnuanced. It was like they were coming from the mouth of someone who wasn't there. I did enjoy seeing her growth after becoming a mother, but that could have been taken much farther.

Finally, the writing. Now, keep in mind that this is very much a personal preference. I thought that the writing was too over-the-top for my liking, as though the author was trying too hard. Still, that does not mean it was bad. Some moments managed to make me tear up and chances are that another reader would find this style exactly to their taste.

So, if you are considering reading this book, I'd recommend going ahead and giving it a try. You might just love it. Many thanks to NetGalley for providing my copy.

A dual timeline story The Bookseller Of Dachau is the journey of Matilda, Hans and Grace. Set in 1940's Germany and present day United States its a novel of finding lost family and their stories.
Grace and her mother have been searching for their family for quite sometime but unfortunately her mother passes away without knowing her true heritage. Grace unexpectedly receives a letter which takes her to Dachau where she begins her journey into the past of her family and Matilda's and Hans's story converge. This novel does not take us into the insides of the Dachau concentration camp but shows us the life of people who lived in that town. Some of the quotes by the author in this novel which Hans speaks are completely on point in today's world where religion, color of the skin and blood type or what language you speak matter more than just being a human. Books like these encourage us not to commit those mistakes so that history won't be repeated again.
This novel is beautifully written love story, friendship, courage and ultimately sacrifice for the right thing. I couldn't put it down once I started it. A very engrossing, emotionally touching and hopeful story. 5 Stars

The Bookseller of Dachau by Shari J. Ryan is one of the most interesting story I've read in the recent time.

The story is set between two different times and places completely opposite. I've always been a fan of historical fiction but the switch between the contemporary and history is written so well by the author that the transition is so smooth. I so want to visit the small town of Dachau at least once. I can only imagine how that town survived amidst that huge war and atrocities.

I liked both Matilda and Grace very much. They are very influencing characters with great determination, patience and love. The love between Hans and Matilda is so special. I was so anxious myself reading the letters from Matilda and was so eager to know what happened to Hans.

The title is so apt for this book. I personally loved the way the author built a love story amidst the war set up. A great read for any age group.

This book is a dual timeline + dual PoV story: one PoV is Matilda, a German teen girl during WWII, and her Jewish friend Hans; the second one is Grace, an american 30-ish woman who finds out she is Matilda’s kin.
I enjoyed more Matilda’s PoV, her kindness and devotion (even if there were some - let’s call them ‘logistic’ - issues that quite bothered me), while I found Grace’s story slightly annoying. Also, I don't know how much the author knows about current Europe (2019 I remember being mentioned), but it is quite safe for women to travel alone, especially in highly touristic areas, and there's no need for an over controlling friend to check on you non-stop.

It probably says a lot that my favourite character was a secondary one, Galina, the owner of the bookstore - I loved how the story perfectly depicts her dual feelings for her son: motherly selfless love and disappointment for him being a Nazi soldier.

Overall, the story is quite juvenile, even if somewhat emotional. Just because a book has a sensitive subject doesn't mean I will like it and will give it a high rating, as was the case with this one. Actually, I think it's quite hard to write a good book about the Holocaust without seeming frivolous/superficial.

As a conclusion, most probably romance aficionadoes will enjoy this book, even if, unfortunately, it was not my case.

Note to the author and her editors: if the action takes place in Europe, you might as well use kilometers, surely a German girl wouldn't think/write in miles: "Maybe it’s only been a mile, but it could have been three or four for all I know."

This is the first book I have read by Shari Ryan and immediately after finishing it I went over to Amazon to order some more.
This book will appeal to readers who enjoy historical fiction, particularly world war two/ holocaust. I enjoyed the book because it was different to most other holocaust books because it didn't concentrate on the camps but people left on the outside.
It had a good cast of characters and a well written engaging plot about family, love, hope and long lasting friendships.
Highly recommended!