Each time I read a WWII historical fiction book it’s like the horror begins anew.
Raya runs the generational family leather business and also hides precious things as the Germans make life untenable. Nicolas can’t figure out what exactly happened to her except to make accusations. He sort of deserved to feel like a heel.
There is a good ending which I was relieved to read because one never knows how the story will play out.

I was fortunate to receive an advanced copy through NetGalley of The Glovemaker's Daughter by Shari J. Ryan. I am a huge fan of historical fiction set during World War II and this one did not disappoint. I was immediately swept up in the life of Raya and her existence in Nazi-occupied France. She is the type of person who puts the needs of others ahead of herself and always gives of herself unselfishly. The book is set up to go between the perspectives of Raya before she is captured by the Nazis and while she is imprisoned. It also shares the perspective of Nicolas who becomes a special friend to Raya. I felt like I was living right beside Raya through it all and even caught myself holding my breath while Raya endured the horrors of a concentration camp. It has been a busy few weeks for me but I was still trying to find a few minutes to read about Raya's journey because I needed to know how her story ended.

Shari Ryan weaves a suspenseful, heartfelt story that pairs well with a historical fiction background. A quick read that is more rich on plot than historical facts, that will draw you into the lives of the characters as you connect with their stories on an emotional level. If you like stories about friendship, motherhood, and facing hardships, then you might want to give this one a try.

💕You might like this book if:
🔹 you like books with strong female characters
🔹 you like books about surviving through times of war
🔹 you like stories that are plot driven
🔹 you like stories with dual POVs

Such an emotional historical fiction with well written characters and a well developed plot. I always love Ryan's books and this is no exception, she's able to weave together different characters and plots so well and it feels so authentic.

I have read a lot of WWII historical fiction books but this one is going to stick with me for a while.

This story takes place in France, when it was occupied by Germany in WWII. Most Jewish people had been removed from Paris & the Parisians left lived a life of uncertainty, injustice & fear. Some people hid Jewish families in their homes, some joined the resistance with fellow countrymen hoping to reclaim their country; others, turned a blind eye to what they witnessed, hoping it wouldn’t happen to them.

Raya is the only remaining member of her family in Paris. Her parents have passed & her brother is studying in Belgium. She takes on the weight of the family business (custom glove making) and clings to the hope of carrying on the legacy of generations before her.

Nicolas is a journalist wanting to tell stories of what really is happening but can’t under the scrutiny of his boss & the Germans. He falls hard for Raya and so their story begins.

This book is so more than Raya’s time in a concentration camp, trying to survive & get back to her daughter.
It was about…
The love between Nick & Raya.
The protection of her friends hiding in her home.
The tunnels and secret meetings.
The rape.
The child.
Family bonds.
Risk.
The anguish & the survival.

The books shifts between a year ago & present day (present being 1943) with dual point of views. I found it easy to follow & enjoyed this style of writing.

Shari J Ryan’s description of Raya’s time in the concentration camp is both accurate & heart wrenching. Reading about the inhuman way people were treated, knowing it truly happened broke me, as it should.

If you’re a fan of historical WWII fiction I would recommend this one. It isn’t an easy read, but a remarkable one.

Thank you to NetGalley & Bookouture for this ARC for my honest opinion, I appreciate having the opportunity to read this gem.

Publication date for The Glovemaker’s Daughter is September 18, 2023.

An inspirational novel of how a woman survived the Nazi occupation of France and the horrors of being sent to a concentration camp. A great read for the historical reader!

Thank you to #NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

It was my first book from this author, but I definitely enjoyed this story very much, despite the hard to digest subject. The struggles through which people had to go during the Paris occupation were terrible and the author manages to capture them very well.
What I would have changed is the structure as I found the changes in POV, without any way to differentiate them, quite confusing and difficult to follow.

The first chapter of this book immediately grabs your attention as it describes Raya being taken by German soldiers from her home and work. It sets the stage for a gripping and intense read. Raya is taken to Ravensbruck concentration camp and her determination to survive for the sake of her daughter is inspiring.

The way the book jumps back and forth between different years is done seamlessly and adds depth to the story. It explores Raya and Nicholas's journey, keeping the reader engaged and eager to know more.

As someone who had never read anything by this author before, I was pleasantly surprised by how hooked I was from the beginning. The constant state of anxiety I felt while reading (in a good way!) kept me turning the pages, desperate to find out what would happen next.

To say that my heart was in my mouth for much of the book would be an understatement. The emotional intensity and suspense were palpable.

I would like to express my gratitude to netgalley, Bookouture, and Shari J Ryan for providing me with an advance copy of this book.

This is a bittersweet read set in France during WWII.
As Paris is squeezed out of life and normalcy, the remaining Parisians do everything they can to resist the Nazis. Some join the resistance. Some hide Jews.
This book addresses a less talked about subject. Rape.
Many women purposely fostered romantic relationships with Nazi soldiers. But many, many were brutally rape and left to deal with aftermath.
This story is a beautiful tale of true love and commitment.

Raya is a young woman who is running the family business after the death of her parents and trying to forge a future for her younger brother. Then the unimaginable happens and Paris falls to the Nazi's, just surviving becomes a full time affair as the Nazi's close in and tighten the regulations, restricting the lives of the Parisians to the point of suffocation and starvation, making them desperate to find a way out of the nightmare their lives have become.
When Raya hides her best friend and her family in a hidden room in her house, she knows the risks she is taking. She eventually meets a member of the French resistance and starts doing small tasks for them, risking more and more each day, putting her own life at risk. When she is arrested and deported to a camp the only thing she can do is fight to survive, realizing that by living she is hurting the Nazis more than anything else she could do against them. She uses her skills as a glovemaker to help her survive the camp.
Raya's story is heart-wrenching, as are most of the WWII stories you read about the horrors of the camps and the inhumane conditions. But I would say that Raya is one of the most selfless persons I have ever read about. She gives freely of every aspect of herself never seeking anything in return. This story keeps you deeply connected and it is easy to lose track of time when immersed in Raya's story. I do recommend it to WWII historical fiction fans, it is not a story based on a real life hero of the war but it still touches your heart deeply.
Thank you to Bookouture and Net Galley for the free ARC, I am leaving my honest review voluntarily.

The emotional love story of Raya and Nicholas is told by both of then and in two time frames. Raya never expected to find herself stepping up to help Parisian Jews or the French Resistance but she did and she's eventually arrested and sent to Ravensbruck, leaving her daughter behind. Nicholas is her love, her hope, and the two of them must survive to find one another again. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. Fans of WWII fiction will appreciate this for Ryan's take on those who helped.

Emotional and heart wrenching. Prepared to have your heart shattered and put back together again. Grab the tissues and take a few days off work, you’re going to need recovery time.

Paris, 1943
French Resistance
A totally heartbreaking World War Two novel about the unbreakable love of a mother. Can hope be found with the darkness of war hanging over?
The story is told in past and present day.
Highly recommended reading for historical fiction and World War Two readers.
Thank you to NetGalley, Bookouture and the author for the opportunity to read this book for my honest review. All opinions expressed are my own.

This was a first for me by this author and I quickly added more of her books to my list of “want to read.” A story of dark times, but with layers of beauty that is found in human kindness and love. Raya and Nicholas were characters that I instantly adored. The story is told by both characters in the past and present. Although some may not like that type of writing and I too sometimes don’t, I found it worked perfectly here. Highly recommend.for those who enjoy World War II stories and historical fiction.

Another WWII book about a star crossed couple who join the French Resistance and survive the Nazi Concentration camps. The story was good, but predictable. I think the market has become over saturated with stories like this.

A book that I just could not put down. I felt so much for Raya and the situations that she was always in. This was a compulsive read that tears at the heartstrings. It is fiction but oh so easy to believe that this was a true story and this is all due to the wonderful writing of the Shari J Ryan.
Keep those books coming as I am sure that this will be a top read for so many.

AMAZING …. Shari J Ryan has out done herself with this emotional, powerful, well written novel. If you like historical WW2 fiction novels this is one, you will not want to miss. This hard to put down, page turner will have you reaching for tissues over and over, as you follow the story of Raya and Nicolas. Loss, fear, courage, survival, love and selflessness is felt throughout and once you have finished its still with you. Five stars just isn't enough.

I would like to thank Bookouture, NetGalley and the author for the opportunity to read this complimentary copy for an honest review. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

I've read a LOT of WWII historical fiction, but I'm hard-pressed to think of one that was *this* emotional, astounding, harrowing, and agonizing. I don't say that negatively - yes, we read about the Holocaust and examine the Fresh resistance, which has been covered in other novels. But "The Glovemaker's Daughter" really exemplifies the pain of making difficult decisions, what those in wartime had to endure, how hate can spread quickly, and most importantly, how people will stand up and fight for their fellow man with compassion and selflessness. Through excellent writing, you're immediately transported into German-occupied Paris and introduced to two of the most likable, selfless characters I've ever read.

The first character is Raya Pascal, a young woman keeping her family's leather/glove-making business afloat after the death of her parents. She's also recently encouraged her brother to move to Switzerland to pursue education - a selfless move as she wants Alix to achieve his dreams, even if that means she may not. The Germans invade during wartime, pushing Jewish Parisians out - and to save the last bit of closeness she has left to her family friends, the Levi's, she hides them upstairs, putting herself at significant risk. Then she meets our second character, Nicholas, who she learns is part of the French resistance. She's initially nervous about helping regain France's freedom from the Germans, but she slowly lets down her guard - both to Nicholas and to the idea of joining the resistance. At the same time, as the book weaves through both Raya and Nicholas's perspectives, we see him juggling the idea of participating in the opposition and keeping his great love, Raya, safe.

When the unthinkable happens, when Nicholas isn't there at the right time, and it's too late to save Raya, we follow along in his journey of keeping all who are essential to Raya safe, all the while continuing his efforts to find her and remain active in the resistance.

It's one of the more detailed novels I've read regarding a look inside a concentration camp in Ravensbruk, Germany. It's a harrowing look, yes, but descriptive and gripping. The author phenomenally described roll call for the women in the barracks; for example - you can picture these women (Raya included) - exhausted, malnourished, nearly unconscious - holding each other up, doing anything to help one another survive another day. It's examples like this that show the true, noble character of Raya, and there are so many other moments we see deep commitment and nobility from Nicholas, too.

I've seen some reviews from people saying that the timeline (and switching from past to present day) was frustrating. However, I didn't have a problem with it and found it easy to keep up as there were only two perspectives, and the time jumps were clearly laid out with dates and locations, etc. Worth noting!

"The Glovemaker's Daughter" is an emotional read, and you're transported to a feeling of fear, despair, sacrifice, courage, and, most importantly, love. Get the tissues ready. I feel thankful to have read this book.

Big thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.

What a story! It’s heart breaking and breath taking right from the very first page when we read that Raya is in Ravensbruk, Germany. You know that’s not good. You know it’s very likely to end badly as do most of the stories from inside the concentration camps. But you have to keep reading. The story focuses on the lives of Raya and Nicolas and their lives during the war. The chapters alternate between telling the story from each point of view. Jews are hidden from the Nazi’s, resistance fighters are making plans, babies are being born and love is blossoming despite the horrors in the world. I loved every page and especially the ending. I will definitely be looking for more books by this author.

This was quite a hard subject to read about, with a mother doing her best to survive a German concentration camp, to get back to her baby daughter.

Like many Parisiens Raya is quietly supporting the resistance when the Nazis gained control of Paris. She is secretly helping Jewish friends whilst keeping her shop open and trying to get on with life the best she can. Whilst there she meets Nicolas, who is also helping the resistance, and they get very close.

But the Germans are everywhere and one day she is dragged from her shop accused of aiding the resistance and transported to a concentration camp. But she made the heartbreaking decision to leave her baby daughter in the shop, hidden, as she was dragged away, in the hope that someone would find her.

The story centres around the day to day life of occupied France, and the fight for survival for most people, trying their best to secretly resist the Nazis wherever they could, however small the action. I can't say it was an enjoyable story, because of the subject matter, and a couple of parts did irritate me a bit, but all in all a good read.