Love and Hate: In Nazi Germany

By: Ryan Armstrong

Narrated by: Christopher Sherwood

World War II: A young Nazi guard stationed in a ghetto in Regensburg, Germany, finds himself in a time and place that he hates. He has never directly participated in the bloodletting but has done nothing to stop it. He wonders if his soul can be saved.

He saves a Jewish girl's life when ordered to murder her. He refuses despite the consequences. Perhaps the girl he saved can save him. Maybe she can be the key to his redemption and a light for his soul, to guide the way home.

©2018 Ryan Michael Armstrong (P)2018 Ryan Michael Armstrong

EXCELLENT...

The narrator was excellent and full of emotion and great with his accent. The story was great, emotional but I thoroughly enjoyed the story.

Pulls me in right away but then insta-luv happens

Starting off with a 9 year old Hans Beck, the story is dark and gritty. Hans’s father is a ruthless, horrible man and Hans is forced into doing something he regrets the rest of his life. Afterwards, there’s the orphanage with Sister Claire and eventually a family (the Becks) with a young son (Erich) who adopt him. However, it’s not all roses and sunshine going forward. Hans is a good lad who throws his loyalty behind his adoptive brother, a choice he regrets often thereafter.

All of that part of the book was really well done. I connected with Hans and wanted the best for him. His story really sucked me in and I wanted to know how things would turn out for him. The tale springs forward several years and now Hans is in his mid-20s, having served in the infantry and now in the SS along with his sadistic adoptive brother. Even this part is riveting! There’s all sorts of bad things going on and Hans’s good-hearted reactions really pulled on my feelings. He’s a good guy trapped in one bad situation after another as WWII rages on.

Then a vicious thing happens to Lilo, a teen-age girl on the cusp of womanhood and Hans has to choose between helping her or turning a blind eye. It’s not an easy choice as it would involve taking on a fellow Nazi to save a Jewish girl. Of course, things all go sideways real quick and Erich finds out. He forces Hans into yet another bitter choice. At this point, I’m still really into the story. I want Hans to wind his way through all this and come out with most of his morals intact. I’m even starting to care about Lilo, though she’s mostly just a place holder for all Jewish people the Nazis ever messed up.

Then the insta-luv happens and that really took the wind out the sails for me. Yep. The drama mostly shifts to this empty love scenario and that just didn’t sit well with me. Lilo has been sexually assaulted, threatened repeatedly with torture and death, and one of the first things she says to Hans is, ‘Do you think I’m pretty?’. Sigh…. Lilo just didn’t hold up well as a character because she’s built on these cliches.

Hans’s character suffers too as he now puts all his being into this new found love. There’s so much drama over it too. I felt there was already plenty going on (like fleeing from certain death by Nazis) that the plot would have held up fine without this.

In the end, not everyone makes it out alive. Hans has many more dramatic moments and he doesn’t always make the right decisions. I think the author showed his great potential in the first half of the book and I hope we see more of that in the future. 3.5/5 stars.

The Narration: Christopher Sherwood did a pretty good job with this performance. I really loved that he used a light German accent throughout the story. It really made it possible to believe the setting of Nazi Germany. His characters voices weren’t always distinct and his female and little kid voices could use a bit of work. His pacing is perfect and he did an awesome job with the myriad of emotions in this tale. 4/5 stars.

A Riveting Story

Emotionally riveting story of love and hate of a Nazi guard and young Jewish girl. Well told, gripping saga that puts on display the struggles of living in Nazi Germany. But in the midst of all the chaos, there’s a beacon of light and hope. This book had me on the edge of my seat to find out what happens next. The narrator did a splendid job with a German accent which gave it a more authentic feel for the reader.

A 5* read/listen.

Love and Hate: In Nazi Germany - Romance in a very dark time. Despite or because of it's setting this is a great read. Difficult in places because of the subject matter. Gripping, dark & touching on many levels - even now 70 years on.
I enjoyed this book and it's now in my re-read list.
Narration is clear and concise, the narrators German accent is a little stereotypical.
I was given a free copy of this audiobook at my own request, and voluntarily leave this review.

Extrememy intense

I guess because the book was half the time of most audibles I listen to it was so dramatic It was hard to recover from on scene till another happened that kept me on edge. The narrator was so good and his inflections right on point I want to read more by this author I doubt I could take the usual ten hours of being uptight from the story

Well done!

This is an excellent and original story. Great writting from a good friend! Cheers Ryan! Proud of you!

Historical Masterpiece

Ryan Armstrong is an incredible writer! This historically accurate WWII love story will make you feel every emotion and take you on a journey of discovering the human experience during one of the darkest times of the 20th century.

Wow. just WOW.

First of all, wow. Love And Hate is the kind of read that implants itself into your mind. The subject of Nazis is already something the mind cannot push away and forget. The era we are living in is a result of that time and all that pain that took place.

Love and Hate follows Hans Fischer. The memories he has of his childhood nearly shattered me. Its the kind of tragic memories you would never wish upon anyone. The kind of thoughts that keep you up at night. I definitely was rethinking my choice to listen to some chapters at night. I'm not saying I regret listening to the book, I just feel all of Hans' memories haunting me a little bit. That's just how the book hit me.

I am very impressed by the author's writing. I cannot imagine what Ryan went through to get this story out. His style is unlike any I have read before. Christopher Sherwood's narration was phenomenal. He brought out the proper emotion, to a degree that I felt it myself. And unforgettable story with an unforgettable voice.

Wonderfully written and narrated!

“Love and Hate” is a touching, riveting story of two people who were never meant to be together yet who will go to great lengths to prove to the world that love is indeed stronger than hate. He’s an SS guard in a ghetto; she’s a Jewish girl who had just lost her father to the brutality of the SS. They fall in love against all odds and soon will be hunted for that, and only time will show if their loyalty to each other will be enough to overcome all obstacles that fate puts in their way.
I really enjoyed not only the fast-moving plot but the wide range of characters - villains and heroes - who accurately represent the mood of Nazi Germany: suspicion, blind obedience, xenophobia and hatred on one side and selflessness, sacrifice, humanity and acceptance on the other. I also particularly enjoyed the first person narration, which helped me better connect with both characters and better understand their most guarded thoughts and emotions. Wonderfully written and narrated, “Love and Hate” will make a perfect read for all fans of the historical fiction genre. Highly recommended!

REFRESHING, HAUNTING, TRAGIC...EXCELLENT

Can love lighten one of the darkest times in our world's history? A young man stationed as a guard for the Nazi's hates what his world has become, and has haunting and horrific tragedies of his own. This is a very powerful story, and one that I will remember. To find love among all the death and hate is something. And it's all the more powerful when so hard to come by.

Hans meets and falls in love with a Jewish girl who's father was killed by the SS. But such love is obviously hideously forbidden, and they will have to overcome some great obstacles to come out together in the end.

Great historical fiction, very well-written and the narration was awesome. Very riveting story, one you probably won't soon forget. Would definitely listen to more from both author and narrator.

I was given this free review copy audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left this review.
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