The Lost Wife by Alyson Richman

Josef and Lenka meet and fall in love in Prague in the early days of WWII.  They quickly marry so Lenka can be added to Josef’s family in order to immigrate to the United States.  When the time comes to leave Lenka makes an agonizing decision not to go. 

The ship Josef’s family is on is hit by a torpedo and Lenka’s sees the list of those lost in the newspaper that mistakenly lists Josef’s entire family when Josef is alive and makes it to the United States. 

 
Lenka goes with her family to a Nazi ghetto of Terezin and eventually to Auschwitz.  After the war she is listed among those believed dead. 

The following is not a spoiler as it is told in the very first pages of the book.  They meet again at the marriage of Josef’s grandson and Lenka’s granddaughter.  The story of the book is the voyage both of their lives take in believing that their ‘one true love’ is dead.

The part of the book concerning the Holocaust was fascinating to me as it told stories I had not heard before. Lenka is an artist and she actually works as an artist in the camps.

I loved this book! I will admit that I am a fan of anything concerning the Jewish people; this book captured me and took me along with it.  I devoured the book.

5 stars (Rated PG-13 for mild sex talk and Holocaust horrors)