Name: The Last Rose of Shanghai
ISBN: 9781542032872

Weina Dai Randel

In Japanese-occupied Shanghai, two people from different cultures are drawn together by fate and the freedom of music... 1940. Aiyi Shao is a young heiress and the owner of a formerly popular and glamorous Shanghai nightclub. Ernest Reismann is a penniless Jewish refugee driven out of Germany, an outsider searching for shelter in a city wary of strangers. He loses nearly all hope until he crosses paths with Aiyi. When she hires Ernest to play piano at her club, her defiance of custom causes a sensation. His instant fame makes Aiyi's club once again the hottest spot in Shanghai. Soon they realize they share more than a passion for jazz--but their differences seem insurmountable, and Aiyi is engaged to another man. As the war escalates, Aiyi and Ernest find themselves torn apart, and their choices between love and survival grow more desperate. In the face of overwhelming odds, a chain of events is set in motion that will change both their lives forever. From the electrifying jazz clubs to the impoverished streets of a city under siege, The Last Rose of Shanghai is a timeless, sweeping story of love and redemption.

The Last Rose of Shanghai

Ana Paula

This book felt like the lovechild between These Violent Delights meet The Seven Husband of Evelyn Hugo (minus the monsters part of TVD) 

It was a really interesting read as I haven´t read much historical fiction set in China, much less during WWII, so I liked that it opened my eyes to what was going on there and led me to do my own investigation about certain themes presented in the book (ex.: the Japanese occupation). 

After reading some reviews, I have to agree that its a great book for readers who don´t mind have more plot growth than characters info / growth; because its written this way it is def. harder to form emotional attachments and reactions to what goes on on the characters´ lives, however I felt it was really well written and didn´t get sidetracked in its story details. 

What I didn´t like (pretty big spoilers): 
The bits with the documentarian felt awkward and frankly unnecessary, the story had an excellent flow before it was introduced and, seeing as we only get 3 or 4 mini chapters of it, could have gone on without it. (view spoiler)[And the fact the documentarian turns out to be Aiyi´s daughter felt a bit forced, especially since that final chapters ends quite brusquely; almost as if it was an afterthought to end the book (hide spoiler)]

Barbara Williford

I’m still speechless from this book. It definitely has all the feels and was hard to put down.

Earnest and his sister are Jews forced to flee Germany when Hitler starts his attack on the Jews. They flee to Shanghai where they heard there was acceptance and prosperity for Jews. This couldn’t be further from the truth. When he meets a local Chinese business woman Aiyi, both of their lives change forever. Follow their journey with a forbidden love, culture shame and survival during a Japanese invasion of Shanghai during WW2.

Trigger warnings: war content, sexual content, and language

The Last Rose of Shanghai

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