The Will to Remember: BOUND BY HOPE: A Polish Family's Journey of Survival during the Holocaust

by Roger D. Evans

One family. A continent consumed by hatred. A story that refuses to be forgotten.

In the small Polish village of Józefów, the Kelner family could never imagine how completely their world is about to change.

As Nazi persecution tightens its grip across Europe, the family is scattered into a world of ghettos, hidden rooms, desperate journeys, and impossible choices—where a name may need to be changed, a child may need to disappear, and an act of compassion can mean the difference between life and death.

Spanning Poland, Germany, New York, London, Malta, and Colorado, The Will to Remember follows the Kelners through years of love, terror, loss, survival, and the long aftermath of war.

Meticulously researched and inspired by the real events of the Holocaust, Roger D. Evans's sweeping historical novel explores not only how people survived unimaginable cruelty, but how they preserved their humanity when everything was being taken from them.

For readers of The Nightingale, All the Light We Cannot See, and other powerful novels of World War II and the Holocaust.

Some histories survive because someone refuses to forget.

535 pages, ebook

First published October 2, 2025

Reviews

[Bruce Ochs]

This isn't an easy read because it hits you hard emotionally. That said, it's a meaningful read. I kept thinking about the characters long after I finished. What stayed with me most was the focus on memory--not what just happened, but why remembering matters. There's quite an emotional weight to this novel. It doesn't rely on the horrors of the Holocaust, but on consideration. It is a heartbreaking story, but never without compassion. I appreciated how the novel allowed time for reflection rather than overwhelming the reader. By the end, I felt changed and more aware of the human stories behind the history of the Holocaust. This is the kind of book you need time to sit with after finishing.

[Andi]

A beautiful historical fiction. I was over taken by so many emotions. I think I was holding my breath through the whole thing. Tears of sadness, of relief, and of joy. The author takes you on a journey through a evil part of history and introduces you to various perspectives. I didn't expect to read about the German Order Police and come to understand what that meant for those men. It's a history lesson and emotional journey. Must read.

[Shelley M]

This is a thoughtful, well-told story that stays with you and one I’m very glad I read. While the themes are serious, there were moments of warmth and hope that made the novel feel balanced and deeply human. This first time author did a great job and I am looking forward to his next book.

[Roger D.]

In The Will to Remember, I committed myself wholeheartedly to creating a Holocaust novel that is both deeply researched and emotionally resonant. Every chapter reflects not only the immense weight of history, but also my personal dedication to telling this story with honesty, humility, and respect. My goal was to do everything possible to honor those who lived through these events—by illuminating forgotten corners of the past and crafting characters whose struggles and triumphs feel truly human.

I hope readers will see the care woven into the details, the character journeys shaped by courage and loss, and the effort to portray the profound human cost of hatred and war. More than anything, I wrote this novel as an invitation: to engage with a powerful chapter of history, to reflect on its lessons, and to carry its memory forward. If you are drawn to stories of resilience, moral complexity, and the enduring strength of the human spirit, I believe The Will to Remember will speak to you.