The Last Season

In 1938 Britain, while war with Nazi Germany looms, the extravagant lifestyle of the English elite goes on. The so-called 'Season' is beginning, a traditional period during which marriageable young ladies of the aristocracy enjoy lavish balls and are 'presented' to the monarchy as they enter high society. This year, it is 18 year old LADY MARY ASHMORE'S turn. Mary hopes that her escort to her ball will be the object of her desire: the sensitive and fiercely patriotic LORD ANDREW BUCKFORD. Although Andrew's roguish younger brother NICHOLAS has his eye on Mary, she shuns him because of his reputation as a womanizer and rumors that he is involved in activities possibly detrimental to Britain. Mary is devastated when she discovers that Andrew is deeply in love with her German-Jewish tutor RUTH HERZOG. Learning of the situation, Mary's mother, LADY CELIA, immediately discharges Ruth, sending her back to Nazi Germany. There, she is forced to live under deplorable conditions in a Jewish ghetto, a stark contrast to the German life she once knew. Shocked by Ruth's sudden departure, but aware that Mary plans a visit to relatives in Berlin, Andrew, who has joined the Royal Air Force, secures documents enabling Ruth's return to England. He pleads with Mary to deliver them to Ruth, and she reluctantly agrees. Mary's jealousy, however, gets in the way. In Berlin, Mary confronts the harsh reality of Nazi militarism, extreme anti-Semitism and the ever-present threat of Ruth's deportation to one of Hitler's death camps. In addition, she must contend with her radical cousin HEINZI who is active in the Hitler Youth movement and lusts after Mary. Nicholas surprisingly turns up in Berlin on business, and Mary gets an inkling that the mysterious project with which he is involved may prove far more powerful and important than anyone ever dreamed. After a long personal struggle, Mary realizes the harm her selfish emotions and unrequited love have caused and embarks on a dangerous plan to help Ruth escape Germany.

About the Author :
Robert Joseph has published 15 novels and 2 works of non-fiction with Berkley, Ballantine, Fawcett, Pinnacle, W.H. Allen (UK) and Landemann (Scandinavia). His 16th novel and latest work, THE LAST SEASON, comes from Rockit Press. THE LAST SEASON is a powerful coming-of-age story set in England and Germany at the dawn of World War II. In addition to his published works, Robert Joseph has written many screenplays and several stage plays as well. Shauna Shapiro Jackson is Co-Founder and Executive Vice President of The SC Group of Companies (Showcase Entertainment, Inc., Showcase For Kids & SC Global Media) with Showcase being a member of Independent Film and Television Alliance. She has purchased all media rights to THE LAST SEASON and believes that the story will lend itself beautifully to the screen. Shauna produces and distributes film and television series and has successfully marketed well over 300 feature films and television series throughout the world in all media that include Little Red Wagon [directed by David Anspaugh (Rudy Hoosiers) and starring Breaking Bad's Anna Gunn]; Purple Violets starring Edward Burns, Debra Messing, Patrick Wilson & Selma Blair; You May Not Kiss The Bride starring Katharine McPhee, Rob Schneider, Mena Suvari, Dave Annable, Ken Davitian, Vinnie Jones and Kathy Bates; The Right Temptation starring Kiefer Sutherland (Colombia Tristar Home Video), and features starring Ben Affleck, Sean Penn, Hilary Swank, Tobey Maguire, John Malkovich, Christopher Walken, Lorraine Bracco, Robert Downey Jr. and more. In addition to being strong in all genres, Shauna has been a leader in producing and licensing family programming. She Executive Produced the award winning hit television series Flight 29 Down for Discovery Kids and NBC. Turner launched Latin America's Boomerang Channel with her series. The live action children's seriesThe Wannabes premiered on Starz Family in the US and was HBO Family Latin America's #1 show. Shauna also produced animated series including Ape Escape based on the Sony Playstation Game for NickToons and the recently completed Guardians of the Power Masks. She has also distributed numerous family features throughout the world such as Contest, Endgame, Little Red Wagon, Her Best Move, The Adventures of Food Boy and Labou with popular young stars including Vanessa Marano, Rowan Blanchard, Debby Ryan, Meghan Martin, Rico Rodriguez, Kenton Duty, Landry Bender, Kyle Massey, Lucas Gabreel, Brittney Curran, Corbin Bleu, Katherine McNamara and Katharine McPhee. Her worldwide clients include Sony Entertainment, Disney/Buena Vista, MGM, New Line, Lionsgate, HBO, Showtime, Sony Pictures Television, Lifetime, Oxygen, Village Roadshow, Endemol, Nordisk Film, 20th Century Fox, BBC, British Sky Broadcasting, TF1, Canal +, RTL, ZDF, Pro Sieben, Antena 3, Mediaset, Miko/NHK, Disney Channel, Nickelodeon, HBO Latin America and Cartoon Network, just to name a few. Shauna was previously the co-founder of the worldwide distribution company, Curb/Esquire Films (currently Curb Communications). She further served as VP Production/Acquisitions of Curb/Musifilm whose partners included Universal Pictures. Amongst other things, they developed and co-produced sex, lies and videotape, which won the Palm D'Or at Cannes. Shauna began her career as an entertainment attorney and has also written lyrics to several theme and end title credit songs including Beautiful Stranger which she co-wrote with Katharine McPhee. David Jackson is Co-Founder and President of The SC Group of Companies (Showcase Entertainment, Inc., Showcase For Kids & SC Global Media) with Showcase being a member of Independent Film and Television Alliance. Over the last twenty years, he has successfully produced, marketed and/or licensed over three hundred feature films throughout the world in all media. Her worldwide clients include Sony Entertainment, Disney/Buena Vista, MGM, New Line, Lionsgate, HBO, Showtime, Sony Pictures Television, Lifetime, Oxygen, Village Roadshow, Endemol, Nordisk Film, 20th Century Fox, BBC, British Sky Broadcasting, TF1, Canal +, RTL, ZDF, Pro Sieben, Antena 3, Mediaset, Miko/NHK, Disney Channel, Nickelodeon, HBO Latin America and Cartoon Network, just to name a few. Prior to the SC Group, Jackson co-founded the worldwide distribution company, Curb/Esquire Films (currently Curb Communications), with Mike Curb. Further, he served as Executive Vice President/Chief Operating Officer of Curb/Musifilm whose partners included Universal Pictures. Amongst other things, Curb/Musifilm developed and co-produced sex, lies and videotape which won the Cannes Film Festival for Best Picture (the Palme D'Or). In production, Jackson initially produced several films for RCA/Columbia (ultimately Columbia/Tristar) with Morgan Mason (sex, lies and videotape), John Hardy (Ocean's Eleven, Erin Brockovich) and Jason Clark (Stuart Little) to fill the demand for RCA/Colombia's home video line. Most recently he produced the feature film You May Not Kiss The Bride, starring Katharine McPhee, Rob Schneider, Kathy Bates, Mena Suvari, Dave Annable and Vinnie Jones, Executive Produced Flight 29 Down for NBC/Discovery Kids, and more. Further, Jackson is an attorney specializing in the area of Entertainment. Prior to building Curb/Esquire Films, Jackson served as an attorney at Capitol Records and was then recruited by MCA Records where he served as the Vice President of Business Affairs. Thereafter, Jackson went into the private practice of law where he represented recording artists, record and film producers and film distribution companies.

Review :
"The Last Season is a riveting, passionate story with exciting action that makes it difficult to put down." Shauna Shapiro Jackson, Showcase Entertainment "WWII has spawned many books, historical, fictional, and a combination of both --historical fiction. This fits into the latter category, and succeeds in bringing a fresh, compelling story to a war well explored. The book brims with romantic intrigues and drama as the book's characters are drawn into the vortex of the war. There could have been nothing more tense than the world on the brink of this war. Many of the book's characters are in denial about the war, as many people in England were at that time, or realize how dangerous their European neighbors have become. The end of this world tragedy is well known, but this novel's remarkable feat is to make the outcome suspenseful. The book centers around an aristocratic English family drawn in various ways not only into the war but into terrifying scenes in Germany. The underlying economic causes of this war, and war in general, are rarely acknowledged in fiction, but that motivation is clear in the greed exhibited by some of the characters. Another unusual and fascinating theme of the book is the characters' role in the scientific discovery of radar and how the urgency of the war propelled this discovery. Some of the characters such as Mary go through so many transformations -- starting off as a shallow debutante-- that are dramatically linked to the evolution of the war that one concludes that war builds character. Love, war, death -- so intertwined in this compelling, can't-put-down novel. Hope it's going to be a series!" Amazon "What a fantastic ride! I usually listen to audible but this book came so highly recommended by a friend's book club that I downloaded it and am so glad I did. Haven't enjoyed a read like this in ages. Felt like a World War II version of Gone With The Wind." Amazon "The story captured me from the beginning. A lover of Downton Abbey, and WWII period storylines, this book checked all the boxes for me. I couldn't put it down! If you love the British WWII era, you will love this book." Goodreads "This a book is written about a time in history that was shocking and cruel to say the least. The characters are so real; their flaws, selfishness, love, desires all are so convincing that it draws you into the story. There is adventure, disaster, discouragement and romance all in one story. Excellent book. I strongly recommend this book!" Amazon "Could not put this story down! This book takes place with WW ll on the horizon. There is tragedy and yet there is hope. Visit pre-war Germany with all its Nazi whoopla, military parades, and Hitler's speeches; escaping on a train to France and back to London-----and a ball for "the Last Season" before the beginning of WW ll! All of this in the year or two before 1940! The action races a long like any good suspense story and you won't be able to put the book down until the end. Nothing will be the same!" Goodreads "This is book is written about a time in history that was shocking and cruel to say the least. The characters are so real; their flaws, selfishness, love, desires all are so convincing that it draws you into the story. There is adventure, disaster, discouragement and romance all in one story. Excellent book. I strongly recommend this book!" Goodreads