Ariana was born in Caracas, Venezuela. She has been researching her family history, tracing people, uncovering untold stories and solving the mysteries of her father's past for over a decade.

Her memoir When Time Stopped (Scribner, February 2020; Argo CZ, May 2020; Les Escales FR 2021; Nagrela ES, 2021,Politiken DK 2021, Shanghai Nanquan Cultural Diffusion Co CN, 2023, Into Kustannus FI, 2023; 20/20 PR, 2022) tells her journey of discovery about her father’s unlikely survival after hiding in plain sight in Berlin during WWII and gives glimpses of the lives, hopes and loves of a family lost in the Holocaust.

When Time Stopped has been reviewed in the New York Times, Financial Times, The Guardian, TLS, The Spectator, Daily Mail, The Oldie, JC, Times of Israel, The Sydney Morning Herald. It was an instant New York Times Bestseller, and a Financial Times and Daily Mail “Book of the Week”. It was also chosen as a New York Times Book Review Editors’ Pick and a Bookpage Readers Choice Best books of 2020. It's been recommended by Newsweek, Vogue, Hey Alma, Buzzfeed, The Sydney Morning Herald, Goodreads, Independent booksellers of America (Indie Next List for February 2020). When Time Stopped won the Dayton Literary Peace Prize, The Jewish Book Award for Best Memoir and was shortlisted for the Wingate Prize.

Ariana studied History and French Literature at Tufts University and received an MA from New York University in Spanish and Latin American Literature. She also has a degree from University of London in Psychology of Religion.
She worked briefly in publishing and newspapers before taking time to raise her children.

She now lives in London, UK, with her family and three dogs. She is passionate about them all, as well as about books and chocolate. She loves walking, sappy French and Latin ballads, theatre and sunshine.
If you are investigating your roots or thinking about researching your family history and want some tips do get in touch!