While Paris Slept originates in Paris during the Second World War, moving on to both Paris and California in the 1950s. It is a harrowing and extremely moving tale of the horrors of war and the strength of parental love. In my early twenties I moved to Paris, where I enjoyed a career in teaching. Paris was in fact the city that inspired me to write, as I discovered its rich and troubled past, and I now run a writing group here. In 1944, facing immediate deportation from Paris, Sarah is forced to make a heartbreaking, split second, decision, which will have lasting repercussions for her family and another young Parisian couple. A railway worker has only a moment to take an action which will change the course of his life. This book was beautiful - a book on love and courage demonstrated in different ways, showing that there is no one way to love or be brave. I was unable to stop reading *****' Goodreads reviewer While Paris Slept is an impressive debut that was hard to put down. Perfect book club read as it raises many questions with no easy answers.

The story is told in (mostly) two places and time periods, Spring 1944, during the German occupation of Paris, and 1953 in the USA and in France. Praise for While Paris Slept: A mother faces a heartbreaking choice in this bestselling story of love and courage in World War 2 Best Books Set in the 1920s — from Stories That Shimmer with Champagne and Social Change, to Rip-roaring Reads Covering Crime, Colonialism and Beyond.

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A heartbreaking and emotional read based around WW2. Absolutely fantastic. I have no hesitation in giving this 5 stars *****' One of the strengths of the novel is the author’s ability to create a vivid and immersive setting. The descriptions of the French countryside, the narrow streets of Paris, and the bustling markets are incredibly detailed and evocative, transporting the reader to another time and place. Paris, 1944. A young Jewish woman’s past is torn apart in a heartbeat. Herded onto a train bound for Auschwitz, in an act of desperation she entrusts her most precious possession to a stranger. All she has left now is hope. The ARC of this book was kindly provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. #WhileParisSlept #NetGalley.

The story then jumps to 1953 with the couple trying to start a new life in America after the end of the war.... Read Full ReviewHistorical fiction fans, rejoice! A new voice has entered the arena and she’s one to watch. A gripping tale of love and sacrifice. Perfectly paced and plotted, and evocatively written’ Woman & Home Beautiful. Powerful. Luminous. Unforgettable. A stunning portrait of the brutality of war and the tenacity of love. In the tradition of Virginia Baily’s Early One Morning, M. L. Stedman’s The Light Between Oceans and Heather Morris’s The Tattooist of Auschwitz.

At the heart of the novel is the story of Charlotte, a young woman living in Paris during the German occupation. Charlotte is forced to flee her home with her newborn daughter, Vivi, and seek refuge in a small village in the south of France. A young woman’s future is torn away in a heartbeat. Herded on to a train bound for Auschwitz, in an act of desperation she entrusts her most precious possession to a stranger. All she has left now is hope. Un narrador equisciente nos cuenta la historia a través de los personajes principales, Jean Luc, Charlotte y Sarah. Samuel, el niño salvado, nos narrará la suya en primera persona. Las dos primeras partes de la novela, que nos desgranan la vida de Charlotte y Jean Luc en 1944, sin estar mal, no me transmitieron la dureza que cabía esperar. Se me hicieron un poco lentas. A mi juicio, Druart se extiende demasiado en ellas. En la tercera, cuando Sarah y David Laffitte, así como Samuel, su hijo recién nacido, entran en escena, el libro cambia y cobra interés. A partir de ahí los capítulos volaron. You’ll have your heart in your mouth and tears on your cheeks as it reaches its rich, life-affirming conclusion… Had me completely and utterly enraptured’ LOUISE CANDLISH Historical fiction fans, rejoice! A new voice has entered the arena and she's one to watch. A heartrending story told from the perspectives of two families living very different lives, it is also one of hope amid tragedy. Perfectly paced and plotted, and evocatively written - Woman & Home

Told in two different timelines, the 1940s and 50s, While Paris Slept is a unique story of courage and love during the most horrific of times. There are some deep secrets to this story that I can’t bear to reveal, even if they are alluded to in the synopsis, so I’ll keep this review on the brief side.