LoveReading Says
This thoughtfully handled story of love, in all its guises, sits on two timelines creating questions and answers as you travel between and the 1940’s and 1960’s. When Elise meets German soldier Sebastian in Paris towards the end of the Second World War, they begin a love that simply can not be tolerated by those around them. Ruth Druart’s debut While Paris Slept was also set within the same field of conflict, yet this has a very different feel. While simply told and handled with gentle generosity and compassion, you shouldn’t expect light and airy as it also squeezes thoughts and feelings in a vice-like grip. Secrets and lies twisted and changed shape as they extended into the future creating contradictory feelings as I read. The sections from the war have a haunting intensity, and clearly affect the later time frame. As the ending settled around me and I read the Author’s Note I heaved an emotional yet satisfied sigh. Dwelling in sadness yet expressing hope, The Last Hours in Paris is a compelling tale and sits as a Liz Pick of the Month.
Liz Robinson
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The Last Hours in Paris Synopsis
War brings them together.
Will liberation tear them apart?
'Wonderful. A heartbreaking story of the power of love and forgiveness' JILL MANSELL
'A tender, thrilling story of love and family secrets in time of war' RACHEL HORE
'I was so engrossed. A wonderful, moving, ultimately uplifting book' LESLEY PEARSE
From the bestselling author of WHILE PARIS SLEPT, a powerful, beautiful story of two strangers bound by love, divided by war and entwined by sacrifice.
Paris 1944. Elise Chevalier knows what it is to love...and to hate. Her fiancé, a young French soldier, was killed by the German army at the Maginot Line. Living amongst the enemy Elise must keep her rage buried deep within.
Sebastian Kleinhaus no longer recognises himself. After four years spent fighting a war he doesn't believe in, wearing a uniform he despises, he longs for a way out. For something, someone, to be his salvation.
Brittany 1963. Reaching for the suitcase under her mother's bed, eighteen-year-old Josephine Chevalier uncovers a secret that shakes her to the core. Determined to find the truth, she travels to Paris where she discovers the story of a dangerous love that grew as a city fought for its freedom. Of the last stolen hours before the first light of liberation. And of a betrayal so deep that it would irrevocably change the course of two young lives for ever.
'Love, loss, bravery... Ruth is an exceptional storyteller, bringing the past back to life and shining a light in the darkness' ERICKA WALLER
'Kept me captivated on every page' PRIMA MAGAZINE
'From the moment I started reading, I could not put it down ? ? ? ? ?' REAL READER REVIEW
'An excellent read for fans of WW2 fiction ? ? ? ? ?' REAL READER REVIEW
'A gripping story, well-written and about little-known events ? ? ? ? ?' REAL READER REVIEW
'Outstandingly beautiful and brilliantly poignant ? ? ? ? ?' REAL READER REVIEW
'I devoured the characters, marvelled at the storyline and really didn't want it to end ? ? ? ? ?' REAL READER REVIEW
Acclaim for the unforgettable international bestseller WHILE PARIS SLEPT:
'A gripping tale of love and sacrifice' WOMAN & HOME
'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
'What a book... Emotional and heartrending...absolutely phenomenal. I was on tenterhooks throughout. A wonderful achievement' JILL MANSELL
'I absolutely loved it. An ingenious plot, wonderful believable characters and it moved me to tears. A fabulous read' LESLEY PEARSE
'A heartbreaking debut' JANET SKESLIEN CHARLES, AUTHOR OF THE PARIS LIBRARY
'An amazing story of love, resilience and the human spirit' TRACY REES
'Brace yourself for a brilliant read. This will tug at your heartstrings' BEST
'Made me think and cry and rage and smile at mankind's capacity for both terrible, heartbreaking cruelty and beautiful, selfless love' NATASHA LESTER
About This Edition
| ISBN: |
9781472268020 |
| Publication date: |
5th January 2023 |
| Author: |
Ruth Druart |
| Publisher: |
Headline Review an imprint of Headline Publishing Group |
| Format: |
Paperback |
| Pagination: |
438 pages |
| Primary Genre |
Historical Fiction
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| Other Genres: |
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| Recommendations: |
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Ruth Druart Press Reviews
‘Love, loss, bravery… Ruth is an exceptional storyteller, bringing the past back to life and shining a light in the darkness’ Ericka Waller
‘THE LAST HOURS IN PARIS is a vivid exposé of war and its dislocations… these characters command sympathy’ Kirkus Reviews
Praise for Ruth Druart:
'What a book . . . Emotional and heartrending . . . absolutely phenomenal. I was on tenterhooks throughout. A wonderful achievement -- Jill Mansell
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
You'll have your heart in your mouth and tears on your cheeks as it reaches its rich, life-affirming conclusion. Both epic and intimate, this unexpected story had me completely and utterly enraptured -- Louise Candlish
Brace yourself for a brilliant read. This will tug at your heartstrings - Best
While Paris Slept made me think and cry and rage and smile at mankind's capacity for both beautiful, selfless love and terrible, heartbreaking cruelty. Prepare to be thoroughly engrossed in this compelling book -- Natasha Lester
What a book, I absolutely loved it. An ingenious plot, wonderful believable characters and it moved me to tears. A fabulous read -- Lesley Pearse
A heartbreaking debut. The novel delves into eternal questions: How far will we go to protect our child? Is love holding tightly or letting go? -- Janet Skeslien Charles, author of The Paris Library
A powerful and poignant debut from a brilliant and bold new novelist -- Imogen Kealey, author of Liberation
About Ruth Druart
Ruth Druart grew up on the Isle of Wight, moving away at the age of eighteen to study psychology at Leicester University. She has lived in Paris since 1993, where she has followed a career in teaching. She has recently taken a sabbatical, so that she can follow her dream of writing full-time.
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