An unforgettably romantic novel that spans four Christmases (1914-1918), Last Christmas in Paris explores the ruins of war, the strength of love, and the enduring hope of the Christmas season.New York Times bestselling author Hazel Gaynor has joined with Heather Webb to create this unforgettably romantic novel of the Great War.August 1914. England is at war. As Evie Elliott watches her brother, … 1914. England is at war. As Evie Elliott watches her brother, Will, and his best friend, Thomas Harding, depart for the front, she believes—as everyone does—that it will be over by Christmas, when the trio plan to celebrate the holiday among the romantic cafes of Paris.
But as history tells us, it all happened so differently…
Evie and Thomas experience a very different war. Frustrated by life as a privileged young lady, Evie longs to play a greater part in the conflict—but how?—and as Thomas struggles with the unimaginable realities of war he also faces personal battles back home where War Office regulations on press reporting cause trouble at his father’s newspaper business. Through their letters, Evie and Thomas share their greatest hopes and fears—and grow ever fonder from afar. Can love flourish amid the horror of the First World War, or will fate intervene?
Christmas 1968. With failing health, Thomas returns to Paris—a cherished packet of letters in hand—determined to lay to rest the ghosts of his past. But one final letter is waiting for him…
more
I loved this book. It was written in letter form and was very easy to read and gave lots of historical details about WWI. Lovely story and it was so good that I had to break my rule and read the end so I knew if it would turn out alright.
After having read The Girl from the Savoy, I will read anything with Hazel Gaynor’s name on it. This is my introduction to Heather Webb as an author, but after Last Christmas in Paris, don’t be surprised if when either name shows back up here on the blog!
WWI was called ‘the war to end all wars’. The world had seen nothing like it, at least on that scale, in ‘modern’ history. England and her allies go in believing that the war will be over by Christmas and they can all go back to afternoon tea. I don’t say this in a belittling way about the UK, far from it. (If you could register as an Anglophile, my card # would be very, very low. And I note, that especially the Southern States felt the same way about what some here still call ‘The War of Northern Agression’.) It’s just something in the human condition that makes people think war will be easier than it turns out to be.
Be that as it may, Hazel Gaynor and Heather Webb have co-authored an achingly beautiful book about WWI and different characters’ experiences with it. The horrors faced by soldiers at the front, the frustration of loved ones still at home, and the way war (and WWI in particular) changes the society as a whole are all soundly covered.
Sitting, as I do, at about 100 years in the future, I had the same feeling reading Last Christmas in Paris as I did when I found out that Lady Bellamy in ‘Upstairs, Downstairs’ was sailing on the Titanic. I have the advantage of having read and studied this time period and no how things are going to turn out, but it really doesn’t do a whole lot to soften the blow.
So, the inside of the book is, of course, fabulous. And the cover is gorgeous, once again, giving us visual cues to add to our total experience of the book. And what an experience it is. I highly recommend Last Christmas in Paris!