A moving and entrancing novel set in Paris during World War II about an American woman, a dashing pilot, and a young Jewish girl whose fates unexpectedly entwine–perfect for the fans of Kristen Hannah’s The Nightingale and Martha Hall Kelly’s Lilac Girls, this is ”an emotional, heart-breaking, inspiring tribute to the strength of the human spirit and the enduring power of love” (Mariah Stewart, … enduring power of love” (Mariah Stewart, New York Times bestselling author).
When Ruby first marries the dashing Frenchman she meets in a coffee shop, she pictures a life strolling arm in arm along French boulevards, awash in the golden afternoon light. But it’s 1938, and war is looming on the horizon.
Unfortunately, her marriage soon grows cold and bitter, her husband Marcel, distant and secretive–all while the Germans flood into Paris, their sinister swastika flags waving in the breeze. When Marcel is killed, Ruby discovers the secret he’d been hiding–he was a member of the French resistance–and now she is determined to take his place.
She becomes involved in hiding Allied soldiers–including a charming RAF pilot–who have landed in enemy territory. But her skills are ultimately put to the test when she begins concealing her twelve-year-old Jewish neighbor, Charlotte, whose family was rounded up by the Gestapo. Ruby and Charlotte become a little family, but as the German net grows tighter around Paris, and the Americans debate entering the combat, the danger increases. No one is safe.
“Set against all the danger and drama of WWII Paris, this heartfelt novel will keep you turning the pages until the very last word” (Mary Alice Monroe, New York Times bestselling author).
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Woman (Ruby’s) life takes a dramatic turn after she marries a Frenchmen (Marcel) and moves to France during WWII.
The story opens in 2002 with a very romantic chapter that warmed my heart and immediately made me want to know more about a mysterious couple’s immense love for one another. In the second chapter, the story rewinds to 1938 when an American woman, Ruby, meets the man of her dreams, Marcel, a Frenchman, and they marry and move to France.
“I think perhaps I was waiting for you.” – Ruby upon meeting Marcel
Life in France starts out as a grand adventure for Ruby and her new husband, but the tide soon changes as the Nazis invade Paris. Alone much of the time, Ruby befriends her 11 year old Jewish neighbor, Charlotte, who is wise beyond her years. In time, Ruby discovers and draws upon a strength and courage she never knew she had.
“You can’t always change other people’s minds. But you can change whether or not you listen to them, can’t you?” – Charlotte to Ruby
Enter Thomas who dreams of being a doctor but instead joins the British Royal Air Force to protect his country and defeat the Nazis. Fate, however, soon intervenes bringing Thomas, Ruby, and Charlotte together in an unforgettable tale of love, loss, and finding the light among the darkness.
“In every place evil dwelled, good could also be found. It was a truth that kept the world moving forward, through all the wars, through all the terrible machinations of mankind.” – thought by Ruby
Lastly, I loved that Ruby’s nickname was Fleur, which means “She who blooms in the midst of darkness,”—so very fitting!—and that this story was loosely based on the life of Virginia d’Albert-Lake, an American who married a Frenchman, moved to Paris, helped with the Comet escape line, was imprisoned at the Ravensbruck concentration camp, and lived to tell about it, living until she was 87.
Thank you to the author and the publisher for a free advance copy of this book! All opinions are my own.
The Room on Rue Amelie was a stay up late reading kind of book. Kristin Harmel has penned a tragically beautiful story of the Resistance in Paris in WWII. I am always in awe reading stories of survival during WWII. “I am not sure of anything. But if we don’t have hope, we don’t have anything.”
Extremely moving and detailed account of life in occupied Paris during World War II. Great character development and research. You will feel the tension of daily life in Paris during this time. Recommend for anyone that enjoys a moving story that grips you from page one. Historical fiction at is best. 4..5 stars.
What a fantastic book! I wasn’t sure what I was going to get when I started this book but I was so very surprised. It wasn’t anything that I was expecting it was oh so much more. I would recommend this to everyone but be sure to have your tissues! Thanks for such a great read!
Shelf this under books that make you ugly cry. I knew this book would be emotional when chapter 1 pulled me in straight by the heart strings… but I didn’t know just how good it would be. Well worth the read. Beautiful book, beautiful characters.
I received a copy of this story from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
I needed to take a moment before writing this review. This story is a lot to handle for so many reasons and I loved every moment of it. Kristin Harmel does a wonderful job of illustrating the trials and tribulations of daily life in Paris during WWII. Having read the author’s note before reading the story, I knew that while the characters were all fictional, Ms Harmel did a ton of research to bring it all to life for us.
Ruby is such a lovely character. Her struggles and her strength are inspiring and heartbreaking at the same time. We get to watch Charlotte blossom as the story progresses, which is such a treat. I had trouble with Thomas a little because he seemed to be lacking the same depth as the other characters but all in all, it was a wonderful cast.
On a personal level, this was an uncomfortable and eye-opening read. My grandparents fled occupied Belgium and arrived in the United States in the summer of 1941. Each chapter in this story starts with the month and year so I was able to track the dissolution of society in Paris, knowing it was worse in countries further east.
This was a fantastic read and I would recommend it to everyone. Just everyone.
A wonderful WWII book. I knew little about the French underground so it was very interesting & informative. The characters were well developed. The war & their personal lives were woven together in “a good read.” I highly recommend this book.
One of this years best reads. Kristin Harmel writes a story of courage and love in unimaginable circumstances, with such insight and heart. Her characters and their story will stay with you long after you’ve finished the book.
OK this…this is why I read historical fiction in spurts. It always breaks my heart, makes me cry, and then picks up the pieces and tapes them back together again. It’s a lot to go through…
I absolutely love how this showcases the strength of women in a time of great fear and uncertainty. The courage, the bravery and the hope that shines through them certainly makes for an epic read.
Definitely recommend this one.
As I sit down to write my review of this incredible story the words escape me. I finished The Room on Rue Amélie a few days ago and it has haunted me ever since. How do I put into words the emotions that this book awakened in me?
Ruby Henderson Benoit fell in love. It was a simple glance at a man in a coffee shop in Manhattan that would forever change the trajectory of her life. She forgets all about the path that she was on and follows her husband back to his home in Paris. It’s July 1939. Her parents warned her about going, with rumors swirling of Paris being on the brink of war, but nothing would stop her. Ruby wanted a life with the man she loved.
At first everything was like a dream. Her husband’s career as an art dealer for his dads company put them in the most elite social circles and they were “soaking up life.” Even if there was to be a war there is no way it would ever reach Paris. Less than two months later France, and their British allies, are at war with Germany. Immediately the climate of the entire city changes as well as Ruby’s relationship with her husband. He is cold and distant, disappearing for days at a time without an explanation. As the country begins to crumble so does her marriage.
Being alone in a city where she knows no one Ruby is lonely and heartbroken. She begins an unlikely friendship with one of her neighbors, a ten-year-old Jewish girl named Charlotte Henderson. As the war intensifies so does the incredible bond between Ruby and Charlotte.
It is revealed to Ruby that her husband has been apart of an escape line in France, which helps aid allied RAF pilots that have been shot down. The escape line helps bring the pilots back to allied territory so that they can continue the fight against the Nazis. Ruby feels its her duty to also aid in the escape line and to do everything she can to fight the war herself. Thomas Clarke, as well as many of the RAF pilots that Ruby helps, feel the exact same way. Through the escape line many find more than just a means to fight against this cruel war. They find friendship, love, and even forgiveness in the most unlikely place: the middle of a war.
The Room on Rue Amélie is incredibly well written with characters that you root for from the beginning and a plot that keeps you guessing. You can feel the anxiety and pressure that these characters were under, being so close to the enemy, and fighting the resistance, knowing that they themselves were putting their own lives on the line for the cause.
There were moments where I had to stop reading, close my eyes, and will the tears away. No matter how many times I read about World War II and the Holocaust I am always rendered speechless, my heart aching. To imagine the horrors that were endured by so many is unfathomable. It’s evil personified and the author does an incredible job of being sensitive to the subject.
This book is loosely based on the true story of Virginia d’Albert-Lake, an American woman who followed her love to Paris and found herself working for the anti-Nazi French Resistance during World War II by means of the Comet escape line. There are many parallels between Virginia and Ruby but the author took great care to give Ruby her own story, one that is painful yet beautiful.
This is a love story yes but not in all the ways you would imagine. It’s a gripping read that is hard to put down and one that I highly recommend.
*I received a complimentary copy of this book from Gallery Book and NetGalley in exchange for an honest, unbiased review. All opinions are my own.
This story was a treat. Beautifully written, the author crafted wonderfully rich characters and I was drawn to Ruby instantly, and later to Charlotte as she made the leap from child to teenager. I can’t imagine living under such repressive conditions and the courage ordinary Parisians demonstrated to help the Allies escape to safety while putting their own lives in danger never ceases to fascinate me. But the story is more than that. It’s about love and caring for others, it’s about strangers forming such strong bonds that they become family. Definitely a book that was hard to put down. If you’re a fan of The Nightingale, you will absolutely love this book.
This book was beautifully written from start to finish. The very first chapter was so heart breaking and lovely, and I wanted to keep reading and know more about this couple. I love that the very first chapter could grab my attention, especially when I didn’t even know the characters yet. I finished this book in 6 days and that’s the fastest I’ve read a book, especially because those days I was busy -so I made time to read. If you enjoyed Nightingale, you’ll like this book too. This is definitely a 5 star book!
Really good historic fiction.
I loved this book. Hard to imagine the difficult choices people had to make every day and the ways in which their worlds changed. The bravery of those in the French Resistance was moving. I highly recommend this book.
Wonderfully woven historical fiction. A love story with a war in between. Ending a bit too melodramatic. Ruby is a force of nature.
A WWII book – interesting and a bit tragic
Excellent read about characters who lived through World War II. I keep learning so much about the individuals who literally gave their suffering and lives to their countries. We hear about the leaders who fought against the Nazis, but it is so important to remember that peace was achieved through the efforts of everyday people. Unforgettable!!
An absolutely fantastic story with twists all the way through that will keep you up all night reading to see what happens next. A must read!
Beautifully written story of trying times , three people are drawn together during that fateful war , three points of view , interchanging , easy to follow , the bravery it took for these three people , not only them but the many people who helped the Raf piolets of that war was wonderful , for a piece if their story to be shared , was a great read and heartfelt , at the very end .
Set in France just before WW2 it tells the story of an American wife who relocated to France with her French husband and portrays a view of their lives. Very well written . I may read it again