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The Room on Rue Amélie

Kristin Harmel (Goodreads Author)

4.10 · Rating details · 15,791 ratings · 2,119 reviews

Librarian Note: There is an updated cover for this edition with ASIN B074ZKDWT2

When newlywed Ruby Henderson Benoit arrives in Paris in 1939 with her French husband Marcel, she imagines strolling arm in arm along the grand boulevards, awash in the golden afternoon light. But war is looming on the horizon, and as France falls to the Nazis, her marriage begins to splinter, to ...more

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Kindle Edition, 400 pages

Published March 27th 2018 by Gallery Books

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Mar 27, 2018 Jennifer ~ TarHeelReader rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: arcs, traveling-sister-reads, 2018-reads, kindle-version

4 stars to this historical drama of WWII, The Room on Rue Amelie!

I have enjoyed other books by Kristin Harmel, but The Room on Rue Amelie may just be my favorite from her.

Set in World War II, my favorite time period of which to read, the Epilogue of The Room on Rue Amelie set the intriguing stage, as it was not until the end of the book that I knew which loving elderly couple was portrayed.

In 1939, Ruby falls in love with a Frenchman and moves to Paris, against her parents’ wishes because the p ...more

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Mar 30, 2018 Lindsay - Traveling Sisters Book Reviews rated it really liked it

Shelves: netgalley, traveling-sister-read

4.5 stars! I adored this novel!

This was a touching and unforgettable WWII story revolving around Ruby Benoit, a brave young American newlywed woman, living in occupied Paris during wartime devastation and desperation. The story is narrated through her perspective, along with a British RAF pilot and a neighboring Jewish teenage girl. I enjoyed the way the story unfolded overlapping through their perspectives in alternating chapters.

One of the things I most enjoyed about this novel was learning th ...more

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Dec 19, 2017 Tammy rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Cliches abound: “You must forgive yourself. Knowledge is power. It’s a mother’s job to protect her child. It’s what’s inside a person that counts. Better safe than sorry. I still believe in the goodness of mankind. What matters is what’s in your heart. Your life depends on it.” At one point. I wanted to place the back of my hand to my forehead with a dramatic sigh.

To be fair, this was my fault. I went into this thinking that it would be similar to The Nightingale. Given what I do for a living, I ...more

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Mar 30, 2018 Brenda - Traveling Sisters Book Reviews rated it really liked it

Shelves: traveling-sister-reads, netgalley

The Room on Rue Amelie is an easier lighter more dramatic WWII story of the sacrifices and bravery of the heroes who take a stand against injustice. It was a nice change of pace for me and I really enjoyed the lighter, endearing and easier side to a WWII story that still had the depth and layers to make it an intriguing story for us.

Kristin Harmel does a fantastic job creating brave, strong and interesting characters here with our three main characters Ruby, Charlotte, and Thomas. All fighting ...more

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Mar 07, 2018 Lynn rated it it was ok · review of another edition

Shelves: historical-fiction, gr-first-read-giveaways

This is supposed to be historical fiction about the resistance in Paris during WWII, but in reality it's just a bad romance story using the above premise as a backdrop to tell the story. There is very little character development, and all the characters are mostly stereotypes. There is a young girl, Charlotte, who is wise beyond her years, and says things that no young teenager would ever say.
For me, it's as if The Nightingale and The Lilac Girls were mashed together into one bad novel, taking ...more

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Mar 18, 2018 Marialyce rated it liked it

Shelves: net-galley

3.5 sad wartime story stars

Life was ever so hard in Europe living during the war years. When Ruby, a young American girl, meets and falls in love with Marcel, a young Frenchman, she doesn't realize the changes she will have in her life. Moving to Paris with Marcel, she is excited to be in the city of lights. However, war is looming and as the months pass, she and Marcel are embroiled in the beginnings of war.

The marriage starts to fall apart as Marcel becomes more and more secretive, disappearin ...more

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Mar 14, 2018 Ashley rated it it was amazing

Shelves: netgalley, 2018

Read this review and many more at: Ashes Books & Bobs.

Many thanks to Gallery Books and Netgalley for the chance to read and review this novel.

By now many of you may know how much I love World War II Historical Fiction. There's something about this period in history I find incredibly captivating. Each story is so immersive in the human experience, offering some form of tragedy I've never before been able to imagine. After having made my way through countless WWII novels, I still find myself dumb Read this review and many more at: Ashes Books & Bobs.

Many thanks to Gallery Books and Netgalley for the chance to read and review this novel.

By now many of you may know how much I love World War II Historical Fiction. There's something about this period in history I find incredibly captivating. Each story is so immersive in the human experience, offering some form of tragedy I've never before been able to imagine. After having made my way through countless WWII novels, I still find myself dumbfounded at the horrors humans inflicted upon one another. The suffering is unimaginable, no matter how many books I read. However, the constant that keeps me coming back to these horrifying stories shrouded in truth remains the same - the persistence of good. The people who fight for strangers above themselves, the stories of people offering food to someone weaker, those who harbored strangers in their homes for the sake of the cause, and countless other good deeds that may never find their way into the pages of a book. Every story, even if fictional, holds truth.

The Room on Rue Amélie hooked me from the very first page and was no exception to everything mentioned above. Though I've read several books in this genre, often from the same settings, each story is new and unique. Kristin Harmel did an exquisite job of capturing this dismal time in history through multiple characters, though mainly from the perspective of Ruby, an American woman living in Paris. Shortly before the war, Ruby moves to Paris with her French husband to start a life of love and independence. Quickly, life becomes less than she imagines as her marriage starts to crumble with the start of the war. Given the chance and urged to leave the country multiple times, Ruby is determined to be part of the Resistance against the Germans instead, helping in any way she can. Finally, she is trusted with the chance to be part of the escape line for downed airmen in the enemy territory. Ruby is constantly put to the test, but her faith and perseverance never waver.

"The Room on Rue Amélie tells the tale of an American woman, a British RAF pilot, and a young Jewish teenager whose lives intersect in occupied Paris during the tumultuous days of World War II."

I prefer to go into stories as blind as possible. I simply requested this novel through Netgalley for the beautiful cover and the first few lines of the blurb (mentioned above). I was pleasantly surprised with the unexpected additions of romance during this wartime setting. I was completely engulfed in the emotions of the characters and could not stop reading this beautiful book. The story begins with an elderly couple recounting their past as one of the character's final days approach. As the story continues, readers are taken through the expanse of the war, from start to finish. I have to give high praise on this aspect, as a lot of ground was covered in surprisingly minimal pages. Some authors struggle to fit this impressive length of time into one novel, but Kristin Harmel was able to do the effortlessly, without making the story feel rushed or as if the reader has missed important events in the gaps of time. Readers are able to feel the characters growing and changing as the war makes them weary, allowing them to feel a personal connection to the people in the story.

As I got closer to the conclusion, I was nervous all of the ends would not be able to be tied up in the few remaining pages. Luckily, my fears were completely unfounded because the ending was unexpectedly beautiful while simultaneously heartwrenching. I never saw the end events coming and was rocked to my core. I truly loved everything about this story and was touched by the writing on the deepest level. I hate to compare novels because each is unique, but I daresay this one will stick with me for years to come, with the likes of novels such as The Nightingale, From Sand and Ash, and Sarah's Key. I truly cannot recommend this amazing book enough! ...more

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Sep 07, 2020 Marilyn rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: marilyn-s-challenge

The Room on Rue Amelie by Kristin Harmel has been on my list to read for so long. A teacher at my school had just finished reading it and asked if I would like to read it. We often exchange books. I jumped at the opportunity and was so glad that I did. Kristin Harmel is a favorite author of mine. I don't think I have read anything that she has written that I haven't liked. The Room on Rue Amelie was no exception. I was hooked from the beginning to the end. It was so hard to put down. I marvel at The Room on Rue Amelie by Kristin Harmel has been on my list to read for so long. A teacher at my school had just finished reading it and asked if I would like to read it. We often exchange books. I jumped at the opportunity and was so glad that I did. Kristin Harmel is a favorite author of mine. I don't think I have read anything that she has written that I haven't liked. The Room on Rue Amelie was no exception. I was hooked from the beginning to the end. It was so hard to put down. I marvel at Kristin Harmel's research for this story and her character development. It was a true page turner.

This historical novel set during World War II in Paris, France portrayed the strength and bravery of those men and women that chose to help pilots, mostly from England, find their way back home from France along complex escape routes and undermine the Nazis any way they could. Kristin Harmel based her main character, Ruby, on the real life story of Virginia d'Albert-Lake. Like Ruby, Virginia married a man from France and she moved away from her family to live in Paris in 1937. She also became an active member of the resistance that worked on the Comet escape line. Virginia ultimately was arrested and imprisoned at Ravensbruck similarly to Ruby Henderson Benoit. Ruby's friendships with Charlotte, her young Jewish neighbor, Thomas, the British pilot she nursed back to health, helped escape France and ultimately fell in love with and Lucien, the fifteen year old forger who became Charlotte's rock and first and only love worked together to defy the Nazis. They all summoned up unbelievable amounts of courage, bravery and determination to survive, succeed, win and defy those Nazis that occupied France.

The Room on Rue Amelie was a beautifully written book that made me cry, cheer and feel anger. It taught me about the escape routes ordinary citizens established and risked their lives when they helped stranded pilots and soldiers find their way to them to get back home. This was a story about trust, friendship, love, compassion, survival and putting other's needs before your own. The ending was so sad and unexpected. I highly recommend this book and look forward to Kristin Harmel's next book. ...more

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Mar 23, 2018 Pavlina Read more sleep less blog rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: arc, best-cover

4,5 stars

This story was fantastic, I don't usually read this type of books but from the moment I read the synopsis I wanted to read it and I'm so glad I did!The Room on Rue Amelie was a heartbreaking and emotional story!The writing was beautiful and flawless and the story touched me in so many ways!

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The beginning was a little bit slow in my opinion but after a few chapters I couldn't put it down wondering what will happen next!The Room on Rue Amelie is a powerful story, I was emotional while I w ...more

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Apr 01, 2018 Erin rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: kindle, netgalley

3.5 stars

Thanks to NetGalley for an advanced ebook in exchange for an honest review.

"The Room on Rue Amelie" is a World War II romance that takes place mainly in Paris and is triple narrated by three different characters that quickly take hold of the pages. As the author acknowledges in her Afterword pages, the character of Ruby was based on a real American woman -Virginia d'Albert Lake. Thanks to Kristin Harmel for bringing to reading audiences attention another person that many people did not ...more

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Oct 04, 2017 Brandi Hodges rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

This book broke my heart into little, tiny pieces.

That being said, "The Room on Rue Amélie" is one of the best books I have read this year. You know you have found something special when you find an author who can make you cry and yearn to continue reading within a few short paragraphs. When I read my first book by author Kristin Harmel a few years ago, my heart was broken and put back together so many times I lost count - and that was in one book! The characters and the worlds built by Harmel ...more

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Jul 02, 2018 Stephanie Anze rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: historical-fiction

3.5 stars

When Ruby Henderson visits Paris, she falls in love with Marcel Benoit. Ruby marries Marcel and moves to the city with which she has also fallen in love with. As the war advances, her marriage begins to unravel and her resolve is put to the test. Charlotte Dacher, Ruby's next door neighbour, is eleven, Jewish and has grown close with Ruby. As the war atrocities pile up, these two women will become inseparable.

This book was yet another historical fiction work to add to my repertoire. I l 3.5 stars

When Ruby Henderson visits Paris, she falls in love with Marcel Benoit. Ruby marries Marcel and moves to the city with which she has also fallen in love with. As the war advances, her marriage begins to unravel and her resolve is put to the test. Charlotte Dacher, Ruby's next door neighbour, is eleven, Jewish and has grown close with Ruby. As the war atrocities pile up, these two women will become inseparable.

This book was yet another historical fiction work to add to my repertoire. I love historical fiction, particularly that set during WWII. Ruby is an American woman that moves to Paris when she marries a Frenchman. Loving the city and all that is has to offer, she envisons a romantic and idyllic life as Mrs. Ruby Benoit but war will foil these plans. As Paris comes under siege, so does her marriage. When tragedy strikes, Ruby steps up and becomes part of the resistance movement helping downed pilots leave Paris safely. I do like this book and, to be fair, have very liitle negative thoughts about it. The comparisons to Kristin Hannah's 'The Nightingale' and Martha Hall Kelly's 'Lilac Girls' had my expectations set much higher though. The prose is nice. By no means is this a bad book but the romance was heavy handed when I wanted more historical content. I found that the book contained one too many coincidences and certain aspects were somewhat cliched. Overall, I found this book enjoyable.

I was pleased to learn that Ruby Benoit is partially based on a real woman. Virginia d'Albert-Lake was a Florida woman that married and moved to Paris. Along with her husband Philippe, they formed part of the Comet Line and helped get about 60 downed pilots out of France. Virginia's heroics made her a vital part of the resistance movement. Unfortunately, it also made her a target for the Nazis and she was eventully captured and sent her to many camps, Ravensbruck among them. She survived, barely weighing 76 pounds, when the camp was liberated. She was awarded the Legion d'Honneur (the higest honor awarded by France), the Croix de Guerre and the Maltese Cross for her brave participation in the war. She died in 1997 in Paris. Having learned about Virginia's story, I really wish Harmel had stuckk more to it. Maybe write a fictionalized account of her life. It definitely would have warranted a higher rating from me. ...more

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Mar 30, 2018 CristiinaReads❀ rated it really liked it · review of another edition

➳I cannot believe I just finished this book in two days... This was such an emotionally sweet, semi-romantic, historic novel that took my breathe away with it's sweetness and adoration towards the writing...

➳ARC kindly provided by Gallery Books in exchange for an honest review...

➳Follow Me On:
Blog ♕ Instagram ♕ Facebook ♕ Twitter ...more

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Mar 22, 2018 Fareya rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: review-copies

The Room on Rue Amélie by Kristin Harmel is a heartbreaking and inspiring tale of love, loss and survival during the tumultuous times of World War II.

"That's one thing faith is especially good for: giving us strength in times of crisis"

I have always found stories based during this era of time to be extremely emotional. I think the one thing they all have in common is how we get to see the best and the worst of humanity simultaneously. It's distressing to just read about the horrors inflicted on ...more

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Jan 05, 2020 Patricia Williams rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

This was a really wonderful book and it was surprise that it was so good. I had read good reviews on this and I also knew it was another novel about WWII, set in France during the Nazi invasion. But this story so sweet and surprising and was so pleased. The characters were wonderful and the story really great. A young widow and a teenage Jewish girl help smuggle pilots out of France when they've had to make an amergency landing. The friendship between the woman and the girl and what happens to t ...more

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Sep 16, 2018 Fred Shaw rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Thank you Goodreads and author Kristin Hammel for awarding me the novel from the book giveaway.

A breathtaking WWII historical fiction where strangers meet and conspire together to attempt an escape from Nazi occupied Paris. I enjoyed the author’s story telling ability, the exceptional descriptions of Paris as well as the noteworthy research on WWII history.

Highly recommended.

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Apr 04, 2018 MaryBeth's Bookshelf rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: historical-fiction

The Room on Rue Amelie focuses on the lives of three different people during World War II.

Ruby Henderson meets and falls in love with Marcel Benoit. When she moves with him to Paris in 1939 she imagines a very romantic life for them. But Paris is on the cusp of becoming involved in World War II and this changes both of their lives forever.

Charlotte Dacher is a young girl who lives with her family next to Ruby and Marcel. The Dacher's are Jewish and start to see their world closing in on them as ...more

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Dec 04, 2017 Katie Kelley rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Heartbreaking. And beautiful. And I can’t believe I binged the entire thing in one night...that’s how good it was. I kept saying, oh I’ll just stop after this chapter. And I didn’t! It was just so GOOD! This is one piece of historical fiction that gets it right. The characters were believable, the settings were magnificent (and horrifyingly real), and the story was incredible. It releases in March 2018...get it. You won’t be sorry. For fans of Kate Quinn’s The Alice Network, this is your next bi ...more

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Jan 07, 2018 Denise rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

The Room on Rue Amelie by Kristin Harmel is an historical fiction novel that takes the reader back to WWII. Reading historical fiction novels are my favourite genre and this book reinforces why I love this genre. It s a stunning, inspiring novel about love, loss and the worst and best of humanity.

The main characters are well developed, realistic and engaging. As the reader, I was transported back in time and expended their anguish, fear and passion. In the beginning of this brilliant novel, I wo ...more

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Nov 10, 2018 Pam Jenoff rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

A remarkable WW2 story about an American woman in Paris who hides both a dashing RAF pilot and a young Jewish girl, with life-changing repercussions for all.

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Feb 13, 2018 Renee rated it it was ok · review of another edition

Shelves: giveaways

I won this title in a Goodreads giveaway & was quite excited, as I particularly enjoy historical fiction and WW2-era stories. Alas, the enthusiasm waned quickly.

I won’t summarize the synopsis here as it can be easily read online; however, I do want to note that it wasn’t a particularly original plot. The heroine falls in love not once, but TWICE “at first glance.” Writing is simplistic and juvenile; the story takes on a tedious “tell, don’t show” nature; clichés run rampant; action takes a backs ...more

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Jan 18, 2019 Brooke rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: audiobooks

“Her mother had once told her that some people you meet are meant to be a part of your world forever, but some are meant only to change the course of your life and then move on.”

"The Room on Rue Amelie", tells the story of an American woman named Ruby, a British RAF pilot named Thomas, and a young Jewish teenager named Charlotte, whose lives intersect in occupied Paris during the many harsh days of World War II. It's a story about bravery, hope, and loving one another regardless of titles.

I do “Her mother had once told her that some people you meet are meant to be a part of your world forever, but some are meant only to change the course of your life and then move on.”

"The Room on Rue Amelie", tells the story of an American woman named Ruby, a British RAF pilot named Thomas, and a young Jewish teenager named Charlotte, whose lives intersect in occupied Paris during the many harsh days of World War II. It's a story about bravery, hope, and loving one another regardless of titles.

I don't know if World War II is just a favorite topic of historical fiction or if I am always just drawn to it, because there seems to be thousands, but I thought going into this one I would find that I would at least enjoy it, (because I've read so many stories centered around this time in history and surely I would get tired of it) but alas I'm not and for whatever reason most books that I have read have brought out something different and "The Room on Rue Amelie" was no exception!

What makes Harmel's novel stand out is that it is more of a romance than a heavily written account. I'm not always one who loves a heavily romantic book, but I LOVED this one! It's such a sweet story and I found the ending to be perfect. It was definitely one that was hard to put down! The characters just become so real and you feel for each and every one of them.

I think the idea that sums up the book entirely is...that the smallest acts of courage are the ones that change the world. That's a pretty incredible sentence if you really think about it, and in relation to the story it makes you think what kind of person would you be in these peoples situations. Would you stand up for what is right even if it meant that you may die? Ruby is one to aspire too and a character that I'm sure is based off many real women who chose to help others regardless of the severe and fearful consequences. This is just an incredible book! Can't recommend it enough!

“But if we want to defeat darkness, we must find our own way to the light. We have to follow our hearts and accept the danger." ...more

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Mar 26, 2018 Bam cooks the books ;-) rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: giveaway-win, world-war-two, i-own-it, 2018-reads, historical-fiction

*3-3.5 stars--which is a rating of good + in my rating scale. This was a goodreads giveaway win for me; many thanks to the author and publisher!

Kristin Harmel has written a very nice story of historical fiction, which takes place in Paris during WWII. Ruby Henderson is a college girl from California who meets a Frenchman named Marcel Benoit in NYC. She is swept off her feet; they marry and move into an apartment on the Rue Amelie in Paris. Next door lives an older Jewish couple with an inquisiti ...more

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Mar 23, 2019 Laura • lauralovestoread rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: 2018, historical-fiction, gallery-books, buddy-reads

“𝚈𝚘𝚞 𝚖𝚞𝚜𝚝 𝚝𝚑𝚒𝚗𝚔 𝚘𝚏 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚙𝚎𝚘𝚙𝚕𝚎 𝚢𝚘𝚞 𝚕𝚘𝚟𝚎 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚖𝚘𝚜𝚝, 𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝚛𝚎𝚖𝚎𝚖𝚋𝚎𝚛 𝚝𝚑𝚊𝚝 𝚢𝚘𝚞’𝚛𝚎 𝚏𝚒𝚐𝚑𝚝𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚠𝚊𝚛 𝚝𝚘 𝚖𝚊𝚔𝚎 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚠𝚘𝚛𝚕𝚍 𝚜𝚊𝚏𝚎 𝚏𝚘𝚛 𝚝𝚑𝚎𝚖.”

My first book by author, Kristin Harmel, and I just loved it so much! The Room on Rue Amélie is a story told from 3 POV in Paris, France, as the approach of war is near. We meet Ruby, Charlotte, and Thomas, as their stories intersect, and they fight to survive.

I started this book as a buddy read, but it had been on my radar for quite some time. I loved the strength that Ru ...more

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Feb 08, 2018 Rachelle rated it liked it · review of another edition

I fell in love with the prologue of this book because it was so beautifully written and heart wrenching. I hoped the rest of the book was like that, but it fell sort of flat. I didn’t really connect with any of the characters, and they all seemed to have swallowed a book of clichés that were thrown about like ordinary conversation and lost all meaning. The plot was fairly predictable, too. I’m not a huge fan of romance stories or WWII stories to begin with (which makes you wonder why I was readi ...more

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May 11, 2018 Amy rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: audiobook, historical-fiction, war, adult-fiction, favorites

Star Rating: 4.5 Stars

Nothing quite like trying to hold back tears at work.

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Jan 20, 2018 Cheryl rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: arc-giveaway, adult-fiction, war-stories-fiction, historical-fiction

The year is 1939 and Ruby Benoit is an American newlywed who arrives in Paris with her husband, Marcel. Rumors of war abound, but many Parisians think that their army will be able to repel a German attack. However, their hopes are dashed when the Germans invade France.

Ruby decides to remain in Paris with her husband whose clandestine activities leave her isolated. She befriends the Jewish Dacher family who live in the apartment next door to Ruby’s. As the Nazis’ hold over Paris tightens, Ruby k ...more

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Apr 16, 2018 Carol (Reading Ladies) rated it liked it

Shelves: historical-fiction

“Cruelty is the weapon of the ignorant.”

If you’re looking for an easy reading WW11 histfic selection, you might enjoy The Room on Rue Amélie, a story of people who see injustice and have the courage to stand up and fight against it. For me, it was mediocre compared with other reads in the same genre. Although the dialogue could have been better written and the events better developed, the topic of rescuing downed English pilots over war torn France was interesting and seemed to be well researche ...more

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Jun 10, 2019 Kim rated it liked it · review of another edition

3.5 stars!

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Jul 31, 2018 Zulfiya rated it it was ok · review of another edition

Disclaimer: all the opinions are my own, and if you like this book, I am happy that this book met your emotional needs. Now straight to my ranting.

Oh, boy, it was so sub par that I had to return my Audible book, and I hardly ever do this even though I have been an Audible member for 7 years. I also think that I have been conned ... by publishers, by book marketers, and by the book cover ... Yes, I am willing to admit that I am stupid like that.
The book is marketed as WWII historical fiction Disclaimer: all the opinions are my own, and if you like this book, I am happy that this book met your emotional needs. Now straight to my ranting.

Oh, boy, it was so sub par that I had to return my Audible book, and I hardly ever do this even though I have been an Audible member for 7 years. I also think that I have been conned ... by publishers, by book marketers, and by the book cover ... Yes, I am willing to admit that I am stupid like that.
The book is marketed as WWII historical fiction ... Mildly speaking, this might qualify as historical fiction as the events took place during WWII, but I wonder what happened to one of my favorite genres. Recently, it has become a place for everything lackluster in the publishing industry. Romance is often masqueraded as historical fiction; Christian fiction is often marketed as historical fiction; some preachy books are often marketed as historical fiction. There is a reason why ... There are still good historical novels that tell us the stories of the past while romance novels and Christian historical fiction are often nauseatingly baaaaad. So, it is a nice gimmick to sell books under the umbrella of historical fiction to make more money. Mea culpa - I simply should have researched better! As the numbers show, it looks like I am in the minority here as the majority of the people love the book, and the book found its audience, but I was not its intended audience.

As for me, I found the dialogue stilted and primitive. It sounded as it was a bad YA book with clumsy overstated and over-explanatory conversations. In addition, the characters were all unbelievably flat and very formulaic. Somehow, Ruby was surrounded only by good people, and there were no bad guys around her. The only semi-grey character was her husband, who was trying to shelter her by not telling her that he was in Resistance, but guess what - he is described as insensitive and callous because of his clumsy attempts to protect his wife.
All the other characters ( if they were characters and not just the soldiers marching by) were people who sacrificed their everything to undermine German efforts. So tell me how it works in the world of big numbers that if everyone you know is against the Nazi even at the Nazi camps and in Germany, how come the world had succumbed to the deadly cancer of fascism? It would have been rationally impossible, but somehow Ruby lives only in the world of angels who are confined to live in the world of the Nazi.

Now ask yourselves how realistic is the next part. Ruby repeats repeatedly ( I know the tautology is bad, but I can not help myself imitating the author's style) that she is not very religious, but she prays all the time, and she does not forget to mention that she is a Catholic right into a reader's face ... multiple times.

Plus, her perennial wonderment every times she got pregnant made me roll my eyes quite loudly. Really? Why did it come as a surprise? Plus, why did she give birth TWICE while she was asleep? On the other hand, we are also dealing with the precocious Charlotte who knows the answer to all questions, and her thought process is inconsistent with her age.

Another thing that kept nagging me is sustenance. Did Ruby work? How did she survive? Where and why did she get the ration card? Did they give them to everyone in Nazi occupied France? Was Paris one big commune? Or is it a poetic license to not discuss social issues and believe that the character can live out of space and time of earthly needs?

The only consistent thing is a plot. It is not exactly the believable plot, but at least it has the modicum of consistency.

Let me be quite informal but blunt here - do not read this book if you have high literary expectations. The prose is pedestrian, and the writing is immature, and the book is not what it seems to be. If you like to be shown not told, then this book is not for you. If you like when the author uses different words to express similar concepts, then this book is not for you.

Finally, if you want to read WWII fiction that will haunt you in its beauty and pain as good books should, please read The invisible Bridge by Julie Orringer. ...more

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About Kristin Harmel

Kristin Harmel

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Kristin Harmel is the New York Times bestselling and #1 international bestselling author of THE BOOK OF LOST NAMES, THE WINEMAKER'S WIFE, and a dozen other novels that have been translated into numerous languages and sold all over the world.

A former reporter for PEOPLE magazine, Kristin has been writing professionally since the age of 16, when she began her career as a sportswriter, covering Major Kristin Harmel is the New York Times bestselling and #1 international bestselling author of THE BOOK OF LOST NAMES, THE WINEMAKER'S WIFE, and a dozen other novels that have been translated into numerous languages and sold all over the world.

A former reporter for PEOPLE magazine, Kristin has been writing professionally since the age of 16, when she began her career as a sportswriter, covering Major League Baseball and NHL hockey for a local magazine in Tampa Bay, Florida in the late 1990s. After stints covering health and lifestyle for American Baby, Men’s Health, and Woman’s Day, she became a reporter for PEOPLE and spent more than a decade working for the publication, covering everything from the Super Bowl to high-profile murders to celebrity interviews with the likes of Ben Affleck, Matthew McConaughey, OutKast, Justin Timberlake, and Patrick Dempsey. Her favorite stories at PEOPLE, however, were the “Heroes Among Us” features—tales of ordinary people doing extraordinary things. One of those features—the story of Holocaust-survivor-turned-philanthropist Henri Landwirth (whom both Walter Cronkite and John Glenn told Kristin was the most amazing person they’d ever known)—partially inspired Kristin’s 2012 novel, The Sweetness of Forgetting, which was a bestseller all over the world.

In addition to a long magazine writing career (which also included articles published in Travel + Leisure, Glamour, Ladies’ Home Journal, Every Day with Rachael Ray, and more), Kristin was also a frequent contributor to the national television morning show The Daily Buzz—where her assignments included flying to London three times to interview the cast of the Harry Potter films. She has appeared on Good Morning America and numerous local television morning shows--and even stumbled into a role as an extra in the 2003 American Idol movie while awaiting an interview with Kelly Clarkson.

Kristin was born just outside Boston, Massachusetts and spent her childhood there, as well as in Columbus, Ohio, and St. Petersburg, Florida. After graduating with a degree in journalism (with a minor in Spanish) from the University of Florida, she spent time living in Paris and Los Angeles and now lives in Orlando, with her husband and young son. She travels frequently to France for book research (and—let’s be honest—for the pastries and wine) and writes a book a year for Gallery Books/Simon & Schuster.

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“Her mother had once told her that some people you meet are meant to be a part of your world forever, but some are meant only to change the course of your life and then move on.” — 3 likes

“I mean that sometimes, we only discover our calling in life when things are darkest.” — 0 likes

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