While Paris Slept

This was a very interesting book that I thoroughly enjoyed. I love books where I can picture the scenes and ponder what I would do in those haunting situations. If I was able to save an infant in that situation, would I continue to pretend the baby was mine because I fell in love with him? Would I convince myself that there is no reason to check if his parents survived and just move on? Or, would I be the person I would want myself to be and do everything I can to reunite that baby with his family? I do not know, but I hope I would be the latter.

What an amazing story! I didn't like the way they took Sam from the home he'd known for 9 years, surely it could have been handled differently. Pleased for the happy ending and the bonding of Sam with his birth parents at the end.

I think for fans of World War Two historical fiction, this book will be just the ticket for you! This book has two main parallel timelines, 1944 Paris and 1953 California. The novel follows Charlotte and Jean-Luc living in Nazi Occupied France in the 1940s, who fall in love and make a life changing decision before fleeing to the United States. The implications of their decision back in 1944 comes back to haunt them in their new lives in America.

This book briefly touches on the Jewish experience in Nazi Occupied France and being taken to Auschwitz. But the novel deals with wider issues of identity, heritage, culture and the connection to home. This is a hard hitting historical fiction and beautifully written.

I have decided to give this book three stars only because I feel like historical fiction as a genre is oversaturated with World War Two novels. And while this was a compelling read, this book didn't add anything particularly unique to this genre. But if you love World War novels, I highly recommend this book. A very strong story.

Thanks to the author Ruth Druart, Headline and NetGalley for a review copy in exchange for an honest review.