While Paris Slept

A mother faces a heartbreaking choice in this bestselling story of love and courage in World War 2

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While Paris Slept

By: Ruth Druart

Narrated by: Frazer Hadfield, Heather Long, Jane Collingwood, Luke Thompson

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About this listen

On a platform in Paris before dawn, a woman whispers goodbye.
It is the end.
But also the beginning.

In the tradition of Virginia Bailey's Early One Morning by Virginia Bailey and M. L. Stedman's The Light Between Oceans, a beautiful, powerful and unforgettable portrait of the brutality of war and the tenacity of love.

1953. Jean-Luc is a man on the run from his past. The scar on his face a small price to pay for surviving the horrors of Nazi occupation. Now, he has a new life in California, a family. He never expected the past to come knocking on his door.

Paris 1944. A young Jewish woman's past is torn away in a heartbeat. Herded on to a train bound for Auschwitz, in an act of desperation she entrusts her most precious possession to a stranger. All she has left now is hope.

On a darkened platform two destinies become entangled. Their choice will change the future in ways neither could have imagined.

Beginning on an ordinary day and ending on an extraordinary one, WHILE PARIS SLEPT will move you and remind you of the remarkable wire of resilience threaded through the human soul. ©2021 Ruth Druart

Ruth DruartFrazer HadfieldHeather LongJane CollingwoodLuke ThompsonReview

20th Century

Fiction

Historical Fiction

Heartfelt

Thought-Provoking

20th Century Fiction Historical Fiction Heartfelt Thought-Provoking

Critic reviews

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

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

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)

Most relevant

This is such a heartbreaking story which is so beautifully written, I felt empathy for every single character. It had so many moments when I held my breath and felt the turmoil they were going through. It’s narrated so well too, Highly recommended!