Last Christmas in Paris: A Novel of World War I Pdf Summary Reviews By Hazel Gaynor, Heather Webb

Last Christmas in Paris: A Novel of World War I Pdf Summary

Last Christmas in Paris is 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, 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…

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Last Christmas in Paris: A Novel of World War I Review

cassandra

4.0 out of 5 stars Very beautiful but could have been a few pages shorter…
Reviewed in the United States on August 30, 2022

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I loved this book! It is written as letters between a handful of people. Very easy to follow and the history that takes place gives it a lot of charm. However, I do feel like it maybe could have been 50-100 pages shorter. Getting to the good point at the end seems to take too long and then it all comes to an end in a very few short pages. I don’t wan to give any spoilers, though 🙂 I would still recommend this book and I am sure I will read it again in a couple of years. Also, the whole book is not about Christmas, so if you are looking for a page after page Christmas feel, this isn’t going to give you that.

Christine Terrell

5.0 out of 5 stars One to remember for a long time
Reviewed in the United States on December 15, 2018

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4.5 stars (rounded to 5 stars)

I tripped across this book quite by accident. It was featured in one of those “Before You Go…” ads at the end of a kindle book. The cover caught my eye, and since it’s December and I’m on a historical fiction kick, I went for it.

This is an epistolary novel, meaning it is written in letters. There is correspondence from every year of World War I, 1914 through 1918. In addition, between each year, there is a chapter set in December 1968, featuring one of the main characters. When I first realized this, I wondered if the book would be spoiled with a lot of “tell” rather than “show,” but that fear was minimized by the authors who really pulled this off well. Our main character is Evie Elliott, a young privileged woman living near London who writes to her brother Will and her childhood friend Tom who have both gone off to fight in France. She also corresponds with her best friend Alice. Both Alice and Evie are itching to do more than knit socks for the boys at war and eventually become more involved. We also have a number of side characters that flesh out the story.

The authors paint a very realistic portrayal of this time period. Furthermore, the characters and the dialogue are absolutely real. I was really pulled into the lives of these people. The prevailing themes are strong. They include the role of women left at the home front; the role of newspapers and false propaganda and the true nature of what the men were going through in the trenches; PTSD, courage, angst, love, and hope; and the amazing ability of the human spirit to survive. We have references not only to the ugliness of the world, but also to its counterpoint – the beauty of the world. Poetry and birds provide comforting background imagery.

This is a beautiful story, one that I will remember for a long time. It touched me and filled me with wonder as to where people who live through the world wars find their strength.

Make sure you read the authors’ notes at the end where they explain how they wrote this book together. The writing is seamless, and I would have never known it was penned by two writers.

I highly recommend Last Christmas in Paris to all readers. Despite its title, it does not really focus on Christmas so it can read at any time of the year.

ABookwormWithWine

5.0 out of 5 stars An amazing story, seamlessly executed
Reviewed in the United States on December 29, 2020

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I have no idea why it took me so long to read Last Christmas in Paris: A Novel of World War I by Hazel Gaynor and Heather Webb but I’m glad I remedied that this December! I loved the unique format where most of it is told in letters/telegrams (epistolary style) with periodic viewpoints of Tom in 1968. I haven’t read a book like this before and I loved the idea of the authors bringing the story to life this way. I was fully invested in the story and these characters really stole my heart. I’ve read quite a few HF books based on World War II but not as many in WWI, so it was a good learning experience as well.

My paperback copy has some great information at the back, both about the writing of this book and the Great War, which was really helpful and interesting, but I also highly recommend the audio. There is a full cast and the narrators are Alex Wyndham, Billie Fulford-Brown, Morag Sims, Gary Furlong, Greg Wagland, Antony Ferguson, Derek Perkins, Jane Copland & Mary Jane Wells. It is no secret that I love when there is a cast instead of one person, and that was key for Last Christmas in Paris since there are technically quite a few viewpoints. They all did such an amazing job and I felt like I was completely enveloped in the story of Evie and Thomas.

Last Christmas in Paris is a story that I know will stick with me for a long time to come, and it was so beautifully written. I couldn’t even tell it was written by two authors, it flowed so seamlessly. I loved this book so much and I am already looking forward to reading more by these two, both together and their individual books.

About Hazel Gaynor Author Of Last Christmas in Paris: A Novel of World War I Pdf Book

hazel gaynor
hazel gaynor

Hazel Gaynor the Author Of Last Christmas in Paris: A Novel of World War I Pdf Book is an award-winning New York Times, USA Today, Globe and Mail and Irish Times bestselling historical novelist. Her debut novel, THE GIRL WHO CAME HOME, was awarded the 2015 RNA Historical Novel of the Year, and her novels have since been shortlisted for the 2016 and 2020 Irish Book Awards, the 2019 HWA Gold Crown Award, the 2020 RNA Historical Novel of the Year and the 2021 Grand Prix du Roman Historique. Her latest novel, WHEN WE WERE YOUNG & BRAVE/THE BIRD IN THE BAMBOO CAGE was a national bestseller in the USA. Hazel’s co-written novels with Heather Webb have all been published to critical acclaim, winning and being shortlisted for several international awards.

Hazel was selected as a 2015 WHSmith Fresh Talent pick, and by Library Journal as one of Ten Big Breakout Authors. She is published in twenty-five territories and her books have been translated into eighteen languages. Originally from Yorkshire, England, she now lives in Ireland with her husband and two children and is represented by Michelle Brower of Trellis Literary Management, USA.

About Heather Webb Author Of Last Christmas in Paris: A Novel of World War I Pdf Book

hazel gaynor
hazel gaynor

Heather Webb the Author Of Last Christmas in Paris: A Novel of World War I Pdf Book is the USA Today bestselling and award-winning author of historical fiction. In 2015, Rodin’s Lover was a Goodread’s Top Pick, and in 2018, Last Christmas in Paris won the Women’s Fiction Writers Association STAR Award. In 2019, Meet Me in Monaco was selected as a finalist for the 2020 Goldsboro RNA award in the UK, as well as the Digital Book World’s Fiction prize. To date, Heather’s books have been translated to fifteen languages. Up and coming, her next solo novel, THE NEXT SHIP HOME, is inspired by true events and reveals the dark secrets of Ellis Island as two unlikely friends challenge a corrupt system, altering their fate and the lives of the immigrants that come after them, out in Feb 2022. Check her website for more details on release dates and book club visits.

Last Christmas in Paris: A Novel of World War I pdf, Paperback, Hardcover Book Information

Last Christmas in Paris A Novel of World War I pdf books
Last Christmas in Paris A Novel of World War I pdf books
  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ William Morrow Paperbacks (October 3, 2017)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Paperback ‏ : ‎ 400 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0062562681
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0062562685
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 9.8 ounces
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 5.2 x 1 x 7.8 inches
  • Best Sellers Rank: #28,562 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #434 in War Fiction (Books)
  • #735 in Coming of Age Fiction (Books)
  • #2,652 in Literary Fiction (Books)
  • Customer Reviews: 4.5 out of 5 stars    1,290 ratings

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