The Last Hours in Paris: A powerful, moving and redemptive story of wartime love and sacrifice for fans of historical fiction cover art

The Last Hours in Paris: A powerful, moving and redemptive story of wartime love and sacrifice for fans of historical fiction

 Preview

Audible Standard 30-day free trial

Try Standard free
Select 1 audiobook a month from our entire collection.
Listen to your selected audiobooks as long as you're a member.
Get unlimited access to bingeable podcasts.
Standard auto renews for £5.99 a month after 30 days. Cancel anytime.

The Last Hours in Paris: A powerful, moving and redemptive story of wartime love and sacrifice for fans of historical fiction

By: Ruth Druart
Narrated by: Ben Jacobson, Daphne Kouma, Jess Nesling
Try Standard free

£5.99 a month after 30 days. Cancel anytime.

Buy Now for £15.79

Buy Now for £15.79

About this listen

 War brings them together.
Liberation will tear them apart.

A POWERFUL PORTRAIT OF WAR. A HEARTBREAKING STORY OF LOVE. THE EXTRAORDINARY NEW NOVEL FROM THE AUTHOR OF WHILE PARIS SLEPT.

Paris 1944. Elise Chevalier knows what it is to love...and to hate. Her fiancé, a young French soldier, was killed by the German army at the Maginot Line. Living amongst the enemy Elise must keep her rage buried deep within.

Sebastian Kleinhaus no longer recognises himself. After four years spent fighting a war he doesn't believe in, wearing a uniform he despises, he longs for a way out. For something, someone, to be his salvation.

Brittany 1963. Reaching for the suitcase under her mother's bed, eighteen-year-old Josephine Chevalier uncovers a secret that shakes her to the core. Determined to find the truth, she travels to Paris where she discovers the story of a dangerous love that grew as a city fought for its freedom. Of the last stolen hours before the first light of liberation. And of a betrayal so deep that it would irrevocably change the course of two young lives life for ever.

Acclaim for the unforgettable international bestseller WHILE PARIS SLEPT:

'A heartbreaking debut' JANET SKESLIEN CHARLES, AUTHOR OF THE PARIS LIBRARY
'What a book... Emotional and heartrending...absolutely phenomenal. I was on tenterhooks throughout. A wonderful achievement' JILL MANSELL
'I absolutely loved it. An ingenious plot, wonderful believable characters and it moved me to tears. A fabulous read' LESLEY PEARSE
'A gripping tale of love and sacrifice' WOMAN & HOME
'An amazing story of love, resilience and the human spirit' TRACY REES
'You'll have your heart in your mouth and tears on your cheeks as it reaches its rich, life-affirming conclusion... Had me completely and utterly enraptured' LOUISE CANDLISH
'Brace yourself for a brilliant read. This will tug at your heartstrings' BEST
'Made me think and cry and rage and smile at mankind's capacity for both terrible, heartbreaking cruelty and beautiful, selfless love' NATASHA LESTER

(P) 2022 Headline Publishing Group Ltd©2022 Ruth Druart 20th Century Europe Fiction France Historical Historical Fiction Romance War

Critic reviews

Praise for Ruth Druart: '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 (Best)
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)
All stars
Most relevant
I echo completely Trisha’s well written comments. I too read both novels one after the other. Wonderful.

Great listen

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
Was sad when it ended for many reasons! Beautiful story, well told and well narrated.

Loved it…

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
I have to say I always think of myself as being very hard hearted, and it takes a awful lot to move me but I can honestly say I’ve just finished listening to this book with tears streaming down my face. I didn’t realise this is the second book I’ve listened to by this author, and both were so beautifully written, drawing you into the characters and really tugging at your heart strings. If you enjoy books set in this period of history The Last Hours in Paris is an absolute must!

Beautifully written- a must read!

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
I read Ruth Druart’s first novel and went straight on to this one which I have also enjoyed. She has a knack of making the reader become part of the characters in the story which stimulates the readers own emotions and helps form one’s own opinion as to how the characters respond to the events they face. What I have enjoyed from the novels is the historical setting, which can then be researched more factually and therefore I have learnt a lot about what happened to the people living through that time from different perspectives. The soldiers, the families, those occupying Paris and those occupied with all the trauma they faced. This book is well narrated and provokes feelings of sadness, anger and intrigue throughout…right up to the end. I look forward to the next book by a Ruth Druart.

Well narrated and captivating story.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
I did enjoy this book but not as much as while Paris slept. Still a good story portraying the heartache and horrors of war

Lovely

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.