DNF. i tried. i was 'reading' this for a month and didn't make it past chapter 3. i'm sure it's a fine book, perhaps a case of right book wrong time. either way, i'm giving up.

sorry but thanks anyway netgalley!

Review: 4 stars

The Room On Rue Amelie was a wonderful window into the pressure cooker the righteous gentiles were living in during WW2. How they prepared the spaces along with the code work involved in hiding people was fascinating. They were shrouded in secrecy and had to trust so many others to make the program of sheltering people work.

While there are Jewish characters in the novel that are in hiding, Harmel took an interesting spin by enlightening us about the fate of British Air Force pilots that were shot down. If fate allowed them to survive, certainly they’d need a place to hide. This is something I’d never thought about and I’m so glad the author brought this to my attention.

There is an underlying romance at play throughout the novel, which adds a good balance between love and war. The two main characters, Ruby and Charlotte, are strong, courageous, compassionate and selfless women. This book shows how people so different in age, religion, background and experience can come together in order to survive and move forward.

The Room on Rue Amélie is a touching book about the strength of relationships in times of hardship. Ruby Henderson Benoit is an American who was swept off of her feet by Marcel Benoit and whisked off to Paris for what she believed would be a happily ever after story. Unfortunately, World War II broke out and with the German Occupation of Paris, Ruby's dreams are shattered. She is thrust into a life of intrigue and hardship but is committed to remaining in Paris to help the Parisians, whom she has come to know and love.

This book is about friendship, love, betrayal, and since it deals with wartime, some great sadness. This book taught me many things that I did not know about the French Resistance and its fierce commitment to undermining the German war efforts. The Room on Rue Amélie is about the strength of the human spirit and of blossoming love in the midst of a detestable war.

I have already used the word "strength" twice, but it is such an apt descriptor of the people you meet on Rue Amélie, in Paris and unfortunately in the German "work" camps, along with their spirit and faith that good will ultimately prevail. I liked this book and definitely recommend it.

I received a copy of this book from NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my solely my own.

I was able to read a pre-release of "The Room on Rue Amelie" by Kristin Harmel through Net Galley. The story grabbed me right from the start and definitely kept me hooked until the last page. This is a great read for historical fiction fans especially interested in WWII!

I was very disappointed to not like this book. The voice reads more like a YA or middle grade book and the setting, characters, and dialogue are all very flat. I only made it about 30% through the book and do not plan to read any more from this author.

Gallery Books and NetGalley provided me with an electronic copy of The Room on Rue Amélie. I was under no obligation to review this book and my opinion is freely given.

Written in the tradition of Kristin Hannah’s The Nightingale, The Room on Rue Amélie takes place in occupied Paris during World War II. Told in three distinct perspectives, that of an American woman, a RAF pilot, and a Jewish teenager, the story unfolds and changes as their lives intersect. Married to a Parisian, will Ruby Benoit's naiveté ultimately be her undoing? Will Charlotte Dacher fall victim to the Nazis because of her parents ignorance of the truth? Will RAF pilot Thomas Clarke find a way to go on after a tragic event in his personal life?

The perspectives of Ruby and Charlotte are successful, but I found the perspective of Thomas to be weak. As he is more of a periphery character in the novel, the pages of Thomas in his professional capacity did not mesh entirely with the rest of the book. The characters of Ruby and Charlotte are well developed, with Thomas less so. The author did a good job with regards to the historical aspects and particularly the setting of Paris during World War II. The story itself hold the book back from being great, as it was too disjointed in its delivery. Readers who are fans of historical fiction, particularly during World War II in Paris, may consider The Room on Rue Amélie to be a worthwhile read.

I loved this book. It's about an American who finds herself in Paris during WW2, married to a Frenchman and struggling to find a way to help her adopted city to win the war and help the people she encounters to survive the war. I sort of fell in love with all of the characters and I couldn't help but to hope that all of them would survive, or at least that my favorites would make it. I do not want to give away anything. It is a story of love and family and the struggle to fight adversity and survival. I thought it was well written and the character development was exactly what it should be. I definitely recommend this.

An American in Paris.

A Jewish girl coming of age.

A brave English RAF pilot.

In the beginnings of a war that promises horror brought to one’s doorstep, these three will have their lives intertwined with heartbreak and hope, creating bonds that last a lifetime.

They said war would never come to Paris. The City of Lights was thought to be virtually untouchable by the grime and relentless pain that war carries along with it. Surely the atrocities of battle could not darken the beautiful cobbled stones of the boulevards or haunt the halls of the museums full of priceless treasures. Paris was to be revered; all of its timeless beauty preserved and respected. It was meant to be a land of perfection.

When Ruby Benoit arrived as a beautiful, stylish and newly married American woman in Paris, she was full of optimism and romance. Dreams of long strolls under the shadow of the iconic Eiffel Tower, coffee and beignets at chic cafes, and shopping along the Champs-Élysées was surely what her life was destined to become. Her husband Marcel was a respected Parisian well-versed in the beauty of his city and country of birth, and Ruby reveled in all he had to show her. Their apartment was in the heart of Paris, the Eiffel Tower an illuminating beacon to be seen just at the top of her window or enjoyed on her private balcony. The art gallery below was home to ballerinas in flight and elegant danseur noble with turned-out feet and chins tilted in perfect grace. Marcel was the epitome of sophistication and he brought Ruby into his world with equal passion and love. She was swept into the heady romance the city and her husband readily offered as easily as the leaves fall to the ground in autumn, before they are pushed into the streets and gutters by the wind.

But just as quickly as she fell into love with her husband and with Paris, the lights of her marriage and of the city were extinguished. Paris would always be undeniably beautiful, but her marriage was slowly beginning to crumble. With whispers of Hitler and his atrocities against humanity creeping ever closer, Ruby watched with increased dismay as Marcel slipped away from her. Unable to fight on the front with his fellow Parisians due to an illness as a child that left him with a permanent limp, Marcel was instead left to brood and stew with his insecurities, oftentimes taking his frustrations out on his young wife. As the nights became longer and full of loneliness, Ruby stopped waiting for her husband to come home. She didn’t know where he was and she was melancholy at the fact that she found she no longer truly cared. As she experiences an unspeakable loss and wakes to find Marcel no where in sight, Ruby is clear on the fate of her marriage. It – like the splendor and novelty of Paris – is over.

Young Charlotte Dacher faces a few of the same things her neighbor Ruby does, although in a slightly difference sense. She is not taken seriously, much like the alluring and lovely American who lives down the hall. Her parents will forever see her as a little girl; as a toddler picking her way across the apartment floor with nothing of any substance rolling around in her head. But Charlotte is old enough to see things . . . to feel them intensely. The children at school are becoming openly cruel to her, using her religion as a weapon against her and threatening with disgusting violence. Charlotte finds herself ashamed to be a Jew, and doesn’t understand why her parents are holding onto a religion so strongly, especially now that things are turning sour against their people. Jews are having their businesses turned over to the Nazis, are forced to wear a star on their clothing to mark them as different, and there are whispers of things worse happening in the outskirts of the city. As the days turn into weeks and months and hardships begin to fall upon her family, Charlotte fears that the worst is yet to come. She is able to reach out and find some solace in her quiet neighbor Ruby, a woman she so fervently admires, and is thankful for their growing friendship.

Across the pond, Royal Air Force pilot Thomas Clarke is in agony. The despair of losing his beloved mother in the Blitz is almost more than he can bear. He joined the military to leave his mark upon history and to punish the Germans for the horrors they were inflicting, but does it mean anything if he couldn’t save the one person who gave him life and helped him sustain it? Reckless and full of fury, Thomas takes to the air determined to make a difference, only to find himself shot down and on the run from the Nazis. Using the stories he heard running through the veins of the military barracks from men who’d escaped the hunt of the Nazis and made it home, he makes his own way though the countryside and into the city of Paris. What he hopes to find waiting for him behind a red door in a gallery full of gracefully dancing of ballerinas is safety, but what he finds is so much more.

When Marcel is arrested and executed for helping allied pilots get out of France, Ruby decides she must take the work of resistance up in his stead. She manages to sway a hidden alliance into allowing her to join the secret fight against the Germans, and begins using her apartment on Rue Amélie as a safe house. She is only one in a line of other such places working to get pilots out of the city and back onto the battlefields, but she finally feels as if she has a purpose and takes up the mission with renewed fervor. Charlotte, her adolescent neighbor, is involved more than she should be and Ruby hates it, but she doesn’t see any other chance for the Jewish girl’s survival . . . especially now that the girl’s parents have been shipped off to a concentration camp and there is little to no hope for their return.

When Thomas shows up at Ruby’s door seeking asylum while wracked with a terrible fever and countless other injuries, Ruby isn’t sure she can keep him alive. But the time she spends nursing him back to health and the nights they spend lost in each other’s company ends up leaving her changed forever and fills her with a strange sense of hope. After he departs, she cannot stop herself from wondering if he made it home, nor can she help but hope that he may someday find his way back to her . . . in a world that is not riddled with war. In a world where she might find happiness again.

Thomas is anxious to get back into the air and back to fighting the Nazis, if only so he can do his part in ending the war . . . and act that will perhaps enable him to get back to Ruby. His mind is full of thoughts of nothing but her and her smile . . . the softness of her touch and the kindness of her eyes, the way she recites her memories of the poppy fields of California and yearns for a family of her own. There was something between them – he was sure of it – but it just was not the right timing or circumstance. But when Thomas finds himself shot down for a second time, he cannot help but wonder if they are fated to be together as he begins to make his way back to Paris and back to his Ruby.

In a world full of constant danger and pain, Ruby and Charlotte fight to keep some semblance of beauty left in their Paris. Working for the Resistance leaves them in a regular state of worry and fear, but the thought of doing nothing in the face of such abominable crime is an even worse fate. When Thomas makes his way back to the pair of women, he is overwhelmed by their bond as pseudo mother and daughter, and by the love they so willingly and effortlessly shower upon him. Three unlikely outsiders will pull together to fight for what is right and what is true, doing what they can to restore Paris to what it was meant to be – a beautiful city of hope.

The Room on Rue Amélie is the newest novel by Kristin Harmel, an American author best known for her flair at putting the relationships of friends and lovers on delicate display amongst gripping storylines and heartwrenching romance. While the book is a portrait of love (both romantically and for a beloved city) the underlying root of the story is that of friendship. The bond between Ruby and Charlotte is unbreakable, no matter how many times it is tested. Ruby essentially raises Charlotte, albeit with the help of a harsh war and the unnatural realities it brings with it.

This is the first novel I have read by Harmel and I am keen to read another, but I honestly need a bit of a break to recuperate. This book left me a little shell-shocked at the end. Don’t get me wrong, I think the flow and the culmination of events was realistic and appropriate, but it didn’t lessen the sting. I found myself so attached to the characters by the end, all in equal measure, and the beauty in which everything was wrapped up was so sharp that it was at times difficult to read. This time period is always bittersweet; the war left so many people broken in so many ways, and while I love stories based around the hidden resistance network that was instituted by so many brave countrymen and women, I also need a reprieve after the shattering these stories leaves me with.

I give The Room on Rue Amélie 4.5 out of 5 stars and while I do recommend it, please be aware that there are several triggering themes within this story that may leave readers feeling sad. Harmel has a lovely way at turning situations around and creating the light of hope, but the center of the story is heartbreaking. Readers who enjoyed The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah and The Lost Wife by Alyson Richman will also enjoy this novel.

Harmel does her best to give readers a peek into the life of Parisians during the Nazi Occupation by examining how relationships begin, grow and change during difficult times. It’s unfortunate the predictable actions and reactions of the characters prevent, The Room on Rue Amélie from ever reaching the heart-tugging emotional level that might be expected for a story set during this tumultuous time.

A full review appeared in the print version of The Gazette (Cedar Rapids, IA) on April 22, 2018.

The story begins in present day and is then told in flashback.

Ruby, an American woman, marries Marcel Benoit after a rather whirlwind courtship and arrives in Paris thinking it's going to be magical. But, war is coming and as France falls and the Germans invade, Ruby begins to question her marriage because her husband is so secretive and distant. Charlotte and her family live next door. Being Jewish, they live in constant fear of being arrested. Ruby and Charlotte bond over their mutual feelings of unease.

Ruby soon discovers that Marcel is a French resistance fighter sheltering British soldiers who have been shot down and are trying to get back to England. When he is caught and executed, believing in the work and refusing to return to America, Ruby begins aiding the resistance as well. When Ruby meets Thomas, a British fighter pilot she discovers in her hallway one evening, she realizes that he is special and even after he returns to England, they can't forget each other.

When Charlotte's family is arrested, Ruby takes her in and together they continue working with the resistance, helping others escape. Needing papers for themselves and those they help, Charlotte meets Lucien, a young forger who teaches her what he knows. But how long can they all do this without being found out themselves?

The treatment of the Jewish people during World War 2 was an atrocity, and this story doesn't minimize it. The story weaves history and fiction without being over-dramatic or long-winded. War brings people together. People who might not normally have been acquaintances, become friends and ultimately family.

The story has its share of heartbreak, but also hope. And instead of being depressing, it simply tugs at your heartstrings and makes you appreciate the importance of love and family and the strength of women, especially women who support and help others.

I've absolutely loved Kristin Harmel's previous historical fiction novels, so I was very excited to get my hands on this. I know it's only April, but this may be the best book I've read this year! It reminds me a lot of Kristin Hannah's "The Nightingale" which I absolutely loved. The book takes places in France right at the beginning of the war. It spans from 1940-1945 and is told in alternating chapters from three characters: Ruby (an American living in France who married a Frenchman), Charlotte (the young neighbor girl who befriends Ruby), and Thomas (a British RAF pilot). The beginning part of the book takes place in 2002, and doesn't come back to that period until the last chapter. I finished this book in less than 24 hours. It was hard to put down. Very touching and unforgettable story. Highly recommend!

Thank you NetGalley. There is no need to repeat the storyline. I just loved this book. The characters all fit very well together. The story is tragic, but with love and hope, things this book has plenty of. It's a must read I highly recommend

Y'all know me. If it is historical fiction set in Europe, it is going to be right up my ally. I just want to start this review with one word: Wow!! This novel was absolutely phenomenal. There are a lot of WWII dramas out there, but this one was superb. It reeled me in from the very beginning, left me constantly guessing, and I was crying like a baby by the end of it. 

I loved how the three main characters; Ruby, Charlotte, and Thomas, really started off in the novel being fairly separate. Ruby and Charlotte were linked together pretty quickly, but Thomas wasn't added into the equation until later in the book. I felt that this was a great way to keep the reader guessing and waiting, since you know from the synopsis that their stories will eventually intertwine. 

I have never read a novel that takes on WWII from the perspective of someone who is in the Resistance line before, and I found it fascinating. Ruby was such a great character. She was certainly flawed, but heroic in a completely believable way. She was often hit with self-doubt, but it extended from a place of love and protectiveness that I found to be both endearing and real. Charlotte was precious, and I want to hold her protectively in my arms. And Thomas...might just end up being one of my new book boyfriends ;) 

The world that Harmel described in these pages was beautiful, broken, and breathtaking. (Can you tell I love alliteration? haha) I loved the Paris that was painted in these pages. I really felt like I was there, and that can be hard to do with a real place. I felt what the characters were feeling. And I loved their little, fictional hearts. 

I don't want to get too into the story because I don't want to spoil any of it for you. But trust me when I say READ THIS BOOK!! It is fantastic!! 

 
Rating:
5.0/5.0

I gave this 5 STARS!!! I would give it more if I could!! This is, by far, my favorite book of the year so far. It blew me away :)

You may get through The Room on Rue Amélie by Kristin Harmel with one box of tissues, or you may require more. Best to get the first box ready before you even open the book. I’ve always loved stories with a WW2 setting and this one did not disappoint. Kristin Harmel has captured the essence of a time and circumstances that we can only imagine. Imagine yourself as an idealistic young American woman who has married the man of her dreams and is starting out a new life with him in his native city, Paris. Imagine yourself as a young Jewish girl who believes her life is secure in a loving family until a regime based on racial superiority and anti-semitism tells you that you are inferior. Imagine yourself as a brave young soldier who wants to do his part to keep his country safe but who begins to doubt his sense of purpose when his world and his family are irrevocably changed by war.

Ruby Benoit, Charlotte Dacher, and Thomas Clarke are the leading characters in a book that is filled with historical detail and heart-wrenching emotion. When the three come together under the worst possible circumstances, they have no way of knowing their lives will be joined forever. Each of these characters, along with others whose stories are interwoven with theirs, will touch your heart. So much courage and selflessness and love come across in the author’s words. I always wonder when I read books about this period in history if I would have had the strength that had to be present to survive the hardship and the temptation to give up and give in to a despicable enemy. The world would be a very different place without people like the ones the author portrays.

I highly recommend The Room on Rue Amélie to those who enjoy historical fiction with a bit of romance and lots of adventure. This is an absorbing tale of enduring love and people who are willing to risk everything for freedom. There are twists and turns throughout the book that will require a tissue from that box I hope you already have close by and, even though the ending is satisfying, it may require a second box.

If you are a lover of historical World War II fiction this book is for you. It was enthralling as you followed three characters and really got invested in what they were going through and where they would end up. I loved this book as much as I loved the Lilac Girls and that is high praise coming from me. Be prepared for love and laughter and tears.

Recently, I have started to read more novels with World War II as a back drop. Each has been stunning and heart-wrenching in its own way, and this was no exception.
The story is told via flashback, centered in Paris as the main characters’ lives intersect with the War and each other: an American woman determined to remain in Paris, at her husband’s side; a Jewish teen girl, and a British Pilot. Each was determined to do whatever they could for the War effort, and never imagined how their lives would change.
This novel highlights the amazing actions of everyday people in extraordinary circumstances. The ending was not what I expected, but added to the tears that were flowing freely from my eyes. This was a beautifully written novel that kept my emotions in a tangle as I turned the pages.
#TheRoomonRueAmelie #NetGalley

This is a book about the German occupation of Paris during World War II, and an American woman, Ruby who is caught up in the war and the Jewish girl and British pilot that she protects.

What I loved about this book was the hope that I saw and felt in the story. The main characters are willing to risk their lives to do the right thing to protect people through the Resistance, despite the risk to their own lives. It is that willingness to sacrifice that provides the hope that seems to fill the story. The book was not without its tense moments, but overall the feeling that I got from book encouraged me and made me eager to get back to the story.

I did receive a free copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

Ever read a book that is just so good that when you put it down you miss the characters? This is one of those books. Complex and very realistic characters in a story that was so well-written that it was easy to imagine myself in the various settings made this book such a good read that I was sad when I finished it. It was one of those books that I wanted to hurry and finish to know the ending but instead read somewhat slowly to savor every moment with them. This book is one I won't soon forget.

There is so much story told in the 400 pages of this book. Ruby, the book's main character, meets Marcel in a New York coffee shop. The two are instantly attracted and the coffee shop scene was one of my favorites of the book. Marcel is French and soon has Ruby leaving her life in the US behind and heading for France. WWII soon breaks out and Ruby's life changes forever. A family is no longer defined by blood or marriage but by the people you care about. A great example of this is the relationship between Ruby and her young Jewish neighbor, Charlotte. A bond is formed between the two when they both realize they feel like they don't fit in. This bond was so genuine that it never seemed impossible or unnatural. Ruby also wants to help her adopted country fight the war and takes part in the Resistance. Ruby was not only independent but very brave doing what she did. She was a character I couldn't help but like.

This is one of the best historical fiction books I've read about WWII. The author made it easy to understand the fears of the characters but also their acts of bravery and the cost of those actions. I felt like this was the best glimpse of life during the war that I've ever had in a work of fiction. It is obvious that she did her research. At the end of the book, she mentions that Ruby's story is loosely based on that of a real woman and now I'm interested in that woman's story. All because the author did a such a wonderful job of telling Ruby's story!

This was my first book by this author and I loved her way of telling a story. It was easy to visualize the poppy fields of California, the city of Paris and the apartments Ruby lived in. It was also easy to visualize the extremely horrible conditions in Germany and Poland. I also enjoyed the pace of the story. There was always something going on and the story kept moving forward.

Even though this story is about WWII and we all know how the war ended there are still some twists and turns in Ruby's story. This kept the story fresh and the ending was just as touching as the beginning. In fact, I may have teared up just a bit at the end. And it takes A LOT to make me do that.

I am so glad I stumbled upon this book and I can't wait to read more from this author. She is definitely on my must-read list. As I actively search for more of her books I encourage you to pick up a copy of The Room on Rue Amelie. You won't be disappointed!

I received a free copy of this book from NetGalley and was not obligated to write a review. All opinions are mine.

I wanted to like this story because I love stories set in this period and even this location during this period, but there are so many disjointed connections including the fact that a Jewish person, pretending to be a Christian in a building next to Nazi officers would openly speak a Hebrew Prayer over the Hanukkah lights when she knows the soldiers can hear her. It doesn't do well to make a reader assume the character is stupid.

World War II historical fiction is my favorite genre, and this book did not disappoint. There are few surprise twists throughout the story, and it while the ending ties everything together it doesn't give you the happy ever after ending you might expect. American, Ruby, moves to Paris with her new French husband, despite her parent's pleas that Europe is very unstable and will likely be involved in a war soon. Once the war breaks out, it's too late for Ruby to go back to the United States. She feels like she must do something to help the war effort against the Nazi's. The war brings Ruby together with Charlotte, her eleven-year-old Jewish neighbor, and Thomas an RAF pilot who is shot down over France. The war brings fear and devastation into their lives, and they will never go back to the people they were before the war.