I loved it. I really like historical fiction books, and this one became one of my favorites. Aside from the fact that I feel the narrative never gets boring, it tells you about the life of Drue Leyton, an American actress living in France during WWII. It is also mixed with some fictional elements.
It is written in a way that you end up getting attached to the characters, which made me cry or laugh with them, but I spent more than half of the book suffering for them and for the situations they had to overcome day by day. You also see the change of personality that all the characters have, which makes you think about all the things they had to go through to get to the point where they were and I was very impressed by the strength that Drue managed to have during all this.
It is also worth noting that this is a book that contains sensitive topics, so it would be best to research TW before you start reading it.
The ending kept me very anxious, until little by little the situation was sorted out and I could breathe easy.
Thanks to NetGalley, the publisher and the author for allowing me to read this book :)

“If I live to be an old woman, when people ask me about this time, I want to say I did something that mattered, not that I did nothing because I was afraid.” — Drue Leyton Tartiere, Goodnight from Paris

A huge thank you to NetGalley, Lake Union Publishing, and author Jane Healey for an egalley of Goodnight from Paris in exchange for an honest review. All opinions in this review are my own.

Book published March 7, 2023.
Review posted March 30, 2023.

What an engrossing story of a real-life American heroine during WWII. Drue Leyton, a Hollywood movie star who traded her career for love, was living abroad in Paris for only a year when her husband, Frenchman Jacques Tartiere, left to serve his country as a liaison for the British troops. By all accounts, Drue should have fled France when the war broke out, but she stayed in her new home country, at first, I believe, for personal reasons. Over time, especially after witnessing the affects of war first-hand, she became emboldened to fight for freedom and became a member of the French Resistance. This part of her life is relatively unknown, and I’m grateful for this author for bringing her story to life in these pages. Courageous Drue utilized her natural talents in many ways, first thorough radio broadcasts, interviewing the likes of infamous journalist Dorothy Thompson who criticized the Nazi regime (in hopes of swaying Americans to join the war effort); and second, by stowing away and helping over 40 downed pilots escape to safety through the Resistance’s underground network. She survived death threats and being imprisoned in a zoo’s monkey house, escaping that prison camp by feigning cancer, again, employing her gift of acting. I admire her strength and spirit, and grateful her story will not fade in time. It deserves a place in our history books and hearts. I especially appreciated the author’s notes at the end where she discerns fact from fiction, staying true as much as possible to actual events, names, and places, and using creative license where there are gaps in her research. What an incredible historical fiction novel on a slice of WWII history I had no prior knowledge, and of a remarkable woman who deserves all the accolades for her service and sacrifice, fighting the Nazi occupation of France and the collaborationist Vichy regime. She rose to the occasion for a cause bigger than her own through numerous selfless efforts. Jane Healey did well to honor her in Goodnight from Paris. I will definitely read more by this author.

As Americans, we learn history through our own lens. Especially when it comes to the two world wars, we see ourselves as the heroes who saved Europe from the Germans twice. But visiting “the continent” gleans a different impression. Americans were the ones who finally showed up after all other options were exhausted. Still, there were Americans who advocated getting involved before the bombs started targeting our ships. In Goodnight from Paris, historical fiction author Jane Healey tells the story of one of them: actress Drue Layton.

For the complete review, click on the link below.

"Goodnight from Paris" by Jane Healey is a heartwarming and charming novel that will transport readers to the romantic and glamorous city of Paris in the 1940s. The story follows the life of Ruby Sutton, a young journalist from Boston who is sent to Paris to cover the end of World War II. As Ruby adjusts to life in Paris, she discovers a new sense of purpose and begins to build a new life for herself in the city of lights.

Healey's writing is beautifully descriptive, capturing the sights and sounds of Paris with vivid detail. The story is a delightful mix of romance, historical fiction, and coming-of-age themes, with engaging characters and a strong sense of place.

One of the strengths of "Goodnight from Paris" is Healey's ability to balance the larger historical events of the time with the personal stories of her characters. The novel provides a unique perspective on the aftermath of the war and the rebuilding of Paris, as seen through the eyes of a young American journalist.

Overall, "Goodnight from Paris" is a delightful and uplifting novel that is sure to leave readers with a sense of warmth and nostalgia. It's a perfect book for those who love historical fiction, romance, and stories about self-discovery and growth.

Goodnight From Paris is based on true events about an American actress, Drue Leyton that chose to stay in France during WWII and joins the resistance, while her French husband joins the British Coldstream Guards.

This book is a perfect combination of adventure, action, and romance. Drue shows so much courage and commitment, never backing down in the face of danger for the cause she believes in.

I found this book a captivating story about war, friendships and sacrifices and would recommend it to anyone who enjoys historical and WWII stories. My only complaint is that at times I thought it was a little slow and drawn out, thus my four star rating.

Thank you Lake Union Publishing and NetGalley for an advance copy of this book.

This story is based on the life of actress Drue Leyton Tartière, who married a Frenchman and moved to Paris before World War II. After he leaves to fight with the British, she begins working on a radio show to help support French people. Germany put out warrants for her death and the rest of her story during the war is described in this book, based on her autobiography, The House Near Paris: An American Woman’s Story of Traffic in Patriots.

I feel like this is a book for those who enjoy authors like Marie Benedict, and others who describe the lives of interesting women in history.

This work of historical fiction is all the more powerful based on the real life Drue Leyton Tartiere, an American actress who stayed in France during WWII to fight against the Nazis. Married to Jacques, Drue’s life in Paris is upended when her husband joins the British effort against the Nazis. Drue works on a radio broadcast to America, trying to convince the US to enter the war. The book goes through the years of Drue’s continuing efforts to help her adopted country, brave and successful in the fight. I highly recommend this book. Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.

I received this book for free from Netgalley. That did not influence this review.

Are you up for one more WWII novel? Goodnight from Paris by Jane Healey is a poignant new release for historical fiction fans. Based on real historical events, this novel highlights the experiences of American women who remained in France during the Nazi occupation.

Drue Leyton Tartière was an American movie star in the 1930s who moved to Paris to be with her French husband, Jacques. When the war broke out, Jacques went to work for the Allies as a translator. Drue stayed behind in Paris. Although she had opportunity to escape to the safety of the U.S. (and resume her acting career), she opted to stay in France in the hope of seeing her husband from time to time. She took a job with French radio, Paris Mondiale, broadcasting to the U.S. about the situation in Europe, taking an anti-Nazi stance that put her on their execution list. When the Germans invaded Paris, she fled to a small village nearby where she continued her Resistance work in conjunction with Jean Fraysse, the head of Paris Mondiale.

With cameo appearances by journalist Dorothy Thompson, entertainer Josephine Baker, and Parisian bookshop owner Sylvia Beach, the novel is a who’s who of important American women in France during the war. This is an inspirational story of freedom-fighting against terrifying odds.

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

I love a story with a strong female protagonist and Drue is indeed that. I also liked that for all intends and purposes she was a hero that didn't have to be, she did it because it was the right thing to do. It really is a unique take on historical fiction set in WW2

This is for sure a book you'll want to set aside for a rainy day, because you'll not want any interruptions once you start

This was a very different perspective for most novels about World War II. There is very little about the Jewish horror of the holocaust from the Nazis. It is mentioned briefly, but that's all. Instead, this book chooses to focus on the Resistance efforts of actress Drue Leyton Tartiere, an American who made it big in Hollywood and then fell in love with a Frenchman and moved to France, only wind up stuck there after the war began. This is a highly fictionalized book, though it is based on the real life of real actress Drue Leyton, which the author emphasizes in her notes at the end of the book, where she documents and discusses her research and the facts and the fiction of this book. This is a bit of a long book that dragged quite a bit in places, so it took me a while to get through it and it wasn't one that I was compelled to pick up to keep reading. It jumps around at times and some things are left hanging or unexplained -- for example, how did Drue's friends get out of the zoo and Vittel? All of a sudden, after Drue is released, then later they are out, but it's never mentioned when or how they were able to get out and back to their apartments in Paris. I had no idea so many American Air Force officers (Airmen, as they're called in this book) were hidden in Paris in people's apartments. I knew Jews were hidden, but I had never really read books that mentioned the Americans hidden as well. The action takes place in Paris and also in Barbizon outside of Paris. I enjoyed reading about the countryside in contrast to the city and how Drue, this Hollywood starlet, was able to go from her pampered life in Paris before the war, to a radio job broadcasting to America about what was going in Paris before the Nazis invaded, to the more rural and harsher (because of the war aspect) life in the country and the farm she and her friends ran to provide food for the people in the village and then how she took it into Paris for people there as well, also helping the underground resistance efforts in other ways. This was also the first book I've read that's set outside of the concentration camps during this time period. There are a lot of interesting facts and good descriptions and relationships between all the characters, but I did struggle with the pace of the book and then the abrupt ending. I would have loved an epilogue. Instead, everything is just explained in the author's note at the end, which is great, but it would have felt more complete to have it as part of the story. A very solid portrayal of strong, independent women of the 1940s who were not afraid to stand up for what was right against the Nazis and to help others simply because it was the right thing to do. Maybe 3.5 stars overall (3 for pacing, the abrupt ending, and the lack of some explanations/ties of things, 4 for the writing and the characters), but I did round up because it's a very interesting read about a very little focused on aspect of WWII.

Content: Clean. Possible triggers could be the German occupations and Gestapo/collaborator interactions with the French and Americans. There is some violence, but it's really not overly descriptive. Some romance and a few romantic moments, but closed door. No language.

Sometimes you want to take a book flow because you want to save her the story and the characters. Other times she want to devour story because you can't get enough. This 1 was the former. I didn't want the story to end and was also afraid of what was gonna happen at the end. World war 2 fiction Is 1 of my favorite Sub genres, but the topics can be very heavy and hard to swallow.
Drue was in Paris because she fell for a Frenchman, Jacques right before the war.
After finding out he couldn't serve his country because of an injury he decided to translate for them which paid little and took him away from Drue right away. Drue is an American actress but no plans for new movies makes her out of work. She then gets an opportunity to work for the Paris Radio to tell Americans about the war. Through censors Drue does her best to really tell the truth to people. She puts herself in grave danger but isn't willing to stop her broadcasts even when the Germans issue a warrant for her.
This book is filled with page turning, non-stop twists, heartache and hope. It is a much different take on world war 2. I'm very interested in the real person, Drue Layton. I love learning about new people that risked their lives in the name of war.

Goodnight From Paris was the first book that I had the pleasure of reading by Jane Healey. However, I will definitely seek out more of her books now. While she was conducting research for some of her other novels, Jane Healey, stumbled upon and learned about an American actress named Drue Leyton. This actress’s heroic accomplishments were so inspiring and numerous that she felt compelled to write about them. I am so glad that she did. Drue Leyton tirelessly aided the French resistance in so many different ways while she lived in France during World War II. Goodnight From Paris was based on many of the actual occurrences and pursuits in Drue Leyton’s life during the time she lived in France. It also portrayed her involvement with the French Resistance. I applaud Jane Healey for her meticulous research she gathered to bring this story to life. Many of the characters mentioned in this book were people who really lived and impacted Drue Leyton’s life. I came to admire the courage and determination Drue always displayed in order to help others over the course of the war. Goodnight From Paris was fast paced and kept me wanting to turn the pages to discover what was going to happen next.

Goodnight From Paris began in Paris in 1939. Drue Leyton and Jacques Tartiere had only been married for less than a year when Jacques was commissioned a role with the British troops in Brittany as an interpreter and liaison. Drue understood her husband’s desire to serve his native country of France in any way possible. She missed him terribly and also worried about his safety. Before Drue had arrived in Paris, her acting career had casted her in several Charle Chan films which had made her a very popular film star. Nothing would have stopped her, though, from marrying Jacques and making Paris her new home. Drue left Hollywood and her acting career behind without a thought or regret. With Jacques gone for the unforeseen future, Drue was searching for a new job to keep her busy and provide her with a salary. Drue’s agent and close friend presented her with an opportunity to work for the French Ministry of Information broadcasting a radio show. The radio show would be broadcasted in English and would target American audiences. Drue was being asked to provide America with an eyewitness account of what life was like in France as war approached. It was a way to help persuade America to enter the war. Drue would have to broadcast overnight in order for Americans to listen. She would work under Jean Fraysse, president of Paris Mondiale. Drue’s work and commitment to Paris Mondiale was invaluable. Over time, Drue became so passionate and bold about the interviews she conducted and the information she shared over the radio with America that a death warrant was issued by the Nazis for her life. Even that, did not stop Drue from her commitment to the radio program. Drue got to interview ionic people like Dorothy Thompson, internationally renowned journalist, Josephine Baker, American entertainer, and Sylvia Beach, owner of Shakespeare and Company bookstore.

To everyone’s horror and disbelief, Germany defeated and invaded France. Drue knew she had to leave Paris. She and Jean continued broadcasting as long as they could despite the death warrants the Nazis had issued for both of them. When it was no longer safe, Drue, Jean and Nadine, Drue’s companion, headed for Barbizon. There was a Villa there that belonged to Jacques’s parent’s friends. Life in Barbizon was dangerous but not as dangerous as being in Paris. There were collaborators everywhere. When the Americans finally entered the war after the bombing of Pearl Harbor, the Germans decided to gather up all Americans still living in France and imprison them. At first, Drue was held in the monkey house at the zoo just outside of Paris. The Nazis charged admission for those wanting to visit. Jean gladly paid the fee in order to see Drue and make sure she was safe. Later, Drue was imprisoned at the Vittel internment camp. In order to obtain her release from Vittel, Drue had to feign that she had cancer of the womb. She had a certificate stating so. With the help of Dr. Levy, a Jewish doctor and some of the nuns at the hospital, Drue was able to convince Dr. Von Weber, the head Nazi doctor of Vittel, and she finally was released.

When Drue finally found her way back to Barbizon, she ultimately became involved in the clandestine organization of helping house and hide fallen Allied fliers. Drue played a big part in helping so many soldiers escape from the Nazi occupied territory they found themselves in and get back to their homes and families. She helped to gather clothes, food and other supplies for these soldiers as well. Drue continued to go over and beyond what was expected of her despite the dangers it put her in. She was a fearless and courageous woman. Drue was credited for helping about forty-two British, Canadian and American pilots escape occupied France. She also aided more than one hundred Allied fliers get out of occupied France with the help of the French Resistance. Drue Layton was a true hero.

I was so glad to learn about Drue Layton’s story and her contributions she made during World War II. Jane Healey’s storytelling was brilliant. I enjoyed the characters that were portrayed in her book. Some were actual people that lived and interacted with Drue during this period and some were composites of people that Drue might have had contact and interactions with. Jane Healey’s author’s note at the end of the book was very helpful. I really enjoyed Goodnight From Paris and highly recommend it.

Thank you to Lake Union Publishing for allowing me to read Goodnight From Paris by Jane Healey through Netgalley in exchange for an honest and unbiased review. All opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. Publication was March 7, 2023.

Pub date: 3/27/23
Genre: historical fiction
Quick summary: American actress Drue is alone in 1939 Paris, but she's pulled into the war effort when she agrees to host radio broadcasts to the US.

Read if you like: WWII historical fiction, Paris, HF based on real people, NPR

I had no idea such radio broadcasts existed, and I loved Drue's determination and pluck as she pushed to tell the unvarnished truth of the events in Paris. The second half of the book covered her work with the French Resistance. I preferred the first half of the book because of the unique radio element, but I was glad to see Drue continue to fight for what she believed in throughout the book. Definitely read the author's note to learn more about the real Drue!

Thank you to @getredpr and Lake Union Publishing for my e-ARC.

Drue is an American actress living with her French husband in Paris when WWII breaks out. Her husband leaves to serve with the English during the war, leaving Drue alone in Paris.
Dru accepts a job on a radical radio broadcast to elicit America to join in Europe's fight for freedom against Hitler's regime. This puts a price tag on Drue's head as the Nazis set their sights on her. She eventually becomes more and more involved with the resistance helping American, British and Canadian downed pilots and soldiers separated from their units escape occupied France to safety.
This is based on the true story of actress Drue Leyton a brave American living in France and fighting for her adopted country's freedom.
A very moving example of the heroic women and men that were behind the scenes of the war performing miracles on a daily basis, risking everything they had including their lives for the sake of freedom.
An extremely emotional, superbly written novel that captures time and place eloquently. I give 5 plus stars and recommend highly.
Thank you to Lake Union Publishing and to Net Galley for the free ARC, I am leaving my honest review voluntarily.

Terrific historical fiction based on a real person. Drue is an American actress married to a Frenchman living in Paris. Her husband volunteers with the British during World War II and Drue decides to stay in her adopted home in Paris. She is a broadcaster for a French radio station broadcasting to America trying to get the Americans to help Europe in the war against Hitler. Sadly France falls to Hitler and she still stays in France trying to help the resistance.

This is an exciting read. Drue could be caught by the Nazis anytime and hopes that her married name saves her. There is heartbreak and triumph in this novel. History comes alive in the novel and the reader will always wonder what could happen next. If you like historical fiction or even if you have never tried it, you will enjoy this book and I recommend it.

Thank you to #netgalley, @JaneHealey, and #LakeUnionPublishing for a copy of this book.
#GoodnightfromParis

An engrossing read based on the real life Drue Leyton Tartière, an American actress living in Paris, who helped broadcast radio shows to America at the start of the war, then helped hide and feed downed Allied fliers, including assisting with their escape via the French Resistance network. I was stunned to read that she and other American women were caged in a Parisian zoo at one point like animals, and their family and friends had to pay admission to visit them in the monkey room. Books like this always make me wonder what I’d do in the characters’ shoes - I think it’s hard to know for sure until your in that situation, and I hope and pray we never have another war like it. But Drue and all the other characters (some real, some composites of real people) became so vivid to me, I really cared about them. A remarkable book, highly recommend reading it.

In Goodnight from Paris, Jane Healey shines a light on the true story of Drue Leyton Tartiere, an American actress who moved to Paris with her new French husband and eventually joined the French Resistance during WWII. This is an exquisite, beautifully written book that had so many of my favorite themes: strong female friendships, found family, wartime romance, Paris, and an incredible untold story about brave women from history.

In 1939, with the war nearly on Paris's doorstep, Drue's husband volunteers as a liaison for the British military. Drue has a choice - she can return to acting in the United States, or she can stay in her beloved Paris, be close to her husband, and join the war effort by working as the celebrity host of a political radio show broadcasting to Americans to try to convince the US to join the war.

It isn't long until Drue's anti-Nazi propaganda lands her on a list of people marked for execution by Hitler. Once the Nazis invade Paris, Drue flees the city with her housemaid-turned-best friend, Nadine, and her boss, Jean. As the conditions in France become more perilous, Drue continues her fight, making new relationships along the way and discovering the courage to risk everything for the country and the people she loves.

From the cast of characters that meet as strangers and become family, to the descriptions of Paris (my favorite city) on the brink of invasion, to all the tense moments that took my breath away - this story is magnificent. It's told with such heartfelt emotion that made me so invested in these characters. I finished the entire second half of the book in one sitting.

I was so excited to read the Author's Note and see how much of the story was based on real events and people I'm grateful to know Drue's story and will be going back to read every book Jane Healey has ever written! This is my favorite book of the year so far, and was the perfect read for Women's History Month!

This was a great book that I was really into. The characters were strong and I kept coming back to it after I had to set it down. Bravo to the author. Thank you for the read. I can't get enough of WW2 fiction, and this felt like a well researched book, and loved it.

Thank you, Netgalley, for the copy. I picked this as my first Netgalley book because I found the synopsis very intriguing and the fact that it was based on real events made me even more curious.

Even though she was given many chances to go back to US, I love that Drue Leyton chose to stay behind, not only to be there for her husband who could come back anytime from the war, but to fight for and protect France, a country she has grown to love. Even when the Nazis were after her, it didn't change her mind to keep doing what she needed to do for the resistance. She used her connections to help out as much as she can. She was also highly dedicated and very resourceful in finding ways to help the young pilots get out of France. I'm glad that part was included in the story.

The story was engaging and it was easy to read, I finished this book in under 2 days back in January.

Thank you for the advanced copy!

Thank you to NetGalley for yet an unforgettable read about Drue Leyton an American actress who moves to France at the onset of WWII.

Newly married to a Frenchman, Drue takes a job at a radio station to broadcast live news of the war to Americans back home. While her husband is away at war Drue becomes an intrepid resistance fighter with friends that quickly turns to family.

This was definitely a page-turner as the reader eagerly awaits the results of many attempts to foil the Germans during their takeover of France.

Well done and heartily recommended!