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Last Christmas in Paris
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…
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…
384 pages, Kindle Edition
First published October 3, 2017
1,847 people are currently reading
35.5k people want to read
About the author
Hazel Gaynor
18 books3,528 followersHazel Gaynor is an award-winning New York Times and internationally bestselling author of historical novels which explore the defining events of the 20th century. A recipient of the 2015 RNA Historical Novel award and the 2024 Audie award for Best Fiction Narrator, she was also shortlisted for the 2019 HWA Gold Crown, and the Irish Book Awards in 2017, 2020 and 2023.
Hazel’s co-written historical novels with Heather Webb have all been published to critical acclaim, winning or being shortlisted for several international awards.
She is a regular speaker at literary festivals, co-founder of The Inspiration Project, and programmed and hosted a series of Historia Live events in association with Dublin UNESCO City of Literature in 2024. Her work is translated into 20 languages and published in twenty-seven territories to date. Her latest novel, Before Dorothy, the imagine life story of Dorothy’s Aunt Em from The Wizard of Oz, will be published in June 2025.
Hazel lives in Ireland with her family.
For more information, visit www.hazelgaynor.com
where you can also sign up for her newsletter.
Hazel’s co-written historical novels with Heather Webb have all been published to critical acclaim, winning or being shortlisted for several international awards.
She is a regular speaker at literary festivals, co-founder of The Inspiration Project, and programmed and hosted a series of Historia Live events in association with Dublin UNESCO City of Literature in 2024. Her work is translated into 20 languages and published in twenty-seven territories to date. Her latest novel, Before Dorothy, the imagine life story of Dorothy’s Aunt Em from The Wizard of Oz, will be published in June 2025.
Hazel lives in Ireland with her family.
For more information, visit www.hazelgaynor.com
where you can also sign up for her newsletter.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 3,915 reviews
August 22, 2020
I slept on my star rating, and I am still feeling the love today. 💗 Sometimes I need to sleep on it to see how long a story stays with me. Evie and Tom’s story is still with me.
⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ 5 romantic Paris stars to Last Christmas in Paris, my 2017 birthday read! 🎈🎂 🎁 🍰 🎉
I saved this gem of a book for the holidays, and as they got closer, I knew that I would be starting a new book on my birthday. I wanted a special read for that occasion, and this most definitely was it. Told in the epistolary style of letters amongst friends during World War I, Last Christmas in Paris captured my heart.
This book has a slower crescendo. It takes some patience, but I found myself reading this a little slower than my normal speed and savoring the words, re-reading passages. It takes time to fall in love, and that’s just what happened between two of these friends. They fell in love through their letters. There’s so much beauty in that.
The World War I backdrop was quite the contrast. While the letters start off with the friends thinking the war will be over by the first Christmas, there were several more Christmases that would come and go before that dreadful war was over. Will Tom and Evie ever meet up to spend Christmas in Paris?
I enjoyed the authors’ notes where they explained how they wrote the book together (fascinating!). The two authors formed a special friendship as a result of writing this book together and writing letters to each other. There were some interesting facts about the war also. This is not a book I would classify as a romance, but I would say it was certainly romantic in the best of ways. I was ecstatic with my birthday read choice.
⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ 5 romantic Paris stars to Last Christmas in Paris, my 2017 birthday read! 🎈🎂 🎁 🍰 🎉
I saved this gem of a book for the holidays, and as they got closer, I knew that I would be starting a new book on my birthday. I wanted a special read for that occasion, and this most definitely was it. Told in the epistolary style of letters amongst friends during World War I, Last Christmas in Paris captured my heart.
This book has a slower crescendo. It takes some patience, but I found myself reading this a little slower than my normal speed and savoring the words, re-reading passages. It takes time to fall in love, and that’s just what happened between two of these friends. They fell in love through their letters. There’s so much beauty in that.
The World War I backdrop was quite the contrast. While the letters start off with the friends thinking the war will be over by the first Christmas, there were several more Christmases that would come and go before that dreadful war was over. Will Tom and Evie ever meet up to spend Christmas in Paris?
I enjoyed the authors’ notes where they explained how they wrote the book together (fascinating!). The two authors formed a special friendship as a result of writing this book together and writing letters to each other. There were some interesting facts about the war also. This is not a book I would classify as a romance, but I would say it was certainly romantic in the best of ways. I was ecstatic with my birthday read choice.
December 15, 2018
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.
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.
January 9, 2023
5 “lived up to the hype” stars!
A heartbreaking and heartwarming WWI epistolary novel.
“Boys go to college and war. Girls marry well.”
1914: Thomas and Will are best friends that join the army at the start of WWI. They ship out to the battlefields together promising to write to their families. Evie is Will’s sister who has a childhood filled with memories involving Will and Tom. She feels a strong pull to ‘do more’ to help the war efforts and doesn’t easily accept the woman’s role to stay back and knit for the soldiers.
This book unfolds only through letters between these characters, among a few others. These letters connect the reader in a way that a general narrative could not. The wartime details are brutal, gritty and gruesome yet these letters carry a positive tone as the characters send hope to one another that the war will be over soon. While the letters provide emotional insight and a lighter, more positive tone, the true grit and heaviness of the wartimes is evident and touches the reader with a heavy hand. This isn’t a cute or easy read, as the cover may lead you to believe. It’s a brutally honest look at what people went through and what they had to endure to survive the war.
This story is all about relationships. The authors did a phenomenal job creating endearing and heartfelt characters that I strongly connected with and was invested in. I cared deeply for these characters.
This is a book that sat on my shelf for years as I worried it couldn’t possibly live up to the hype. Bottom line: it undoubtedly lived up to the hype!
I’ve been told the audio is amazing - I am tempted to do a reread by audio at some point.
A heartbreaking and heartwarming WWI epistolary novel.
“Boys go to college and war. Girls marry well.”
1914: Thomas and Will are best friends that join the army at the start of WWI. They ship out to the battlefields together promising to write to their families. Evie is Will’s sister who has a childhood filled with memories involving Will and Tom. She feels a strong pull to ‘do more’ to help the war efforts and doesn’t easily accept the woman’s role to stay back and knit for the soldiers.
This book unfolds only through letters between these characters, among a few others. These letters connect the reader in a way that a general narrative could not. The wartime details are brutal, gritty and gruesome yet these letters carry a positive tone as the characters send hope to one another that the war will be over soon. While the letters provide emotional insight and a lighter, more positive tone, the true grit and heaviness of the wartimes is evident and touches the reader with a heavy hand. This isn’t a cute or easy read, as the cover may lead you to believe. It’s a brutally honest look at what people went through and what they had to endure to survive the war.
This story is all about relationships. The authors did a phenomenal job creating endearing and heartfelt characters that I strongly connected with and was invested in. I cared deeply for these characters.
This is a book that sat on my shelf for years as I worried it couldn’t possibly live up to the hype. Bottom line: it undoubtedly lived up to the hype!
I’ve been told the audio is amazing - I am tempted to do a reread by audio at some point.
October 9, 2017
Evie Elliott watches her brother Will and his best friend, Thomas, leave for Europe to serve in World War I. The three of them are very close and have never been separated. Evie is naive and believes that everyone will be together for a Christmas reunion in Paris. The three of them stay in contact via letters, and these communications become the fabric and timeline for the story.
Evie is frustrated with her life as a young woman and is also unsettled with the lack of “real” news reported by the British government. She has an idea of the grim life as a soldier in France from Thomas’ letters. Evie channels her disappointment by writing a column for a local newspaper. As the war drags on, Thomas and Evie continue their correspondence while hoping for the elusive Christmas in Paris.
This novel by Hazel Gaynor and Heather Webb was unique because the story is told in letter format spanning over several years. This book was collaboration between two authors living in different countries, and is a great read for those loving historical fiction.
Evie is frustrated with her life as a young woman and is also unsettled with the lack of “real” news reported by the British government. She has an idea of the grim life as a soldier in France from Thomas’ letters. Evie channels her disappointment by writing a column for a local newspaper. As the war drags on, Thomas and Evie continue their correspondence while hoping for the elusive Christmas in Paris.
This novel by Hazel Gaynor and Heather Webb was unique because the story is told in letter format spanning over several years. This book was collaboration between two authors living in different countries, and is a great read for those loving historical fiction.
December 23, 2019
Last Christmas in Paris is a book of letters written between two friends during WWI. It’s romantic, historical, and frilly. Some in my bookclub thought it was a tear jerker, whereas, for me nothing of the sort. This is just not my genre.
Glad you enjoyed, Linda!
2 out of 5 stars
Glad you enjoyed, Linda!
2 out of 5 stars
March 22, 2017
Got a chance to read an ARC of this one for a cover quote! My review and quote:
This joint collaboration between authors Heather Webb and Hazel Gaynor is a gripping epistolary novel in the tradition of Letters from Skye and The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society. Beginning with heartbreaking gaiety at the start of the First World War, "Last Christmas In Paris" follows a progression of letters between a spirited female journalist, a bookish new-minted soldier, and the various bright young things who make up their band of friends, charting the slow, heartbreaking passage of years as war and disillusion grind away youthful dreams and ideals. Humor, love, tragedy, and hope make for a moving, uplifting read. A winner!
This joint collaboration between authors Heather Webb and Hazel Gaynor is a gripping epistolary novel in the tradition of Letters from Skye and The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society. Beginning with heartbreaking gaiety at the start of the First World War, "Last Christmas In Paris" follows a progression of letters between a spirited female journalist, a bookish new-minted soldier, and the various bright young things who make up their band of friends, charting the slow, heartbreaking passage of years as war and disillusion grind away youthful dreams and ideals. Humor, love, tragedy, and hope make for a moving, uplifting read. A winner!
December 2, 2021
Simply said, I loved this book! Loved the format, a book of letters, and I loved the characters.
December 19, 2022
A beautiful love story, and the perfect read for this time of year! 🎄❤️
April 6, 2024
This review was originally posted on Between My Lines
The entire book is letters. Love letters, angry letters, duty letters. Letters that cover every human emotion and I treasured them all. On top of the precious letters that stirred my soul, I learned about the language of stamps. Where and how you placed the stamp had a hidden message, who knew? Not me.
War is depicted in all it's awfulness. We all know the atrocities that happened. But knowing them, and then reading letters about actual life in the trenches. Well it hammers the message home.
The role of women in WWI really stirred my heart. Evie knew the value of letting Tom spill his heart to her in his letters. She didn't want to know about the realities of war, but she knew he needed to share them and she was strong enough to help shoulder his pain. Evie played an active role in the war in many ways, and she shows how women really stood up and participated in this war.
The love story. Seriously it's the love story to end all love stories. It crushed my heart at times, but sent it soaring also. I loved watching their friendship grow to love via their letters, and I have never believed in the love affair of a fictional couple more than theirs.
Feels, feels, feels. All the feels. Gut wrenching feels, tear jerking feels, heart-warming feels, excited butterfly in the stomach feels, hopeful feels, falling madly insanely in love feels. This book has them in abundance and I shook with emotional while reading it.
The bottom line: It's fab, you need it in your life. Trust me and go read Last Christmas in Paris! You can thank me later and if you need a shoulder to cry on, I'm here for you.
Who should read Last Christmas in Paris by Hazel Gaynor & Heather Webb?
If you only buy 1 book that I recommend this year, then you should make it Last Christmas in Paris by Hazel Gaynor & Heather Webb. Especially recommended to fans of historical fiction, epistolary novels, world war 1 settings and epic love stories. I think if you've enjoyed Hazel Gaynor's previous books that you'll also love this one. Fans of Carmel Harrington, JoJo Moyes and Kristin Hannah should also enjoy.
I'm starting this review with a very bold statement, but I stand over it with all my heart. Last Christmas in Paris is my book of the year for 2017. I don't care that it's only the beginning of November, I doubt any book I've yet to read this year will mean as much to me.
The entire book is letters. Love letters, angry letters, duty letters. Letters that cover every human emotion and I treasured them all. On top of the precious letters that stirred my soul, I learned about the language of stamps. Where and how you placed the stamp had a hidden message, who knew? Not me. War is depicted in all it's awfulness. We all know the atrocities that happened. But knowing them, and then reading letters about actual life in the trenches. Well it hammers the message home. The role of women in WWI really stirred my heart. Evie knew the value of letting Tom spill his heart to her in his letters. She didn't want to know about the realities of war, but she knew he needed to share them and she was strong enough to help shoulder his pain. Evie played an active role in the war in many ways, and she shows how women really stood up and participated in this war. The love story. Seriously it's the love story to end all love stories. It crushed my heart at times, but sent it soaring also. I loved watching their friendship grow to love via their letters, and I have never believed in the love affair of a fictional couple more than theirs. Feels, feels, feels. All the feels. Gut wrenching feels, tear jerking feels, heart-warming feels, excited butterfly in the stomach feels, hopeful feels, falling madly insanely in love feels. This book has them in abundance and I shook with emotional while reading it.The bottom line: It's fab, you need it in your life. Trust me and go read Last Christmas in Paris! You can thank me later and if you need a shoulder to cry on, I'm here for you.
Who should read Last Christmas in Paris by Hazel Gaynor & Heather Webb?
If you only buy 1 book that I recommend this year, then you should make it Last Christmas in Paris by Hazel Gaynor & Heather Webb. Especially recommended to fans of historical fiction, epistolary novels, world war 1 settings and epic love stories. I think if you've enjoyed Hazel Gaynor's previous books that you'll also love this one. Fans of Carmel Harrington, JoJo Moyes and Kristin Hannah should also enjoy.
December 7, 2017
It’s not easy to tell a story simply by using an epistolary format. It has been successfully done before (The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society) immediately springs to mind but I’m delighted to say that these two authors have pulled this off magnificently, Last Christmas in Paris is a gorgeous read and I loved it.
With the occasional interruption into a change of timeline set in 1968, Last Christmas in Paris is told entirely through letters (and telegrams) during the years of 1914-1918, mainly between Evie Elliott and Thomas Harding – the childhood best friend of Evie’s brother Will. Evie is a prolific letter writer and it’s not only Tom who receives her missives but her brother Will, and her best friend Alice.
Evie was an absolute delight and I adored her. She wasn’t content just to sit by and let life pass by. She had principles, gumption and bucket loads of courage. Although from a privileged family, she had no airs or graces and was desperate to ‘do her bit’ for her country when war was declared. Her mother was dead set against her working at all but eventually Evie is able to get a job with the local postmistress delivering letters and those awful official telegrams bringing bad news. Not content with keeping quiet about the propaganda from the government and other news agencies who put out the false reports that everything is going swimmingly well for the troops, she secures a column in a newspaper – telling the truth as she sees it from a woman’s point of view and not holding back on the awful conditions in France and the difficulties faced by both fighting soldiers and the people at home waiting for their return.
When Tom went to war, he and Evie were not romantically involved. As Will’s younger sister, she has always been teased by both boys but through their correspondence we begin to see a different side to both Tom and Evie. Tom’s letters are heavily censored for mentions of location and other sensitive information but nevertheless through the level of detail, the evocative prose and historical facts I was completely swept up in their lives. The letters start off formally from Tom’s side – signing off with ‘Lieutenant Thomas Harding’ whilst those from Evie are jolly and newsy and include gifts of hand knitted socks, tobacco and books – anything to try and lift Tom’s spirits. As the war continues for far longer than anyone expected, their correspondence becomes more personal and intimate. Both pour out their innermost feelings about the war and life in general.
The characterisation was spot on with the main characters being incredibly engaging and believable – Tom stole a little bit of my heart and even those I disliked intensely (yes John Hopper I’m looking at you!) were able to get under my skin! The storyline of ‘war neuroses’ (what we now know as PTSD) was extremely poignant and saddening. These poor soldiers who had been through hell at the front, were referred to as ‘Lacking Moral Fibre’ and ‘weak-minded’ when they were returned to Britain for hospital treatment.
Last Christmas in Paris will make you smile whilst breaking your heart. I was completely mesmerised by the letters, the characters, and oh just by the entire storyline and it will definitely be one of my favourite books this year. I made the mistake of finishing the last 50 pages or so on my morning train commute. My goodness this was an emotional read – a word of warning – if you’re reading this book in public make sure you have tissues!
With the occasional interruption into a change of timeline set in 1968, Last Christmas in Paris is told entirely through letters (and telegrams) during the years of 1914-1918, mainly between Evie Elliott and Thomas Harding – the childhood best friend of Evie’s brother Will. Evie is a prolific letter writer and it’s not only Tom who receives her missives but her brother Will, and her best friend Alice.
Evie was an absolute delight and I adored her. She wasn’t content just to sit by and let life pass by. She had principles, gumption and bucket loads of courage. Although from a privileged family, she had no airs or graces and was desperate to ‘do her bit’ for her country when war was declared. Her mother was dead set against her working at all but eventually Evie is able to get a job with the local postmistress delivering letters and those awful official telegrams bringing bad news. Not content with keeping quiet about the propaganda from the government and other news agencies who put out the false reports that everything is going swimmingly well for the troops, she secures a column in a newspaper – telling the truth as she sees it from a woman’s point of view and not holding back on the awful conditions in France and the difficulties faced by both fighting soldiers and the people at home waiting for their return.
When Tom went to war, he and Evie were not romantically involved. As Will’s younger sister, she has always been teased by both boys but through their correspondence we begin to see a different side to both Tom and Evie. Tom’s letters are heavily censored for mentions of location and other sensitive information but nevertheless through the level of detail, the evocative prose and historical facts I was completely swept up in their lives. The letters start off formally from Tom’s side – signing off with ‘Lieutenant Thomas Harding’ whilst those from Evie are jolly and newsy and include gifts of hand knitted socks, tobacco and books – anything to try and lift Tom’s spirits. As the war continues for far longer than anyone expected, their correspondence becomes more personal and intimate. Both pour out their innermost feelings about the war and life in general.
The characterisation was spot on with the main characters being incredibly engaging and believable – Tom stole a little bit of my heart and even those I disliked intensely (yes John Hopper I’m looking at you!) were able to get under my skin! The storyline of ‘war neuroses’ (what we now know as PTSD) was extremely poignant and saddening. These poor soldiers who had been through hell at the front, were referred to as ‘Lacking Moral Fibre’ and ‘weak-minded’ when they were returned to Britain for hospital treatment.
Last Christmas in Paris will make you smile whilst breaking your heart. I was completely mesmerised by the letters, the characters, and oh just by the entire storyline and it will definitely be one of my favourite books this year. I made the mistake of finishing the last 50 pages or so on my morning train commute. My goodness this was an emotional read – a word of warning – if you’re reading this book in public make sure you have tissues!
November 18, 2019
P.S. I had a dream last night that we were in Paris for Christmas. You, me, Will, Alice. The snow fell in thick fat flakes as we strolled along the Champs-Élysées, the lights of the Eiffel Tower twinkling in the distance. It was the most perfect dream, Thomas. I know we will get there one day. I promise we will.
Last Christmas in Paris was a book club pick for me, and while it's not the sort of thing I'd typically pick up, I am always game to read something outside of my comfort zone. Unfortunately, I simply didn't think that this “Novel of World War I” – a romance told in letters – was very good at all. With florid and maudlin writing, the storyline reveals nothing new about the Great War or the lives of the people affected by it, and honestly, I found the whole endeavor pointless; I have no idea why this book was written (or why it took two authors, Hazel Gaynor and Heather Webb, to complete). Not for me, but judging by its high rating on Goodreads, admittedly of value to others.
I don't have much to say about this one, but I do want to voice (once again) my complaint that I find novels set in the big wars to be a lazy and easy appeal to sentimentality; the author needn't work too hard at setting the physical and emotional scene when we all have mental pictures and readily accessible reactions from watching news reels and films; and where the work is half-done like that, I expect an author to have something new or important to say by using those settings. I wasn't a huge fan of The Nightingale or All the Light We Cannot See, but at least their authors were attempting to tell stories about little-known groups or situations within WWII. With Last Christmas in Paris, we follow the correspondence of some upper-crust Brits as their attitude turns from “What jolly good fun is training camp! I do hope we see some decent action with the Hun, but they say this will all be over before Christmas!” to “Real war is terrifying and there's nothing more pitiable than watching a soldier crying out for his mother as he dies in the mud.” What's new in that? As the years go by, we are told about mustard gas and the sinking of the Lusitania and the Spanish Flu, and what's new about that? And as for the romantic angle – and its constant complications – I couldn't connect with that relationship either. Simply not my cuppa vin chaud.
July 18, 2018
Find this and other reviews at: https://historicalfictionreader.blogs...
I caught wind of Last Christmas in Paris in March 2017 when the cover started circling social media. I’d read and enjoyed both Heather Webb and Hazel Gaynor, but it was the subject matter that caught my attention. I’m a junkie when it comes to war era literature and couldn’t wait to get a copy of my own.
The story itself is relayed through the correspondence of the novel’s cast and while I know the format doesn’t appeal to everyone, I couldn’t help appreciating the sense of intimacy and depth created by the approach. I felt connected to the characters and that made it easy to empathize with their views and experiences.
In many ways, the narrative reminded me of Vera Brittain’s Testament of Youth. Webb and Gaynor clearly meant to echo Brittain’s unique perspective and much like the famed memoirist, I feel they succeeded in capturing both the romanticism and realities of the conflict while illustrating its impact on the men and women who came of age in its shadow.
Sweetly romantic and beautifully composed, Last Christmas in Paris proved compelling and heartfelt. A brilliant tribute to the tragedy of war and the endurance of the human heart.
I caught wind of Last Christmas in Paris in March 2017 when the cover started circling social media. I’d read and enjoyed both Heather Webb and Hazel Gaynor, but it was the subject matter that caught my attention. I’m a junkie when it comes to war era literature and couldn’t wait to get a copy of my own.
The story itself is relayed through the correspondence of the novel’s cast and while I know the format doesn’t appeal to everyone, I couldn’t help appreciating the sense of intimacy and depth created by the approach. I felt connected to the characters and that made it easy to empathize with their views and experiences.
In many ways, the narrative reminded me of Vera Brittain’s Testament of Youth. Webb and Gaynor clearly meant to echo Brittain’s unique perspective and much like the famed memoirist, I feel they succeeded in capturing both the romanticism and realities of the conflict while illustrating its impact on the men and women who came of age in its shadow.
Sweetly romantic and beautifully composed, Last Christmas in Paris proved compelling and heartfelt. A brilliant tribute to the tragedy of war and the endurance of the human heart.
October 21, 2017
Favorite Quotes:
Marrying Charlie would be rather like marrying a broken carriage clock. How the hours would drag.
I feel like an unworn dress, hanging limply in the closet, without purpose or shape or form.
I’ve already lost an innocence I didn’t know I possessed.
Do you remember Lloyd George’s rousing speech “The war to end all wars”? They said it would be over by Christmas. They didn’t say which one though, did they?
You’re a star, Evie. About the only light I see in these endless nights.
My Review:
Last Christmas in Paris was simply stunning and a pure delight. This beautifully written and emotive tale alternated between eliciting frequent smiles of pleasure and contentment to stinging my eyes and burning my throat; at either end of the emotional spectrum, the intensity was strong enough to take my breath away. Ms. Gaynor and Webb's eloquent writing reached a level of poignancy and excellence I had yet to experience and the effects may take more than a few beats for my recovery. I seem to be stunned, mentally dazed, and annoying unable to find the appropriate words to give tribute to their remarkable skills and acumen. I adored their enticing characters as much as their exceptionally engaging and descriptive style. I was quickly swallowed up and transported to a different time and place as I devoured the personal letters and insightful inner musings that comprised most of the manuscript. I relished the lighthearted banter and jocularity of the earlier missives that gave way to deeper observations and confessions as the war waged on much longer and harsher than expected. Having read their lovely exchanges, I am moved to bemoan the lost art of human interaction found in putting pen to paper on beautiful stationary for heart-felt letter-writing versus our abbreviated communications of emailing, texting, emojis, and gifs. Hazel Gaynor and Heather Webb have mad skills and a new fangirl; I have an extremely strong desire to greedily gather and consume all their words.
Marrying Charlie would be rather like marrying a broken carriage clock. How the hours would drag.
I feel like an unworn dress, hanging limply in the closet, without purpose or shape or form.
I’ve already lost an innocence I didn’t know I possessed.
Do you remember Lloyd George’s rousing speech “The war to end all wars”? They said it would be over by Christmas. They didn’t say which one though, did they?
You’re a star, Evie. About the only light I see in these endless nights.
My Review:
Last Christmas in Paris was simply stunning and a pure delight. This beautifully written and emotive tale alternated between eliciting frequent smiles of pleasure and contentment to stinging my eyes and burning my throat; at either end of the emotional spectrum, the intensity was strong enough to take my breath away. Ms. Gaynor and Webb's eloquent writing reached a level of poignancy and excellence I had yet to experience and the effects may take more than a few beats for my recovery. I seem to be stunned, mentally dazed, and annoying unable to find the appropriate words to give tribute to their remarkable skills and acumen. I adored their enticing characters as much as their exceptionally engaging and descriptive style. I was quickly swallowed up and transported to a different time and place as I devoured the personal letters and insightful inner musings that comprised most of the manuscript. I relished the lighthearted banter and jocularity of the earlier missives that gave way to deeper observations and confessions as the war waged on much longer and harsher than expected. Having read their lovely exchanges, I am moved to bemoan the lost art of human interaction found in putting pen to paper on beautiful stationary for heart-felt letter-writing versus our abbreviated communications of emailing, texting, emojis, and gifs. Hazel Gaynor and Heather Webb have mad skills and a new fangirl; I have an extremely strong desire to greedily gather and consume all their words.
January 22, 2018
*4.5 ⭐️
Very good! I don’t know why I love stories that take place during WW1 & WW11, they just end up making me sad. Anyway, I loved the epistolary format but at times I felt it was a bit too long. Loved the story though.
Very good! I don’t know why I love stories that take place during WW1 & WW11, they just end up making me sad. Anyway, I loved the epistolary format but at times I felt it was a bit too long. Loved the story though.
August 3, 2018
*https://mrsbbookreviews.wordpress.com
I have read a handful of epistolary novels over the years and it was a pure joy to read Last Christmas In Paris, an exceptionally well executed novel that employs this structure. The authors of Last Christmas In Paris, renowned historical fiction writers Hazel Gaynor and Heather Webb, are now the best of friends, after they collaborated to compose this unforgettable tale of love, in the face of the Great War. These two authors have nailed the characters and voices of the protagonists of this novel so well. There is a seamless quality to this book, so it is hard to believe it was devised by two different pens (more detail on this collaboration can be found at the back of the book). Paris holds a special place in my heart, I adore Christmas themed books and I always lap up novels about the Great War. I couldn’t ask for a better combination for a novel! I had an early indication I was going to love this book and love it I did. Although there wasn’t a huge focus on Christmas, which I had hoped for based on the title and premise, but I was still taken aback by the beauty of this book.
I have read a handful of epistolary novels over the years and it was a pure joy to read Last Christmas In Paris, an exceptionally well executed novel that employs this structure. The authors of Last Christmas In Paris, renowned historical fiction writers Hazel Gaynor and Heather Webb, are now the best of friends, after they collaborated to compose this unforgettable tale of love, in the face of the Great War. These two authors have nailed the characters and voices of the protagonists of this novel so well. There is a seamless quality to this book, so it is hard to believe it was devised by two different pens (more detail on this collaboration can be found at the back of the book). Paris holds a special place in my heart, I adore Christmas themed books and I always lap up novels about the Great War. I couldn’t ask for a better combination for a novel! I had an early indication I was going to love this book and love it I did. Although there wasn’t a huge focus on Christmas, which I had hoped for based on the title and premise, but I was still taken aback by the beauty of this book.
May 16, 2018
1.5*'s
I didn't realize upon starting this book that it was going to be letters back and forth between characters for its entirety. Books that rely on letters or emails as a high percentage of the content drive me absolutely nuts because I never get a connection to any of the characters. No empathy bleeds through. It's a flat intonation format that reads like a work email from a colleague.
If you don't mind that format you may like the story.
I didn't realize upon starting this book that it was going to be letters back and forth between characters for its entirety. Books that rely on letters or emails as a high percentage of the content drive me absolutely nuts because I never get a connection to any of the characters. No empathy bleeds through. It's a flat intonation format that reads like a work email from a colleague.
If you don't mind that format you may like the story.
December 26, 2022
Delicată și plină de emoție.
Cartea constă în schimburi de scrisori în vreme de război și suntem astfel martori la trăiri, sentimente și evenimente.
Mi-a plăcut faptul că scrisorile au transmis lucruri diferite odată cu trecerea timpului (corespondența durează patru ani).
Cartea constă în schimburi de scrisori în vreme de război și suntem astfel martori la trăiri, sentimente și evenimente.
Mi-a plăcut faptul că scrisorile au transmis lucruri diferite odată cu trecerea timpului (corespondența durează patru ani).
October 1, 2017
Last Christmas in Paris is a dual timeline story told predominantly through letters and telegrams. The majority of the letters are written between Evie Elliott and her brother Will’s best friend Thomas Harding. The authors do an incredible job describing the horrors of war both on the battlefield and at home while also detailing the relationship developing between Evie and Tom. The story unfolds at the right pace, and I was constantly turning pages to see what was going to happen next.
My favorite parts of the book were that it was told through letters (I love stories told through correspondence) and the historical information that was included. Some of the World War 1 facts included are commonly known: the British and Germans singing carols on Christmas Day in 1914 and the British thinking the war would be short-lived; however, other facts were new to me. I didn’t realize that treatment for the mental anguish of war (PTSD but not named that during World War 1) existed that long ago. I think of that as a more modern phenomenon. I also was completely fascinated with (and somewhat horrified by) the Order of the White Feather, a woman’s group that made it their mission to shame those men who did or could not join the army to fight in World War 1; many men were working undercover or had been rejected for service for health reasons and still these awful women were indiscriminant in who they targeted. I knew that men who didn’t sign up to join the army were harassed, but I had no idea there was such a coordinated effort. It is very depressing that people are so quick to judge or condemn, and I found this group’s actions to be a good reminder of how an idea (in this case to try and recruit more soldiers) can go so completely awry.
Last Christmas in Paris is a gem. Thanks to William Morrow for this ARC; all opinions are my own.
My favorite parts of the book were that it was told through letters (I love stories told through correspondence) and the historical information that was included. Some of the World War 1 facts included are commonly known: the British and Germans singing carols on Christmas Day in 1914 and the British thinking the war would be short-lived; however, other facts were new to me. I didn’t realize that treatment for the mental anguish of war (PTSD but not named that during World War 1) existed that long ago. I think of that as a more modern phenomenon. I also was completely fascinated with (and somewhat horrified by) the Order of the White Feather, a woman’s group that made it their mission to shame those men who did or could not join the army to fight in World War 1; many men were working undercover or had been rejected for service for health reasons and still these awful women were indiscriminant in who they targeted. I knew that men who didn’t sign up to join the army were harassed, but I had no idea there was such a coordinated effort. It is very depressing that people are so quick to judge or condemn, and I found this group’s actions to be a good reminder of how an idea (in this case to try and recruit more soldiers) can go so completely awry.
Last Christmas in Paris is a gem. Thanks to William Morrow for this ARC; all opinions are my own.
December 19, 2020
Evie, her brother Will, and his best friend Thomas all grew up very close to each other, and secretly Evie is quite in love with Thomas. He and Will go to France at the start of WWI in 1914, and the consensus is that the war will be over by Christmas. No one says which Christmas, however. Evie writes to the young men from her home near London, and Thomas writes back. It is through their letters, and only through these letters, that the storyline progresses from year to year, from battle to battle, joys and tragedies. As Evie becomes a young liberated woman, Evie and Thomas write as good friends, and neither knows the true extent of the feelings they hold for each other.
I enjoyed getting to know Evie as there is a lot to like about her. Because of her correspondence, she knows more about what is actually happening on the battlefields than what is being conveyed to local newspapers; so she volunteers to write a column from a woman's perspective, where she is quite bold in her revelations and opinions. Eventually she wants to do even more and volunteers for the WAAC near the French Western front.
Yes, this is described as romantic, which may turn some readers off. I'm usually one of them, but I seem to enjoy the Hazel Gaynor version of romance; nothing too heavy or saccharin sweet. I felt comforted by her solutions to the struggles and feelings of hopelessness encountered during the war, as I saw many parallels to what we are experiencing during our war with Covid-19.
I was surprised at the end to see that this had EIGHT narrators. They all read their parts beautifully, but the two main characters stole the show. It was an easy listen, very pleasant, with the English and French accents delightful.
I enjoyed getting to know Evie as there is a lot to like about her. Because of her correspondence, she knows more about what is actually happening on the battlefields than what is being conveyed to local newspapers; so she volunteers to write a column from a woman's perspective, where she is quite bold in her revelations and opinions. Eventually she wants to do even more and volunteers for the WAAC near the French Western front.
Yes, this is described as romantic, which may turn some readers off. I'm usually one of them, but I seem to enjoy the Hazel Gaynor version of romance; nothing too heavy or saccharin sweet. I felt comforted by her solutions to the struggles and feelings of hopelessness encountered during the war, as I saw many parallels to what we are experiencing during our war with Covid-19.
I was surprised at the end to see that this had EIGHT narrators. They all read their parts beautifully, but the two main characters stole the show. It was an easy listen, very pleasant, with the English and French accents delightful.
June 22, 2017
War changes everything--individuals, relationships, priorities, dreams--so it's not surprising that stories set in wartime are so popular and, in this case, so engrossing. In Last Christmas in Paris, best friends Will and Tom head off to fight the Germans, leaving behind Will's sister, Evie, and, soon enough, the hope of a Christmas homecoming. By the end of the war five years later, these young, spirited characters and their circle of loved ones have experienced the full spectrum of human tragedy and plumbed the deep reaches of the human heart. I was captivated by their story, and moved.
Webb and Gaynor artfully craft the narrative using letters and telegrams, a structure that drove me from one letter to the next, eager to learn what the response would be, or which secondary characters might swoop in to complicate the story. It was hard to tear myself away! The multi-layered plot kept me guessing about what the next missive might reveal and I admit my heart was often in my throat. And, yes, I cried.
A truly remarkable book brimming with passion, intelligence, courage, and humanity.
Webb and Gaynor artfully craft the narrative using letters and telegrams, a structure that drove me from one letter to the next, eager to learn what the response would be, or which secondary characters might swoop in to complicate the story. It was hard to tear myself away! The multi-layered plot kept me guessing about what the next missive might reveal and I admit my heart was often in my throat. And, yes, I cried.
A truly remarkable book brimming with passion, intelligence, courage, and humanity.
December 20, 2020
I. LOVED. THIS. BOOK. I was charmed. I was delighted. I was devastated. I cried, I laughed, I rooted, I cheered, I fell in love. What a treasure. It was like a mug of hot chocolate in book form. Nice, thick, hot chocolate, mostly sweet, but with some notes of bitterness. Perfect book to read this month!
If you love The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society, you will love this book.
If you love The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society, you will love this book.
August 6, 2022
Loved this beautiful story & the full-cast who performed it on Audible! Rich in historical detail. Each character has a distinct voice, which allows us to note their inner growth. A sweet love story. What a treat!
September 26, 2017
4.5 stars
When this one came up for review, I almost passed on it. I am not entirely sure why…..maybe because it was up for review in September and I wasn’t ready to start thinking about anything Christmas related until at least November.
Or maybe it was because it was a collaboratively written novel, or that the title wasn’t grabbing me. I don’t know, for some reason I almost passed but I am terribly glad that I didn’t pass on this one!
Let me just say, I loved this novel. It’s a novel written basically in all letter form which made for a super fast read that was hard to put down. The whole time I kept thinking “just one more letter” and next thing I know I was on a different year in the war! So super fast and because of the letters I felt personally connected to the characters in a unique way.
I normally don’t read a lot of books with different authors because sometimes it just doesn’t work. There is clearly a different voice or style and for me it doesn’t always flow well. However, for this book it was a home run. I loved how different yet familiar each of the letters were. The two authors nailed the different perspectives and gave Evie and Tom very unique yet similar voices. If this book hadn’t been written in letter form, then I am not sure that it would have worked as well.
So as I said, I loved it, but that doesn’t mean that it was flawless. For me, I felt like the last two parts (last two years of the war) were rushed and not nearly the same attention to detail as the other parts/years or letters. The ending felt rushed and I am not sure that they knew how to wrap things up. I felt like so many pages and letters were dedicated to developing the romantic tension between Evie and Tom and then toward the end it just happened too fast. There was only really two letters between the two that really committed their love to one another and that was too few for me.
Also I felt like it too Evie way too long to enter the War herself and when she did her time there was too fast and there wasn’t enough insight through her letters to convince me that she was ever really changed or had really seen anything at all. All this ground work had been laid for her to go to the front and when it happened we only had a few letters that were short and rushed. So I felt like I needed more on that. It almost seemed like an after thought.
All criticism aside though, this was a fantastic story. I loved the research and knowledge that went into the time period and history of the war. It was fascinating to read and clearly the authors did a ton of research on WWI to give it a realistic ring and it was well wroth it!
This novel isn’t really about ‘Christmas’ so the title is a little misleading but if you are looking for a war time romance with characters that you will no doubt fall in love with, check out this intimate novel full of letters!
See my full review here
When this one came up for review, I almost passed on it. I am not entirely sure why…..maybe because it was up for review in September and I wasn’t ready to start thinking about anything Christmas related until at least November.
Or maybe it was because it was a collaboratively written novel, or that the title wasn’t grabbing me. I don’t know, for some reason I almost passed but I am terribly glad that I didn’t pass on this one!
Let me just say, I loved this novel. It’s a novel written basically in all letter form which made for a super fast read that was hard to put down. The whole time I kept thinking “just one more letter” and next thing I know I was on a different year in the war! So super fast and because of the letters I felt personally connected to the characters in a unique way.
I normally don’t read a lot of books with different authors because sometimes it just doesn’t work. There is clearly a different voice or style and for me it doesn’t always flow well. However, for this book it was a home run. I loved how different yet familiar each of the letters were. The two authors nailed the different perspectives and gave Evie and Tom very unique yet similar voices. If this book hadn’t been written in letter form, then I am not sure that it would have worked as well.
So as I said, I loved it, but that doesn’t mean that it was flawless. For me, I felt like the last two parts (last two years of the war) were rushed and not nearly the same attention to detail as the other parts/years or letters. The ending felt rushed and I am not sure that they knew how to wrap things up. I felt like so many pages and letters were dedicated to developing the romantic tension between Evie and Tom and then toward the end it just happened too fast. There was only really two letters between the two that really committed their love to one another and that was too few for me.
Also I felt like it too Evie way too long to enter the War herself and when she did her time there was too fast and there wasn’t enough insight through her letters to convince me that she was ever really changed or had really seen anything at all. All this ground work had been laid for her to go to the front and when it happened we only had a few letters that were short and rushed. So I felt like I needed more on that. It almost seemed like an after thought.
All criticism aside though, this was a fantastic story. I loved the research and knowledge that went into the time period and history of the war. It was fascinating to read and clearly the authors did a ton of research on WWI to give it a realistic ring and it was well wroth it!
This novel isn’t really about ‘Christmas’ so the title is a little misleading but if you are looking for a war time romance with characters that you will no doubt fall in love with, check out this intimate novel full of letters!
See my full review here
January 29, 2022
Evie, Will and Tom - The friends had planned to spend Christmas in Paris in 1914 but sadly WW1 would put a stop to their plans.
The war was supposed to end by Christmas so it was a bitter disappointment for them when they realized that this 1914 Christmas in Paris is not to be.
Told in a series of letters (my favourite format) between Evie, her brother Will and their best friend Tom as well as Evie’s best friend Alice. The letters cover the years during WW1 and give a very intimate feel to the characters as they share their innermost thoughts in their correspondence at a distressing time of turmoil and dread that the person you are writing to may never get your letter or worse, not reply, which could mean only bad news.
Accepting that there will be no early end to the war Evie writes to Tom in December 1915: “What are we compared to the birds of the air? We are but worms, tunnelling blindly through the earth. We who think we are so superior, are the greatest of fools.”
“I may be silly to do so, but still imagine our Christmas in Paris and pray, with all my heart, that this Christmas will not be our last.” (Pg.167)
Misunderstandings and miscommunications abound – there is a war on after all – causing confusion and ALMOST missed opportunities.
1968: The book opens with Tom travelling to Paris to read the last letter from his beloved who has passed away and Tom himself is unwell and knows that this will be his last Christmas in Paris.
The war was supposed to end by Christmas so it was a bitter disappointment for them when they realized that this 1914 Christmas in Paris is not to be.
Told in a series of letters (my favourite format) between Evie, her brother Will and their best friend Tom as well as Evie’s best friend Alice. The letters cover the years during WW1 and give a very intimate feel to the characters as they share their innermost thoughts in their correspondence at a distressing time of turmoil and dread that the person you are writing to may never get your letter or worse, not reply, which could mean only bad news.
Accepting that there will be no early end to the war Evie writes to Tom in December 1915: “What are we compared to the birds of the air? We are but worms, tunnelling blindly through the earth. We who think we are so superior, are the greatest of fools.”
“I may be silly to do so, but still imagine our Christmas in Paris and pray, with all my heart, that this Christmas will not be our last.” (Pg.167)
Misunderstandings and miscommunications abound – there is a war on after all – causing confusion and ALMOST missed opportunities.
1968: The book opens with Tom travelling to Paris to read the last letter from his beloved who has passed away and Tom himself is unwell and knows that this will be his last Christmas in Paris.
May 19, 2021
This was my book club read for May. I'm not generally one for historical fiction and I actually had two I was reading at the same time, so that's a new one for me!
Last Christmas in Paris is an epistolary novel, with letters to and from a variety of people, mostly Evie and Thomas, during World War I. Overall this is a sweet book, rich with historical detail and a developing romance. It did get very tedious at times, I thought that some of the letters could have been condensed or eliminated, because it got sort of plodding at many points. I appreciated that the authors put the to/from at the beginning of each letter so that I didn't have to search for those things before reading each letter.
It made me think about the lost art of letter writing, and that communication hasn't really changed much over the years except for the speed in which it occurs. There are still the same misunderstandings that were happening even back then. The parts about the Spanish flu and the character that was in the hospital in quarantine was eerily similar to what is happening today, even though this book was written long before Covid.
Pleasant read if you enjoy historical romance.
Last Christmas in Paris is an epistolary novel, with letters to and from a variety of people, mostly Evie and Thomas, during World War I. Overall this is a sweet book, rich with historical detail and a developing romance. It did get very tedious at times, I thought that some of the letters could have been condensed or eliminated, because it got sort of plodding at many points. I appreciated that the authors put the to/from at the beginning of each letter so that I didn't have to search for those things before reading each letter.
It made me think about the lost art of letter writing, and that communication hasn't really changed much over the years except for the speed in which it occurs. There are still the same misunderstandings that were happening even back then. The parts about the Spanish flu and the character that was in the hospital in quarantine was eerily similar to what is happening today, even though this book was written long before Covid.
Pleasant read if you enjoy historical romance.
November 28, 2024
Very enjoyable WW1 love story told through letters and a bit of narrative. Good holiday read.
April 5, 2024
(Read on audio — so good. Male and female voices of MCs) *tear rolls down cheek* Once again I am reminded why historical fiction is my absolute favorite. Even if you’re not a HisFic person, I think this book could work for anyone. Told 100%, start to finish, in letters, it was surprising how rich the story felt. Then again, there’s nothing like the written word to make someone more vulnerable and expressive (the same way that texting is FAR more easy than saying something deep it to someone’s face).
The story takes place in 1916 when World War I begins. While there are letters from several other side characters, the two main POVs are a young (mid 20s?) spit fire named Evie, and her brother’s close friend Tom who just enlisted and is slowly discovering the atrocities of what is happening.
I absolutely LOVED Evie. One of my new all-time favorite female characters. There’s just something special and refreshing to read about a tenacious, smart, and confident female during a time period in which females are supposed to be quiet and subdued that really does it for me.
Another bonus element for Evie in this story is how she became one of the first female columnists in the newspaper that reported the truths of the war, instead of the propaganda (and faux optimism) the news had been reporting. That part was STELLAR to me.
AGHH. I can’t explain how much it worked for me. And even though ‘Christmas’ in the title is far too generous, since there’s so little mention or focus on it, I will block out all negative feedback on this book because I’m obsessed.
THE ENDING, TOO.
Again: agghhhhh.
The story takes place in 1916 when World War I begins. While there are letters from several other side characters, the two main POVs are a young (mid 20s?) spit fire named Evie, and her brother’s close friend Tom who just enlisted and is slowly discovering the atrocities of what is happening.
I absolutely LOVED Evie. One of my new all-time favorite female characters. There’s just something special and refreshing to read about a tenacious, smart, and confident female during a time period in which females are supposed to be quiet and subdued that really does it for me.
Another bonus element for Evie in this story is how she became one of the first female columnists in the newspaper that reported the truths of the war, instead of the propaganda (and faux optimism) the news had been reporting. That part was STELLAR to me.
AGHH. I can’t explain how much it worked for me. And even though ‘Christmas’ in the title is far too generous, since there’s so little mention or focus on it, I will block out all negative feedback on this book because I’m obsessed.
THE ENDING, TOO.
Again: agghhhhh.
November 5, 2017
The year is 1968 when an elderly Englishman who is nearing the end of his life, decides to make one final trip to Paris at Christmastime. He brings with him a large packet of letters. His days are spent peacefully as he reads the letters and reminisces about the course his life has taken.
Set against the backdrop of World War I, this beautifully written novel is told through letters exchanged between a young Englishwoman and her brother and her close friends. It is a historical novel but more than that, it is also a moving love story.
This poignant novel with it’s likable characters will draw you in as friendship, hope, and love prevail against the horrors of war.
Set against the backdrop of World War I, this beautifully written novel is told through letters exchanged between a young Englishwoman and her brother and her close friends. It is a historical novel but more than that, it is also a moving love story.
This poignant novel with it’s likable characters will draw you in as friendship, hope, and love prevail against the horrors of war.
December 1, 2018
Beautifully written WW1 story all told through letters and telegrams. The main characters were endearing, the details of war taught me a lot about the time period without being gruesome, and the love story was oh, so sweet. I liked how Evie and Tom shared a love for literature and writing and I adored how Evie sketched birds and they spoke of them throughout their letters. I have a soft spot for books written in epistle format, and I loved this one.
I think people who enjoy WW1 stories, those who enjoy a subtle themed Christmas book with depth, and fans of The Guernsey Literary Potato Peel Society, will really enjoy this book.
I think people who enjoy WW1 stories, those who enjoy a subtle themed Christmas book with depth, and fans of The Guernsey Literary Potato Peel Society, will really enjoy this book.
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