I am a huge fan of historical fiction books which take place during WWII. This is also a dual timeline story which I enjoy. What an emotional read. And there are a couple of main points that are explored … what are you willing to do when faced with horrific incidences and what essentially makes someone a parent. The story is told through several points of view. The author has done an amazing amount of research. Love, survival, hope, family, sacrifice, courage, and unconditional love are demonstrated. If you have managed to devour this story without shedding a tear, I will be surprised.

Thank you to NetGalley and Grand Central Publishing for my advanced review copy. All opinions and thoughts are my own.

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While Paris Slept- This historical fiction tells the story of a couple that flees Paris to save the life of a Jewish baby handed to them when his mother boards the train headed to Auschwitz. A very emotional read. I really liked that it was written to show two different perspectives- the French citizens and the French Jews. This book would be great for Book Clubs to discuss!

Thank you to NetGalley and Grand Central Publishing for the ARC in exchange for my honest review!

This character driven title, which unfolds across two countries and two timelines, revolves around the tragic history of two couples, both with parental ties to same child. One couple brought the child into the world, and one saved the baby from certain death at the hands of the Nazis. Legal and ethical ramifications, heart breaking sacrifices of the parental figures, and the emotional chaos of the child, lead to finding out if you love your child enough to let him go. Highly recommend.

I don’t normally read this genre but this was so fun. I felt so connected to the plot and story. Such a fun read and entertaining the whole way through?

This book checked all my boxes. The engaging plot, the richly drawn characters, and the important message of unconditional love were all topnotch. While aspects of the story were about WWII, the bulk of it were about its aftermath. A true pleasure to read and highly recommended for fans of historical fiction. 5 stars

This WWII novel is told both in alternating perspectives and with two different timelines. While this can be confusing in some novels, this book executes it well. During the war (1940s) we find Sarah handing off her baby boy Samuel to a railway worker as she is being taken by the Nazis. The worker, Jean-Luc, agrees to take Samuel while he flees through the Pyrenees with his girlfriend. Move forward to the 1950s in Santa Cruz where we see Jean-Luc now being accused of kidnapping Sam.

This book is about the strength of a parent’s love and the sacrifices they are willing to make for their child. We see lines blurred as the two families intersect. This debut novel is well written and thought-provoking. Those that enjoy books about parental love will find it a satisfying read.

Thank you Netgalley, Grand Central Publishing, and Ruth Druart for an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Such a beautiful story that will captivate you.
This one has two time lines splitting between 1944 Paris and 1953 California.
A heartbreaking decision made in German occupied France will come to haunt a couple years later .
Yes, this was a very dark time in history but we are presented with a glimmer of hope,power of love, resilience, and courage.
Explores the length a family will go to while showing love unconditionally.


Pub Date 23 Feb 2021
I was given a complimentary copy of this book. Thank you.
All opinions expressed are my own.

This WWII book is so touching, honest, and heart wrenching. It’s long but well done - I am amazed at this author’s debut!

The story alternates perspectives of two sets of parents, who’s story intertwines through one son. Readers follow the journey of all the parents ultimate sacrificial love for their son. There’s also lessons on the healing power of time, forgiveness for the unimaginable, and the blurred lines on doing what is “right”.

The only reason for a 4 star rating is that the storyline feels very similar to other books out there and the length was a bit too drawn out.

recommend if you enjoy: stories about parental love (Regretting You by Colleen Hoover), historical fiction WWII books

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I’ve read a lot of World War II historical fiction, but this was so different and I loved it.
During the war, Jean-Luc is a railway worker doing maintenance work near the camp Drancy. This is where he meets Sarah who has been taken by the Nazis. She fears for her life and also for that of her son, Samuel. A reluctant Jean-Luc agrees to take Samuel, and he and his girlfriend Charlotte flee France through the Pyrenees.
Their story picks up in Santa Cruz in 1953 where Jean-Luc, Charlotte and Samuel are happily living after the war until they are tracked down and accused of kidnapping Sam. Samuel’s parents are still alive and living in Paris.
This is a gorgeous debut novel about love, self sacrifice, determination and the lengths we’ll go to for our children. It was so difficult seeing both sides of this story, but I loved all of these characters.
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⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

This book is about the love of a child. Can you imagine being in a situation where you are so afraid for your baby's life that you hand him to a random stranger? That's where this book starts, basically. And would you be able to give that baby back when there was no longer any danger? You'll be able to see where this is all going so I won't bother spoiling it for you.

If you're looking for historical fiction, this book is not for you. The historical details sort of run around in the background of the story and aren't really filled in with any detail. The story is good, but it wasn't what I was expecting in this regard.

4.5 stars rounded up.

I have read a lot of books about WW2 it is my favorite time period to read about. This book took a look at what happened during that period from a different point of view than any other book I have ever read. I believe that this book is a debut and I find that for a debut book it was just well written. I flew through it. I found that I couldn't put it down. I find that the character dynamics were well done. There were parts that hurt my heart so bad. As a parent, I really felt for both of the families in this story, The dual timeline from multiple points of view was written very well. There really isn't anything I found bad about this book. However, I feel like there was a part at the end that was a little bit rushed.

While Paris Slept was a compelling and thought-provoking novel that is sure to be a “best of” pick for historical fiction. Although there are a plethora of books surrounding WWII, especially focusing on the horrors of the Holocaust, there’s always room for more. I often hear that people get “burned out” by these stories and I get the sentiment; however, after six-million people perished and survivors that lived through hell, I feel I owe it to them to read as much as I can.

Paris seems to be trending (for lack of a better word) and many, many books are set there or in the book’s title. This book takes place in both Santa Cruz, California and Nazi occupied France. The places intersect as two different couples are parents to the same young boy. What one couple does to save an infant from a certain death at the camps has a dramatic and live-changing effect on the birth parents and the parents who raise him. This book had me asking myself how I would deal with their situations and my heart broke for both couples.

The story is filled with themes of sacrifice, respect, patience, compromise, love, religion and family. This is a standout debut and one that I highly recommend.

To what lengths would you go to ensure your child’s survival? What would you sacrifice in yourself to preserve their well-being? With her accomplished first novel, Druart penetrates to the heart of these emotional questions, exploring them in multiple ways through the interlinked stories of two couples. In 1953 Santa Cruz, California, Jean-Luc and Charlotte Beauchamps are the proud parents of a son, Sam, who loves burgers and chocolate-chip cookies as much as any American kid. They’ve strived to adapt to their new country, speaking only English, and never revisiting the trauma they fled in Paris nine years earlier. The tone is ominous as a car pulls up to their house. Inspectors take Jean-Luc in for questioning, and his carefully built life begins unraveling.

Back in March 1944, Jean-Luc maintains tracks for the French national railway, now under German control. He’s nervous after being transferred to the Drancy station, as rumors float about forced deportations of Jews. He never sees any trains, but evidence left on the platform – a stuffed toy, a broken shoe, and something much worse – implies passengers are being transported to a dreadful end. Jean-Luc feels he must act but doesn’t know how. Then one day a train does stop, and a frantic young mother, Sarah Laffitte, thrusts her weeks-old son into his arms.

Druart keeps suspense thrumming throughout, even with readers’ prior knowledge about some characters’ fates. The crushing weight of the Nazi occupation and its impact on Sarah and husband David, as well as Jean-Luc and Charlotte, a nurse he meets at a German hospital, come through clearly. Sam’s physical and emotional reactions are particularly convincing. It catches at the heart that there are no villains among the five main characters, but their choices cause pain, nonetheless. The ending is as beautiful as one could wish.

(from the Historical Novels Review, February 2021)

Thank you to NetGalley for the arc of this book.

Not much sleep the last two nights! How could I sleep when wondering what is going on with Lizzie and Jack?
Really liked this book about WWII and the women who served. There was some very interesting facts that I had not heard of before. One example being the balloon barrage.
This was the first time that I had read this author. Let's just say that I went to Amazon and bought another of her books right away. Thank you Ms. Druart for the insight into parts of the war that have been overlooked in other books.
I will be recommending this book to the patrons at our library.

Truly one of the BEST World WarII books I've read in a long time!! Ruth Druart did such a great job of weaving the storyline together and getting you to care about each character in the story. I don't want to say too much as it may ruin the book for others, but I cried happy tears, sad tears, and loved every page of the story. Leaves you with the question "What makes a family?" GREAT read! I highly recommend it!

Ruth Druart's "While Paris Slept" is a beautiful, well written novel. I loved every word. It's a story of love in its purest form and a book I'll be recommending to friends and family. (don't leave your box of tissue too far away when you start reading).

I am incredibly honored to be the first to review this book on Netgalley. Reading this beautiful story of love and survival has been both engaging and emotional.

As she is being transported to Auschwitz, Sarah gives her newborn son to a young man to keep him safe. Jean Luc and his wife Charlotte keep him more than safe, they bring him to America and raise their son Samuel, Sam, in America surrounded by love.

But after the war, Sarah and David have survived Auschwitz and search for their child. When he is found in California, he must return to his parents in France. Sarah and David feel blessed, Charlotte and Jean Luc are bereft, but it is Sam who cannot begin to transition to this astounding, inexplicable change. He grows morose and depressed. Sarah, in a biblical gesture must give Sam a true gift of love.

I loved this novel, I’m still crying. A truly beautiful book that captures the meaning of parental love in all its forms. I highly recommend this book to all my book groups. What is love? How much can be sacrificed for love?

Thank you Netgalley for this exquisite novel.