Book Broadcast is a post I have created to help ease the load of the books I have for review. It is a great way to spread the word, providing recognition to an author or publisher for sending me a book to review. As my reviewing and blogging duties have stepped up a notch in the last year, I don’t often have the time to complete an in depth review. I hope you can discover some new titles to read through this regular book post.
About Last Christmas In Paris:
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…
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.
Last Christmas In Paris by Hazel Gaynor & Heather Webb, was published on 18th September 2017 by Harper Collins Books Australia. Details on how to purchase the book can be found here.
Mrs B's Book Reviews 
On the Wishlist! Not on audio unfortunately. After Guernsey LPPPS I want it even more.
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That’s a shame it’s not on audio. But I hope you will still explore it. I adored it.
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Beautiful review! I don’t think I’ve ever read an epistolary novel. I’ll do a Google search later on epistolary novels. I’m pretty sure I haven’t as that word is unfamiliar to me.
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Thanks very much, this was a lovely hisotrical and it was a nice change being in a letter format.
The Guernsey Literary & Potato Peel Society is a great letter based novel. I also recommend Letters from Skye. You may also have found some others in your own search.
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Yes, I’ve heard much about The Guernsey Literary & Potato Peel Society but I didn’t know it was letter based. I did find one in my search and I have it on my unread shelf titled The Historian. Have you read it or even heard of it?
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You must read The Guernsey Literary & Potato Peel Society book, it’s a essential one! I’ve heard of The Historian but never read it. Keen to hear your thoughts if you end up selecting it!
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I’ll definitely pick the Guernsey up when I see it on my book hunting travels. It will probably take a year or two before I’m ready to read The Historian.
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I hope this delightful book makes its way to you it really is a one of kind read. I’ll look out for the historian if you get to it sometime in the future! Maybe it can somehow get tied into a challenge for 2019!
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