The Room on Rue Amelie by Kristin Harmel

 

"And to all of you who have been strong enough to stand up for what you believe in---in the small moments and the large ones. Making the world a better place begins with even the tiniest acts of personal bravery. May you forever hold fast to the courage to follow your heart."

                        -from the author's dedication

I attended a recent event where Ms. Harmel was the speaker and several of her books were available for sale. I really enjoyed her talk which centered on her latest novel, The Forest of Vanishing Stars. I purchased The Room on Rue Amelie and she autographed it for me. This is the 4th Harmel novel I have read but it was not my favorite. I will rate it a 3. I was very disappointed by the ending.

Ruby Henderson meets Frenchman Marcel Benoit in a cafe in New York. They are married in 1939 and move to Paris at a time when there are already hints of trouble in Europe from Hitler's Germany. They have no clue how bad it is going to get! 

When the Nazis occupy Paris, Marcel secretly joins the Resistance harboring Allied pilots who have been shot down over France and helping them to escape to safety. During this time Ruby becomes close friends with her neighbor, a very precocious 11-year-old named Charlotte Dachar. The Dachars are Jewish, putting them at very great risk. When Marcel is caught and executed, Ruby takes on his role and, almost predictably, becomes emotionally involved with a handsome RAF pilot, Thomas Clarke.

I shouldn't go farther with my description lest I spoil the plot. Suffice it to say, the story gets intense!