The Room on Rue Amelie Hardcover – March 27, 2018

Meh, the story is readable mostly but the characters have little depth, the book is too light on WWII detail and the story is predictable. Before she gets involved in the resistance, Ruby doesn't seem to do much of anything and there is no explanation of how Ruby and her husband Marcel derive any income. And the romance cliches! "She was struck anew by the sheer size of him, the way her head would fit perfectly against his solid chest...." And, [ahem] "this time when his lips touched hers, his kiss felt different than it had before. It was tentative and urgent, and she could taste the question on his tongue." I cringed reading this stuff on the train, for fear someone would read it over my shoulder.

The period of 1939 in Paris was a compendium of many outlooks: Fear, Hope and Confidence that the City of Lights and all of France would somehow evade the coming Nazi threat. The resident of the apartments on Rue Amelie are a varied group. Ruby is the protagonist, an American, and married to a rather nasty fellow named Marcel Benoit. Marcel is engaged in a clandestine effort to help downed RAF pilots to escape France and return to England so they can fly again. Ruby undertakes this hazardous duty when Marcel goes permanently missing. Ruby’s neighbors are a Jewish family, the Dachers, one of whom is a teen girl named Charlotte. When the gestapo take the parents away for “relocation,” Ruby becomes a proxy mother to Charlotte. The situation becomes ever more complicated when a downed RAF pilot named Thomas shows up at Ruby’s doorstep. She takes him in, hides him, and helps with his escape and return to England. During Thomas’s brief stay, he and Ruby fall in love and vow that they shall be together again on some fine day. This is a beautiful story and there are many poignant events which occur with the war’s backdrop during the early 1940s. You will become very familiar and sympathetic with the characters in this story as they try to evade the Germans so they can live to fight another day. There are many bright spots along the way but, as is always the case in a massive war involving millions of innocent civilians, you’ll encounter several tragic but realistic events which our characters will endure. I was close to tears near the end of this book and I’ll wager that you will be as well.A

The Room on Rue Amelie tells the story of what happened to many British and some American pilots whose airplanes were shot down while flying missions over France in the Second World War. Through valiant and self-sacrificing efforts by French citizens the pilots were rescued, given shelter and medical care and then led back to England by means of secret escape routes that involved the coordinated efforts of many participants. The story's narrator is a young American woman living in Paris, whose husband is executed by the Germans after they discover he had been participating in the rescue efforts of the downed pilots. She ends up carrying on the work of the escape lines and saving the life of a Jewish girl whom she shelters. What I liked about the book was that it didn't paint a homogeneous, good-guys/bad guys picture of the French or the Germans, but allowed for depictions of decent and cruel people on both sides of the war. But more than anything else, I liked that the book described a little-known chapter of WWII - the inspiring story of the escape lines.

World War Two began as I was approaching adulthood. It claimed the life of my only brother; thus, I have read many books on it. However, I had never read one describing the occupation of a city or country. I found this one intriguing and enjoyed it very much.

I absolutely loved this novel. Always heartfelt and sometimes heartbreaking, it’s the story of an American woman who moves to Paris with her new French husband, just in time for the Nazis’ infiltration during World War II. She discovers that her husband isn’t the man he thought he was; but she also discovers she’s not the woman she thought she was. She proves that with compassion and courage, one person can make a mark on history—and better yet, a difference in the lives of those lucky enough to find her. A touching story about friendship, survival, and becoming a hero. Five stars but wish I could give more.

I could write book about what was wrong with The Room on Rue Amelia starting with the poor writing and childish dialogue. What disappointed me most was the ridiculous main character, Ruby. Every decision she makes is suggested by another character. She passes out when she has miscarriage and neighbors call doctor and take care of her. Charlotte helps her decide things the rest of the book. When confronted by soldier while in food line, lady gives her food and tells her to go home. When she needs to move Phillipe gets her an apartment and has someone move her. When in prison camp, lady helps he conceal pregnancy. Nadia convinces her to apply for the manufacturing job. Her German boss plans her escape and brings her clothes. Nadia distracts guard so she can escape. Red Cross guys drive her to Swiss border, give her food and point way to escape. Farmer takes her in and fortunately his wife knows how to deliver baby. They suggest she leave name and address of her parents. They see that the child is fed and delivered to Ruby’s family.The second thing that bothered me is what does she do all day? She is in apartment but doesn’t read or work. How does she make money to pay for apartment? She has no friends other than neighbor. In The Diary of Anne Frank, those in hiding had to be quiet all day to prevent suspicion. Why was no one in other apartments on Rue Amelia suspicious?Then there is the part about pilots crossing into Spain as if once they got to border it was a piece of cake. That is not what we learned in The Nightingale and Beneath the Scarlet Sky.

Excellent author. I purchased this book after reading The Book of Lost Names. Both so good, hard to put down.

Yea. Enjoyed it.

I first read Kristin Hammel when I mistook her for another author. I enjoyed the first book so much that I chose to read another one. This book wasn’t as intriguing as the first book, The Winemakers Wife, but it was a satisfying read. I was saddened by the ending, and truly expected it to end differently, but then again it is a bittersweet way to bring all the lovers together. I suspect I will read her again in the future, but for now I’m going to investigate some of the books she read while researching this story.

Written based on an article about an abandoned apartment in Paris. The fictional events take on a life of their own. Excellently written with rich deep characters. Both world wars are just in the background not taking Center stage.

Very interesting depiction how some pilots and innocent people were saved during WWII in France.