First Impression Friday is hosted by J.W. Martin.
First Impression Friday will be a meme where you talk about a book that you JUST STARTED! Maybe you’re only a chapter or two in, maybe a little farther.
Based on this sampling of your current read, give a few impressions and predict what you’ll think by the end.
Last Christmas in Paris by Hazel Gaynor and Heather Webb
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…
If you are going to read one Christmas novel this year, please make it this one! I am about 40% through the audiobook and I am savouring every second of it. I have read so many war novels, but there is something special about this one. If you are a fan of The Guernsey Literary Potato Peel Pie Society you need this book in your life. Both are told through letters, which adds something so personal to the story.
Evie and Thomas’s love story unfolds over many years, and we see Thomas in 1968 travelling to Paris for Christmas. He is reflecting on his life and reading the letters that Evie had saved.
It took me a second to get a handle on all of the characters, as there are many letters being sent back and forth. Now that I am almost halfway through, I am completely invested. I love that it is a slow burn love story between two people who grew up together and started to send one another letters when he went off to war. It is so harrowing and powerful.
I have a feeling that this book will continue to break my heart.
I am a fan of The Guernsey Literary Potato Peel Pie Society as it is just so different to what I would normally read and so personal. When I saw the cover of Last Christmas in Paris it reminded me of TGLPPPS! I will put this on my To Read list now!
Ah I truly think you will love this book!! Such Guernsey vibes!
This was my fav book of the year when I read it! Love it and recommend it often. I’m thrilled to hear you are loving it too! I think the WW1 setting is part of what makes this so memorable! 😍
It’s fantastic and so gut wrenching but beautiful at the same time. I need to read more WW1 novels!
I love the idea of first impressions Friday! And this one sounds so perfect for this time of year. I’m definitely adding it to my Christmas reading list!
I finished it this morning and I highly recommend it! Have tissues ready!
Glad you’re enjoying this one! I read it a couple of years ago and loved it 🙂
I’m finished now and I thought it was wonderful!