I'm sorry for the late review. I have read made books and forgot to review on Netgalley
This book is written in two time frames from the perspective of women during WW2 and the life consequences following. There are strong women characters in this book. First book by this author but won't be my last

The Last Train from Paris by Julie Greenwood

The year is 1939, and in Paris, France a young woman is about to commit a terrible betrayal… 

For Iris, each visit to her mother in St Mabon’s Cove, Cornwall has been the same – a serene escape from the city. But today, as she breaths in the salt air on the doorstep of her beloved childhood home, a heavy weight of anticipation settles over her. Iris knows she’s adopted, but any questions about where she came from have always been shut down by her parents, who can’t bear to revisit the past.

Now, Iris can’t stop thinking about what she’s read on the official paperwork: BABY GIRL, FRANCE, 1939 – the year war was declared with Nazi Germany.

When Iris confronts her mother, she hits the same wall of pain and resistance as whenever she mentions the war. That is, until her mother tearfully hands her an old tin of letters, tucked neatly beside a delicate piece of ivory wool.

Retreating to the loft, Iris steels herself to at last learn the truth, however painful it might be. But, as she peels back each layer of history before her, a sensation of dread grows inside her. The past is calling, and its secrets are more intricate and tangled than Iris could ever have imagined. 

I always say that we read books at the right time. Having COVID has left me in bed with very little to do except read between doses of Sudafed! So I’ve been catching up on some of those books still languishing unread on my NetGalley shelf, which is always overstuffed. How strange then that this pick had a link to a blog tour book I’m reading this month, both featuring mothers separated from their children but one set in a Cold War Berlin and this one set in pre-WWII Paris. I love books filled with emotion and those based in pivotal moments of history, especially disability history, so this one would sit perfectly within that Venn diagram. I was drawn in immediately by this gripping story, set across two timelines; one set in 1939 and the other in the 1960s. It didn't take me long at all to get into 'The Last Train From Paris'. In fact by the time I got to the end of the first few pages, I knew that I was in for a treat and from then on, I found it increasingly difficult to put the book to one side for any length of time. I was spot on too! I was moved by the story and by the bravery of these remarkable women. Nora and Sabine meet and a form a strong friendship in pre-war Paris, after Nora travels from the UK to join a catering course. In the later timeline, the early 1960s, we meet Iris, a young woman who has questions about the circumstances of her birth.

Juliet is a new author to me and I really enjoyed her style. Her characters feel genuine and show such bravery in turbulent times. She doesn’t stint on the gritty detail of wartime life in Paris and the darkness of occupation. She focuses on an aspect of the Nazi’s eugenicist policies that I think is only just coming to light in fiction. Many families were desperate to escape Europe, as the Nazis plans for the Jewish population start to become clear but Sabine’s little family have a different reason. To give you some background, it’s a lesser known fact that the Nazis targeted those with physical and mental disabilities by inciting a belief that they were a burden to the state. A programme of euthanasia was devised at a Tiergartenstrasse 4, the building giving the name of the plan as T4. In 1933 they passed a piece of legislation called The Law for the Protection of Hereditarily Diseased Offspring pushing forced sterilisation of those regarded as ‘unfit’. Their list ranged from conditions like epilepsy, but also suspected long-term illness and mental illness such as schizophrenia or addictions. They targeted nursing homes, asylums and special schools for their victims and over three years, even before the outbreak of war, had sterilised 360,000 people. Once war broke out they started to kill disabled children and adults, for this book the author has concentrated on the children. Children under three who had illnesses like Down’s Syndrome or Cerebral Palsy (or were thought to have an illness) were forwarded to a panel of medical experts to be assessed and approved for euthanasia. Parents were misled, told their children were receiving expert or enhanced care, then told they had died of illness or natural causes. The truth was they killed at least 200,000 people with disabilities in gas chambers that were also used to kill other marginalised people including, overwhelmingly, Jewish people from across Europe. This truth is deeply moving and horrifying to me as a disabled person and as someone who has spent their working life trying to support people coping with long term illness and disability. It is also why the disabled community fight so hard and shout so loud about any rhetoric from government that denigrates or devalues people with disabilities in today’s society. It is why many disabled people breathed a sigh of relief at the recent change in government as many perceive Conservative austerity measures and rhetoric to have led to the deaths of 180,000 disabled people since 2006. So you can imagine why this subject really spoke to my heart and my values.

If this sounds a little heavy, it really isn’t. The author weaves these historical facts into the story beautifully so we see it through the eyes of one of these horrified parents. Many of whom tried different ways of keeping their child away from the T4 programme, especially those who were developing disabilities. In 1939, as the Nazi march on Paris began, Nora is still in the middle of her chef’s training. This dream she has been realising has come to an end as she realises she has to take a last chance to escape. She really has left it until the last train leaving Paris before enemy arrives. As she gathers her things to leave and says goodbye to Sabine, out of the blue her friend has a last request. Having only just given birth, Sabine knows she must leave Paris too and will be travelling away from the city with her husband. She suspects one of her twins may have a disability and has heard about the T4 programme. She knows what could await her daughter if she’s right. Although it will break her heart, she has to put her daughter’s life first and asks Nora if she will take the baby back to England with her. She knows Nora well enough to be satisfied that her little girl will be safe, loved and well cared for. Nora agrees and takes the heart-wrenching choice to say goodbye to one of her daughters. Iris lives away from home, but often visits her adoptive parents in the the little fishing village in Cornwall where she grew up. She has always known she was adopted, but whenever she asks questions about the circumstances surrounding her birth her parents avoid or shut down the discussion. It has left Iris unsure about her identity and that inner feeling she has that something is missing. I kept thinking about the bond that twins have and how not knowing your other half would affect Iris’s sense of self. I desperately wanted her to find the answers she was looking for, but could understand how Nora might worry about how she would take the truth. I could also empathise with Sabine who must be desperately worried about how her daughter feels and also feel a desperate sense of loss for all those moments she wasn’t there. Would Iris feel betrayed? Would she understand the dangers they believed she was facing under occupation?

This was a story about an evil and previously unimaginable situation, faced by two friends whose trust in each other was absolute even at their most terrified. Most readers would empathise with Sabine’s sacrifice, but I could also see the sacrifice that Nora made. She expected to finish her training in the culinary capital of Europe and become a chef, instead she sacrificed all that out of love for her friend and for a little girl who could perhaps be saved from the fate of so many others. As Iris visits her mother, this time, Nora hands over a box full of letters and mementos, and Iris slowly discovers the true story of her life. She must also face the cruelty of what happened to children with disabilities in those years before the Germans invaded Iris’s origin story is one of bravery and a mother’s desperation, with secrets in store. These young women come alive in this story of a deep commitment made from one mother to another. It’s evocative and moving, reminding those of us who have never been in this position that such young women were capable and willing to make decisions like this that were heart-wrenching and ultimately life-saving. It reminds us that duty, often seen as such a dry word, is sometimes an expression of love and hope for the future.

This was a good one. Dual time-line, some of it set in Cornwall and a very good read. So addictive I enjoyed this one alot. My thanks to netgalley and the publishers for giving me the opportunity to read this book in return for an honest review.

A book written in two time frames from the perspective of women during WW2 and the life consequences following. The novel starts off in the later era and goes back to find the truth of a birth and rescue of a child. There are such strong women characters here giving us all hope. I have not read books by Juliet Greenwood before but will be on the look out for more.

Paris 1939 and World War two has started. Iris goes home to visit her mum and she asks her about her adoption but her mum refuses to talk as usual. Her mother hands her a tin of letters and Iris begins to read them no matter how hard it may be.
A well written historical story set during world war 2

This was a very beautiful historical fiction read surrounding WWII. I thought this just going to be another typical WWII read but I was very wrong. The author focuses on the displacement of families as they race to safety and away from the clutches of the nazis. It also focuses a little on children born with deformities and mental incapacities- highlighting how they were seen as hinderances to society and brought shame to families. Very heartbreaking but something that the author skillfully mentions in this book. I was completely engrossed with the lives of Sabine and Nora, two young women caught up in a dreadful war and the sacrifices they had to make to survive and keep those they love safe.
The lives of these two women were brought to life with this beautifully written book and I was moved beyond words with how their story played out.
This was a book that has many layers and depth, something that will make you cry both tears of joy and of despair. It is a story about love, loss, sacrifice, the strength of women, a mother's love, grief and above all survival.
I cannot say enough good things about this one and I highly recommend giving it a try.
It's right up there with some of the best historical reads I've ever read.
A special thank you to Netgalley, Storm Publishing and Juliet Greenwood, from my eARC of this book. Al opinions are 100% my own and leave my review voluntarily.

Fabulous book really gave me a feel for Paris in wartime and women in the war time - fantastic characters

I'd not read anything by Juliet Greenwood before, but I now have to add her to the list of authors I have to keep up with.

The Last Train From Paris is a story about two women who were faced with the unimaginable – and whose sacrifice saved one little girl from war: Iris.

In 1960s Cornwall, young Iris visits her mother, determined to discover her origins. She knows she's adopted, but nothing else. Now that she lives independently, in London, she yearns for knowledge about what happened. And this time, her mother, Nora, gives in. She hands her a box with letters and mementos, and Iris slowly discovers the true story of her life. And the cruel reality of what happened in the early days of World War II.

In 1939, the Nazis march on Paris, suppressing the French as they force their way through to the capital city. Nora – from England – is still in the middle of her training to become a chef, a dream come true that soon turns into a nightmare as she finds herself confronted by a brutal war machine approaching the city. She dithers, until she has no other option but to take the last train heading out of Paris before the arrival of the enemy. But as she says goodbye to her friend, Sabine, she is in for a surprise.

Sabine, her heavily pregnant friend, has to leave Paris, following her husband to an uncertain fate. Having given birth, and finding herself in a difficult situation, she decides to ensure her daughter is safe from harm, and looked after, well away from the danger that has reached them. In a heartbreaking move, she hands her daughter over to Nora, safe in the knowledge that her dear friend would care for the child.

As Iris discovers the whole truth, a story of bravery and desperation comes to light, and there is a surprise in store for her.

The Last Train From Paris is a heartbreaking novel, one that pulls you into its plot and doesn't let you go. Evocative and moving, it tells a tale of love, loss, and commitment.

The central part of the novel are the three women: Nora, Sabine, and Iris. All three are fascinating characters, well-drawn, human, and caring beyond duty. I found them to be so realistic that I felt their pain as I worked my way through the novel.

The Last Train From Paris is a moving tribute to the bravery of women in times of war and danger, to their capacity of being able to deal with life-saving decisions that are both heart-wrenching and sensible.

A truly wonderful novel!

This is a long but very good historical fiction that drew me in and took my on a journey through Iris' life and how she learns who she really is and where she really came from. This is a book that is emotional and makes you think about life and choices. It is so intense yet so gripping and intriguing.

This is a 5 star read and one I didn't want to put down and couldn't put down. Such a well written book with some well developed characters made this book so real and so emotional. I absolutely love it.

Thank you NetGalley and Storm Publishing for giving me the opportunity to read and review this book.

This was excellent!

Highly recommend this novel about how we make decisions in wartime and what those decisions might mean for so many people later. The book can be a little confusing with frequent changes of perspective but it’s so worth it. Stick with it!

Very well written WWII historical fiction. It definitely brought on the tears! So interesting reading about Iris unraveling the past and what it means to her.

Thanks for allowing me to review this beautiful book. Although set in 2 timelines and 2 countries it was so well written that you are never in doubt about where you are. Sabine a French journalist meets Nora a budding chef in England before the war. Nora travels to Paris to study French coming shortly before France is invaded. Difficult times call for tough decisions to be made with long term consequences. As Iris learns about her adoption the story unfolds. It is sensitively written and with insight into the turbulent times and a mother's love for her child.
I highly recommend this book.

Another tearful but very well-written WWII novel. I couldn't help but cheer for Iris as she faced her past and learned about the history she lived.

This was a great read. Between the incredible female friendship at the core and the strong bonds of this wide, biological and found family, set against the backdrop of World War II, it was an emotional read without being too corny. I also liked that in Howard, Guillame, and Jacob, they managed to include some non-toxic masculinity in a very female-forward novel. While the reveal was not a surprise at all, it was still satisfying.

A heart-wrenching story of the terrible decisions some mothers must make for their children, The Last Train from Paris tells the tale of two friends - French Sabine and English Nora - who bond through correspondence just prior to WW2. Sabine convinces Nora to train as a chef in Paris, believing the French will protect their country from the Nazis and Paris will be safe. When Sabine gives birth in 1939 to a child marred by a cleft lip, she fears the Nazis will murder her precious baby as part of their eugenics policy to eliminate the mentally and physically disabled. As Paris falls to the Nazi invasion, Sabine is advised to seek medical help for her daughter in England. Nora, meanwhile races for the last train out of Paris and the final ferry to Dover. Desperate to save her daughter, Sabine sends her with Nora to England.

In 1964, Nora is ailing and her adoptive daughter wants answers about her past. In a beautifully written story filled with courage, hope and love, a compelling story of survival and the horrors of war. I stayed up to the wee hours reading this one. Thank you to NetGalley and Storm Publishing for the advance reader copy. I recommend this book to WW2 historical fiction fans who want to feel the intense emotions of the time.

Thanks to NetGalley and Storm Publishing for the chance to read this book.

This historical novel set during and after WW2 is all about the highs and lows of humanity. The horrible atrocities of that time are portrayed in a sensitive manner - considering the subject. But the biggest thing that shone through for me while reading this book is the kindness and good in the world that is depicted through acts big and small by those who literally only have the shirt on their back. That is, thankfully, something that even when the world is going wrong can not be completely squashed.

A wonderful story by Juliet Greenwood that is enthralling yet heartbreaking.

The Last Train From Paris

By: Juliet Greenwood

4 Stars

This was a novel of war. It was also a story about a mother's unconditional love, and above all, survival. When Iris sees her birthdate on some papers, she begins to question who she is and it brings to light a story that will change her life forever. This is a story of a mother and an impossible choice to save her childs life.

I really liked this story. With a wide rang of interesting characters this story was a descriptive tale of war. World War 2 was a horrible time for so many. Many died, while others lost everything and everyone. In this book you can see that and feel it from the pages. It was an emotional read for sure. A mother forced to make a hard choice, a single woman forging her path to become a chef, and a set of twins born with a horrible war raging. With all of these it was easy to fall in love with this story. It was well written and one that will stay with me for a long time.

*I want to thank Netgalley and the author for this book in return for my honest review*

Stormi Ellis

This was a very emotional story set mainly in France, during the Second World War, when Germany invaded France. The descriptions of the flight from the Germans to a safer place was very thorough and heartbreaking. The twins that were separated and finally reunited made a beautiful conclusion.

Such a good read, the storyline kept you intrigued from start to finish. I’ll definitely be looking for more works by this author.

The Last Train from Paris is a dual timeline book set in 1939 and 1964. Iris visits her mother with questions about her mother’s past. What is shared is a story of how far a mother will go to protect her children. The story is wonderful and heartbreaking at the same time. In a fan of WWII historical fiction so I was drawn to this book right away. If you like WWII historical fiction you will want to check out this book.