The Paris Promise

The Paris Sisters, Book 3

De: Suzanne Kelman

Narrado por: Helen Stern

Paris, 1943: Keeping her eyes fixed on the Nazi officer, Antoinette slowly reaches under the pillow for the knife hidden there. Her hands are shaking, but she knows what she must do to save her husband and child....

When the Nazis invade Paris, Antoinette Valette’s world shatters overnight. In an instant, she goes from being a celebrated violinist, to fearing for the life of her Jewish husband and son. With nowhere to flee, hiding in plain sight is her family’s only choice.

But when their secret is discovered and her beloved husband is torn from her arms, Antoinette’s heart breaks. She knows she must act quickly if she is to save her son from the same fate. Desperate, she asks the Resistance to secure him a place on the last train leaving Paris. Holding him tightly against her chest, she promises she will find him again. But is it a promise she can’t possibly keep?

Alone and with nothing left to lose, when the Resistance ask her to use her musical talent to spy on high-ranking Nazis, Antoinette doesn’t hesitate. Playing her violin at elaborate dinner parties each night gives her the opportunity to listen to their conversations. And although she risks her life every day, it is the only way to get her family back.

But when a Nazi commander makes advances towards her, Antoinette realizes that she will have to make a dangerous and impossible choice. Can she find the strength to do the unthinkable, in the hopes that it will save her family, and countless other innocent lives?

The third gripping novel in the Paris Sisters series, this novel tells the story of the power of a mother’s love, in the face of unimaginable darkness. Perfect for fans of Roberta Kagan, Kristin Hannah, and Fiona Valpy.

©2025 Suzanne Kelman (P)2025 Bookouture, an imprint of Storyfire Ltd.

GRIPPING STORY FROM SUZANNE KELMAN…

I thoroughly enjoyed this book by Suzanne Kelman. It gripped me from the very beginning, with plenty of twists and turns as the story flips from the early days of WWI and present day, as a granddaughter seeks to discover the truth about her grandmother and a beautiful Stratavarius violin. Who WAS Antoinette? Was she a hero resistance fighter or a traitor to the Jews and to France?

I have to say I didn’t LOVE the voice of the narrator, but she was OK (some narrators make it hard to get through even a great story), but while I didn’t love the narrator, I didn’t hate her either. She did a good job overall.

This book leaves one wondering just how far they themself would go to save the ones they love with all their heart in the midst of the most dire of circumstances.

I have read MANY books on WWI and the fight for the Jews to survive at the hands of the Nazis. Some of the books I’ve read have been VERY graphic in their description of the horrors inflicted on the Jews; however, something that allowed me to enjoy this book as I did is that this same goriness was NOT included in this book. The story focused more on the story of Antoinette and her granddaughter Deanna.

I highly recommend this book to anyone who is already interested in the time period depicted here, or who is interested in learning about this period for the first time.

Happy listening!