Get Your Free Audiobook
-
The Parisians
- Narrated by: Karissa Vacker
- Length: 13 hrs and 19 mins
- Categories: Literature & Fiction, Genre Fiction
Non-member price: $20.88
People who bought this also bought...
-
The Paris Secret
- An Epic and Heartbreaking Love Story Set in World War Two
- By: Lily Graham
- Narrated by: Esther Wane
- Length: 6 hrs and 5 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
The last time Valerie was in Paris, she was three years old, running from the Nazis, away from the only home she had ever known. Now as a young woman all alone in the world, Valerie must return to Paris, to the bookshop and her sole surviving relative, her grandfather Vincent, the only person who knows the truth about what happened to her parents. As she gets to know grumpy, taciturn Vincent again, she hears a tragic story of Nazi-occupied Paris, a doomed love affair, and a mother willing to sacrifice everything for her beloved daughter.
-
-
Loved it.
- By Anonymous User on 12-10-2020
-
The Ocean Liner
- By: Marius Gabriel
- Narrated by: Angela Dawe
- Length: 11 hrs and 13 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Cousins Masha and Rachel Morgenstern board the luxury liner the SS Manhattan bound for New York, desperate to escape the concentration camps that claimed the rest of their family. America offers a safe haven, but to reach it they must survive a hazardous Atlantic crossing. Among their fellow passengers fleeing the war, each with their own conflicts, secrets, and surprises, are the composer Igor Stravinsky, making a new start after a decade of tragedy, and Rose Kennedy, determined to keep her four children from harm.
-
The Lost Children
- By: Shirley Dickson
- Narrated by: Rosie Jones
- Length: 11 hrs and 11 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
England, 1943: Home is no longer safe for eight-year-old twins Molly and Jacob. Night after night, wailing bombs and screeching planes skim the rooftops overhead. They cradle each other, shivering in terror, not knowing if they'll live to see dawn. Their mother, Martha, has no choice but to evacuate them to the safety of the countryside. At the train station, Martha bites back tears as she says good-bye to her precious children. Knowing she might never see them again, she gives Jacob a letter, pressing the envelope into his hands and telling him to only read it if they are in danger.
-
-
Tissues needed often
- By birdie on 02-01-2021
-
A View Across the Rooftops
- By: Suzanne Kelman
- Narrated by: Alan Medcroft
- Length: 13 hrs and 34 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Would you risk your life to save just one person? An incredible story of love, hope, and friendship; and a testament to humanity and courage in history’s darkest days. 1941, Nazi-occupied Amsterdam. Professor Josef Held has never recovered from the loss of his beloved wife - and has no intention of ever letting anyone new into his quiet, safe world. But then the Nazis come for the Jews - and Mrs Epstein is killed. And Josef, in an impulsive act of courage, offers his student Michael Blum a place to hide.
-
-
A great, melodramatic saga
- By Anonymous User on 03-11-2020
-
The French Photographer
- By: Natasha Lester
- Narrated by: Johnathan McClain, Katherine Littrel, Merritt Hicks, and others
- Length: 13 hrs and 50 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Paris, 1942: When Jessica May's successful modelling career in Manhattan is abruptly cut short, she is assigned to the war in Europe as a photojournalist for Vogue. But when she arrives the army men make her life as difficult as possible. Three friendships change that: journalist Martha Gellhorn encourages Jess to bend the rules, paratrooper Dan Hallworth takes her to places to shoot pictures and write stories that matter and a little girl, Victorine, who has grown up in a field hospital, shows her love. But success comes at a price.
-
-
Terrible!!
- By anne on 04-05-2019
-
The Beekeeper's Promise
- By: Fiona Valpy
- Narrated by: Henrietta Meire
- Length: 8 hrs and 20 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Heartbroken and hoping for a new start, Abi Howes takes a summer job in rural France at the Château Bellevue. The old château echoes with voices from the past, and soon Abi finds herself drawn to one remarkable woman’s story, a story that could change the course of her summer - and her life. In 1938, Eliane Martin tends beehives in the garden of the beautiful Château Bellevue. In its shadow she meets Mathieu Dubosq and falls in love for the first time, daring to hope that a happy future awaits.
-
-
the beekeepers promise
- By Corinna Palms on 30-03-2019
-
The Paris Secret
- An Epic and Heartbreaking Love Story Set in World War Two
- By: Lily Graham
- Narrated by: Esther Wane
- Length: 6 hrs and 5 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
The last time Valerie was in Paris, she was three years old, running from the Nazis, away from the only home she had ever known. Now as a young woman all alone in the world, Valerie must return to Paris, to the bookshop and her sole surviving relative, her grandfather Vincent, the only person who knows the truth about what happened to her parents. As she gets to know grumpy, taciturn Vincent again, she hears a tragic story of Nazi-occupied Paris, a doomed love affair, and a mother willing to sacrifice everything for her beloved daughter.
-
-
Loved it.
- By Anonymous User on 12-10-2020
-
The Ocean Liner
- By: Marius Gabriel
- Narrated by: Angela Dawe
- Length: 11 hrs and 13 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Cousins Masha and Rachel Morgenstern board the luxury liner the SS Manhattan bound for New York, desperate to escape the concentration camps that claimed the rest of their family. America offers a safe haven, but to reach it they must survive a hazardous Atlantic crossing. Among their fellow passengers fleeing the war, each with their own conflicts, secrets, and surprises, are the composer Igor Stravinsky, making a new start after a decade of tragedy, and Rose Kennedy, determined to keep her four children from harm.
-
The Lost Children
- By: Shirley Dickson
- Narrated by: Rosie Jones
- Length: 11 hrs and 11 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
England, 1943: Home is no longer safe for eight-year-old twins Molly and Jacob. Night after night, wailing bombs and screeching planes skim the rooftops overhead. They cradle each other, shivering in terror, not knowing if they'll live to see dawn. Their mother, Martha, has no choice but to evacuate them to the safety of the countryside. At the train station, Martha bites back tears as she says good-bye to her precious children. Knowing she might never see them again, she gives Jacob a letter, pressing the envelope into his hands and telling him to only read it if they are in danger.
-
-
Tissues needed often
- By birdie on 02-01-2021
-
A View Across the Rooftops
- By: Suzanne Kelman
- Narrated by: Alan Medcroft
- Length: 13 hrs and 34 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Would you risk your life to save just one person? An incredible story of love, hope, and friendship; and a testament to humanity and courage in history’s darkest days. 1941, Nazi-occupied Amsterdam. Professor Josef Held has never recovered from the loss of his beloved wife - and has no intention of ever letting anyone new into his quiet, safe world. But then the Nazis come for the Jews - and Mrs Epstein is killed. And Josef, in an impulsive act of courage, offers his student Michael Blum a place to hide.
-
-
A great, melodramatic saga
- By Anonymous User on 03-11-2020
-
The French Photographer
- By: Natasha Lester
- Narrated by: Johnathan McClain, Katherine Littrel, Merritt Hicks, and others
- Length: 13 hrs and 50 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Paris, 1942: When Jessica May's successful modelling career in Manhattan is abruptly cut short, she is assigned to the war in Europe as a photojournalist for Vogue. But when she arrives the army men make her life as difficult as possible. Three friendships change that: journalist Martha Gellhorn encourages Jess to bend the rules, paratrooper Dan Hallworth takes her to places to shoot pictures and write stories that matter and a little girl, Victorine, who has grown up in a field hospital, shows her love. But success comes at a price.
-
-
Terrible!!
- By anne on 04-05-2019
-
The Beekeeper's Promise
- By: Fiona Valpy
- Narrated by: Henrietta Meire
- Length: 8 hrs and 20 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Heartbroken and hoping for a new start, Abi Howes takes a summer job in rural France at the Château Bellevue. The old château echoes with voices from the past, and soon Abi finds herself drawn to one remarkable woman’s story, a story that could change the course of her summer - and her life. In 1938, Eliane Martin tends beehives in the garden of the beautiful Château Bellevue. In its shadow she meets Mathieu Dubosq and falls in love for the first time, daring to hope that a happy future awaits.
-
-
the beekeepers promise
- By Corinna Palms on 30-03-2019
-
The Designer
- By: Marius Gabriel
- Narrated by: Saskia Maarleveld
- Length: 11 hrs and 46 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
In 1944, newly married Copper Reilly arrives in Paris soon after the liberation. While the city celebrates its freedom, she's stuck in the prison of an unhappy marriage. When her husband commits one betrayal too many, Copper demands a separation. Alone in Paris, she finds an unlikely new friend: an obscure, middle-aged designer from the back rooms of a decaying fashion house whose timid nature and reluctance for fame clash with the bold brilliance of his designs. His name is Christian Dior.
-
-
You’ve conquered the world...
- By Anonymous User on 09-05-2018
-
My Name Is Eva
- An Absolutely Gripping and Emotional Historical Novel
- By: Suzanne Goldring
- Narrated by: Diana Croft
- Length: 9 hrs and 16 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Evelyn Taylor-Clarke sits in her chair at Forest Lawns Care Home in the heart of the English countryside, surrounded by residents with minds not as sharp as hers. It would be easy to dismiss Evelyn as a muddled old woman, but her lipstick is applied perfectly and her buttons done up correctly. Because, Evelyn is a woman with secrets, and Evelyn remembers everything. She can never forget the promise she made to the love of her life to discover the truth about the mission that led to his death, no matter what it cost her.
-
-
Heaps of promise .....
- By Katherine on 17-09-2020
-
The Lost Girls of Paris
- By: Pam Jenoff
- Narrated by: Elizabeth Knowelden, Henrietta Meire, Candace Thaxton
- Length: 11 hrs and 41 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
One morning while passing through Grand Central Terminal on her way to work, Grace Healey finds an abandoned suitcase tucked beneath a bench. Unable to resist her own curiosity, Grace opens the suitcase, where she discovers a dozen photographs - each of a different woman. In a moment of impulse, Grace takes the photographs and quickly leaves the station. Grace soon learns that the suitcase belonged to a woman named Eleanor Trigg, leader of a network of female secret agents who were deployed out of London during the war.
-
-
Enjoyable historical fiction
- By Elaine S on 03-01-2021
-
When We Were Brave
- A Completely Gripping and Emotional WW2 Historical Novel
- By: Suzanne Kelman
- Narrated by: Alison Campbell
- Length: 11 hrs and 5 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Present day, London: When Sophie discovers a photograph of her great aunt Vivi from World War II, it throws her into a world of confusion. Because, as she learns about this secret relative, she quickly realizes that the photograph doesn’t fit with her family’s story. It shows Vivi leaving an address associated with a spy network in London - a place she had no reason to be - and it is dated right before she disappeared.
-
-
Exceptionally narrated!
- By Anonymous User on 08-12-2020
-
The Champagne War
- By: Fiona McIntosh
- Narrated by: Katy Sobey
- Length: 14 hrs and 29 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
In the summer of 1914, vigneron Jerome Méa heads off to war, certain he'll be home by Christmas. His new bride Sophie, a fifth-generation champenoise, is determined to ensure the forthcoming vintages will be testament to their love and the power of the people of Épernay, especially its strong women. But as the years drag on, authorities advise that Jerome is missing, considered dead. When poison gas is first used in Belgium by the Germans, British chemist Charles Nash jumps to enlist.
-
-
Excellent
- By Sabra on 23-12-2020
-
The Dressmaker's Gift
- By: Fiona Valpy
- Narrated by: Anne Flosnik, Justine Eyre
- Length: 9 hrs and 12 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
From the best-selling author of The Beekeeper’s Promise comes a gripping story of three young women faced with impossible choices. How will history - and their families - judge them? Paris, 1940. With the city occupied by the Nazis, three young seamstresses go about their normal lives as best they can. But all three are hiding secrets. War-scarred Mireille is fighting with the Resistance; Claire has been seduced by a German officer; and Vivienne’s involvement is something she can’t reveal to either of them.
-
The Italian Girls
- By: Debbie Rix
- Narrated by: Katie Villa
- Length: 14 hrs and 9 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Each morning Livia Moretti makes her way from an apartment overlooking Florence’s famous Duomo to a nearby café, where she drinks espresso and reads the newspaper. To the crowds of tourists who pass by, nothing about Livia will be memorable. She is simply an old lady. They walk on without knowing the part she played in ensuring the future of this beautiful city. And to Livia now, those dark days feel very far away. But today, when she opens the paper, she sees a name she has not heard for a long time. A name that will bring memories flooding back.
-
Into the Burning Dawn
- Heartbreaking and Gripping World War 2 Historical Fiction Set in Italy
- By: Natalie Meg Evans
- Narrated by: Polly Edsell
- Length: 15 hrs and 27 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
In the terrace courtyard of the palazzo overlooking a sparkling bay, the scent of ripening lemons filled the air. His deep brown eyes gazed into hers with determination and longing. "Will you do it? Risk everything and join us?"
-
The Soldier’s Girl
- By: Sharon Maas
- Narrated by: Henrietta Meire
- Length: 11 hrs and 59 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
When young English nurse Sibyl Lake is recruited as a spy to support the French resistance, she doesn’t realize the ultimate price she will end up paying. She arrives in Colmar, a French town surrounded by vineyards and swarming with German soldiers. Her fear is dampened by the joy of being reunited with her childhood sweetheart Jacques. Sibyl’s arrival has not gone unnoticed by Commander Wolfgang von Haagan. She realizes that letting him get closer is her best chance of learning enemy secrets. Yet despite her best intentions, Sibyl finds that betrayal does not come easy to her.
-
Sea of Memories
- By: Fiona Valpy
- Narrated by: Heather Wilds
- Length: 8 hrs and 27 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
In 1937, seventeen-year-old Ella’s life changes forever when she is sent to spend the summer on the beautiful Île de Ré and meets the charismatic, creative Christophe. They spend the summer together, exploring the island’s sandy beaches and crystal-clear waters, and, for the first time in her life, Ella feels truly free. But the outbreak of war casts everything in a new light. Ella is forced to return to Scotland, where she volunteers for the war effort alongside the dashing Angus. In this new world, Ella feels herself drifting further and further from who she was on the Île de Ré.
-
-
Lovely Story
- By Mari on 17-07-2020
-
The Tuscan Secret
- By: Angela Petch
- Narrated by: Ellie Heydon
- Length: 10 hrs and 21 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Anna is distraught when her beloved mother, Ines, passes away. She inherits a box of papers, handwritten in Italian and yellowed with age, and a tantalizing promise that the truth about what happened during the war lies within. The diaries lead Anna to the small village of Rofelle, where she slowly starts to heal as she explores sun-kissed olive groves, and pieces together her mother’s past: happy days spent herding sheep across Tuscan meadows cruelly interrupted when World War Two erupted and the Nazis arrived....
-
The Violin Maker's Daughter
- By: Sharon Maas
- Narrated by: Annie McKenzie
- Length: 12 hrs and 47 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
When the Nazis march onto the cobbled streets of Colmar on November 1st 1940, Josef, a Jewish violin maker, gathers his wife and daughters closely to him and tells them everything will be alright. But one year later, three sharp knocks on the door at midnight turn his 17-year-old daughter Sarah’s world upside down. As the oldest child, Sarah must be the first to leave her family, to make her escape in a perilous journey across France via Paris to Poitiers. In the mountains she finds herself in terrible danger and meets Ralf, a German deserter, who risks his own life to save her.
-
-
Narrator
- By ardie bush on 18-10-2020
Publisher's Summary
In occupied Paris, one woman risks everything to help bring down the Nazis.
Paris, 1940. The Nazis have occupied the city - and the Ritz. The opulent old hotel, so loved by Parisians, is now full of swaggering officers, their minions and their mistresses.
For American Olivia Olsen, working as a chambermaid at the hotel means denying her nationality and living a lie, every day bringing the danger of discovery closer. When Hitler’s right-hand man moves in and makes her his pet, she sees an opportunity to help the Resistance - and draw closer to Jack, her contact, whose brusque instructions may be a shield for something more....
Within the hotel, famed designer Coco Chanel quickly learns that the new regime could work to her benefit, while Arletty, one of France’s best-loved actresses, shocks those around her - and herself - with a forbidden love.
But as the war reaches its terrible end, all three women learn the true price of their proximity to the enemy. For in the shadow of war, is anyone truly safe?
More from the same
What listeners say about The Parisians
Reviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story

- CaliReader
- 03-02-2019
Not another WWII Book
This book was about the characters and their struggles and their amazing tenacity while WWII was going on in the background. Some very interesting takes on collaboration and occupation I haven’t read before. Even without the interesting characters and plot, I liked this authors prose and the narrator did an excellent job!
24 people found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story

- Traci J
- 05-02-2019
Another great book by Marius Gabriel
I chose this book because I loved The Ocean Liner and The Designer. This was another winner. Interesting characters and a great performance by Karissa Vacker. I was sad for the book to end. I highly recommend this one.
11 people found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story

- paula wright
- 26-01-2019
I’ll never look at Chanel the same.
Good story showing how cruel the nazis were but what bothered me the most was the collaboration of rich famous French people with the nazis People were being starved to death and coco and Arletty were dining on pheasant in wine sauce and asparagus and three kinds of wine with their German Nazi lovers They got off VERY easy too I felt like the author glorified these people. He certainly didn’t condemn it Wonder what his people did during www2
9 people found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story

- Barbara Lay
- 31-01-2019
Performance annoying
The narrator constantly taking deep, loud breaths numerous times during each sentence was extremely annoying, she takes 'breathy' to a new level. it was do annoying I could not complete the hook even though I am a fan of the author. What a waste!!!
13 people found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story

- AmazonCc
- 03-02-2020
Reason for gay sex
That seems to be what the Paris backdrop is for. This was truly an awful book.
3 people found this helpful
-
Overall

- Evelyn Schumacher
- 26-01-2019
Detailed, intriguing, hopeful
This was a very complex story of Paris as it fell under Nazi rule. Brave people have their lives to be free. Excellent
3 people found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story

- Debra Case
- 01-02-2019
Horrible performance
Couldn’t get past chapter 2. Narrator sounded silly and constantly took gasping breaths. Was really looking forward to this book, so guess I’ll read the print version.
9 people found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story

- DAW
- 16-08-2019
Unfortunately, not as good as I anticipated ...
I did like the fact that this book was a mixture of historically correct events and people, mixed with various other characters. Thank Goodness for Coco Chanel and Arletty! Those two women made the book worthwhile reading.The novel has a little bit of everything. It’s a general love story that includes collaborators, resistance fighters and spys in occupied Paris. At times I found it tedious and boring. At other times it was engrossing. I honestly can't recommend this book.
2 people found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story

- RueRue
- 02-05-2020
Equal parts history and romance
The best thing about this story are the discriptions of Paris during the Nazi occupation. The author did a decent job of incorporating real people into the narrative. The fictional characters were pretty much stereotypes. Great narration; she was excellent with the variety of accents.
1 person found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story

- Vimala McClure
- 17-03-2020
Fantastic !
One of my favorite WW2 novels. Be sure to listen to the end notes; they surprised me. The narration was excellent. Highly recommended.
1 person found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story

- Ms. Susannah Scott
- 16-02-2019
Excellent
Brilliant story had me hooked well Into the small hours - great narration too. Would recommend
1 person found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story

- Anonymous User
- 12-10-2020
very enjoyable
loved the narrator.she made the book come to life.enjoyed it on my walks during lockdown
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story

- Simon
- 09-07-2019
it was fine
it was alright, it killed some time at work. story was predictable but bit badly written, some things seemed pointless to the story and didn't go anywhere but as I say it was fine. Narrator was bad though, her German accent was Irish somehow? and when she was talking in her own American accent it was irritating.
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story

- Nicki John
- 26-06-2019
Wonderful, harrowing, romantic & educational!
The narrator was totally wonderful, with a variety of very believable accents, taking you on a journey to Paris amidst the beginning of WW2.
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story

- Clair
- 04-06-2019
An interesting read
Overall the reading is good but was spoiled for me by the constant mispronunciation of French words. Surely Ms Vacker could have taken the trouble to learn them given she does a good job of giving each character a voice. It may seem a small thing but it breaks a listener’s concentration ‘a deux’ was pronounced as ‘a doux’ for instance. The story overall was good, the characters believable and the interweaving of well-known historic personages contributed to the enjoyment. The background was well-researched.
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story

- miss lj lawley
- 06-05-2019
Excellent story telling
This is the first book I have listened to by this author & I have added their other books into my wish list & hope they are as good as this was.
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story

- Kenneth J Tyrrell
- 01-05-2019
Poor narration
This lady’s voice is dreadful. The English language absolutely slaughtered. It spoiled my enjoyment of an otherwise excellent story.
16 Best Audiobooks by Aboriginal Authors
Across genres, there’s no shortage of brilliant titles from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander writers of Australia.



25 Best Celebrity Audiobooks
It’s always a pleasant surprise to pick up a familiar story and find an unexpected famous friend in the narrator’s booth.



Best Audiobooks of 2020
We've crunched the numbers, heard from our listeners and gotten expert opinions to round up the best listens of 2020.


