The Last Train from Paris

by Stacy Cohen and Jane Wong

''Stacy Cohen interweaves fact and fiction in this novel, set in World War II Paris during the Nazi occupation. Loosely basing her tale on the real-life adventures of artist Jean Miro, Cohen unfolds a... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1929774524
• ISBN13: 9781929774524
• Release Date: September 2009
• Publisher: Greenleaf Book Group
• Length: 300 Pages
• Weight: 1.10 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.2" x 6.6" x 9.1"

Customer Reviews

Heart-wrenching romance

"The Last Train From Paris" by Stacy Cohen is an agonizing and heart-wrenching romance set in Nazi-occupied Paris during World War II. Jean-Luc Beauchamp is a struggling artist living in his own world where the Nazi's exist in his periphery, but have had very little impact on his day-to-day life. This changes when he meets Natasha, a ballerina, and falls deeply and desperately in love. Unfortunately her beauty has also caught the eye of a vicious Nazi officer, Oberst Lorenz, and Natasha must distance herself from Jean-Luc to keep him safe. With his muse gone, Jean-Luc joins the resistance and fights to liberate his beloved country while Natasha becomes the prisoner of a brutal man who would kill her if her secret was ever revealed. This is a captivating romance intertwined with horrific brutality that was, at times, difficult to read. What kept me going was the hope that everything was going to work out for Jean-Luc and Natasha in the end. I believed in their love and expected it to conquer all the darkness. I liked the historical elements of this novel and the inclusion of some real life characters, such as artist Jean Miro, and felt it was very well researched. Nothing about the occupation of Paris by the Nazi's was sugar-coated which added to the fear I felt for the characters as they encountered some truly evil Germans. It was also nice to get a glimpse inside the resistance as it gave me one more element to root for when I wasn't sure if the romance was going to work out. While the romance is a major part of the story, I think it would appeal to those who enjoy WWII historical fiction as well as those who like historical romance. This novel is fast paced, difficult to put down, and may induce a tear or two, I highly recommend it!

An epic love story

The epic love story The Last Train from Paris, written by Stacy Cohen, takes us on a heart wrenching and intense journey through Nazi occupied Paris. The story is about Jean-Luc Beauchamp a flourishing artist and love interest muse Natasha, a talented ballet dancer. Romance flourishes between the two; catapulting them into a world of bliss. But before too long that world is shattered by a Nazi solider who also has eyes for Natasha. As Jean- Luc joins the Allied forces to fight for Frances liberation Natasha is left with the hardest decision of all. She must make a choice, follow her heart and risk the life of the man she loves, or give in to a monsters advances to save her one true love. A story full of suspense and drama The Last Train from Paris leaves you turning pages to see what will happen next for these two star crossed lovers. Cohen captures the essence of war torn France perfectly and weaves a magical story of heartache and determination in what could be considered one of the best historical romances of the past few years. The characters in the story come alive in ways you would never expect as she expertly weaves a fictional story into one of the world's most destructive and shameful time of history. You find yourself routing with your whole heart for a romance that defies logic. You can sense Natasha's angst in the decisions she has to make, and feel a palpable pain for Jean-Luc as well. You are entranced by a love that had everything against it but still managed to flourish under even the harshest conditions. Stacy Cohen should be applauded for her tale of timeless love that endures all odds. The Last Train from Paris is a romance that crosses time and space to leave an indelible mark on the readers heart.

The Last Train From Paris

"The Last Train From Paris" is set in Nazi-occupied Paris in 1944. It tells the story of Jean-Luc and Natasha. Jean-Luc is a struggling French artist who hates the German occupants but remains largely in the dark of what all is going on, especially to the Jews in France. He considers chasing women more important than work, but grudgingly takes a job when his landlady tells him she badly needs his rent money. His mentor gets him a job apprenticing for Henri Matisse, painting the scenery for a ballet. There he meets Natasha, the beautiful Russian ballerina. He wins her heart only to have a German officer fixate on her. The officer becomes more and more insistent and there is nothing Natasha can do without angering him and endangering both her and Jean-Luc's lives. Soon the officer discovers Natasha's secret and she becomes his prisoner. Jean-Luc is still set on freeing her and running away with her, and she knows she must take action to save his life. She tells the press, right in front of Jean-Luc, after her ballet performance that Jean-Luc's work is that of an amateur and was not worthy of their ballet. Now without hope, she resigns herself to a life as the officer's captive, fearful every day that he will send her away to Auschwitz. Meanwhile a heartbroken Jean-Luc joins the French Resistance. He almost gets several of them killed when he hesitates to kill a teenage German soldier, but they find a better use for him. He joins another of the Resistance who is trying to save the art from the Louvre that is being stolen by the Nazis. When they get word that the Allies are on the way he resolves to fight for his country's freedom, for the art that is being stolen by the Germans, and for Natasha. I did like "The Last Train From Paris," but it seemed like a redo of Moulin Rouge set during the war. He was just an artist instead of a writer, and she a ballerina instead of an actress. And she had no choice but to act like she was in love with the bad guy while the good guy tried to think of a way to sneak her away to marry her. Regardless, it did keep my attention and the characters were well developed. The Resistance fighting was a change from the plot I was already familiar with and was a chance for Jean-Luc to grow up. While I was less than happy with the ending, it still ended well I'm sure others would argue.

Love & Art in war-torn world

Reviewed by Olivera Baumgartner-Jackson for Reader Views (8/09) For most of us Europeans the Second World War is more than just printed words on a page. It is still very relevant, very raw and very personal. Books about that sad period in our history abound, yet very often they fall short of my expectations for one simple reason - they fail to show the day-to-day impact on lives of the "little people." Stacy Cohen's "The Last Train from Paris" more than delivers in that area as she deftly shows the reader the terror, the overpowering sense of helplessness and ultimately the awakening of hope and finding the new purpose in an utterly shattered life. Set in war-ravaged Paris, the story follows a young, rather dashing and happy-go-lucky painter, Jean-Luc Beauchamp. Jean-Luc is lucky enough to be a protégé of Joan Miró and an apprentice to Henry Matisse. While his work often comes second to his amorous pursuits, Jean-Luc desires to become a great painter. A chance meeting with a beautiful Russian ballerina, Natasha, stirs Jean-Luc's deepest passions and for once he falls not only in lust, but in love. Unfortunately for the young lovers, Natasha is also desired by an extremely brutal Nazi officer, Oberst Lorenz. She does not dare to refuse his advances, fearing both for her life and the life of her beloved Jean-Luc. Aggravating the matter is a deep secret Natasha has been hiding for years, one that will ultimately be revealed by her best friend, Anya. Anya's betrayal deeply wounds Natasha and puts her in mortal danger. "The Last Train from Paris" is what I usually call a painfully beautiful book, beautiful not because of its subject, but in spite of it. The little Paris vignettes, the scenes of utter horror, the musings on art, the love scenes, the bravery and the cowardice and the passion and the despair all contribute to a potent mixture of emotions stirred by the masterful narrative. Although Natasha's great secret did not come as much of a secret to me, I find no fault with the author for that, but rather attribute it to my familiarity with the subject. It did not diminish the story's impact at all, but rather made it stronger and more personal. Ms. Cohen superbly describes the war's less discussed side, the one fought off the battlefields, and for that I am grateful and deeply touched. I've enjoyed reading "The Last Train from Paris" for many reasons, among which are the well crafted storyline, believable and colorful characters, vivid dialogue, haunting descriptions of Nazi brutality and the discussions about art and the creative process. The passages concerning the latter are among my favorites in the book, and I am certain "The Last Train from Paris" by Stacy Cohen will be equally enjoyed by lovers of historical fiction, romances and art aficionados. From the truly beautiful cover to the shattering and haunting ending, this was a book that won't be forgotten by this reader any time soon.

Last Train - my new favorite nove.

The Last Train from Paris is literally my new favorite book, and I MEAN that..the last book I professed this kind of love for was Ken Follet's "The Pillars of the Earth" from 1989! Full of history, art, and both romantic and platonic love, this book offers a suspensful and heart wrenching look at a circle of interconnected Parisians during the German occupation in WW2. While the Nazis in the story are a vilified in a very standard way and lack complexities of their own, the book offers some really accurate glimpses into the period its author seeks to portray. The book is short and sweet, about 300 pages, but left me stunned and moved at midnight last night when I closed the pages after a two-evening marathon with it. Please enjoy this book, and let's encourage Karen Cohen to write more and more. Kelly Schueler Student, The State University of New York at Buffalo