Mistress of the Ritz cover art

Mistress of the Ritz

A Novel

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Mistress of the Ritz

By: Melanie Benjamin
Narrated by: Barbara Rosenblat
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About this listen

 A captivating novel based on the story of the extraordinary real-life American woman who secretly worked for the French Resistance during World War II—while playing hostess to the invading Germans at the iconic Hôtel Ritz in Paris—from the New York Times bestselling author of The Aviator's Wife and The Swans of Fifth Avenue.

“A compelling portrait of a marriage and a nation at war from within.”—Kate Quinn, author of The Alice Network

Nothing bad can happen at the Ritz; inside its gilded walls every woman looks beautiful, every man appears witty. Favored guests like Ernest Hemingway, F. Scott Fitzgerald, Coco Chanel, and the Duke and Duchess of Windsor walk through its famous doors to be welcomed and pampered by Blanche Auzello and her husband, Claude, the hotel’s director. The Auzellos are the mistress and master of the Ritz, allowing the glamour and glitz to take their minds off their troubled marriage, and off the secrets that they keep from their guests—and each other.

Until June 1940, when the German army sweeps into Paris, setting up headquarters at the Ritz. Suddenly, with the likes of Hermann Goëring moving into suites once occupied by royalty, Blanche and Claude must navigate a terrifying new reality. One that entails even more secrets and lies. One that may destroy the tempestuous marriage between this beautiful, reckless American and her very proper Frenchman. For in order to survive—and strike a blow against their Nazi “guests”—Blanche and Claude must spin a web of deceit that ensnares everything and everyone they cherish.

But one secret is shared between Blanche and Claude alone—the secret that, in the end, threatens to imperil both of their lives, and to bring down the legendary Ritz itself.

Based on true events, Mistress of the Ritz is a taut tale of suspense wrapped up in a love story for the ages, the inspiring story of a woman and a man who discover the best in each other amid the turbulence of war.

Praise for Mistress of the Ritz

“No one writes of the complexities of women’s lives and loves like Melanie Benjamin. In Mistress of the Ritz, Benjamin brings wartime Paris brilliantly to life. . . . Intense, illuminating, and ultimately inspiring!”—Elizabeth Letts, New York Times bestselling author of Finding Dorothy 20th Century Fiction Genre Fiction Historical Fiction Literary Fiction Marriage War Witty

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All stars
Most relevant
Paris and The Ritz during the occupation are depicted well and all the characters are interesting in themselves. The concept is thought provoking but the endless endless descriptions of thoughts emotions assumptions needs gets too much. You just want the plot to get on with it & for the characters to be fleshed out by what they do, rather than endlessly being told what they think.

Gets going about 2-3 hours in

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A lovely book and well researched and believable characters. Sad and descriptive about the fate of the Jews in German occupied Paris, together with interesting information about the residents of the hotel Ritz.

Much enjoyed !!

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I really enjoyed this novel based on true events and characters. The reader gives a superior performance gripping the listener throughout.

Excellent t. Atmospheric .

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Couldn’t listen to the story on audible, I found the narrator terribly annoying. I will buy the book and read it

Terrible narrator

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