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Perfectly Ordinary People

By: Nick Alexander
Narrated by: Mary Jane Wells, David de Vries, Helen Lloyd, Elizabeth Knowelden
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Summary

In occupied France, two people sacrificed everything. Now their granddaughter has come looking for the truth…

Ruth’s childhood was a happy one, and her family—on her mother’s side—large and loving. But her father’s French origins have always remained a mystery. Now, with aged relatives beginning to die, Ruth decides to research her father’s family before it’s too late.

When she discovers a series of long-lost cassettes, everything she thought she knew about them shatters. The tapes expose an unimaginable truth–an epic wartime story of hidden love and sacrifice, stretching back to occupied France.

These long-buried confessions will rock Ruth’s family—and finally piece together the puzzle of her father’s heritage. But are any of them ready for the truth?

©2022 Nick Alexander (P)2022 Brilliance Publishing, Inc., all rights reserved.
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What listeners say about Perfectly Ordinary People

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Memorable

I love Nick Alexander's work, but words fail me at just how wonderful I found this book to be. An epic tail about how blood is not necessarily thicker than water.

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    4 out of 5 stars

What happened in occupied countries in the Second World War..What a tale .. surprises at every corner

This is a wonderful book about two halves colliding. The history is shameful and the complexities of family life . The narration was superb I could see each character and they were so real …A treat of a book

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Wonderful…!

I don’t usually go into words but I am making an exception here. This is quite simply a wonderful story. Funny and light and uplifting, but incredibly moving too. I know this is fiction but the war time accounts of the characters’ experiences is based on fact and therefore all the more shocking. Well done Nick Alexander 👍

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Brilliant - from beginning to end.

The heading says it all. The characters and plot are all believable. This is a view of the 40s, 50s and 60s that I had not appreciated before.

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Insightful and engaging

Really interesting to hear a different angle on the atrocities of WW2 but also how prejudices ran deep with many people not just the Nazis. I enjoyed how the book was written, spanning the generations and showing how scars from the past continue into the future. It was rather emotional in places but overall I was left feeling happy!

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A wonderful story, spanning three generations

I was gripped very early on with this book. I usually listen as I’m driving, but ended up binge listening at home.

It’s heartbreaking in parts, reminding us just how cruel the world can be. I felt like I really knew the characters and would have loved for the ones no longer here to know their loved ones were happy.

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An exceptional story

This surprised me in many ways, and words can't really sum up how much of a heartfelt and deep story this is. all I can say is give it a chance.

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brilliant

what a story, one of the best books this year, cried more than once, takes you through quite a journey both now and in WW2

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a must

an incredible story. loved it. the performance was epic I can't say enough about how much I loved it. As soon as I finished it I started over . I just didn't want it to end. wonderful, powerful moving informative and entertaining.

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Fa ulous book

Couldn't really get into it initially, but it's just the most incredible, informative, thought provoking, and beautifully written book. I will definately be reading the authors other writings.

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