Suzanne Kelman has 5 audiobooks on Listento.it, narrated by 3 narrators, with an average listener rating of 4.3★ across 74 ratings. The most-rated is A View Across the Rooftops.
A View Across the Rooftops
Summary
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. It is a world where the clock ticks steadily in his mathematics classroom, where every equation has a solution. Every day he walks the same route home, past his neighbour Mrs Epstein’s, to a home inhabited only by him and a cat he refuses to even name. 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. Michael is everything Josef is not: spontaneous, poetic, and unafraid to love. Even though his passionate relationship with a Dutch girl called Elke strictly is forbidden by the Nazis - for he is Jewish, and she is not. Desperate to give Michael and Elke’s love a chance to survive, Josef gives Michael refuge in his attic: an act of bravery and resistance that will change both of their lives. But as the dark days of war continue, with danger and betrayal at every turn, no-one can be trusted, and no one is safe. If Michael is going to get back to the woman he loves, it is down to Josef - to find the hero inside himself, and do whatever it takes to keep Michael alive. A heartbreakingly beautiful story about love, trust, and courage against the odds, perfect for fans of The Tattooist of Auschwitz, Lilac Girls, and The Nightingale.
©2019 Suzanne Kelman (P)2019 Bookouture
When We Were Brave
Summary
The face of the woman in the photograph was tilted upwards, as if enjoying the sunshine just for a moment, even as the wreckage of the bombed-out street lay behind her... Cornwall, 1944: Blinded by love, Vivienne Hamilton eloped to Paris with a Nazi prisoner-of-war, never to be seen again. A disgrace to her family, her name would not be mentioned by any of her relatives for over 75 years. 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. Meanwhile Sophie’s own life feels as blasted and bombed as the blitzed city in the photograph she’s looking at. Her beautiful daughter - as full of joy and wild energy as Vivi had apparently once been - is gone; and Sophie’s heart has been left broken into pieces. Retreating to the family home in rural Cornwall to seek solace from her pain and the feelings of guilt that she could have done more to protect her daughter, Sophie finds herself becoming obsessed with Vivi’s life. But nothing can prepare Sophie for what she is about to uncover - the story of a woman who risked everything for the person she loved the most; and a secret family history that could be the key to Sophie’s own future. A powerful, haunting and unforgettable audiobook about love, heartbreak and betrayal set in World War II Britain and France. Perfect for fans of The Nightingale, Under a Scarlet Sky, and My Name is Eva. Listeners love Suzanne Kelman: "A heart-wrenching story of ordinary people elevated to the realm of heroes through love and sacrifice...It is an emotional journey of heartache and love that will leave you in tears. One of the finest books I have ever read." (NetGalley reviewer, 5 stars) "Oh my goodness! Evocatively unsettling yet hauntingly beautiful...the story is incredibly powerful...I read this book with bated breath. I cried, I grieved and I hoped...I was left both heartbroken and satisfied. Suzanne Kelman...has floored me with this book." (Robin Loves Reading, 5 stars) "A captivating story of love, friendships and hope for the future. It’s written with such depth that the characters and settings come alive before your eyes." (Chells and Books, 5 stars) "Heartbreaking...Make sure to have your box of tissues at the ready while you read this beautifully told story!" (Goodreads reviewer, 5 stars)
©2020 Suzanne Kelman (P)2020 Bookouture
Under a Sky on Fire
Summary
In the middle of the road, the child stood wearing a blue flannel nightie, her feet bare and dirt-splattered. Her blonde flyaway hair was golden, aglow from the fires that lit her up from behind. Stumbling over, Lizzie reached her side. The little girl's eyes were closed, her palms facing upwards. If she’d been in church, you would have thought she was praying. September 1940, London As the German Luftwaffe begin a terrifying bombing campaign that will come to be known as the Blitz, thousands are evacuated to safety. But Lizzie Mackenzie finds herself heading toward London. She knows she must help in the war effort. But she has another reason for leaving the security of her Scottish village: the illegitimate child she gave up for adoption nearly five years before is somewhere in the city. And - as the bombs rain down - she will stop at nothing to find her and make sure her little girl is safe. Then she finds herself trapped in a dark theatre during a bombing raid, where she meets Pilot Officer Jack Henson. Against all her instincts, she falls in love. But what chance is there for that love to flourish? Because if he discovers the secret shame of her past, he may never forgive her. And with Jack facing the enemy every day in the sky, and Lizzie’s job guiding pilots into battle - life and love has never felt so fragile. Until a chance encounter with a little orphaned girl changes everything, forcing Lizzie to ask herself what truly matters. Because, in the darkest days of war, every life counts. And - when tragedy strikes - saving one child’s life might just give Lizzie a reason to survive.... An unforgettable story about sacrifice, love, and heartbreak set in World War Two London during the Blitz. If you liked All the Light We Cannot See, My Name Is Eva, and A Fire Sparkling, you will love Under a Sky on Fire. Praise for Suzanne Kelman: "Oh my goodness! Evocatively unsettling yet hauntingly beautiful.... the story is incredibly powerful.... I read this book with bated breath. I cried, I grieved and I hoped.... I was left both heartbroken and satisfied. Suzanne Kelman...has floored me with this book." (Robin Loves Reading)
©2020 Suzanne Kelman (P)2020 Bookouture, an imprint of Storyfire Ltd.
Rejected Writers Take the Stage
Summary
After months of playing the lottery and hoping for an uptick in her dog-boarding business, Janet's friend Annie must face the inevitable: the bank is foreclosing on her family farm. But thanks to the Rejected Writers' Book Club, Annie doesn't have to face it alone. With just a few weeks to raise the $20,000 that she and her fifty rescue dogs need to avoid becoming homeless, the writers need a fund-raiser, and fast. Much to Janet's horror, Doris has another crazy plan. In a moment of inspiration, their fearless leader declares a solution: a musical extravaganza. No one in the group has ever produced a musical, but Doris will not be deterred - they'll write it together. And with Flora, who has never sung a note in her life, as the lead and Janet as their reluctant director - along with a hypochondriac costume designer, a pyrotechnics enthusiast, and Janet's very pregnant daughter pitching in - what could possibly go wrong? To produce a miracle for Annie, Janet and her friends will work around the clock holding auditions, concocting elaborate costumes, and getting a little too close to blowing themselves up - but will it be enough?
©2017 Suzanne Kelman (P)2017 Brilliance Publishing, Inc., all rights reserved.
The Rejected Writers' Book Club
Summary
Librarian Janet Johnson is puzzled when she is invited - and practically dragged - to her first meeting of the Rejected Writers' Book Club. This quirky group of women would much rather celebrate one another's rejected manuscripts over cups of tea and slices of lemon cake than actually publish a book. But good friends are exactly what Janet needs after moving to the small town of Southlea Bay, Washington. Just as the ladies are about to raise a teacup to their five hundredth rejection letter, they receive bad news that could destroy one member's reputation - and disband the group forever. To save the club, Janet joins her fellow writers on a wild road trip to San Francisco in search of the local publisher who holds the key to a long-buried secret. As they race to the finish line, they'll face their fears - landslides, haunted houses, handsome strangers, ungrateful children - and have the time of their lives.
©2016 Suzanne Kelman (P)2016 Brilliance Audio, all rights reserved.