Book Review: The Secret Book of Flora Lea by Patti Callahan Henry

Posted on May 3, 2024 by Jennifer Jones

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Summary

The Secret Book of Flora Lea is a very engrossing and ‘tug at the heart strings’ novel with the themes of family, love and fate. Hazel and Flora spent their childhood, during World War 11, in the countryside outside London, after being evacuated for safety.

While they were away from their family, older sister Hazel, creates an imaginary fairy tale for her young sister – a magical fairyland where they can escape feelings of homesickness. Tragedy strikes, leaving Hazel shattered and burdened with guilt for her entire life.

Twenty years later Hazel is working at a rare bookstore, when she unwraps a package containing an illustrated book, which is the story of a magical fairy land which is almost exactly the same as the story, “Whisperwood”, that she made up for her young sister. This sends Hazel on a feverish quest to find her sister.

My Thoughts

Other than the magic of story telling The Secret Book of Flora Lea, is the story of love between two sisters and how love can impact lives. Despite the devastating aspects to this story there is always hope and there is always deep love. I found this book, both very sad and very hopeful. The power of imagination is always present in this novel.

The characters are very likeable and believable, so I was totally invested in their lives. I was kept guessing about what might happen, until the end. The ending was completely unexpected and amazing.

I found The Secret Book of Flora Lea, difficult to put down, and wanted to keep reading about WWII and post WWII London, and immersing myself into the fantasy world of Whisperwood.

There is an author’s note at the end that details true events that inspired certain parts of this story. Her thoughts on the importance of fairy tales to children, are well worth reading.

This was a book club book, and was enjoyed by most members. It is the perfect book club book, as there are many discussion points. The ending of this book alone, would probably take an entire meeting to discuss.

Quotes

Following are a few of my favourite quotes from the book:

“We have to choose what is good and true. Not what will destroy. If you were born knowing, and to be honest we all are, you will know how to find your way through the woodlands to the shimmering doors that are meant for you. They lead to the land made for you”.

““Sometimes I’d add to the story and get to see my dad in Whisperwood, but eventually I turned it into a land for the adventures of the orphaned sisters.“

“Telling stories is one of the greatest powers that we possess. It’s like a dream you an fill with what you want. And the knight doesn’t always have to save the princess; sometimes she saves herself”.

Star Rating

Please note that my star rating system isn’t at all based on literary merit, but is based on my enjoyment for the book.
For me a book that gets five stars, is a book that I really enjoyed, and found difficult to put down.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Unputdownable. Would read it again.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Fantastic read. Not to be missed

⭐️⭐️⭐️ Enjoyable. Would recommend it.

⭐️⭐️ Wouldn’t read it again.

⭐️ Don’t recommend this book at all.

The book mentioned in this post is of my own choice, and has not been sent to me to review. My opinions are my own and I receive no renumeration at all for them.

Have you read this book? If so, I’d love to hear your thoughts. I promise to always reply to comments made below.

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A Woman of Courage by Tania Blanchard

Posted on March 19, 2024 by Jennifer Jones

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Summary

A gripping historical novel that was inspired by actual events. Set in Northern England in 1890, this is the story of a young woman named Hannah Todd. Hannah dreams of a future where women have the right to vote and is very passionate about the cause.

Hannah has recently qualified as a school teacher and joins her parents in a small English village. The suffrage movement is the cause which inspires her most and she works tirelessly to help the local women and children. As she campaigns for the vote for women, she faces unexpected battles and uncovers dangerous secrets in the community.

My Thoughts

As a lover of historical fiction, especially when it’s based on fact, I loved this book. Hannah is a strong woman with very strong morals who has many battles to fight. Just living in the village becomes a battle for her. I’ve read many non fiction books about the suffragettes, and this book brought back everything that I have previously read, but brought to life through the strong female characters in this novel. The author has woven history, romance and female strength into this captivating story of actual events in history.

Another very important thing that appeals to me about this book, is that I love this cover.

Quote:
“Hannah Todd dreams of a future where women have the right to vote. Fresh from her teaching studies in Durham, the university city, she joins her parents in a rural village, brimming with newly found passion and the groundswell towards women’s suffrage unfolding in London. Working tirelessly to help women and children in the county, Hannah is determined to make the fight for the vote her life’s work, adding her voice to the rising chorus across the nation and hopes of a new world and a new way of thinking. But soon she must fight a new, unexpected battle – that of the yearning of her own heart – and discovers that when power is threatened, darkness, brutality, and dangerous, closely guarded secrets are never too far from the surface. How far can she go to fight for what’s right“.

Star Rating

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Unputdownable. Would read it again.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Fantastic read. Not to be missed

⭐️⭐️⭐️ Enjoyable. Would recommend it.

⭐️⭐️ Wouldn’t read it again.

⭐️ Don’t recommend this book at all.

The book mentioned in this post is of my own choice and has not been sent to me to review. My opinions are my own and I receive no renumeration at all for them.

Have you read this book? If so, I’d love to hear your thoughts. I promise to always reply to comments made below.

To keep up with the latest book reviews, please pop your email into the box in the side bar. This will ensure you are notified of all updates.

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Book Reviews: Seven Sisters Series #3 and #4

Posted on February 27, 2024 by Jennifer Jones

The Seven Sisters series is loosely based on the mythology of the star constellation known as the Pleiades, or more commonly, the Seven Sisters. The books follow the exploits of a group of adopted siblings who, following the death of their father, follow the clues he left them, that would enable them to find their birth families. These clues take them to different places around the world and lead them to families, and situations that they mostly would never have expected to find. Each novel is stand alone, and it’s not at all necessary to read the complete series, but I would recommend that they each be read, starting with #1.

There are common themes that run through all Seven Sisters books with variations, depending on the personal story of each sister, and their birth background.

Some of the common themes are:

Finding their true identity and heritage after being adopted by a mysterious billionaire
Dealing with family secrets, betrayals, and tragedies that span generations and continents.
Overcoming their fears, and insecurities that prevent them from finding happiness.
Exploring different countries and cultures as they follow the clues to their past.

The Shadow Sister – Seven Sisters #3

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

The third of the Seven Series books tells the story in two timelines, of one of the sisters, Star D’Apliese and Flora MacNichol, two women who are connected by a mysterious inheritance and a very old secret. She follows the clues left to her by her father, which lead her to London. There she meets a family, and learns about their ancestor, Flora, who lived in the Edwardian era and had a close relationship with King Edward VII. There Star finds a connection to her own family.

The Pearl Sister – Seven Sisters #4

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

The Pearl Sister, follows CeCe D’Apliese, who struggles after the death of her father. The clue he left her leads her to Australia, where she tries to discover not only her past, and her birth family, but who she is and where her sense of belonging lies. This book is filled with evocative details of Australia including the people, the animals and nature. The story is seamlessly wound around the setting and the need to find family. The past and the present exist in two timelines, which are simple and easy to follow.

My Thoughts

After reading four books in this series, I haven’t tired of reading about The Seven Sisters. I have really enjoyed the historical aspects of these stories and the search for long lost families. These books are all long and average about 700 pages, but once starting them, I haven’t been able to put them down. Each of them has gotten under my skin, and I’ve found myself disappointed when I’ve read the last page. I have been trying to space them out, so the fun lasts a bit longer, but now that I’m getting closer to the last book, I’m finding that I just can’t wait to pick up the next book.

Links to reviews of book #1 and book #2
The Seven Sisters by Lucinda Riley – Seven Sisters #1
The Storm Sister by Lucinda Riley – Seven Sisters #2

Star Rating

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Unputdownable. Would read it again.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Fantastic read. Not to be missed

⭐️⭐️⭐️ Enjoyable. Would recommend it.

⭐️⭐️ Wouldn’t read it again.

⭐️ Don’t recommend this book at all.

The books mentioned in this post is of my own choice and has not been sent to me to review. My opinions are my own and I receive no renumeration at all for them.

Have you read this book? If so, I’d love to hear your thoughts. I promise to always reply to comments made below.

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Book Review: Secret Sparrow by Jackie French

Posted on February 4, 2024 by Jennifer Jones

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Summary

There were women who fought during WW1, who were not nurses or ambulance drivers. This is the story of one of those women, Jean, who is a sixteen year old Post Office assistant in a small village in England. Jean wins a morse code competition, which leads to the British army offering her a secret position, in France, as a signaller. This was a very important job as the signals she was receiving and forwarding could win the war for Britain. After the war, all documents mentioning the women who did this work were destroyed, leaving no evidence of the role the women took in the trenches and the battles.

The story also goes ahead to decades later, when an old woman on a motor bike is rescued from flash floods by a young person. While they were waiting to be rescued, she tells him the story of her life, as a signaller, and about her experiences of the war, and the friends she lost.

Published 01 January 2023, by Harper Collins
256 Pages.

My Thoughts

As usual Jackie French’s historical novels are based on very thorough research. This story had me captivated from the start and, being a short book, I read it one night. There was no way I was going to put it down. I have read a couple of books about the female signallers, but had never read that they were unacknowledged by the army after the war. The author explains this and the difficulties she had in her research, in the author’s note in the back of the book.

Even though the women were working in the army, they were employed by the postal service, which meant there was no record at all that they existed.

The story goes between two timelines – during war time in 1917, and many years later when the story is told by the signaller, as an old person. The transitions between the two time periods were smooth and flowed naturally.

Based on a story, The Secret Sparrow is an amazing story of adventure and courage. This very important story, restores the record of the brave women who had an important place in history. The record that authorities tried to erase, has been restored.

This book is categorised at Young Adult, but don’t be deterred by that. It would be a great read for anyone over twelve and also for adults interested in the subject of war history.

Star Rating

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Unputdownable. Would read it again.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Fantastic read. Not to be missed

⭐️⭐️⭐️ Enjoyable. Would recommend it.

⭐️⭐️ Wouldn’t read it again.

⭐️ Don’t recommend this book at all.

This post is linked to the historical fiction reading challenge run by The Intrepid Reader

The book mentioned in this post is of my own choice and has not been sent to me to review. My opinions are my own and I receive no renumeration at all for them.

Have you read this book? If so, I’d love to hear your thoughts. I promise to always reply to comments made below.

To keep up with the latest book reviews, please pop your email into the box in the side bar. This will ensure you are notified of all updates.

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Book Review: The Inheritance by Norah Roberts – Lost Bride Trilogy #1

Posted on January 5, 2024 by Jennifer Jones

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Summary

Inheritance is the first in The Lost Bride Trilogy, set in multiple time periods, from 1806 to present day.

The story starts in 1806, the wedding day of Astrid Poole, the happiest day of her life. Almost immediately after her marriage, and before it can be consummated, she is murdered, and her wedding ring is stolen from her finger.

Centuries later, Sonya MacTavis is shocked when she is told that her father had a twin, that he and the family knew nothing about. As part of this new information Sonya learns about a surprise inheritance, which included a majestic Victorian house, just outside a lovely little village on the coast of Maine. Part of the conditions of the will are that she lives in the house for at least three years.

Sonya cannot resist the opportunity that the inheritance offers her, both financial and the chance to find out more about her new family. Soon after arriving, there is talk that the old house is haunted, and it doesn’t take long until strange things start happening.

Published November 2023
419 pages

My Thoughts

I fell in love with this book as soon as I saw the cover. I rarely read blurbs, so the cover was the only reason I decided to read this book. Sometimes this system of choosing a book to read, lets me down, but not this time.

Inheritance had everything that is easy to love in a historical fiction novel, an inheritance, a haunted gothic mansion, an unknown family, and the opportunity to start a new life. Also, I shouldn’t forget to mention there was romance. Along with all that, this novel was unputdownable.

Usually, I would rate a book that had that effect on me, as five stars. The only thing that stops me doing that with this book, is a few conversations that I found to be a bit cheesy, fake and predictable. Other than that, I loved this book. I love historical fiction, but I’m not a huge fan of historical romance, however, this book had everything else that I love in a historical fiction novel.

Inheritance is historical romantic fiction with an unusual story line and great characters. There were very positive positive strong females and female relationships. They were mothers and daughters and close female friends. Add in a haunted house, dogs and food, and I would highly recommend this book.

Inheritance is the first book in the Lost Brides Trilogy., ending with a great cliff hanger. I am eagerly waiting for the second book, but will have to be patient as it is not released until late 2024.

Star Rating

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Unputdownable. Would read it again.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Fantastic read. Not to be missed

⭐️⭐️⭐️ Enjoyable. Would recommend it.

⭐️⭐️ Wouldn’t read it again.

⭐️ Don’t recommend this book at all.

This post is linked to the Historical Fiction Reading Challenge 2024

The books mentioned in this post are of my own choice and have not been sent to me to review. My opinions are my own and I receive no renumeration at all for them.

Have you read this book? If so, I’d love to hear your thoughts. I promise to always reply to comments made below.

To keep up with the latest book reviews, please pop your email into the box in the side bar. This will ensure you are notified of all updates.

Find me here: Facebook and Instagram and Goodreads

This post is linked to Natalie’s Weekend Coffee Share

Book Review: The Seven Sisters by Lucinda Riley

Posted on July 29, 2023 by Jennifer Jones

The Seven Sisters
Seven Sisters Series #1
by
Lucinda Riley

Summary

Maia D’Apliese and her five sisters gather together at their childhood home, “Atlantis”—a fabulous, secluded castle situated on the shores of Lake Geneva—having been told that their beloved father, who adopted them all as babies, has died. Each of them is handed a tantalizing clue to her true heritage—a clue which takes Maia across the world to a crumbling mansion in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Once there, she begins to put together the pieces of her story and its beginnings.

Eighty years earlier in Rio’s Belle Epoque of the 1920s, Izabela Bonifacio’s father has aspirations for his daughter to marry into the aristocracy. Meanwhile, architect Heitor da Silva Costa is devising plans for an enormous statue, to be called Christ the Redeemer, and will soon travel to Paris to find the right sculptor to complete his vision. Izabela—passionate and longing to see the world—convinces her father to allow her to accompany him and his family to Europe before she is married. There, at Paul Landowski’s studio and in the heady, vibrant cafes of Montparnasse, she meets ambitious young sculptor Laurent Brouilly, and knows at once that her life will never be the same again.

In this sweeping, epic tale of love and loss—the first in a unique, spellbinding series of seven novels—Lucinda Riley showcases her storytelling talent like never before.
-Goodreads

Published 2014. 400 pages.

My Thoughts

I had heard of the popularity of Lucinda Riley but had never read any of her books until recently when I read The Murders at Fleat House, I loved that book and googled the author and found that though she had written many books, this was her first crime novel. I was then drawn to The Seven Sisters, but I’m not sure of the reason. It was just a title that I picked out of many.

I was immediately hooked from the first page, and had trouble putting the book down. The clue that the adoptive father of the girls left to be opened after his death, intrigued me. That clue would lead them to find their birth families if they wished to do so. I couldn’t help wondering what I would have done in that situation. Would I follow that clue, or be happy to ignore itand continue to live the fabulous life that I had been living.

The Seven Sisters after setting up the clues, was about the oldest sister. The journey she took, following the clues took her to an unexpected place and led to experiences that she couldn’t have imagined.

The Seven Sisters is historical fiction, family saga and romance. The first in the Seven Sisters series of seven books. The smallest of these books is about 500 pages and the longest over 1100 pages. To read the series is a huge time commitment, which would usually put me off a series. However, not this series. Even though I could read the next books in the series right away, I plan to space them out a little, so I can enjoy them in my mind for longer.

Star Rating

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Unputdownable. Would read it again.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Fantastic read. Not to be missed

⭐️⭐️⭐️ Enjoyable. Would recommend it.

⭐️⭐️ Wouldn’t read it again.

⭐️ Don’t recommend this book at all.

The books mentioned in this post are of my own choice and have not been sent to me to review. My opinions are my own and I receive no renumeration at all for them.

Have you read this book? If so, I’d love to hear your thoughts. I promise to always reply to comments made in the section below.

To keep up with the latest book reviews, please pop your email into the box in the side bar. This will ensure you are notified of all updates.

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Book Review: The Bookbinder of Jericho by Pip Williams

Posted on June 20, 2023 by Jennifer Jones

Summary

When the men go to war in 1914, it’s the women who keep the country going. Peggy and Maude are twin sisters who contribute by working at the book bindery at Oxford University Press in Jericho.

Peggy has always been told that her place in the world is no more than to work at the book bindery. Despite this, she dreams of going to Oxford University and studying the literary classics. Peggy loves books and desperately wants to learn. Since the death of their mother, Peggy has also been responsible for the care of Maude, who has disabilities. Even though Peggy loves her sister, that responsibility weighs heavily on her, and causes her to worry about her future.

Eventually Peggy begins to see the possibility of a different life, where she can use her brains. However, the war and illness of those around her that she loves, are getting in the way of her reaching her dreams.

Published in 2023. 432 pages.

My Thoughts

The story of Peggy and Maude, along with the book binders, shows war time through the eyes of women, and the decision they must make to live their own lives, as well as care for those they love.

I loved the characters in this story, the main characters as well as those around them. Most were flawed, but completely believable. There are many threads running though the story of the bookbinders of Jericho. There is the sadness of war, and the loss of family who go to fight, with many not returning. At a time when women are edging closer to getting the vote, women are struggling to assert their independence. There is also a love of books and reading which I thoroughly enjoyed. Knowledge and those fortunate enough to be able to receive it, compared to those who have no access to learning, is a constant theme.

Those who loved the author’s first book, The Dictionary of Lost Words, are sure to enjoy this book. I really enjoyed reading about the profession of bookbinding again.

About the Author

Pip Williams is the author of bestseller The Dictionary of Lost Words.

Star Rating

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Unputdownable. Would read it again.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Fantastic read. Not to be missed

⭐️⭐️⭐️ Enjoyable. Would recommend it.

⭐️⭐️ Wouldn’t read it again.

⭐️ Don’t recommend this book at all.

The books mentioned in this post are of my own choice and have not been sent to me to review. My opinions are my own and I receive no renumeration at all for them.

Have you read this book? If so, I’d love to hear your thoughts. I promise to always reply to comments made in the section below.

To keep up with the latest book reviews, please pop your email into the box in the side bar. This will ensure you are notified of all updates.

Find me here: Facebook and Instagram and Goodreads

S: The Smuggler’s Wife Series by Deborah Challinor #atozchallenge

Posted on April 22, 2023 by Jennifer Jones

The Blogging from A to Z April Challenge is for bloggers who wish to participate by publishing a blog post every day in April except for Sundays. Each blog post will focus on a letter of the alphabet. For example April 1 will be A, April 2 will be B and on it goes. By the end of April, a blog post for every letter of the alphabet will have been posted. My theme for 2023 is Book Reviews.

You can read my reviews without worrying about spoilers. My reviews are quite brief and I give away nothing more than you would read on the back cover or on Goodreads.

THE SMUGGLERS WIFE SERIES
BY
DEBORAH CHALLINOR

Summary

Kitty: The Smuggler’s Wife #1

Kitty and her mother are left with no means of support, when Kitty’s father unexpectedly dies, when Kittyis 18. For various reasons, Kitty has a damaged reputation, which is why her mother sends her to Australia in disgrace, to be cared for her by her missionary uncle and aunt.

In Australia, Kitty falls in love with Ryan, a very rude and unfriendly ship’s captain, who she eventually discovers, is also a gun runner. A very drama filled romance and adventure follows.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Published in January 2006. 352 pages

Amber: The Smuggler’s Wife #2

The story of Kitty continues with her meeting a street urchin, who offers her a small trinket. Her response to the urchin, sets both of them on the next stage of their lives. This causes problems with Kitty and Ryan.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Published in January 2007. 319 pages.

Band of Gold: The Smuggler’s Wife #3

Kitty is making a life for herself on the goldfields of Ballarat. Distrastrous events occur which affect most characters in this amazing story, of a strong willed woman making a life for herself in a male dominated world.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Published in January 2010. 320 pages.

The Cloud Leopard’s Daughter: The Smuggler’s Wife #4

The Cloud Lepard’s Daughter is a heart stopping adventure story, mostly set back in New Zealand, at the Otago goldfields. Kitty’s adventures in the last of this series, are very dangerous and upredictable, with love and greed central to the story.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Published in January 2016. 368 pages.

My Thoughts

I sometimes include Goodreads desciptions of the books that I review. In the case of the Smuggler’s Wife series, I feel that too much of the story line is given away on Goodreads. For that reason my summaries are very short, so that nothing is taken away from your enjoyment of the stories. I loved this series, and read them one after the other, in a short period of time, as I couldn’t wait to find out what happened to Kitty. Each book is stand alone, but I would recommend reading the series in order.

The series is a family saga, an adventure story, and a romance novel, all rolled into the fabulous story of strong willed Kitty, and her adventures. The settings for The Smuggler’s Wife #4 are both in the goldfields of Australia and New Zealand, and also on the high seas.

I would be surprised if any reader could stop at just the first book of this series. I couldn’t get enough of Kitty and her story.

About the Author

Deborah Challinor was born in Huntly New Zealand, and has worked as a fulltime writer and historian for more than 20 years. She has a PhD in New Zealand history from the University of Waikato.

Challinor has written many historical novels but the first books she wrote were non fiction history books.

Star Rating

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️Unputdownable. Would definitely read again
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️Fantastic read. Not to be missed.
⭐️⭐️⭐️Enjoyable read. Would recommend.
⭐️⭐️Wouldn’t read again
⭐️Don’t recommend this book again

Find me here: Facebook and Instagram and Goodreads

Images and author information: Goodreads

You can find my other blogs here:
Next Phase In Fitness & Life and Tracking Down The Family

I: Immortality: A Love Story by Dana Schwarz #atozchallenge

Posted on April 11, 2023 by Jennifer Jones

You can read my reviews without worrying about spoilers. My reviews are quite brief and I give away nothing more than you would read on the back cover or on Goodreads.

This image has an empty alt attribute; its file name is image-11.png

IMMORTALITY: A LOVE STORY
BY
DANA SCHWARTZ

Summary

This is the second in the Anatomy Duology Series and continues the story of Hazel, the young girl who wanted to be a doctor. When we meet Hazel again, she is treating patients, even though she wasn’t able to study medicine, because she was a girl. She is now alone, and convinced that the events that occurred in the first book, were imagined.

After being caught treating a patient, Hazel is sent to prison, where she almost died, when a message comes that she has been requested to treat the daughter of the King.

Published in 2023
Paperback, 374 pages

My Thoughts

The first book in this series Anatomy, was a 5 star read for me, so I have been impatiently waiting for the sequel. It was worth the wait. Once again, I have given 5 stars. I found the continuing story of Hazel and her quest to become a doctor to be absolutely rivetting. The ending of Anatomy, left the story line unsolved, so this second book, tied up many loose ends.

I found Immortality to be unputdownable and read it with only a few breaks. I’m daring to hop that there is a third book in this series. The way the story ended leaves a tiny window for the story of Hazel to continue, however, I have heard that there will only be two books in this series. One can only hope for more, as I am going to miss Hazel and her world.

Once again, as with Anatomy, the cover of this book is incredibly beautiful.

About the Author

Dana Schwartz was born and raised in the suburbs of Chicago. She attended Brown University where she studied biology and public policy before realizing that she would only be happy if she tried to be a writer. While in college, she created the viral parody twitter account @GuyInYourMFA. Dana worked as a writer for Mental Floss, The Observer, and Entertainment Weekly, with additional bylines for GQ, Marie Claire, Cosmopolitan, Vanity Fair, and NewYorker.com. Dana is the host and creator of the hit history podcast Noble Blood. She also writes for television. She lives in Los Angeles. – Goodreads

Key To Star Rating

Please note that my star rating system isn’t at all based on literary merit, but is based on my enjoyment for the book. For me a book that gets five stars, is a book that I really enjoyed, and found difficult to put down.

Find me here: Facebook and Instagram and Goodreads

Images and author information: Goodreads

You can find my other blogs here:
Next Phase In Fitness & Life and Tracking Down The Family

Book Review: The Black Swan of Paris by Karen Robards

Posted on August 19, 2020 by Jennifer Jones

The Black Swan of Paris by Karen Robards

Summary

A World at war.
A beautiful young star.
A mission no one expected.
Paris 1944

Celebrated singer Genevieve Dumont is both a star and a smokescreen. An unwilling darling of the Nazis, her position of privelege allows her to go undetected as an ally to the resistance.
When her estranged mother, Lillian de Rocheford, is captured by Nazis, Genevieve is shaken. She knows it won’t be long before the Gestapo succeeds in torturing information out of Lillian that will detail the upcoming allied invasion. The resistance movement is tasked with silencing her by any means necessary – including assassination.
But Genevieve refuses to let her mother become yet one more victim of the war. Reuniting with her long lost sister, she must find a way to navigate the perilous cross currents of occupied France undetected – and in time to save Lillian’s life. – from the blurb

My Thoughts

I am a huge fan of historical fiction and particularly when the setting is France during WW2. I’m especially interested when the story line is about the French resistance during the war. Unsurprisingly then, I was really looking forward to reading this book.

I enjoyed the themes of WW2, spies and family disfunction. Most of the connections and history were told by using flashbacks. At first I found it a little confusing, but soon became accustomed to the style and enjoyed each chapter as the true story was revealed.

The stories of the Nazis and their tactics were believable, but at times difficult to read due to the cruelty of the Nazis. The conflict between them and the Parisians and French people was at times heartbreaking.

The strength of three women was a theme that I enjoyed also. Their characterisations and believability had me glued to the page. None of these female characters were predictable or ordinary but they were entirely believable and relatable.

The only thing that detracted from my enjoyment of this book was the romantic theme which I didn’t think was necessary to the story line. After it was introduced, I became quite annoyed and could have lost interest. I’m glad I persisted to the end as the finale action scene is fantastic. This was the reason for a lower star rating.

Recommendations

“A truly outstanding novel, brilliantly written, that captured me and held me in its grip from page one. At its heart this story is about family love and the umbilical cords that stretch but never break. So much can be learnt from the telling of this story of what is truly important whether we live in a privileged, safe environment or in a theatre of conflict. The Black Swan of Paris reminds us of the power of love, hope and courage.”
– Heather Morris, #1 bestselling author of The Tattooist of Auschwitz

“Long a master of suspense, Karen Robards turns her formidable talents to the Second World War. The Black Swan of Paris tells of singer Genevieve Dumont, who must navigate a tangled web of torn allegiances, painful secrets and a past that refuses to set her free, as she struggles to save all she holds dear from the Nazis. Boldly conceived and richly realized, Robards establishes herself in a single sweep at the forefront of World War II novels with an emotional and powerful tale.”
– Pam Jenoff, New York Times bestselling author of The Lost Girls of Paris

Published in Great Britain by Hodder & Stoughton in 2020.
Paperback, 473 pages

Star Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

About the Author

Karen Robards

Karen Robards is a best selling author of more than fifty books and one novella. Karen has been writing since she was very young, and was first published nationally in the December 1973 Reader’s Digest. She sold her first romance novel, ISLAND FLAME, when she was 24. It was published by Leisure Books in 1981 and is still in print. After that, she dropped out of law school to pursue her writing career.
Karen was recently described by The Daily Mail as “one of the most reliable thriller….writers in the world.”

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Star Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

About the Author