An American in Paris by Siobhan Curham ~ Review

An American in Paris by Siobhan Curham ~ Review

As an affiliate at retail sites, I earn a small commission from qualifying purchases. See my disclaimer for more details.

Three reasons you should read this Contemporary and Historical Fiction:

  • An American in Paris by Siobhan Curham weaves the past of World War II in France with the story of a present-day former influencer in a seamless way.
  • Both the past and the present are amazing stories on their own, but when told together, they help bring each other to life in a new way.
  • I felt the past shone a little bit brighter in the story, but watching it through present-day story eyes gave it a new perspective.

About An American in Paris by Siobhan Curham

Title: An American in Paris
Author: Siobhan Curham
Genre: Historical Fiction, Contemporary Fiction

An American in Paris by Siobhan Curham

As Nazi troops occupy the City of Lights, American journalist Florence is determined to do everything she can to save her adopted home and the man she loves.

Florence had arrived in Paris in 1937 and on a beautiful summer’s day, met and fell in love with Otto, a Jewish artist from Austria, who had fled persecution in his homeland. But as swastikas are draped along the city’s wide boulevards, everything Otto was running from seems to have caught up with him.

Both Florence and Otto begin lending their talents to the Resistance, working to sabotage the Germans right under their noses. Florence’s society columns that, before the war were filled with tales of glamorous Parisian parties, now document life under occupation and hide coded messages for those fighting outside France for freedom. While Otto risks arrest in order to pin up the anti-Nazi posters he designs by candlelight in their tiny apartment.

But with every passing day, things become more dangerous for Otto to remain in Paris. If Florence risks everything by accepting a secret mission, can she ensure his survival so that they can be reunited once the war is over?

My Review of An American in Paris:

Sage, an online influencer, has just ruined her so-called career. And while she’ll miss the money, she doesn’t really seem to care much. Well, the death threats and horrible comments on her social media are welcome to stop at any time.

But there’s a bright side to the debacle in a message from an American that says he may be connected to her past – and he has proof. So Sage takes off to discover her history, and along the way may just find out what she needs to know about herself as well.

Told in a dual POV between Sage (present-day) and Florence (WWII before and during the occupation of Paris), present an interesting story woven together by great love and great tragedy. The story of Frances and Otto is full of excitement, love, loss, and finding out what you are really capable of.

Frances’ and Otto’s story really seemed to take over the book. I think it would have been nice to see a little more from Sage in the present day. But we mostly just stop by to see how she is doing once in a while. The tragic romance of Florence and Otto is more than enough to make the book shine though. At times it just seemed like Sage was there because the author wanted this to be dual POV, and she didn’t really know what to do with her.

Florence led an extremely interesting and eventful life in Paris. Starting as a dance and ending up as an agent of the Britsh in France. Her journey from a fun-loving gal to a highly-skilled operative was all in the search for Otto their love. It was really amazing to see how strong their feelings were. And their dedication to each other was beautiful.

I don’t think I’ll ever look at a tree outside a window without crying and thinking of this couple. And if you read An American in Paris by Siobhan Curham, I don’t think you will be able to either.

**I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book**

Pick up your copy today!

More Historical/Contemporary Fiction Novels

The House by the Lake by Ella Carey
Paris Time Capsule by Ella Carey
The House by the Lake by Ella Carey ~ Review

The House by the Lake by Ella Carey ~ Review

The House by the Lake by Ella Carey

As an affiliate at retail sites, I earn a small commission from qualifying purchases. See my disclaimer for more details.

Three reasons you should read this Historical Fiction:

  • The House by the Lake by Ella Carey merges rich history with a contemporary mystery running through.
  • Anna Young’s family history is a bit of a mystery. And Ella Carey unfolds the past for us as Anna investigates her grandfather’s family home in Nazi Germany.
  • The story ties in elements of Paris Time Capsule and draws the two histories together beautifully.

About The House by the Lake by Ella Carey

Title: The House by the Lake
Author: Ella Carey
Series: Secrets of Paris #2
Genre: Contemporary Romance, Historical Fiction

The House by the Lake by Ella Carey

1939, BerlinMax Albrecht is the young and handsome heir to a beautiful house on a lake where he spent his happy childhood. As war approaches, his parents tell him he must join the Nazi party or the whole family will be killed. But when his beloved French fiancé Isabelle shows him the horrifying truth, Max faces an impossible choice: protect his family or save the girl he loves?

2010, San FranciscoAnna Young is content with her life, running a bustling deli and taking care of her adored grandfather Max, who raised her. Max has never spoken of his past until he hands over an old map, the plans to a grand house just north of Berlin. With a shaking finger, he points to it and says, “I left something behind under the floorboards. Please bring it home before I die.”

When Anna arrives at the crumbling manor in Germany, she discovers a hidden engagement ring in a velvet box. She is desperate to find the woman her grandfather hoped to marry, but the local villagers look away when she mentions Max’s name, and back in San Francisco he is now in hospital, too unwell to speak to her. What did Max do so many years ago? Is Anna ready for the terrible secret that her family’s past may hold?

From bestselling author Ella Carey comes an unforgettable novel, weaving together past and present. Gripping and heartbreaking, The House by the Lake uncovers the secrets and devastating choices that people were forced to make during history’s darkest time.

My Review of The House by the Lake:

The House by the Lake by Ella Carey was a beautiful mix of history and contemporary. Two tales unfold, tied together by Max Albrecht, Anna’s grandfather. In the present, Max sends Anna to find an item her grandfather holds dear. And while she is there, she stumbles on a mystery of what happened in the past and why he walked away from it all.

In the past, we see Max’s life, at first luxury, and then turning to disaster. I highly recommend reading Paris Time Capsule by Ella Carey, as the two stories are entwined and build on each other.

Max’s history in Nazi Germany did not end well. And his is a love story gone horribly wrong. One that changed so many lives, and he’s been hiding from it ever since. But it’s time to unearth the past. I really felt for Max. Caught between two worlds and two choices. And never given the chance to decide which road to take.

Anna was a very determined character. Once she set her mind to making things “right,” she was all in. She doesn’t understand what she finds at first, and digs deeper, always looking for the next string to pull until she finds out how everything happened.

She has a very sweet romance. While it wasn’t the primary theme in the book, it was just enough to soften the edges of the tale. It made her more real and helped me root for her on her journey.

The way the two stories, history and present, wove together is what really makes this book a gem. The narrative bounces between the past and the present. But it’s done in a way that helps advance both storylines and each adds an extra level to the other. I can’t wait to read more by Ella Carey – she certainly has a way to pull me into the story.

***I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book***

Pick up your copy today!

More from Ella Carey

Paris Time Capsule by Ella Carey
Paris Time Capsule by Ella Carey ~ Review

Paris Time Capsule by Ella Carey ~ Review

Paris Time Capsule by Ella Carey

As an affiliate at retail sites, I earn a small commission from qualifying purchases. See my disclaimer for more details.

Three reasons you should read this Contemporary Fiction:

  • Paris Time Capsule by Ella Carey is a great mix of historical mystery with a dash of contemporary romance. 
  • Watching Cat unravel the mysteries of the past kept me fully engaged in the mystery for every single page.
  • The romance is done in a lighter, more natural hand, that fits incredibly well with the atmosphere of timelessness.

About Paris Time Capsule by Ella Carey

Title: Paris Time Capsule
Author: Ella Carey
Series: Secrets of Paris #1
Genre: Contemporary Fiction

Paris Time Capsule by Ella Carey

The parcel arrived on an ordinary morning in the mailbox of her New York apartment, postmarked Paris. It was wrapped in brown paper and tied with a silk ribbon. Little did she know that the old brass key and letter it contained were about to turn her life upside down…

1940, Paris. Life is getting desperate for young Isabelle de Florian. Alone with her best friend in her Paris apartment, Isabelle knows that they must seek safety or die. For months she has been playing a dangerous game of secrets with the Nazis, trying to keep the people she loves safe. At last, she secures passage out of the city, packs her best jewels into a small suitcase and steps into the treacherous night…

New York, 2015. Photographer Cat Jordan is shocked when she receives a letter informing her that she is the sole heir of the estate of Isabelle de Florian. She was a friend of Cat’s enigmatic grandmother, who both lived in France until the Nazi occupation forced them to flee. The letter offers few details but is clear on one point: Cat must come to Paris in person.

When she arrives, Cat is enchanted by Isabelle’s beautiful apartment. But why did she leave it to a stranger? Determined to find the truth, Cat investigates her grandmother and Isabelle’s escape from Paris, and discovers that Isabelle was hunted by the Nazis in 1940. But as Cat searches through the dusty letters in the apartment, will the secret she finds change everything she knows about Isabelle and herself?

My Review of Paris Time Capsule:

Paris Time Capsule by Ella Carey was beautifully written. Cat’s unexpected inheritance takes her on a journey deep into her family’s past and exposes secrets hidden away for a lifetime.

It all begins with a letter. Although I wonder if anyone today would jump on a plane to Paris to claim an estate from someone they didn’t know existed, it played to my imagination of long-lost heirs. Cat has inherited a lavish apartment that seems to have been untouched since 1940. Full of antiques and treasures, and covered in dust and dirt, Cat falls deeper into the mystery.

But there’s always more than we first expect. Isabelle has a family – and she never told them about the apartment. No one understands why – and I didn’t understand why they were so set on not claiming it once they found out about it. While I found it nice they wanted to follow Isabelle’s last wishes, I don’t quite understand why they didn’t take the estate when Cat said she didn’t want it. But I guess then we wouldn’t have had a story.
Cat digs deep into history, uncovering more and more strange information on Isabelle and her past. She was a fascinating woman that lived through a lot during the war. Fleeing from the Nazi occupation, there isn’t much of a paper trail to follow.

I was quite surprised when Cat found the last clue and solved the mystery. All the loose ends were tied up nicely in a way that was a little larger than life, but still very believable. It maintained the slight fairy tale atmosphere without going too far. And the bit of a love story along the way sure didn’t hurt.

**I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book**

Pick up your copy today!