In 2017, Aurelia (Lia) Leclaire inherits her grandmother’s Paris apartment – a place she was unaware existed. What she discovers in this beautiful home is a treasure trove of valuable paintings. Aurelia has no clue as to how all this museum quality artwork came into her grandmother’s possession and why it has all been hidden for so long. With the help of Gabriel Seymour, an art curator and the grandson of the artist of a painting bequeathed to her, Lia starts to unravel the secrets that have been locked away all these years.
This appealing story alternates between the present and the past as we learn about the life of Estelle Allard, Lia’s grandmother, during the Nazi occupation. Estelle, spends her evenings at The Ritz Hotel mingling with German officers to gain secrets which will help the Resistance. Sophie Seymour, a grieving widow, also dedicates herself to the cause and one of her missions brings her to Estelle for help.
The Paris Apartment is an absorbing book that I thoroughly enjoyed. The field of WWII books that take place in Paris has become a bit crowded but I found this story to be a particularly good one. The characters are well developed and both timelines are equally interesting. While it presents the seriousness and horrors of the war, it’s a lighter read than some of the other books of its kind, which was a welcome change for me.
Many thanks to Forever Publishing / Grand Central Publishing, NetGalley, and author Kelly Bowen for the opportunity to read this appealing book in advance of its publication.
Rated 4.25 out of 5 stars.
Historical & Contemporary Fiction.
Publication Date: April 20, 2021
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Hm... I really am getting tired of dual timelines... still... maybe.