The Paris Apartment is a fabulous historical fiction written from multiple points of view in dual time lines. We meet Aurelia ("Lia") in 2017 as she opens the door to the museum like Paris apartment that was left to her in her grandmother's will that no one in the family knew existed. Through the impressionist paintings found hidden, she is led to art appraisser Gabriel.
Author Kelly Bowen takes us back and forth from the present to Paris 1943 in the midst of the Nazi occupation through the eyes of Lia, Gabriel, Lia's grandmother, Estelle, and, Sophie, another strong female character. The author successfully weaves multiple storylines- a suspenseful spy thriller, discovered art cache, resistance fighter war story, gut wrenching family drama, and a happily ever after romance- all within the backdrop of the real life, horrific events of the Holocaust. She then wraps them all up so they all make sense and answer all your questions. I was concerned the Holocaust/WWII subject matter would make it too depressing but it wasn't at all. Great for a book club.
This heart-wrenching novel about family and war unearths generations of secrets and sacrifices—perfect for fans of The Paris Orphan and The Lost Girls of Paris.
2017, London: When Aurelia Leclaire inherits an opulent Paris apartment, she is shocked to discover her grandmother’s hidden secrets—including a treasure trove of famous art and couture gowns. One obscure painting leads her to Gabriel Seymour, a highly respected art restorer with his own mysterious past. Together they attempt to uncover the truths concealed within the apartment’s walls.
Paris, 1942: The Germans may occupy the City of Lights, but glamorous Estelle Allard flourishes in a world separate from the hardships of war. Yet when the Nazis come for her friends, Estelle doesn’t hesitate to help those she holds dear, no matter the cost. As she works against the forces intent on destroying her loved ones, she can’t know that her actions will have ramifications for generations to come.
Set seventy-five years apart, against a perilous and a prosperous Paris, both Estelle and Lia must unearth hidden courage as they navigate the dangers of a changing world, altering history—and their family’s futures—forever