Member Reviews

An amazing story set during World War Two about a young Jewish girl who comes upon incriminating evidence about Adolf Hitlers mental state and the lengths she went to to ensure the allies received it.
It is an incredible love story as well but it’s also pulls no punches about the lengths that the Gestapo went to ensure that this evidence did not get into the wrong hands.
Beautifully written characters with which you fall in love with from the very first page.
At times very sad as it is very evocative of the era.

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Thank you NetGalley and HQ for a complimentary copy of this book. I really enjoyed this historical fiction novel!!! I’ve read many books in this category, but this one was so different and unique! Katja is hired by Dr. Viktor, a psychiatrist. She thinks she is there to type his regular clinical notes and schedule his appointments, but she soon finds out he has a greater task for her. He confides in her that before Hitler became the Fuhrer, the doctor had treated him. Katja was tasked with transcribing the clinical notes into a manuscript that could lead to the Fuhrer’s demise. As they work together, the Nazis try to impede their work. Will they succeed and who can they trust? Very uniquely written! Highly recommend! So much action going on in this novel and the suspense!

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A unique historical fiction story that stands out from other books in the genre. Katya is a German Jew who risks everything to get a notebook from Hitler's psychiatrist published. This book is everything I love about the historical fiction genre: a unique plot based on a historical event, a main character who is likable and readers will root for, and a storyline that hasn't been done a thousand times.

This is a well-written book fans of this genre and time period will love.

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What a lovely book it tells the story of Ernst Viktor who ‘cured’ Hitler of his blindness. Not knowing how this would affect the world. He kept all his notes and gets Katja to type them up so that they might be published and to warn the world of the dangers. They travel to Paris for a conference but are followed by the gestapo. Katja meets Daniel and they fall in love. Katja takes the manuscript to London to try and get people to believe how bad Hitler is. Daniel gets lost on the trip from Calais and Katja is bereft. She makes it back to Paris eventually and gets the biggest surprise of her life. I won’t spoil it

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I loved this book. As an avid reader of WWII historical fiction, not much surprises me, but the ending to this one got me. Katja is the daughter of a professor who was murdered during an early Nazi book burning. She now takes care of her mentally ill mother while working for a psychiatrist at her father’s university typing up a document that could get her killed if it found it’s way into the wrong hands. Along the way she meets Daniel, a journalist and fellow book lover, who is working through the loss of his wife and child. The two face many obstacles trying to get the document published, but the answer to whether they succeed or not had me guessing until the last second, as did the question of whether or not they live happily ever after. The author keeps throwing you curveballs, and the characters keep getting more complex as the story continues. Will definitely read this author again

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This is my first book from this author and I wasn’t disappointed. Starting in Germany at the beginning of WW2 following Katja a young German woman and her quest to uphold her Fathers memory and that of a Doctor. Her journey moves across Germany to France and to England. In her journey she meets Daniel a reported who becomes much more than that to her. It was lovely not to have a predictable final few chapters and really nice to read some of the true story at the end.
Thanks to Tessa and her publisher. Also thanks to NetGalley

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A different sort of WWII novel. Katja, a young Jewish woman, works as a transcriber for Dr. Viktor, the physician who treated Hitler after WWI- and she's got the notes that make clear he's more than troubled. Dr Viktor was a friend of Katja's father, whose backstory is interesting but less so than Katja's present. Determined to get the notes published, she goes to Paris but is pursued by the Nazis. There's a romance with Daniel- will they both survive? Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. A good read for fans of historical fiction.

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**SPOILERS INCLUDED**

The concept of this story was fascinating to me and I couldn’t wait to read the it. I found the book to be slow moving and kept waiting for it to pick up pace. The second half definitely had more moments that helped move the book along, but I just never got the “I can’t put this book down” feeling.

I spent the last 50 pages or so convinced the book would have a terrible ending and while I am a happy ending book girl, it would have made sense for this particular book to not have the happy ending. I was quite surprised when Daniel and Katja reunited at the end of the book. I was happy that despite all the hardship and years apart they were given that small piece of happiness in their story.

If you are a fan of historical fiction and enjoy stories structured around WW2 this is a great read and a book you are sure to enjoy.

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"The Paris Notebook" is a wartime thriller with a difference, and it is loosely based on fact. The concept behind the story is that a psychologist examined Adolf Hitler when he was a WW1 soldier suffering from a mental disorder. Having seen what is happening with Hitler's rise to power and the likelihood of a second World war there is a drive to publish his notes.

The story is inventive, the locations are atmospheric and there are some interesting characters. Altogether an engrossing read with some "what if" questions raised.

Thanks to Net Galley and the publishers for the opportunity to review this book.

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If you are looking for a unique WW2 historical fiction to read, this is the one I would recommend to you. This is based on the true story…

Katja was hiding her Jewish identity and luckily was able to work for her late father’s friend Dr. Viktor as his typist and assistant. Dr. Viktor was a psychiatrist.

Katja was responsible to transcribe the patient notes for Dr. Viktor. Until Katja realized the secret in the notebook which would change the war. Adolf Hitler was one of Dr. Viktor’s patient. Now, she’s too late to just walk away...

The ultimate idea was to keep the notebook safe until they found a publisher who was willing to publish it, no matter what.

The personality of the main character Katja built the backbone of the story very well. Her stubbornness and detailed-mind created the whole tensed atmosphere.

The fast-moving, unique content and full of dramas historical fiction is one of the most intriguing historical novel I have read recently. The story was mainly moving between Hamburg and Paris.

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I have read quite a few historical fictions based during wartime and I always enjoy them. And this one I loved. A bold, strong story and one that drew me in from the start, Just the thought of having Adolf Hitler's doctors notes is an exciting and intriguing thing. Smuggling the notebook to Paris, looking for a publisher to publish it this is a very exciting book.

The characters Katja and Doctor Viktor made the story so real. The writing is brilliant and the story and plot is wonderful. It is emotional, unique, fast paced, intriguing, engrossing and a book I just couldn't put down!

Highly recommend this book.

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A solid, compelling historical fiction novel set during WWII in Paris and Germany. The book has several well developed characters who experience betrayal, love, loss and dedication. Paris is lovingly described including the streets, sights, cafes and bookstores.

Thanks to NetGalley and HQ for the opportunity to read this ARC.

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Katja is employed to transcribe medical notes that could be extremely explosive in the wrong hands - the notes were written by Adolf Hitler's psychiatrist, Dr Viktor, and could bring about the downfall of the Fuhrer. Can Katja, Dr Viktor and the few they trust keep the document safe and reveal the truth to the world?

A very interesting novel, a bit slow to get going, but certainly engrossing. A number of wonderful supporting characters, alongside Katja, I particularly liked the references to the authors of the time.

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Love this book, i love this genre and style of writing i was hooked and couldn't put this book down.

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This was such a good book. I love historical fiction, especially when it is about eras/ situations that I previously knew nothing about and this was definitely one of those books. It was so well researched and so compelling in its narrative that not only did I love reading it but I felt that I learned too. A really enjoyable read and perfect for any fans of historical fiction. This is a first for me by the author and one I enjoyed and would read more of their work. The book cover is eye-catching and appealing and would spark my interest if in a bookshop. Thank you very much to the author, publisher and Netgalley for this ARC.

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This was definitely a page-turner. Set in 30's Germany when Hitler came to power it outlines the jounrney of an important document that could change the course of history.
The book includes historical details coupled with complex characters and their relationships spanning Germany the Uk and France.
If you enjoy a good story with lots of twists and turns this book is for you.

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I loved this book..it was filled from the first page to last of action and surprises! Katja is German and is hired to transcript Hitlers medical records. She knows she could be killed for knowing about the records but she does it in memory of her father that was killed by the nazi. She tries to get the document into the right hands to help fight the war. Along the way she meets Daniel who agrees to help her. It’s not an easy task with the Germans knowing what they have! If you’re into WW2 novels you won’t be disappointed with this book….and if you aren’t you will be after you read this. Thanks goes to NetGalley for letting me read this advanced copy of The Paris Notebook by Tessa Harris!

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A really good unique historical fiction! In a genre that is over saturated, this one stands out. It’s a story you haven’t read before! It starts off a bit slow but then you get hooked. Katja is a main character you will root for!

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Wow. This book had me gripped from the very first chapter. It covers tales based in WW2 from a completely different perspective. Intrigue and suspense all the way through the pages. You won't be able to put it down. Excellent.

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Oh I really loved this book. Historical fiction is my favourite genre and this story was just done so well.

The story focuses on Katja - a young German woman living just before the Second World War who has lost her Dad in the burning of the books, and looks after her mum who suffers with depression. Katja gets a job at the university her Dad worked at for someone who knew him and is fighting Hitler. He has a huge secret - he treated Hitler for mental illness, has all the notes and want to use them to bring Hitler down, and he needs Katja’s help.

The story follows the two as they try to get the notes published, and it takes them from Germany to Paris. But Hitler’s men are everywhere and they have to literally fight for their lives between the two cities as they protect the notebook and try to get it published. Through this, Katja meets a tortured Irish journalist called Daniel and the story also follows their love story as they overcome all their problems to fall in love.

What I loved about this book was the descriptions of where they were and going, and how they felt. It really made you feel for the characters and brought them to life off the page. The fear they felt, the way they fell in love and the delight when it was there.

The only thing I’d have liked was for the relationship between Katja and Daniel to be built out a bit more - it seems they met once then were in love and it would’ve been nice to have explored more.

The ending of this book had me tearing my hair out (in a good way) and what seemed doomed was a wonderful ending and shows that love can overcome evil.

For me this was a very solid, well written and from what I know quite factually correct novel and I really enjoyed it.

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