While spending a semester at the Sorbonne, British citizen Madeleine Grant falls in love with Giles Martin. Madeleine defies her mother and stepmother to return to Paris and Giles, whose wealthy mother also disapproves of the match. Despite that, they live a happy life with their son, Olivier, until war breaks out and the Nazis occupy France. Mother and child flee to London, while Giles remains in his homeland to join the Resistance. When the bombings start in London, it isn’t safe there either. Madeleine sends Olivier to the country only to be informed that he has been killed when his train is bombed. Despondent over her loss and wanting to do something for the war effort, she joins an elite group of French speaking women who are trained as spies and sent to France.

From Britain to France to Australia, this sweeping novel follows the Martin family through World War II and into the initial post war years. It is an enthralling tale of love, sacrifice, the horrors of war, and the hope that can spring from its end. Yes, there are quite a few convenient coincidences that are probably unrealistic, but they did make for a good story and I couldn’t put this book down, reading it late into the night.

Every time I read a historical fiction novel set in WWII, I think the same thing….how have we not learned from the mistakes of history?. People still gravitate toward narcissistic authoritarians and elevate them to positions of power. When will we ever learn?

This is only the second book I have read by prolific writer Rhys Bowen; I have enjoyed both of them.

For sensitive readers, there are some tough subjects here…sexual abuse, child abuse, and the atrocities of war.

I swore I wasn’t going to read any more World War II novels, especially set in Paris, but I’m glad I agreed to read this one. Bowen is quite a writer. I have read a lot by her, but perhaps I will read more now. She made me care about her characters right away.

Madeleine, a college student whose mother has died a number of years before, goes to Paris for a semester. Along the way, the model student is captivated by a fellow student who is a bit of a rogue. He begs her to return to Paris and finish her year. Since her father is now married to a woman she can’t stand, Madeleine boldly decides to do so. But when she gets back, Giles is nowhere to be found. She stays with her great aunt, but eventually Giles (the heir to an old family) returns. She moves in with him, and of course within a few months she is pregnant. When Giles tells his family about the baby (and that he has married a woman not of their choosing) he is disowned. Then WWII begins in earnest. France is no longer safe.

Madeleine and their son Oliver agreed to go to London, even though her stepmother is critical and harsh. Oliver’s entire school decides to evacuate to the countryside. She brings him to the train station and in the chaos on the platform, he is taunted into exchanging identities with another boy. The train is bombed. Oliver is pulled out and taken to a hospital. The other boy, who has his identity tag, is killed. That boy’s family is killed by another bomb in London. And so Madeleine and Oliver each believe that the other is dead. Oliver is told that his family is dead and sent to Australia on a boat with other orphans.

The real meat of the story begins when Madeleine, who is totally bilingual, is recruited to be a spy in France. This part of the book is based on real events. Women spies were critical to WWII.

I found the descriptions of Oliver’s life in an orphanage in Australia to be distressing, but I have no doubt they were accurate. The life of Madeleine (now Minette) and Annie (now Colette) begins pleasant in comparison, except for the fear they faced from the Germans.

But Bowen is true to the horrors of war, and life devolves from pleasant to terrifying for Madeleine and Annie. Giles appears, now working for the resistance, but in horrible danger. I can’t say much more without giving away key elements, but you should just be aware that certain sections will be difficult to read. Nevertheless, I was pleased with how Bowen handled the ending. I’m happy to recommend this book.

This was a fantastic historical fiction. I was hooked right from the beginning. I actually haven't read this author yet, but she has a new fan and I can't wait to read more.

What a beautifully told historical fiction story of one woman's love, loss, perseverance and bravery as she forges her path into a world she both fears and despises. The setting in Paris was an amazing backdrop providing a sense of place that one could taste, smell and hear yourself into the scene. Well done!

I love Rhys Bowen’s writing in her books. They always bring such detail that you feel like you are right there. Madeleine Grant is studying in Paris and meets Giles Martin. They fall in love and have a son, Oliver. The War breaks out and Giles is afraid for Madeline and Oliver and send them home to England. Giles is in the resistance so he stays behind. Her son is believed dead, and doesn’t know the fate of Giles. She feels she has nothing to live for and joins the resistance to do what she can to help. The Paris Assignment was heart wrenching tale of Madeleine and what she had to endure during the war. I couldn’t put it down.

Thank you NetGalley, Lake Union Publishing, and Rhys Bowen for the ARC for my review.

Rhys Bowen it’s one the best World War 2 historical fiction novelists. I learn from her books every time. The Paris Assignment was epic and fast paced. Madeleine meets Giles at the Sorbonne and it’s basically love at first sight for both of them. After some bumps, they marry and have Olivier, their joy. When War breaks out, Giles, who is half Jewish, sends his family back to England where Madeline’s father and step mother are. Without spoiling the plot, all I can say is that war is hard. So hard and terrible. Madeleine and Giles both have war time jobs doing important spy things. The end is always perfect.

I loved the romance of the book. While the author certainly painted the picture of the hardships and atrocities that inevitably come with war, she also led us through love stories and friendships and redemption. This book is beautifully written. If you love world war 2 Fiction, historical fiction, love stories, or women’s fiction, this one is for you!

When Madeline goes to Paris to study for a semester little did she know that a chance encounter would change the trajectory of her whole life. A whirlwind romance that leads to a marriage and the birth of a son makes Madeline feel like her life is finally exactly what she has always wanted. When WW2 intensifies Madeline and her son flee back to England for safety, leaving her husband behind to fight in the resistance. When the war reaches England Madeline sends her son on a train to try to find a safe haven but a bomb hits, killing a bunch of the children. Thinking her son is dead Madeline joins the resistance and becomes a spy while her son, thinking his family is dead is sent to a orphanage in Australia.

This story was very easy to read with great characters and the historical significance of the conditions of the orphanage’s in Australia was not something that I was familiar with. I loved the friendships Madeline forms with the other women who sign up to help the resistance and the love between Madeline and her husband was envious.

This was a great story told in a masterful manner. Thank you to the publishers and to Netgalley for allowing me to read this advanced copy.

My thanks to Net Galley and Lake Union for allowing me to review this very excellent read.

Young Madeline meets Giles while she is in school in France. They fall in love,marry, and have an adorable son, Olivier. Then they are separated by the tragedy of war when Giles joins the resistance and a "mistake " involving Olivier further continues more tragedy.

I enjoyed this. It had a bit of The Alice Network and The Bletchley Circle elements. Well written, great narrative, very engaging.

My negative comments. Did not like the "farm" and this could have been a bit shorter. Still highly recommend this.

A love story and heartbreaking tale of Madeline & Giles set amidst the turmoil & chaos of WWll Paris and England.
Perseverance, determination and brutality combine to make for a gripping summer read. This is not a lighthearted or easy read, so be prepared to feel all emotions.

Thank you to NetGalley for the eArc in exchange for my honest review.
#NetGalley #TheParisAssignment #RhysBowen #HistoricalFiction
Pub Date 8 August 2023

This is my third Rhys Bowen book - all three of them have been historical fiction.

My first reaction to this novel came in chapter 5, about 14% of the way along when Tante Janine is talking with Giles. I stopped, re-read the sentence and put the book down. What the heck? Why was that claim even put in this novel? I had no respect for Tante Janine thereafter. I finished the book, but noted that there were several things included that should have been edited out; this would have helped the pacing.

One thing I’ve noticed is the ease with which Bowen writes. It’s fairly evident with the flow of her books that they are written by an accomplished author. I wonder in this case, though, if her comfort level meant that things were better understood in her head than put down on paper. There were many instances where more information or emotion would have taken the story to the next level. I did note that several times the ‘women’ sounded like ‘girls.’ In some cases, the conversation didn’t sound natural.

Bowen is also known as an author who pays attention to the details. I made note of the effort she went to in using British words and ways of expressing oneself, making this feel so authentic. With this level of commitment to reality, I wondered about the heroine’s new job. It seemed as though she just tripped into it and that the offer came from out of nowhere by someone that just appeared in the story from stage left. Regardless, it didn’t take away from the story. Just made me stop and pause.

I also smiled when I saw the front cover as it didn’t look like a bone-rattler to me!

Both narratives were interesting, but my heart was pulled more toward Olivier’s experience. I needed to keep reading to find out if the ‘mistake’ was ever corrected.

I really wanted to love this one, but instead, I just liked it.

I was gifted this copy by Lake Union Publishing and NetGalley and was under no obligation to provide a review.

I enjoy reading books that take place during WWII. This was my first read coming from the perspective of a mother during that time. I feel the end was rushed and a little too good to be true. I wanted to like it more.

Ugh. I needed this to be a physical copy so that I could fling it against the wall.

It was boring, predictable, and all around weak. I really *wanted* to enjoy it. But like the characters truly lacked depth. So many scenes felt rushed. It felt like this version was a draft and not the final deal...

I think the only note worthy aspect was the horrific treatment of the orphans taken abroad to Australia. I didn't know about that prior and it broke my heart.

Madeleine is half British and half French, and this mix of language skills has her working as an undercover spy during World War II. The story itself has many parts including Madeleine's British family, her French husband and son, and her experiences before, during, and after the war. The book also delves into the horrific conditions of orphanages run by nuns in Australia during World War II.

The dialog seemed a little forced, but otherwise it was an engaging read.

I received a copy of The Paris Assignment by the publisher and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This is not my normal sort of book, however i really enjoyed it. It had a good pace to it which i think helped.
Really liked the characters. Despite the subject matter it was an easy read

I really enjoyed this book. It was interesting and suspenseful as well as entertaining. It dealt with many difficult subjects that so many people have lived through, not just during the war but in the current day.

You can't go wrong with a Rhys Bowen novel!

I was provided an ARC by Net Galley for an honest review.

Rhys Bowen has written another stand alone novel that takes place in WWII. In this book, there are British women sent into occupied France as spies, at great danger. Madeline Martin, who is 1/2 French, is one of these brave women who is trying to make a difference in the stand against the Nazis. Much action from England to Paris to Australia. A good group of characters who you root for!

This book was full of WWII cliches and I did not like it at all. There're many other better written war dramas.

I really enjoy Rhys Bowen's her royal spyness series, and usually like her one off titles as well. This book however was a slog for me. I've felt like I've read this books before - women trains for the SOE etc. It wasn't horrible, but I didn't enjoy it.

WWII literature is definitely a saturated genre, but there were some elements of this book which make it stand out from the rest. I like the fact that the book is told from the viewpoint of people in three countries (England, France, Australia) -- for me that adds a bit of depth to the book. The Australia portions were especially interesting as I knew little about what it was like there during WWII. The book is also told from both mother and (young) son viewpoints which helps to increase the tension/drama in the plot. Also - spies! I find books with spying/spycraft compelling. The downside for me was that the book felt a bit long (was it too ambitious in scope?), but as WWII novels go this was a good one with some unique elements and storyline.

As always, Rhys Bowen never disappoints!! This book is engaging. The characters are multi-faceted and real.