Didn’t know quite what to expect from this book I received from NET GALLEY for an honest review, but honestly, it was pretty darn good! Generally I am not too keen when the story goes back and forth from present day to the long ago past, but I will admit that this was done seamlessly and at the right times to enhance what seemed to be going on in the present.

Cady Drake, the lead character in this book was in her own words, ‘not a likable person’. However, I did like her determination and grit. She didn’t have a childhood that gave her any warm fuzzy feelings of belonging or being loved. But a friend had arranged for Cady to take on a job of securing photos of the many carousels in France and Cady was ready for something new.

When Cady met Fabrice, the reclusive hermit type who lived at the Chateau Clement who didn’t like people - they formed a sort of detente. He was a bit lame from a twisted foot, and Cady could help him out. Plus she could then stay at the chateau to research the last known carousel built by the master carver Gustave Bayol a century ago which supposedly resided somewhere in the chateau.

Now toss in a handsome nephew and a warring family over who truly owned the Chateau and the story just got better and better! This was a totally enjoyable read and quite interesting with characters who will make you smile, laugh and even cry.

Marilyn Rondeau

This was an enjoyable read that will pull you from your home to the French countryside. You will find yourself drawn into the history of the Clement family and learning more about carosuels and Frnech history than you’d ever thought you’d want to know. The characters are delightful and the overall story is unique and entertaining. The format can be a bit tough to get into, which is the biggest drawback for me, but overall, I liked the story. I would recommend it, but don’t see myself re-reading this in the future. I do think I enjoyed it more than Blackwell’s previous knowledge and look forward to reading more of her stories.

The Lost Carousel of Provence is an interesting, bittersweet story featuring the beautiful historic carousels of Paris (I'd totally buy Cady's book on the topic). The story transititions back and forth between a woman who is serving as an appretice to a famous carousel artist (surrounded entirely by men) in the early 1900s and Cady, a lonely photographer from San Francisco who, encouraged by her friends, has come to France to work on a book about the Paris carousels. She's determined to track down the history of a carousel animal she has that's precious to her, which leads her further afield and into connections she didn't expect. Despite the heavier parts about France during the Nazi occupation, this book is overall a fairly light historical fiction book, with a lot of warmth as Cady opens herself up to the people she meets.

I loved that this book felt like a very unique historical fiction novel. Set in San Francisco, Paris, and the country sides of France, it was a very lovely layered book with richly developed characters.

The story alternates perspectives and time periods throughout the book. We are given a picture of the building of this magnificent privately commissioned Bayol carousel through the eyes of a female artist that was very much before her time. We see a side of WWII France that I haven't often seen in historical fiction. A young France resistance fighter. And out main narrator is a photographer from America with a troubled past and few ties to anywhere or anyone in the world.

It is definitely an interesting cast of characters and I love how the alternating timelines and perspectives add layers slowly to the story and the pieces start to fall into place organically as one would start to unravel a mystery like this. It was very well written and compulsively readable. I read the last 3/4 of this book in the span of a weekend.

I will say there were a few moments in the book that gave me pause, or did not seem to mesh with the story, and the end felt very abrupt to me. I did feel at about the 80% mark in the book that I wasn't sure how the author was going to bring this all to a close because there were just too many unanswered questions for that far into the book. That said she did beautifully bring a close to 98% of the questions I had, but I was left wondering a handful of things at the end that seemed throughout the book to be very important plot points. But then again maybe I just wanted to know more than the author was ready to tell! haha.

All in all I really appreciated the uniqueness of this story and the layers the author built in so organically. I would highly recommend!

Thank you Berkley Publishing Group for the E-ARC of this book.

The Lost Carousel of Provence by Juliet Blackwell tells the story of Château Clement and its carousel by intertwining the stories of three distinct characters from different time periods. In the present day, Cady is offered a freelance assignment to photograph carousels in Paris. In the 1900s, we learn the story of Maëlle, a woman who strives to be a master carver in what was a “man’s world”. During the Second World War we meet Fabrice, a young man working for the Resistance in Paris. These three stories merge together to create a fascinating historical read.

I love historical novels when they have been well researched. My expectation is that I will have learned something new and be inspired to learn more after I finished reading. The Lost Carousel of Provence has done exactly this for me. I had no idea that carousels were such a well known attraction in France and now I can see why. They are beautiful and such a creative and unique starting point for a novel. It is clear Blackwell put a lot of time and effort into researching the history of these carousels and that she has spent time in France herself. Her descriptions of the scenery and cuisine were detailed and I could picture it clearly.

Sometimes novels that contain multiple points of view and timelines confuse me, but I found this novel to be very easy to follow. Each of the characters had very distinct personalities and stories, and the background was described so well that I could tell exactly what time period they were in. The stories were so carefully layered on each other and in the end they came together perfectly.

This book is perfect for fans of Kate Morton, Santa Montefiore and Susanna Kearsley. It is a well researched novel, with interesting characters, gorgeous scenery, and a hint of mystery.

I 'm the wrong audience for this title. I have a lot of customers who really enjoy her Paris books who I believe will really like this one as well. I'm more a fan of her paranormal mysteries.

I was attracted to the cover of this book, carousels are fascinating to me. This novel has two stories running throughout it, one told in the distant past by a carver of the carousel, the other time period takes place in the present day. Cady is from the present and goes to France, to take pictures of carousels, this fascination stems from Cady owning a piece from a carousel herself., she is determined to know the story, behind the carousel piece she owns, and won't let any stand between her finding the answers.

I often find myself drawn to books that take place in more than one time period, especially if one of the time periods happens to be during WWII. I have always gravitated towards stories set during that time, and lately I am especially interested in stories that deal with the French Resistance Movement. What I really loved about The Lost Carousel of Provence is that it is full of layers- there are 3 time periods, and one of the main characters is in both of them. His character is significantly younger in the older time period and I think Juliet Blackwell does a terrific job at making sure we see what has happened in his younger years has really effected how he is in the present day story. I like that there is an element of mystery surrounding Fabrice and his direct ancestors both in the past and present. I found him to be the fabric that tied all of the stories in each time together. I liked that there were elements of suspense, romance, and history running throughout the book. I recommend this book to anyone interested in WWII, France, and Women's Fiction.

I almost didn't request this book but I am glad I did. I found I got so involved in the storyline, I couldn't put it down instead read far into the night. I had problems reading the parts of the Nazis occupation of France. I felt that Ms. Blackwell did an outstanding job of blending the three-time periods so the story flew together.
Cady Drake is recovering from the death of her mentor and agrees to accept a job in Paris of photographing the carousels of Paris. The story begins in the 1990's of a young girl desire to learn from a master carver and the difficult time she had to endure because of her sex. Cady is fascinated with the carousels. She learns of a rundown Château Clement, in the province decides to see it before she returns home. Candy meets the owner of an elderly man who prefers to be left alone. Will, she convinced him to let her see the Clement carousel? I HIGHLY RECOMMEND this book.

Disclosure: Many thanks to Berkley for a review copy. The opinions expressed are my own.

This was a charming story of how the past and present can be connected. Cady journeys to the French countryside to uncover the origins behind an old carousel figure and discovers more than she bargained for about the figures history and herself.

Still reeling from the death of her dear friend and the woman who took her in when the world wanted to forget her, Cady Drake is at a loss at what to do with her life. She feels lost and alone. A good friend of hers suggests she take a trip, maybe to Paris, to get a new perspective. Her friend suggests taking her camera and photographing some pictures, maybe for a coffee table book. An idea forms in Cady’s head, one that not only feels right but will change her life.



For as long as she can remember, Cady has been fascinated by carousels. It started when she was an orphan and continued through to the present. There’s something magical about them, a gateway to the past and a window to the future.



Once in Paris, she starts taking some amazing pictures of carousels. While researching, she stumbles across the mystery of the Chateau Clement and its legendary carousel. As she tries to unravel the mystery and the Clement family history, she encounters a handsome Parisian man who offers to help her. He stirs feelings long buried in her. Cady’s instinct is to run when things get emotional but the more she’s around Chateau Clement and its recluse inhabitant, the more she senses she’s home. Is this where she belongs or will everyone abandon her like so many have over the years?



Never in my life have I read a book that reminds me of my time in Paris with such clarity as this one. Not only did it transport me back in time through various time periods, but it touched me deeply. From the parts where we learn about the female sculptor in the early 1900’s to the resistant movement against the Nazis in World War II to present day, Chateau Clement is alive and casting a spell on the characters and the reader at the same time. It wasn’t so much reading as experiencing the highs and lows of life. Friendship, betrayal, greed, classism, art and love all play a part in this story. Heart-breaking at times, The Lost Carousel of Provence will steal your breath away.



A must read and the best book I’ve had the pleasure to read in 2018.



Disclaimer: I received an ARC from Berkley Publishing Group via Netgalley in the hopes I’d review it.



My Rating: 5+ stars

I found the book to be a bit predictable, that does not mean I didn't enjoy it. The descriptions and setting do transport you to Paris and really made me want to explore historic carousels. While I did enjoy the novel as a nice historic fluff piece, I was a bit underwhelmed by the non-ending. I can only assume the reader is to imagine the continuation of Cady's story line. A good novel, a nice summer read for those that love to travel. I would recommend it.

A charming book about a photographer hunting down carousels in France in hopes of identifying her antique carousel animal. Her quest takes her to France where she finds an abundance of carousels - and romance. Well written and a delight to read.

After the death of the woman she considers a mentor and almost a mother, Cady Drake (at the severe prompting and assistance of her best friend) follows a life-long goal to photograph the carousels of Paris. While she does so, she attempts to find more information about the origin of a carousel rabbit gift that means the world to her, an investigation that leads her to the dilapidated Chateau Clement in Provence. As she finds herself becoming involved in the people and history of the area, the narrative expands to several other time periods and people - the carousel creators who come to the chateau in the early 1900s, and the tragic love of the current resident during the terror of the Nazi occupation.
The author did a splendid job putting the pieces of the narrative together into a rich whole. The sights and sounds of both Paris and Provence, food and drink, local customs and long-standing grievances - these are a prominent character by themselves. The three main characters are greatly refreshing, defying all stereotypes: Maelle, the unusual young woman sculptor (at a time when it was not a remotely acceptable profession for women) who manages to work her way into a job with the great carousel creator Gustave Bayol, Fabrice, the boy joining the Resistance in WWII and occupying the chateau as a broken, reclusive and extremely cranky old man, and finally, my favorite, Cady, an orphan who grew up in foster homes and feels far more awkward and isolated than she really is. Cady is a fascinating character, with some sharp edges and insecurities, but deeply engaging. The story flowed beautifully throughout for a very enjoyable read.

THE LOST CAROUSEL OF PROVENCE – Juliet Blackwell

California and France – 1900 to Present Day

This novel encompasses three different decades and three different people and, eventually, will connect them in an interesting way.

Cady Drake has spent her young life moving from one foster home to another. She is unaware of who her parents are, or were, and she carries a huge chip on her shoulder. When she vandalizes Maxine’s Treasures, a small store, as a teenager, Maxine decides that there is something about Cady worth rescuing. Even though initially Cady is resistant to any kindness or help, eventually the girl who doesn’t trust anyone comes to love and respect the older woman who encourages her to take up photography and who gives her the magical carousel rabbit which Cady nicknames Gus. Cady’s world is small and inclusive for she is not a social being. Her best friends are Olivia from school and Maxine. But when Maxine dies and Cady has an emotional loss on top of it all, Cady is encouraged by her only other friend to pursue her fascination with Gus and travel to France to research carousels, photograph them, and write a book about it. It is at that time that she accidentally breaks Gus and finds a mysterious box inside with a photo of a young woman by a carousel.

In Paris, Cady shoots pictures of the various carousels in the city. She meets Jean-Paul, a young architect who is from a village where the carousel in the old photograph is located. Intrigued, Cady rents a car and travels there, where the mysterious owner of the Clement chateau hides out and refuses anyone access to the grounds or the now derelict carousel. She and Jean-Paul team up to work on Fabrice Clement, Jean-Paul’s relative, to let them visit the chateau.

1900 - Maelle Tanguy of Bretagne is the daughter of a wood sculptor who trained her in his trade. She travels to the factory of the famous carousel factory of Gustave Bayol hopefully to apprentice with him. Scoffed at and hired as a house maid, Maelle soon convinces the master that she is, indeed, knowledgeable, and he allows her to do minor work in the factory. But when another worker is disabled just before they all travel to assemble the Clement chateau carousel, Maelle is allowed to go with them.

1944 - Fabrice Clement lives as a recluse in his family’s chateau. But as a teenager during the German occupation of France, he was part of the Resistance. Because he was blond and looked like a child, he was able to get into areas that older boys could not infiltrate, and he was able to get information for the leader of his group. But when disaster strikes them, as well as his family, Fabrice realizes that someone he loved was responsible. And now, as an old man, he trusts no one, and is aware that the rest of his family thinks he is not entitled to the chateau or even his name.

THE LOST CAROUSEL OF PROVENCE is a fascinating mystery rolled up into a romance, travel journal, and history lesson. Cady is the “detective”, ferreting out the truth from Fabrice, Jean-Paul, and the old, shattered carousel. It’s also the coming of age for Cady who has lived her life as a loner, convinced no one cared for her, and that she couldn’t care for anyone.

Beautifully written and impeccably researched, THE LOST CAROUSEL OF PROVENCE is broken down into sections about each character, culminating in a lovely, realistic conclusion. A Perfect 10 and a lovely way to end the summer.

All the right ingredients...Paris, young aimless woman, young mysterious man, carousels.....French countryside, WW2 intrigue....an entertaining, beach type read.

I recently read this book for the Extreme Book Nerd Challenge - A book about books and loved it! This was a story that I couldn't put down. It took me a little bit to adjust to the time period changes between chapters but I thoroughly enjoyed every minute of reading. Cady was an amazing character and the only thing I would change is I'd love to know what happened once the carver arrived in San Francisco. Maybe another book? I hope so!

3.5/5 This book has an interesting concept- a woman goes to Paris to photograph carousels and stumbles upon the story of a long forgotten carousel that belonged to a family in a Provencal town. She travels, she meets interesting people, has some fun experiences, and eventually solves the mystery. There were a lot of good elements in the book, but I felt like everything could have been tightened up a bit more and been more suspenseful. As it is, it's not a bad book, but probably not one I'll remember in a few months.

If you liked Blackwell's other titles you will like this book. I just found the ending to be a little lacking compared to her other titles. Still it was France!

The Lost Carousel of Provence alternates between the story of 1901 carver's apprentice, Maelle and a current day grieving, Cady.Drake. Partially in an attempt to escape her grief, Cady travels to France to photograph Parisian carousels. Accompanying her on the journey is a carved rabbit figure, Gus who Cady believes has been created by famed carousel maker, Gustave Bayol.. Gus holds a secret that leads Cady to Provence and Maelle's story.

This book has a satisfying gothic feel.and easily joins the two time periods together.