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Member Reviews

The premise sounded very interesting. However, it was a hard read. The plot was slow, and I could not get into the characters. Still, it was well-written! I recommend this for fans of Heather Webb!

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I was not able to finish this book. The plot and characters were not able to grab and keep my attention and care enough to keep reading.

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3.4 - the historical half of the book was excellent, but I found myself troubled by the current timeline (seemed a little stalker-y)

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This is a masterfully done work of historical fiction, alternating between World War 2 Paris, mainly in a Parisian bookstore, and 1950's New York City publishing.

The story centers on Charlotte and her daughter, Vivi, but the angle is one I hadn't thought much about, before reading this.

Quite enjoyable. Makes me want to track down the author's other novels.

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I love WWII era books! This book didn't disappoint me. The story line was easy to follow and it had all the aspects of a historical fiction plus more.

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After reading several reviews I believe I will be passing on this one. Several of my trusted friends have reviewed this and I know that I will be having the same opinions and will just look for future works by her to read.
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Review: The synopsis sold me, historical fiction, a story set in a book shop and a publishing house, it checked all the boxes. I really enjoyed Feldman’s writing style and found the alternating timeline was written well and came across clearly. The story was engaging, devastating, and hopeful, and the characters were interesting. I found some aspects of the story a bit much however, I don’t want to spoil the story. Overall, it was an interesting read, if you enjoy historical fiction / historical romance.

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Working in a Paris bookstore during World War II, Charlotte is desperate to find enough food for her young daughter, Vivi, to survive. Will a chance encounter with a stranger change everything for the young mother?

Paris Never Leaves You meanders between two time periods: New York in the 1950's and the latter part of the war in Paris. The decisions that Charlotte makes at the end of the war directly affect her future, especially regarding the secrets that she keeps.

As far as the story goes, I was expecting a historical fiction about a woman trying to survive the horrors of war. Paris Never Leaves you was historical fiction because of the setting, but the aspects that hallmark the genre were largely absent. The way in which the story unfolded had barely a kernel of truth. The ways in which the characters interacted in the 1950's did not seem all that plausible as well. Overall, Paris Never Leaves You was a disappointing historical fiction, so I would not recommend it to other readers.

Disclaimer: I was given an Advanced Reader's Copy by NetGalley and the publisher, St. Martin's Griffin. The choice to review Paris Never Leaves You was entirely my own.

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There is no shortage of World War II novels, so I like to have the best ones in my TBR pile. Paris Never Leaves You was worthy of it's spot. Combining wartime Paris with a bookshop and the publishing industry was brilliant.
Charlotte is a young widow running her bookshop in Paris, with a toddler and a leftist father who is on the run. Flash forward to 1950s Manhattan and Charlotte is working for a publisher friend of her father. Through the back and forth between decades and countries, the reader gets to experience each character's secrets, their loyalties and betrayals, their survival. If you are a fan of historical fiction, Paris Never Leaves You is worth a look.

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Ultimately this is one that I didn't connect with as a reader, but I definitely think there's an audience in my patrons who will completely eat this up. I liked the romance, and I liked the struggle between identity, being true to oneself, and what it takes to survive.

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A beautifully written story that reminds the reader how each person is a product of their own life experiences. The plot was so engaging that I literally couldn’t put it down. You’ll have this book on your mind long after you’ve turned the last page.

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Paris Never Leaves You is a historical novel set during the end of WWII and the years following. Charlotte and her daughter emigrate to America from France after spending a small time in a camp. The story alternates between the 1940s and 1950s and tell the story of Charlotte's life toward the end of the war and how she is dealing with the emotional aftermath of what she went through, all the while trying to help her teenage daughter Vivi understand who she is. I enjoyed the book very much; it provides a lot to ponder regarding survival, loyalty, family, and love. I hope there is a follow up novel focusing on Vivi as an adult. Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC of this novel.

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Paris Never Leaves you is a historical fiction set in WWII France and just after the war in America. Charlotte is a refugee who survived the war with her daughter and is trying to start over in America.

I was really interested in Charlotte’s story, however I soon found myself confused and lost within the plot. While I love a dual timeline, I would find myself reading a chapter and then all of a sudden we were back in the past. It was a bit too chaotic for me.

Her character was also very, not sure the word for it, but she didn’t have feelings. Like at all. Not even towards her daughter. It was awkward to read.

Anyway, I’m happy to have finished this one as it’s been on my TBR for a while.

💛 Thank you @stmartinspress for this e-book.

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A very good story about surviving WWII in Paris and life in New York in the following decade. Good characters and enjoyable story. I received a complimentary copy from NetGalley and the publisher and this is my honest opinion.

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While I typically enjoy a WWII drama with a female lead, this one missed the mark for me. I struggled with the story and didn't connect at all with Charlotte. This is a historical romance, but it felt forced and unauthentic.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher, St. Martin's Griffin, for my advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

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Wow! This book was everything I look for in a historical read and more. Beautifully written and very detailed description put me right in the book! If you are a loved of WW2 reads this is a must read book for you! Perfect dual timeline that was in sync with each page and left me loving these characters. Beautiful!

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As a lover of WWII historical fiction, I knew this book would be one I connected with. I adored Charlotte's character and the dual timeline. This was a unique and new take on an over-saturated genre.

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A good historical fiction book. Thank you to NetGalley for allowing me to read this book. It didn’t disappoint and I couldn’t put it down.

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A WW2 story with a book store and characters in publishing? Sign me up! PARIS NEVER LEAVES YOU pulled at my heart strings. Charlotte was an extremely emotional character, with her survivor’s guilt and desire to save her child. I felt that the war chapters were, of course, more emotional than the NYC chapters. My only critique was that the New York chapters felt a little lackluster in comparison. Overall, I’d recommend reading this book. It’s an emotional story that you’ll be thinking about.

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Wow how do I put my feelings about what happened in this book into actual sentences that do this book justice.

So many things I will hopefully never have to live through were represented in this book.

I was unsure about the ending but really liked this book and what the love of a mother will do and overcome to protect their child.

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