While I typically adore historical fiction and was actually anticipating reading this novel when I got approved for an eARC on Netgalley, I have to say that it fell a bit flat for me. I don't know if it's because I have been reading a variety of other genres prior to coming back to the infamous historical fiction but The Black Swan of Paris didn't seem to have the ability to captivate me towards its characters or story development. I often found myself simply reading the words on the page without feeling engaged in what happens next in the plot. While it did start to pick up almost half way in the novel, it still did not have the engaging qualities like Ruta Sepetys or Daisy Goodwin's works. In the end, this novel was just not for me.

eARC kindly provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you!

this was a really enjoyable read, the characters were great and I really enjoyed the time period for the story. I was interested when reading it the whole time. I look forward to more from the author.

Fans of  Kate Quinn’s “The Alice Network” and Pam Jenoff’s “The Lost Girls of Paris” will love Karen Robards’ latest novel, “The Black Swan of Paris.”

Paris 1944.  The French Resistance is in crisis. One of its leaders, Baron Paul de Rocheford is dead following an air raid and his wife, Lillian, has been captured and sent to Germany. The Nazis are certain that Lillian knows the exact time and date of the upcoming Allied Invasion and will stop at nothing to get the information out of her.

British officer Max Ryan has been given the assignment to rescue Lillian…or kill her if a rescue cannot be carried out. No matter what, Lillian cannot give the information to the Nazis or the world is doomed.

Max is working undercover as the show business manager of Genevieve Dumont, the singing toast of Europe.  The Nazis adore Genevieve. But what no one, not even Max, knows who Genevieve’s people are as she has been estranged from them for a dozen years. Genevieve is the daughter of Paul and Lillian de Rocheford, and she may not have had contact with them, she cannot allow the Nazis to have their way with her mother.

Genevieve reaches out to the Resistance, and she joins their efforts without Max’s knowledge. The Resistance puts Genevieve in contact with her sister, Emmy, and the two plot on how to free their mother.

The first half of the novel didn’t flow as fast as I had wanted it to, but something told me to keep reading.  And I’m glad I did!  The second half ripped and roared to a stunning conclusion. Therefore,  “The Black Swan of Paris” receives 4 out of 5 stars in Julie’s world.

This is my first book by Karen Robards, and I think it will not be the last.  Among the different historical fiction novels I have read set during WWII, this is definitely one my favorites.  Geneveive Dumont, a famous singer in Paris during the German occupation, is in a unique position to spy and help the Resistance.  Although she has everything she could possibly need, and more, she is not oblivious to the losses, hunger, and hardships of her people. The author gives vivid descriptions of what the situation is for common people and also for the Germans who live a privileged life.  She does not spare us from raw descriptions of the tortures lived by some, and the mental stress coming from not knowing whom to trust.  Robards also allows the reader to see love, forgiveness, redemption.  With personal traumas of her own and the fear that becomes a constant companion, Genevieve will not give up in her mission to help the Resistance.  As she goes through different emotions, we see her healing process and her personal struggles with love and family.   A wonderful book, no doubt! For fans of WWII historical fiction, this is a must-read.

I am a huge fan of historical fiction and, wwii in particular. I end up reading a lot of books set in this period, probably because there are so many of them. 

The Black Swan of Paris brings Karen Robards particular brand of romantic suspense to the historical fiction genre resulting in a fantastic novel.

There were spies, gory torture scenes, villains, and a romantic subplot that managed to move the story without overwhelming the action. Perfectly well rounded and gripping, The Black Swan of Paris is suspenseful historical fiction novel that doesn’t shy aware from the harsh realities of surviving Nazi occupation.

 Would definitely recommend.

The Black Swan of Paris by Karen Robards is an exciting adventure. One full of danger, risks, and loss. I got to travel back in to troubling times with Hitler's reign over some European countries. Nazis were everywhere. As the heroes, the Allied Forces, were getting closer, more people were taken prisoner. Some were killed and some were imprisoned. Many died and starved to death. Everyone was in danger. Neighbors and friends would turn on each other. I felt the character's fears. The pain at what was happening and not doing enough to help...the risks were high. Family meant everything. The routes the character would go to save her family and innocent lives were amazing. Karen Robards is a talented writer. Her books are well-written. The suspense is felt on every page. Action-packed and emotionally charged-this novel is a must read for all.

While I normally love historical fiction, this one just didn't work for me. I wasn't sucked in from the beginning. I appreciate being part of the excerpt tour because I know lots of people will love this one.

I love WWII historical fiction, but sadly this one fell a bit flat for me.  I would say 2 1/2 stars.  I found the writing to be a little silly at times, and the storyline felt rushed and uneventful at the same time.  The ending was a bit too "wrapped up" for me, and I did not cry as I generally do reading fiction from this era.

Genevieve Dumont is a famous singer in Paris, known as the Black Swan. While she performs for Nazis at night, she works with the Resistance during the day with her manager, Max. Genevieve’s estranged mother, Lillian de Rocheford, is captured by Nazis. Lillian has information on an invasion, so they plan to torture her until she tells and then kill her. Genevieve has to use her secret contacts to find her mother in time.

This story was so suspenseful. There were many twists. I became invested in the story very quickly because it was so detailed. It wasn’t clear at first how Lillian and Genevieve were related, but it was revealed a few chapters in. There were some details about their relationship that weren’t revealed until later in the book, which kept me guessing throughout my reading.

I find the stories of spies during the war so fascinating. They had to use subtle ways to communicate, so as not to be noticed by the enemy, yet they were often found out. Without technology they had to rely on small scraps of paper and nicknames. It’s amazing the way the espionage worked back then.

This story was a tearjerker. The setting of World War II gave the story a dark atmosphere. Even without the war, Genevieve had a heartbreaking past. The story was upsetting at times, but so good.

This is such a great story!

Thank you HarperCollins for providing a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

4.5 Stars

Brilliantly atmospheric, wonderfully layered and beautifully written, The Black Swan of Paris is a superb historical novel from Karen Robards’ immensely talented pen.

Genevieve Dumont is a popular singer in Paris who enjoys unparalleled popularity – particularly with the Nazis. However, Genevieve is not just another vapid starlet with her eye on the main chance, but a woman with a shocking secret that if discovered could have dangerous consequences for her and the people she loves. Genevieve is not just a talented singer, but she uses her position of privilege to go undetected as an ally for the Resistance. Genevieve’s completely dedicated to the cause and she refuses to let anything get in the way of her beliefs and her support for the Resistance. However, when things end up getting very personal for Genevieve, she realizes that she must keep her cool and use every single reserve of courage and bravery for a mission that could well end up costing her everything…

Genevieve’s estranged mother Lillian de Rocheford has been captured by the Nazis and knowing about their barbaric and cruel means of extracting information, Genevieve knows that her mother’s torture at the hands of the Gestapo will end up derailing the upcoming Allied invasion. Learning of the Resistance’s mission to silence her mother by any means necessary, a determined Genevieve vows not to let Lilian be another casualty of this war. Enlisting the help of her long-lost sister, Genevieve sets about trying to rescue her mother from certain death in a race against time where the stakes have never been higher.

In her most dangerous mission yet, will Genevieve manage to save her mother? Or will she end up walking straight into the lion’s den?

Known primarily for her romantic suspense novels, Karen Robards adds another feather to her very accomplished hat with The Black Swan of Paris. A captivating, emotional and intriguing historical tale of courage, loyalty and betrayal, The Black Swan of Paris simmers with danger, subterfuge, jeopardy and desire and will hold readers in thrall from beginning to end.

A heart-breaking, poignant and skilfully written historical novel that is impossible to forget, The Black Swan of Paris is a dazzling page-turner by Karen Robards.

What a fantastic story!! Karen Robards has created a world filled with espionage, love, family, war, and singing that is just amazing. I absolutely LOVED The Black Swan Of Paris - it was such a thrilling and entertaining read. I was gripped from the start and could/would not put the book down for anything. It was just soooo good!!

Its WWII.  Genevieve is a singer beloved by the Nazis.  This means she can pretty much go about as she pleases and can perform anywhere.  She loathes the Nazis, but needs must during war times prevents her from expressing her true feelings. Instead she hides her real identity from everyone and keeps on singing. Her manager is named Max and he's also keeping secrets.  The two are a formidable pair who keep things strictly business in order to keep on performing and surviving.  Estranged from her family, Genevieve has no idea how they are faring during WWII.  Turns out, her parents are involved with the Resistance and her mother has been taken. She's being tortured for information and once they get what they want from her she will be executed. Genevieve gets in touch with her sister and formulates a plan to help their mother escape from the Nazis. Its dangerous, smart, and must be put into action immediately.  The only catch is, who can Genevieve really trust in these times?

Talk about a thrilling and captivating read! I found myself in deep and unable to stop reading late into the night. I just had to find out what would happen next. Would they succeed with their plan? Would Genevieve's mom survive? Would Genevieve survive? What about Max? So many questions and thoughts throughout this engrossing and exciting story!

The Black Swan of Paris is the first historical fiction book from this prolific author of women's fiction.  This was such a fantastic book that I hope she has plans to write more historical fiction in the future.

It's 1944 and Genevieve Dumont is a popular singer in Paris known by all as the Black Swan and is loved by the German soldiers who have taken over the city.  Even though the people of Paris are starving, the German hierarchy lived well and enjoyed the good life.   Max, her manager, is part of the resistance and uses Genevieve to gather information and send messages.  Her work goes undetected because she is the toast of the town and able to travel all over Europe to sing.  She's estranged from her mother and sister but when she finds out that her mother, a major member of the Resistance, has been arrested and is being tortured for information, she knows that she must reunite with her sister to save their mother.  Will she be able to remain safe while she helps her mother survive?

This is a well researched novel about the war in France.  It's a book about family and forgiveness along with a bit of romance during a tumultuous time in history.

WWII espionage thriller revolves around Genevieve Dumont, who was singing for her supper in Morocco, and Max Bonet, a piano player in the  club scene, who unbeknownst to Genevieve, was running a spy cell for the Allies.  After their meeting,  Max became her manager,  promoting her shows on the continent to insure she becomes the favorite entertainer of the Nazis, which she did.  Since she was requested to perform throughout occupied Europe, Max, as her agent, accompanied her and was free to travel easily from city to city, without suspicion. Completing the entourage are Otto, the chauffeur, and Berthe, Genevieve's personal maid.  As they travel across Europe, under the guise of Genevieve's performance schedule, Max completes his missions as a spy for the Allies.  Initially Genevieve acts a bit self centered and temperamental, while Max presents as brusk and coldhearted, but as their backstories unfold, their behaviors become credible.  Characters, and there are many, have distinct personalities and motivations, which make the reader care whether they live or die, and they are imbedded into the intense historical events leading up to to D-Day. Filled with suspense because it is a spy story, violence because the SS is involved, romance because Genevieve and Max come to terms with one another, and history because it is historical fiction. This book will keep you turning pages until the end.

Wow! What a read! Set in WWII Paris, a story about how far we will go to save the people we love most. Loved this one. 


Many thanks to NetGalley, the publisher, and the author for my ARC. All opinions are my own.

It is a story about world  war 2 and a family  involved in the French Resistance. It pulls at your heart strings the things two daughters do to help their mother escape from prison.. it is well written by an author I enjoy very much

This book was received as an ARC from HARLEQUIN – Trade Publishing - MIRA in exchange for an honest review. Opinions and thoughts expressed in this review are completely my own.

I was waiting for a book this informative, historical, and intense to be released and with two WOMEN protagonists, I could not be happier. The strength Genevieve showed when it came to rescuing her mother from the Nazis and the brutality she took through it all was such a wonderful demonstration of strength not only physically but emotionally since the Nazis are willing to do whatever it took to silence her of the information including killing her.  Genevieve must use her power of invisibility to save her mother and her life or all will come to an end. My mouth dropped open so many times that I lost count through it all. I know our community will be dying to read this book and a lot will be taken from the story.

We will consider adding this title to our Historical Fiction collection at our library. That is why we give this book 5 stars.

Against the backdrop of one of the most horrifying times in our history, Genevieve Dumont is part of the Resistance in Paris during the Nazi occupation.  As a talented singer, she is given access that is limited to most non-Germans, which her manager and fellow resistance fighter, Max, takes full advantage of while executing their plans.  The action is fast paced, and the reality of the tortures and horrors of the Nazi era are not skimmed over lightly.  I recommend this book to lovers of historical fiction, with string stomachs.  Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC.

I’m thrilled to be part of the Harlequin Summer Reads blog tour for The Black Swan of Paris by Karen Robards. This was a riveting read of WWII Resistance, centering on two main characters, mother and daughter Lillian and Genevieve. Living in France, both of them were pulled into anti-Nazi activities, risking and often losing much of what they held dear. I couldn’t put it down! Ms. Robards is a new author to me, but I loved her writing and will look for her other novels.

Rife with tension, heartache, and hope

I would like to thank Karen Robards, Harlequin MIRA, and NetGalley for allowing me to read a free ARC in exchange for an honest review. Also thanks to Justine Sha for inviting me to participate in the blog tour.

Don’t take my 4-star rating to heart; I wasn’t the ideal audience for this type of book. I wanted to read this because it was written by Karen Robards, a romance author I’ve often enjoyed, not because it’s WWII historical fiction. I usually don’t read much pertaining to WWII, or wars in general, really. Not my thing. So it’s not surprising that I skimmed if not completely skipped pages containing exposition describing the war and Occupied Paris; I cared about the characters—always my favorite story element—and needed action to hold my mite-sized attention, so I swiped and swiped until I found dialogue, then tuned back in. Robards’s research was largely wasted on me, unfortunately.

That’s not to say the narrative was boring or held too much exposition; it struck me as well-paced and having a good balance of “show” vs. “tell.” I simply wasn’t interested in what I was being “told” about the war. Nope, as usual, my ears didn’t prick up until the romance came more into focus and got more screen time, around 50-60%.

I wasn’t sure if I liked Max or not until it became clear that he wasn’t as emotionally removed or indifferent as he put on, and that the discord between him and Genevieve was perpetuated for their own protection more than an honest dislike of each other. Once I figured him out, I loved him. I liked Genevieve; she was compassionate and more or less relatable, though I’m not sure there was anything particularly charismatic about her. Lillian and Emmy were meh, okay; I sympathized with their grief and regrets, but I’m not sure I cared about them much. I think I mostly cared about them because Genevieve did. Strangely, I think I cared about Berthe and Otto a little more than Lillian and Emmy.

So yeah. It was fine. *shrugs* I liked it well enough, and it was well written as far as I could tell, but I don’t plan to revisit it. I do recommend it to those who love WWII historical fiction, but I caution Robards fans looking for romance—you may be disappointed, unless you’re also a fan of historical fiction with little to no romance. Maybe get it from the library first, see if you can get into it.

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Paris 1944 - war, espionage, family, personal and community losses, danger, and a love story. The Black Swan of Paris by Karen Robards. has so many elements of a great read. I could do without the graphic descriptions of torture, but overall, the book does a wonderful job of finding a balance between the different elements of the book. That, for me, has to do with creating a strong, believable main character in Genevieve. 

Read my complete review at http://www.memoriesfrombooks.com/2020/04/the-black-swan-of-paris.html 

Reviewed for NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing Summer 2020 Historical Fiction Blog Tours.