Hannah Bond fled Florida for a quiet life without her mother, Marla. Marla is unstable at best and an alcoholic to boot. Her specialty is choosing good for nothing men. Well, he was good at the black eye part. So Hannah has fled to London to lead Jane Austen tours through the countryside. And she loves it.

Marla is about to shake up Hannah’s quiet world. Since Hannah isn’t answering her calls, she shows up in London at Hannah’s flat. She is here to solve a mystery and she needs Hannah’s help. Hannah isn’t too keen on anything to do with her mother. But Hannah is a bookworm and we can’t run from a good adventure. Marla has a key and a deed to a Paris apartment.

There are also old newspaper clippings about the death of Andres Armand. A famous writer who great-grandma Ivy seems to know a lot about. The two of them set off for Paris to find a perfectly preserved apartment that hasn’t been entered since 1940.

These are the things I dream of. A mysterious key, a secret Paris apartment, and lots of nude paintings of Granny Ivy.

They are keeping the apartment, no matter what.

Hannah and Marla are not close at all. Hannah resents her mother for not being there for her and Marla comes with baggage and lots of sketchy behavior. Is she drinking again? Can Hannah trust her?

All I had to see was “a secret apartment from 1940” and I was hooked. This was such a good look at mother and daughter dynamics. And the secrets. The half-truths and the misunderstandings. But there is always a chance at forgiveness and acceptance.

What a lovely story.

NetGalley/April 13th, 2021 by Gallery Books

Another solid read. A bit lighter than my usual reads but still very enjoyable with Paris, a hidden past, and a difficult mother-daughter relationship to resolve, this novel kept me reading and involved. It might be helpful to jot down relationships between the great grandma, grandma, and mother as I had to go back after finishing the book to answer a few niggling questions I had about them. Again, lots of coincidences but logical ones, except for Aidan's initial meeting with Hannah which seemed a bit forced. Loved the fact that Hannah led tours in London area centered on Jane Austen. I would have loved to take one of her tours as they sounded wonderful! Even better, I'd sign up in an instant for one of Hannah's Paris. This book would be especially for readers who have experienced London and Paris as it brings back fond memories, but it could also pique an interest in visiting these two cities once COVID is gone!

You had me at Paris. Anytime there is a book about Paris I am immediately intrigued. There truly is something so magical about the city. Add in a multigenerational story and I am hooked. Hannah and her mom, Marla, are very different – Marla tends to live carefree while Hannah is the responsible one. While cleaning out Marla’s mom’s house they find out that they have also inherited Marla’s grandma – Ivy’s apartment in Paris which has not been touched since the 1940s. The apartment brings them together as they learn about the adventurous life Ivy led during her time in Paris. Each chapter begins with one of Ivy’s diary entries that will have you dreaming of the glamor Paris in the 1920s. Lost in Paris is a heartwarming story full of mystery, adventure, family drama, history, love, and of course Paris.

A beautiful depiction of love, loss and family heritage with the gorgeous atmosphere of Paris highlighting every aspect. It won't take long for you to be enthralled with the family saga unraveling as a young American living in London is suddenly thrust into an unexpected journey into the past of a loved one when a Paris apartment untouched since 1940 is discovered. In LOST IN PARIS Elizabeth Thompson wraps captivating characters around our heart and takes us on a journey of redemption. I'm not usually a fan of moving back and forth in time from present to past in a book, but Ms. Thompson's voice eloquently weaves an unbroken storyline with a letter from the past at the beginning of each chapter unveiling the next moment they were uncovering in their search. I highly enjoyed every moment of the book!

Hannah is easy to like and sympathize with as we learn the life she has led with a mostly absent mother but a lifelong adoration of the grandmother who raised her.

Marla is extremely tarnished from Hannah's portrayal of her, but as the book develops we watch her try the hardest she ever has to find a place in her daughters life and earn her forgiveness.

I highly recommend this story to anyone who enjoys an emotional plot interwoven with family, friendship and hints of romance.

The whole finding out that you have inherited a hidden apartment in Paris that has been untouched for over 70 years sounds like a dream come true to me! I really enjoyed this book, the storyline, and the characters. And, on a personal note, I also enjoyed the mix of countries and cultures of the characters, as they are the same as my own (born in the UK, grew up in France, currently living in the US). I feel like the author was able to display the characters well without resorting to too many stereotypes.

Hannah Bond works in the UK as a literary tour guide, specializing in Jane Austen. She is quite estranged from her mother Marla, who is an alcoholic and was never around long enough for Hannah to bond with her as she grew up. Hannah’s main mother figure was her grandmother, Marla’s mother, who recently passed away. When Marla suddenly turns up on Hannah’s doorstep with the deed and keys to an apartment in Paris in her hands, the women find themselves thrown together to work out the mystery and possibly find a new normal for them.

This book has a good mix of interesting storylines that keep the reader intrigued, smart, funny, and flawed characters, and also a few little twists along the way to make sure the reader doesn’t sit there smugly thinking they had figured it all out.

There are a few things that may have strayed towards stereotypical casting in my opinion: Marla’s sometimes ridiculous remarks and her brashness, which all screamed “American tourist” at me, but because they are part of her personality they worked, and Gabriel, the French seducer dude, who I feel didn’t really add to the story in any beneficial way. But otherwise I really loved all of the characters AND I adored Ivy’s journal excerpts from the late 1920’s that appear all through the novel, they were a great way to provide the reader with more information without having the main characters explain it all.

This book hit the spot for me: I was really looking for something that would take me away for a few hours, that would make me laugh, cringe a bit, and that would wrap up nicely, and Lost in Paris fit the bill!

Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for the advance copy in exchange for an honest review.


(By the way - the apartment story is actually a real life story, and it’s just as intriguing as the fictional account in this book, look it up!).

Hannah is living in London and is a tour guide with a local company. Her mother, Marla, shows up in London with the deed to an apartment in Paris that belonged to Ivy. Ivy is the great grandmother of Hannah and she knows nothing of this apartment. Mother and daughter, who do not have a good relationship at all. travel to Paris to try to unravel the secrets that this apartment holds.

They find the diaries of Ivy that are dated from 1929-1940. Will these diaries bring answers or more questions?? Will Hannah and Marla be able to work on relating their strained relationship?

This dual timeline story is very interesting and I really enjoyed the story. The diary entries were a very interesting way to write the past narrative.

Thank you to Gallery Books, NetGalley and Elizabeth Thompson for the digital copy of this book for my honest review.

When Hannah's Mom shows up at her apartment in London on New Year's Eve she doesn't trust her intention. But the story she shares leads them to a long empty apartment in Paris and a secret from the past. Can Hannah trust her Mom to stick around and tell the truth? Could unraveling the secret be a new start for them? A story of trust and family and secrets.

Family secrets, lost love, and new beginnings. Come along as Marla and Hannah explore Ivy’s secret past in Paris.

3.5 stars. Touching on mother-daughter relationships, a hidden Parisian apartment, a famous French novelist, life in Paris with expats between the World Wars, and a bit of mystery and romance thrown in here and there, this novel was a very pleasant read. The novel centers on Hannah — whose occupation is giving literary tours; her mother Marla; and memories of Hannah’s great-grandmother Ivy — who unbeknownst to Marla or Hannah had lived in Paris in the 1920s and 30s. As the story progresses, Hannah and Marla each discover more about themselves, their family history, and Paris itself.

Although this book is somewhat lighter of a read than my usual, I definitely enjoyed it. it was a very interesting story with realistic and relatable characters and heartfelt themes. It would make a great read for the the beach or a vacation, especially of you have any affinity for Paris at all.

Hannah has what many of us bibliophiles might consider their dream job; she leads Jane Austen themed tours across England. And then her mother Marla appears at London Heathrow with news that they have inherited an apartment in Paris that has been empty for eighty years.

This book is simply gorgeous. Hannah's great-grandmother's diary entries from the 1920s are beautifully done, clearly demarking the dual timelines.  In Paris, the "Crazy Years" were the late 1920's through the start of the second world war. Parisian expats of the time included Gertrude Stein, Ernest Hemingway, F. Scott Fitzgerald and Zelda, and more. We learn about them both through Great-Grandmother Ivy's diaries and Hannah and Marla's research.

I love historical fiction, and I especially love that this is a period I know less about. The novel incorporates themes of second chances, family, and trust. And there are multiple mysteries to unravel.

Thank you to Gallery Books and NetGalley for this book in exchange for my honest review.

"Lost in Paris", mon dieu, je nais se quois!

Visiting Paris is still on my bucket list and I need a tour agency to follow THIS novel! I am so excited to order this book!

A Paris apartment frozen in time, everything left, just waiting, suspended. The story of this mysterious apartment has been the fodder for numerous books and I've read most of them. Lost in Paris adds yet another dimension to the story and is a terrific read. Hannah and Marla's realtionship improves and Hannah maybe finds a love interest that will work out. I love Hannah's job and how she expands it. I liked the diary entries that allows a glimpse into the past so it can connect with the future.

I always love reading about #Paris and this novel is based on finding an apartment in the city that has remained untouched since before WWII. A mother and daughter must overcome their past differences and distant relationship to figure out what to do with their inherited #timecapsuleapartment. They discover that the owner of the apartment was a friend with #hemingway #fitzgerald and the other #expats who made Paris home in the 20s. A quick ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ read to add to your spring #readinglist. Thanks to @netgalley for this #advancedreaderscopy. The only thing that could have improved the book is to acknowledge the #covidpandemic in the final chapters since that would drastically affect the main character’s tourism business. 📚📚📚 #bookstagram #booklover #netgalleyreads #netgalleyreview #lostinparis

This book was exactly what I needed! Many thanks to Netgalley and the published for the eARC in exchange for my honest review. I had been reading a lot of heavy books lately and this was fast paced, light, but not frivolous. I thought the mother-daughter relationship was explored really well and there was great balance throughout the book as I felt like I wanted both to come out on top - it wasn't an either/or , love/hate situation. The romance was sweet but not the focus, and the getaway to Paris was delightful (especially now)!

Lost in Paris is a wonderful tale of a mother and a daughter with a troubled past, who find their way back to one another through a mysterious inheritance that takes them to Paris. Their lives are turned upside down as they navigate their new inheritance, their relationship, their own new relationships they form, and finding themselves along the way. I loved how this novel returned to the time of WW1 and the roaring 20s with cameos of some of my favorite historical characters, like Zelda and Scott. :) I loved this book from page one and will dive in again! Great job Elizabeth Thompson!

3.5 stars
I love anything with even a passing reference to Ernest Hemingway, so when I saw this from NetGalley I had to have it.
This is a multi-generational story that flips between 1920s and 1930s Paris and 2020 London/Paris. I thought the story itself was really interesting, albeit very predictable. The ending tied up nicely in a little bow. It's not an earth-shattering read, but it's cute.
What keeps me from giving this more stars is, sadly, the main character Hannah. I found her to be immature, irrational, and she bugged the hell out of me as the book went on.
I think this would make a good beach read, and I would recommend it to others as such.

Thank you to NetGalley and Gallery Books for the ARC!

Thank you to Netgalley for this advanced copy! It was so refreshing to enjoy Paris during a time when it wasn’t under attack. With so many WW2 stories, I have come accustomed to visiting Paris during its harder times. Lost in Paris gave me a hopeful & refreshing story to explore the city. I enjoyed the way we connect to Granny Ivy through her witty diary entries. How we learn of who she was during a fundamental part of literature & art history. I would have loved even more from her! Our present day follows an estranged mother & daughter duo as they discover family secrets changing what they thought they knew of their past & each other.
I truly enjoyed getting “Lost in Paris”!

“…Sure, we still have our ups and downs like most mothers and daughters, but the one thing on which we always agree is that getting lost in Paris our first day was the start of not only finding ourselves, but finding our way to each other.”

A mysterious key takes a mother and daughter to Paris to unearth the secrets they never knew existed. The key opens the door to an apartment, frozen in time from the 1940’s. The apartment is the love nest for their great grandma Ivy and her beau Andres Armand.

Together, they begin to retrace a life that was never shared with them from the diaries Ivy leaves behind in the apartment. Why did Ivy go to such great lengths to conceal her time Paris? Who Andres Armand? How did no one know about this apartment for all these years?

Lost is Paris is a heartwarming and charming tale of family, discovering lost love and finding new ways to move forward with forgiveness.

Historical fiction
Women’s fiction
Publication date - April 13, 2021

Thank you NetGalley and Gallery Books / Simon and Schuster for an ARC for an honest review.

Hannah has trust issues stemming from a mother who ignored her, a father she never knew, and a boyfriend who after three years dumped her and became engaged to someone else. She is, however, successful in her work as a literary tour guide. She is content in her London life with two close flatmates and a handsome new man showing interest. Suddenly her life is disrupted by the unexpected appearance of Marla, her free-spirited mother from Florida, with news that they have inherited an apartment in Paris through Hannah’s great-grandmother, Ivy. When they travel to Paris to inspect their legacy, they enter an artistic world and “meet” a relative they never truly knew through diaries found in the abandoned apartment. Elizabeth Thompson allows her characters to explore a forgotten Paris that provides opportunities for both women, involving major changes. Will the rift between these two women be healed? Will the secrets of their past harm or help their reconciliation and their futures?

An interesting coming of age novel. As I was of similar age as the main character in that time period, I enjoyed seeing her growth and development over that summer. I did find her a little more naive than was necessary realistic for someone her age. And the end wrapped up a little neater than I would have expected - but overall an enjoyable read.