4.5 - This was another REALLY great dual timeline WWII historical fiction with strong women characters working undercover for the French Resistance in Paris and I LOVED it! Lia inherits her grandmother's Paris apartment in the present (2017) and discovers it is full of priceless paintings and other valuable items but was she a Nazi collaborator or was there some other explanation?? Then of course we learn more about Lia's grandmother Elise and her activities during the war, as well as a Polish expat, Sophie (whose story was honestly my favorite). Sophie loses her husband early in the war and vows to make his death count. Filled with romance and heartbreak and women doing amazingly courageous work, this book is a must read for fans of the genre. Highly recommended for fans of The Black Swan of Paris, The Paris secret or The lost girls of Paris. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for my advance review copy.

A MUST READ!! I just couldn't put it down! I don't normally read anything that is later than 1900, but I love Kelly's other historicals and when I read the synopsis on this it intrigued me. I started it during my lunch break and couldn't wait to get back to it that night. Then I stayed up way too late to finish it. OMG! My emotions were all over the place. Plenty of 😭 going on and well as 🥰 . You NEED to pick this one up!!

Loved the empowered women this book portrays. It was a beautiful and compelling story that examined the lives and legacies of women saboteurs in WWII Paris.

I really enjoyed this book - I am a big fan of multi time line WWII stores, and this book had just that! The characters were entertaining and the story line definitely kept me reading. I would highly recommend this book to fans of WWII fiction.

Perfect for fans of Natasha Lester. Bowen deftly weaves back and forth between the present and WWII timelines. This book is one of my 2021 favorites.

I thoroughly enjoyed reading The Paris Apartment, a dual timeline historical fiction. In the novel, Bowen has Aurelia in 2017, inherit her grandmother's Paris apartment. that has been vacant since 1945. Aurelia's first impression looking around, it appeared to her that her grandmother Estelle was a nazi collaborator, especially because the apartment was filled with art work. Aurelia gets a hold of an art evaluator, Gabriel, to look into the history behind these paintings. The story then flashes back to 1942, with the occupation of Paris by the Nazis. In this storyline, Estelle, Aurelia's grandemére is involved in the resistance. The stories alternate, and gradually a connection between Gabriel's family and Aurelia's family is uncovered.


Bowen bases the novel on the heroic women who worked for the SOE in Britain. These women were intricately involved in the rescue of downed allied forces airmen, helping them to return to England. In addition, any little crumbs they could obtain from the Bosch (behind the enemy lines in Paris) and transmitted by code through radio operators was extremely helpful in turning the tide of the war.

I always enjoy reading historical fiction WW2 novels, (there are many out there it is always difficult to choose which to read). Kelly Bowen's The Paris Apartment kept me turning the pages. I was also surprised to discover that Kelly Bowen is #Canadian. I love discovering Canadian authors!

Thank you #netgalley and @grandcentralpublishing for the e-ARC of #theparisapartment by @kellybowen. It was a pleasure to read. #5stars

The Paris Apartment by Kelly Bowen
In 2017, Aurelia is cleaning out her recently deceased grandmothers apartment. She finds a dramatic portrait of an angry woman which is as disturbing as it is confusing. While trying to discover the identity of the woman, Aurelia uncovers the well kept secret of her grandmother's participation during World War II.
A dual story taking place in both 2017 and 1943, this book is rich in historical fact, told from a woman's point of view.
A very compelling book, which I found hard to put down.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for allowing me to read this book in exchange for an honest review.

I love historical fiction, and I really enjoyed reading this story. I was hooked from the very beginning. So heart wrenching and uplifting at the same time.

The Paris Apartment is a split-timeline narrative, alternating between 2017 and the 1940s. In 2017, Aurelia inherits her grandmother’s apartment in Paris and discovers a bevy of beautiful paintings. She hires Gabriel, and art restorer, to help her try to identify the art and figure out if it was stolen during World War II, as she fears. Aurelia grapples with everything she didn’t know about her grandmother’s life as the past slowly comes into focus through artifacts scattered through the apartment.
The World War II excerpts tell the story of Estelle and Sophie, two daring and intelligent women doing their part to spy on members of the Nazi party. Their friendship and experiences of loss and bravery were beautifully crafted, intriguing, and heartbreaking. I found these sections of the book far more captivating than the modern storyline. The details of what they went through to try to make a difference in the war effort were thrilling and painfully believable in their detail.
The burgeoning romance between Aurelia and Gabriel seemed largely unnecessary and there wasn’t enough detail given to them to make it seem realistic. If the book was meant to be a romance, this needed to be fleshed out more fully, instead of rushed, however, I think the narrative would have been just as powerful stripped entirely of their romance.

Thank you to Grand Central, Forever, NetGalley, and Kelly Bowen for the gifted copy of this book! All opinions in this review are my own.

In The Paris Apartment, three women's lives are woven together. In 2017, Lia is left a small painting of a house and an abandoned apartment when her grandmother passes away. When Lia first steps inside, she finds a stack of Nazi magazines and piles of famous artwork. Lia doesn't want to believe that her grandmother was a Nazi sympathizer, but she needs to uncover the truth behind this apartment and the artwork inside.

The other two women's stories are set in the 1940s. Estelle and Sophie are motivated to do anything they can to fight back against the Nazis when they takeover their homes.

I loved this book! I know there are so many historical fiction books set during World War II, but this one is phenomenal! The Paris Apartment beautifully weaves these three women's stories together which culminates in a heart-wrenching scene at the end. The modern day storyline added mystery to a historical fiction novel and I loved how they were able to all connect in the end.

If you are a fan of historical fiction, I highly encourage you to pick this one up!

Kelly Bowen is one of my favorite historical romance authors. This was a departure from the books she has written in the past. This story, about a woman who inherits a Parisian apartment undisturbed since WWII is told in two different timelines as Lia looks looks into the mysteries surrounding her great-grandmother. I dont want to give too much away but this book hooked me from the beginning and wouldn't let me go. I highly recommend and cant wait for more people to enjoy this beautifully written book.

I'm always attracted to books set during WW2. I think it's because it was such a terrible period for humanity but despite it all, there were always people fighting for freedom and justice. So much courage!

As soon as I saw The Paris Apartment, I knew I wanted to read it.

Lia's grandmother has passed away and she has left her an apartment in Paris. An apartment no one knew she had!

When Lia opens the door to the apartment, the only way to describe it would be a time capsule from the 1940s. The walls are filled with paintings that probably cost a fortune. The closet is filled with couture garments but the most shocking thing is the nazi propaganda left behind. Lia wonders if her grandmother was a nazi collaborator.

Lia is determined to find out more. She will go in search of true ownership of the paintings and she will enlist the help of Gabriel, an art appraiser.

Estelle is Lia's grandmother. Her story will be told in the 1940s. During those chapters, we learned what Estelle was really doing during the Nazi occupation of France, her visits to the Ritz, and her relationship with Sophie, a woman who looks like an ice princess and whose sole purpose left in life is to help bring the nazis down.

The Paris Apartment is a satisfying story of determination and strength. The dual timelines worked very well in this novel. Both were engaging although, Estelle's was way more unnerving for me despite knowing she lived a long life.

Cliffhanger: No

4/5 Fangs

A complimentary copy was provided by Forever via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you Netgalley and Forever Publishing for the chance to read The Paris apartment by Kelly Bowen.
When a woman inherits a Parisian apartment undisturbed since WWII, she discovers that it may hold the key to unraveling her cold and distant great-grandmother's secret life -- a past of sacrifice during a mission to protect those she loved. This wonderful story is told through two timelines; Lia as she delves into the mystery of her grandmother through the apartment in Paris she inherited and from Estelle and Sophie in 1943. These two women both strong and courageous, fought to save as many people as they could no matter the consequences. I also enjoyed Lia's relationship with Gabriel, who she meets, when she tries to find out more about the paintings hidden in her grandmother's apartment, I highly recommend this book!

Is this an apartment or a museum? This was the question Aurelia asked in the summer of 2017, as she entered the recently inherited property that her grandmother had occupied in Paris over seventy years ago- completely unbeknownst to her. A secret of such magnitude! After wandering through extravagantly furnished rooms filled with paintings by world renowned artists, discovering a closet packed with shoes, gowns and furs plus a wardrobe that protected exquisitely embroidered silks and satin couture dresses, Lia was astounded to stumble upon photos from German officer, Hermann Goring! “Lia” comes to the nauseating conclusion that her grandmother was a Nazi collaborator.
Just as artists layer paintings with texture and color, Kelly Bowen deftly builds an artistic dual timeline. Underneath the canvas of 2017, lie layers of a1940’s war landscape painted over with battle-weary soldiers and newly widowed Sophie Kowalski in the foreground. Bowen’s scene is blended with scared, hungry Jews, Rachel and three-year-old, Aviva, aside gorgeous Parisian socialite, Estelle Allard, huddling on the horizon. To complete the picture Bowen slaps a jarring slash of red and black as the Germans flaunt the Nazi flag over the Ritz Hotel. The mystery of Lia’s newly acquired apartment filled with a magnificent art collection, couture gowns, and secret identities unfolds in hidden images blurred by Bletchley Park codes and the Millbrook Hall ancestral estate, but is finally illuminated by Gabriel, an art appraiser and restoration expert.
Readers and lovers of art will lament with Estelle, “How much history will a family or a country lose when they lose the things that unite them? That tell the stories of their pasts?” Kelly Bowen’s The Paris Apartment is “captivating and moving-” a dazzling chandelier for the eyes while piercing the heart.

The Paris Apartment tells the story of four different characters, in the present and in the past: Estelle and Sophie in occupied France (mostly) and Lia and Gabriel in the present day 2017). It tells the story of people who helped in the best way they can, of people who did their best to survive and to help others survive. It tells a story of strength and resilience and about hope and light in the middle of darkness.
The story was deeply interesting and heartbreaking at times, the characters were complex and strong and I enjoyed reading about the art. I liked that it has a bit of mystery in the story, and just a dash of romance, that made it unique too.
I enjoyed the book and I am certainly captivated by Bowen’s writing style, I will definitely keep an eye on her work.

Moving historical fiction that will keep you turning page after page. Good character development that makes you relate to the issues faced.

My advice to readers: If you begin Kelly Bowen's The Paris Apartment early in the day, be prepared to toss your to-do list out the window. Start it in the evening? You'll be up all night. And when I say all night, I mean all night. I tried putting this book down at midnight, at 1:00 AM, and again at 2:AM. These compelling characters absolutely refused to allow me to stop reading until they had shared their entire perilous journey. I turned the final page at 4:00 AM, in awe of the courage of these brave souls who placed their lives on the line day after day to gather information, protect the wounded, hide the persecuted, and aid the Allies in the fight against the Nazi regime.

Dual timelines don't always work for me but Bowen's transition from present to past and back to present is seamless, enhancing the overall story. Both timelines are anchored by strong, compelling, and intriguing women. I was emotionally invested in all three of them: Estelle and Sophie in the past and Lia in the present. I loved how Bowen weaved their stories together while also giving each a complete story arc of her own. By the end of the book, I felt as if I knew each of them intimately, as if they were my friends. I had shared heartbreak, fear, rage, hope, despair, love, and joy with all of them, especially Estelle and Sophie. I knew I would not soon forget them.

Bowen also brings the city of Paris to life in this book, especially the Paris that was occupied by the Nazis. She creates an immersive experience that places the reader in the setting, allowing all the emotions of that dangerous time to flow through me as though I was walking those streets alongside her characters. There are so many small, but important, details that expand the reading experience. I loved all the information about art, couture fashion, architecture, and history. It's clear this book was impeccably and thoroughly researched.

And then there are the secondary characters, some with minor roles, others with substantial impact, like Gabriel. I really enjoyed his storyline with Lia, how they both connected to the events - and characters - of the past and to one another, the impact those past events had on their lives today, and their potential for a shared future. The entire group of secondary characters contribute to the overall impact of this story. Even those with only a paragraph or two have significance, a purpose. Some of those characters are heartbreaking, some offer lightness and humor, some are chilling in their evil supremacy and careless disregard for human life, while others remind us not to give up hope, to keep fighting for what is right and just. Bowen's ability to create well-developed, realistic characters who elicit a vast range of emotions in readers is one of her best skills and a key facet of this novel. It isn't only the main characters that I will have a hard time forgetting.

The Paris Apartment is one of the most compelling and unforgettable WWII historical fiction novels I've read. I highly recommend it.

Top Dish - 5 Star Review

*ARC received for fair and unbiased review.
*Print copy also purchased for my keeper shelf.

I know that I can't base my love for Paris on the 2 years of French that I took in high school. However, my love for Historical Fiction and France made this a must read for me. Well, that and the author Kelly Bowen. Buy this book, you won't be disappointed!

Lia is surprised when her grandmother, Estelle Allard, leaves her an apartment in Paris after her death. Lia wasn’t aware that she even owned a Paris apartment. Estelle was always private and reserved but what Lia finds in the apartment makes her pause. There is tons of artwork, fancy dresses and apparent ties to the Nazis. She hires Gabriel, an art expert, to help her with identifying the art and they begin to unravel the history of the apartment and how it bonds their families.

This is told in alternating timelines with different POVs and it was well executed. I loved the brave females in this story and am always awed at how people helped each other during WWII. It’s a beautiful, tragic, well researched, and spellbinding work of historical fiction.

Thanks to @netgalley and the publisher for an arc for an honest review.

If you asked me what I like to read about in World War II era historical fiction novels I would answer: Bletchley Park, the Special Operations Executive, and stolen art being returned to the rightful owners. The Paris Apartment included ALL THREE. I was in book heaven as I read Kelly Bowen's latest novel and was completely swept up in the story she told.

Here's the book's description:
2017, London: When Aurelia Leclaire inherits an opulent Paris apartment, she is shocked to discover her grandmother’s hidden secrets—including a treasure trove of famous art and couture gowns. One obscure painting leads her to Gabriel Seymour, a highly respected art restorer with his own mysterious past. Together they attempt to uncover the truths concealed within the apartment’s walls.
Paris, 1942: The Germans may occupy the City of Lights, but glamorous Estelle Allard flourishes in a world separate from the hardships of war. Yet when the Nazis come for her friends, Estelle doesn’t hesitate to help those she holds dear, no matter the cost. As she works against the forces intent on destroying her loved ones, she can’t know that her actions will have ramifications for generations to come.
Set seventy-five years apart, against a perilous and a prosperous Paris, both Estelle and Lia must unearth hidden courage as they navigate the dangers of a changing world, altering history—and their family’s futures—forever.
The synopsis doesn't fully cover all that this book is. You're drawn in at first with the mystery of the untouched apartment but there are many, many layers to that apartment and the lives it touched. It's hard to get into most of it because Bowen has weaved a story rich in history (as well as family secrets) and I don't want to give anything away. I'd rather you enjoy the reveals as I did.

There were four different perspectives in this novel which, for the most part, worked really well. I was most drawn to Estelle's storyline and it seemed to me like the others were just supporting characters, even though they were all important to the overall story. Estelle's timeline features Sophie and the actions of the two women were inspiring. I'm glad novels and movies are starting to showcase more of brave acts women did during WWII because a lot seems to be unknown about the female spies and resistance fighters. Estelle's granddaughter, Lia, and Gabriel, the art restorer she contacts, both tell the "present day" storyline. I use quotes because we'll find more and more that the present day is actually a few years ago, 2017 in this instance. This is because those who were adults during WWII are dying and soon there will be no one alive who fought in the war. So much information, such as what surrounds Bletchley Park and the SOE, is only just starting to come to light and I'm sure we're never going to be able to have a full picture. There are still lots of first person accounts that a lot of novelists reference so I think I'm going to have to dive into the non-fiction realm soon to get some more information myself.

I found there were a few instances where there was some Big Reveal - perhaps about a character's true intentions or how they were connected to the full storyline - that didn't have as much of an impact as I would have thought. Perhaps because I expected the revelations? Saw them coming? I didn't need them to be super obvious but sometimes it seemed like Bowen dropped in some information and then swiftly moved onto something else before fully explaining the importance of said information.

For anyone keeping track, this is my third "The Paris Something" novel I've read in the last few months. First I read The Paris Secret (review here), which I adored. Then it was The Paris Library (review here). All three were set during WWII and they all had dual timelines and multiple characters. Two took place in Occupied Paris and two had SOE spies. I've never been to Paris in person but thank goodness for books like this that still capture the magic of the city even during times of war.

This was Bowen's first foray into dramatic historical fiction, having written numerous historical romances in the past. I'm really looking forward to the next drama she writes and will definitely be looking into her romances, too.

I was totally captivated by Kelly Bowen's novel The Paris Apartment. Not only was the historical aspect incredibly fascinating, but the characters and their motivations were incredible and awe-inspiring. This novel is a must read for historical fiction fans.

*An egalley of this novels was provided by the Canadian distributor, HBG Canada, via NetGalley in exchange for review consideration. All opinions are honest and my own.*