It was absolutely exquisite. This book is a mosaic of 2 stories of characters in dual timelines, living in Casablanca, woven seamlessly together. One story is set during WWII, and the other in modern day 2010. When Zoe comes to Casablanca in 2010, she discovers a box and journal beneath the floorboards of her new home. It is through her reading of that journal that we learn Josie’s story of her time in Casablanca. As their lives unfold through the pages of this book you are transported to a multi-cultured world of colors and heat, sights and smells, sounds and textures, love and fear, heartbreak and healing, hope and friendship. The imagery is breathtaking. The telling of the stories in the ways of various cultures is mesmerizing: reading books, oral tradition, dreams, art and fabric. I found the tradition of telling a story through quilting to be particularly poignant. This book, with its beautiful cover, was so much more than I expected. The characters are people I am not yet ready to let go of. I highly recommend this novel.

I enjoyed this story but, at times it was a little slow. I liked the setting of the story and the dual time-line but, the characters annoyed me. Some were so weak and others too controlling. This is my first book by Fiona and I will try another one of hers in the future as she has a good reputation. My thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for giving me the opportunity to read this book in return for an honest review.

I have not read anything by this author in the past, but I will in the future. I could not put this book down. There are so many books now set in WWII, but the setting in Morocco is unique and historically informative. The characters were well-drawn and the plot had everything: friendships, sorrow, fear, love, a bit of mystery and magical storytelling.

I must confess to being disappointed by this book. Having read and given a 5 star review to The Skylark’s Secret by Fiona Valpy, I was so pleased to be approved for this book. But sadly it does not live up to the standard of that book
Casablanca really is the star of this story, particularly as described in 1940s, during WW2. The descriptions are wonderful, so vivid and compelling , of the sights, sounds and smells of this city.
Zoe, the main character whose story is set in 2010, is somewhat two dimensional. I got very little sense of her as a personality, which is surprising, as strong characterisation is a stand-out feature in the author’s previous book which I read. It takes a long time to discover what the problem is between Zoe and her husband Tom, though it’s evident that she has some mental health issues. Zoe’s story just comes across as very flat and uninvolving.
Josie’s journal, a young girl who lived in the house during the war years, which Zoe has discovered beneath the floorboards, is by contrast, lively, interesting, eventful, and full of colour.
I am not convinced that such a young girl would be able to write so eloquently, but possibly the education system she had been through was exceptional, and she was clearly well educated.
The dual timeline works well, which seems to be this author’s style of writing. I just wish Zoe’s story had been more interesting.
My thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for my advance copy of this title.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️- {THE STORYTELLER OF CASABLANCA - Fiona Valpy}

Young Josie and her family have fled France due to Nazi occupation and have made their way to Casablanca to await safe travel to America. They are wealthy enough to be able to stay in a beautiful home and enjoy some of the finer things the city’s rich culture has to offer. But there is still danger lurking in the shadows for her Jewish family as German soldiers slowly start making their presence known and the anxieties of applying and waiting for their paperwork to go through causes uneasiness amongst them.

70 years later Zoe and her husband move into the very same house looking for a fresh start to reset their struggling marriage. While exploring their new home, Zoe stumbles across a raised floorboard in the attic thats hiding Josies old diary and keepsakes. Zoe is captivated from page one (much as I was with this novel) and falls in love with the brave little girl as she shares struggles as well as triumphs during the war.

💭 I really enjoyed every second of this beautiful novel. Fiona paints a vivid picture of Casablanca and effortlessly transports you to that time in history.
I love that she wrote in duel timelines, it kept me anxiously turning the pages to continue back to each storyline. I was not expecting such a surprising and emotional ending but my goodness was I moved! Cannot recommend this book enough to any historical fiction fan!!

This is a wonderful book. The dual timeline takes us between a Jewish family in 1941 and a struggling woman in 2010 with such rich characterisation that it brings both families alive. The thread of a long forgotten diary makes this an easy read with fascinating historical detail. Highly recommended. Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This was better than I thought it was going to be and my first time reading from this author. Dual timelines added to the story but it became a bit predictable. Still a decent read. Recommended.

Thanks to Netgalley, Fiona Valpy, and Amazon Publishing UK for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Available: 9/21/21

Once again, Fiona Valpy has given her readers a treasure of a book. I was transported to Casablanca in this compelling dual timeline story, set in the present day as well as in 1941. Zoe has just moved to Casablanca, getting acclimated to her new surroundings, with problems brewing in her marriage, when she discovers a box of mementos and a journal. Through the journal, we read Josie’s story—a 12-year-old French girl whose family have taken refuge in Casablanca, on their way to America. It was fascinating to read about Casablanca, it’s culture and it’s traditions, it’s place during WWII, and the refugees who lived there during the war, and also the refugees who still come to this day. Both Josie’s and Zoe’s stories are riveting and heart wrenching, both looking for hope and a new beginning in a foreign land.

Thanks to Amazon Publishing UK and Netgalley, I was chosen as an early reviewer!

******Coming out Sep 21, 2021*****

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ One house, two stories that alternates between the year 2010 and WWll. This book will captivate you from start to finish!

Zoe, her husband, Tom and baby, Grace are relocated from England to Casablanca due to Tom’s job. In the process of fixing the squeaky floor board, Zoe discovers hidden treasure, which included Josie’s journal from WWII. This book alternates between Zoe’s experience as an expat and Zoe discovering about who Josie was and what life was like for her having to flee the Nazis, life in Casablanca, and their hopeful journey with trying to immigrate to America. Zoe finds comfort from reading this journal as a way to escape her troubled life with her cheating husband. Will Josie and family be able make it out of Casablanca to America? Will Zoe be able to make sense of her life? This heartfelt read will having you turning the pages to find out their fates!

I loved how the author included significant cultural aspects such as stories that are passed down from generation to generation. I also liked how Zoe became involved with an organization where they helped undocumented immigrants. This added to the depth to the story! Be sure to add it to your TBR list. A great book club pick!

I enjoyed The Skylark's Secret, The Dressmaker's Gift and The Beekeeper's Promise by the same author but found this one less interesting. Perhaps it was because I already knew about the coded quilts that had been used since the days of slavery. The WWII diary found by Zoe in 2010 also seemed too mature to have been written by Josie, a twelve year old Jewish girl trying to escape to America. The best parts were the evocative descriptions of Morocco with its souks and searing heat.

It took me a little while to get into this novel but once I did, I was very interested. There was the hint throughout the book that something wasn’t right in Zoe and Tom’s marriage and you need to keep reading to understand what happened to this couple in order for them to seem so broken. I enjoyed the two timelines in the novel. I equally liked the two main characters, but I was particularly interested in Josie’s story. Another first for me in a book by Fiona Valpy. I've read a great deal about the diaspora of Jews and refugees in WWII but this was the first time I’ve read a story about Morocco.

THE STORYTELLER OF CASABLANCA By Fiona Valpy
Romance/historical fiction
316 pages

In Fiona Valpy's newest book we meet 2 females 70 years apart both living in Casablanca, Morraco. Josie is a 12 yr old girl whose family had to flee home when the Germans invade France and make a new home for themselves while awaiting passage to America. Josie lives Casablanca and keeps a journal of her time there. Then 70 yrs later in the same house we meet Zoe, a young wife and mother struggling in her new home and surroundings. Zoe finds Zoe's journal and through her story finds a new outlook on her new home and life.

Fiona Valpy is one of the queens of historical fiction and is a masterful storyteller herself!!!!!! I love her ability to write relatable characters and stories that make you fall in love. I highly recommend this book

I loved this book! I enjoy historical fiction, especially when based on true events and/or people. While I have read many books set in the time frame of WWII, I have never read any books set in this part of the world. I loved the parallel stories. I found the characters extremely relatable and interesting. I really enjoyed the cultural aspects of the book and found them fascinating and informative. I was waiting for the resolution of Zoe's story but when it came, it was very unexpected. I highly recommend this book!

A captivating story of hardship, grief, restoration, and new beginnings. The Storyteller of Casablanca interweaves the story of Zoe told in 2010 with the story of Josie from 1941, both who come to live in Casablanca, Morocco. It tells of their struggles and daily lives after moving to a new city for different reasons. Josie and her family were fleeing from the war and Zoe is looking for a new start with her husband. This story will grab your attention from the beginning and carry you along as the tale is woven throughout the pages.  Even with the two storylines the book is easy to keep up with and flows smoothly throughout the book. The descriptions in the book take you to Morocco and the time period. Fiona has such well developed characters that they feel like your neighbors. The plot of the book had twists that I didn't expect and left me turning the page and longing to get back to reading when I had to put the book down for awhile. I have read a few of Fiona Valpy's books and once again she does not disappoint. This is a book I would reread.  If you are looking for your next book to read I highly recommend picking up a copy of The Storyteller of Casablanca.
I received an advanced copy of this book through Netgalley for my honest review. All opinions expressed in this review are my own.

This was my first Fiona Valpy title and I have already purchased another of her books.
I thoroughly enjoyed the dual timelines and the way they were woven together.

Zoe has recently arrived in Casablanca in 2010 as her husband Tom, has travelled there for his work. Zoe is struggling to find her niche in the new country when she discovers the journal of 12 year old Josie under the floorboards of her new home.
Josie and her family have fled to Casablanca from France due to her mothers Jewish ancestry in 1941.

As Zoe reads more of Josie and her family's dangerous situation in Casablanca she meets a group of ladies assisting current day refugees.
This portion of the story provides interesting background on the history of quilting which I found fascinating.

The tale moves back and forth between the time frames and provides a very satisfying conclusion.
I would recommend this book to those who enjoy historical fiction.

Thanks to Netgalley and Lake Union/Amazon Publishing for an Uncorrected proof.
I loved it.

Zoe and Tom move to Casablanca for a fresh start. It is obvious that their marriage is in trouble. Zoe finds a journal in their new house which was written by a young girl, Josie, whose family fled France in the hopes of traveling to America during WWII. The novel switches between Zoe’s modern day life and Josie’s journal entries.

This was a fascinating look into life in Casablanca during the war which I was not familiar with. It was interesting following Josie’s story until her journal abruptly ends, and Zoe tries to find what happened to her and her family. It also shows the struggles refugees face trying to find a better life for themselves and their families.

Although at times, things were a bit predictable I really enjoyed this novel, and I found the ending very satisfying.

The story starts in 2010 immersing you in Morocco's severe heat and exotic locale. Our narrator Zoe is just getting settled as her husband’s company posted him to Casablanca. She is a bit overwhelmed by the welcome wagon talk from one of the wives posted there.

Zoe is looking around her new home when she discovers a loose board in the floor causing her to investigate. She pulls it up and discovers a dusty box and a diary from 1941. The diary is written by 13-year-old Josie. With such an exotic setting and the chance to read somebody’s diary, a glimpse of the past, I just had to read this book.

In present day there are uncomfortable social situations for Zoe as well as some marital woes. She immerses herself into Josie’s life while trying to fit in with her life in Casablanca and misses England more every day.

Both timelines have some sad stories. I think I was expecting it to be sad in the 1941 narrative but was surprised at what Zoe was going through in present day. There is nothing objectionable in this book, no poor language, just a nice story that may put you in mind of Nicholas Sparks novels.

Fiona Valpy writes about strong female characters and obviously does detailed historical research. If you like historical fiction you will enjoy this author. This book has a genre tag for romance but I would not have classified it as such. I do agree on it being women's fiction and historical fiction.

More about the author HERE.

Publication date September 21, 2021 by Amazon Publishing UK. Genre: General Fiction Romance, Women's Fiction and Historical Fiction.

Thank you to Netgalley for the advanced reader's copy of this book. I was not compensated for the review, all opinions are mine.

This is a lovely dual time line novel set in Casablanca (sigh) that moves between Josie's story in 1941 and Zoe, who finds her diary in 2011. Zoe isn't happy in Morocco but finds meaning and a mission when she discovers what Josie wrote about being a Jew hoping to emigrate to the US, thinking she's in a safe haven in Morocco, and then the Nazi's arrive. Valpy is a good storyteller who made the wise, if initially a tad disconcerting to the reader, to write Josie's portion as a 12 year old would. The sounds and smells of life in Casablanca add to the novel. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. Fans of WWII fiction will relish this niche as will those who enjoy a good read.

With a dual timeline narrative, The Storyteller of Casablanca tells of Zoe’s arrival in Casablanca in 2010 carrying a burden of sadness. We’re told that the move to Casablanca is meant to revive her marriage to Tom; it doesn’t seem to be working. In alternating chapters, we read 12-year-old Josie’s journal from January 1, 1941 into 1942 which tells of her family’s move to Casablanca to escape the Nazis in Paris; it’s meant to be a jumping off point for their eventual relocation to the US. Josie is as charming and fascinating as Zoe is boring and dull. You know that eventually these two separate narratives will reach a meeting point but it doesn’t happen until the final few chapters. I felt that Zoe’s story dragged on a bit too much, although it is redeemed by a surprising twist near the end. The novel is well-researched and Casablanca comes alive on the page with lots of fascinating details, including some real-life people who lived there during WWII.

I have read and enjoyed quite a few of Fiona Valpy’s previous novels and this dual timeline seems to be her modus operandi. While this writing style worked well enough in her previous novels, I felt that the pace was too slow in The Storyteller of Casablanca. Even so, it’s worth reading just to find out how these two storylines eventually come together.

France has fallen to the Nazis . Josie Duvall and her family must find a safe passage to Casablanca where they will reside until they can get passage to America. Josie has a hard time adjusting to the hot sun, the scary sights along with the smells of this foreign land. How she longs for her home in France, her room her beloved books.. How will she survive. The next story is set in 2010 when a young woman named Zoe and her husband Tom follow Tom's job to Casablanca. This was to be a fresh start for this young couple but, Zoe is having a hard time adjusting to her new surroundings and thought what a mistake this is. Until she stumbles upon a box full of trinkets and a journal. Zoe gets very involved in reading this journal about this twelve year old girl whose house she is living in. Why is she so engrossed in this journal? What is Zoe running away from besides her crumbling marriage.
What I so enjoyed about this book was the setting. I have never read any story set in Morocco. Throw in two stories that weave into one beautifully written story. A young girl who is so scared of the future, the heartbreak she must face along with her mother and sister. The love of her father who taught her to fight for what is right and to find a way to survive. Zoe who needs to find out what happens to Josie , and when she does she must face the horrible truth that keeps her and Tom apart. The ending was a total surprise. i could not put this book down..
Thank you NetGalley and Amazon Publishing UK for approving me to read this wonderful arc. Thank you Fiona Valpy for writing such an engaging story set in a time where many people might want to forget. Beautifully written wonderful characters and the duel stories captured me and I was hooked. I love NetGalley for the reason that I have been introduced to so many new authors and books I probably would not have read on my own. I sill surly be reading more by Ms. Valpy