I enjoyed reading this historical fiction about Jackie before JFK. It's nice to see a book that looks at her outside of Jack. Because she was a person in her own right.

There are so many fiction books “based” on Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis’s life that I was to be honest hesitant to read this at first, but I was intrigued by the premise of a novel that focuses on Jacqueline before she met Jack. I didn’t realize how formative this year abroad in Paris was to her worldview, but it makes sense. I was really fascinated by the people she encountered and how different her life was during this year than it would come to be after she returned to the United States. This is definitely a unique book worth reading, not just a retelling of a story we’ve heard time and again.

I enjoyed this more than expected, but there was just something missing that made me love this. It was a super quick read and really made me want to visit Paris again.

Review will be posted on 11/8/2022

It's the Fall of 1949 and we find Jacqueline Bouvier on board an ocean liner making its way to Europe. She is studying abroad for the year in France along with some other students from Smith. Her hovering mother has secured her an acceptable host family, but Jackie hopes to branch out on her own without her mother constantly peering over her shoulder picking at everything. Her mother wants her to stay in New York, but she knows she wants more for her life. While in Paris, she learns there's a lot more! There's art, their culture, their champagne, jazz clubs, young writers, politics, and more. All of these experiences influenced her life tremendously. She even meets someone, a young man named John "Jack" Marquand, who her mother would most definitely not approve of as he is a writer. Jacqueline also finds out her host mother has more to her backstory than just a regular Parisian and her host family are hiding more secrets than she knows.... even her new boyfriend, too. Jackie is quick to learn that post-war Paris is a complex place and time. All of these coming-of-age experiences shaped Jackie's life and provide so much insight into what made her the Jackie America loves and appreciates. Ann Mah's Jacqueline in Paris is a moving historical novel that at times reads like a well-researched biography; however, it is never overpowering and is an absolute delight.

It comes as no surprise that I am a huge fan of Jackie, so I knew I had to read Ann Mah's Jacqueline in Paris. Jackie was depicted wonderfully in this novel and I enjoyed her experiences in post-war Paris. Between adapting to French life, the language, the culture, the cold winters, and even the bathrooms, it was all very eye-opening in that I could see how these experiences in Paris influenced Jackie for the rest of her life. Her slowly blossoming relationship with her host mother was wonderfully done as her host mother's story is so important. The novel also takes us through her first real relationship and even aspects of that took me by surprise as like many other characters in the novel, Jack Marquand is so much more than meets the eye. Hanging out with Jack and many of the other people in Paris got Jackie out of her comfort zone and made her question things like politics and her views on history. This, in turn, helped Jackie grow and prepared her to become First Lady.

I adored Mah's portrayal of post-war Paris. She brought it to life beautifully. I felt like I was there! The art, the days walking by the Seine, the classes, the cold winters, the cocktails, food, nightlife, the dinners....it was all a delight! Mah is a well-known author of French food books as well as a travel writer and that is very evident in Jacqueline in Paris. I don't think I have read a novel that captures a city as well as Mah captured Paris. On the other hand, Mah also depicts post-war Paris has being a complex place at times. It wasn't all stardust and champagne. There were some difficult moments as well as Paris desperately trying to get out from under the dark shadow of WWII, which definitely took its toll.

If you appreciate a good historical novel, you love Jackie and the Kennedy clan, I urge you to pick up Jacqueline in Paris this fall. It was such a charming read and a sleepy novel in the best way possible. I knew I could pick it up before bed, it wouldn't upset me, but instead leave me with beautiful thoughts of Paris and a time long forgotten. So, are you a fan of Ann Mah? Have you read Jacqueline in Paris? Let me know in the comments below.

Really a 3.5 for the novel; a 5 for the audiobook [[the following was originally posted to Goodreads]]

An interesting take on Jacqueline Bouvier's junior year abroad in Paris, where she lived with a French family and studied at the Sorbonne.

The story is grounded in facts, but the author also relies on imagination to paint a portrait of a young, sheltered college girl who is completely on her own for the first time. Jackie is transformed by what she sees and experiences in postwar France, which has hardly gotten back to normal in 1949. She mixes with people from a range of social classes, is exposed to a variety of political views, and hears firsthand accounts of how the Nazis treated French citizens who joined the Resistance.

We also learn about Jackie's increasing comfort with the French language and her deepening appreciation for art and architecture. She also learns a lot about herself, especially her effect on others--both men and women. Throughout, you get a sense that Jackie is lonely and has almost no one she can fully trust to understand and support her as she truly is. When she sails home to America in 1950, she has already sown the seeds of who she will become when, in just a few years, the world takes note of her as the wife of a young senator from Massachusetts.

The audiobook was performed by Caroline Hewitt, who was an excellent choice for this novel. Her accents and French pronunciations were spot-on, and she admirably conveyed the personalities and emotions of the characters. I appreciated that Hewitt didn't try to mimic Jackie's voice but instead gave us the general feel for how she spoke. Hewitt well deserves the Earphones Award she received for her work on this audiobook.

Thanks to the publishers for the review copies in various formats.

It was a lot of fun seeing Paris through Jackie Kennedy's eyes before she was Jackie Kennedy. This novel was well researched and beautifully written. I enjoy books set shortly after World War 2. They are good reminders that things didn't go right back to normal. Wars and disasters take a while to recover from, and, in the case of this book, there were new challenges and evils to face. I found the second half of the book to be faster paced than the first, but it was overall a lovely read.

I received a free copy of this book from Netgalley and the publisher for the purpose of review.

1949 Paris welcomes Jacqueline Bouvier with an authentic lifestyle, new friendships, delicious French cuisine, classes in the Sobourne, and first love. And this is not all. Her new experiences involve a visit to the concentration camp, an unpleasant encounter with soviet soldiers, and a trip thru post-war Europe.

I love the way Jackie loved Paris. I felt what she felt walking the streets of Latin quoter, crossing the Alexander Bridge, enjoying the outdoor cafes, and simply appreciating the forever chick Paris. Said that - I enjoyed Ann Mah's version of Jackie's year in Paris, and learned a few new and interesting details about America's First Lady. Although I found this novel quite charming, I was disappointed with the ending. The tense build-up of the communist subject simply dissolved at the end. Throughout the novel, I assumed Jacqueline had stronger involvement in the party. Overall, it is a good, light, and entertaining read. Jacqueline in Paris is pure work of fiction based on the details of Jackie's time in the city of lights.

Thank you Mariner Books publisher for a free copy of the novel.

This was a unique historical fiction because it involves Paris (and England) after the war. It goes in depth into what life is like for those who have survived the atrocities of Hitler. While this was a reimagining of Jackie O’s year in Paris, it was really a love story to Paris. The details are rich and exquisite. The supporting characters were interesting and added to the plot in a nice way. Overall, a beautiful story about Paris and new insight into Jackie O.

—Book Review—

Title: Jacqueline in Paris
Author: Ann Mah
Publisher: Mariner
@marinerbooks
Genre: Historical Fiction

Jacqueline in Paris is book I’m so torn about. For me, it was very much a love letter to Paris and that with author’s Ann Mah’s beautiful lyrical writing, I enjoyed. But, otherwise I found it kinda slow and I made the mistake as a reader so focused on learning more about “Jackie O” when I had to remind myself that this was a book about Jacqueline Bouvier; from the fall of 1949 to the summer of 1950 when she spent one glorious year abroad before she would have to give into her families social pressures.

Do you think there is something to timing of books? It’s October and I want faster paced books. If this book was released in the summer, I could visualize myself sitting poolside or just in the sunshine with a glass of rose’ (or champagne like Jacqueline!) and taking my time with this read. Not a care in the world. Not at all thinking it’s slow…

“And yet I felt something stirring within me, an indefinable hunger to do more. Paris was awakening me, giving me an energy I hadn’t felt before, challenging me to commit to something larger than myself. But what?”

Jacqueline has a love interest throughout most of the book which is sweet & enjoyable, but what I found most fascinating was learning about France post war. They were still rationing, still weary of people with nest of spies filled with suspicion & deception. The host family Jacqueline stayed with was part of the French Resistance just a few years before! Jacqueline gets a front seat watching the rise of communism. 🤯 There is so much tucked into this quiet book!

“But I cherished the moments I spent alone, lost in a book, or, more often, my dreams and imagination.”

Rating: 3.5-4 ⭐️’s Like I said, I’m torn. I really connected to Jacqueline’s character. She was a booknerd, loved to travel, loved history, and was ceasing the moment. She was her own person. She didn’t need other people to like her; She needed to like herself. I will give this author a try again too!

*I had a copy on netgalley (Many thanks!) but ended up reading a little later because the book club I co-host selected this as one of our October selections.

A delightful into the lens of Jacqueline Bouvier’s time in Paris from the Fall of 1949 thru the Summer of 1950.
Jackie, a student at Vassar sets sail on her journey to study at the Sorbonne. There, she will meet her host family, Parisians from every facet of life (some recognizable), keep company with the girls from Smith College and experience her first romantic/sexual relationship with John Marquand. Her heart will be broken and her eyes will be opened to political opinions in a post WWII Paris. The numerous experiences that fall upon her in time, will in time affect and influence her future.
Ann Mah beautifully marries fact and fiction with the creation of this satisfying and entertaining novel.
Thanks to NetGalley, the author and Mariner Books for an ARC in exchange for an honest book review,

This was such a good book! It reads like a well-written memoir even though it’s historical fiction. And while it has been arduously researched from an enormous amount of available resources, it flows smoothly and made me feel like I was right there with the young Jacqueline Bouvier (to be later Kennedy Onassis). That impression is helped by the fact that it’s written from Jacqueline’s point of view, about her college year abroad in postwar Paris.

Although it primarily takes place during 1949-1950, there are so many references to the recently ended World War II that the novel provides a dramatic portrayal of that period’s heartache and recovery. Soon after 20-year-old Jacqueline arrives for her junior year of study, she observes that “five years after the Liberation, the city was still struggling to recover from the dark days – central heating and hot water were rare, everyone still so thin, wearing threadbare clothes.”

Jacqueline shares impressions of all that she experiences during her stay, but the war is never far from anyone’s thoughts. “The war had touched everyone in France, each person I met hiding their sorrow behind a fine veneer. I had imagined this a joyful time of hope and rebirth, yet I was discovering a nation still raw with anguish.”

In addition to the wartime past, Jacqueline is also exposed to the current political climate of spies and subterfuge. She learns not all are who they seem and not everyone is to be trusted. This element of intrigue provided additional substance to the novel.

But there are also parties to go to, champagne to sip, country house weekends as well as classes to attend, and papers to write. Due to her parents’ social connections, Jacqueline is introduced to several members of the upper crust and tells of her time at operas, museums, dinners, and events.

Based on the lives of several real people, the novel explores the life of Jacqueline Bouvier before she became American royalty. As the publisher writes, “Evocative, sensitive, and rich in historic detail, Jacqueline in Paris portrays the origin story of an American icon. Ann Mah brilliantly imagines the intellectual and aesthetic awakening of Jacqueline Bouvier Kennedy Onassis, and illuminates how France would prove to be her one true love, and one of the greatest influences on her life.” I highly recommend this one!

Thanks to Mariner Books & NetGalley for a digital advance reader copy. All comments and opinions are my own.

I loved The Lost Vintage and anxiously awaited the arrival of this novel. It did not disappoint! Jacqueline In Paris by Ann Mah is so much more than Jacqueline Bouvier’s study abroad year. While reading, I got a good feel for 1949-50 Paris. The author’s research of economic recovery and the political environment in postwar Paris increased my interest in that time period. I enjoyed this fascinating glimpse into Jacqueline Bouvier’s life before she became famous.

Fans of biographical historical fiction should grab a copy of this new release!

I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book. All opinions are my own.

Jacqueline Bouvier, the future first lady of the United States is spending her junior year of college in Paris. Later she reflects back on that year, 1949-1950 as the best year of her life and how it has influenced all her years after.
Away from the strict social rules enforced by her parents she is introduced to a whirlwind world of nightclubs, cafes, jazz, theatres and politics, a world vastly different than the one she grew up in, a world where the status quo was challenged and young women formed opinions of their own.
She experiences the aftermath of WWII up close in France as they are still recuperating. Modern conveniences so abundant in America are scarce in Paris. She must contend with no heat or hot water, a bath only once a week, food rationing and more. Jackie is shocked by all she encounters.
This is a reimagining of Jackie's year in France and I think the author did a great job capturing the essence of Jacqueline Bouvier, the nice, proper, somewhat standoffish young woman that we all came to know as Jacqueline Kennedy, First Lady..
This book is filled with historical detail, catapulting the reader back to post war Paris. I love a book where I feel as if I am right there with the characters in the book. This one does it well. A very interesting spin on one of America's favorite first ladies. I give it 5 stars and highly recommend.
Thank you to Mariner Books and to Net Galley for the free ARC, I am leaving my honest review in return.

I absolutely loved this book! I’ve always been a huge fan of the Kennedys and I always admired Jackie for her grace after all she went through. It also explained her background with her divorced parents and not great childhood.

The book is about when she was 20 ye old Jacqueline Bouvier on her study abroad year to France. She arrived in 1949 and Europe hadn’t quite rebounded year from World War II. Jacqueline immediately falls in love with the country and culture. She loves the freedom from her family and their expectations. She can just be herself.

I love that Jacqueline was so open to new experiences and was willing to put herself out there in situations. She wasn’t going to stay inside and waste her year away. She met made so many new friends and took advantages of opportunities to meet more new people and see new things and try new foods. Jacqueline was a private person and the story is based on true stories told by friends of Jacqueline’s. The author’s note was explained how she wrote the novel.

I loved this book for the love letter that it was to both Jackie and Paris. But it really reminded me of my own year abroad. I studied in Dublin, Ireland and I had a 7 month internship at a French investment bank. It was one of the best years of my life and I definitely understood myself better after. I have always been fairly independent, but I really explored that in my year away. I would encourage everyone to take a trip or try to experience something so outside your comfort zone. You definitely will not regret it!

I was lucky enough to get this book as an ARC from NetGalley and Mariner Books. I’ve always had a fascination with the Kennedy family and as soon as I saw a book about Jackie pre-Kennedy family, I couldn’t pass it up.
Unfortunately, I struggled to get through this story. I found it dull. Lots and lots of detail that didn’t hold my interest. I didn’t feel like I connected with the characters at all. The first half dragged but I’m glad I stuck it out. The second half of the book was much more enjoyable. Getting more into Jackie’s relationships with her host family and Jack made the characters more real to me.

I had a difficult time getting into and staying engaged with the characters in this book. Its fun to picture Jackie Kennedy Onassis in this place and time yet it simply didn’t hold my attention.

Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with an early release in exchange for a fair and honest review.

Jacqueline Bouvier and her sister, Lee, were brought up in a well-to-do family. Her parents were divorced and her mother had remarried. The woman was very strict on the girls and Jacqueline longed to get away.

In September 1949, a group of girls from Smith College, including Jacqueline, decided to spend a year in post-war Paris attending classes in a French college. First, they had to have some understanding of French. Then, they started out in Grenoble for an intense French language course after which they signed a pledge to speak only French for the entire year. Her host French family were very kind to her but the home was under-heated and the facilities somewhat primitive compared to what she was used to.

Jacqueline loved nothing more than to wander around Paris as often as she could absorbing the sights that she loved. The museums were always a draw to her as well. She worked very hard on her classes and her French became quite fluent. With other friends she managed to take side trips to places in Europe experiencing and seeing many amazing sights.

As she makes new friends, she becomes aware of the large number of secret communists in France and is never sure whether someone she meets is of that persuasion. This leads to some danger for many.

I have always been a fan of Jacqueline Bouvier Kennedy and was really pleased to be able to read and review this book. Having lived many years in Paris, I enjoyed the French spoken, the places described and visited and the food. I think that the author did an incredible job of researching and writing this book. Enjoy!

Copy provided by NetGalley in exchange for a fair and honest review.

I really liked Ann Mah's last book, The Lost Vintage, so I was very excited to get access to this one early! It did not let me down. The story covered Jackie's year abroad in Paris, shortly after WWII and during the rise of communism. The first half was a bit slow and took a while for me to get into, but then it definitely picked up! I felt fully immersed in Paris, and thought the descriptions of everything - people, places, food! - were spot on. I really enjoyed learning more about Jackie and seeing a side of her I had no knowledge of. The author did a wonderful job weaving fact with fiction, and I definitely spent some time googling the real life people mentioned once I was finished! All in all, I would absolutely recommend this book and can't wait to see what the author comes out with next. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC!

I was so excited to read this book and ended up being disappointed. It was so dull and boring that I stopped reading a little over halfway through. I think it must be challenging to come up with enough details (both real and imagined) to fill a book about an experience from a real person that's not first hand and it just doesn't make for an entertaining read. I love everything else Ann Mah has put out so I'll be on the lookout for more from her but this one was unfortunately a miss for me.

This book was a lovely, historical fiction/romance! It is loosely based on Jacqueline Bouvier’s time that she spent in France (as well as other parts in Europe) during her junior year in college in 1949/1950.

This book truly took me back in time and while at times it was hard to keep up with some of the French names of places she went or people she encountered, it was a great story beneath it all! It was very moving - especially when Jacqueline visited all of the places of destruction from the war (the concentration camp for example).

I really enjoyed learning more about her life when she was in Paris and how it helped mold the person she became. The people that she met and the bonds that lasted over the years were endearing. I absolutely loved her host family and the friendship that she had with Claude!

Obviously I know how her life turned out but I was really rooting for the romance between Jacqueline and Jack! The romance that they shared was lovely (minus the secrets)...I wish she had the opportunity to live the future she dreamed of with him! I could feel Jacqueline’s happiness and heartache in this novel!

If you are a Jackie O. fan or love historical Paris as a setting, I definitely recommend this book!

Thank you to NetGalley, Mariner Books & Ann Mah for the Advanced Readers Copy of this book in exchange for my honest review!