As this is the first novel I have ever read by this author, I went into it without any expectations. First, let us discuss the cover. The COVER, y’all. I’ve seen other covers for her books and they are all gorgeous, but this one definitely gives off a sense of fantasy and maybe even a little science fiction as well. Second, I am not used to stories with multiple leads, as this one does. For most of my reading life I have always preferred single character points of views, but I am willing to give this a try. Let’s begin!

The Jeweler of Stolen Dreams is set both in 1942 Paris, right in the heart of World War II and New York, 1986. It follows the lives of two leading ladies: a Mrs. Suzanne Belperron (1942) and Violine Duplessi (1986), as they navigate their respective yet entwined situations. MJ Rose works in elements of the supernatural with history, and if you’re a fan of Dr. Who (with the somewhat mystical elements), then this just may be the story for you.

Ms. Rose’s writing is impeccable, and I tried to find some fault with it and could not. It absolutely was her writing style which drew me in (and now I want to try other tales by her based solely off that). While The Jeweler of Stolen Dreams is set in two different time periods with very well-researched settings, I am uncertain if this is the tale for me. I adore historical fiction, which drew me initially to this book, but I am not sure if I can get on board with its other elements.

Another thing I had trouble with was the backstory. There is a lot of backstory and an equal amount of description in this novel. As much as I loved gemology myself as a child, and as much as I can appreciate the history and amount of research this novel clearly possesses, I found myself longing for more movement and events within the first few chapters of the book. Unfortunately, by the end of the third chapter, I lost interest. Overall, I am a prose-lover, and The Jeweler of Stolen Dreams has it in spades. The story’s pace could’ve been a little faster, especially as MC1 gets in her head a lot.

Final thoughts. While I know this story wasn’t for me, it will be for those who love a good war time tale. It has elements of fantasy which work okay, and could’ve moved along a little faster. However, I do understand that certain scenes are needed to set the overall feel and purpose of the story. Finally, the story’s characters are also very well thought out. For these reasons, I give The Jeweler of Stolen Dreams a four out of five stars.

History using cold, hard facts has never interested me very much. But history told through the life experiences of real people is something that I really enjoy. This story is set in 2 time periods and connects 2 women in very unexpected ways. One time period is 1942 in Paris during the Nazi occupation and the other time period is 1986 in New York when some jewelry from the WWII era is found hidden away. It was especially interesting to see how the mystery surrounding the jewelry was unraveled. Throw in some romance in both eras and it made for a very interesting story. I would highly recommend.

The Jeweler of Stolen Dreams is another magical story by the author M.J. Rose, this time, featuring a heartwrenching plot about the second world war.

Violine is an auctioneer with a special gift. Suzanne is a jeweler with a dangerous secret. Decades apart, Violine and Suzanne's lives intersect with memories, mysteries, and magic. The power of love and the strength of stones will help to bring to light a heartbreaking truth.

I enjoyed reading this story. The charming way M.J. Rose includes magic in her tales always makes for an enchanting read. The pacing was good and the mystery kept me on the edge of my seat. The world war two storyline was sad, but the perseverance and creativity of the characters was inspiring. The descriptions of the jewelry were vivid and I liked how the story was connected to previous books by the author.

It was fascinating to learn about the jeweler Suzanne Belperron and her admirable efforts during the war.

Thank you to the publisher for providing me with a free arc via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review,

Ebook received for free through NetGalley

Another incredible book. Absolutely loved the characters, story, scenery, and everything. I know to put everything down when I see a new one.

This was an enthralling and captivating historical fiction piece with a touch of magical realism. Some of the characters are well known players of history and the others, are well crafted characters of the author's wondrous imagination. The story line juxtaposes 1986 New York City against 1942 Paris.

New York City auctioneer, Violine Duplessi, has always been a bit different. As a child, she suffered the ridicule of her classmates who would not or could not embrace Violine's extraordinary gifts. It was such a burden to Violine, that she tried desperately to negate and ignore her gifts. That is, until she's called to an estate to help assess the inherited holdings of U.S. Senate candidate, Paul Osgood. An old empty trunk from WWII of his deceased Aunt Elizabeth Estelle Osgood's, had been housed in the attic and apparently had some secrets of its own. In alternating chapters, renowned jeweler, Suzanne Belperron, an operative of the French Resistance, relays her fears and anxieties for her friends who have been seized by the French Nazi sympathizers and thrown into prison camps. One of whom is her business partner and soulmate. She strives to rescue him and others at great peril. Paul's Aunt Elizabeth - Dixie to her friends - was a very close and dear friend of Suzanne as it turned out. Together, they were partners in crime doing their Resistance work.

This was truly a fascinating read about an amazing woman of WWII Paris. Suzanne Belperron's jewelry designs were spectacular and pushed the design and color envelope - a designer ahead of her time, perhaps. The 1986 portion of this story envelopes a mystery as Violine seeks answers to the trunk's secrets. Eventually, the two stories intertwine and all is made clear to the reader.

Ms. Rose's writing is fluid, descriptive and quite poetic at times. The mise en scène was such that one could envision the winding streets of Paris and the noisy ones of New York City; smell the wafting aroma of french baguettes and croissants; the tangy odor of freshly spilled blood; and the intoxicating scent of a full blown rose. All in all, this was a most enjoyable read and this reader eagerly looks forward to disappearing into other works by this gifted author.

I am grateful to Ms. Rose and her publisher, Blue Box Press for having provided a complimentary copy of this book through NetGalley. Their generosity, however, has not influenced this review - the words of which are mine alone.

Publisher: Blue Box Press
Publication Date: February 7, 2023
No. of pages:
ISBN: 978-1957568270

In The Jeweler of Stolen Dreams, psychometry ability ties fascinating dual-timeline narratives together. Suzanne Belperron continues to craft exceptional jewelry in 1942 in occupied Paris. She also secretly sells pieces to help fund Jewish families’ escapes. Her world shatters when her mentor / lover is captured by the Nazis, yet she continues to work with the Resistance and socialite Dixie Osgood to try to free him and others from tyranny.

In 1986, Violine is evaluating Paul Osgood’s family heirlooms for auction when she discovers a false panel in Dixie’s trunk harbors precious jewelry. She attempts to revive her psychometry talent to try to uncover the beseeching stories behind the jewelry and to determine whether the pieces were stolen.

Laced with suspenseful mystery, romance, and mystical elements, the novel showcases three incredible women who utilize their varied talents for the good of others. M.J. Rose has crafted a compelling mystery, which will appeal to history and vintage lovers.

(Vintage Review reel to come on Instagram and Tiktok!)

Many thanks to NetGalley and Blue Box for the opportunity to read M. J. Rose's The Jeweler of Stolen Dtreams.

M. J. Rose never disappoints. Her historical fiction novels are painstakingly researched, and beautifully, lushly written.

Suzanne Belperron was a famous jewelry designer living in Paris on the 40s. Ms. Rose weaves a fascinating dual time line story connecting Suzanne Belperron and Violine, a fictional appraiser from a long line of witches Ms. Rose has been writing about for awhile now.

Loved it!!!

I really enjoyed this book. It pulls you in and the history is great. The characters are great, very engaging. .I was surprised by the ending. I would recommend this book to everyone #TheJewelerofStolenDreams #NetGalley

The Jeweler of Stolen Dreams by M.J. Rose

354 Pages
Publisher: AuthorBuzz, Blue Box Press
Release Date: February 7, 2023

Fiction, Historical Fiction, Mystery, Thriller, Holocaust

Suzanne Belperron is a jewelry designer in the 1940s. Her lover is Jewish and to save the business, he sells it to her. She is questioned over the sale and asked to show her records. She needs to protect her Jewish clients at all costs.

Violine is an appraiser, but she has special talents. She can touch an object and listen to its story. She comes from a long line of talented women. Her grandmother was the Witch of Painted Sorrows.

The book is fast paced, the characters are developed, and it is written in the first-person point of view of Violine and diary entries. From Suzanne. It is always hard to read about Holocaust victims and how their properties were pillaged. The story is moving, emotional, and beautifully told. If you like historical fiction, you will enjoy reading this.

I loved this book! I was hooked from the beginning and didn't want to put it down. I enjoy dual timeline stories and M.J. Rose did a fantastic job switching back and forth from the 1940's to 1986.

The Jeweler of Stolen Dreams is the story of Suzanne Belperron who became one of the best known and sought after jewelers of her time. I admit to not knowing a thing about her before reading this book, yet I felt I knew her well as I finished her story.

I never tire of reading about the roles women played in the Resistance movement. Suzanne Belperroon was an active member of the Resistance, using her jewelry designs and gem stones to save hundreds, if not thousands, of Jewish lives during WWII. I was drawn into her exploits through the amazing writing and a very descriptive story line.

There are two other fictional characters who are pivotal in telling this story. Violine Duplessi is a young woman working in a New York auction house who possesses a very unusual paranormal skill. Violine can touch an object and see/feel it's history. I had never heard of Psychometry and found this psychic ability most intriguing.

Dixie Osgood, an American socialite living in France, is one of Suzanne’s closest friends and her co-Resistor raising the money needed by the Resistance to continue their work. Dixie traveled on nursing ships with the gems hidden in her possessions to sell them to jewelers in America. The connection between Dixie and Violine, hinted at throughout this incredible story, reaches a satisfactory conclusion in the final chapters.

The love affair between Suzanne and Bernard Herz was genuine and the driving force behind Suzanne's involvement in the Resistance. Keeping him safe from the Nazis was her motivation for the many risks she took. She survived the war and continued working until 1974, creating pieces for royalty, movie stars and well-known dignitaries.

Historical fiction is my favorite genre as I always finish a book knowing more than I did when I started on page one. There is so much history beautifully woven into this story that when I finished the book I wanted to know more. Hence, my perusal of Suzanne’s life story, as well as learning more about Psychometry.

Thank You to NetGalley for an advanced copy of The Jeweler of Stolen Dreams.

I am not a fan of dual time lines in a book, but the author wove these two together so well I couldn’t wait for each shift in time to take place! The story pulls you in from the very start and you’ll find yourself thinking about it long after you finish. It’s that good!

This reminds me a bit of Paula Brackston’s Found Things series and I adore them! Very well written with accurate historical text that will have you thinking of Violene and Suzanne for a long time to come.

M.J. Rose has a great writing style for historical fiction, it was such a wonderfully done read. I loved the way each part of the story blended together. The world was interesting and did what I was hoping for, I enjoyed getting to know these characters and their personality. It was what I was hoping for and look forward to reading more from M.J. Rose.

"I can only give in to my misery for so long. I am a problem solver. I’ve never had the kind of sympathy needed to just sit and commiserate with people. I want to fix what is bothering them. Bernard says it is one of the reasons I am such a good designer. I don’t suffer the impossibilities. I don’t allow for them. When my gem cutter tells me a stone can’t be carved the way I want it to be, I tell them to find a way."