I found the title and cover design interesting.

This was an interesting WWII novel. Something that interested me in particular was the references made to well-known public figures. I also appreciated the bookshop setting, as I generally enjoy any book that is set in a library or bookshop.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for a free copy to review.

Thank you to NetGalley, the author and the publisher for an ARC of this book.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

We all know and would agree that Hitler had some major psychological issues and was not a stable human. But, what if there was a psychologist that had proof of this? What extent would Hitler take to cover up this knowledge? And what extent should be taken to uncover the truth of who Hitler really is?

The Paris Notebook is a great read following the story of a psychologist, Dr. Victor, that treated Hitler during WWI, at the time correctly diagnosing him as being pretty imbalanced (to put it mildly). Dr. Victor employs the help of Katja Heinz, a secretary, to create a working manuscript of his notes with the hope of getting them published-essentially warning the world of Hitler as his star is rising. Through great personal risk, loves found and lost, The Paris Notebook tells the fictionalized story of Katja and Dr. Victor, and their efforts to expose the truth.

Parts of this story were absolutely heartbreaking, other parts seemed to be very predictable or tied in too pretty of a bow. This made it a book worth reading, but not one that would keep me awake turning page after page needing to know what happens next.

An interesting and gripping historical fiction based in Hamburg, Paris and London during WWII. The story is excellently developed at a good pace and the characters memorable and determined.
Background research by the author tells us factual evidence has been revealed that Hitler did indeed have proven psychological disorders after a gas attack in WWI. Although the main characters are fictitious they are nonetheless believable and relatable, showing the unusual bravery typical of these extraordinary times.
A well written book and enjoyable read, I recommend this book.
With thanks to Netgalley and Tessa Harris for the arc.

This novel is a well-written, interesting and unique WWII novel. It is based on a true facts about Hitler's psychiatrist's notes documenting his mental illness at the end of WWI. Katja is hired to transcribe Dr. Viktor's medical records and then they journey to Paris to try to find a publisher to get the truth out. They are in danger as Nazis try to stop them This novel is full of suspense and adventure. with a little romance thrown in. Very enjoyable and highly recommended. romance what more could you want!

A lovely novel about a young woman named Katja who is burdened with Hitlers medical notes documenting his insanity, It is a true war adventure showcasing her dedication to go to the ends of the earth to be sure the records are placed in the right hands.
This novel has heartbreak, suspense, romance what more could you want!
Very good and I would recommend to a friend

All the way through this book. It made me feel really anxious of what we’re coming round the corner and you could try and understand what these people must have gone through. Not trusting anyone where every person could be Nazi spy.
You could be the feel where the author wanted to you to feel the tension, as well as the parts where there was light relief. You was really Invested and you got a small glimpse into the lives of ordinary people and how it was affecting them all, through the actions of one persons desire of greed and power.
Katja, learns that while working for Dr Viktor, has the medical notes of treating a young Adolf Hitler when he was a soldier in the first world war, knowing this is vital information they enter a journey to get this information out to people so they know what Hitler is capable of and inform the people of the danger that awaits them. The path they have took leads them through a journey from Germany to Paris where katja and Dr Viktor go to meet a contact with someone with connections who can help them get the notebook published. Meeting Daniel, who is facing his own demons from within they work together with many setbacks along the way.
I thought the book was well written, I was getting to the point that I couldn’t walk away because I was just anxious to where this was going to go. The ending was slightly weird, and I did not expect that to happen at all, but it was a story about a person overcoming their own fears, and doing what they thought was right.
all in all, it was a good book that showed a tiny glimpse of what life was like, and what someone was face against trying to get information that Hitler would not want people to know.

the ending was tied up very neatly albeit I would have like a bit more of the journey they faced on the last part.and what they went through as some seems to fit too nicely (s life even that convenient that you stumble across the very person you need with no effort in finding them, but that would be my only criticism.
I would definitely read more this author

With a wide range of WWII books on offer, readers are becoming more selective about their choices. Tessa Harris' latest offering is one I would certainly recommend. The Paris Notebook is well written with Tessa taking a small, often unknown aspect of truth, and building a thrilling piece of fiction around it - a race to reveal details about Adolf Hitler to the Allies.

‘I am Dr Frankenstein,’ he told her flatly. ‘I created the monster and now I must destroy it.’

Suspense and tension builds throughout this narrative with Doctor Victor and Katja working together in their efforts to record, copy and reveal critical details about Hitler. Along the way, with so many secrets to hide and unsure of who to trust, Tessa builds palpable tension throughout the entire timeline. The Nazis are onto them as the reign of terror begins. Traveling from Hamburg to Paris in an effort to secure publication, Katja comes across the Shakespeare & Co bookstore with owner Sylvia Beach. Having read Kerry Maher’s, The Paris Bookseller, I was happy to revisit this future iconic institution with my understanding of what it meant during WWII and beyond. It is here that Katja meets an Irish journalist and their romantic journey adds another layer to this tale.

‘The finished transcript sat in all its terrifying glory with the front cover proclaiming in bold capitals: Notes & Observations on the Serious Mental Disorders of Adolf Hitler.’

Tessa builds both place and time with some passages being confronting yet realistic. The ride is filled with hope and heartache, strength and buckets of determination as Katja is determined to get this transcript into the right hands. The research is thorough with facts woven throughout this fantastical tale. If this is a genre that appeals to you then rest assured that there is something extra special in this wartime tale - history, romance and a thrilling mystery.

‘Lying there, untouched, was the notebook. She’d already risked her life for these pages, and she would again.’







This review is based on a complimentary copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. The quoted material may have changed in the final release.

Intriguing, twists and great story. Loved this book kept you inspired. Recommend to anyone who loves historical fiction.

It's taken me longer than usual to finish this for one reason or another. Those times were so difficult for people living in Naxi Germany and also in Paris.
Spies everywhere, who could you trust?
It's an intriguing story with so many dangers attached to Dr Viktor's mission. I was worried for him and Fraulein Heinz all the time. Daniel had his own issues and past heartbreak to deal with but really liked Katja.
Thank you netgalley for this Arc.

The Paris Notebook is an enjoyable, unique historical fiction set around the beginning of WWII. A very different perspective from other WWII books I have read. The book is based on true facts from Adolfo Hitler's psychiatrist about his mental state which makes for an interesting read.

Katharine the main character of the story, is hired to transcribe Dr Viktor's medical records about Hitler. When the Nazis try to make sure that the records never are made public, it puts both of them in grave danger. The book is full of suspense, drama and even a little romance. It shows the determination and choices people make for something they believe in. If you want a book with twists and turns, then this one is for you.

Thank you NetGalley for an advance copy of this book.

I love this period of history and the books that have been written in this time. This book was no exception and I loved the pace of the book and moving between Germany and Paris.

You felt you were with them all their efforts and I did not see the ending coming but was so lovely.

*Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for ARC, in exchange for an honest review *

Extraordinary

I have read multiple historical fictions during World War II, but The Paris Notebook is unlike any other ones I have read, and that is one of my favorite things about this book. I never even considered how it must be to treat a person who ended up killing so many others, even if he had no way of knowing it back then. I couldn’t get enough of Katja’s story; every page had me wondering what would happen next. When Katja started working for Dr. Viktor, I wondered how long it would take for her to figure out that the medical records that she was copying were Adolf Hitler’s. I wondered what her reaction would be once she discovered the truth. Once the idea came to try and publish the book, I thought that it was a brilliant idea, but at the same time, I wondered if anyone would be brave enough to publish it.

I felt that the beginning of the book started slow, but it picked up within a few pages, and then I was hooked and couldn’t seem to get enough. I would finish it sooner, but school and all the homework and tests made it hard to have time to read every day. When I wasn’t reading the book, I was thinking about the book and wondering if Katja and Dr. Viktor could accomplish their goal. The two of them went through so much even to have anyone consider publishing it. I do understand why some were hesitant about it; they were afraid. I loved how dedicated, and brave Katja was; despite her challenges, there wasn’t a single time she gave up. Despite what was happening in the world, I think she was one of the most courageous women to keep going. Of all the characters in the book, she was my favorite.

The Paris Notebook had me going through many different emotions. There were quite a few parts of the book that were hard for me to read, yet I found it hard to put the book down. Every page and chapter were suspenseful, with you on the edge of your seat. I would spend all day reading if I wasn’t so busy with classes. The first thing that caught my attention while I was on Netgalley was the cover; that was what had me click and read the description; the cover itself has a mystery.

That ending was probably the most surprising in the whole story, even though I didn’t see that one coming. This was the first book I have read by Tessa Harris and now I am eager to check out the rest of her books. Highly recommend this book.

This was good, really enjoyed it. Didn't realize it was loosely based on true events till the end. Didn't expect Daniel to be alive at the end!

From the second I read the synopsis of Tessa Harris’ latest historical fiction novel I was hooked and the story itself only exceeded my expectations. The Paris Notebook is an utterly gripping and perfectly crafted piece of historical fiction which is a must-read for fans of the genre. It was clearly meticulously researched as, despite being a fictitious account based on true events, history just seeped through the pages.
The Paris Notebook is mostly told through a split narrative, flitting between Katja’s story in Hamburg and Daniel’s story in Paris, and these two stories are eventually interwoven when their paths cross in Paris. It is perfectly paced and gripping from the very beginning, with so many twists and turns that it was nearly impossible to predict what would happen next. The prologue is intense, dramatic and throws you straight into fast-paced action. I don’t think a book has ever had me on the edge of my seat so quickly; two pages in is no mean feat so props to Tessa Harris.
Katja is a wonderful protagonist with such depth to her character. We see her grow in courage and strength as the novel progresses, determined to do all she can to fight against the Nazis. I found the character of Daniel to be my favourite and his character development as he begins to rebuild his life following the deaths of his wife and daughter was a really well-executed aspect of the story. Tessa Harris also writes antagonists exceptionally well and both the characters of Doctor Ulbricht and Commodore Flebert made my skin crawl.
At the heart of both of the characters of Katja and Daniel is a love of literature. Their love story very much centres around this shared passion for reading as they meet in a bookshop and then initially bond over book recommendations. References to literature are featured throughout the narrative and I particularly enjoyed the references to the story of Frankenstein.
The Paris Notebook has strong mental health representation and features vivid descriptions of the reality of experiencing depression and anxiety. In the story we also get a raw exploration of grief, shown both through Daniel’s anguish at the loss of his wife and young daughter and through Katja’s devastation at the loss of both of her parents at the hands of the Nazis.
I did find a couple of the decisions made by the characters to be beyond infuriating but ultimately as both these points added to the drama and tension of the story I can let them slide.
It’s rare I find a book which physically makes tears stream down my face but The Paris Notebook did just that. It is a really powerful piece of historical fiction and definitely has the potential to be one of the standout books of 2023.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5
I have posted an extended review on my blog www.yourschloe.co.uk and the post is linked

Thank you to Tessa Harris, NetGalley, and HQ Digital for this ARC. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

From just reading the book’s synopsis I was hooked and needed to read this. I am a sucker for historical fiction, especially books set during World War II and this one is one-of-a-kind!

This story revolves around Dr. Ernst Viktor’s psychiatric notes of his patient Adolf Hitler, which note him suffering from serious psychological disorders. These notes could destroy Katja, a young German woman, begins working as a personal assistant for Dr. Viktor and is asked to transcribe the notes on the mysterious patient in the notebook. This work is to be kept a top secret, and as Katja transcribes the notes she quickly realizes why and how important the notes are. Dr. Viktor and Katja work on trying to get the notes published so the world understands how dangerous Hitler truly is and why he should not be in charge of a nation. This puts them and others on a perilous journey though as the Nazis try to eliminate the records and anyone who knows of them. How far will Katja go to get the notes into the hands of the Allies? Will her efforts help change the tide of the war?

I have just finished The Paris Notebook and found it a great and interesting read. The book is set in Germany at the beginning of World War II. Katja Heinz is a young woman looking for work. She applies for a job at The University of Hamburg and there starts this fascinating story. Life is not easy for her. Her father died defending his books in the Nazi book burnings and she now looks after her sad mother as well as working to make ends meet. Katja is approached to become a personal assistant to Dr Viktor to help run his day to day work life. Or is it. Dr Viktor trusts her to type up a notebook of his notes which relate to a time during World War I when Hitler was under his care and could prove to the world what a mad man he is. The notes are finished and then comes the difficulties of getting it published. They go to Paris with a hope of help and the story then continues in a way which I was not expecting causing happiness and sadness in equal measures. Katya is determined to have the notebook taken seriously and to be given to the highest power that she can. Her life becomes hard but she does meet Daniel in a bookshop run by Sylvia who befriended Katja and romance between Daniel and Katja brings joy to them both and they then marry. He also helps her to try and get the notebook seen and taken seriously. I loved this book and all the characters. Even the Gestapo element in the book makes sense in the context of the story although they were a cruel factor in the War. This book is so well written I could not put it down and left me wondering how much is fact and how much is fiction. A MUST READ

Tessa Harris once again succeeds in giving us a novel that is engaging and thoughtful while having a compulsive element, thoroughly recommend

I was extremely excited about reading The Paris Notebook by Tessa Harris and WOW! it did not disappoint me. The book was released on 15th February 2023. I was lucky to receive a copy through NetGalley for an honest review. So let's begin, here's my review......

Katja Heinz is the main character who lives with her widowed mother. She finds work at Dr Viktor medical Clinic as his personal assistant and typist of his patients medical records. Katja's job is to type up a top secret medical records from a notebook that must not be revealed.
After the first world war Dr Viktor treated soldiers and veteran's for mental health and disorders. In particular a patient who was treated by Dr Viktor was Adolf Hitler.
The top secret notebook in fact stated Hitler was unfit for office and not able to command an army to war and battle in WWII. Hitler's reputation could be compromised if the top secret notebook was discovered by the wrong side, completely altering the future of war and humankind itself.

Dr Viktor ultimately paid a deadly price and the top secret notebook was then first hidden in Katja apartment and later in her hatbox, transported initially to Paris.
This is where Katja meets and seeks safe harbour with Sylvia the owner of a Paris bookstore called 'Shakespeare and Company' and Daniel Keenan an Irish journalist appointed the role and responsibility to publish the notebook and reveal it's secrets in the attempt to stop the Nazis and War.

Katja Heinz is not safe whilst in Paris and is being watched by Nazi spies who are out to stop and murder anyone who attempt to go against Hitler and his Nazi regime. Ultimately to reveal the notebook secrets and information it contains.
The notebook travels to London and eventually to America.
Will the notebook survive and become a published bestseller novel?
Will the notebook be destroyed before being published?
Who will live to tell it's story?

I rate thus book 5 stars. Definitely for fans of war historical fiction. Definitely a book to add to your to be read list. Will keep you entertained and curious to see how it ends. Enjoy.

After reading the synopsis, this book immediately captured my attention. This book is truly unique, and I highly recommend it. <3

4.5 very strong stars⭐️! The Paris Notebook by Tessa Harris was a very well written historical fiction novel based on true events. Just when I thought that I have read all there was to know about World War II, a brilliant storyteller and author surprised me with information that I had never heard about before. Tessa Harris had uncovered information about a secret. It was a secret Adolf Hitler thought had been hidden and forgotten about long ago. The Paris Notebook was based on that buried secret. I wondered while I immersed myself in reading The Paris Notebook, that if that secret had been revealed, could the course of history have been altered and World War II have been possibly avoided? It was a thought that tugged at me.

The Paris Notebook began in Hamburg, Germany in 1939. Katja Heinz had become the sole caregiver for her depressed and widowed mother. Thoughts of her dead father still brought tears to Katja’s eyes. Her father had been made an example of during the Nazi book burnings. Katja’s father had written and published a book that scientifically discredited the Nazi’s claim to a superior Aryan race. His book had infuriated the Nazis and caused the Nazis to ban his book. Katja’s father was present during the book burning of 1933. As book after book was thrown into the bonfire, Katja’s father became increasingly angrier and angrier. When he tried to pull a book away from an over zealous Nazi, he was pushed into the bonfire. Katja, who had accompanied her father to the book burning, witnessed her father’s slow and agonizing death. The vision of her father’s suffering would be forever imbedded upon her mind.

Now it was up to Katja to pay the rent and bills. She was working as a secretary in a soap factory where the pay was minimal. When Katja heard about a receptionist position at The University of Hamburg’s Clinic for Neurological Disorders she interviewed for the position but she was totally unqualified and did not get the position. However, Dr. Viktor, one of the doctors who had interviewed her, subsequently hired Katja as his personal assistant. She assumed that her job description would entail typing Dr. Viktor’s clinical notes and to keep track of his various appointments. How far from the truth that had been!

Katja soon learned that her job was to transcribe Dr. Viktor’s handwritten notes that he had written long ago in a personal notebook. She was warned that no one else could discover what Katja was doing and she was sworn to secrecy and discretion. Katja would soon discover that she was typing the medical records for a patient that Dr. Viktor had treated during World War I. Dr. Viktor had made extensive and detailed notes about the mental health of this patient. It did not take Katja long to figure out that Dr. Viktor’s patient had been no other than lance corporal Adolf Hitler. Dr. Viktor had hired Katja to transcribe his notes into a book so that it could be published. He believed and hoped that if the world was made privy to the state of Hitler’s mental health, perhaps his dominance could be stopped. Dr. Viktor knew he had to get this book published and the sooner the better.

Dr. Viktor had made a contact in Paris who thought that he could help Dr. Viktor find a publisher to publish the book. Katja was asked to accompany Dr. Viktor to Paris. Reluctantly, Katja agreed to accompany Dr. Viktor to Paris after she was able to make arrangements with a neighbor to look in on her debilitated mother. The actual trip to Paris was scary and unsettling for Katja. What if they were stopped or if the typed pages from Dr. Viktor’s notebook were discovered and confiscated? Katja knew the risks. She could be thrown in jail, tortured or even executed. Katja was determined to see this through despite the risks.

After Katja and Dr. Viktor arrived in Paris and had settled in their separate rooms at the hotel they were staying in, Katja ventured out to the Shakespeare and Company bookshop. It was there that Katja met Sylvia Beach, the owner and Daniel Keenan, a journalist originally from Ireland. Both Daniel and Katja were immediately drawn to each other. There was an instant attraction between the two of them but so much more. Daniel harbored a tragic past, though. He was unable to let it go and the only thing that masked it was liquor. That afternoon, Katja was drawn to Daniel in a way she had never been drawn to anyone else. Daniel impressed Katja with his knowledge of literature and authorships. She didn’t want their time together to end. How silly of her! They had just met. What did she know about him?

Later that evening, Katja would see Daniel again. Daniel was the link to a publisher that might be able to help Dr. Viktor and her get the book published. Around every corner, though, there were spies and people who were trying to stop Dr. Viktor and Katja. Their lives were in constant danger. How far would the Nazis go to stop them?

The Paris Notebook was fast paced and impeccably researched. This was the first book that I had read by Tessa Harris but it will not be the last. I will definitely be on the lookout for more books by her. The Paris Notebook was about family, love, friendships, loyalty, taking risks, determination, betrayal, exposure and dedication. Although, Katja’s and Daniel’s characters were purely fictional, I really enjoyed them. Dr. Viktor’s character was based on an actual doctor of psychiatry and a notebook actually existed. Many of the places mentioned in The Paris Notebook existed as did the artists and authors that were mentioned. I loved the ending! If you enjoy good historical fiction based on true events, then I recommend The Paris Notebook very highly. The Paris Notebook was published on February 15, 2023.

Thank you to HQ Digital for allowing me to read The Paris Notebook by Tessa Harris through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.