Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an advance copy of The Paris Assignment by Rhys Bowen in exchange for my honest review and opinions. I'm not a huge historical fiction fan but the cover and description of this caught my attention and I'm so glad it did. What a fantastic story that will captivate you and leave you thinking about the book long after you finish it. I definitely will be reading more Rhys Bowen in the near future.

Historical fiction is not my thing. I really tried but this did not work for me. I really wanted to like it

During a semester at the Sorbonne, British citizen Madeleine Grant falls for Giles Martin. Despite objections from their families, they start a happy life in Paris with their son, Olivier. But when World War II breaks out and the Nazis take over France, Madeleine and Olivier flee to London while Giles joins the Resistance.

As bombings increase in London, Madeleine sends Olivier to the countryside, only to tragically learn he's killed in a train bombing. Grief-stricken and wanting to help the war effort, Madeleine joins a group of French-speaking women trained as spies sent to France.

This novel follows the Martin family from Britain to France to Australia during World War II and afterward. It's a gripping story of love, sacrifice, war's horrors, and the hope that follows.

Thank you to NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing for the opportunity to read The Paris Assignment.

The Paris Assignment by Rhys Bowen was not the book I was expecting. The story of Madeline’s time as a spy in France during WWII was entertaining. However, the story of her son was unexpected.

This is a standalone WWII historical fiction book. Madeleine is a Londoner who married a Frenchman and had a son. They go back to London just prior to the invasion of France, while Madeleine’s husband stays to join the army. After her son’s accidental death, Madeleine goes back to France working for the SOE and the Resistance.
5 stars.

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed as in this review are completely my own.

The writing is solid, creating a vivid atmosphere, but the plot is a mix of captivating moments and predictability. Characters are well-developed, though some lack depth. Pacing fluctuates, making it a decent but not outstanding read.

There were so many storylines packed into this that it made the story a bit of a mess.
So much was crammed in that it all felt superficial and poorly written. You cannot just chuck in a storyline about big topics like the Australian farm orphanages and only skim over it as this feels cheap to the reader and as if the author has only done the bare minimum with regards to research. The pacing was slow which made engaging with the story difficult yet the ending was super rushed. There were also a lot of issues with stilted dialogue and weird unrealistic character interactions that felt forced.
This was a hugely disappointing read and I wouldn't recommend picking it up.

Many thanks to the author, publisher, and Netgalley for sending me a copy of this book in return for an honest review.

A story about WWII and Madeleine, a woman, wife, mother who face terrinble tragedy early in the story. She volunteers to help the resistance in France and she continues to face more struggles and challenges. What I enjoyed most about this story is that despite the horrific conditions and constant stuggles that come with war, as a reader, we are reminded that there is so much good and people willing to help.

A story of war that is woven together so beautifully to show the bravery, courage, determination and love of the human spirit.

When WWII starts, Madeline’s husband joins the resistance and is adamant she go to England with their son to stay there with her family. She reluctantly agrees becoming a teacher. However, she soon takes a government position that will take her back to France.

I think my expectations were different than what I read because of the synopsis. Madeline’s job in France doesn’t really happen until the last ⅓ of the book. I also felt like the Oliver storyline was weird. It just felt like a device to get Madeline to agree to go abroad. I wish Madeline didn’t have kids and then it could’ve focused more on her spy-work.

I received my copy from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

A moving tale in part about a topic I was unfamiliar with - the displacement of orphans to Australia during WWII. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the free advance copy.

Many people risked their lives to help bring the Nazis down. It wasn't just the native people whose land they inhabited. A large number from unoccupied countries went in as spies to help the resistance and the Allied forces. This is the story of a British woman with French blood who returns to the country to fight those who took her loved ones from her. 
The novel starts with Madeline attending school in France and meeting the young man who steals her heart. As we learn of her attachment to France and her family dynamics, we are eventually taken to a Europe that feels the threat of Hitler. When life hits her with extreme blows, she decides to do her part in brining down Hitler and kick him out of France. She becomes a spy and walks into the lion's den to face the enemy that is everywhere. 
I found the story to be a little slow at first, but as I continued reading, it became apparent that it would be important later as we watch Madeline venture into the war zone. The pace of the story picks up as she is trained as a spy and then sneaks into the country. The dangers she face is not glossed-over. We see her as she faces her fears and those who could kill her in a moment. 
Most of the story is not intense, but there are plenty of moments that have you on the edge of your seat as you wonder what will happen next. The emotional development of the main character also captivates the reader as we share with her the exhilaration of success and the heartbreak of loss. This is a story that will have you wondering about the real events so much of the book is based on. It is a story that will get your curiosity moving. 
Find a new favorite author in Rhys Bowen. I've read several of books and will be reading even more. Easy flow of words that have you transported to whole new worlds.

Rhys Bowen has such a good voice and has really cornered the market with her historical fiction. I really enjoyed this one and I look forward to reading more from her in the future.

Thank you to netgalley and the publishers for providing me with an arc for an honest review.

I thought I wouldn't read another WWII story again, however, I couldn't resist this novel when I saw it was written by Rhys Bowen (one of my favorite). An engrossing story about a family that becomes involved in espionage when Germany invades France. A French man, who stays and works with the Resistance, and his part-French wife, who trains in England to infiltrate France to aid the English. Another excellent page turner.

A perfectly serviceable WWII women's fiction novel. Nothing to write about, I'm sure the people who love this genre will be fine with this.

It took a long bit to get into the meat of this book but it was a great read. A unique situation with a great storyline!

Previously, I had only read Rhys Bowen's historical mystery series, the Royal Spyness, but I was excited to read her new historical fiction novel, The Paris Assignment. I found this book to a good example of a WWII historical fiction showcasing the experience of both those living in France and England during the war.

Madeline Grant is half-French & half- English student at the Sorbonne in 1931 Paris. She falls in love with fellow student Giles and builds a life in Paris in the years before the war. As the war begins, she is England with her young son and Giles is a French resistance worker. Madeline sees unspeakable tragedy, which leads her to also join the resistance.

I cannot say this book was easy-to-read. As a mother, I had to step away at times as the characters' lived experiences were emotional to read. But, I found the book to be fast-moving and realistic. While, I don't think there is a happy ending to the book, I did find the ending satisfying while still believable. Besides Madeline, there is a large cast of brave and strong female characters that I enjoyed seeing develop.

Thank you Net Galley and Lake Union Publishing for the free copy in exchange for an honest review. I will post reviews on post this review on Goodreads, Bookbub, Barnes & Noble and Amazon.

Thank you for allowing me to read this book as an ARC!
Rhys Bowen did not disappoint with this historical fiction. The book had me glued to it and absolutely loved all the characters and especially the protagonist. Her strength and courage throughout everything thrown at her is remarkable. Knowing that this happened throughout the 2nd World War and the atrocities that people had to endure, this book showed the resilient side of the people and the will and courage to fight back with whatever they could.
The storyline is beautiful and leaves the reader wanting to know more of what is happening. It has a good clodeout and ending, not leaving anyone hanging and wondering what will happen or what happened to certain people.
Amazing book and as I always have, giving Rhys Bowen yet another 5 🌟 review!

Rhys Bowen chooses a standalone novel about World War II in the Paris Assignment. Madeleine Grant marries a French journalist and they have a son. Then World War II sends her husband to the Resistance and her son Oliver goes missing according to reports. Actually Oliver is shipped to Australia where he survives in miserable conditions with nuns her husband is killed. Madeleine is sent undercover to France. Will mother and son be reunited?

I’m typically a big fan of WWII stories, but this one was rather disappointing for me. Throughout the whole book, it seemed that the protagonists simply had no distinctive personality. None of their relationships felt real. I was never really immersed in the story, even though the historical elements were rich and varied.

This is the first book by Rhys Bowen that I’ve read, and I guess my expectations were higher. Everything is clearly well-researched, but I didn’t feel connected to the story or the characters.

The pacing in the first 20% of the book felt odd to me—the timeline was oddly fast-paced and did a lot of telling instead of showing. And after the first 20%, the pacing was better (until the last 15%), but the story just went downhill—the characters’ situations got worse and worse to the point that I just wanted to give up. I get it. War is messy, and WWII was particularly devastating. But I found it hard to root for Madeline and Olivier because they had pretty much given up on themselves too. I would have DNF’d except that I really hate leaving books unfinished.

While the story did have a happy ending, I did not enjoy the experience of reading this book. I may try reading something by Rhys Bowen in the future. We will see.