I am definitely the outlier here. There are so many 4 & 5 star ratings and it just didn't hit me in the same way. It was a perfectly ok story but lacked emotion in both the characters and the storytelling. I was excited to learn more about Levitan, but I feel a little cheated by how little history we got. It took forever to get there and then I feel like the history was sort of glossed over. Helaine doesn’t even make it to Levitan until more than halfway through the book.

My biggest beef with the story is the lack of emotion. I did not shed one tear and that says a lot from someone who cries at literally everything. These characters had experienced very traumatic events in their life, and we hear about those, but we don’t feel it. The character development was there, but the emotional depth was not. The character that I felt the most connected to was Franny and we got so little of her.

The plot was solid, and it had the potential to be a really emotional read but the pace for most of the book was so slow that it was hard to stay interested. The last third of the book finally got to a pace that held my attention. There was a nice twist towards the end that took me by surprise. Although I didn’t hate the book, I am not sure that it is one I would pick up to read again.

It’s only February and I’ve already read several excellent historical fiction novels, including this one.

Inspired by true events, this is a story set in two timelines (1940s and the 1950s) about two women, Helaine and Louisa, during WWII and told from their respective POVs. The author shines a light on an unknown (to me) part of the Nazi occupation in France, namely that the Nazis used a department store in the heart of Paris as a prisoner centre for ‘high status” Jewish prisoners. There, the prisoners were forced to sort through the stolen belongings of Jewish families, display the items, and sell them to high-ranking Nazi officials. The threat of being transported to the concentration camps was ever-present.

The interweaving of the timelines was so well done and the pacing was consistent throughout. The storytelling, clearly informed by research, was captivating and compelling and the writing was vividly descriptive. A story of loss, sorrow, but also of resilience and hope.

Highly recommended for historical fiction lovers.

Thanks to the publisher for this complimentary copy. All opinions are my own.

This dual-timeline novel starts in 1943, in Paris. Helaine has just been arrested. Her husband Gabriel, a cellist, is missing in Germany and she realizes that coming from a wealthy, influential Jewish family has not protected her. The story shifts to 1953, England where Louise, a married mother of two, remains haunted by the time she volunteered for the Red Cross during WWII. In a secondhand store, she finds a heart necklace, which she recognizes as a piece of jewelry one of the prisoners in a German camp they visited had tried to have smuggled out by her friend Franny. After Fanny took the necklace, she was killed, allegedly in a car accident. Louise had suspected that her friend's death was connected to the necklace. Now, with the necklace in her possession, she is determined to uncover the truth about her friend's death. Her search takes her to the former building of Lévitan, a former luxury department store that was converted to a place where the Germans stored and sold looted possessions of Parisian Jews. It also served as a prison camp for those arrested and forced to work there. This was where Helaine was taken when she was arrested.

Pam Jenoff has written many riveting historical novels about WWII and its aftermath. Last Twilight in Paris is a powerful story that sheds light on a lesser-known aspect of the German occupation of Paris - the story of Lévitan. Jenoff has created two strong female characters and an intriguing mystery. If you are a fan of historical fiction, chances are you are familiar with this author. If not, this book is a perfect introduction to one of the top authors in the genre, who writes stories that need to be told.

Rated 4.5 stars.

ast Twilight in Paris is a dual timeline novel. Set during WWII and 1953, it intertwines the lives of Louise, a volunteer during the war but currently a mom and housewife, and Helaine, a Jewish woman imprisoned and separated from her husband during the war. Louise lost her friend Fanny while volunteering with the Red Cross in concentration camps, and the mystery of her death has never left her. When she discovers a necklace while working in a thrift shop, she’s certain it’s the same necklace she saw with Fanny before she died. Louise makes it her mission to uncover the secret of this necklace.

This story was heart wrenching and beautiful. Part mystery, part historical fiction, it’s a story of strength, survival, and love. I loved the ending, and I know this story will stay with me for a while! I love dual timeline historical fictions, and this was no exception. Thank you to Netgalley, Harper Collins, and Harlequin for an advance copy.

London 1953, Louise discovers a necklace in a shop inside a box from Paris. She’s sure that she’s seen it before when she was with the Red Cross during the war. A mystery and a story of sacrifice,, wonderful writing.

This dual timeline story about a little know event in WWII kept me turning the pages.

London, 1953: Louise was a red cross volunteer who helped take Red Cross care packages to prisoners in the camps during WWII. Now she is a wife and mother who loves her husband but is still struggling to adapt to her life as a housewife and mother. She helps in a thrift store sorting through boxes with items that can be placed for sale when she comes across a heart shaped necklace that is missing its other half. She is sure that she has seen this necklace before when she was with the Red Cross and she is determined to track down the other half and the history behind it.

Paris, 1943: Helaine is a young Jewish woman who is imprisoned in the Lévitan, an upscale furniture store that the Nazis are using as a temporary prison camp. The people are forced to work and put out items stolen from Jewish homes. High ranking Nazis can shop in the store to purchase items for their wives and mistresses. Helaine's husband is a gifted cellist in the symphony and he was forced to go to the camps to entertain Nazi officers. Before he left he gave her half of a heart shaped necklace and he kept the other half.

Paris, 1953: Louise returns to Paris and runs into her old boss, Ian, who worked with her at the Red Cross. Louise is hoping that she can find answers to what happened to her Friend, Franny, who died while they were visiting the prisoners. Louise saw one of the prisoners hand her a heart shaped necklace just like the one that Louise found in the thrift shop. When Frany's body was found, the necklace was missing. Her search in Paris leads her to a now closed but once upscale furniture store, the Lévitan. Louisse discovers that Parisian Jews were housed there as a temporary camp. She must find out what happened there and where the other half of the necklace is. She is hoping that with Ian's help they can unravel the mystery. However, things are more complicated than she thought they would be and secrets are standing in the way.

I really enjoyed Last Twilight in Paris and it lead me to try and learn more about the history of the Lévitan. Thanks to NetGalley and Park Row for the advanced reading copy.

London, 1953. Louise is still adjusting to her postwar role as a housewife when she discovers a necklace in a box at a secondhand shop. The box is marked with the name of a department store in Paris, and she is certain she has seen the necklace before, when she worked with the Red Cross in Nazi-occupied Europe—and that it holds the key to the mysterious death of her friend Franny during the war.

Louise is not going to give up easily. She is on the hunt for the truth. But, she soon discovers, not everything is as it seems.

I love a book which has me researching. And I went down a rabbit hole researching Lévitan. This author created such a unique tale about this tragic time period.

Even though this is not my favorite book by this author, it is still a great story! (My favorite is The Woman With The Blue Star.) This has a dual timeline and it is full of secrets, drama and great characters!

Thérèse Plummer is one of my favorite narrators. Add in Saskia Maarleveld and you have a great team!

I received this novel from, the publisher for a honest review.

Pam Jenoff has done it again with the story in this book. I always learn a part of history that is little known in her novels. My favorite parts were with Helaine and Gabriel; their love was so true and really did see them through dark times. Plus it was great to see Louise find her path and finally put her past to rest.

I have no picked up a book by Pam Jenoff that I have not loved & The Last Twilight in Paris was no exception. This story was filled with history that I was unaware of. Two story lines, barely ten years apart, we fall in love with both main characters Helaine & Louise. A story of love, betrayal, marriage and ww2. This is a must read.

Last Twilight in Paris is page-turning historical fiction with generous sides of mystery, intrigue. and thriller.

In 1953, Louise works in a thrift shop and has two children with her husband, Joe. Although Joe seems like a good guy, he suffers from PTSD from the war. One day while sorting through a box of donations at work, Louise finds a necklace that she thinks she has seen during her time serving with the Red Cross during WWII. Feeling the necklace might be connected with her friend, Franny, who died during the war and needing some time away, she decides to go to Paris where she enlists the help of a former love interest, Ian.

In an alternate timeline, we are introduced to Helaine, a Jewish woman who is imprisoned at the once glamorous Parisan department store, Levitan. We also get Louise and Ian’s story of how they met and the work they did with the Red Cross.

Will Louise rekindle her romance with Ian? Will she solve the mystery of the necklace?

Do you love historical fiction that has a strong mystery and generous sides of intrigue and thriller? In addition to learning about the Levitan department store transformed into a prison, we are treated to some page-turning action as the mystery of the necklace is resolved.

A couple of plot twists (no spoilers) will add to your reading enjoyment. I think you’ll be pleased with the poignant and satisfactory ending.

I had never heard of the Levitan Department Store or its history as a prison for Jewish individuals during WWII. The prisoners were largely responsible for sorting the piles of belongs that had been looted from the homes of Jewish families and preparing them for resale. Although prisoners at Levitan endured harsh conditions, they fared better than others at different locations.

Content Consideration: war, imprisonment, dire circumstances

Fans of suspenseful WWII histfic, a Paris setting, and Pam Jenoff will want to add Last Twilight in Paris to their TBRs.

Thanks #NetGalley @HTP_Books @ParkRowBooks for a complimentary eARC of #LastTwilightInParis upon my request. All opinions are my own.

Last Twilight in Paris by Pam Jenoff is a fast-paced, moving novel and one that I will recommend to others.
Pam Jenoff does an excellent job writing historical fiction stories.
Her stories are always so well researched and compelling.
This book was hard to put down. Wonderful characters to follow along in the story.

An outstanding work of historical fiction about Nazi Germany, a department store, a necklace and true love. This has just the right combination of history, romance and suspense. An enchanting story and excellent character development. For fans of Kristin Harmel and Kristin Hannah.

Once again Pam Jenoff has written not only a captivating novel but she also written a story around a little known historical fact. Before reading this novel, I had never before heard of Lévitan which was a department store in Paris that was actually used by the Nazis as basically a prison work camp. Written in dual time periods, London in 1953 and the war years in Paris, Jenoff was able to weave fiction and history together that kept me reading past my bedtime! Normally dual time line World War II novels are set in current times so it was a bit different for me to see one written in the 1950's. However, I have to say I liked it because it told the story of Louise who was also involved with the war effort but now was trying to settle into "normal" family life postwar. Perfect for fans of historical fiction.

Intriguing story of WWII during 1944 and a store in Paris where some Jewish people were interned with the principal character a young wife of a cellist in the symphony. I liked reading this book because it was a different approach to the horrors of war inflected upon an occupied country (Paris for this book). Another bold way of tying situations and people together was by using 1953 and a different character trying to find the rightful owner of a Mizpah piece of jewelry. Another angle is what happens when the Red Cross goes into Germany with care packages for POWs. This would be a great book club selection. Many thanks to Harlequin Trade Publishing and NetGalley for an ARC; the opinions stated in my review are my own.

This was my first Pam Jenoff book and wow! I’m officially putting her backlist titles on my TBR now. In THE LAST TWILIGHT OF PARIS, I enjoyed the dual POVs (during and after WWII) that eventually connected in the end. It was a very captivating historical fiction read. I appreciated the author’s note in the back of the book. It’s amazing how you think you’ve learned about WWII to read books like this and realize that there’s still so much that happened that I never heard of. Highly recommended. Thank you to NetGalley and Park Row for the ARC. All opinions are my own.

I have been a longtime fan of Pam Jenoff, and I'm thrilled that her newest, Last Twilight in Paris, is out now. I appreciate so much that after many books, Jenoff is still finding unique stories to tell about World War II experiences. This is another heartbreaking one, with a strong core of brave women at the center, as well as gentle love stories. Pam Jenoff does an excellent job communicating information and teaching in her writing without making it feel like a pedantic info dump, and I always leave her books feeling like I've been enlightened on something new.

This historical fiction novel was engrossing and heartfelt. I tend to shy away from WW II , but this one taught me something new! It was well researched and even has a mystery in the plot. I felt transported back in time and was immersed in the story.

Thank you to Park Row/Harlequin for providing me with an advance copy of this book.

Having previously read The Lost Girls of Paris by Pam Jenoff, I was eager to dive into Last Twilight in Paris. I enjoyed her previous novel and look forward to reading more of her work.

This historical fiction novel is set in France during and after World War II, a period that, while covered in literature, still holds many untold stories—particularly about the Nazi occupation. I’ve read a few books on this subject about the harsh and horrific realities of that era.
Told through dual timelines, the novel follows two women:

- Louise Burns Emmond—After the war, Louise is married to Joe and raising two children, but her past is filled with uncertainty. Before Joe left to fight in the war, he didn’t marry her, leaving her in limbo. Determined to contribute, she volunteers with the Red Cross, a decision that will shape her journey.

- Helaine Weil—A young Jewish woman, Helaine was sheltered as a child due to a serious heart condition. Doctors warned she would never be strong enough to bear children, and her family kept a close watch over her. Through her story, we gain insight into the life of a Jewish Parisienne before and during the Nazi occupation. One of the most striking elements of her narrative is her time in the Levitan camp, a former Jewish-owned furniture store that was repurposed as a depository for belongings confiscated from Jewish families. I hadn’t heard of Levitan before, and learning about it was both fascinating and deeply unsettling.

Once again, Pam Jenoff crafts a compelling, emotional story that is difficult to put down. Her ability to weave historical detail into a gripping narrative makes Last Twilight in Paris both an enlightening and engrossing read. She has a remarkable talent for bringing history to life with vivid detail and deeply human characters, making her novels both immersive and unforgettable. This book is yet another testament to her ability to blend historical accuracy with powerful storytelling, leaving readers both moved and inspired.

https://allthatsinteresting.com/levitan

Inside Lévitan, The Nazi Department Store Where Jewish Prisoners Were Forced To Sell Their Belongings

Under the Nazi occupation of France, the Jewish-owned Parisian furniture store Lévitan was converted into a work camp where some 800 Jewish prisoners were held.

I decided to begin my review with the link and headline I discovered while searching for information about Lévitan. Having read numerous historical fiction novels set during World War II, which frequently delved into the atrocities committed in the various camps and even explored the sinister purposes of some, Lévitan was a name I had never come across before.

In this heartwarming and utterly unforgettable tale, we encounter Louise, a selfless woman whose life took an unexpected turn in 1953. While rummaging through a box in London, she stumbled upon a necklace bearing the name of a Parisian department store. Intrigued, Louise couldn’t shake the feeling that she had seen this necklace before. As the narrative unfolds, we are transported back to the tumultuous era of World War II, where Louise served as a dedicated Red Cross worker. It is during this time that we witness the devastating loss of her dear friend, Franny, a renowned actress who dedicated her performances to entertaining the POWs.

Our other primary protagonist in this story is Helaine, a sheltered young Jewish woman, Prior to the outbreak of the war, she falls in love with a cellist named Gabriel. As he is not Jewish, this presents a problem with her parents, especially her father. Nonetheless, she marries him, and the two scrape by due to his music. However, as the war has started to invade other parts of Europe, including Paris, a gulf begins to grow between them.

Louise is relentless in her determination for trying to find out whatever she can about the necklace she found, despite any obstacles she may face. More importantly, Louise is more determined to find the truth about the department store called Lévitan and how it became a labor camp and what Jews were imprisoned there.

As most stories about the war have a strong impact on me, this one did as well. In fact, I was brought to tears more than once in the story. I loved reading Pam Jenoff’s comments before and after the story that illustrate her reasons for writing these impactful World War II stories, And, although using literary license when necessary, she clearly brings attention to yet another cruel way in which the Germans treated the Jews.

Quite often when reading these World War II stories, I am reading stories that took place in Germany, and we all know what happened there. However, to see how in Paris the Jews were treated no better, and how some of them were housed, was utterly heartbreaking. I’ve only had occasion to read two previous books by this knowledgeable author, but that is a situation I plan on changing in the coming year.

Many thanks to Park Row and to NetGalley for this ARC for review. This is my honest opinion.

Loved it!! In all the historical fiction books that I read and documentaries that I watched, I never heard anything about Lévitan. The Parisian department store was turned into a Nazi camp, where they could buy items that were stolen from the Jewish homes that were ransacked. That's where Helaine has found herself during WWII, after her husband left to tour Germany with a small group of musicians. Helaine led such a sheltered life after contracting influenza at five. Her parents kept her in the house, almost a prisoner. A prisoner that never wanted for anything except leaving the house. At eighteen she's finally able to take a walk around the block alone. She meets Gabriel while he's playing his cello. Helaine is from an extremely wealthy Jewish family, while Gabriel is not. Her life immediately goes into a new direction. During the war, Louise joined the Red Cross and found herself handing out care packages to prisoners in Germany. Along the way she meets Franny. Franny would sing, entertain the men and pose for photos. After the war, Louise is married with children and works at a thrift shop. She happens to come across a necklace that she remembered seeing years ago. She saw a man give it to Franny at one of the camps. The same night that something happened to Franny. Louise makes it her mission to find out all she can about the necklace and even asks help from Ian, who was with the Red Cross. Loved the mystery behind the necklace and Franny. There were so many twists and turns with who was involved and what was really going on. Loved finding out the truth about Franny. I wasn't sure how Helaine and Louise's paths would cross when I first started the book. Loved the ending when everything was finally revealed.

Definitely recommend the book. Loved the characters, story and writing style. I enjoyed how the book alternated between Helaine and Louise. Loved reading about Louise during her time with the Red Cross. Look forward to reading more books by the author.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Harlequin Trade Publishing through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.