Once again, Kristin Harmel beautifully weaves her words with a profound tale of tragedy, hope, love, and family—both that to which you are born and the family you find along the way. World War II historical fiction is never an easy setting—the senseless destruction of cities, lives, and families is awful, uncomfortable, sickening…but it is so very important that we remember the atrocities which took place and hear the tales (even the fictionalized ones) that portray how common citizens did what they could, despite great risk to their own lives and their families, to aid the resistance. I loved reading Colette’s story, woven with elements of loss and betrayal, young love and second chances, found family, and mystery. Thank you to NetGalley for the opportunity to review this advanced copy.

Thank you Gallery Books for my #gifted ARC and thank you Simon Audio for my #gifted listening Copy of The Stolen Life of Colette Marceau! #GalleryInfluencer #gallerybooks #TheStolenLifeofColetteMarceau #Kristinharmel #simonaudio

𝐓𝐢𝐭𝐥𝐞: 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐒𝐭𝐨𝐥𝐞𝐧 𝐋𝐢𝐟𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐂𝐨𝐥𝐞𝐭𝐭𝐞 𝐌𝐚𝐫𝐜𝐞𝐚𝐮
𝐀𝐮𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐫: 𝐊𝐫𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐧 𝐇𝐚𝐫𝐦𝐞𝐥
𝐍𝐚𝐫𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐨𝐫: 𝐌𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐥𝐞𝐢𝐧𝐞 𝐌𝐚𝐛𝐲
𝐏𝐮𝐛 𝐃𝐚𝐭𝐞: 𝐉𝐮𝐧𝐞 𝟏𝟕, 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟓

𝟓★

Kristin Harmel has been one of my favorite historical fiction authors for a long time, and this book was flawless! I was captivated from the start and feel like this book will appeal to so many people, even those who do not normally read historical fiction because it also included mystery and romance elements. I don’t even want to say too much about this one because I truly just want you to read it. Just think of it as a modern day Robin Hood but so much more. Harmel truly is such a talented author and I cannot recommend this one enough. Colette was absolutely amazing and I loved her character so much. There was truly so much to love about this book and it’s one you will not want to miss.

💎Dual Timelines
💎Jewel Thieves
💎Historical Fiction x Mystery x Romance
💎Robin Hood

🎧I both read and listened to this one, and I found the audio to be outstanding. Madeleine Maby was so dynamic and it was an absolute joy listening to this one. I found myself gravitating towards the audio because of how much I enjoyed Maby and her ability to bring this story to life. This was without a doubt a 5★ audio performance.

Posted on Goodreads on June 16, 2025: https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/144922955?ref=nav_profile_l
**Posted on Instagram - Full Review- on or around June 16, 2025: http://www.instagram.com/nobookmark_noproblem
**Posted on Amazon on June 17, 2025
**-will post on designated date

Engrossing World War II fiction about a family descended from Robin Hood who stole jewels from evil people in order to fund first the French Resistance and later Holocaust education. Wonderful book if you can accept the premise and coincidences that abound.

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

A unique story of a woman; Annabel who descends from a long line of Jewel thief’s. Not for personal gain but to right wrongs and redistribute wealth. The Setting is WWII Paris 1942. Annabel is stealing jewels from the occupiers and selling them to fund the resistance. She has two daughters: Colette and Lillaine. Annabel begins teaching Colette her craft at an early age. There are too many wonderful twists and turns to count! Will Annabel be captured by the Nazi’s? How does Colette survive during and after the war? How can Colette resolve her personal pain and pay it forward.? What is four year old Lilaine’s future? What happens to the beautiful jewels owned by Annabel’s dearest friend.? Lastly, can there be closure 76 years later??

I feel awful saying this, but I didn’t love THE STOLEN LIFE OF COLETTE MARCEAU. I had a really hard time finishing it, because I felt so little connection to the characters, especially Colette herself. She is unlikable.

I can’t quite pinpoint the reason I didn’t care for this book, but I think it’s the many little coincidences that are too far fetched, as well as the belief that she’s the only person who matters when it comes to deciding who should be punished and who shouldn’t.

I did enjoy the dual timelines and I’m always intrigued by historical fiction set during WWII.

Thank you to Gallery Books and NetGalley for an advance digital copy of this book in exchange for my honest feedback. I wish I loved it more!

This is a poignant and spellbinding book with a lot of heart. I can't seem to pass up historical fiction books about WWII, especially when they are written by such a talented author as Kristin Harmel. I adored her books, "The Forest of Vanishing Stars" and "The Paris Daughter". Told in dual timelines, this is a story of survival and how one single person can make such a difference in so many people's lives. The main character, Colette, is expertly created. I was surprised by how spry, inquisitive, and resourceful she was at the age of 89, as well as having the will and fortitude to continue to help others her entire life. The story was filled with sorrow and grief at times but ended up overflowing with happily ever after for everyone.

This is bound to be a big hit with the fans of this author and readers who love historical fiction. My sincere thanks to Gallery Books and NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read a digital ARC of this book. All opinions expressed are my own.

Kristin Harmel is one of the best historical fiction writers that I’ve come across. She is a definite drop everything and read now author for me. In The Stolen Life of Colette Marceau, the author once again brings us to the devastating situation for the Jewish people during WW2 and to those who fought against Hitler’s regime. This time we follow Colette and her mother who are supposedly descendants of Robin Hood, who steal to help the French resistance and to save as many Jews as they can. Told in dual timelines we follow Colette as she is on a quest to find a missing bracelet. This quest is what has consumed her for her entire life. Finding the bracelet will answer so many questions from her family’s past. This was a true family saga full of great revelations for Colette. A page turner and tear jerker for sure.
Many thanks to Netgalley and Gallery Books for this wonderful arc in exchange for an honest review.
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THE STOLEN LIFE OF COLETTE MARCEAU is the latest outstanding historical novel from one of my favorite authors, Kristin Harmel. It is a gripping and emotional dual timeline story that spans over seven decades, from the 1940s in Paris to 2018 in Boston, MA. Colette Marceau has been a jewel thief since she was ten-years-old, following a long line of her female family members, who like their ancient ancestor Robin Hood, stole from the cruel and unkind to give to good people in need. Colette and her mother, Annabel worked side-by-side during World War II in Nazi-occupied France, to steal from Nazis to fund the French Resistance. But everything changed on one fateful night in 1942. Annabel was arrested then later killed by the Germans and Colette’s four-year-old sister, Liliane, was taken away. Liliane’s body was later found floating in the Seine River, but a precious diamond bracelet that had been sewn into her nightgown for safekeeping was never found. In 2018, at age ninety, Colette has never fully recovered from losing her mother and sister. She still steals jewels from evil people to fund causes she deems worthy. Colette’s world is turned upside down when the long-lost bracelet shows up in a museum exhibit in Boston. Where has the bracelet been all these decades? If she finds who contributed the piece, maybe she can finally learn what happened to her sister. The stunning story is told in both timelines which are expertly woven together. I enjoyed the mystery of the jewels and the thought-provoking underlying story with wonderful characters and settings. Don’t miss the inspiring Author’s Note at the end. Thank you to the author, publisher and NetGalley for the chance to read and review an early copy.

4.5 Stars. Kirstin Harmel has done it again ! I really enjoyed this book. It was a very quick read for me. I did not want to put it down like all her other books. Her stories suck you in til the end and then they stay with you after they are finished. This one had really good characters and a great storyline. I loved how sweetly the ending wrapped up even if parts were a little far fetched and unbelievable. I recommend giving this one a read if you enjoy a well written historical fiction.

Thank you Netgalley and Gallery Books for the digital arc in exchange for my honest review,

Colette Marceau is just a young girl living in France with her family when WWII begins. Prior to the war, her mother taught Collette of their family history, as descendants of Robin Hood, they are masters of stealing from the rich to give to the poor. This ultimately makes the family targets of the Nazis. When her family is taken away, her young sister goes missing, and Colette fears she is dead. This event changes the entire trajectory of Colette’s life.

I was enthralled by this dual timeline story about women jewel thief’s during WWII. Colette’s life was shaped by her secret of being a jewel thief, and she learns in her older age just how much her life was impacted by her “craft”. As with every Harmel book, there are secrets layered into the story that are gradually revealed. Colette was a unique character in that she was a female jewel thief, and continued to do this into her elder years. The book had many layers, which kept my attention. I wanted to solve all of the mysteries and I felt the story all came together well at the end. I thought the audiobook was very well done and brought the story to life.

This is the story of the life of Colette, a descendant of Robin Hood, who steal jewels from the rich to help the poor. The story toggles between 3 different time periods in her life - her time as a child training with her mother, her time as a young adult finding her way in the world, and the present in which she is an elderly woman still trying to solve the secrets of the past. I really enjoyed this story. Collette, her mother Annabel and all of the other characters drew me in right away. I enjoyed the historical fiction parts of it in Paris during WWII and the mystery of who betrayed Annabel and what really happened to her sister. I thought I had parts of the story figured out but the ending was surprising. It also makes you think - is it OK to steal if the money is being used to help others? Is it worth it if it could possibly hurt your other family members? I'd definitely recommend as a great read! Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for an advanced copy to read in exchange for my honest opinion.

Colette, an octogenarian jewel thief living in Boston, lost her family in WWII. Her mother, Annabel, also a jewel thief, had taught Colette that their legacy is to steal from the evil people of the world to help the good. Colette and Annabel steal jewels to fund the French resistance, but one day the Germans come for the family. During the chaos of the arrest, Colette’s baby sister, Liliane goes missing with a valuable bracelet sewn into her clothes. Colette spends her life mourning her sister while funding Holocaust causes by continuing to steal jewels. Then years later, the other half of the bracelet shows up in an exhibit in Boston and Colette is determined to find out how it got there and how it is connected with her sister’s death.

I’ll be honest, I wasn’t really in the mood for a historical fiction book right now, and definitely not a WWII one (I know I’ve said that before) but this one was good enough to grab me. It was a mystery and a sprinkling of a love story and while I figured much of it out, I needed to know if I was right (so I read it quite quickly). I loved the Colette character and all of those who surrounded her. I listened to about 1/4 of this but ended up reading much of it (not because I didn’t enjoy the audio, it was quite good, it’s just how my day worked out). I have been hearing about Harmel’s books for years but this was my first. I can’t wait to read the rest.

Thank you to Gallery Books and NetGalley for the arc to review

This author is well known for her WWII historical fiction and she has definitely generated a completely unique concept involving the French resistance movement in this book. Colette is in her 90s and continues to use her skills as a jewel thief while living in Boston in the current timeline to help fund a Holocaust museum. In the WWII timeline, Colette’s story of learning to steal jewels to finance the resistance is presented along with the tragedy of losing her mother and much younger sister. In the present day, in Boston, Colette discovers a clue to her sister’s disappearance and the book incorporates solving a mystery.
This is a unique story that combines Robin Hood-style heists with historical fiction and solving a mystery. Colette is a well developed and interesting character and the book is engaging and entertaining. I found some of the interactions between characters to be unrealistic and the relationships and some occurrences too predictable. But overall, a different and interesting take on the WWII era.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the Advanced Reader Copy in exchange for an honest review. Opinions are my own.

An outstanding historical fiction that kept me on the edge of the seat. It is full of suspense. A modern day Robin Hood, Colette, has spent a lifetime lifting jewels from the cruel and unkind people and giving it to a good cause. 70 years ago, in 1942, Colette's mother, Annabel, was arrested by the Nazis and sent to her death for stealing jewels from a Nazi officer. Colette was responsible for watching over her sister, but she left her outside their window to go back and help her mother. When she came back, Liliane was gone and later her body was found floating in the Seine. One of the key elements of the story are the jewels sewn into the girls' dresses to give back to the Rosman's, a Jewish family, that were stolen from them. Colette still has half of the bracelets when they are placed together they make a butterfly. The pieces represent the Rosman's twins that the famous Jewish jeweler, Max Besner, made for the mother.
70 years later the other half of the bracelets shows up in a museum exhibit in Boston, Colette ventures out to find where it has been and who was responsible for her sister's death.
Lucas is director of the museum and has the information Colette needs. She recruits her friends Aviva, a lawyer and her best friend Marty to help her with the search. Colette has admitted to stealing over 30 million dollars worth of jewels and given the money to Jewish organizations that benefit survivors.
This is such a fabulous book. I held my breath each time Colette attempted a theft. I could feel the tension and relief when she succeeded. It is a thought provoking moment with each existing chapter during WWII. The horrors of the Holocaust is well reflected as families are scattered during such a horrible time in history. Another great story of the resistance group during such a difficult time.
Thank you NetGalley and Gallery Books for this incredible ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Colette Marceau has been stealing jewels for nearly as long as she can remember, following the centuries-old code of honor instilled in her by her mother, Annabel: take only from the cruel and unkind, and give to those in need. Never was their family tradition more important than seven decades earlier, during the Second World War, when Annabel and Colette worked side by side in Paris to fund the French Resistance. But one night in 1942, it all went wrong. Annabel was arrested by the Germans, and Colette’s four-year-old sister, Liliane, disappeared in the chaos of the raid, along with an exquisite diamond bracelet sewn into the hem of her nightgown for safekeeping. Soon after, Annabel was executed, and Liliane’s body was found floating in the Seine—but the bracelet was nowhere to be found.

Seventy years later, Colette—who has “redistributed” $30 million in jewels over the decades to fund many worthy organizations—has done her best to put her tragic past behind her, but her life begins to unravel when the long-missing bracelet suddenly turns up in a museum exhibit in Boston. If Colette can discover where it has been all this time—and who owns it now—she may finally learn the truth about what happened to her sister. But she isn’t the only one for whom the bracelet holds answers, and when someone from her childhood lays claim to the diamonds, she’s forced to confront the ghosts of her past as never before. Against all odds, there may still be a chance to bring a murderer to justice—but first, Colette will have to summon the courage to open her own battered heart.

I don't think I've read a Kristin Harmel book I didn't like. This one was gold. It's rare to find a World War 2 book with a new story to tell (although I keep reading them all anyway! 🙂) but this was a fresh take, and it was beautiful. High praise! Absolute gem. Grab this as soon as it comes out! 5⭐

I received an advanced complimentary digital copy of this book from Netgalley. Opinions expressed are my own.

Like many of Kristin Harmel’s books The Stolen Lives of Colette Marceau has storylines in the present as well as in the past. Both timelines tell the story of Colette, a jewel thief like her mother and ancestors before her. Colette & her mother live by a strict moral code redistributing wealth from despicable people to help fund the French resistance.

This book was so good! I thoroughly enjoyed both the present and past stories and how the characters’ lives connected. This might be one of the most unique World War 2 books I’ve read in a while. If you love historical fiction and romance I recommend this book.

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

3.75 - enjoyed this one! my second kristin harmel book and they do not disappoint. historical fiction has my heart!!

Kristin Harmel does it again with this outstanding book. The fast-paced and gripping storyline kept me hooked from the first page. Part historical fiction and part mystery this novel does not have your typical WW2 storyline. It is imaginative and very well thought out. It's worth the read.
Thank you to NetGalley and Galley Books for an advanced copy.

I have read several books set during World War II. The Stolen Life of Colette Marceau was somewhat predictable, but I enjoyed the story. It provided a different perspective and storyline that is unlike others I have read before. I am looking forward to seeing Kristin Harmel speak at The Oxford Exchange in Tampa next week.

Thank you to Gallery Books and NetGalley for an ARC of this book. Opinions expressed are my own. This book will be published on Tuesday, 06/17/2025.

Colette Marceau has been stealing jewels for basically her entire life, just like her mother did. They didn’t steal for personal gain, they only took from the cruel and unkind and give to those in need. During WWII they worked in Paris to fund the French Resistance. Colette’s mother is caught and is killed. Colette survives the war, only to have her past visit in the form on jewels her and her mother had stolen.

Kristin Harmel made me cry again. I absolutely love every story she shares with us. I love a good historical novel, add some mystery and love and I will be hooked. I couldn’t put it down. I kept sneaking reads at work and stayed up too late one night to read “one more chapter” (that we all know was two or three more)!

Thank you, Gallery Books and NetGalley for knowing I needed to read this!