The Stolen Life of Colette Marceau is a beautifully haunting novel that follows a modern day woman who uncovers a hidden past tied to her grandmother, a young woman who vanished during World War II. As the stories of both women unfold, the book explores courage, identity, and the echoes of our choices across generations.

Kristin Harmel writes with emotional clarity and historical depth, weaving together past and present in a way that feels intimate and moving. This is a story about resilience, family secrets, and the hope that truth can set us free. It stays with you long after you turn the last page.

I usually do not enjoy historical fiction due to it being pretty boring, but this story I actually enjoyed. Having the story told in two different time periods really kept me going. Colette retelling her story during the war, but then also today telling the story of the bracelet kept me intrigued.

This is a beautifully written dual timeline story that is full of emotions. It flows seamlessly and holds your attention until the end.
I received a complimentary copy from Gallery Books via NetGalley and was not required to write a review. All opinions expressed are my own.

Thank you NetGalley and Gallery Books for an ARC copy of The Stolen Life of Colette Marceau by Kristin Harmel. I really enjoyed this book. It was a wonderful, historical fiction book with a dual timeline. It follows the main character, Colette, who comes from a long line of jewelry thieves, whose ancestor was Robin Hood. Since the 1940s, Colette's mother, Annabel, taught her to steal from those who support the Nazis and to redistribute the stolen jewelry/funds to those who need it most. When Annabel's friend's unique bracelet is taken by the Nazis, Annabel steals it back. To protect the bracelet, Annabel sews one part of the bracelet into each of her daughter's nightgowns-Colette and her four-year-old sister, Liliane. Soon after, Annabel is found by the Nazis and in the commotion to arrest her for the jewelry theft, Colette's four-year-old sister goes missing. Colette spends 70 years trying to find the missing half of the bracelet and solve the mystery of what happened to her sister. When the bracelet shows up in a museum exhibit in 2018, Colette's long dead search for answers is revitalized. This book not only kept me interested, but it kept me turning pages. I stayed up many late nights to read one more chapter just to find out what happens next. If you like historical fiction, this is a unique one and totally perfect for you!

Wow—The Stolen Life of Colette Marceau completely pulled me in. From page one, I was hooked. ⁣
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This book has everything: a fearless main character, a mix of history and mystery, and just the right balance of heart and suspense. Colette is such a standout—bold, clever, and impossible not to root for. The dual timelines were done so well, and I loved how the family drama and emotional moments hit just as hard as the high-stakes heists. Honestly, I flew through it because I had to know how it all came together. By the end, I felt like I’d been living inside the story. ⁣
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If you’re looking for a book that makes you feel, keeps you guessing, and refuses to let you go, this one’s an absolute must-read.

This one took me a while to read. As a mood reader, I think I was distracted by other things I was reading. But about halfway through, I became invested in the story. So beautiful and fantastic writing. Kristen Harmel is a new to me author and I will definitely be reading more.

It is holding two timelines - France during WWII and Boston in 2018. Colette is a modern day Robin Hood, a jewel thief who steal from evil people and gives to worthy causes. She learned this trade from her mother, who was lost in the war.

A beautiful story of grief, love, redemption, found family and so much more.

This was my first Kristin Harmel book and it did not disappoint! As an avid historical fiction reader, I have read quite a few WWII stories, but nothing quite like The Stolen Life of Colette Marceau. The story focuses on Colette, an accomplished jewel thief who has been stealing the majority of her life. She uses her unique skill set to help the greater good, only stealing for the benefit of the less fortunate. Her mother, also a jewel thief, taught her everything she knows including to live by a code of honor. This story switches between two timelines. One modern day timeline and one that occurs in the past, when Colette is still a teenager. The past timeline focuses on the tragedy that strikes Colette and ends up shaping her entire existence. The modern day timeline focuses on the mystery that has haunted Colette her entire life. I enjoyed both timelines! This story has a little bit of everything: tragedy, suspense, romance, and hope! It is a story that will stay with you for years to come!

This book swept me away from the very first page! It is a wonderful mixture of many things. It is a dual timeline story that is part romance (but not a large part), part mystery, and part family saga. I loved the Robin Hood connection, and the morally gray area of stealing for those in need/using it to fund the resistance, kept me thinking about "What would I do in that same situation?". Kristin does an amazing job at weaving history, emotion and suspense throughout the book. This is another one added to my favorites by her!

I enjoyed this book very much. I consider the story a love letter to heirloom jewelry, especially diamonds. The story follows the Marceau family during the WWII German occupation of France and weaves in the present day perspective of Collette Marceau, the oldest daughter in the family. Mrs. Marceau is a descendent of Robin Hood, so she teaches her young daughters how to steal jewels from villainous people, particularly the Nazis. The jewels, in turn, are donated to provide support to a virtuous cause, such as the Resistance. In present day America, Collette continues this tradition as was taught to her by her mother and donates the proceeds from her jewelry theft to fund Holocaust causes. The story weaves back and forth between the tragic experiences of the Marceau family during the war, and of Collette’s desire to find answers today about what happened to her family in the past. I was a bit skeptical about the story line relating to Robin Hood’s connection to the Marceaus, However, after reading the author’s note things just snapped together and made sense. I thoroughly enjoyed reading about the author’s experiences and research efforts throughout her writing of this book. Thanks to #NetGalley, #GalleryBooks and #KristinHarmel for providing this ARC.

At the age of ten, Colette is taught how to steal by her mother. Stealing is in her blood, but during WWII Colette's mother is caught by the Germans and her sister disappears only to be found floating in the Seine. The story reads like a modern day Robin Hood and is told in dual timelines. Harmel does a masterful job of combining history with suspense. This was my first Harmel novel and I'm anxious to read her backlist.

Thank you to Gallery Books and NetGalley for this ARC.

Another historical fiction masterpiece by Kristin Harmel. Forced to become a skilled thief, Colette honors her ancestor - Robin Hood by stealing form the rich, and supporting the poor. Now elderly, as Colette looks back on her life, she is determined to find out act happened to those she loved. Many plot twists and a happy ending make this book one to not miss. Thank you to Net Galley and Gallery boos for the AC.

Well this was sad and disappointingly boring. I read about half of this before deciding to move on because it was too slow for me. I expected the story to be high stakes and exciting, but it wasn’t. It was beautiful and moving of course because Harmel is a genius, but I didn’t love it.

This will be one of my top ten for the year!
Kristin Harmel is a master of historical fiction.
Told from alternating timelines and flashbacks, this is the story of Colette and a missing diamond bracelet stolen by the Nazis. Colette happens to be a descendent from a long-line of jewel-thieves. The catch? They only steal from horrible people and then give the proceeds to the good. A modern-day Robin Hood. When Colette was a teenager, her mother was taken in the dead of night by the Nazis and her sister was found dead. Colette vowed to find the responsible parties. But after decades of dead ends, she sees a bracelet that might hold all the answers.
Contents: loyalty, love, betrayal, the family you make, and closure.
Highly recommended!

A gripping blend of history and mystery, The Stolen Life of Colette Marceau is heartbreaking, powerful, and unforgettable. Colette’s story of resistance, loss, and redemption will stay with you.

This story reminded me a lot of the Nightingale by Kristin Hannah. Not just that it is set in the same war and time frame, but the writing, the scenery and the character development too. However, they are individual stories and this one fell just a tad flat for me. I still think it is a beautiful and heartbreaking story, but there were too many repetitive scenes and comments throughout the book. I didn't care for Colette all that much to be honest. I enjoyed the tie in to Robin Hood during the war, that part of the story and plot really made this story unique, but not enough to warrant a full 5 star from me.

I love all Kristin Harmel's books. This one did not disappoint.

Positives:
Excellent historical fiction
Satisfying conclusion
Touching
Beautiful writing
Love the generational storyline

No negatives. This is one of the best books I have read this year.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the e-ARC of this book.

Collette Marceau is a modern day Robin Hood - one who comes from a long line of strong women determined to right a world of wrongs. Her quest for a single bracelet is one she hopes will bring her answers about the sister she lost so many decades ago.

Though following Harmel's WWII theme, the telling of this story is very different from her others. It was a story I really enjoyed, and have already recommended this to several friends and family members who I know will love it too.

This book combined so many themes and provided the necessary intrigue and suspense. The Robin Hood theme is one I cannot recall being central to any other book and it is especially poignant as pertaining to the Holocaust. The only negative is that maybe there are a few too many coincidences involving the main characters but it is easy to overlook as the premise is captivating.

I truly enjoyed this book and thank NetGalley and Gallery Books for the opportunity to read early.

As much as I always think that I need a break from WW2 books because they were so over published for awhile- I loved this one. Like LOVED it. I liked the mystery and love and imperfect characters. It broke my heart and filled me up.

In this brilliant new dual timeline historical fiction novel from Kristen Harmel, readers follow Colette Marceau, who has been a jewel thief her entire life and learned her skills from her mother Annabel. Basing their heists on Robin Hood’s principles, their family tradition was incredibly important during Colette’s childhood in Paris when she and her mother worked together to fund the French Resistance. When her sister Liliane disappeared the night her mother Annabel was arrested, a diamond bracelet also disappeared, so its reappearance seventy years later shocks Colette and sends her on a quest to discover who has had the bracelet and if they know what happened to Liliane. Complex, fascinating, and totally unique, this incredible World War II historical fiction novel offers a very intriguing angle into the war and the French resistance, and Colette’s emotional journey and story will totally immerse readers in the narrative. She is a complex and fascinating protagonist, and her character growth is particularly interesting to follow as the story develops. Brilliantly written and packed with detail, this unique storyline and its incredible characters, tension, and drama will draw readers into the fascinating story of the diamond bracelet and the Marceau women in ways which readers will enjoy.