I love Pam Jenoff! She writes 2 pov that eventually comes together in the end. I really enjoyed learning about the department store that ended up being a prison for Jews during WWII. This was the first time I have heard about this department store and it left me wanting to learn more about it. There is a love story that has a mystery that ends up being solved by Louise, a Red Cross worker during the war. She found a necklace that her friend had died over and she was looking for the other half. Beautiful story and ending!

Thank you to Netgalley, Park Row Books, and Harlequin Audio for an advanced reading copy and an advanced listening copy provided for an honest review.

This story is told in dual narratives and timelines following Helaine in Paris at the beginning of World War II and Louise in 1953 London as she searches for answers in the death of her friend Franny while working with the Red Cross in 1944. Helaine was sick as a child and her parents have become very protective of her keeping her indoors. She longs to explore the city and meet other people her own age, and when she falls in love with a musician, the conflict puts a strain on her relationship with her parents. When Louise comes across a necklace that looks like the one that was in the possession of Franny when she died, Louise resolves to find out the truth about what happened all those years ago. Her journey will bring her to the former department store Lévitan, where Jews were imprisoned by the Nazis and forced to go through their belongings to redistribute to the Nazi officers.

I really enjoyed following Louise through her journey to find out what happened to her friend as well as her memories of the past. While I was a bit frustrated by the bubble that Helaine was raised in leading to her naivete of the world going on around her, especially when her new husband kept her in the dark as well, I still enjoyed reading about her experiences. I was interested to learn about the history of Lévitan as that was an aspect that I had not read about prior to this book. I thought the story came together beautifully in the end. I will say that there was a supporting character in the book that set off red flags for me a little too obviously and I had a hard time believing that one of the main characters trusted this person so much. It sent me off on a few rants and probably cost the book a half star though I rounded up for my rating.

I primarily listened to the audiobook for this read. It was narrated by Thérèse Plummer and Saskia Maarleveld. This was my second listen by Plummer, and Maarleveld is a favorite of mine. I definitely recommend the audiobook if you enjoy them. Both narrators did a great job with the storylines for both of the main characters.

Recommended to historical fiction lovers that enjoy World War II reads.

Last Twilight in Paris is a dual-timeline historical fiction novel centered around the true dark history of Lévitan - a department store in France that became a Nazi prison.

It's 1953, and Louise and her husband are both struggling to regain their footing after the war. Transitioning from a Red Cross worker to a housewife is more challenging than she'd expected, but she soon finds a necklace in a secondhand shop that gives her a purpose again. She's sure she saw it during the war, and feels certain it can help her uncover the mystery of her friend's death.

Ten years earlier, Helaine, after spending most of her life indoors from a childhood sickness, finally convinces her parents to allow her to venture out on walks. During one of her walks, she meets Gabriel, a cellist, and the two are soon in love and begin secretly meeting. Their engagement causes a great disconnect from her family and forces Helaine to choose between them and the new life she's beginning to forge for herself.

Helaine, who is Jewish, soon realizes her reality is about to change forever when the talk of Germany invading France finally transpires. She's torn away from the life she sacrificed so much for, and is held in Lévitan with other Jewish women.

Louise's and Helaine's parallel stories become interwoven as Louise uncovers the truth about the necklace and its importance to Helaine and the death of her friend. This is a story of true love, second chances, a great mystery, and incredible perseverance. I loved learning about a piece of history I knew nothing about, and felt it was perfectly settled in the center of the story. Jenoff did a beautiful job taking pieces of a tragic time in history and weaving in hope and love. I really enjoyed her writing style and her desire to highlight true elements of history that are often overlooked.

4.5 stars.

Huge thanks to NetGalley and Harlequin Audio for a copy of this audiobook!

Loved this historical fiction book. Loved how it drew you in to the characters lives & stories. Will definitely recommend to friends. I look forward to reading more from this author.

Therese Plummer and Saskia Marrleveld both did an amazing job with the narration of "Last Twilight in Paris". Though this was my first audiobook with Therese Plummer, this was my seventh book where Saskia is the narrator. They both do a fantastic job brining the characters to life, making it really easy to connect to both women. This audiobook was a another first for me with it being the first book by Pam Jenoff that I've read. Again, the storytelling was great. I like it when historical fiction brings light to stories of real women whose life may have been forgotten if not for the diligent research that authors like Jenoff put in to bring them to our attention as readers.

Now would I recommend listening to the end of the audiobook while you are driving? Absolutely not, unless you want to play the risky game of "Will I cry, will I not cry?" I, myself, had lost that game. The ending is emotional, but on a bittersweet note. Stories like this will never truly have a HAE, but when it can end with a thoughtful relief for the core characters, that's always a plus for me.

Thank you to Netgallley and Harlequin Audio for the Audio Arc.

I am such a fan of learning about WWII and this was super unique in the way that I have never heard a story about this. A Nazi ran prison in a luxury Department store. I will never not be shocked on the horror and sadness that took place of there during that time.
Pam did a beautiful job telling this story.

There were a few times where is was a little slow but overall I enjoyed it! The characters were developed great and there was some romance and mystery thrown in with the history!

Thank you Netgalley and Publisher for the gifted copy to review.

This book alternates between timelines.

Louise, who is currently a housewife (in London 1953), and her husband has returned from war with issues. While working at a secondhand store, as she is emptying a box labeled L'evitan Department Store, comes across a necklace that she remembers seeing while she was with the Red Cross delivering care packages.

She goes on a quest to find the owner of the necklace that she feels is somehow connected to the death of her friend, Franny. She learns that L'evitan imprisoned Jews in a "labor camp" of the department store in 1942 and follows the clues on her quest to find the owner of the necklace.

The story intertwines with the store of Helaine, who was imprisoned in the Department Store. Helaine's husband, a Celloist who plays with the Orchestra.

Following all the leads/clues, Louise goes on this journey, while leaving her husband and children at home and going to Paris, meeting up with her old boss and doing whatever it takes to learn the true story of the lost necklace.

5 stars

This audiobook was beautifully done and read by the narrators. They transported me right back to the past with how they told the story. It was so eerie how unfortunate it is that at times in the present world history feels like it's just repeating itself. I love how the story unfolded and felt like it had a satisfying ending for me. It's amazing how strong the two women were in the story. I'll probably talk more about the story itself on my ebook review but the audiobook was a great companion to the ebook itself. I'm always very picky when it comes to audiobooks, if I don't like how the narrator sounds it's gonna be a NO for me so I'm so glad I enjoyed this one. It was jus the icing on top of this insightful read.

Just ok. It was an entertaining enough story, but it felt so ridiculously unlikely that the paths of these two women could actually be linked that it distracted from the historical atrocities of the war. It was a bit like finding a needle in a haystack, and I couldn’t buy in.

Thanks to NetGalley and Harlequin Audio for an advanced audio recording.

Another amazing book by one of my favourite authors. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the free audiobook ARC.

Over the years, WWII became one of my favorite topics to read about. I'll read historical fiction if it's set during World War II. Since it was my first novel by Pam Jenoff , I wasn't sure what to expect from Last Twilight in Paris. I knew it would be about World War II, but it was unlike the other WWII books I had read. The history of Levitan was one of the topics I wasn’t aware of during World War II. That was one of the things that I loved about this book; it made me learn something new. After finishing the book, I even did my own research because I was so captivated by the history. In addition to learning about Levitan's past, I found it interesting to read Louise's account of her experience working for the Red Cross. Reading Louse's story reminded me of a research paper I wrote in high school about the Red Cross. That was my favorite part of Louse’s story.

Dual-timeline novels are my favorite to read. It is a perfect fit for the stories of Louise and Helaine. Though in different ways, both women suffered greatly during the war. How might the author integrate the two timelines together? Like Louise, I wanted to know if the heart-shaped necklace was the same one she had seen during the battle. What could she find, I wondered? Although I enjoyed both romances, I thought Helaine and Gabriel had a stronger bond than Louise and her husband. Throughout, I couldn't help but cheer for Helaine and Gabriel. I admired Louise and Helaine's courage and determination; they were such strong women. Though Helaine has advanced significantly from the start of the book, both had outstanding character development. After reading their story, I couldn't help but wonder what became of Louise and Helaine. Both made a big impact on me.

Although I enjoyed both Louise's and Helaine's stories, I was particularly interested in Helaine's. I was always looking forward to her perspective. I loved the hint of mystery, which had me wondering until the end. Last Twilight in Paris is a story you won't soon forget; it will shock you and make you cry multiple times. The conclusion was the only aspect I wasn't sure about; it seemed a little rushed. I couldn't believe it took me so long to read a book by Pam Jenoff , and now I can't wait to see what else she has in store for us! I recommend this book to fans of both historical fiction and mystery.

How the mystery of one necklace connects two women during World War II. One woman a Parisian Jew and another from England working for the Red Cross. The story jumps between the two women and their experiences.

I don’t normally read historical fiction, but really enjoyed the story and how Jenoff wove unknown to me truths with the characters and story she developed. The narrators both did an excellent job with this audio book. At times the story was a bit slow, but overall a really great book. I even appreciated the authors notes at the end. 

The audiobook was well produced and the narrators did a great job brining the story to life. If historical fiction, especially around World War II interests you, this is a great book.
Thank you to Harlequin Audio and NetGalley for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This book beautifully blends mystery and historical romance. The story is heartbreaking yet captivating, with seamless time jumps that tie together perfectly. The female leads, Helaine and Louise, are engaging and easy to root for. The mystery surrounding a necklace leads to a much deeper discovery, unfolding a story of self-discovery, love, and strength during a tumultuous time in history.

The audiobook is excellently narrated, with voices that perfectly capture the characters, and the tone and pacing enhance the experience.

Thank you to NetGalley, Harlequin Audio, and Pam Jenoff for the audiobook.

This was an interesting dual timeline story taking place during WWII in Paris and later in 1953. I enjoyed the historical context and learning some new things. The two narrators were excellent and really brought the story to life.
3.5 stars

Thank you for the ALC. I enjoyed this book, learning about a new part of the Holocaust I was unaware of. However, I didn't love it, overall. Pam Jenoff books are hit or miss for me, and this one was just kind of meh. The "mystery" was kind of boring to be honest and I was never fully hooked. It was fine, but I've read better Jenoff, and better Holocaust fiction.

Last Twilight in Paris is a dual timeline story that centers around how a necklace connected and revealed truths during the Nazi regime. It is true to Jennoff’s typical interwoven historical fiction with history as well as beloved fictional characters, some based on real people. Her storyline and character development is on point and will keep you reading!

Thank you Harper Audio and NetGalley for the audio arc in. Exchange for my honest opinion.

I love authors that give you a WOW moment in writing about history.
Pam Jenoff just did that for me!!
She takes real historical facts and educates the masses with her fiction. The stories of Helaine and Louise’s survival during World War II is absolutely riveting.
I was captivated by the dual timeline and the way the author transitions is perfect.
Helaine finds herself at Levitan a department store full of stolen items from Jewish homes in Paris. (If you don’t know this was a real place in Paris)
Louise finds a Mizpah necklace and has to figure out its story and why she recognizes it.
This book was so fantastic I’m going to be rereading it.
Definitely a 5 star read for me!!

I love Pam Jenoff's books and Last Twilight in Paris is no exception. The amount of research that goes into her books always surprise me and I always learn something new while reading her books. I enjoyed the audio of this book also!

This was a moving story of WWII that was immersive from the beginning! I enjoyed the dual timelines and how both converged at the conclusion of the story.

I bought this book on a whim because it was pretty, it had metallic stenciled edges, it was signed, and it sounded like mystery with second chance romance. That's about all the research I did.

Thank goodness that through Harlequin Trade Publishing and The Hive Influencer Program, I have auto-approval on advanced listener copies, because I quickly found out that this book was not a historical fiction! A genre I can only work through via audiobook. And boy was I glad I stuck it out. This story was something I haven't experienced.

Unbeknownst to me, Pam Jenoff is renowned for her WWII historical fictions and <i>Last Twilight in Paris</i> is right in line with that. The story follow Helaine in 1943 France and Louise in 1953 England. Helaine survived a deadly illness in her childhood and her very well-to-do parents had kept her indoors her entire life.

Late in her teens, Helaine experiences a streak of independence and rebellion, leaving the house to go for a walk. On one of her walks, she encounters a young man and there is a ~vibe~

Meanwhile, Louise is sorting through donations at a thrift store when she comes across necklace with half a heart as the pendant. She is immediately enthralled by it and sets to learn about its origins, a journey that makes little sense to those around her. We soon find out she saw such a necklace, if not <i>the same</i> necklace while she served with the Red Cross during the war.

Helaine and Louise's POVs alternate as their stories unravel, following Helaine as she falls in love while Paris falls to Nazi control and Louise as she strikes up a wartime friendship with an actress/rebel who meets an untimely death. We also see Louise in the present time (1953) leaving her discontented marriage behind to trot across Europe, chasing the story behind the mysterious necklace, reuniting with an old flame to support her cause. Meanwhile in 1943, Jewish Helaine is carted off to an internment camp within a fine department store, processing stolen Jewish home goods for German soldiers to buy.

There was so much about this story that would not typically have been my cup of tea: historical fiction, especially a wartime story, alternating POVs AND timelines, and not really that much romance. However, I found myself enthralled in peeling back the layers and layers of Helaine and Louise's story. The narrators, Thérèse Plummer and Saskia Maarleveld, really brought the characters to life at a 1.75x pace.

While it lacked the twists and turmoil of a psychological thriller, this book had all the depth of research and bullishness of a detective novel and I thoroughly enjoyed it.

What a beautifully story amidst such shameful tragedy.