The audiobook was so good! I ended up getting a physical copy to do a reread later on in the year. I would deff annotate this book for my traveling book club

Jenoff has done it again! her writing is emotional, immersive, and deeply grounded in historical truth. I listened to this one on audiobook, and it was so well done. The narration really brought the characters to life, with distinct voices and a tone that matched the mood perfectly. It definitely added to the experience.
The story blends historical fiction, romance, and mystery in such a beautiful way. While there were a few slow spots, overall I really enjoyed it. The time jumps between past and present were seamless, and the plot kept me hooked the whole way through.
I loved both female leads. Helaine and Louise were strong, relatable, and easy to root for. What starts as a simple mystery involving a necklace slowly unfolds into a much deeper journey of love, sacrifice, self-discovery, and resilience during one of history’s darkest chapters.
Historical fiction fans, add this one to your TBR! It’s a moving, memorable story that sticks with you.

I tend to avoid WWII books as they feel overdone and it’s rare to get a novel viewpoint. This one was stunning. I love the mystery thru-line that kept the plot moving and the reader intrigued. It wasn’t violent and hard to read and I’ve recommended it to many many others!

Certainly! Here’s your updated review with the recommendation note added:

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Review: The Last Twilight in Paris by Pam Jenoff

This book was really good—emotional, immersive, and deeply moving. Pam Jenoff delivers a powerful story that blends historical mystery, romance, and resilience in the face of unimaginable hardship. I felt completely pulled into the world of The Last Twilight in Paris, and it stayed with me long after I finished.

The characters are so endearing, and their emotional growth felt genuine and earned. I especially loved seeing the evolution of their relationships and how each of them carried the weight of the past. The story doesn’t shy away from heartbreak, but it also offers glimmers of hope and healing. You will feel all the emotions with this one—grief, love, frustration, and ultimately, satisfaction.

As a history teacher, I was especially fascinated to learn about Lévitan, the Parisian department store turned Nazi prison. That part of history was completely new to me, and Jenoff weaves it into the story in such a compelling and respectful way. It added depth to the novel and reminded me how many hidden stories from WWII are still waiting to be told.

I switched between the ebook and audiobook, and both formats are excellent. The narration by Saskia Maarleveld and Therese Plummer is outstanding. Saskia is always my favorite—she never misses a beat—but I have to say, Therese Plummer is quickly becoming a standout for me too. They both brought so much nuance and emotion to the performance.

The ending was especially satisfying—a necessary emotional payoff after some very heavy moments. It wrapped up the story beautifully and left me feeling hopeful, even after all the loss the characters had endured.

The Last Twilight in Paris is a compelling, heartfelt read that’s perfect for fans of historical fiction, especially those who appreciate a well-crafted dual timeline and stories rooted in lesser-known real events. I would especially recommend it to fans of Rhys Bowen—The Venice Sketchbook readers in particular will likely find a similar mix of history and emotional depth to love here. Highly recommended.

In this new novel, the story begins in 1953, post war London where Louise is adjusting to domestic life after working as a nurse during the war. When a necklace shows up at the second hand store she works at, she swears she’s seen it before and thinks it might be connected with the mysterious death of her friend Franny. As Louise looks for clues, she goes to Paris and ends up unearthing the story behind the Levitan store which served as a Nazi prison. Through her digging she learns about Helaine, a woman who was imprisoned at the store and has a story of her own to tell.

Told from the POV of Helaine and Louise, it takes a while for their stories to intersect as Louise races to find the answers she’s looking for, unknowing if the danger that is lurking around the corner.

I enjoyed the suspense and the journey to solve the mystery in this novel. I also learned about the Levitan store and its dark history. The novel also mixes in a little romance to lighten up the story line. The audio was done well and with both narrators, I was always able to tell whether it was Helaine or Louise whose story was being told.

Thank you to @parkrowbooks @netgalley for an advance copy of this #gifted audiobook

Louise, an English Red Cross worker, is thrust into a mystery when she discovers a necklace that belonged to Helaine, a Jewish woman imprisoned in Paris during World War II. Louise last saw the necklace during the war when she visited a POW camp in Germany, and her friend was killed in a car crash shortly thereafter. Louise has always suspected that there was more to her friend’s death than a simple accident, and she sets out to solve the mystery of the necklace as well. This book is very enlightening about the treatment Jewish people endured in Paris during WWII, and I was invested in finding out what happened to Helaine and her family. I did get bogged down by the writing in the middle, but I loved the ending. And since this was my first read by Pam Jenoff, it was a great introduction to her work! If you like historical fiction, you’ll enjoy this one!

Many thanks to NetGalley and Harlequin Audio for my copy! ALC was provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I love Pam Jenoff’s writing and she has written another compelling historical fiction novel. If you love historical fiction, dual timelines and WWII intrigue, this one’s for you!!

Set between 1953 London and Paris during World War II, the novel centers on Louise Burns, a former Red Cross worker, who discovers a puzzling necklace that brings new light to the long-unsolved mystery of her friend Franny’s wartime death.

At the heart of the story is Louise and Franny’s deep bond, which propels Louise’s search for the truth about what happened to her friend. As the plot unfolds through flashbacks and recollections, readers witness the strength of their friendship and the powerful emotions that tie them together.

Jenoff’s detailed research sheds light on lesser-known facets of the Holocaust, including the haunting past of the Lévitan department store and the harsh realities faced by Jewish prisoners in Nazi-occupied France.

The novel stands out for its rich emotional layers, compelling female leads, and a suspenseful, engaging mystery.

🎧The story bursts to life in audiobook format, thanks to the outstanding performances of Saskia Maarleveld and Thérèse Plummer.

These gifted narrators masterfully navigate the novel’s shifting timelines, infusing each character with emotional depth and distinct voice. Their narration captures every heartbeat of tension, heartbreak, and resilience, especially as the heroines confront the harrowing choices of wartime.

With flawless pacing and an extraordinary ability to express even the subtlest emotions, they elevate Jenoff’s richly layered storytelling. The result is a powerful, immersive listening experience that lingers in your mind and heart long after the final chapter.

Jenoff is one of my favorite historical fiction authors. I love discovering stories about history that are typically not known at all. If I had not read this book, I probably would never have known about Levitan and it's history with the Nazi's. While it wasn't as heartbreaking as novels surrounding the concentration camps during WWII, there are still horribly sad moments. So many people experienced loss and devastation during those years in countless ways. I love that authors like Pam take the time to research and bring those stories to life. It's so important to give them all a voice through books.

Highly recommend if you are a historical fiction fan.

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.