I was very happy to receive an advance review copy from NetGalley of Heather Morris’s new novel, The Piano Teacher of Montparnasse. I’ve read some of her previous novels and enjoyed them, and this one was no exception.

Morris’s straightforward writing makes emotional and difficult stories accessible, and this is another compelling story of courage and kindness during an incredibly dark period in history.

Inspired by real people and events, the story follows Josephine, whose Jewish mother and brother are arrested during the Nazi occupation of France. She then finds safety with her piano teacher Andrée and her parents, who are involved in the French Resistance. Morris bases some of her other characters loosely on members of the Resistance while introducing fictional characters to develop the story.

I appreciated the role of music and the piano, which adds another layer to the story and provides Josephine with a sense of comfort and normality amid the uncertainty and danger surrounding her. As with Morris’s previous novels, this is an emotional and very readable historical story.

I appreciated the Author’s Note at the back of the book, which provides further details about the real Levallois family and the woman who inspired the character of Josephine, as well as information about other members of the Resistance. There is also useful historical context about the Nazi occupation of France, which adds to the reader’s understanding of the events depicted in the novel.

Another moving and compelling read from Heather Morris.

Heather Morris’s The Tattooist Of Auschwitz was my gateway book into reading Historical Fiction. I still think it’s remarkable how one book can popularise a whole genre. I’ll read every new Heather Morris novel as soon as I can.

The Piano Teacher Of Montparnasse centres around Andrée Levallois, piano teacher to a young Jewish girl Josie. When Josie’s family are taken by the Nazis, Andrée takes her in. Andrée knows the risk she is taking, she is secretly an operative in the French Resistance.

Heather Morris’s writing draws you in immediately. Andrés’s story is compelling, already risking everything for the Resistance, she risks it all again to harbour Josie and loves her like a daughter.

As the story progresses it becomes all about survival, and this is where for me it really excels. It’s deeply moving. Defiantly hanging onto hopes of being reunited with family, a return to peace and freedom. It’s really quite epic in scope, and reading the author’s notes is a must to understand how closely the main players and key events are based on real lives and real historical events.

A must read for fans of WW2 Historical Fiction.

Thanks to Netgalley and Firefinch Publishing.

I was so excited when I received this through NetGalley that I bumped it right to the top of my tbr and once I’d started, I could barely stand to put it down! Amazing and engrossing, it had me on the edge of my seat SO many times. Absolutely loved it, was devastated by it, and loved how this was once again based on real people.

I absolutely adored this book and devoured it over a couple of days! It has easily been one of my favourite books of the year and I can’t wait to read more from the author in the future!

The Piano Teacher of Montparnasse by Heather Morris

Heather Morris is one of my favourite authors since I read the Tattooist of Auschwitz trilogy, which were all immediate 5 star reads. So I was thrilled to be approved for this Arc and downloaded it straight away (thank you Netgalley and Firefinch Books)

‘Maybe miracles are just people being kind when they don’t have to be. People being brave when it’s easier to hide. People sharing what little they have. People lighting candles when it’s dark’ 😭

I’m not crying it’s hayfever. Ok give me a minute to compose myself. I knew this was going to be a 5⭐️ read from the moment I absorbed the first chapter.

The story is based on a true story and follows a 12 year old Jewish girl named Josie. When her mother and brother are taken away by the Nazis, she manages to escape and flee to her piano teacher’s home, Andreé, who takes her in as one of her own. Andreé and her parents are already taking huge risks by secretly working for the French Resistance, so welcoming a Jewish child into their family is putting them all in grave danger. But it is a risk that they are all willing to take.

The journey that this story takes you on is heart in your mouth stuff. Will today be the day they get caught? Will this mission be the one that is foiled? Is that the Militia knocking on the door? Will Josie be reunited with her family?

I honestly couldn’t put this book down because I just had to know what happened. And the fact that it is a TRUE STORY makes it even more powerful and is exactly why I like reading these sorts of books. We will never truly know the horrors of WWII, or the brutality of the concentration camps, but when authors bring stories like these to life it makes sure that none of it is ever forgotten

The story has strong themes of courage, defiance, compassion, survival, music and is an extremely powerful reminder that if all else is lost, we must have hope.

Absolutely read this book, but especially if you enjoy:
💛historical fiction based on real events
💛 WWII era
💛stories with emotional depth
💛tension

The Piano Teacher of Montparnasse by Heather Morris
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Historical Fiction
Firefinch Publishing
22nd October

Some books are heartbreaking from the first chapters & The Piano Teacher of Montparnasse is one of them. Starting in Paris in 1942 under German occupation, this is the story of a young girl Josie whose family is taken by the Nazis. She flees to her piano teacher Andrée & her parents, Tina and Louis & seeks refuge. What follows brings together found family & the Resistance. What I loved was the way Heather Morris also brings music into the heart of the story not just as something beautiful, but as a source of comfort, connection & hope. I’ve read all of Heather Morris’s books & I always appreciate the way she takes the stories of real people & through her research, brings their lives & experiences to the page. I’d recommend you read the author’s notes at both the beginning & end because they added another layer for me and made the story feel even more poignant. Andrée’s journey, particularly what happens when she is sent to Ravensbrück, was difficult to read. There is so much devastation & loss but also extraordinary bravery, resilience & the strength to survive within this story.
Content warning: the novel deals with the Holocaust, Nazi persecution, imprisonment & concentration camps
If you love historical fiction featuring WWII, I think this one will stay with you.
Thank you to Heather Morris & Firefinch Publishing for the ARC.

Another triumph of a book from Heather Morris. The Piano Teacher of Montparnasse is a sensitive and insightful portrayal of life in occupied France, based around real people and events. The depiction of the work that the Resistance did during the war was truly eye-opening. A must-read for anyone, since we must never forget the atrocities that people went through.

Firstly I would like to thank netgalley and the author Heather Morris and firefinch publishers for a copy of her new book piano teacher.

Another great read from this author..she writes great emotional stories..a young Jewish girl seeks help from her piano teacher who puts herself in grave danger can she save her...looking forward to reading more of her books.

This book will break your heart. Her books will always be compared to her previous ones but if you can separate it, this is a really good, heart-wrenching, deep, touching, horrifying depiction of life for ordinary people and members of the Resistance in Occupied France. The characters are wonderfully well drawn, particularly Josie, Tina, Louis and Andree, but also the orbiting characters of the local families, the school principal and the other Resistance members. There are moments of real tension for the reader and it kept me gripped. Plus, it taught me a lot about a time I think we've unfortunately become a little jaded reading about. This new viewpoint is perfect to remind us of both the horror and the endurance.