By: Kate Eastham
Thank you NetGalley and Bookouture for the ARC of this book!
ABOUT THE BOOK
June 1940, Paris. For days she’s seen the flashes in the night sky. She’s heard the drone of planes and the thump of marching boots. Doors shut as the German flag billows over the Eiffel Tower. Leaving Cora just one last chance to get her letter out of Paris…
The Nazi occupation has begun, and soldiers stand guard on every corner. The terrifying threat of war hangs in the air, and whispers of an unimaginable death toll roll across Europe. But Cora Mayhew has come to Paris from America to search for her birth mother – a fine silver locket her only clue – and she refuses to give up now.
One winter day, the air thick with fog, Cora is on a train – praying that it will lead her to the mother she never knew. But when the train is struck by bombs, throwing her from her seat as the carriage lurches off the tracks, all she can think about is everything she’s left behind.
Bruised and gasping for air, Cora struggles to her feet, shaking glass from her hair. Surrounded by passengers taking their last breaths and crying out for their loved ones, Cora knows she must find a way to send a heart-wrenching letter she’s been carrying around for weeks and return to her dear adoptive family while she still can.
Staggering from the wreckage, Cora shelters in a nearby ditch. But as the cold sets into her bones and her fighting spirit slips away, a German soldier finds Cora and offers her a chance at escape… With golden-flecked hazel eyes, handsome Max Heller is everything a Nazi shouldn’t be: kind, good-humoured and selfless.
With Max’s help, Cora uncovers a devastating secret about her birth mother, which makes her even more determined to get home. The key to Cora’s safe journey lies in the letter she’s been trying desperately to get out of Paris. Now she is faced with a choice: place her trust in the hands of the enemy, or go it alone and risk never making it out alive?
A heart-breaking story of love, belonging, and resilience in Nazi-occupied Paris as one woman searches desperately for the truth in the face of grave danger. The perfect wartime read for fans of The Dressmaker’s Gift, The Lost Girls of Paris and The Nightingale.
MY REVIEW
This novel is an easy to read, heartbreaking, gut wrenching novel that provides another perspective of events during WWII. I really enjoyed Cora because of how gutsy and brave she is – she is absolutely fearless and I wish I had half of her bravery. I enjoyed reading about her trials and tribulations as the American in Paris is trying to get out of Paris for her safety. Francine, Lulu, Iris and the others that she meets in Paris are all colorful characters that bring a lot to the novel. There is a bit of romance between Cora and Max, but to me it felt a bit rushed and I wished that it was explored a little bit more. I also wish that the story line about Cora’s birth mother was a bit more solidified. They never proved that the woman suspected to be Cora’s birth mother was actually her; I wish there was an answer to that. However, Cora’s adoptive mother, Evie, is the type of mother I wish every child had – she’s supportive and loving, even when it may hurt her. It was beautiful to read about the love that she has for Cora. I would highly recommend this book to anyone that loves to read historical fiction.
This book will be available on February 7, 2023. Get your copy here.
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