Member Reviews
I have loved Pam Jenoff’s style of writing and her novels since reading the Kommendant’s Girl and further loved her books when I read the Orphan’s Tale. The Lost Girls of Paris did not disappoint, I was just engaged with the characters and I am fascinated by the World War II time period.
This book had dual time lines following three women: Marie and Eleanor during WWII and Grace after the war.
Grace passes through Grand Central station on her way to work one morning and finds an abandoned suitcase. Trying to discover who it belongs to, she finds an envelope of pictures- twelve different women in uniform- and a name on the suitcase, Trigg.
Eleanor Trigg is the leader of a group of British women being sent undercover to France as radio operators, an extremely dangerous operation and Marie is one of her best operators. After Eleanor loses contact with Marie and the other women, Eleanor tries to discover what happened to them.
This was a fascinating story based on real women operators during the war. I loved Gracie and her determination to discover who the women were in the pictures. Marie is so strong and brave to leave her young daughter behind and face almost certain torture and death if she's caught.
Thanks to Harlequin Books, NetGalley, and Pam Jenoff for letting me review this book. I've now added the rest of her books to my To Read list!!
I have enjoyed other books by Pam Jenoff but I think this one may be my favorite. It is set in the year 1946, post WWII. It is a dual time line. Grace who lives in NYC in the year 1946 finds an abandoned suitcase with photos of 12 women. These women intrigue her to the point that she must find out who they are and who belonged to the suitcase. This takes us to Eleanor who was the leader of an all female group of secret agents who were involved in spy operations during WWII. I had to stay up late to finish this one because I had to know how it would all end. Great book!
I heard so many good things about this author. All of her previous books are on my TBR list. I’m ecstatic that I was finally able to get a hold of this one. Perfect for a first read of an author. It kept my interest and I really enjoyed the characters. I felt for Eleanor and Marie. I adored Grace! There was one spot I felt like the story was rushed, but it didn’t take away from the story line or the over all effect.
I can’t wait to go back and get all of Ms. Jenoff’s novels! Thank you NetGalley.
The Lost Girls of Paris by Pam Jenoff
I know a bestseller when I read one, and this is it. There is intrigue, love, adventure and mystery in this terrific story-something for every reader. The tale flows from start to finish with an ending which is a perfect fit.
Based on the WWII English SOE, the Special Operations Executive, a trained band of young French-speaking English women join the ranks of the British underground in France to radio transmit important war messages back to London.
It was very risky business, so their leader, Eleanor, took great pride in training the girls to be ready for anything. We get to know two of the girls particularly well as we follow them through their assignments.
Another young girl, Grace, plays an important role in the story, though she is an American in New York. Sometime after the war is over, Grace finds an abandoned suitcase containing pictures of 12 of the SOE girls, which sets her on her own investigative journey.
Do not miss this well written, exciting book by Pam Jenoff.
Pam Jenoff never fails! This book is one of her best. I love the way she weaves the reader through the tale. She is truly a great story teller. Eleanor was an awesome women with a job to do. I believe she had an investment in each of "her girls" and the SOE. Grace was similar to Eleanor in many aspects as once she found the photos she knew she had to find out the true story behind the girls. Both Eleanor and Grace were unstoppable and were trying to do what was right for all concerned. I enjoy stories of World War II and this book was no exception. Parts of the book were hard to read because of the torture that i know happened at places like Dacheau. I reccommend this book and encourage all readers to pick this book up - not just those that are World War II buffs! A can't miss - great book Pam!
A gripping tale of the tragedies of WW 2. The role women
played, and the sacrifices they made were never truly
known, until Authors like Ms. Jenoff.
The characters are fictitious, but the events are based on truth.
The stories of these women leave the reader with a crush of
raw emotions.
I’ve read many historical fiction novels and this one did not disappoint! From the beginning to the end I was hooked. I’ve read other Pam Jenoff’s books, and this one is my favorite.
Another engaging historical novel by Pam Jenoff. This novel was much more of a historical mystery than some of her other novels, but I really enjoyed it.
Told from the perspective of three different women, two of which were involved in top secret spy and sabotage operations during World War II. I loved that the story was based on real women sent to be saboteurs in the European theater. More and more stories of women's contributions to the war are coming out, and I am glad to see that more of them are being told.
I found Elanor to be the most engaging of all the characters. Her quest to find out what happened to her missing agents had me deeply enthralled and I couldn't turn the pages fast enough.
I definitely recommend this to historical fiction fans who enjoy stories with multiple narrators.
Thank you to NetGalley for the opportunity to preview The Lost Girls of Paris by Pam Jenoff. This historical fiction based on true events is set in WWII London and France and 1946 NYC. It is about women who are sent from London to France as SOE operatives to help the French Resistance. The main characters are Eleanor, the head of the SOE women’s unit, Marie, one of the operatives and Grace, a young war widow who unwittingly gets pulled into Eleanor and Marie’s story after she finds photos of 12 young women in an abandoned suitcase. This is a story about the friendship, loyalty, strength and courage of women who made the ultimate sacrifice for the war effort. A very readable and engaging story! Definitely recommended to readers who love WWII historical fiction and are looking for a fresh look into the ways the Nazi war machine was obstructed.
This was a good historical novel. The storyline and characters were both well developed and interesting. Chapters flowed nicely making this book a very enjoyable to read. I highly recommend.
This is a well researched and wonderfully written story about an important role of women during WWII. They were recruited and trained to become members of the British SOE and were an important part of the German resistance. Their courage, valor and determination helped to end the war by putting themselves in constant danger as they were sent out to spy and send radio transmissions back to their superiors. This was an important role and thanks to Pam Jenoff we can now learn about this forgotten aspect of the war. #NetGalley #TheLostGirlsOfParis
Wonderful read!!! I love all of Pam Jenoff’s novels and this is another fascinating read by her. WWII, Paris, and the SOE make for a wonderful and interesting story! I highly recommend!
I was thrilled to receive an ARC of this wonderful book from Net Galley in exchange for an honest review.I chose it because I had read The Orphan Train by the same author and was deeply moved.
Like her previous works, the story is historical fiction based on true events. It is meticulously researched and highly readable. I could not but it down.
The time frame is the end of WWII in Britain and 1946 in NY. The British have reluctantly approved a plan to establish a female branch of SOE to act as spies in an effort to help the resistance in their attempt to defeat the Nazis. It revolves around the women recruited, particularly the recruiter Eleanor Trigg, one of her recruits, and Grace who enters the story in 1946 NYC. Fascinating and unknown telling of the heroic actions of this maligned group who got no recognition for their bravery. Highly recommend.
What a great follow up book by Pam Jenoff in the same genre as 'an orphan's tale', WW2 era. This one, however, is about a totally different topic during the war. This book follows a woman in charge of a group of women who are sent into Europe to send radio transmissions back to London to help defeat the Germans. It reminded me a lot of 'the alice network' at times. Just when you think you've read about all of the ways people surviving during this time lived and helped to slow down and help hinder the Germans, you read about these brave souls. Ms. Jenoff does need to correct the last page mention of Grand Central station, though, as I learned after reading 'the masterpiece' by Fiona Davis, it's Grand Central Terminal. This book is for anyone who likes to read historical fiction books written about what was happening during the 1940s. #TheLostGirlsOfParis #NetGalley
Historical fiction at its best with young women being brave during WW II as radio operators behind enemy lines in France and the woman trying to discover their fate after the war is over.
I read the author's prior work, Before We Were Yours and could not put it down so I immediately wanted to read this book as soon as I saw it. Unfortunately lightning didn't strike twice for me. While it was a decent book, I find it slow and wasn't able to get into it. I would like to thank the publisher and netgalley for the advance copy.
This period is of great interest to me and have read a lot of books for this time. It was interesting going back and forth but I did find myself skipping some of the characters I didn't find that interesting. The "romance" was a little contrived and convenient
This is a wonderful well-written, well-researched historical fiction novel about strong women in adverse conditions. It's about a group of women in WWII who were left out of the history books and left out of popular WWII fiction. I highly recommend it!
The novel is dual time line - Grace is in NYC in 1946. She is working with refugees from Europe while she tries to get over the death of her husband during the war. She finds some pictures and tires to trace where they come from which leads her to the story of Eleanor Trigg, leader of a ring of female secret agents who were deployed out of London during the war. In Eleanor's part of the novel, we learn about her secret group and one of her main agents, Marie. Marie was working in London and trying to get to the English countryside weekly to see her 4 yer old daughter when she was recruited into the group because of her flawless French. After grueling training and a bond with Josie, one of the other women in the group, she is sent to France as a radio operator. 12 women were sent info France to aid the resistance and none of them ever returned after the war. What happens in France to Marie and the other agents, shows the strength of these women and their ability to to survive in the most difficult circumstances.
The characters in this book are extremely well written. Trigg is very real as her plans progress and she feels constant worry about the group. Marie was my favorite character as we see her grow from someone with low self esteem to a strong and brave woman. She is not a character that I'll soon forget.
If you enjoy historical fiction - don't miss The Lost Girls of Paris.
Thanks to NetGalley for a copy of this book to read and review. All opinions are my own.
I received a free ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an unbiased review.
I have long been a fan of Pam Jenoff; her latest work, The Lost Girls of Paris does not disappoint. Jenoff captures the intensity and determination of the young women who train to be British SOE (Special Operations Executive) agents in France during World War II. The war may be nearing its end but there is still a need for clandestine radio operators working with the French Resistance. The idea behind female operatives is the brainchild of Eleanor Trigg, a talented "secretary" who manages the program of female agents.
One of Eleanor's favorites is Marie Roux who is soon transported to the outskirts of Paris. Here she becomes an invaluable member of the Vesper network. Inevitably, however, there is betrayal, capture by the Germans, and unspeakable torture. There is also love and grit.
In alternating chapters, Jenoff moves forward two years to a young American war widow, Grace. Grace lives and works in NYC; she feels lonely and guilty and generally out-of-sorts. What is her future? Going home to her parents like a child is out of the question. Grace stumbles upon a suitcase owned by Eleanor Trigg containing photos of some of the female SOE agents. Inexplicably, even to herself, Grace takes the photos and begins a journey to discover the story behind them.
Jenoff excels at taking huge historic events and personalizing them so readers can feel the fearful hearts beating and hear the desolate cries of the brave. While reading this book I thought of Code Name Verity, a young adult novel by Elizabeth Wein. Jenoff and Wein both show the important but frequently overlooked roles women held and the courage with which they faced their fates.
#NetGalley #THeLostGirlsofParis