The Paris Secret by Lily Graham is an epic story set during World War II. It tells the tale of how Valerie discovers the truth about her heritage through the use of alternating timelines. The writing is beautiful, and the characters are ones that you will instantly fall in love with.

The occupation of Paris during the second world war is not something that I know much about, however Graham has really detailed quite a bit in The Paris Secret. The way in which the treatment of the citizens of Pairs by the Nazis in the novel is depicted is so heart wrenching. Valerie’s family endures so much pain and hardship, that it iss noble of them to send her off to England to seek a better life.

At the beginning of the novel, Valerie sets off to unravel the mystery of her past. Graham reveals bits and pieces to her readers through the use of flashbacks to the 1940s from the point of view of Valerie’s mother. This family saga is one that will surprise and shock you as the pieces start to fit together about the family’s past.

There is something about the Parisian setting and the fact that the book takes place in a bookshop that really draws me in. The characters in The Paris Secret are also well developed and enjoyable to read about. I especially loved Vincent, Valerie’s grandfather, as he is such a fun and crusty old man. His thoughts on books are so humorous and add quite a bit of depth to the story.

If you enjoy historical fiction set during WWII, I highly recommend Lily Graham’s The Paris Secret. There are so many layers to the novel with its use of dual timelines and interesting characters. The concept is also one that I have not read before, and I have learned so much about the German occupation of France.

On a train journey from Moscow to Paris, Annie meets Valerie. The two ladies get along really well, despite their age difference, and soon Valerie tells Annie the most heartbreaking story.

Valerie was born during the second World War in Paris. When she was three years old, she was sent to live in England with a family member she didn’t know after her parents died. But why did her grandfather, Vincent, send her away? Didn’t he want her?

As a young woman in the 1960’s, Valerie returns to Paris to find her grandfather in order to maybe strike up some sort of relationship with him but more so, to discover what happened to her parents and why she was sent away.

The Paris Secret lays bare events set during the war I never really thought about. Despite wanting to say much more on that subject, I really can’t because it would ruin everything for you, the reader. Suffice to say I found it truly thought-provoking and immensely sad.

While Valerie is a most likeable character, it was Vincent, the curmudgeonly and grumpy grandfather, who stole my heart from the beginning. He runs a bookshop but the way he treats his customers is far from ideal. Yet they keep coming back for more and I often found myself chuckling at Vincent’s ideas about the books in his shop. Which made what I learned about him afterwards even more heartbreaking and I really felt for him.

This story had me engrossed from start to finish. The setting in Paris oozes atmosphere and the threat of the Germans invading every aspect of daily life while the French government had all but deserted their citizens felt all too harrowing. It’s always so easy to forget that there were many different casualties of war, but also that not all Germans were bad. This is something that always hits close to home for me as my grandmother was German. She suffered just as much, although few people understood that.

The Paris Secret is a story about love, family and bravery in the darkest of times. Sometimes emotional, sometimes rather witty with characters that will find their way into your heart from the start. An absolutely beautifully written and wonderfully captivating story about one of the darkest periods in our history.

Really enjoyed this book. Great characters, great plot and very well written. Couldn't put it down! Always love Lily Graham and this was no exception.

What a beautifully written book "The Paris Secret by Lily Graham" and is full of charm. I found this book pulled me in from the first few pages. If you love historical fiction which is set in Paris and in the Second world war, this is a book for you. I loved all the characters and the story just flowed and I didn't want it to finish.

I will be reading more from this author Lily Graham in the future and highly recommend this book.

Big fat 5 star read.

I would like to thank NetGalley and Bookouture for my e-copy in exchange for an honest review.

Review: I would like to thank Bookouture for letting be apart of the blog tour for The Paris Secret by Lily Graham. I adore Lily Graham, as a writer she creates some really amazing stories.

The Paris Secret is a truly epic story. Set in Paris following the lives of a family in two different eras, WW2 and the 60s. We discover a family secret from different characters view points which is a great way to read a story through many eyes. Lily writes in a way so that it is not confusing for the reader but still creates such amazing depth to the characters and plot. 

As I read The Paris Secret I felt so many emotions, fear, sadness, hope, love and happiness. I love to read stories set in different eras and love ones set in WW2 however, Lily has created something very special here, a unique insight into what the war was like in Paris. I felt like I was right there standing in the book shop watching it all unfold and desperate to help Valerie and Vincent. 

The Paris Secret is a master piece.

If you love a book set in Paris, based around a bookshop and featuring heartbreaking tales of family secrets then this is the book for you!

I loved the way it was told as we look back over certain points in time that were so important to the family, and that mixed with the relationships that were being formed were such a captivating mix that really added to the story.

A chance meeting on a train pairs the elderly Valerie with Annie, who strike up a conversation and Valerie gets to share her amazing story of her life as she prepares to go back to Paris where she considers home. She has led an extraordinary life so Annie is only too willing to listen.

Her past coincided with the war and she was separated from her family and sent to live with a distant relative, and she always felt like she never knew the truth of why her supposed loving family were quick to 'get rid of her'. So in the 1960's she travels to France to work in a Paris bookshop to get answers - but this is a very special bookshop as it is where her family lived and still do.

I loved the way how Valerie quickly settled into life in Paris and how she was so careful to keep things close to her chest whilst trying to get information from those who were around at the time of the War. When Vincent, the bookshop owner, and Madame Joubert start telling her of what exactly happened during the war when the Germans invaded Paris, you could sense the fear that they lived with but had to keep trying to live their lives as normally as possible. It must have been a truly terrifying time and there were many horrific incidents that her family had to deal with, and that helps give Valerie a true sense of the people she knew very little about. She got to hear about what her mother had to go through, along with other members of her family which really changed her perception of the people she had thought about in her mind.

I found this to be a beautifully written book. The changing timelines really worked well in setting out the family history and creating such a beguiling story. I struggled to put it down at times as I just wanted to know more and could easily have carried on reading more of this captivating story!

Thank you to the publisher.

Truly a beautiful story about history and family secrets. I enjoyed Lily Graham's beautiful writing so much!

Lovely dual time line novel that shifts between Mireille in Nazi occupied Paris and her daughter Valerie who has traveled to Paris in 1962. Mireille sent Valerie to London when she was a toddler (a wise move in so many ways) but Valerie has always felt she was missing a part of the story. She takes a job at her grandfather Vincent's bookshop without telling him who she is and begins to untangle her background. All the characters are terrific, there's a good sense of the many tragedies in Paris during the war, and it's well written. Thanks to net galley for the ARC. For fans of historical fiction.

The Paris Secret by Lily Graham is a fantastic story - set in Paris during the Second World War a family owned bookshop that is taken over by Nazis during the occupation- a terrified young woman Mireille & her father Vincent run the quaint Parisian bookshop fearful of what will happen to them & their beloved store. The story follows the events of the war - the horrors towards women men & children were heartbreaking- lily tells the story beautifully it's a wonderful insight into the lives of the locals & how lives were transformed some for better a lot for the worse.
Heartbreaking,awe inspiring & captivating I found this book totally unputdownable!!

A story going from the present day back to occupied France in World War II. We meet Valerie who returns to Paris from England to find out why she was sent away from France during the Second World War. Valerie’s grandfather, Vincent runs a bookshop in Paris, and when Valerie finds out he is still alive she returns to Paris to get a job working there. Vincent doesn’t recognise her, but Valerie wants to find out why he sent her away from France all those years ago.

I’ve read a few books by this author and they have all been beautiful stories. This one was no exception! Lily Graham has a definite flair for writing historical fiction and has without a doubt written a story which grabs you from the first page. I love how the story transports you from present day, back to the 1960’s and the back to the 1940’s, telling the history of Valerie from young girl to old woman.

The setting of Paris was described beautifully, even though some of it was based during the horrific times of the war. I’ve never been to Paris, but this book certainly makes me want to book up and go right now. The story was so sensitively written, particularly concerning the times set during the war and my heart just broke for the characters, and for the people of Paris to see how the War devastated this beautiful city.

An absolutely stunning story about a family dealing with the decisions they made and that they had no control over. It’s a romantic saga filled with sadness, joy, family, friends and love. But be prepared for tears though! Highly recommended!

A great story about love, war, happiness, joy sadness. Going from the war years to 1962, it reveals the lives of a family in Paris during the occupation and is written extremely well taking the reader on an emotional journey to present time.

The Paris Secret by Lily Graham is a heartbreakingly beautiful love story which begins in the present and moves backwards to the 1960's and to World War II France.

A young girl named Valerie at the age of 21 finds out her grandfather, Vincent Dupont, the owner of a bookstore in France gave her up at the age of 3 to live with her aunt in England. Although warned by her Aunt to not pursue the reasons why, Valerie goes to France under an assumed name to find out who her parents are and what happened to them during the Nazi Occupation of France. But more importantly why did her grandfather not want her.

The main character, if you will, is the bookstore which Vincent's family has owned for generations and which was witness to many encounters, both good and bad. It is where Valerie will find not only all of her answers, but will also find love. It is the heart of the story.

This is an epic love story which will make you sad but also make you feel full of love and hope. I recommend all romantics and people who enjoy historical fiction to pick up a copy.

The book goes on sale October 4. Thank you NetGalley and Bookouture for the advanced copy. #NetGalley #Bookouture #The Paris Secret.

Having read all Lily Graham books I was delighted to get an early copy from netgalley in return for an honest review.
What a fantastic book, set in the past and present day and wonderfully executed. the flow was seemless,
A Tale of how life was in paris, during the occupation of the Germans the story of how one family with a book shop survived a Truely heart breaking tragedy.
I can highly recommend this book it deserves more *than I can give.

A wonderful story. I adored all the main characters - an eclectic group from Valerie a young lady coming to Paris to find her history, the wonderful Vincent and the magnificent relationship he has with Madame Joubert. A heartbreaking back tale of life in Paris during the Occupation. A real heart wrenching, tear jerker this wonderful family saga has bravery, friendships, cruelty, kindness and loyalty. Fabulous writing taking you into the streets of Paris during this period.

I received an advanced copy of this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

The Paris Secret is told in alternating story lines from the occupation of Paris in the early 1940s and in 1962. Given those specific timelines, the plot isn't difficult to figure out. While this was a decent story, at some times it read as if I was reading an English translation of the book, so the words didn't quite make sense. As well I caught a few spelling errors in the ARC copy which I hope will be edited again before publication.

This just didn't wow me so while I appreciate being able to read this item for free, I wouldn't likely recommend it.

I absolutely loved this book!!! My only complaint is that it's too short and I wanted to keep reading about Valerie and her family. The book was beautifully written. I felt like I was there with Valerie working in the bookshop and with Mireille while trying to survive during the Occupation. I loved the cover of the book and I am so glad it caught my eye.

Valerie was sent to live in England with relatives when she was three years old. Valerie knew her mother was dead and believed she had no other relatives alive. When Valerie is twenty she learns her grandfather is alive in Paris. Valerie ends up getting a job working in his bookshop, but uses an assumed name. She doesn't know how he would react to Valerie being his granddaughter. Valerie tries to find out as much as she can about her mother.

The book starts out in the present as Valerie tells her story to a woman she meets on a train. It alternates between Valerie in 1962 and Mireille in Occupied Paris during the 1940's . I loved the story, characters and writing style. I loved getting to know Valerie and Mireille. Mireille's story was heartbreaking. I hope Valerie sees that her father truly loved her mother and his baby. I wonder how everything would have turned out after the war? Dupont was quite the character. His book ordering system was crazy. I'm not sure how anyone found anything. He had books in order according to whether or not the author had last his/her mind. Add in Clotilde and Freddy and you have a great mix of characters. I can't imagine how the children born with Nazi fathers were treated after the war. Innocent children being punished for simply being born. The book was very heartfelt. It was full of loss and sadness but also love. happiness and forgiveness.

I definitely recommend this book and look forward to reading more by the author.

Thanks to NetGalley, Bookouture and the author, Lily Graham, for a free electronic ARC of this novel.

I really enjoyed Valerie’s story, and even though we are perhaps being overwhelmed with World War II novels post-the Nightingale, this one deserves a place on your shelf. It focuses less on the war and occupation and more on the healing, or lack thereof, in France after the war. If the book doesn’t grab you right away, hang in there. The first 10% was the weakest part of the book but it gets much better after that and starts drawing you in. Msr. DuPont was a well crafted character and I loved every scene of banter between him and Valerie.

Thank you NetGalley for providing me with a free copy in exchange for an honest review.

Read my 4-star review of The Paris Secret by Lily Graham

The Paris secret is a simple, beautiful yet uncomplicated given the world war backdrop and the secret of the story. It is all these things because there's love at the heart of it. I quite enjoyed the story.

NO surprises, I could not get into this book.. Nothing special. Nothing exceptional... I can not recommend... just nothing special on my end.

It seems like all I read now is historical fiction! This book was truly a masterpiece. It is a horrible time in history but with that said it is a great read with wonderful writing and a book that just flows. It pulled me in completely! Thank you netgalley for letting me give an honest review of this book