I tried very hard to complete this book, but the characters did not capture my imagination. The historical information about the 1920s to 1940s was interesting, but I could not relate to the characters.

Mistress of the Ritz is a moving read about the manager and his wife of the luxurious Ritz hotel in Paris during WWII. Claude and Blanche seem to fit the adage "marry in haste, repent in leisure." By the time the Germans take over Paris, the couple merely exist. They lead secret lives during the war, both participating in the resistance, but but neither knowing the other is involved. I admired Blanche's spirit, but honestly I didn't really care for either of them. I thought the most provocative character was Coco Chanel. The conclusion took me by surprise, not having heard of this couple before, but was it really surprising? I liked the author's historical note and the cover was gorgeous.

I have lately been reading a lot of World War II books set in France that are not explicitly war books. This was another in this genre. I generally enjoyed this book, but some of the chronology was a little confusing at times. I am very intrigued by the story of the Auzellos and The Ritz during the occupation of Paris.

Thank you to the publisher and author for gifting me with a digital ARC of this title via Netgalley in exchange for my honest review.

I've read a couple books by Melanie Benjamin that I quite enjoyed so I was excited to see she had a new novel coming out and was even more excited when I was given the ARC on Netgalley. I was very interested in the premise of the story- the man who runs the Ritz during the World War II with his American bride. I found the book to be so enjoyable and interesting to read. Benjamin is a great storyteller and had me immediately drawn into the world she created- I felt like I was in Paris, that I was watching her characters come to life, and experiencing the war through their eyes. I wanted to be sitting in the grand entry of the Ritz to see all of the glamorous patrons staying there and to experience that lavish lifestyle. However, she also paints well the dark underside of the unhappiness of some, the ups and downs of relationships, and the fear of others especially as the Nazis take over the Ritz as their headquarters. Great read.

A husband and wife - she a bohemian american, he a dyed in the wool Frenchman - use their power and position to help the French resistance, unbeknownst to each other. He is the manager of the Ritz hotel in Paris who uses his connections to help others. She uses her reputation as a bon vivant to spy. Interesting look at what life was like during the Nazi occupation of France.

One of the reasons why I love historical fiction is we get to read a-not-so-famous person in a book and we get curious about that person. I do remember reading a little bit of Blanche Rubeinstein Auzello somewhere - either in a novel or article - and I wanted to know more about her. Blanche and the Ritz – somehow this two are still tied together even today.

I was so excited when I receive this copy from NetGalley that I can finally read her story – fiction or not.

Blanche is an American spirited daughter of German-Jewish parents who came from New York and married a Frenchman. Her husband Claude ran the famous Ritz Hotel in Paris while she has been dubbed as the “Mistress of the Ritz” as she helped famous people stayed in the hotel and brought many important businesses in the hotel.

While I do not want to give so much details here, her story is quite remarkable, and she should be seen as one of the unsung heroes as she did help with the French Resistance along with her friend Lily Kharmanyoff.

Famous people mentioned in the book:
Coco Chanel – it’s long been known that she has a Nazi German lover named Hans Gunther von Dincklage.
Ernest Hemingway – “I liberated Paris!”
F.Scott Fitzgerald
Pablo Picasso
Cole Porter

Recommended to those voracious readers of the World War II!

https://librocubicularist.home.blog/

Thanks to NetGalley for an advanced readers copy for an exchange of unbiased review.

As a lover of historical fiction, I couldn’t wait to get my hands on this book. I loved the mingling of fact and fiction, meeting real historical figures, and learning about the past events that help shape the world we live in today.

Blanche and Claude Auzello, affectionately dubbed Mistress and Master of the Ritz, love the glitz and glamour of working at the hotel in Paris. But when the invading Germans take over the Ritz using it as their headquarters, Claude knows he must continue to serve his “guests” just as he would any other patron, in order to protect himself and the other workers. Claude’s subservience to the Germans leaves Blanche to question his motives and helps inspire her to become involved in the resistance against the Nazis.

I found the first part of this novel to be a little slow, as it served to set the background of the Auzellos’ marriage and their roles at the Ritz. Once I got more into the resistance work of Blanche and her dear friend, Lily, I was completely enthralled. The bravery of these men and wome, knowing that if their actions were discovered could result in torture and death, captivated me. I also enjoyed the guest appearances of many influential figures— Ernest Hemingway, Coco Chanel, Pablo Picasso, to name a few— who frequented the Ritz. The final chapter was perhaps the most outstanding.

This book is for any lover of historical fiction!


You can also see my review on Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/2727754899

Melanie Benjamin does it again with this amazing novel about a courageous husband and wife!!!!!!!!!!! I have read every one of her books and this one is another best seller. This novel drew me in from the first page until the last. Blanche and Claude Azullo are a Parisian couple living the high life as the mistress and master of the Ritz Hotel in Paris. Until the war comes to their beloved Ritz. During this war they both will do things they never thought they would and they will keep secrets from each other all in the name of their beloved Ritz and Paris. Thank you to Netgalley and Random House Ballantine for my honest review on this book.

Mistress of the Ritz is a great read based on the real lives of the Ritz hotel manager Claude Auzello, and his wife, Blanche, an American ex-flapper. It is a love story based during the German occupation of the Ritz Hotel during World War II. The Ritz becomes one of the major characters as the opulence of this iconic hotel influences the characters and outcomes for this couple as well as other famous residents. Claude and Blanche’s personal efforts to help the French Resistance were woven expertly with their job of playing host and hostess to their German occupiers. This created rising tension as their German guests came closer and closer to exposing their resistance efforts. Those that love World War II historical fiction will enjoy this story of this real life couple that risked their lives to help the French Resistance.

What Ms. Benjamin has done is “the bees knees,” as her character, Pearl, would say. Really, this book is a standout, a honorific not given lightly. In a genre with amazing titles like “My Enemies Cradle” and “Beantown Girls” this one still stands out.
The story is about one Hollywood flapper with a past, the ambitious Frenchman she meets by chance, and an unconventional love story that always has a third partner in the mix. That third partner is the Ritz Paris, a seducer of everyone who enters the gilded doors.
I’m not usually one for dark endings (who needs that when the world is so full of darkness if you care to look?), but this book gave a shadowy ending a brilliant and real feeling twist. That the characters were inspired by real people makes sense. The book feels raw and realized, fleshed out in even the most minuscule ways. It’s a fantastic, if not light or airy, read.

Inspired by actual events and featuring appearances by real people ranging from Coco Chanel and Ernest Hemingway to Cole Porter and Hermann Goring, MISTRESS OF THE RITZ is a compelling, page-turning narrative that re-examines history from a fresh point of view as it reveals the bravery, cowardice and cruelty experienced by an American ex-flapper and her hotelier husband when the Germans take over the Paris Ritz hotel and utilize it as their headquarters during WWII.

Claude Auzello and his wife Blanche are caught up in the tumult of not only the war but the status of their often precarious married life. The story moves between their meeting in 1920’s Paris, the years in between - with Claude’s somewhat pompous attitude coupled with his Thursday night mistress and Blanches sporadic escapes from their unusual marital arrangement - and the occupation of Paris with both Auzello’s working for the resistance right under the noses of the Germans.

Even readers who are not fans of historical fiction might want to give this book a chance.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Random House Publishing Group through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

[ABOUT] Mistress of the Ritz follows manager of the Ritz (Claude Auzello) and wife (Blanche Auzello) before, during, and after the German occupation of Paris, France. We see how the couple meets, their struggles as they try to salvage a marriage where both have strikingly different personalities and ideals, and the brave ways in which they attempt to resist the enemy occupation.

[PROS] Melanie Benjamin is a wonderful storyteller who can engage the audience by creating very realistic characters one can connect to. The story flows seamlessly and does not contain many holes in the plot. Furthermore, the author makes you feel as if you're there, in the 1930's/40's Ritz, describing the opulence and intrigue. It is a treat to get to read a fictional portrayal of a very real event with individuals such as Hemingway and Coco Chanel gracing the pages.

[CONS - SPOILER ALERT] The way in which Blanche is finally caught by the Gestapo in her final act of resistance feels more like the author is trying to lead the plot into the final chapters. We see Blanche growing throughout the book from being childish to becoming a responsible woman who speaks and acts for herself, but her final act speaks volumes. I presumed that her growth would be a highlight of the book, and instead she throws it all away with one simple and idiotic act. It was a major disappointment for me, especially as Blanche, with this act, fit the mold her adulterous and macho husband was casting her in. Speaking of her husband, Claude Auzello was NOT likeable at all. He cheated on his wife multiple times, yet Blanche continuously sought his approval and love. This, to me, directly contradicted the person whom she was trying to become. By the end of the book, and as Claude begins his introspection once his wife is detained, to me, sadly, it is too late. His positive actions do not outweigh the negative and I continue to see him as cowardly, and unable to truly see the value of a wife. Perhaps not his wife, because she is not so great either.

[FINAL THOUGHTS] If you are looking for a book focusing on the relationship/marriage of a couple in their early/mostly mid years set during WWII Paris, France, you will enjoy this book. It gives you an alternative view of the occupation (from the eyes of the rich and famous) that you do not normally get. Personally, I enjoy strong heroines who fight against all odds and create names for themselves, but that is my own preference. If you would like a more subtle/ mundane depiction of the resistance in France, again, read this book. If you are an ardent fan of historical fiction who is expecting to read a story about grit, perseverance, and nerve rattling danger, this book is not for you. I definitely know that there will be a market for this type of book, but fellow lovers of danger and action beware!

Like this review? Visit my blog [Luxey Librarian] to see more: https://luxeylibrarian.wixsite.com/luxeylibrarian
Anticipated date for review to be posted: 1st week of April

This novel tells the story of a real life couple named Claude and Blanche Auzello. Blanche is an American but she marries a French man. The story tells the story of the events that they go through during World War II. This was a very hard read. Usually, I find Melanie Benjamin’s novels easy to read, but I don’t think she did an excellent job in fleshing out the characters. I did not particularly care for Blanche and Claude. They were very self-centered, and the relationship tension seemed very drawn out. Still, the writing is beautiful as always. I recommend this for fans of Hazel Gaynor, Kate Quinn, and Melanie Dobson. Full review to come!

A captivating, fictionized account of the real-life American, Blanche Auzello, who was the wife of the Managing Director of the Paris Ritz. During World War II, Blanche works for the Resistance, despite (and because of) the Ritz serving as the headquarters of the Luftwaffe. Fans of Kate Quinn will surely reach for this title.

Another good historical fiction read by this author. She picks known, but not overly famous subjects, researches them deeply, and produces a very readable, believable story about them. Have enjoyed her other books. Looking forward to recommending this one to library patrons.

Mistress of the Ritz is by a favored author of mine, Melanie Benjamin, and is also a World War II story, so it was a perfect set up of a book for me to love. Unfortunately, that was not the case. I felt like the beginning was very slow moving and drawn out as it set up the rest of the story. Then, all the exciting rescues and covert operations with the resistance were somewhat glossed over and scant details were provided. I would have preferred to have had those daring deeds fleshed out in more detail and to have had less information on the couple’s marital struggles. Although it was a historical fiction work, the fiction seemed to overtake the historical by a mile. Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC.

I'm a Historical Fiction junkie and was so looking forward to reading this one. I was a bit disappointed. It seems to take extremely long to get to the part where the action (so to speak) begins. With numerous mentions of historical figures like Coco Chanel, Ernest Hemingway, Pablo Picasso... it was a bit dense for my taste.

Melanie Benjamin’s books are always awesome. This one did not disappoint. She is a very smooth writer and her stories always hold my interest. I highly recommend this author and book.

I love Melanie Benjamin's books, but this one was a bit of a snooze. Very sad in many ways, and a quite depressing ending.

This is a compelling read about a couple living in Paris at the Ritz P.O. during WWII. Faced with trying to survive while helping the French Resistsnce leads to problems, especially since neither one knows the other is doing dangerous work. The story, based on actual events, is well-told,
I was disappointed in the writing. Some events were just inserted to make the story flow, instead they made it awkward. The events needed more development or smoother transitions. However, that does not prevent me from giving the book a high recommendation. Sincere thanks to Netgalley for giving me an advanced reader’s copy.