I rarely cry when reading. It takes a very special book to bring forth tears. It takes an exceptional book to bring forth the "ugly cry". You know the kind, where you are crying so hard you can't even see to read and have to stop and put it down and go wash your face.
I have not had an "ugly cry" book since Nightingale. I can now say without any reservation that the top place for that type of emotion now belongs to The Paris Orphan by Natasha Lester - Author.
I can say without any doubt this book is now at the top of the books read this year about WWII.
I could not put this book down and spent many late hours reading and did not see the ending coming at all. This takes a very deep and well researched look into the women of War II. Nurses, journalists, and even the civilians in war ravaged Europe and what they had to overcome and even forget: living and existing in a world of men. Put this one on your want to read list and stock up on tissues. I would give it a sky of stars if I could.

Sweeping, heartbreaking, and incredibly moving, The Paris Orphan is an inspiring love story on multiple fronts. The non-linear timeline and alternating points of view could be confusing for some people, but I love that the story is told from both Jessica's and D'Arcy's perspectives. My only complaint is that the ending felt a little rushed--there were many loose ends, and they were all tied up in rapid succession in the last 3 chapters. Overall, The Paris Orphan is an enjoyable read--albeit a hefty one at over 400 pages--that fans of WWII historical fiction will be excited to read.

Excellent, engaging read. The author draws you into the setting and the storyline right from the beginning, and keeps the reader captivated until the end. I love WWII historical fiction, and this novel did not disappoint. Thank you for allowing me the opportunity to review this book.

Natasha Lester’s latest historical novel is a drop-dead gorgeous winner!

VOGUEING
It features Jessica May, a protagonist inspired by real life Vogue model and WWII correspondent Lee Miller.

NIGHTMARE
The dual timeline narrative starts in 1942, when Jessica leaves modeling in Manhattan after her boyfriend destroys her career. Vogue sends her to Europe as a photojournalist, but the Army’s sexist restrictions make covering the war a nightmare.

SALVATION
She finds salvation, however, through journalist Martha Gellhorn, who encourages her; paratrooper Dan Hallworth, who makes possible access to key places and stories; and orphan Victorine, who opens her heart.

SHOCK
Segue to 2005, when Australian art handler D'Arcy Hallworth comes to France to curate a collection of famous photographs. Through her work, she uncovers the unknown photographer’s identity and is shocked to discover a connection to own mother Victorine.

HEART
The story seizes the heart, undergirded by Lester’s meticulous historical research, compelling characters, masterful narrative, and writing as lovely as Lee Miller herself.

FAN!
I grant THE PARIS ORPHAN the highest stars possible and can’t wait for Lester’s next, The Dior Legacy, slated for publication next year. I’m a fan through and through now!

STUNNER
But please please please replace this cover, pretty as it is, with the stunner that graces the Australian release. It is the most arresting in all of publishing!

Pub Date 03 Sep 2019.

Thanks to the author, Forever (Grand Central Publishing) and NetGalley for the review copy. Opinions are mine.

#TheParisOrphan #NetGalley #FemaleWWIICorrespondents #NatashaLester

I loved The Paris Seamstress and so I was super excited about The Paris Orphan, the problem is I didn’t enjoy it as I thought I would. The story setting is similar to The Paris Seamstress... Same years, New York then France, a dash of Italy. I guess the challenge with this is that I didn’t see much of a difference between The Paris Orphan and The Paris Seamstress, if anything this one was a slower pace than the previous book.

I think for readers who have not read The Paris Seamstress, this would make a great book. But for those who have, then I’d be interested to see if they feel about this installment the same way I did. Don’t get me wrong, it is a good story; it’s that for me the similarities were just too great, and nothing new.

My Book Club received the advance copy of The Paris Orphan by Natasha Lester. The book goes back and forth between World War II and 2005. The wartime story is wrapped around three main characters, a female model/photojournalist, a soldier serving on the front lines, and an orphan that they both want to keep safe and shielded from her past. The modern story is about D'Arcy, a young woman who happens upon many secrets while curating a collection of photos taken by a famous photographer. The dual-timeline has smooth transitions and is well done-- you want to keep reading to see how one chapter resolves itself but then get caught up in the next chapter and so on.