A beautiful dual storyline novel that is split between WWII and the present. Both stories are engaging, with engaging and relatable characters. I both love reading about WWII, and simultaneously think “not another WWII story” when picking out a novel. This one is definitely worth your time. A great read

(received a Kindle edition advanced reader's copy from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review -- thanks #NetGalley!!)

There's nothing better for light reading than chick lit with a little substance, right? And combining a classic telenovela-esque modern storyline (gorgeous American-turned Parisian heroine with amnesia) with a painful-but-beautiful historical tale of a mother's love has never been done so well.

Past and present weave together masterfully in Paris as modern-day Caroline (thank God for an ordinary main character name for once) tries to find out the truth about her life, even as 1940s-era Celine slowly loses hold of hers. I'm a huge sucker for anything set in WWII Europe, despite the fact that we all *know* it's going to have sad and tragic elements. And "All the Flowers in Paris" certainly does. Even the modern day storyline will tug at your heart (and probably make you super hungry at the same time... because doesn't every heroine deserve a handsome chef-boyfriend/whatever-he-turns-out-to-be??).

4/5 stars because (a) Celine's daughter is way too perfect and it's kind of annoying, and (b) what the heck -- as soon as <spoiler>Celine's papa is taken by the Nazis, she forgets about him. Like, I think his name is mentioned once or twice after she goes to live with Creepy German Dude. Otherwise it appears that he fell off the face of the earth and she doesn't even grieve for him.</spoiler> Maybe that's the point -- the whole shock of it all and pain of it all is too much to remember/dwell upon? But still. A few tears, maybe? Oh and (c) Celine's story just <spoiler>ENDS -- and I would've loved to read a LITTLE more about her daughter's/Luc's life afterwards.</spoiler>

All the Flowers in Paris is about love. A love of family, a mother, a husband. Love during World War II in Paris was risky. Celine and her small family of 2. Her daughter Cosi and her father who owns a flower shop. Celine lost love when her daughter's father died but it lives on thru Cosi .


When the Germans come into Paris, Celine is determined to keep her family safe. What she will do and how she suffers to keep her daughter from harm gives her hope when all hope fails. The family is split apart, however, a miracle or a gift is given to Celine when she is able to hide her daughter with her. Celine is taken captive by a vicious German officer. She knows she is taking a risk by keeping her daughter hidden in a secret room where she sleeps.

Celine's story is told with Caroline's story. Her story starts in tragedy as she loses her memory in Paris. She has a lovely Paris apartment and no friends. As she recovers, she finds Celine's story in her apartment and feels a connection to her. A journal that was kept over 75 years ago. A love of a daughter and man that she can't have is told in this journal and even though Caroline can't remember who she is, she feels that knowing Celine's story will somehow find her story.

The two time periods go back and forth as each woman struggles with who she is and the fight to keep love alive.

A Special Thank you to Random House Publishing and Netgalley for the ARC and the opportunity to post an honest review.

What an emotional book. It was a lot harder for me to read than I originally anticipated but I ended up enjoying it more than I thought I would. The book is divided into two stories - in the present day, Caroline who has just had an accident and no memories of her former life - and in 1943, Celine who lives in Paris during the occupation. Both were written beautifully but I felt like I wanted to skip past Caroline’s story and find out what happened to Celine and her daughter, Cosi. I did want to learn more about Caroline but her story wasn’t as captivating. I didn’t see the ending coming which made me happy. I enjoyed the characters (not all the characters but how they were written) and I wanted to keep reading to see how everything fit in together. It’s a good book, just emotionally taxing.

All The Flowers in Paris by Sarah Jio is a wonderfully written novel of two very strong and independent women and the struggles they have faced. Told through a dual story line set in Paris both during WW2 occupation and present day. Though living years apart, their connecting stories are woven together so beautifully. This story will definitely stay with me long after finishing.

Thank you Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine and NetGalley for an Advanced Reader Copy for my honest review.

Fabulous historical novel set in Paris. This is a dual story; one taking place during the Nazi occupation involving a family with a tiny Jewish heritage and the second about a young woman fleeing to Paris who has a serious accident and loses her memory. Each story is solid in its own right and engaged me throughly. The author brings both stories alive with moments of great anticipation and sometimes fear. That’s because I really cared about the characters. Lastly, the author dove tails both stories in a spectacular way! I have found a new author to follow. Thank you tho Netgalley and Random House/Ballantine for the opportunity to read this fascinating novel!

This is the type of book that sticks with you, long after you finish it. Two parallel stories and timelines, one during WW2 in Nazi-occupied Paris, and one in present day Paris. I'll admit, the beginning of the book was slow going for me, and I often found myself struggling through the present timeline and Caroline's story, rushing to get back to the 1940's and hearing more about Celine and her daughter, Cosi. Toward the end of the book I felt that it picked up, and I was sucked into the book and was therefore sad when it finished.

Thank you to Random House Publishing and NetGalley for an advanced copy to read in exchange for an honest review.

Caroline has had a terrible accident. She has lost her memory. She discovers she has been living as a recluse in an old apartment in Paris. Plus, she discovers she not been a very nice person. She meets a wonderful man but as her memory slowly recovers, she wonders if she can trust him. Caroline also finds some old WWII letters in her apartment and this sends her on a unique quest.

Two different story lines in this novel create an emotional tale. Caroline finding Céline’s letters sends her on a search for the answers. The answers are not what she expects. Céline’s tale will tear your heart out. But, Caroline’s tale is not much better. When these two stories intertwine your emotions goes haywire!

I have been a huge fan of Sarah Jio forever! She has some amazing reads. This one is OVER THE TOP! First of all, it is in my favorite time period…WWII, there is a mystery and dark secrets….what is not to love!

What a beautiful book! I'll admit it took me a bit to get really invested and hooked into this book. I've been a fan of Jio's books for a long time and know the traditional format of her books--two time frames and two story lines that weave together--but this one did not suck me in from the beginning. I almost DNF'd around 30%. However, I'm so glad I kept reading--the more I read, the more attached to the characters I became. It was heartbreaking at times but such a beautiful story. I read the last half of the book in one afternoon and loved how the stories came together.

If you love Paris and WW2 historical fiction, this book is a must read. Jio's description of the streets and neighborhoods of Paris made me feel like I was there. I wanted to eat at the Bistor Jeanty and buy flowers from Papa's flower shop. I loved the French language used in the book. Though it had its share of sad moments, there were happy moments and beautiful lessons. I definitely recommend reading this book, especially if you're a Sarah Jio fan!

All the Flowers in Paris by Sarah Jio

Brief Summary: this is a World War II historical fiction novel with dual storylines between the past and present. Caroline wakes up in Paris with no memory of her prior life and tries to put the pieces back together and trigger for memory. Celine lives in occupied Paris and when her family’s Jewish ancestry is discovered she becomes the mistress of the Nazi officer to protect to them.

Highlights: the prospect of memory loss always interests me is a clinical psychologist, however I wish the memory loss therapist in the book had been used more effectively. Therapist can’t really help patients regain their memories and they need to be very careful to try to let patients recover their memories on their own. A more effective intervention approach would have been to help Caroline cope with her memory loss and develop compensatory strategies. By far my favorite thing was the way the past and present storylines came together through the apartment and Caroline’s discovery of Celine’s journal. I also loved that Celine hit her daughter Cosi right under the Nazis nose. The premise of the Nazi taking a Jewish mistress was also really interesting.

Explanation of Rating: 4/5 This book held my interest and was a really easy read but it didn’t really suck me in.

Psychology Factors: I do think mothers who’ve dealt with grief will relate to and appreciate the story.

Thank you to Net Galley and Ballantine Books for an ARC of this novel in exchange for an honest review

In 2009, when Caroline awakes in a Paris hospital, she has no idea where, or who, she is. Luckily the police and emergency personnel were able to identify her by her ID. She knows where she lives and her name and that’s about it. When she’s well enough, she is taken home. The doctors say that her memory may or may not come back. Her life stories may come back in pieces, or may come back bits at a time, if it comes back at all. She has dreams of a man and a little girl named Alma, but nothing else in her life seems familiar.

The novel then switches to 1943. Celine helps her father run a local flower shop. The Nazis are entering Paris, making it extremely difficult for her to feel safe and to keep her father and daughter safe. She wishes her love, Luc, would come hope from the battlefields, but that isn’t bound to happen anytime soon. And the fact that there is some Jewish ancestry in her family, Celine and her family are in danger of being exposed to the Nazis.

Caroline tries to reconstruct her life. She eats most of her meals at a nearby restaurant, where the staff know her, but she doesn’t recognize a single face.

The woman who now comes in is a much, much different person than the restaurant staff usually incur. There is something much more mellow about her. The chef/owner takes an interest in Caroline. They both feel an attraction to each other, but Caroline is reluctant to enter into a romantic relationship, knowing that there is so much she doesn’t know about herself.

Then Caroline finds a stack of letters from a woman named Celine who onced lived in her apartment. As she tries to learn the deep secrets her home is hiding, she becomes more and more aware of her strange dream and the way people treat her. The twist on what would seem a run-of-the-mill plot has me flipping back through the novel, and saying under my breath, “No. No. No.” I didn’t see it coming until it happened.Well done, Sarah Jio, well done.

I loved this novel. “All the Flowers in Paris” receives 6 out of 5 stars in Julie’s world.

This is a historical fiction about the intertwined lives of two women, separated by 60 years. Caroline is living in Paris in 2009 and Celine lived in Paris in 1943. What follows is their story that you will find amazing and haunting. The characters are well developed. I found it hard to put the book down.
Author Sarah Jio writes a wonderful, intriguing story full of love, heartbreak and survival that just draws you in.
I highly recommend you get this book if you like to read WWII historical fiction stories. 4.5🌟
Thank you to NetGallery, the publisher and author, Sarah Jio for providing a advanced reader copy of “All the Flowers in Paris” in exchange for my honest review.

I wasn’t the right reader for All the Flowers in Paris. It started off really strong and I was fully invested in both stories for the first half of the book.

There are alternating timelines - in Paris in 2009, Caroline has been in an accident and lost her memory. She is working to piece together who she was before the accident. At the same time - she has come across some letters from the 1940s in her apartment and is anxious to learn more about the sender/recipient.

In 1943, Celine is living in Paris with her father and young daughter Cosi. The city is occupied by Nazis and Celine is trying to find a way to keep her family safe.

While I was initially very interested in both stories, ultimately this book lost me in the second half. Everything that was coming was so heavily foreshadowed that there weren’t any surprises in where the plot went. There were a lot of emotional scenes - and I didn’t feel connected to any of them. I think that was a combination of seeing it coming and feeling some emotional distance from the characters. There were also a lot of things in the resolution that felt too neatly wrapped up. This felt like a Hallmark movie of a book when I was expecting and hoping for more emotional depth.

Thank you very much to Netgalley and the publisher for the advance reading copy.

I was captivated by Celine’s story. My heart filled with pain and anguish every time I would read her story. The fear she had to face and the decisions she had to live with was heart-wrenching. No matter how many WWII stories I read I never get immune to the pain they suffered. I learn something new every single time. I cannot even begin to comprehend what our ancestors experienced. I pray a time like that never occurs again.

Caroline’s story is equally filled with raw emotion. To wake up one day and not know who you are? Terrifying to say the least. I would probably die of a panic attack. She is a brave woman to trust those around her to find herself again.

Be prepared: have a full box of tissues at your side and don’t have any plans. You will not want to put this book down. It is a powerfully, moving story that will captivate you from beginning to end.

I received a complimentary copy from the publisher, Random House Publishers, through NetGalley. Any and all opinions expressed in the above review are entirely my own.

Loved this book! Reading this story set in two time periods was like slowly peeling the layers off of an onion. Both story lines kept me engaged and curious until the end. Readers of Sarah's Key will enjoy this book as well. Review based on an ARC provided by NetGalley.

All the Flowers in Paris is truly amazing! Some of it is hard to read but it's
written so well I feel every bit of the pain these two women suffered, years
apart. It's easy to keep up with now and then at the beginning of each
chapter. It makes it easy to know where you are reading at all times.
This book is so good, I'm going to have to take a couple of days to
dwell on what I've read and learned. No spoilers here but I would love to talk
about it! Easily 5 Stars!

Thank you so much, Sarah Jio, the Publisher, and Netgalley for this great book
in exchange for my personal review.

All the Flowers in Paris, by Sarah Jio, is a beautiful story of love and survival set against the gorgeous backdrop of Paris. Caroline wakes up in Paris without her memory after a shocking injury. She is startled to discover she lives in a chic, affluent area in a large Parisian apartment-alone. Memories begin to trickle back as Caroline searches her apartment for the past and she discovers clues about a beautiful woman, Celine, in 1940s Paris. Celine and her father own a local, well-known flower shop during the occupation. A widow with a young daughter, Celine will fight to protect her family against all odds. As Caroline makes friends with a charismatic chef we see glimpses into her past and present; along with an unexplained connection to Celine. Will Caroline be able to accept the reality of who she is by confronting the past? What will become of Celine and her family during the war? These questions and more are answered in Jio's latest release.

I quickly fell in love with the characters, including the third leading lady-the city of lights. Paris is an amazing setting for this story and the writer does a delightful job in describing past and present France. You can feel her love for the city in this novel. In the beginning I was not sure which direction the book was headed but I was quickly captivated by Celine's journey and Caroline's as she tries to regain her memory. There are many little anecdotes that weave in nicely throughout the story and I could not wait to find out what happened next. One of the best books of the summer!

Thank you to NetGalley, the author and publisher for this ARC in exchange for my honest feedback.

This was a beautiful, but sad, book. I some trouble getting into it but kept with it and the story picked up.
It's set in two timelines. In the present, a woman named Caroline wakes up from a coma with her memory gone. She gets back to her apartment and finds a box of letters from WWII and starts investigating. In the WWII timeline, a girl named Celine runs a flower shop and lives with her father. Her father is taken away for being Jewish and she is imprisoned by the German officer who takes over the house.

Again, beautifully written but a sad story.

Thanks to Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine for the ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I received an advanced digital copy of this book from the author, Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine and Netgalley.com. Thanks to all for the opportunity to read and review. The opinions expressed in this review are my own.

To read a Sarah Jio novel is to leave the world behind and enter a new one where there is pain and discomfort but also true healing and growth. All the Flowers in Paris is no exception to this opinion. A dual story/timeline that works perfectly. All the characters are well developed and relatable. Readers should be aware that there are extremely sensitive scenes in this book that could be triggering, ie sexual assault, child death. Though even through the darkest of themes, Jio shows us the light in the indomitable spirit of the human heart.

5 out of 5 stars. Highly recommended.

Courtesy of NetGalley, I received Sarah Jio's new novel, All the Flowers in Paris. This is a compelling historical tale set in Paris during the Nazi occupation of WWII. The past and present are woven together, presenting emotional and heartbreaking situations dealing with loss, relationships, and trust. I couldn't put it down!