A dual time period historical novel, both set in Paris in many of the same places. In one story, Celine is a widowed young mother trying to take care of her daughter and her father in occupied Paris during World War II. In the other, set in 2009, Caroline suffers from total amnesia after an accident and with no family around, tries to both rebuild a new life and discover more about her life at the same time. I always enjoy Sarah Jio's books and this was another good one.

Sarah Jio’s All the Flowers in Paris is a beautifully written and compelling story about family, love, survival, and the sacrifices people are willing to make for their loved ones. Jio uses a dual timeline format to intertwine the lives of two women who each lived in the same apartment in Paris, albeit decades apart and under very different circumstances.

One timeline is set in 2009 and follows a woman named Caroline who has been in an accident and now has amnesia. Once she is finally discharged, since no family have come to claim her, the hospital staff takes her to the apartment listed on her identification and there she slowly begins the process of piecing her life back together. As she encounters people around the neighborhood who knew her and watches them gingerly skirt around her, Caroline realizes she must have been living a pretty sad and lonely existence.

To keep herself from dwelling on her amnesia, Caroline strikes up a friendship with the handsome chef at the restaurant she frequents. But as their relationship blossoms, she starts to regain a few vague memories of a man and a young child but can’t figure out where they fit into her life. Are they loved ones? If so, where are they now?

The other timeline is set during 1943 at the height of WWII and follows a young widow named Celine who lives with her father and is raising her young daughter alone in Nazi-occupied Paris. When a German officer takes an interest in Celine and she rebuffs him, he exposes her family’s Jewish heritage, forces their flower shop out of business, and then imprisons Celine’s father and tries to take her child from her as well. He imprisons Celine in his apartment, but not before her daughter breaks free and sneaks in with her. Celine now must not only fight for her own survival, but she must also hide her daughter right under the enemy’s nose in hopes that they’ll both be rescued.

One thing that really struck me while I was reading was that both Caroline’s and Celine’s storylines were compelling enough that they easily could have been standalone stories. I enjoyed both characters immensely and was very invested in both Caroline’s plight to get her memory back and Celine’s plight to survive the Nazis and protect her family at all costs. My one complaint with the book was actually that I thought it took a little too long to actually have the storylines start moving toward one another. They felt like standalones for a pretty big chunk of the book. When the two timelines finally did fully intertwine, however, via a diary Caroline finds hidden in a closet in her apartment, the end result is so moving and so powerful that it had me shedding more than a few tears.

If you’re a fan of WWII historical fiction, stories set in Paris, and stories about family and the sacrifices people make for love, All the Flowers in Paris is the book for you!

I really enjoy Sarah Jio books and I am a longtime reader and will continue to be. The main character needed a JOB though! How did she pay for her apartment and food, etc.? This lack of detail made it a 4-star for me; also the plot line about the dad leaving her money was a bit off... it felt like it was haphazardly thrown in there.

I have been a huge fan of Sarah Jio's stories since the day I read her very first novel. Her words weave together such beautiful, heartwarming tales and this book did not disappoint.

Her stories always seem to have a magical feel to them and leave me with such good feelings. I loved the dual story-line in All the Flowers in Paris and I loved it when the two women's connection was revealed—because come on, you knew that was going to happen, right?

Caroline and Celine both had troubled pasts and have hardships to get through in their present lives. Traveling back and forth between the two time periods gave me a rich understanding of the two women and demonstrated the strength of these two amazing women.

I love opening a book by this amazing author and getting lost in one of her worlds. I get so excited when I learn that she has a new book out and I can't wait! If you have not read any of her books yet, I highly recommend that you pick one up. All the Flowers in Paris would be the perfect one to start with.

All the Flowers in Paris is a beautifully written story, with dual timelines connecting Paris from 1943 to 2009.

In 1943, we meet Celine and her eight year old daughter Cosi, who help Celine's father run a flower shop in Paris. As the German occupy Paris, one German soldier takes a liking to Celine, which leads to a lot of heartbreak for her and her daughter as they are forced to adjust to their new normal. This storyline was equally beautiful and heartbreaking, and although Sarah Jio writes tastefully about their time with the German soldier, just imagining the pain and fear makes it hard to read at times.

In 2009, we meet Caroline, who suffers an unfortunate accident and loses her memory. As she tries to untangle the mystery of who she is and what her previous life was like, she needs to be careful who she can trust along the way. While learning about herself, she is also discovering about the past and learning about Celine and Cosi's stories as well.

Sarah Jio really does a great job of bringing you into both stories with equal interest, and ties everything together really well. Fittingly, flowers were a recurring element in the story as well. The characters are well developed, and I really enjoyed seeing Celine and Cosi and the relationship between mother and daughter. If you are looking for a historical fiction that is very inundated with WWII facts, this might not be the book for you. However, if you are looking for a beautiful story about love, hope, forgiveness, and finding yourself, set against the backdrop of Paris and all its flowers, with a historical element as well, that will give you all the feels - then this is absolutely the book for you.I highly recommend it, it was a 5 star read for me.

This book is beautifully written and hard to put down. The chapters alternate between two women living in Paris, one modern day and one in 1943 during the Nazi occupation. Their stories are cleverly interwoven. The novel is both heart-breaking and hopeful.

Rating: 3.5 stars rounded down to 3.0 stars

“All the Flowers in Paris” by Sarah Jio is an interesting book set in Paris featuring two timelines. Its part Historical Fiction, and part Romance. While the writing was good, I felt like I had read versions of at least the 1943 Paris story quite a bit recently. Maybe it’s the hot new book trend, or perhaps I’m just pulled to books set in Paris. Whatever the reason, I initially gave this book 3.5 stars. I have had to round it down to 3 stars for the whole-point rating system that is being used.

The two alternating stories are set in for the main part in Paris. Celine narrates the story set in 1943, and Caroline narrates the 2009 storyline. In 1943 Celine, her father, and her 8-year-old daughter Cosi the invading Germans them from running their successful flower shop. When a yellow Star of David is found on their storefront, their prominent clientele quickly dropped away. They then have to try to make do as resources dwindle in Paris and it becomes increasingly dangerous to venture outside. In a dramatic scene, Celine is dragged into the apartment of a malevolent German officer. During her time there, she faced with physical and mental abuse. The subplot with Cosi reminded me of somewhat of “Sarah’s Key” by Tatiana de Rosnay.

In the 2009 narrative, Caroline has had a bicycle accident and wakes up with amnesia. Upon return to the apartment that she has rented in Paris, she goes through her items to try to reclaim her memory. She finds herself in a familiar restaurant for breakfast and is not sure why the waiter and the hostess are so wary of her. The bistro owner, Victor tries to befriend her. He eventually gains her trust and they start to do more things together in Paris. She also starts taking up painting again. If the paintings she found in her apartment were her own works, then she is an accomplished artist. Slowly, slowly flashes of her memory return.

I liked both stories about equally. Usually it seems that in a dual timeline book, I am drawn to one story more than the other. Both stories could function well as standalone books. At times, I thought Celine and especially her father, underestimated the danger they were in. However, perhaps that is because I know how the German occupation of France really turned out. The 1943 timeline was obviously heavier in the Historical Fiction vein, and the 2009 story was more Romance or Women’s Fiction. I liked both timelines. I just didn’t love them. Hence the solid 3.5 star rating.

‘Thank-You’ to NetGalley; the publisher, Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine; and the author, Sarah Jio; for providing a free e-ARC copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Historical fiction is one of my favorite genres, particularly books that focus on the time period during Hitlers reign. I believe we should never stop educating ourselves about that time in history. Never forget, and never let those lives lost be forgotten. ⁣
⁣
All The Flowers In Paris is one of those fabulous books that puts faces to those that suffered during the Nazi occupation and shows not only the struggles they faced during that time but the beautiful displays of humanity from others during that time as well. This is a dual timeline story of two strong, independent women. I loved both storylines and the extraordinary details that brought the setting to life. I was completely enraptured in this book and did not want it to end. For me, All The Flowers In Paris was ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5 stars. This was the first for me by this author and I immediately put library holds on her other work. This was a beautifully written, exquisite book. It cannot be easy to strike a chord between hope and the horrors of war but @sarahjio did it fabulously. Thank you @randomhouse for this advance reader in exchange for my honest review.

I was very intrigued by the premise of this book and began reading it immediately. Though at first, the switching timelines was a little confusing, you will eventually get to used to it as the story progresses.

Jio flawlessly weaves two separate timelines together to create an amazing and unique story set in both WWII and 2009. After losing her memory after a severe bike accident, Caroline searches for answers through the past. She quickly discovers letters in her apartment that date back to 1943. The letters are written by Celine, a mother living in France during WWII as she recounts what she has witnessed and experience. The two women’s stories will take the reader on a journey of survival, hope, and mystery.

I really enjoyed this book and the fact that Jio was straight and to the point. Not only did it feel more realistic and genuine, but it also made the story so much more powerful to read. I highly suggest reading this book if you enjoy historical fiction set in WWII.

This is such a beautiful story that moves so gracefully between past and present - weaving the two sets of characters lives together. I could see this playing out as a movie as I read. The struggle endured by Céline and her family, the beautiful relationship with her daughter Cosi, love torn apart during the war, the writing brought both smiles and tears! Caroline was going through a battle all of her own, trying to recover her lost memories, slowly piecing together the sadness and love of her own life. Such a beautiful and heartbreaking story, I would recommend to anyone! Thank you NetGalley for the ARC!

My favorite novel until now of Sarah Jio’s was The Violets of March. Today, All the Flowers in Paris has captured my heart. This is a story of loss, finding one’s way to be able to go on and find joy in life. The story is set in Paris during WWII and 2009. I was totally engrossed in both story lines. The common tie is that the characters from both periods live in the same apartment. Céline and her little girl are forced to live in the apartment of a German officer. Céline hides her little girl in a secret room beneath the floor. Caroline comes to Paris to get over the death of her daughter and rents the apartment, She is suffering from amnesia after an accident.

Jio skillfully threads their two stories together. Cannot say how much I loved this story! Thank you NetGalley and Ballantine books for entrusting me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This book was beautifully written and I loved the stories. Typical of Sarah Jio's books, it bounces back and forth through time, from the perspectives of two female protagonists; one in Natzi occupied Paris and one in present day Paris suffering from amnesia. The themes for both woman are similar. I don't want to give anything away, but the twist at the end had me holding my breathe, hoping the outcome wasn't what I thought it would be. Overall, a solid read from a Jio.

A book that is full of love, hope and unfortunately evil, and you find yourself quickly immersed in these stories, and the lives of the individuals the author has presented to us.
We become personally acquainted with these folks, and we are spanning decades, all the while being located in Paris, France. We begin with present day, but flash back to a horrible time when the building we are staying in was occupied by a German Officer.
I loved how this story is all tied together, and while I was reading each chapter and becoming very engrossed with where I was at that point, we would change, but it wasn’t long and I was back where I was before.
I am so glad that I chose to read this historical fictional book, I loved it!

I received this book through Net Galley and the Publisher Ballantine Books, and was not required to give a positive review.

Linda's Book Obsession Reviews "All the Flowers in Paris" by Sarah Jio, Ballantine Books, August 13, 2019

WOW!! Sarah Jio, author of "All the Flowers in Paris" has written an intense, edgy, intriguing, captivating, riveting, poignant, page-turning, emotional and heartbreaking novel. Make sure to have lots of Kleenex on hand. The Genres for this story are Fiction and Historical Fiction. There are two timelines in this novel, that eventually come together. There are two storylines and sets of characters that have much in common. The story is set in Paris, during World War Two and the present. The author describes her dramatic characters as complex, and complicated. Some characters are good, and some are extremely evil. There are twists and turns, suspense, dark secrets, loyalty, betrayals, and danger.

Paris is known for its beauty and flowers, and in "All the Flowers in Paris" the beauty is shown in contrast to ugliness and heartbreak in life. In the present, Caroline is riding on a bicycle as fast as she can, and is in a terrible accident with a truck. When she wakes up in the hospital she has lost most of her memories. Her purse is with her and her identification is in her wallet. Many things are so unfamiliar to her, and people seem to have a strange reaction to her. She becomes friends with a Chef, at a restaurant that she used to frequent. She does have flashbacks of a child.

When the Germans occupied Paris during World War Two, it was a terrible and tragic time. Celine, a young widow lives with her daughter and father, a florist in a simple apartment. One of the German soldiers takes notice of Celine. Celine's father is partially Jewish. Suddenly it becomes very dangerous to live. 

This is a story that tugged at my heartstrings. It reminds me of "Sarah's Key". I would highly recommend this emotional and thought-provoking novel.

It is a beautiful spring day when Caroline awakens in a Paris hospital. Lucky to be alive after a horrible bike accident, Caroline is filled with fear when she realizes she neither knows her name, where she lives, or that the year is 2009. Hoping her brain heals quickly, all she can really do is begin to put the pieces of her life back together again. Grateful for the smallest daily pleasures, Caroline sadly learns she had no friends or close family, she lived a reclusive bitter existence. Beginning to enjoy a newfound friendship with the handsome owner of the local bistro, Caroline is not sure she wants to return to her old life and the loneliness that lived there. With the serendipitous discovery of letters hidden in her apartment from decades earlier, she has another puzzle to put together. Caroline learns that while the Nazi’s occupied Paris the lovely widow Celine, her daughter Cosi and her father lived in the very same apartment. They ran an exclusive florist shop until an evil officer became overly enamored with Celine and threatened everything the small family treasured. As Caroline confronts her own past and present, she learns that love, beauty and even people can withstand the test of time. New beginnings are possible if you plant the seeds and give them a chance to bloom. Highly recommend this enjoyable, well written novel from bestselling author Sarah Jio. If you’ve got time for one more summer read, this is it!

There are not enough words to describe how much I LOVED this book. It is heartbreaking, hopeful, and the writing is beautiful. The story jumps from present time to war ravaged times and how their lives are all woven together. This book will give you all the feels and you will not be able to put it down until the very last page. Beautifully written historical fiction. LOVED!
Thank you to NetGalley for the arc in exchange for an honest review.

A beautifully written story told in two voices and timeframes, Celine in 1943-44 and Caroline in 2009. Filled with heartbreak, this book is ultimately about love, forgiveness and second chances. From the ravages of war in occupied Paris, to present day Paris, Celine and Caroline’s stories come together flawlessly. As Celine’s story comes to light, after Caroline has an accident and has no memory of who she is, Caroline slowly starts to put the pieces of her own life back together and learns to open her heart and to love again.

This is my second Sarah Jio book and it won’t be the last. I enjoyed the dual timelines equally... the modern day storyline of Caroline’s accident was very compelling, and the past characters of Celine and Cosi were so heroic.

Thanks to NetGalley for the digital copy.

I always eagerly anticipate a new release from Sarah Jio, and All the Flowers in Paris was worth the wait. It's the kind of story that is both heartbreaking and restorative, with dual timelines focusing on WWII era Celine and her family, and contemporary Caroline, who has lost her memory after an accident but discovers some connections to Celine's story. The writing style is distinctly Jio's, and having loved every one of her previous stories, I thoroughly enjoyed it.

Wow - what a ride! I just loved All the Flowers in Paris. The story and characters will be front and center in my mind and in my heart for some time to come.

There are two alternating timelines in this book. One takes place in Nazi-occupied Paris in the early 1940s. It centers on Céline who is of Jewish descent and her young daughter Cosi. It is a story of survival and the lengths a mother will go to for her daughter.

The second timeline is the present day Paris and tells the story of Caroline who is in an accident and as a result, has amnesia.

“‘Hello?’ I call out, both to anyone who can hear me and, I suppose, to myself. I am deeply and sorely lost. I am a strange soul trapped in an even stranger body. The only thing I know is that I am alive, and that I am, in, well, Paris.”

“...I am currently a person without a story. But I feel more like a person without a soul.”

Caroline feels lost though people tell her how much happier and friendlier she is since losing her memory. She wants to remember her life yet does not want to return to being sad and miserable.

“What if my memory comes back and I hate my life, or worse, hate myself? From all I can tell, I was miserable before. I don’t want to be that woman.”

While these two timelines tell two disparate stories, Jio eventually and effortlessly joins them together, which makes for a very satisfying outcome for the reader.

These stories touched me on several levels - the horrors of the Nazis and their occupation of Pairs, a fight for survival, coping with loss, second chances, and a mother’s determination to protect her daughter.

For most of the book, the present day story seemed somewhat mundane compared to story taking place in the 1940s. As such, they felt mis-matched - a life and death thriller juxtaposed with a humdrum romance. I found my emotional response varied between disgust and almost indifference depending on which timeline I was reading. Ultimately they do fit and in fact, join together nicely.

“To think that all around me—the letters in my apartment, Monsieur de Goff—are remnants of such an ugly time in history. It makes my amnesia pale in comparison. In fact, for those who suffered trauma, as Monsieur de Goff reportedly had, amnesia could even be a gift.”

I was unable to put this book down. It was extremely well-written with highly developed characters that will live in your heart.

“I’ve always loved the city in winter, particularly the way the rooftops look as if they’ve been dusted with a heavy layer of confectioner’s sugar, turning the formerly anemic balcony gardens of winter into scenes straight out of a fairy tale.”

“.... sweeping a few stray rose petals off the cobblestones in front of the shop. I always feel bad for fallen petals, as silly as that sounds. They’re like little lost ducklings separated from their mama.”

All the Flowers in Paris was both heartwarming and heartbreaking. I cannot recommend it highly enough!

“..the truth is, these days we’re all in trouble.” He’s right, of course. We’re all sailing in a ship that’s taking on water. Life rafts are sparse.”

“We will see her again. That’s what love does. It binds people together with ties that are stronger than time, stronger than war and destruction, evil, or pain.”

Thank you to Random House Publishing - Ballantine Books and NetGalley for an advance reader copy in exchange for my honest review.