Sixteen year old Polly Hartford’s father dies, she travels from Australia to France to stay with her aunt, when her aunt Marjorie suddenly passes away, Polly’s now an orphan living in a strange country and one on the brink of fighting another war. Polly has the support of her aunt’s best friends, Alexandrine a Comtesse, Zita a film star and Lana Mae an American heiress and they all live at the famous hotel. They take Polly under their wing, she can’t believe she’s staying in such a luxurious place, shopping for beautiful new clothes and taking in the sights of Paris.

At the Ritz, guests and staff believe the hotel's prestige will protect them from the war, of course when the German’s arrive and they take over the hotel. All four ladies are forced to share a room, being from Australia, and Polly has to report the local police station every day. Polly want’s to retaliate, along with a waiter Tommy and Odile the daughter of the general manager of the Ritz, the teenagers preform small acts of defiance.
The war years drag on, Polly and her guardians face the horrors of living in an occupied country, Jewish people start to be targeted, deported, all of the women have secrets and they don’t know who they can trust.

The Heart of the Ritz gives you a glimpse into the lives of the famous people and German Officers who stayed in the hotel during the war, what life was like for the citizens of Paris, and the restrictions. I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review, I learnt a lot about the Ritz, I had no idea it was divided into two sections and four stars from me.

‘The Heart of the Ritz’ is an interesting book taking place in the famous ‘Ritz’ hotel of Paris during the Second World War. Young orphaned Polly arrives from Australia in 1940 to live with her Aunt Majorie. However, the aunt soon dies under somewhat suspicious circumstances, leaving Polly in the care of the aunt’s three favoured friends.

These new guardians care for Polly at the Ritz hotel but with the German invasion looming large. When Occupation does eventuate and their hope of protection from within the walls of the Ritz evaporates, each has to step up and learn through hardship, what they are capable of.

This was a well written book, although certain parts - particularly the middle sections - were extremely slow moving and difficult to get through. Sadly it was a struggle, however, the end does redeem the overall story somewhat.

It is always good to read historical fiction that is based on fact in some parts or with relation to certain characters. The Author’s Note at the conclusion of the book is most enlightening. It was also good to read a war tale from a different perspective, that being the hotel itself.




This review is based on a complimentary copy from the publisher and provided through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. The quoted material may have changed in the final release.

This WW2 saga, following the lives of some very colourful characters at the Ritz in Paris, during German occupation, was a long, complex but ultimately satisfying experience. Woven around the tale of young Australian orphan Polly, her three guardians' convoluted story lines add drama and chaos to an already gripping read. The women of Paris won't be squashed, the occupying forces will be humoured, but ultimately defeated, and the years will pass rapidly moving towards a final thrilling finale.

The pace of this book felt extremely slow in some places, and rushed in others, however I'm glad I powered through.

I appreciate the inspiration behind this story, the characters inspired by real Ritz occupants, and their various efforts in the Resistance. This is not a read for our younger students - while of adult interest, our seniors would enjoy the rich history, and relatable drama of young first love.

EXCERPT: ....his nerve failed him. It had never failed him once in the trenches.

To his horror he found that he simply could not go inside the Ritz. Disgraced by this cowardice, he made to move on - until to he took hold of himself. He stood so that he might be thought to be viewing Napoleon's column, but of course, he was not. He was viewing the famous Hotel Ritz and dreaming of the elegant life that was lived at the heart of it; a life as secure and serene and as comfortable as a life lived curled in the womb; a life that didn't belong to him, Hans Metzingen, the handsome nobody from defeated, humiliated Germany. But it could be his, if only he would go inside.

ABOUT THIS BOOK: France, April 1940. Orphan Polly Hartford has been sent across oceans to her Aunt Marjorie, known only from letters. When Marjorie dies in suspicious circumstances, Polly is left with her aunt’s loaded pistol in a beautiful Hermès handbag . . . and to the care of Marjorie’s three closest friends: an elegant Comtesse, a gutter-born film star and a big-hearted American heiress.

Polly is taken to live at the Hôtel Ritz, where guests and staff believe wealth and prestige protect them from war. But when the Nazis invade, the illusion is shattered. As Paris deteriorates, Polly and her guardians face the horrors of the Occupation with daring, humour, style – even romance – and despite their dangerous secrets, they discover just what they are capable of.

As the Liberation approaches, those who survive at the Ritz must face a day of reckoning, but one truth stands tall: at the heart of the Ritz is the soul of resistance.

MY THOUGHTS: I have abandoned this read at 63%. I wanted to like it. I tried to like it, but it was rather like being stuck in the mud; the wheels are spinning but we're going nowhere.

I like historical fiction, particularly tales of the Resistance. I like France, and stories set there. I love old buildings and the stories they have to tell. You can see why I requested The Heart of the Ritz.

But when I woke at 2.30 am, made a cup of tea, and settled down to read, one paragraph in and I got up to wipe down the kitchen bench, tidied my pile of magazines and my cross stitch materials, played with the cat and planned my day ahead rather than read, I knew it was time to admit defeat.

I just didn't care. Nothing was happening to hold my interest. It would seem that I am in the minority here, and for that I am glad. I hate to dnf a book. This is someone's child. They have sweated blood and tears over this. But I am sorry, it's just not for me.

Reading is a personal and subjective experience, and what appeals to one may not please another. So if you enjoyed the excerpt from The Heart of the Ritz, and the plot outline appeals, please do go ahead and read it.

😞

THE AUTHOR: Luke Devenish lives with his partner and pets in the historic town of Castlemaine, in the heart of the beautiful Goldfields region of Victoria, Australia. Originally from Western Australia, where he often returns, Luke grew up in the Perth Hills where he attended Eastern Hills Senior High School and Curtin University in the 1980s. He moved to Melbourne to pursue writing opportunities in 1988 and has lived in Victoria since.

Before writing novels, Luke wrote for television, and is also a playwright.

DISCLOSURE: Thank you to Simon and Schuster (Australia) via Netgalley for providing a digital ARC of The Heart of the Ritz by Luke Devenish for review. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own personal opinions.

Please refer to my Goodreads.com profile page or the about page on sandysbookaday.wordpress.com for an explanation of my rating system.

This review and others are also published on Twitter, Amazon and my webpage https://wordpress.com/posts/sandysboo...

When sixteen-year-old Polly Hartford’s father died, Polly headed to France from her home in Australia into the care of her Aunt Marjorie. It was 1940 and the war loomed, but the attitude in Paris was cavalier – it wouldn’t affect them at all. Their journey to the city was by train, and when Aunt Marjorie unexpectedly died along the way, Polly found herself in the care of three very different women, all friends of Marjorie’s.

Alexandrine, Zita and Lana Mae escorted Polly to the Hotel Ritz in the centre of Paris where they all lived. It was to be Polly’s home, a fact that stunned her. But after time, the Nazis invaded Paris and some of the top Germans took over part of the Ritz. It was terrifying, but when a germ of an idea came to Polly, laced with anger at the invaders, she set out with courage and tenacity to make a difference. Two others who were also residents of the Ritz, Tommy and Odile, were by her side as they quietly resisted…

More, much more was to happen over the years, with heartbreak and loss always fueling the events. Would Polly keep her convictions; her strength; her great courage until it was all over?

The Heart of the Ritz is my first by Aussie author Luke Devenish and I thoroughly enjoyed it. Historical fiction taken from fact with some real characters thrown into the mix, the Author’s Note at the end of the book is enlightening. With the novel set mainly in the hotel, it gave a different outlook; the Resistance had a strong presence. Highly recommended.

With thanks to Simon & Schuster AU for my ARC to read in exchange for an honest review.