I very much enjoyed this book. I thought that most of the characters were vivid, and they were a good representation of the different types of people one would find in post-WWI Paris. The plot was not hard to follow, but readers should be aware that it is not exactly a linear read; a lot happens, and there are memories woven into current action. It is not hard to follow but could take some concentration to understand the characters’ motivations and actions. It is still a great read. For a detailed review, please visit my blog at Fireflies and Free Kicks Fiction Reviews. Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for a complimentary, pre-release, digital ARC of this book.

Tatiana is from the Russian aristocracy and she seldom forgets that. Now that she has escaped the Revolution and is forced to work for a living, albeit a model in a fashion house which is a comfortable job but she seems to attract and make trouble wherever she goes.

Engaged to a stuffy Frenchman Tatiana looks at Gerard her fiancee as a means to an end. To not have to work, to not have to do anything but just to live a life of comfort and idleness. (Not very likable upto now) The problem arises with Gerard's brother who has an obsessive adoration of Tatiana and in one horrible incident rapes her and she becomes pregnant. Seeing the end of her dreams Tatiana is willing to do anything to continue with the facade of her marriage to Gerard which she is determined to follow through. You should feel sympathy for Tatiana for the trauma as sadly her focus was only on a good marriage and nothing else but actually I began to dislike her almost from the beginning!

There are side characters in the story which add much more interest to the main, from Regan the American photographer who is aware of Tatiana's plight and is willing to help to Katya and to Una all who play pivotal roles in this story. The story of Katya and Harry trying very hard to get their sister Verna out of a Russian prison in a bribery and pay out was a story in itself.

Descriptive of the workings of a fashion house, this part of the story was good and interesting.

I loved the cover too.

I was several chapters in to Natalie Meg Evans new book The Paris Girl, set in 1920's Paris, before I realised it was a continuation of sorts from her previous book The Secret Vow. It was only as the name of one of the characters husband was mentioned that it struck me as being familiar, then I went back and checked and I was right. Even if this had not been a follow on book I would have read it regardless because I have loved all the authors previous books. But I was even more eager to read it as The Secret Vow had ended on a real cliff hanger which definitely left room for a further story featuring the same characters. Said cliff hanger meant that closure needed to be found and I was keen to see how this would come about in this new story even if it would happen at all.

All that said you could easily read this as a standalone book as the story shifts more of a focus onto the youngest daughter Tatiana. You won't be missing out on what has previously happened as there is plenty of back story supplied to bring new readers up to date. But as I had already read about these characters I felt I had a real good understanding of where they are coming from, what they have been through and what was ahead for them. This is a heart wrenching love story with Tatiana at its centre and although I didn't think it was filled with as many twists and turns as the previous book it still held my attention throughout due to the complex nature of Tatiana and all the devestating hardships she was experiencing.

Paris, May 1922 and Princess Tatiana Vytenis and her family have been in exile from Russia for several years. They have attempted to make a new life for themselves with a modest degree of success on which they are continuing to build. Katya, another sister, is now married to Harry and has shares in the couture house - Maison Javier. Designing is her passion but she also harbours a deep longing to become a mother. She is haunted by her last days in Russia and the subsequent journey which saw her family eventually find a home in Paris. Their father is gone but Katya feels like her sister Vera could still be alive despite her last known whereabouts and what she might have endured. Katya takes more of a back seat in this book although there are some chapters told from herself and Harry's perspective which offer an insight as to what they are attempting to do. If successful the results of their journey could change everything.

Instead attention shifts to the youngest of the family, Tatiana, and honestly she was a character very hard to like at times. She came across as spoilt and selfish and that she expected the world to fall at her feet without experiencing much hardship. It's only as we delve further into the book that the reasons for her behaviour and the way she acts when it comes to matters of the heart make themselves much clearer. It was only then that I started to feel an ounce of sympathy for her. It's when she opened up about events of the past which changed the families lives forever that things became crystal clear. That here was a young woman scarred by events and things that had been said to her.

This resulted in Tatiana constantly searching for reassurance and love and when it wasn't being returned she went a bit off the rails and needed bringing back to her senses. Her past experiences meant she was fairly messed up emotionally. There were times where she showed a vulnerable side and just wanted someone to scoop her up into their arms and care for her, but when she was feeling stronger and her senses were more together she was a force to be reckoned with. She was definitely a character who had two very different sides to her personality and as the different sides emerged my opinion of her swayed back and forth.

Tatiana works as a mannequin at the house of Javier, in which her sister has a stake. She models all the latest looks from the new collections alongside several other girls. Her partner, Gerard de Sainte Vierge, has just proposed marriage and she has gladly accepted believing her fortunes will change and that becoming a French noble woman will absolve her of having to make something of her life on her own. No one seems overly enamoured with news of the engagement and her fellow models and best friend Constanza don't seem to be cheering her on at this match supposedly made in heaven. From the outset there was just something distinctly fishy about the whole thing. That Tatiana was so keen to get the marriage signed, sealed and delivered as soon as possible. But why? Why was Gerard acting so cold and aloof considering he had just made the biggest profession of love for Tatiana by placing the family ring on her finger despite protestations from his mother. I had my suspicions about certain characters and some elements of what I believed proved to be true where as with regard to others I was completely off track and was surprised at the eventual outcome with regard to certain strands of the story.

Perhaps the creepiest character of all was Armand, the brother of Gerard. Whenever he featured there was such a menacing, sinister and evil tone dripping from the pages. Tatiana felt very uneasy around him and she had good reason to. It was almost like he was a stalker, who knew all of her movements and kept pressing his 'love and attention' on her with the most disastrous of consequences which really set the tone for the remainder of the book. Tatiana's connection to the de Sainte Vierge family was the catalyst for all the themes being explored in the book. What she went through affected every aspect of her life and in some ways hardened her to certain things but then when that veneer slipped and we saw deep down to the real Tatiana that she was attempting to keep suppressed only then did an entirely new strand of the story opened up. Tatiana needed to seek revenge but in a dignified manner as she realised she was just a pawn in a much bigger game.

I loved how characters from the previous book made reappearances and this time around even featured more heavily. Úna McBride being one of them. She is attempting to make it big in writing and reporting on the fashion industry in Paris but has never really struck gold. She seemed to be a woman ahead of her time and I thought she really looked out for Tatiana when she placed herself in peril or just seemed to lose track of herself big time as Tatiana could be wild and unstable and very difficult to handle. Úna provides the introduction of American photographer Regan Dortmeyer, who is not long in the city and has been sent to capture The Eternal Romance of Paris for an American magazine. He too has his own history but I thought he was a brilliantly written character. The complete opposite to Gerard and perhaps a better fit for Tatiana even though they often rubbed each other up the wrong way.

I loved all the back and forth jibes that ensued and the reader could see sparks glowing between them. But there was a bigger picture to look at and various elements that needed to be quashed before new strings could be sewn back together. Towards the end the pace really began to pick up and fears grew for Tatiana becoming completely swallowed up in what she had unwittingly become embroiled with. It all boils down to the deep insecurities and lack of faith in herself that she has gone down this path. Will it be too late to save her? Can Regan and her friends rally round? Will Tatiana's family ever be whole again?

The Secret Vow slightly edges out The Paris Girl for me but I still really enjoyed Tatiana's story. It definitely needed to be told and still there are two questions I would really like the answers to so I hope there will be a continuation in the form of a short story because a full length book might be over stretching things slightly. The Paris Girl is well worth a read. It's packed full of tension, suspicion, unease and unrest and you'll soon readily lose yourself in discovering the truth behind so many façades. Tatiana will be a character you love to hate but ultimately she will win you over, just like her story did with me.

This is a long and complicated book set in Paris after The Great War. Tatiana has escaped Russia with some of her family and is trying to create a life for herself. She is model thin and in the fashion industry. She gets involved with a power hungry man who needs a wife, but he does not treat her well. Nor does his family. Things quickly get ugly for Tatiana and she scrambles to start over again.

A Russion model with a past, a Marqius with a dreadful family, a vicious brother and a photographer. Set against the background of 1920's Paris this novel should have everything going for it. And sometimes it does. At other times I found I lost interest. The intensity outdid itself, the frenetic pace exhausted me.

A Bookoutre ARC via NetGalley

Had high hopes for this books. Unfortunately it didn’t blow me away. I struggled to relate to the characters. Set in 1920’s Paris. A story of love, crime and fashion.

Wow! This is the best book I've had the pleasure of reading in some time. Set in 1930's Paris, it tells the story of Tatiana, a Russian princess, and her remaining family members whose plight forces them to leave their homeland. Tatiana works as a mannequin at the fashion house Javier, an esteemed company that her family has invested their money in. Tatiana is thrilled when when wealthy Gerard proposes to her. Not to give the plot away, at age 23 Tatiana fears poverty and abandonment after her experiences in Russia, and this profoundly affects her judgment. An American photographer and a bohemian American entrepreneur help her grow and realize her own strength.
I loved reading about the early ateliers in Paris and their influences on American fashion. The characters were so real that I could easily picture them.
I was fortunate to receive this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review and I plan to add Natalie Meg Evans to my favorite author list.

I really enjoyed this story that takes place in Paris in the early 1920s in the fashion industry. Tatiana Vytenis is a Russian princess who is a fashion mannequin as they were called back then. She is engaged to a real cad, Gerard de Sainte-Vierge whose brother, Armand, is in love with Tatiana. Gerard's mother does not think Tatiana is good enough for her son and she wants him to marry his rich cousin. There are lots of different story lines taking place and there are a lot of characters to keep track of which made this a very interesting read. I did not like the main character, Tatiana, at all. Thank you NetGalley and Bookouture for the ARC of this very interesting story of love and betrayal in exchange for an honest review.

Tatiana Vytenis has escaped a difficult past. She started off living the life as a Russian princess. However, her life was ruined and she had gone into hiding. She revived herself and because a model that everyone wanted. Meanwhile she was happily engaged to an aristocrat, Gérard de Sainte-Vierge, but then her life suddenly unravels.

First of all, Gérard's brother creates an incredible problem for Tatiana. Thus begins her whirlwind of unhappiness. Then something even more tragic occurs and she really finds out Gérard's true nature. He completely forsakes Tatiana and her life all but comes to an end. Any happiness she thought she finally attained is well and truly ruined.

Meeting Regan Dortmeyer, a photographer she worked with while modeling, might just be the best thing ever to happen to Tatiana, even if it takes her a while to realize it. Tatiana experiences unspeakable trials in this incredibly touching tale.

In The Paris Girl, the timing, 1920s Paris, was a very good time-period and setting for this gorgeous novel. I felt for Tatiana the entire way through. I couldn't help but impressed by her strength and resilience. Also, I was so very happy every time Regan appeared on the page.

Kudos to Natalie Meg Evans. This is my first book by her and I was kept interested throughout. I look forward to reading more by her in the future.

Many thanks to Bookouture and to NetGalley for this ARC to review in exchange for my honest opinion.

I was not impressed by the Paris Girl and struggled to get through more than a few pages. The characters were shallow, the content more sexual and less historical, and the interesting concept was not implemented well.

Tatiana has escaped Russia for the beautiful city of Paris but not all is well. She's engaged to Gerard who might be an aristocrat but he's also a cad (and pretty much pond scum). Regan, an American photographer, comes to her rescue and well, romance ensues. I really wanted to like this-it's got a great premise- but for some reason the characters didn't grab me. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. Fans of historical fiction will enjoy this for its portrayal of Russian emigres in 192os Paris. Those familiar with Russian naming conventions and history will be a little less thrilled (the mistakes should have been corrected in the editing process).

This is my first book by this author so I wasn’t sure what to expect. Natalie Meg Evans has a very descriptive style of writing so it is easy to picture Paris in the 1920 from cafes to fashion houses to the beautiful Parisian streets.

It is a tale of growing up, making difficult choices, secrets, heartships, unexpected friendships and off course love. All in the aftermath of WWI in the city of Light.

It is a wonderful book with interesting characters.

If you are interested in historical fiction, Paris, Russia, or history this book may well be for you.

As a francophile, my favourite thing about this book was its depiction of Paris in the 1920s: full of youth and vibrancy. We see our protagonists at parties in Montparnasse and walking along by the Seine and Natalie Meg Evans' descriptions brought the city to life.

I did find it quite hard to engage with the characters, especially Tatiana, which was a shame since I think I would have enjoyed the book more had I really been rooting for her. I understand she was featured in another of Natalie Meg Evans's books (The Secret Vow) and I wonder if I would have understood her more had I read that first.

Thank you very much to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this early in exchange for an honest review.

Having escaped from Russia during the Revolution, Tatiana Vytenis and her family have settled in Paris. Although born a princess, Tatiana now works as a model at her sister Katya’s fashion house and she is engaged to a high ranking aristocrat. Everything is right with Tatiana’s world until an incident one night leaves her abandoned by her friends and family and ostracised by the fashion world.

As Tatiana tries to pick up the pieces of her life, she is helped by American photographer Regan Dortmeyer, but can Tatiana trust Regan or does he have an ulterior motive?

The story also features Katya and Harry from the Silent Vow and their journey back into Russia in search of the third Vytenis sister Vera, who was imprisoned when the family fled.

A well written book with a good storyline and interesting characters. A story of love and betrayal which was an enjoyable and entertaining read.

There was a great amount of interesting pieces here.  I loved the descriptions of the dresses, the places, Regan's photography.  I found all those pieces utterly charming, and actually wish there was a bit more of that here.  The premise was extremely interesting- when you had your security stolen from you and your family at an early age, what would you do to gain it back?  Would you link yourself to a man that could keep you safe?  What would you do to keep him?  While I didn't agree with most of what Tatiana did, I can see where she was coming from.... where the fear stemmed from.  

        I have to say, I liked the side characters better than the main.  Una was incredibly interesting to me, and I adored Katya.  Regan was also a great character.  He was strong, with a lot of compassion and loyalty, but also a lot of pride.  I loved how he interacted with the other characters, and how he treated Tatiana.  There was a good amount drama and mystery here- both with Katya's side mission and with Tatiana's memories.  For me, this was a three and a half star book.

         On the adult content scale, there was language, substance abuse, sexual content and violence.  I would give it a six.  

   I was lucky enough to receive an eARC of this book from Netgalley and Bookouture for the price of an honest review.  My thanks.

I didn’t realise until I finished this novel that it was the second instalment and have to say that this novel works perfectly well as a standalone option.

Tatiana is an exiled Russian Princess, living in Paris in the 1920s. Her sister Katya is a partner in a Fashion House where Tatiana works as a model, and her fiancé has just proposed.

However, things don’t go how Tatiana plans. Her future brother in law suffers from PTSD and seems to be obsessed with her. Her fiancé is not the man Tatiana thought he was, and just who is the mysterious American photographer Regan Dortmeyer.

What this novel does is bring the 1920s Paris to life. The research is impeccable and whilst some of it might be on the verge of cliché it makes really good reading.
Perfect for fans of historical fiction.

This is a good read set in beautiful atmospheric Paris. I soaked up the descriptions of Paris. I disliked some of the characters and I would have liked to have known more about Tatiana’s life. I was pleasantly surprised by the trip to Islay to buy whisky. I think Islay is beautiful and I am definitely a fan of the various whiskies the distilleries on Islay produce.

Thank you to Netgalley for my copy.

A wonderful read historical fiction at its best Paris fashion a involving read characters that come alive a story that kept me turning the pages.#netgalley#bookouture

As someone with undergraduate and graduate degrees in Russian literature, I have notes:
+ Russian female patronymics end in -ovna or -evna; the book's use of "Irina Petrova Vytenis" and "Tatiana Ulianova Vytenis" is just plain wrong.
+ Vytenis is a Lithuanian men's first name, not a Russian nobility surname.
+ The nickname for Tatiana is Tanya, not Tatya.
+ Ulian is an uncommon first name, and less likely for a member of the nobility.
+ Russian noblewomen had their father's rank (princess, countess, baroness, or untitled noble) until marriage, and then their husband's after that (even if widowed). So Katya would have lost her status upon marrying Harry even if the October (November, N.S.) Revolution in 1917 had not abolished all ranks of nobility.
+ Rosa Konstantiva should be Roza Konstantinova (although this is an assumed name of a non-Russian, so the mistake is less egregious.)
+ Russian Orthodox Christmas was, and still is, celebrated on January 7.
+ Monasteries as women's prisons began long before the Bolsheviks.

OK, about the book: I liked the hero; the heroine, always throwing things, was a bit less likeable, and it was hard to understand the attraction between them sometimes. The number of villains and crooks among their acquaintance was rather depressing. But the fashion aspect and the author's deep knowledge of Paris were fun and lightened the mood.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for the ARC!

A beautifully written, intriguing story of love, betrayal, crime and fashion - I absolutely loved this, the characters were engaging and believable, the setting glamorous, a wonderful read!