i think this is natasha lester's best book yet! it was beautiful, well written, entertaining, emotional. truly felt transported, such wonderful storytelling. interesting and complex characters, beautiful love story, fast paced. thoroughly enjoyable, definitely recommend!

This was such an amazing book, I read it in two days! Fair warning: you can’t just read a chapter or two and then get on with your daily chores. Once I started, I found myself spending the bulk of my day reading The Paris Secret because I just couldn’t put it down.

The plot takes us from present day, where fashion conservator Kat Jourdan is trying to uncover the secret of several Dior gowns found in her grandmother’s abandoned cottage in Cornwall. The story continues to unfold in multiple timelines through England and France during WWII.

My favorite characters, Skye and Nicholas, meet in Cornwall in 1928. Skye is a 10 year old free spirit roaming the beaches of her seaside town and Nicholas is fresh from America. Skye and Nicholas quickly become friends and later soulmates. They lose touch for several years until Skye meets him again on an airfield in England during WWII. By then he is engaged to an enigmatic Frenchwoman named Margaux Jourdan.

Through the character of Skye, I enjoyed learning about the first female pilots of WWII.

As the mystery of the Dior gowns unfolds, I found myself rooting for Skye and her friends to find their happily ever after. This book is for every WWII historical fiction fan, as well as people who enjoy books about women who make a difference, love, and sacrifice. 5/5

"This was a story of love. Love shattered by war."

This book! I won't get into too many details of the plot but it involves a mysterious house filled with Dior gowns, female pilots and spies in WWII, childhood love, estranged sisters and a woman who learns her beloved grandmother may not be who she says she is. Told through dual timelines, this is a story of family, of finding one's purpose, of perseverance and of true love.

Natasha Lester created truly memorable characters and everything she writes about - from the legendary fashion to the terrifying wartime flights - is so well researched and detailed. I've read a lot of historical fiction about World War II but this is so unique and combines the war, love and mystery storylines beautifully. I couldn't put this book down but at the same time didn't want it to end. The resolution surprised me but was completely satisfying. A five-star read - this is one of my favorite books of the year so far.

Thanks to NetGalley, Forever/Grand Central Publishing and the author for an advanced copy to review.

Thanks to Forever & NetGalley for an advanced copy of The Paris Secret by Natasha Lester.

This book has become one of my favorite WWII historical fiction books. It was the perfect mix of the different timelines from 1939, 1947 and 2012 and full of wonderful characters.

I've read a lot of WWII historical fiction and loved the blend of many of the aspects of women working in the war from the female pilots in the ATA, the OES side of the Resistance and even the part about Ravensbrück. This was extremely well researched and the author's note at the end is one of the best I've seen.

The modern story was fun too. Who can imagine finding out your grandmother has a closet full of Dior dresses hiding away in England....

This book is about friendship, family, love, perseverance, Extremely well written and I didn't want to put it down

Evocative, rich, and absorbing!

The Paris Secret is an alluring, highly affecting tale predominantly set in England during WWII, as well as 2012, that takes you into the lives of two main characters; Skye Penrose, a young flier who through grit and determination becomes one of the first woman pilots for the Air Transport Auxillary during the war; and Kat Jourdan, a young fashion conservator who unwittingly unravels a family history littered with secrets, heartbreak, and heroism when she stumbles across a closet full of vintage Dior dresses in her mother's Cornwall cottage.

The prose is charged and emotive. The characters are courageous, multilayered, and strong. And the plot, including all the subplots, unravel and intertwine seamlessly into a sublime saga of life, loss, family, tragedy, expectations, sacrifice, secrets, self-discovery, friendship, enduring love, fashion, and an insightful look at the important roles and contributions that women had and made during the war.

Overall, The Paris Secret is an exceptionally atmospheric, beautifully written, impactful novel that sweeps you away to another time and place and immerses you into the lives of such enticing characters you can't help but be thoroughly moved and engrossed. It is no surprise that Natasha Lester has quickly become one of my all-time favourite authors with The Paris Orphan being one of my must-read novels for 2019 and now The Paris Secret being on the top of that list for 2020.

Natasha Lester is one of my favorite writers of WWII historical fiction. Two of her previous books (The Paris Orphan and The Paris Seamstress) were fantastic historical fiction books but The Paris Secret is her best book yet. It gives her readers a close look at what it was like to be a woman during war time and is about love, family and perseverance during this tumultuous time in history.

This novel is told in four different time lines by various characters:

1928 in Cornwall near in England: Skye and Liberty Penrose live with their mother in their home near the beach. Skye is daring and brave and learns to fly from her mother. Liberty is difficult and selfish and is content to stay in the house and live her life quietly. Nicholas, a neighbor who has come from America, shows up on the beach and he and Skye become best friends.

1939 - Skye has become an expert flyer and teacher. Though she wanted to help in the war effort, she was forbidden to fly until she gets a job flying planes from the factories to bases in the United Kingdom. She is estranged from her sister who lives in Paris.

1947 in Paris - Skye is trying to recover from the war with the love and friendship from Catherine Dior and Margaux who worked with her in the French Resistance.

Present Day in Australia - Kat is a Fashion conservator who was raised by her grandmother. On a trip to England, her grandmother asked her to check on her deserted cottage in Cornwall and Kat is amazed to find a collection of Dior gowns. Why does her grandmother have these gowns? The more Kat questions the more it appears that her grandmother is not the person she always thought. The more questions that Kat gets answered, the more questions she has for her grandmother as she tries to discover the connection between Skye, Liberty, Nicholas and Margaux and what happened to them after the war.


This is a beautiful and well researched novel about friendship, love and family. It also showed how unappreciated women were as they did their best to help win the war often in dangerous situations. All of the characters had secrets from each other that they couldn't share because of the war but they all remained friends as they went through cruel and inhumane situations. This book will make you proud of the woman and the work they did in the war, it will make you cry but overall it will make you appreciate their bravery.

2012: Kat had always had a wonderful relationship with her Grandmother. Suddenly she finds out Margaux not only owns a home that seems like it hasn’t changed since 1930, but she also has a closet full of Dior gowns. Then when Elliot arrives in her life, she realizes she doesn’t know her Grandmother as well as she thought.

1939: Skye and her sister Liberty are polar opposites. After the death of their mother, they each go their own way, but will that eventually lead them back to each other? Will the war tear the two sisters apart forever?

So I will start by saying that the goodreads synopsis did not do this book the justice is deserves. I was looking forward to this one, but I ended up loving it so much more than I expected to from reading the synopsis. This was a truly beautiful story one love, loss, forgiveness, strength, determination, and so much more. The story was much more about Skye and her life than its was about the Dior dresses, which I really enjoyed. I loved how the dresses fit in and brought the story together, but I was so fascinated by Skye’s story during the war. She was one of those characters I just want to be friends with! She was so strong and outspoken during a time when that was a frowned upon trait for a woman (lets be real, has that much really changed) and I just loved every second of it. If this book isn’t on your radar, it should be!

The Paris Secret by Natasha Lester was one of my most anticipated 2020 releases and it did not disappoint! In my opinion, Lester is a seriously underrated historical fiction author - I have absolutely loved all three of her books so far. Her previous book, The Paris Orphan was one of my top reads last year, and I have a feeling The Paris Secret will be one this year.

One of the things that Lester does so well in every novel, and I thought was particularly the case in this one, is expertly weaving multiple storylines together. The story is full of mystery, history and some romance. The writing is beautiful, and like Lester's other books I was definitely in tears at least once while reading. I always enjoy getting to know the characters in Lester's stories - the women are always strong and exciting characters and provide a glimpse at the unsung roles women played in WWII.

A definite must-read for historical fiction fans!

5/5 stars

Thanks to the publisher for the gifted copy.

England, 1939: The Penrose sisters couldn't be more different. Skye is a daring and brash pilot, and Liberty the one to defy her at every turn. Even if women aren't allowed in the Royal Air Force, Skye is determined to help the war effort. She's thrilled when it reunites her with her childhood soulmate, Nicholas. She's less thrilled to learn Nicholas is now engaged to an enigmatic Frenchwoman named Margaux Jourdan.

Paris, 1947: Designer Christian Dior unveils his glamorous first collection to a world weary of war and grief. He names his debut fragrance Miss Dior in tribute to his beloved sister Catherine, who forged a friendship with Skye and Margaux through her work with the French Resistance.

Present Day: Fashion conservator Kat Jourdan discovers a priceless collection of Dior gowns in her grandmother's vacant cottage. As she delves into the mystery of their origin, Kat begins to doubt everything she thought she knew about her beloved grandmother.

Historical fiction at it's best. Memorable characters, exciting locations and romance during war will tug at everyone's heart strings. I could not put this one down and kept reading late into the night to find out the mystery of who Margaux really was and the secret of the gorgeous Dior dresses.

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Thank you so much for the opportunity to read this book. I'll be posting my review on Goodreads and Amazon

Once again, Natasha Lester crafts a knock out!

We go back and forth between modern times, and around the era of WWII! We have 2 sisters who are polar opposites. One is a pilot, and makes a connection with Dior. Yes, THAT Dior.

When our modern woman, Kat, stumbles on vintage Dior gowns from their first collection, she arrives to unravel the mystery of why her grandmother would have these gowns tucked away in a cottage.

Lester always has a beautiful way of weaving strong women and fashion into this series, and this one definitely doesn't disappoint! I continue to enjoy this series, and hope that you will likewise give it a try!

I only recently discovered Natasha Lester and her amazing books this past spring. In her previous two books, the writing had me captivated from the first page, and The Paris Secret was no different. This book was beautifully written, entertaining, emotionally engaging and with characters that absolutely demand your attention from start to finish. Seriously, this is an exquisite book that I adored.

In 2012 in Cornwall Kat finds a whole cache of Dior dresses tucked away in a remote home in a closet. As a fashion conservator she is intrigued and stunned by the beautiful gowns. What are they doing in a vacant house Kat didn’t even know her grandmother owned until the call from London came asking Kat to check on the empty house?

Flash back to 1939 and Skye, who like her mother has a passion for flying. With war threatening Skye wants to do something useful with her flying. But it seems only men are allowed to fly. Women were thought not fit or smart enough to fly for the war effort. Then, Skye finds a way to use her skills with the Air Transport Auxiliary. In the course of her flying career she meets Margaux Jourdan and Catherine Dior, sister of the designer Christian Dior, who works for the French Resistance. Who knew then the experiences that would connect them and the twists and tragedies they would experience?

When Elliott Beaufort, a historian and author, contacts Kat wanting to know if her grandmother called Margaux Jourdan is the same Margaux Jourdan who worked as a spy gathering information from the Nazis to pass on to the resistance, Kat is dumfounded. Surely he must be wrong? But, could there be two women with the same name? Her grandmother refuses to talk of France and her early years causing Kat to wonder. How much does she really know about her beloved grandmother and her life?

I was engrossed in this story from the beginning, and found myself really drawn to the character of Skye and her persona. Even as a child Skye’s character is alive, smart, generous and engaging, and she doesn’t change as an adult. She throws herself into every experience wholeheartedly. Skye was not content to just be a “conformist” to the times and what was expected for a woman. Instead, she worked hard to break barriers for women in aviation.

As in any of Natasha Lester’s books, she does a fantastic job of sweeping her readers back to another time and place. I absolutely loved the suspense, the romance, the mystery of it all as the story is told from the point of view of two narrators and time periods. There were so many layers to this novel, and the story is spun out in a web of dual timelines that flowed and intertwined between characters and the past and the present till it all came together at the end. I won’t lie…there were tears as the ending was highly emotional.

I always appreciate it when an author adds their notes to the end of the book, so I loved learning how the storyline incorporated real people and events from history. I had no idea that Christian Dior’s sister Catherine was part of the French Resistance and a prisoner in Ravensbruck. Thank you Natasha Lester for this is a fascinating story that was well researched and well rounded.

The Paris Secret is definitely a book to fly away with. If you are a lover of historical fiction, strong female characters and/or mystery, than this book needs to be part of your collection. It is a story of war, friendship, deep love, family, loss and tragedy. Truly an engrossing and involving read that I highly recommend. Really, this was an absolutely phenomenal story that will stay with me for quite a while.

Thank you NetGalley and Forever Publishing for this advance reader copy in exchange for my honest review.

What an incredibly powerful book! I had never read anything by Natasha Lester before, but will definitely be reading her other books now. This book will break your heart and give you hope at the same time, it is that good. And it will have you guessing which way the story will go making you unable to put it down to find out what happens in the end.

Split into multiple time periods, the story follows sisters Skye and Liberty Penrose and Skye's childhood friend Nicholas Crawford in 1939 England as the war is going on and they are all involved with the air force. Skye is in love with Nicholas, but he is engaged to Margaux Jourdan. After the war has ended in 1947 France, designer Christian Dior is unveiling his collection with Margaux as one of his models who is friends with his sister Catherine who the perfume Miss Dior is named after. Margaux and Catherine formed a friendship during the war when they worked for the French Resistance and the horrors of what they went through haunt them. In 2012 Kat Jourdan discovers a collection of Dior dresses in her grandmother's closet at a house she abandoned in England. When a writer contacts her asking question about Margaux Jourdan's ties to the war, Kat starts to question who her grandmother really is and what happened to her during the war.

Lester wove the different timelines together perfectly. The research that she put into this book to ensure that even though it was a work of fiction it was still authentic made this book. You could feel the pain of war and what the characters went through when they were brought to the concentration camp Ravensbrück. Throughout the story my thoughts on who Margaux Jourdan really was in the end kept changing and as much as I liked the ending, it also broke my heart.

Sometimes a book is simply just beyond words, and this novel is truly one of them.

This book is incredibly moving, heartbreaking, hopeful, breathtaking, and beautifully written. Whenever I picked up “The Paris Secret”, I was pulled immediately into the story, and whisked away on an emotional journey.

This is the first book I have read by Ms. Lester, and it certainly won’t be my last.
Ms. Lester seamlessly blends history with historical fiction, and the tri-timeline of this novel flows so smoothly. She is able to weave events from the past with others more contemporary, and the way she ties everything together: from the Dior gowns, to love, to secrets, to family histories, to so, so much more, is just exquisite. Everything is told to the reader at exactly the right moment it needs to be.

I can only imagine the amount of research Ms. Lester must have done. I learned so much about what many women went through before, during, and after WWII, and while it is very difficult to read and imagine what they endured, I feel it so important that their story be told. What incredible strength, bravery, and heart they had.

(Possible Spoilers!)
I found myself rooting for so many of these characters to find happiness from the start. Every single person is written in such a visceral way; whether a historical figure or entirely fictional, they jump right off of the page, and you feel their wants, fears, needs, and desires keenly. From Skye and Nicholas, to Kat and Elliott, to Rose, Margaux, O’Farrell, Catherine, Christian, Pauline, Liberty, and so many more, I was drawn into their stories from start to finish. I don’t want to spoil anything in my review, so, you will just have to read to find out what happens.

As the puzzle pieces of the mystery begin to unfold, I couldn’t help but hold my breath in anticipation of what was to be revealed, and I was shocked. Things and actions are not always what they seem.

If you enjoy historical fiction novels, I highly recommend this book. I found myself reading until the early hours of the morning to see what would happen next, and I could not put the back down. There are definitely some romances too which brought a smile to my face, and tears to my eyes. I also found the “Author’s Note” to be extremely interesting and informative as well.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Forever (Grand Central Publishing) for the ARC of this novel, I was so moved by it, and it is going to stay with me for a very long time. All opinions expressed in this review are my own.

I really love Natasha Lester's writing. She does an amazing job with historical fiction.

Natasha will be on the What to Read Next Podcast around publication day. In the interview, we will chat about her writing process, her books and some book recommendations.

In 1928, the Penrose sisters are living in Cornwall, England with their unmarried mother, a true independent woman. She is a fortune teller for the wealthy, throws parties and encourages her daughters to be adventurous. She has even taught her older daughter Skye how to fly a gypsy moth plane. When Skye meets her neighbor Nicolas Crawford, the children become great friends enjoying the beach and exploring the outdoors. Younger sister Liberty feels left out. When Nicolas heads to the U.S. to attend school, they vow to stay in touch but he never answers Skye's letters.

Skye grows up to be a talented pilot. In 1939, she joins the British forces in the war effort and soon becomes part of a small group of elite women flying planes. As she continues to prove herself as a valuable asset, she is sent to Paris where she reunites with Nicolas who is engaged to Frenchwoman Margaux Jourdan and also reconnects with her sister Liberty.

In 1947, top fashion designer Christian Dior presents his breakthrough “new look” which revolutionizes fashion for the post-war woman. Margaux is his top model. Christian’s sister Catherine had also been involved in the war effort and is friends with Margaux.

The story brings us to 2012 and Margaux, having settled in Australia, is raising her granddaughter Kat. Kat is a fashion conservator and discovers that her grandmother has a treasure trove of rare Dior gowns kept in her cottage back in Cornwall. Her grandmother offers no explanation as to why she has this valuable collection and refuses to discuss her past. When journalist Elliott Beaufort contacts Kat about her grandmother, as he is researching the Penrose women, Kat realizes that he might be able to help her solve the mystery of the gowns as well as uncover her grandmother’s hidden past during the war. The stories and fates of Skye and Liberty Penrose and Nicolas Crawford start to unfold as well.

This well-researched book brings us deep into the war and the heroic efforts of the men and women who worked to deliver arms and supplies by air as well as the covert SOE (Special Operations Executive.) We are also taken into Ravensbrück, the tragic German concentration camp which was exclusively for women.

Natasha Lester is a wonderful storyteller. The Paris Secret offers a compelling story with interesting characters, insights into the war efforts, the world of Paris fashion and a beautiful love story.

Historical Fiction, which take place during WWII, is one of my favorite genres and having read most of the best ones, it takes an excellent book to fully engage me and tug at my heartstrings. If you seek books that truly transport you, this is one not to miss.

This was my first Natasha Lester novel, but it will not be my last! This book was perfect for historical fiction enthusiasts everywhere. While it had a bit of a slow start, it picked up about a third of the way through and then proceeded to keep me on the edge of my seat until the very last page. There were so many unique aspects of this story that will allow this book to stand out in a crowded space of WW2 historical fiction. There were many twists and turns and whenever I thought I had it all figured out, I didn't. It broke my heart and then put it back together again by the end. A beautiful story of friendship, sisterhood, love, tragedy, and sacrifices. 5/5 stars.

Thank you NetGalley, Forever (Grand Central Publishing), and the author Natasha Lester for providing me with an ARC. This is my first book by this author. Will be reading more by her.. She kept my interest until the end. Characters well developed. Felt as if I was transported back in time. Thanks again... Will recommend to others for sure...

A beautiful book a storyline that drew me in. I was swept away the atmosphere the characters Natasha Lester writes totally engrossing novels.this one might be my favorite .#netgalley #The Paris Secret

Natasha Lester’s writing is wholly and intimately transportive. Every time I opened the book, I fell into the world contained within its pages, and I didn’t want to leave. THE PARIS SECRET is a dazzling marvel of storytelling, a perfect blend of action, history, and emotional depth. Unforgettable.