This had so much potential but I didn’t like the writing style
The dialogue was disjointed and confusing
A poor read

Rich and lovely. So full of historical detail. What a magnificent story. A letter arrives in the post of a New York woman. She is the sole heir of the estate of Isabelle de Florian. A friend of her grandmother's in Paris. The apartment has been closed up for seventy years. What an absolute time capsule. Once she arrives and sees the beautiful apartment, she wonders why it was left to s stranger. An intriguing mystery to work through.

Pub Date 06 Oct 2020
I was given a complimentary copy of this book.
All opinions expressed are my own.

I love books by Ella Carey and this one is no exception. Great characters and storyline both in historical and present although it was the historical aspect that really had me turning the pages, definitely one of those books that you can't put down and stay with you for a long time afterwards

I only recently discovered Ella Carey's work but when I did I instantly became transfixed with her beautiful, heartbreaking and richly moving stories of survival, love and loss. Paris Time Capsule is no different, this book is simply stunning. It's a highly emotional, dramatic, powerful, poignant and mesmerizing story that will keep hold of you long after finishing the last page.

I loved this book so much that I went out and purchased a paperback copy too, just so I can have it sitting beautifully on my bookshelf.

I loved this book! I really like how the story unfolded without using dual timelines like so many other historical fiction novels. The characters were so likeable and I keep reading chapter after chapter to see how the story developed. I can't wait to read more books from this author! I would definitely recommend this book. I received a free copy of this book from netgalley and the publisher in exchange for my honest review.

This book revolves mainly around a mysterious apartment in Paris that has been locked up for years. This apartment is a masterpiece and the question arises as to why was it left like that? ⁣
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I adore the picturesque view of France in the past and also the present. The descriptions were so mesmerising, that you could actually picture it. So serene, it was also a delight seeing how the characters were engaging throughout the book. Cat is really inquisitive and has a good sense of ethics. I love that about her. When she found all the items in the apartment was hers, she was still hellbent on finding out why the lady left the apartment to her. I also fell in love with Loic, the lady's grandson, who became Cat's friend and with whom they solved the puzzle together. ⁣
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I was totally swept up in Isabella's life in France during the flashbacks where we get to see the adventurous life she led. She was a super hyper character with lots of secrets that actually made the book more fascinating and intriguing. ⁣
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The París Time Capsule is a Historical Fiction filled with Romance and lots of suspense. You sure don't want to miss reading this. ⁣
Ohhh and let's not forget the cute, fluffy romance between Cat and Loic. Definitely don't want to miss that too 😍⁣

You can never go wrong with a novel written by Ella Carey. This amazing unputdownable read needs to be added to your to be read pile. I thoroughly enjoyed this book cover to cover.

I received a copy of the book from Netgalley to review. Thank you for the opportunity.
A well written romance with a classic feel.
A good read

I loved this book! The premise hooked me immediately, a modern woman named Cat inherits a Paris apartment from a stranger. The apartment was sealed when the owner fled the Nazis in WWII. Naturally, Cat wants to know why she’s inherited, and she has to understand who the actual owner was. The investigation takes her on a journey from the Belle Époque through WWII.

Even more fascinating to me, the book is based on a true story!
5 stars!

Thanks to Bookouture and NetGalley for the ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

“Don’t you see? So many people exist, so few live. Do you want to look back on a lifetime of regrets?”

I am a fan of Ella Carey’s and although this is one of her earlier novels, I was attracted by the topic that I had read about some time ago. You may recall the story of the opulent Parisian apartment that had not been entered into for over 70 years and was like a time capsule when entered around 2010. The owner had been Marthe de Florian, a French demimondaine and socialite during the Belle Époque period in Paris (1880-1914). Fascinating stuff to base a story on - what might be a story behind this abandoned apartment?

I was enticed by the combination of fact and fiction surrounding this discovery and had looked forward to reading this book for some time. The book, however, mostly delves into the present day issue of ownership and attempting to trace the theoretical history of the apartment. There are a few themes aside from the mystery which is eventually revealed in an all too convenient letter presented towards the end. I would have loved more of a focus on the apartment itself and the history of how it came to be abandoned. Instead, this is more a tale of Cat and her personal journey of growth and discovery in the present day. Not a bad thing in itself but just not what I had been expecting. There is much to enjoy about time spent in Paris with lots of cultural things to partake of. However, at its heart this tale is about Cat’s growth and her romantic partners.

I will always read Ella’s books but it was clear this was an earlier effort (despite revisions) as having read her latest books it is evident how much Ella had developed as a writer. This is a light and enjoyable read but not a dual time historical narrative as expected. This book falls neatly into contemporary women’s fiction and enjoyable if viewed for those reasons.

‘Was she yearning for the past? The romance of it all, the beauty, the glamour: these would be enticements indeed if one was fortunate enough to have been born in the upper classes.’









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

Paris Time Capsule by Ella Carey is a lovely piece of women's fiction centered on a true story, that of the apartment of Marthe de Florian, a member of the demimonde in the early 20th century. Her apartment was discovered, untouched, 70 years after she died, in all its splendor. This is a fictional account of how that came to be. Cat Jordan is living an unspectacular life in New York City; dating a man she thought she loved, despite the fact he wanted to control everything about her. She lived in Brooklyn in an apartment she loved, surrounded by vintage things she had rescued. She dressed in vintage clothing, except when she had to wear when she went out with Christian. He was not a fan. It was one such evening when she received and eventually opened a package from Paris. Inside she found a vintage key. She was on the phone to Paris the next morning. The lawyer there, Monsieur Gerard Lapointe, explained she must come to Paris to see him for an explanation, and to sign papers. She booked herself a flight, call Christian to let him know she was leaving and lied to him that it was for work, and off she went. There she discovered she had inherited an apartment, well, her grandmother had, and since she and her mother were both deceased, it was hers. She went to the apartment and there she met a man. Together, they uncovered a fascinating story of love and betrayal.

This is a wonderful novel, full of self-discovery, history, and love. Throughout the story Cat never questions what she is doing. She is firm in her love for Christian and her dreams for the future, but as things unravel, both in Paris and at home, she becomes stronger and more certain of the life she wants to live. Loic introduces her to his mother and his sister and life in Southern France. These are excellent characters, each with their own stories. The story of the apartment, although it is fiction, is based on a reality so intriguing that further research is definitely merited. This is an excellent book. I can't recommend it highly enough.

I was invited to read Paris Time Capsule by Netgalley. All opinions contained herein are solely my own. #netgalley #paristimecapsule

This was an enjoyable and quick read straddling the historical quest/mystery and romance genres, and based on an intriguing, if improbable, true story.
When New Yorker Catherine ("Cat") Jordan receives a mysterious and beautifully-wrapped parcel from Paris, she has no idea that she holds the key to a completely different future life for herself, if she has the courage to accept it.
Cat’s been bequeathed an apartment in Paris’s 19th Arrondissement, her mysterious benefactress a French woman named Isabelle de Florian, who it transpires was a close friend of Cat's long-deceased grandmother, Virginia. When she visits the apartment with Isabelle's grandson, Loic, a charming and handsome Frenchman, what they find is astounding - the apartment in Rue Blanche is like a time capsule - a dusty but beautiful apartment, fully-furnished in the style of the Belle Epoque and apparently untouched since the Nazi occupation of Paris in 1940. The incredible thing is that this aspect of Ella Carey's plot is closely based on a true occurrence.
Despite her NY fiancé’s objections, Cat decides not to quickly sell the apartment and its contents, but to stay in France a little longer, in order to meet Isabelle’s daughter in Provence. Together, and with a growing attraction for each other, Cat and Loic set out to solve the mystery of his grandmother Isabelle, and the reason why she wanted Cat to own the apartment after her death. The search takes them to various picturesque locations in the south of France, following Isabelle's route during the German occupation in WW2.
For Cat, their search for answers becomes also something of a voyage of self-discovery, as she reconsiders her own priorities, hopes and dreams, and whether she’s really satisfied in her relationship with her pushy and rather self-centred fiancé.
Paris Time Capsule is based on a really intriguing premise and features lovely descriptions of Parisian interiors and French scenery, while also fulfilling all the necessary attributes of a romance novel. Recommended for those who enjoy star-crossed love stories set in stunning locations.
My thanks to the author, publisher of this new edition, Bookouture, and Netgalley for the opportunity to read and review this title.

This seemed to be such a promising read, but unfortunately it did not hold my interest. Perhaps due to the bland dialogue, or unengaging characters, I am not sure. Do not want to post much more as I did not enjoy this book at all.

Cat Jordan is a photographer in NYC with a successful boyfriend and a life all planned out when she receives notice from a lawyer in Paris that she's inherited the estate of someone in Paris that she's never met. She flies to France and plans to put everything up for sale until she sees the apartment and meets the man who is the real grandson of the original owner. The apartment has been locked up since 1940 and under all of the accumulated dust are treasures from the Belle Époque era. Cat is determined to find out more about the original owner - a renowned courtesan of the era. During the historical chapters we learn all about the life of Isabelle de Florian and why she left the apartment to flee the Nazis who were invading Paris. This book had a little mystery, a little romance and a look at two women who have never met but share a connection over time.

Catherine Jordan is summoned to Paris to receive a mystery inheritance. Her grandmother was left an apartment and Cat is her only heir. She discovers a time capsule, the apartment abandoned in 1940 as the owner fled Paris and never returned. Cat is adamant that the family should inherit but love is in the air in the most romantic city in the world...
Paris Time Capsule is based on the real life discovery in 2010 of an apartment sealed since the 1940s. The owner of the apartment was Isabelle de Florian and author Ella Carey used this as the starting point for the rest of the book: everything else is fictional.
I felt immediately drawn into the mystery of the apartment's ownership. I have read several WW2 novels in recent months so have various suspicions about the reasons for Isabelle leaving Paris but the truth is not revealed until the very end (and I was wrong).
Cat has noble intentions to give the inheritance to the family of the apartment's owner. But the Archer family are equally determined that the wishes of Isabelle should be honoured. Together, they attempt to discover the truth behind Isabelle's desertion of her apartment which takes them on a mini tour of France.
Added to this is the attraction between Cat and Loic which is a pleasant subplot. It is perfectly clear to us as readers that Cat and her fiance are ill suited and I was almost shouting for her to fall for Loic. This was a little predictable but also enjoyable to see Cat become her own woman and develop a confidence in herself.
I admit that some of the book felt a little clunky and the ending was slightly abrupt. However this did not interfere with my enjoyment of the book overall as I was swept up in the mystery and romance of the narrative.

Good book. Love the details of the apartment and French countryside. A few 'what the...' moments but, overall, an enjoyable read.

I received this ARC from netgalley in exchange for my honest review.

What a rollercoaster of emotions and what a well written tale. This.book is one of my favourite novel. A heartwarming story. Would love to add it to my library, provided I get it in India,

Paris Time Capsule by Ella Carey was beautifully written. Cat's unexpected inheritance takes her on a journey deep into her family's past and exposes secrets hidden away for a lifetime.

It all begins with a letter. Although I wonder if anyone today would jump on a plane to Paris to claim an estate from someone they didn't know existed, it played to my imagination of long-lost heirs. Cat has inherited a lavish apartment that seems to have been untouched since 1940. Full of antiques and treasures, and covered in dust and dirt, Cat falls deeper into the mystery.

But there's always more than we first expect. Isabelle has a family - and she never told them about the apartment. No one understands why - and I didn't understand why they were so set on not claiming it once they found out about it. While I found it nice they wanted to follow Isabelle's last wishes, I don't quite understand why they didn't take the estate when Cat said she didn't want it. But I guess then we wouldn't have had a story.
Cat digs deep into history, uncovering more and more strange information on Isabelle and her past. She was a fascinating woman that lived through a lot during the war. Fleeing from the Nazi occupation, there isn't much of a paper trail to follow.

I was quite surprised when Cat found the last clue and solved the mystery. All the loose ends were tied up nicely in a way that was a little larger than life, but still very believable. It maintained the slight fairy tale atmosphere without going too far. And the bit of a love story along the way sure didn't hurt.

**I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book**

Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for kindly providing me with a digital copy of this book for review.
I’ll let you into a little secret- if a book has the word Paris in the front cover, or a picture of Paris, I am going to want to read that book. Sometimes that selection technique does lead me astray and I end up disappointed, but definitely not this time.
This story was inspired by the true event of a Paris apartment that was discovered in 2010. What made it interesting was that it had been untouched since the 1940’s. I don’t know many people that wouldn’t be intrigued by that and this author has done a good job of taking that idea and evolving it into a story of her own.
This is a fabulous dual timeline, historical romance mystery. So something for a wide range of genre lovers there. The characters are well written and you can invest and root for the romance. It’s made a cold wet miserable day pass much more enjoyably.

(3.5 stars, rounded up)

Upon arriving in Paris to inspect her inherited apartment, Cat discovers that there are numerous treasures within. She has also inherited the acquaintance of Loic -- the deceased's grandson and therefore logical heir to the possessions.

Cat loves vintage clothes with a special fondness for the 30s and 40s. How convenient that the apartment she inherits hasn't been touched since then! Upon entering the apartment, they discover that the items inside are actually older, and the apartment was likely furnished before World War I.

The story is interesting, even though only the apartment's contents are discovered halfway through the book and not the connection to Cat. The story focuses on Cat and her relationships while she's on her fact-finding journey. I was disappointed because the cover and blurb make the book seem like historical fiction, but the book is entirely set in the 2010s.

The WWII story isn't revealed until the very end of the book and was a predictable conclusion. Revealing the meat of the story in a letter seems too easy; this was a missed opportunity for a dual timeline story switching between Cat and WWII.

The writing is almost conversational which makes it easy to read. The dialogue, however, is elementary and feels more like stating the obvious. Loic says Cat over and over in his speech; instead of asking a question, he always says something like "what do you think, Cat?" as if the reader has forgotten who he's speaking to. This makes the dialogue seem more simple and repetitive than it actually is.

Readers of contemporary women's fiction who like Paris, history, and/or antiquities will enjoy this novel.