Natasha Lester’s latest historical fiction alternates between Paris in the 1940s and 2015 on the French Rivera. Eliane Dufort is working at the Louvre when the Nazis start to steal the country’s most treasured art. The Jeu de Paume gallery becomes the transit station for the movement of the pieces to various locations. Pretending to not understand German, Eliane is able to spy on those coordinating the plundering and she secretly catalogs each piece noting where the artwork is being sent. The second timeline takes place at the villa owned by Remy Lang, who is mourning the loss of her husband and young daughter. Although she was adopted as a baby, the luxurious property was left to her by her birth family. She finds a book which shows pictures of all the looted artwork. Included is a painting she immediately recognizes as one that had hung in her room since childhood. The discovery leads Remy to seek the truth about her birth family.

Lester’s books are beautifully written. As with her others, she weaves historical figures with fictional characters. The Riviera House is another wonderful, well-researched story that tells of brave people who risked their lives to save France’s masterpieces. While the wartime storyline is the most riveting, as it reflects the unimaginable reality of what was occurring during the Nazi occupation, the modern day story is very engaging. Both periods include some romance. And when the past and the present start to come together, prepare to be deeply moved.

3.5 stars

I received an ARC from the publisher via NetGalley and am voluntarily posting a review. All opinions are my own.

I’ve never read anything from Natasha Lester before, but I’ve heard good things about her work, so I decided to take a chance on The Riviera House. The Nazis’ art theft is a topic I had heard a bit about, but hadn’t looked into very much, so I was excited to learn more.

I found the historical timeline incredibly well-researched and engrossing. I liked the seamless mix of real and fictional characters working on the art cataloging project. One of the major historical characters is Rose Valland, and I liked learning a bit about her.

I also felt Éliane’s story was well-written, working with the Resistance and taking advantage of the fact that Nazis underestimate her.

The present narrative is interwoven through a shared setting of the French Riviera, and the fact that Remy uncovers the actions of Éliane and the Resistance in her chapters. Remy is also dealing with her own personal familial losses, and while I wasn’t as invested in her chapters and did feel like some of her initial chapters dragged, I did like seeing her find healing. And structurally, I feel like Lester’s approach was more balanced, allowing us to spend more time in each time period in mostly-multi-chapter bursts, instead of pulling us back and forth from chapter to chapter, at least initially; she does start to do the chapter-to-chapter switch towards the end, but by then, I feel like it’s more effective.

I enjoyed this book quite a bit, and look forward to catching up on Natasha Lester’s backlist, and any future books she’ll release in the future. If you like historical fiction about World War II, you won’t want to miss this!

I have been aching for a WW2 Historical Fiction book lately and The Riviera House hit the spot. I love a dual timeline plot and this one was done so well! I would say this could be her best yet and that is saying a lot. The characters were developed to the point that I could see them on screen and was so enveloped into their world that I cried and cheered as well. Extremely well done.

GIVE ME ALL THE DUEL TIMELINE WORLD WAR II HISTORICAL FICTION.

Honestly, that's all I can say. I've read basically everything that's currently that's been written and I will continue to read everything that will be written. It's my favorite timeline to read about because it was the best of America - both overseas and on the home front. It was people does the best for others - hiding people in attics, hiding great works of art, saving as many lives as possible, doing what they could.

This is the story of a woman hiding great works of art and then in modern times a woman finding those secrets. It's just.....everything I needed to survive the heart of the final days of August.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for the opportunity to read this book.

Book Review
The Riviera House by Natasha Lester

- I cried at the end….. this book will pull at your heart
- Slower start but once I started the present day storyline I was hooked
- Writing was so descriptive, I could picture the landscapes, the old buildings; the fashion
- I want to see the “pink house”
- Made me want to put on a gown and get “glammed” up- not for anyone else but myself- because it makes you feel good
- As always with Lester I appreciate the research that goes into her books, from the garments, to the landscapes, the events, the places and the people- ALL are rooted in truth inspired by history
- For a historical fiction/romance this book also included a lot of family drama

Trigger warnings: serious illness, child death, adoption, sperm donation

A powerful story of love, and the sacrifices one makes to to protect it.

💫 The Riviera House 💫
By Natasha Lester
Published by Forever (Aug 31.2021)

A year ago we met the lovely Natasha by zoom from across the world and her novel The Paris Secret was well loved. So I knew I had to find a way to get this new one.. although I’m always slightly hesitant when the previous novel was so loved. I was worried I may be expecting too much…

But I wasn’t. And it hit all the right notes for me. At a big book (with small writing) this wasn’t a short novel by any stretch… but Her characters are so rich. I felt like the early days of Xavier and Éliane, I was sitting near them watching a budding romance take place. Or wanting to scoop up every one of the sisters that were all in different levels of pain from poverty and an absent set of parents.

💫 Resistance Heroines
💫 Romance
💫 Tragedy
💫 Loss
💫 War
💫 Pain
💫 Trickery
💫 Pure love
💫 Family

By 50% I guessed the ending and was correct but the journey there was still fabulous.

Ps. Loved that authors note of information at the end!

4.5 stars ⭐️

Oh my, I do so love Natasha Lester books and this was another great one.
Paris, 1939: The Nazis think Éliane can't understand German. They’re wrong. They think she’s merely cataloging art in the Louvre and unaware they’re stealing national treasures for their private collections. They have no idea she’s carefully decoding their notes and smuggling information to the Resistance.
French Riviera 2015 . Remy working on her vintage fashion business, discovers a catalog of the artworks stolen during World War II and is shocked to see a painting that hung on her childhood bedroom wall. Who is her family, really?
Great character development in both time periods. Could not put it down, and will think of it often. Highly recommend for readers that enjoyed a well researched and developed WWII genre timelines with a connected modern timeline.

I was super excited when I received the ARC. I waited a long time to read it because I knew I wouldn’t want it to be over. The Riviera House gutted me. It was also so terrific I read super slow to savor every word. The story took me on a wavy ride of emotions. The end is crushing. When I finished the last word I felt like I had been steamrolled; it took all the emotion out of me. It’s such a powerful read you may have to read it a few times. I follow Lester on social media and watched the footage she shared about the removal of art from the Louvre. Don’t miss out on this book, because it’s a crime not to read it.

4.5/5 Historical fiction has always been a favourite genre for me and this book can be added to the list of great stories! This was my first book by Natasha Lester and I am left very impressed.

This story follows a dual timeline and POVs of two women: Éliane living in the late 1930s and Remy in 2015. Éliane is a lover of art who becomes part of the French resistance during the war as she spies on the Nazis during their unprecedented art theft. Coping with tragic loss, Remy learns there is more to live for as she uncovers her past.

Admittedly, this story started a bit slow for me. Initially I found the pace of the writing jumpy and certain parts of the plot felt like filler. However, the story picked up quickly and I realized that the character development was necessary. The latter third of the book flew by and I was totally impressed.

It explains a lot of history that I wasn't super familiar with and also has touches of culture, art, fashion and just the right amount of romance! I especially love the author's note at the end with further details on some of the real life characters. I love when a historical fiction book has me Googling and learning more afterwards!

If you're a lover of The Nightingale or The Rose Code, this book is definitely worth reading! Thank you to the publisher for the advance copy in exchange for my review! This review will be posted to my Instagram @tays_booknook during the week of August 23.

This is a well written duel timeline book that was a very emotional read. It has romance, mystery, drama and suspense. I received a complimentary copy from Forever (Grand Central Publishing), Forever via NetGalley and was not required to write a review. All opinions expressed are my own.

Natasha Lester is one of my favorite historical fiction authors! Absolutely loved this book!

Thanks to Forever for an advanced copy!

Thank you to Forever for the arc to read and review. A multigenerational story of the Nazi theft of artwork owned by Jewish people through the eyes of a woman who witnessed the deceptions and one in who's family secrets have been kept.

Excellent historical fiction novel for people who love fine art, WW2, and/or French history.

When the Nazi's invade Paris in the 1940's, young art student Eliane Dufort's life is turned upside down. She goes from working 2 jobs, studying art and taking care of her sisters to working for the Nazi's as they try to steal as much art during WWII as possible. The Nazi's want Eliane to catalogue the art, but she also starts to secretly code all of the art so that after the war the art can be returned to it's rightful owners. The story is weaved with Remy, living in the present French Riviera. Remy is trying to run from her painful past by making a new life in a house she inherited with it's own mysteries and past.

There were so many things to love about this story. While parallel storylines seem to be the norm for most Historical Fiction novels these days, I loved that the author spent more than one chapter on each character before switching back and forth. It made it so much more delightful to and easier to get emotionally invested in the characters and the stories when you get several chapters on the storyline, rather than a few pages like so many other authors do. This was a beautiful and heartbreaking story that I loved, and I took a star off simply for personal preferences in the fact that I am not an art lover, so much of the storyline with the art set during the war just didn't interest me, but that was no fault of the authors, again, just a personal preference.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for the ARC in exchange for my review and honest opinions.

Historical fiction is my favorite genre, so I was excited to receive an ARC of The Riviera House. This novel, inspired by a true story, is focused on the perilous efforts to protect art from the Nazis during WWII. In 1939, Éliane and her family are living in Paris on the cusp of the German occupation. In 2015, following a personal tragedy, Remy escapes to a fabulous house she inherited in Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat, France. Alternating between these two plot lines and eventually stitching them together, this is a heart wrenching story of love and loss, trust and betrayal. The characters felt real and complex with meaningful relationships. I enjoyed the descriptions of artwork and vintage clothing. This book explores the intricacies of grief and the value of art to society. I typically speed through books, but this one forced me to slow down to process what was happening. Warning, this book will make you cry. Overall, I loved this book and will be adding more books by this author to my TBR list.

Thank you to @netgalley and @readforeverpub for a digital ARC.

The Riviera House is a historical fiction novel that takes place in France. Élaine Dufort works at the Louvre, but when the Nazis take over Paris, Éliane secretly works to preserve the art. What will happen if she gets caught by the Germans? The story also follows Remy, a grief stricken fashion influencer in modern times. How will time in The French Riviera change her?

Things I liked:

- The well thought out characters
- The writing style was luscious and beautiful
- The descriptions of the settings in France
- The POV switch between war time and modern time

Things I thought could have been different:

- I found certain parts were a bit jargonny when it came to the art history.
- I might have enjoyed it more if I knew more about the art being referenced and didn’t have to look it up all the time
- The romance moved a bit too fast for my liking, which made it seem a bit unrealistic
- I found the first half of the book was quite slow paced so it did drag a bit

There were some pretty heavy topics explored in the book so you may want read the content warnings before you read the book. If you like art history or want an emotional, well written historical fiction, I recommend The Riviera House. The story is also loosely based on an actual woman who did catalogue and save French art, so it’s neat to learn a bit about that history.

Thanks to Forever publishing and NetGalley for the eARC in exchange for an honest review. 4.25 stars rounded down.

An envelope with money, a key, and the title to a villa on the French Riviera.
Natasha Lester’s The Riviera House is the tale of daring women protecting famous artworks since the Nazis are coming for France! It’s 1939, and the Louvre is closing for three days for “essential repair work.” Main character, Eliane Dufort, a student of art history, goes to school and works at the Louvre. Eliane, becomes involved in protecting the art by adding codes on crates of artwork being sent to another smaller museum, the Jeu de Paume, for cataloging and eventually transit. Her brother, Luc, an aspiring artist, and his friend Xavier, also become involved in the plot to save the famous artworks. Natasha Lester provides an excellent character study of brother and sister, and the wealthy friend, Xavier Laurent, whose father owns art galleries in Paris, London, and New York City. According to Xavier, Hitler is “not just seizing nations, he’s destroying their art and culture, too.” Readers learn to distrust both Luc and Xavier, for different reasons. Eliane and the reader fall for Xavier as Natasha Lester, in a time of such fear, gives a very calming and tender description of Xavier’s love for Eliane. Later Xavier appears with Reichsmarshall Goring as a guide at the Louvre and readers are filled with extreme doubt! Who can Eliane trust?
In a dual timeline, Natasha Lester whisks the reader to the grand vistas of the French Riviera, to a breathtaking villa in Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat. At the urging of her best friend Antoinette, Remy Lang has come from Sydney, Australia, to spend three months in France to recover and reassemble her life. In 2015, Remy is a widow of two years, and owner/curator of a vintage fashion business. Remy is in a “coma of agony.” Natasha Lester has a way with the language that speaks to the soul. As Remy navigates her journey of grief NL injects doubt and questioning, so readers are urged to examine their own conscience and come to conclusions. The villa is part of Remy’s inheritance, and her quandary is “How do I have in my possession a painting that Herman Goring stole seventy years ago?” That answer is filled with art history, mystery, and “Wait. What?” moments.
As Xavier says, “Art is all we have when words fail us, mankind fails us, and we fail each other.” Join the throng of Natasha Lester fans, to discover the treasures and uncover the mysteries hidden in The Riviera House.

Effects of War

This book was a heartbreaking story to read, both parts the current and the WWII parts. It is a dual timeline, but easily kept apart. I spent some extra time reading as I wanted to savor the story. I enjoyed reading the whole book...beginning, middle and ending....what a wonderful story.

The book is about some brave hero's during WWII that gave everything to save the paintings which were being stolen from the Jewish people. The resistance working right under the noses of the Nazi's. Then it all turned out bad for them when one of their own turned traitor. I especially liked the characters of Eliane, Rose and Xavier.

I loved the descriptions of the clothing and the buildings. It was even interesting to hear how both sides lived, the Nazi's and the Parisians under occupation. The long queue lines for food, the greediness of the Nazi's and their overindulgence while everyone else was starving and freezing to death. How they would just shoot someone for disagreeing with them in any matter. To live with fear in your every waking moment would be even worse than being cold and hungry.

In the second timeline Remy who has just lost her husband and daughter in a car accident finds out she has inherited a beautiful house in Paris. When she digs to find out information on why she was left the house she finds much more than she bargained for. There are many secrets concerning her house in Paris. She needed to confront the past in order to live in the future. She does have her new friend and love interest Adam there to help her solve all the mysteries.

Was an interesting historical story. I liked that it was based on actual events. This author did her research. It was a very well written story and I would recommend it.

Thanks to Natasha Lester, Forever, Grand Central Publishing, and NetGalley for providing me with a complimentary copy of the book for my honest review.

Art reflects love; love reflects art. Natasha Lester’s characters make great sacrifices to save both art and love. Eliane, a young Parisian, is caught in the middle of the Nazi occupation. The enemy is attempting to appropriate all art works, especially those owned by Jews, to be divided between Hitler and Goring. Rose Valland, an historic heroine, enlists Eliane to work with the Resistance, recording names and delivery places of these works. Joined by her brother and sister, Eliane finds herself doing things she thought impossible and experiencing deprivation and terror. In recent times Remy, a vintage fashion broker, finds herself at the Riviera House, her inheritance from biological parents she never knew, trying to survive horrendous tragedy. Eliane finds comfort in her love for Xavier; Remy finds the same with Adam. The sorrow of the past seeps through, always tied to a painting that hangs on Remy’s childhood bedroom. Will its significance be understood? Will love through art and art through love survive? I love this story.

The Riviera House by Natasha Lester is a richly woven story set in a dual timeline between Paris 2015 and during World War II in Paris as the Nazis invade and Hitler is stealing works of art for his own private collection and pieces for his own Museum.

I loved Natasha’s details about French art, vintage clothing, and of course, the French Riviera. Her descriptive historical details about what life was like during the occupation in Paris with food rationing and how they had to reuse old clothes for things because they couldn't even get fabric, is riveting.

The Riviera House is a dual timeline with two main characters. Eliane, a Parisian art student who works at the Louvre as France stands on the brink of invasion in World War II, and in France 2015, Remy, a grieving widow, who is spending time at a home in the French Riviera which she inherited mysteriously and she runs a vintage clothing and jewelry business.

As Eliane’s world descends into the terrifying occupation of Paris, she is sent to work at the Jeu de Paume museum to assist the Nazi occupiers but secretly works to safeguard the precious artworks that are being stolen by them. Working there with her is Rose Valland and together they keep a record of priceless paintings, tapestries and statues the Nazis are stealing so when the invasion is over, there is a record of where the art has gone. The Nazis have no idea she and Rose can understand and speak German and at the peril of their lives and the lives of their families, these brave strong women with the help of other Resistance fighters, listen to the Nazi conversations and secretly catalog the art as the Nazis take it all away.

Remy is grieving while in her inherited home on the French Riviera and meets a family next door that has their own set of issues.. but Remy navigates her grief by working and I love how Natasha describes all the vintage clothing in her possession. Among one of her neighbors is a photographer (Adam) and Remy hires him to take photos of her vintage clothing for Remy’s Instagram account. Adam and Remy find a book in the home which is a catalog of lost Art from 70 years ago, "The Goring Catalog," which contains Art that Hermann Goring stole during World War II. In this catalog, Remy sees a picture of a stolen piece of Art that is actually hanging on her bedroom wall in her home in Sydney. Remy is confused, “How do I have in my possession a painting that Hermann Goring stole seventy years ago from someone in France?” Remy asks herself that question which sets her on a quest to find out and why that painting is in her family's possession.

I loved this story and as with all historical fiction that I read, I looked up details and people to learn even more. I learned so much about Rose Valland. In Natasha’s Author’s Note, she describes how her meticulous research helped her to create this fascinating book and she mentions her research has “vastly improved her ability to read French” because some of the books she read for her research were in French.

As with all of Natasha’s books, she weaves an amazing and believable story of people from both eras struggling to survive, to find love and to save things that are precious. I will be recommending this book to everyone and have pre-ordered a copy for my own as well.

Thank you to NetGalley and Grand Central Publishing for an electronic advanced Reader’s Copy in exchange for an honest review.

Éliane studies art history in the morning before working in the Louvre in the afternoon and at her parents' brasserie in the evenings. She uses all she can earn to support her four younger sisters. But then she must send them away as the Nazis make it to Paris. Ultimately, Éliane works cataloguing the artwork that the Nazis plunder, pretending she does not speak German.

The modern timeline begins in 2015 with a very sad story. I was quickly engaged with it, to the extent that I found it tough to switch back to the historical timeline. I think that's the key to a truly great dual timeline novel: disappointment each time you switch. I found it's conclusion a bit abrupt but overall powerful.

The historical timeline is based on a true story. I am once again enamored of Natasha Lester's writing. I feel I am learning history, as I am utterly transported into the story. And her Author's Note at the end clarifies which parts are fact and fiction and her research process. I found The Riviera House a remarkably fast read; I could not put the book down. It made me cry so much and reflect both on the past and present.

Thank you to Forever for the advanced reader copy. These opinions are my own.

TW: death of a child, grief

4.5 rounded up