Daughters of Paris by Elisabeth Hobbes is not what I expected. While it is a WWII historical fiction, it also is a romance and a tale of friendship between two women.
Colette is the daughter of a wealthy factory owner and beautiful socialite who cares more about appearances and drinking than her daughter. Fleur is an orphan who lives with her aunt, housekeeper for Colette’s family. The two girls become best friends and promise to be secret sisters forever. Unfortunately, as they age, their relationship changes due to societal expectations. The two would probably have gone separate ways if WWII never happened but with German occupation of Paris, everything changes.
I gave this book 3.5 (rounded to 4 stars). I enjoyed the story and the different perspective - how the war affected the upper class and how women helped the French resistance. However, I would have liked to read more about the Resistance and espionage and less Colette’s love affairs.
I just reviewed Daughters of Paris by Elisabeth Hobbes. #NetGalley
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Thank you for giving me the opportunity to review this book. I enjoyed the story and found the characters Colette and Fleur very convincing. There differences were obvious but equally their childhood bonds stayed with them. Set in the difficult times of the German occupation of Paris the story sometimes felt superficial. However, female friendship, romance, resistance stayed throughout.
A good read that I can recommend.

This novel is set during WWII and the German occupation of Paris. Colette is the only child of very wealthy parents and has all the trappings of the rich. Fleur is an orphan and lives with her Aunt Agnes who is the housekeeper for Colette’s parents. Despite the vast differences in their circumstances the two girls become firm friends. Their close friendship continues until Colette suddenly leaves for England. She returns after eighteen months as war breaks out but the two girls have drifted apart. Colette enjoys the party lifestyle while Fleur becomes involved in the French Resistance. Life under German laws and curfews was hard which brings the two girls back together with Colette also helping the resistance. I’m an avid reader of WWII novels and this was up there with the best. It took me a while to get into the story but it was so worthwhile. It has all that I enjoy. Strong women, enduring friendship and love. This is the second book I’ve read from this author and look forward to more. My thanks to NetGalley and One More Chapter Harper Collins for the opportunity to read and review such a captivating story

While books about the German Occupation of Paris in WW2, or efforts of the French resistance, are not unusual, I have not read a book that portrays the power of female friendship during those times for a long time.

Colette and Fleur grow up together but are from very different worlds. Colette’s family are wealthy and Fleur is an orphan who resides with her aunt, Collette’s family’s housekeeper. The book shows how both Fleur and Colette grow up to become very different people, with different goals in life, but ultimately become shaped by the war around them.

Aspects of this book are refreshing. It is great to see female strength and resilience as well as how ordinary individuals had their lives interrupted by war, motivating them to become members of the resistance in different forms.

However, parts of the book also left me feeling a little dissatisfied. I think the book would have benefited from more detail of the acts of espionage, to really show character development, and it would have highlighted the danger in the work that was done. As it was, the resistance efforts seemed a little lacking and superficial, glamorizing them rather than making them seem realistic. I also think that the real danger of living during occupied Paris was not fully represented; it seemed to me that the book created a sense of inconvenience rather than an enemy invasion.

Despite that, I do think that this book is worthy of a read for fans of historical fiction. It was a quick read, with plenty to hold attention, and discussed events (such as Vel d’Hiv) that have not always been addressed in mainstream fiction. I would particularly recommend this to fans of Tatiana de Rosnay.

Thanks to NetGalley and HarperCollins UK for the eARC.

Colette and Fleur became best friends as children, although they were at different stations in life (Colette as the daughter of the house and Fleur as the niece of the housekeeper). As they grew up, they also grew apart, and then World War II began. The two women both resist German occupation in different ways, coming to understand that they have to fight for their country to protect themselves and their way of life. The war brings the two women back together in ways they never would have expected.

I was rather disappointed in this book. It felt very superficial, as if the author hadn’t done enough research about Paris during the Second World War. While I realize the author’s goal was to focus on the tie between these two women during wartime, I don’t think the author went deep enough into the experiences of Parisians for this book to be successful. For example, while there was discussion about the rationing and queuing early on in the book, it’s as if that was just forgotten as the years of war went on—even though, in reality, the lack of food (and coal for the stoves, something that is never mentioned) just got worse.

Additionally, beyond the first couple years of the war, there is little mention of the Germans and the terror the citizens of Paris experienced at their hands. Fleur gets involved in the Resistance and her activities are briefly mentioned, although to no depth, but she rarely seems concerned that she’ll get caught. Also, after the Allies land at Normandy, Fleur and Colette act as if nothing bad will ever happen to them again—when in reality, we know that the Allied landing actually made the Germans even more dangerous than they were when they could pretend they were still winning the war. In fact, as the Allies came closer to Paris following the Normandy invasion, the Germans cracked down even harder on those in the Resistance, but Fleur seems unaffected by that occurrence.

While I didn’t detest this book—overall, I liked the idea of it and I also appreciated the characters, both their strengths and their foibles—I also didn’t find it to be an impressive addition to the World War II historical fiction about Paris and the Resistance. There are much better books out there to describe the experiences of Parisians during the Second World War.

Romance and resistance in World War II France. The story centres on two girls who grow up together but come from very different backgrounds. Colette is from a wealthy family with a large house in Paris. Her friend Fleur's aunt is their housekeeper. The main theme of the book is how Parisians coped during German occupation, some doing token acts of resistance, others much greater ones. Fleur and Colette both fancy the enigmatic Sebastien, who falls for one of them. How will the other girl react and will their friendship survive?

This story takes place 1930 through 1945. At its core, it is a tale of perhaps an unlikely friendship of two very different women. One is from a wealthy household, Colette, and the other, Fleur, is an orphan living with her aunt who is the maid of that household and she is expected to help in the work. Colette is spoiled not having to earn anything she receives, while Fleur works for and appreciates every thing in her life. Due to living in the same house and being close in age, they do become friends and that is what I think this book is about, the bond of friendship. Sometimes regardless of backgrounds, people make the family they desire.

This story is very emotional since it has WWII in the background and life in occupied Paris. I was constantly wondering if I could be as brave as these two women. Definitely a well written, thought provoking book. Everyone should read this, if only to remind ourselves how very fortunate we are for the brave people that fought, how different our lives would be if they had not been successful, and to be grateful for the cherished friends in our lives.

Thank you to HarperCollins UK, One More Chapter and NetGalley for giving me the pleasure of reading the advance reader copy, with no obligation to write a review. My review is written freely as a hobby, and is totally my own opinion, not influenced by receiving the ARC.

This is great World War Two historical fiction set in Paris. Strong female characters and an engaging plot kept me entertained. The concepts of loyalty, friendship, sacrifice, moral decisions and forgiveness all feature.

Fleur, daughter of the housekeeper and Colette, daughter of the house grow up together and face the pressures of Nazi occupation together. Each plays their part against the occupying army, takes risks and finds their place. The romantic threads add to and complicate their relationship.

This is an uplifting book focusing on the bonds of family and friendship despite the pressures of occupation.

One to be recommended.

Colette and Fleur were raised together, Colette the daughter of a wealthy businessman had all the luxuries her father's money could buy, while Fleur was an orphan being raised by her Aunt Agnes who worked for Colette's parents as their live in housekeeper.
As they grow up they begin to drift apart, and when Colette leaves suddenly for England it all but ends their close friendship. When Colette returns 18 months later, just as war is breaking out, the two find they have very little or nothing to say to each other.The divide between them feels like more than they will ever be able to cross. The girls take very different approaches to how they cope with the terrifying changes that are dealt upon their city. Will the war divide them even further or will they once again find common ground and unite, their friendship even stronger than before as they fight the Nazis in their own ways?
I enjoyed this novel. It is well written and researched. The author sets time and place well so the reader feels as if they are in occupied Paris, it is well paced and holds the attention well. Fleur is very relatable straight off, where as Colette takes a bit more time to warm up to, but overall bothe prove themselves to be good friends that you would love to know. This is an uplifting book about friendship and family and the everlasting bond created in spite of the evil in the world.
I recommend this one to historical fiction fans who enjoy reading WWII books set in the beautiful city of love, Paris!
Thank you to the publishers at Harper Collins and to Net Galley for the free ARC, I am leaving my honest review in return.

Fairly predictable but nicely written and a fast read for the beach. Thanks for the opportunity to preview

I received a free e-arc of this book through Netgalley.
This book really grabbed my attention right from the beginning. These two women who are very different and interested in different things grow up in the same house, but with very different lifestyles as one is rich and the other is the niece of the housekeeper. During WWII, they must come together to survive and help France during Nazi occupation. It is well written and full of action as they come of age during wartime.

Colette Nadon and Fleur Bonnivard, grow up together in 1930’s Paris, they play games, explore their surroundings and get dirty. Despite Colette’s father Louis being a wealthy businessman, orphaned Fleur’s Aunt Agnes is the Nadon’s cook and they come from different backgrounds. The girls promise to be best friends forever and they become secret sisters.

Colette’s mother Delphine is a snob, she wants her daughter to marry well and establish her place in Parisian society. As time goes on Delphine introduces her daughter to the right people, Colette turns into a party girl, and she travels and sees less of Fleur. At first Fleur is hurt, but she knows she and Colette come from different circumstances, and she doesn’t want her Aunt to lose her job..

Fleur loves to read and finds work in a bookshop, she hangs out at Café Morlaix and admires the handsome waiter Sebastien. When the Germans easily take Paris, Colette and Fleur are stunned, scared and don’t know what the future holds. Colette’s posh friends own a hotel, German soldiers move in, and Fleur’s shocked Colette would want to mix with collaborators.

Fleur is one of the Parisians who fight back, carrying out small acts of defiance, and eventually she becomes involved with the resistance. Colette isn’t as self-cantered as everyone believes, she notices the food shortages, arguments breaking out in the long ration lines, hungry children, and German soldiers harassing young women not interested in their advances.

Soon both women form an alliance, Fleur realizes she has judged Colette harshly, slowly they rebuild their friendship and both take risks. With their hearts on the line, they both become involved in the fight to free France, espionage, helping the resistance, keeping secrets, and people hiding from the Germans, and if caught the punishment is torture, and they could be shot!

I received a copy of Daughters of Paris by Elisabeth Hobbes from NetGalley and HarperCollins UK, One More Chapter in exchange for an unbiased review. I have read the authors previous book The Secret Agent and her latest novel is outstanding. Told from the points of view of two young women, it’s full of relevant information and facts about the difficult war years in France, it emphasizes how women needed friendship, support and a confidant during the time to deal with the hardship and cope with the uncertainty of the war, losing loved ones, and not knowing when the suffering would end? Five stars from me and I highly recommend reading this book.

This novel covers WWII through the eyes of two young women that grew up as best friends although one was the daughter of a rich family and the other the niece of their housekeeper. The story d’élèves into various parts of the war but sugar coats what happens to those that are sent to the camps by the nazis and how many people were treated. Both women did help with the resistance but it was not written in a way that gave you the instant feeling of fear for their lives.

I liked the characters but I just found I couldn’t feel enough emotion for them to become attached. I can’t put my finger on what was missing but this book just didn’t draw me in or have me fearing for their lives. Not enough emotion for me.

I would like to thank One More Chapter for the chance to read this ARC. I have really liked other books by this author so it’s just a one off that this one didn’t give me the same emotions as the others. It is still an all round good book.

Daughters of Paris by Elisabeth Hobbes is a great WWII-era historical fiction that has it all: mystery, suspense, history, strong female characters, and kept me engaged throughout.

I really enjoyed this book that presented such strong lead female characters. The fundamental concepts of loyalty, friendship, sacrifice, moral decisions, and forgiveness are present throughout.

Fleur and Collette are excellent characters. The bravery, strength, and courage exhibited was impressive. The high stakes intrigue and risks taken during the war, the occupation, and against the enemy in Paris was engaging and kept my interest. The threads of romance added another element to the narrative that continued to add to the complexity. I also enjoyed the ending.

5/5 stars

Thank you NG and One More Chapter/ Harper Collins UK or this wonderful arc and in return I am submitting my unbiased and voluntary review and opinion.

I am posting this review to my GR and Bookbub accounts immediately and will post it to my Amazon, Instagram, and B&N accounts upon publication on 8/5/22.