Member Reviews
The Paris Agent is such a thrilling story. Since I started the book, I was lost within its pages, following the three different but yet connected stories of Josie, Eloise and Charlotte. I was intrigued by the connection they had and by all the questions that appeared as I was reading the book.
I love historical fiction and I am starting to feel drawn to spies’ stories during the war. It is so interesting to know more about their work, their stories so amazing. In this case, we have to remarkable agents who did their best for their countries and the people they loved. It is also hard to know the hardship they went through.
Overall, it was a very enjoyable read, and although it was sometimes difficult to keep all the names and dates straight, I remained hooked throughout the book and I highly recommend it, especially for historical fiction lovers.
"Sometimes courage simply means letting someone else feel peace for as long as they can."
Kelly Rimmer does it again, this is my third book by her and the third book I absolutely loved.
In 1970, Charlotte's father shares with her how he finally feels ready to face his past and thank the person who saved him when he worked as a British SOE agent during World War 2. The problem is he doesn't know the man's real identity since they all used code names.
In the 1940s, Josie and Eloise are also working with the SOE as two of the few women working undercover.
To me, the perfect historical fiction novel takes events from the past and humanizes the story in a way that moves me, and helps me to learn about the real people who inspired the story. Kelly Rimmer does this wonderfully.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher Harlequin Trade Publishing for a free digital copy in exchange for an honest review.
The Paris Agent by Kelly Rimmer
Historical fiction. Two times frames between 1970 and the end of the Second World War.
In 1970, Charlotte tries to help her father research the man who saved his live at the end of the war. He remembers only a name. Charlotte’s investigation uncovers the stories of two brave women that that sacrificed everything for their country, as well as the fact that her father was actually a secret British agent.
Based on the research of two women, evidence of their work and lives, and sacrifices. Reading the author notes at the end of this fictional story, brought home the bravery of the thousands of men and women that lived through, fought and sacrificed for their families and country. This story is filled with the passion of suspense, danger and loyalty of the times. It saddens me that these stories are lost and I’m grateful to the author for bringing these to life.
It’s of course sad in the end simply because it’s historical and mostly lost to history.
Chloe and Fleur will live on in memory of the bravery.
I received a copy of this from NetGalley and the publisher.
I enjoyed this WWll historical fiction tragedy about the women and men who were agents of the S.O.E. . I really liked the story but I did have troubles remembering who each of the women agents were since they had to change there names so often. I liked learning about what these brave women and men went through to keep the world free. I received a copy of this book from the publisher for a fair and honest opinion that I gave of my own free will.
I liked this telling of female agents told in alternating chapters between two agents and the daughter who helps her father uncover his own mystery years later. What I didn't like is the lack of distinction between the two agents voices. They became blurred at times although their stories were different. Interesting and suspenseful. A consistent author.
Copy provided by the publisher and NetGalley
As a big fan of The Things We Cannot Say, I was so excited to receive this advanced reader copy of The Paris Agent!
This story is told from 3 POV- Charlotte, the daughter of a British operative during WW2 with a timeline in the 70’s, and 2 female operatives during the war- Josie and Eloise. I enjoyed the different POV and felt that it kept me wanting to read another chapter.
The book started a bit slow for me with a lot of characters to keep track of but as it went on I became very invested and didn’t want to stop reading. It did get confusing for a bit trying to keep all the characters and their code names straight but once I was into the book, this became easier. It was tricky to look back and see who was who with the formatting on the netgalley app, I think this won’t be a problem for kindle users or people with physical books but I wish I had written down who was who.
Overall- I really enjoyed this book and think if you like historical fiction, you will really like it as well! I would have liked a little more on some of the characters like Turner and thought it wrapped up a little too nicely but it was still a great book!
Thank you netgalley for the advanced reader copy in exchange for my honest review.
Kelly Rimmer does it again! While the beginning of the story was a little confusing with all of the characters and their code names (and reading on a Kindle made it more tricky to go back and forth to make sure I had the names straight), I quickly became sucked in to the storyline and the characters all fell into place. The Paris Agent was extremely well researched, thought out, and overall a truly remarkable historical fiction read. Definitely a book I will look forward to reading again!
Thank you kindly to Net Galley, the publisher, and the author for an advanced copy of The Paris Agent in exchange for an honest review.
The Paris Agent is another well done historical fiction by Rimmer. It mixes the story of a man and 2 women he worked with as spies in France during WWII with a man in the 1979s trying to fill in the gaps of his memories from the war. Reading about the little and big ways these “common” people fought for their country is amazing. Remembering can be hard but the truth is usually well worth it.
After having read SO many WWII historical fiction novels over my lifetime, Rimmer was still able to make it an entertaining and emotional read. The SOE content was new to me and I loved getting to learn while getting sucked in by the alternating POV's and timelines. My only critique was that at times it was hard to follow all of the different characters and who was who.
Quick and Dirty
-WWII espionage novel
-father/daughter post-war story
-multi-POV and dual timeline
-unexpected ending
Thoughts
Oh my goodness. This book was SO good. I was completely engrossed in the story and all the characters, eager to know how the story would end. I love a good father/daughter story, and this one really resonated with me. The grief experience of both the main characters was so raw and heartfelt, adding dimension to their characters. And don’t even get me started on the action! To me, there’s nothing better than a good WWII espionage novel, and this one is chock full of missions, close calls, and even a triple agent. While the ending is not what I expected, it was definitely in keeping with the truth of WWII: agents put their lives at risk every day for the greater good. I highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a pulse-pounding WWII novel full of emotion, intensity, and relational dynamics impacted by trauma and grief.
Noah Ainsworth served in WWII as an SOE operative. But his family thinks he was an airplane mechanic. After his wife dies, Noah mentions to his beloved daughter, Charlotte, about his secret life as an agent. He wants to find the operative which saved his life. He wants to thank him, because without him, Noah would have never had this wonderful life. But, this opens more than one can of worms and Noah is having severe issues with his memories.
This is one of my “go to” authors. I love her novels. This one is not my favorite(my favorite is Truths I Never Told You) but it is still a wonderful read. I loved the chase, or the quest for the person which saved Noah’s life. All the secrets start to unfold and and unveil some unique situations that Noah is not very inclined to remember.
This is told in two separate time periods, WWII and the 1970s. I enjoyed the 1970s section much more than the war section…GASP! I know. This is so unlike me. This is probably why this is more of a 4 star instead of a 5 star read for me. The part during the war is a bit anticipated and expected. However, the search leads to some more secrets which keep this story moving along….secrets, secrets and more secrets…makes the world go around!
Need a very good WWII spy novel…THIS IS IT! Grab your copy today.
I received this novel from the publisher for a honest review.
This is such an emotional read that at times I had to put the book down for a little while and just ponder the sacrifices of so many people during the war. Based on a true story and with such poignant and stirring details, this book is fast-paced and a heartfelt story of family, the effects of war and what true heroism looks like. Told with a dual timeline, during the war and in the 70’s, the tale of Chloe and Fleur, two young women recruited by the SOE to be spies, was intriguing and insightful. The second storyline of Charlotte who has just discovered the truth about her father’s exploits during the war was equally intriguing and a compelling tale. This is a well-crafted story that is multi-layered and that took me immediately to the battlefront and the efforts of the resistance in France to secure their nation against the Nazis. The book is a fascinating character study and shows the depth of those who believed in the war effort in spite of losses suffered at home. The characters are dynamic and rich, making me wish more than once that they were real people whom I could meet and thank for their heroic actions. I enjoyed the entire story from beginning to end and applaud the author for the research and the insight she provided in her well-paced and satisfying historical fiction.
Disclaimer
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher via Netgalley. I was not required to write a positive review, and all opinions expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255, “Guidelines Concerning the Use of Testimonials and Endorsements in Advertising.”
It is Charlotte’s search for answers for her father, Noah, that introduce us to the story of Chloe and Fleur and operations undertaken by the SOE during WWII.
This story is full of tales of daring, danger, espionage, and survival.
I loved the switch back and forth between timelines and characters. I enjoyed learning what each character did and as we got into the story seeing how they all tied together.
I did have a little trouble keeping them all separate in my head as characters were sometimes referred to by their code name and their real name. Somewhere along the way it all came together and I understood why the author went back and forth depending on what part of the story was being told.
The pacing of this story was great and I loved the way in which it all came together and we learned answers to things Noah had been wondering for so long.
Kelly Rimmer is quickly becoming a favorite author for historical fiction for me and I look forward to reading what she writes next.
Learning about various organizations that ran secret missions during WWII never gets old for me and I am so glad people were willing to take on these risks to do as much good as possible.
Thank you to Harlequin Trade Publishing for the copy of this book. All views are my honest opinion.
Another incredible book by Kelly Rimmer. Based on a true story, this book was incredibly done, well researched, emotionally charged and well written. The characters are believable, their experiences heart wrenching and their relationships were perfectly created and realistic. A must read for anyone interested in historical fiction. Told in alternating views and timelines, Rimmer creates an easy to follow and difficult to put down story.
1970 - Noah Ainsworth lost part of his memory during WWII as a British operative in France. He has nightmares and many questions - like who saved his life? His daughter Charlotte embarks on a hunt to help him answer these questions. She learns about the lives of Chloe and Fleur, fearless spies during WWII who have connections to her father and a hidden double agent during the time.
Thank you netgalley for my advanced reader copy.
What a moving and breathtaking WW2 novel.
It's written with dual intertwining timeline one that's set during WWII with two female SOE operatives and the other set in 1970 England with a survivor and his daughter digging into the past to uncover questions.
The story is gripping from the start. As the two SOE operatives have to be on edge of being exposed CONSTANTLY, as well as the emotional story of Charlotte and her dad.
I read that so many events and people in this story were inspired by actual true events in history which truly made this epic story. I would love to see this as a movie!
This book features a dual timeline - 1970 when Noah is processing memories from his role as a British Operative during WW2, and the years of WW2 when Noah and some of our counterparts are deep in their roles as spies in war-torn areas. In the modern day writing, Noah is struggling to piece together some of his memories and find resolution. His daughter Charlotte is shocked to learn of her father's secret past, but is eager to help him find the answers that he needs. The story unravels the mystery of who the spies were in their real life and what really happened to them after specific war events.
I love Kelly Rimmer’s writing style so much. This was a heart wrenching story about WWII British operatives and how their lives intersected during the war. Told through dual timelines, one set in WWII France following the missions of 2 female agents and one in 1970s England where a war veteran is researching the past to uncover the truth of the mission’s completion. I haven’t read many WWII era historical fictions that delve into secret agents, I loved it. There were so many interesting facts woven throughout the story, but it did not feel stuffy or overly educational. The Paris Agent was a suspenseful and emotional story about the human experience, I highlighted so many quotes on grief and loss that gave me a lot of comfort. THE ENDING, I teared up. It was a beautiful conclusion.
Thank you, Harlequin and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this ARC!
My Ratings:
Plot ★★★★★
Reading Experience ★★★★
Characters ★★★★★
Writing Style ★★★★★
Overall ★★★★.75
Kelly Rimmer is the historical fiction queen. Her characters are so well developed and I am invested in them and the story almost immediately. I loved that I learned even more history from this time period after reading this book. Highly recommend this one!
I have absolutely adored each and every one of Kelly Rimmer's books. She has a way of drawing me into the story. Starting off with a slow build, until I find myself completely locked in and unwilling to put the book down, until my eyes take in that last sentence. The Paris Agent has lived up to my love of her books. The characters backgrounds are taken from the thirty-nine female agents who worked for the SOE French Section during the war. The research and details are woven seamlessly into this story. The characters are well developed and defined. The plot flawless and thought provoking. The descriptions and details are flawless. The multiple points of view and the dual timelines help develop the story and gave me better insight. All leading up to the final chapters where everything is finally uncovered, and I found myself breathing again.
Charlotte's mother has just passed. Her father, Noah, and Charlotte are trying to find their footing in this new life, without her mum. As her father begins a new project, bits and pieces about the war and how he was involved come to light. He was not just a soldier, he worked as a spy. He had a horrible head injury which made the last few weeks before his accident cloudy at best. He is determined to find the man who dropped him off at the hospital, to thank him. This brings up more questions than answers for Charlotte. Who is this man? Her father is kind and gentle. Does he really have it in him to be a spy? As they do more research they stumble upon two women, Josie, and Eloise. How are they connected to Noah, and what was her father involved in?
If you are a fan of historical fiction you need to add this book to your TBR. It is a fantastic read which will have you tearing through the pages. Slowly wiping the tears away as they fall from your eyes. The strength and tenacity of these young people, who had limited training, were capable of some incredible feats during the war. Thank you to Kelly Rimmer, Graydon House, and TLC Book Tours for this phenomenal read.
Kelly Rimmer writes some amazing World War II historical fiction and while I've gotten more selective i this genre, I'll always read one of her books!
I really enjoyed the dual timelines in The Paris Agent and the fact that the 1970s timeline was a daughter trying to help her father Noah solve a lingering mystery from his time as an SOE agent. While the 1940s storyline was told through two women spies who worked with Noah.
I liked how the story came about through the different viewpoints, though it did take me a little to remember who was who with all of the codenames! This was so well written and I couldn't put it down.
The only thing I'm disappointed in was there was no historical note or author note and I'm hoping it was because it was an ARC. I have so many questions after reading this wanting to know the history from the fiction here!
The Paris Agent comes out Tuesday - July 11th. Highly recommend picking this one up!