I like stories that have flashbacks and current time parallels. This is a good story between granddaughter and grandmother and the twists and turns that go along with it. Like the history and following along on this journey. You don't always know the secrets that some people have. Good read.

Although I loved The Weird Sisters, this new novel left me cold. It was slow moving, with unsympathetic characters.

I just couldn’t get into this book. The plot sounded really interesting to me, and I love books with Paris in the title or the setting, but unfortunately this one was just not for me personally.

What can be more empowering to a woman than doing what they want when the world is against them? Both Madeleine and Margie didn’t belong in the life they were born into. They wanted more.
Madeleine visits Paris as a chaperone and soon her cousin leaves her behind doing her own thing. The people she meets, the places she visits, and the experiences she have forever change her view on life. I loved seeing the ins and outs of Paris through her eyes. The clubs, the Libe, and the café’s that Madeleine visited came alive to me while reading The Light of Paris. I could hear the jazz music, I could see the couples dancing, I could envision the art she was seeing, and I could hear the French language being spoken as she made her way around Paris. Eleanor Brown did an amazing job bring the city to life by using words. I am still on the fence about how I feel about the rest of her story. Was she destined to live that type of life? I had hope that things would be different for her but I suppose it was what had to happen. It wasn’t a horrible life she lived it was just so different from what she and I had hoped for her.

Margie… she had different problems. Her husband was horrible to her. There were times I felt like he was abusing her verbally. Her self esteem was so low. Then she went home to her mother. Her mother was not much better. I cannot imagine not having a mother who doesn’t support and protect you. Margie finds the support she needs in unlikely people. The friends don’t push her to make decisions or tell her what to do; they listen and just spend time with her. I loved her sharing of her grandmother’s, Madeleine, journals and how they lifted her up and showed her that there was more to life than what she was currently life she was living. I feel like those journals really pushed her to do more. Her ending was wonderful and perfect. I was hoping for an ending similar to that for her.

I finished reading The Light of Paris and just sat and thinking about how wonderful the story and characters were. There is so much more that I would like to share about this book but it would contain spoilers and I don’t share spoilers. Absolutely go get a copy.

This novel was a fantastic read, and Eleanor Brown is a talented author-- I also loved her other novel The Weird Sisters. I was captivated by this novel from start to finish, and Margie's voice is so unique, entertaining, and witty. The pacing is just right, as it switches between the 1920's and present day. Brown especially does a stellar job of bringing the Parisian Jazz Age to life.

The Light of Paris is a story told during two eras. We have modern day America and 1920s Paris as our two protagonists Madeleine and her grandmother Margie try to navigate adulthood with lives that seemingly parallel each other. Madeleine is stuck in a loveless marriage of convenience. Her whole life is dictated by her bully of a husband: her lack of job, lack of friends, lack of hobbies. Even her weight is controlled by him. Margie faced a similar fate when she was young and knew it was almost a guarantee if she didn’t break free of the confines of debutant life.

Both women have been given the opportunity to change their fate…and they take it.

The Light of Paris is a story of freedom.

I loved this story. I loved how quickly I became invested in the lives of these two women and how you feel desperate for Madeleine to learn from Margie’s mistakes/choices that made her life better. As a bit of a Francophile, I loved Eleanor Brown’s ability to capture the amazing setting of Paris.

The Light of Paris was a big winner for me.

The Light of Paris by Eleanor Brown is available now.

For more information regarding Eleanor Brown (@eleanorwrites) please visit www.eleanor-brown.com.

For more information regarding Penguin (@PenguinUKBooks) please visit www.penguin.co.uk.

Thank you very much for allowing me the opportunity to read this book! I appreciate the kindness. <3

The Light of Paris includes two timelines with two distinct women: Margie in the 1920s and Madeleine in 1999. In the more recent timeline, Madeleine seemingly has it all – the perfect husband, wealth, high society – but behind closed doors Madeleine craves more from life than being her husband’s arm piece. One day Madeleine stumbles upon her Grandmother’s diary from her early 20s when she traveled to Paris. Madeleine soon discovers that her Grandmother had another side to her that she never knew.

I would classify this as a “historical fiction beach read.” Historical Fiction can sometimes be a little heavier, but The Light of Paris was a lighter read with just a touch of depth to it. Both stories are about women discovering who they are & what they want out of life.

I enjoyed Margie’s storyline the most – a young woman discovering herself in Paris in the 1920s. Margie transforms throughout this book from a submissive daughter, in line with how women behaved in those days, to an independent women out for adventure. If I am being honest, I would have preferred the story to have just followed Margie’s story instead of the dual perspective.

I’ve got to admit, Madeleine’s character was a bit of a struggle for me. She just seemed to complain for the majority of the book. She didn’t have a purpose in life, she was unhappy in her controlling marriage, her mother was too critical, she couldn’t eat what she wanted, she didn’t paint anymore, etc. etc. It felt a little “woe is me!” Since Madeleine’s story was set in a more modern time, I just didn’t sympathize with her struggles. Maybe I am too cold, but I can’t sympathize with a woman who allows herself to be treated this way, especially by the people who are supposed to care about her the most. Despite the fact I didn’t care for Madeleine’s character for the majority of the book, I still appreciated her growth from the beginning to the end of the book.

Some of the elements in the story were a little cliché and too many things were tied up too nicely, but overall this was a solid read. If you like lighter historical fiction that has a dual perspective/storyline where the more current story feels more along the lines of “women’s fiction,” then this book might be your cup of tea.

*Big thanks to G.P. Putnam’s Sons for providing me with a copy of this book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you for the chance to review this book, however, unfortunately, I was unable to download this title before it was archived

First Line: I didn’t set out to lose myself.

Summary: Madeleine is a married woman who is bored and unhappy with her life. Her husband is controls everything from the money to what she is allowed to do with her day. She loves to paint but he has made it clear that he does not think that this is something she should be spending her time doing. When she goes home to visit her mother she finds her grandmother’s journals in a trunk in the attic. Through the writings of a woman she barely knew she finds out more about herself and what she wants from life.
Margie is a young woman in 1924. She was a debutante but remains unmarried making her practically an old maid. When the chance to chaperone her younger cousin around Europe is presented she jumps at the chance to see the world before she settles into marriage with one of her father’s business partners. But the trip doesn’t turn out as planned. Her cousin ditches her in Paris leaving Margie with the question of what to do alone in Europe. Rather than take her parents advice and return home she decides that Paris has more to offer her, even if it’s only for a little while.

Highlights: Paris! It has been 11 years since I visited the City of Lights but I want to go again. This book took me back to the 4 days I got to spend there in college. The monuments, cathedrals and the food were magical! I envy Margie the chance to live in this beautiful city. I liked the flashbacks. It made the story richer as you found out more about each woman. I was able to connect with them and became invested in each of their lives.

Lowlights: Most of the story was very predictable. I knew what was going to happen in most of the book but that is not always a bad thing. It felt like a safe and comfortable read.

FYI: You will want to visit (or live) in Paris after this!

I loved this book. I will definitely recommend that my book club put it on our reading list.

I loved all novels about Paris. The author put a new spin on the notion of a journey to Paris, by having her main character reconnect to her art and community at home. There was also a great secret uncovered in her family history. All this was wonderful but I wanted Madeline to go to Paris herself at the end of the story. I felt a little let down that she didn't travel there herself.