The Parisians

Recently, I've become drawn to books about WWII, especially those books that focus on the women during the war. And this book did not disappoint! I was captivated by Olivia, Arletty, and Coco Chanel's varying points of view. Viewing the war from such different perspectives encouraged me to look at WWII through a different lens but still centered on how women were affected by the war and the Nazi invasion. The descriptions of the Ritz are rich, beautiful, and deep. I was hooked from the very first chapter. Marius Gabriel weaves a story you won't soon forget. GET THIS BOOK TODAY!

If you're looking for an effortless read that juxtaposes the lifestyles of rich Nazi sympathizers and struggling Resistance workers in Paris during World War II, you'll enjoy this. It really made my commute zip along. If, however, you like your books with some depth and writing that rises above the workmanlike, this will disappoint. The characters never blossomed into three-dimensional. Their motivations seemed pat and superficial. For instance, did Arletty, one of the biggest French film stars of the time, really plunge so deeply in love with a Nazi officer that she didn't give more than a passing thought to how she was betraying her audience and her country? And there's a lovemaking scene that I think qualifies for the Bad Sex Writing Award. All that said, as escapism that introduces you to the role of the Paris Ritz (and the sumptuousness of the hotel itself) and the attitudes of French society types during the war, this will please.

“The superior soul turns to beauty as a flower turns to light.”
Set in 1939, The Parisians begins with Olivia Olsen who grew up in Minnesota and moved to Paris to be a painter. Now she paints tourist’s portraits in order to make ends meet. She is working one day when she meets a man, a Parisian, who commissions her to paint his portrait. The man’s name is Fabrice Darnell, an anarchist essayist who has clearly given her the last of the money in his wallet in exchange for the pleasure of her company while she paints him. When he comes to pick up the finished painting he invites Olivia to dinner where she meets his mother, a housekeeper at the Ritz, who suggests that Olivia take a job there as a chambermaid. Soon Olivia has fallen in love with Fabrice and is working at the the hotel.

Olivia’s story intersects with the lives of people staying at the Ritz which include Coco Chanel; Duchess Antoinette d’Harcourt, a dilettante poet, and Arletty, an actress with whom she is having an affair; and then, after the start of the war, Hermann Goering and the highest ranking German officers. When Olivia becomes pregnant and Fabrice is arrested for printing a radical newspaper, things become dire indeed and Olivia comes to the realization that she has underestimated the seriousness of the situation. She has been entertaining a romantic illusion and now her eyes are wide open. Olivia joins the Resistance, passing high level information that she has procured at the Ritz to the Allies.

“Since the Occupation, Montmartre had been a ghost town at night, the silence only broken by the barking of dogs abandoned by owners who had fled Paris. The full moon tonight was making them howl incessantly. It sounded to Olivia like the lamenting of lost souls.”
The character descriptions in this book are lovely. One woman is described as having eyes that were “the washed-out green of a distant prairie.” The prose in this novel is exquisite and the research is impeccable. Small details like the ‘coffee’ made from burned acorns that the French drank after the German occupation of Paris lend authenticity to the story. 

The author’s note at the end of the book was extremely interesting. I knew, of course, that a few of the characters in the book were real people, but I had no idea that so many were. 

Thank you to Net Galley and Lake Union Publishing for providing me with an Advanced Reader Copy of this book.

Grade: A/A-

In the end, this book left me breathless and aching.  This is a powerful story about love, World War II, and just what it means to do your duty.  With a mixture of fictional characters and real, Gabriel depicts women's struggles during this war.  The story revolves around Olivia Olsen, an asset to the Resistance, Arletty, a Nazi sympathizer, and Coco Chanel, a Nazi.  

One thing that I really appreciated about this book is that it took women's struggles seriously, regardless of their political affairs.  There's pregnancy, abortion, miscarriages, double standards, threats, and the inevitable being told to "smile."  Each woman made their decision, and they stood by it until the end, even if they didn't necessarily like the consequences.  

Though at times this book seemed strangely catered to the male gaze (warning--there's a failed lesbian rape scene in the later half of this book), it overall did a good job resisting that notion and critiquing the positions women were put into when Nazi men were making the rules.  To smile is to survive, to lie about your identity is to survive, to continue working at a hotel that now serves the enemy in order to be able to eat is to survive.  

One other thing that I really enjoyed about this book is the notion of female solidarity.  When Olivia, Coco, and Arletty had scenes together, there was an unspoken sense of trust between them.  They helped each other get abortions, allowed for one moment for a facade to drop.  Regardless of their choices, they were still women, and as women, they needed to stick together.  

I also learned quite a bit about WWII--I'm not a very big history buff, but it was really fun to be able to learn about names and places and be able to look them up for reference and additional learning.  It helped me contextualize this story a little better.  Not only that, but it also helped me learn a lot more about French culture--which is saying something considering I lived in France.  But again, not knowing much about history, there's always so much to learn!

Overall, this book was an engaging ride, filled with intrigue, and at times, horror.  At times I wanted to sit back and appreciate the detail, and others, I needed to rush through to discover what would happen next.  Just wonderful, absolutely wonderful.

This is a powerful story about love, WW2, this book depicts women’s struggle during the war. This book taught me facts about the war that I didn’t know.

Overall this book was a good read. It left me breathless at times

A book full of twist, turns and unpredictablity . It is set in WW2.
An ok read.
Thank you to both NetGalley and Amazon Publishing UK for my eARC of this book in exchange for my honest unbiased review

This was different take on a period of history that I am really interested in. The three different perspective approach worked well as we see how they intertwined with each other. That said it was a little slow for me.

Another take on women in Paris during WWII that will appeal to fans of historical fiction where real women play a role. In this case, Gabriel has merged the stories of Olivia, who is working with the Resistance, with Leonie Bathiat aka "Arletty", a sympathizer and well, Coco Chanel, who has somehow managed to escape from her collusion. Look at them as women and this is a better read than if you think about the politics and ethics. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC.

One of my favorite books of 2019. A historical fiction novel based in Paris during WW2. The story follows Olivia Olsen, a midwestern gal that travels to Paris in seek of being an artist. The next few years details her experiences of the war and the figures she meets while working at the Ritz. A fantastic read that breaks your heart while giving you hope.

I really enjoyed this novel. It was a great book to fall asleep to every night. The ending was by far the best thing I could have imagine for this story. I was starting to wonder for awhile but everything was tied up nicely and I finally felt a connection to the characters about halfway through. The beginning was good but I didn't really care but the author really turned it around in the second half and I grew the love Olivia. I am very happy to have had the opportunity to read this before it's release date!

A fascinating insight into how different women handled life in occupied Paris during WW2. It is fiction but based on real characters during this period. Those unwilling to give up their privileged lives that they have worked hard to achieve so enjoy the best of the Nazi's occupation. Others who see the horrors of the Nazi's and SS and join the resistance and a German living in Paris who is gleeful in joining the Gestapo. Set with the Ritz as the background the book is full of bravery, decadence and pure evil. I read over a weekend and enjoyed it immensely. I have read other books from Marius Gabriel and really enjoy his writing.

In Paris, the Ritz was the place everyone wanted to be during WWII, including the Nazi's. They took over half of the hotel at a 90% discount, and expected the same lavish treatment as everyone else. The book concentrates the story around 3 women at the Ritz, and how they all dealt with the invasion. Coco Chanel decides to put it to her advantage and gets a lover high up in the regime. Arletty is a French actress who falls deeply in love with a Nazi officer and it ruins her name in society and her career. Then there is Olivia. Olivia was a struggling painter before the war, but took a job at the Ritz as a chambermaid because she needed the money. Her Swiss beauty played to her advantage and she became doted on by one of the top Nazi's. She turned that to her advantage and became an informant for the resistance.
I could not put this book down. It was fascinating seeing everything from their viewpoint. There was some romance, and lots of intrigue and moments where I sat on the edge of my seat. I can not recommend begin to recommend this book enough....it is definitely a must-read!

I thought that this was a great story, the book totally encapsulated me. I enjoyed the use of the Ritz Hotel.
I thought that Marius Gabriel told the history of how life was in Paris in the occupation was very good.
I felt moved, dismayed, nervous, excited and thrilled. Such use of emotion in a book makes it a fantastic book in my opinion.

I really enjoyed this book. I am a big fan of historical fiction. The characters in this book were interesting and kept me reading. The fact that some were real and some were based on real people really added to my enjoyment. Telling the story from three different perspectives added to my enjoyment of the book as well. This is a fascinating period of our recent history and the stories of bravery deserve to be told.

Thank you to Netgalley for my copy.

I love books about World War II. I don't know why - I just do - something about the struggle that women had during that war resonates with me more than any other time in history. The Parisians is a look at Paris during WWII, and the guests at the Ritz Hotel. Multiple characters, multiple storylines all with the Ritz as the central location makes for an interesting read - we follow high and lower society during the Nazi regime.

While the concept of this book was great, I was left a little let down. There were so many opportunities to expand on certain characters and timelines and stories. A few just felt flat.

Either way, this is still an okay read.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the eARC in advance of this book's release.

I will say this about this book, thank God for Coco Chanel and Arletty! Those two women made the book worthwhile reading. I found the beginning of the book very hard to get into thanks to Olivia Olsen, this young artist who has come to Paris to paint. She's just the kind of character I have a problem with, a young naive thing that on the very first pages of the book meets a young anarchist that will take her by storm. I was not amused, I found Olivia to be boring to be very frank. However, I kept on reading because as I wrote before there were two bright spots in this book Coco Chanel and the French actress Arletty. Personally, I wouldn't have minded that Olivia had been cut out of the picture and the book had been just about Coco Chanel and Arletty. Although I have to admit Olivia role become more interesting after the Germans occupied France and she started to help the Resistance.

At first, I gave the book 4-stars, but after some considerations did I lover the rating to 3-stars. And, that's because I've read two books previously by Marius Gabriel that I really enjoyed, The Ocean Liner and The Designer. The Parisians can't really measure up to them. It's just not as interesting, unfortunately. Still, there are some really good parts in the book, well everything concerning Coco Chanel and Arletty. I felt that Olivia personality was truly bland and I felt it the most when she interacted with them. She grew a bit better towards the end, but still, the stars of this book were Coco Chanel and Arletty!

The next installment in my unintentional historical-fiction journey this month brings me to Paris in the 1940s, just as Hitler and the Nazis have taken over France. The Parisians follows three women who do what it takes to survive in the city they love during the tumultuous World War II.

Olivia Olsen is a Swedish-American who moved to Paris as a young adult to become a painter and be inspired by the most beautiful city in the world. Penniless and desperate, she gets a job at the Ritz hotel as a chambermaid in order to pay her rent. The Ritz is soon taken over by high-ranking Nazi officers, and Olivia finds herself not only favoured by Hitler's right-hand man but helping the Resistance try to put an end the horrors around them.

Other women staying at the hotel include Coco Chanel, the much-loved fashion designer, who uses the new regime to her advantage, and Arletty, a famous French actress, who finds love in the most unusual of places. Can their careers—and they, themselves—survive Nazi occupation?

This the first book I've read by Marius Gabriel, and I've got to say: The man really does his research. While there were a few fictional characters in this novel, a large number of the cast was inspired by true events and real people—and we got the imagining of how their stories concluded the way they did. Although I really wasn't interested in Coco Chanel's story in the slightest (it really didn't seem like she worked very hard to get where she was or keep what she had), I was not at all familiar with Arletty, and find myself wanting to delve a little deeper into her biography. Chanel and Arletty were not as three-dimensional as I would have liked—their motivations were not as clear as the third (and most exciting) woman of the novel. The fictional Olivia is where my heart and interest was held the most. She's an ordinary woman of little means who stepped up to try to end a war she could have easily escaped by going home. She's the real hero of this story.

Though a lot of the plot centres on the love lives of these three women, I wouldn't consider it a romantic book, necessarily. These women had to do what they needed to survive—and sometimes that means falling in love with men they shouldn't. The story is really what's at the heart of this novel, and if the subject matter interests you in the slightest, I would definitely recommend it. I thought it started a little slowly, though, so make sure you give it time before you make your final decision.

3 stars.

Thank you to NetGalley and Amazon Publishing UK for the advanced copy.

This review will be posted on my blog, The Modest Reader, on January 14 at 10 am at https://modestreader.com/2019/01/14/the-parisians

I loved, loved, loved The Parisians by Marius Gabriel. For me, this is historic fiction at it’s best. Set in Nazi occupied Paris during World War II with many of the characters real historic figures such as Coco Chanel, this was a story that fascinated me, chilled me to the bone and totally consumed me. I finished it a few days ago and I’m still suffering from my book hangover.

The Parisians centres around three women; Olivia, a fictional character who as a struggling artist takes a job as a chambermaid at the famous Ritz Hotel to make ends meet; the real life Arletty, one of the biggest French film stars of the time; and the famous Coco Chanel. All these women are very different with contrasting attitudes to the war and the Nazi occupation.

It is the Ritz that binds the three women together as the famous hotel played an interesting, unique role during the German occupation. It accommodated senior Nazi officers (such as Hermann Goering) who all gave themselves a ninety per cent discount. It also accommodated privileged civilians of other nations, such as Coco Chanel who was sheltered from the severe hardships that the majority of French people suffered. Yet some of the staff spied for the Resistance during the occupation and were arrested and interrogated by the Gestapo.

Until reading this book I had no awareness of Arletty whose film performances are apparently regarded as among the finest in 20th century cinema. Yet she is a controversial figure as she had a public love affair with a German officer during the occupation. The affair is a key storyline in the novel.

Likewise I had no awareness that Coco Chanel also collaborated with the Nazis.

Gabriel writes in such an objective, sensitive manner that really opened my eyes. Yes, living in the 21st century it is easy to judge women that collaborated with the Nazis. And believe me, I was shocked. Yet this is also a novel about women striving to achieve and maintain their talents, their careers, their independence in a society which is dominated by men.

Throughout The Parisians, I was gripped. I was actually genuinely quite scared at times and petrified to turn the next page, but I had to as I was hooked and desperate to know the outcome.

If you’re like me and love historic fiction, you’ll love The Parisians. I know I’ve said it before but it really is historic fiction at its best. When you do read it, take a minute at the end to read the author’s note too. This is also fascinating, especially as I was aware that some of the characters were real, but there is a lot more real people featured in the novel than I could ever imagine.

Thank you to NetGalley, Amazon Publishing UK and Lake Union Publishing for my advance copy. Thank you also Marius Gabriel for this enthralling, vivid and fascinating read. I truly loved it.

The Parisians will be published on 17 January 2019.

An interesting look at Paris during World War 2, concentrating on the guests and staff at the plush Ritz hotel. It has a mixture of real and fictional characters, including icons such as fashion designer Coco Chanel and French actress Arletty. We also follow the life of fictional character Olivia Olsen, an American chambermaid at the Ritz, hiding her identity behind a Swedish passport. We explore their stories during the Nazi occupation, and the ways each individual handles the oppressive regime. As the Nazi's take over one wing of the famed hotel we find our ladies risking their lives as the war drags on and on.
I did enjoy this book, and some of the characters are memorable, but not really fleshed out too much. This is a very believable tale, we get the lowdown how the Nazi's treated those in a position of privilege. My only real gripe is we don't really get a sense of time. It seems like characters have only just met, then suddenly two years have passed. All in all it's not a bad novel, it just doesn't have what it takes to stand out in a very popular genre.
My thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I could not put this story down! A blend of fictional and real characters revolving around the Paris Ritz in WW2, I loved the contrasts in this story of Nazi and resistance, glamour and suffering, duplicity and raw honesty. It was an incredible, all through the perspective of women. I have read biographies of Chanel, one quote sycophantic and this book was a brutal but believable portrayal of how one had to choose how to policically and socially position oneself during wartime. Please can this be translated into film or TV because it has everything.

Thanks to netgalley for an early copy in return for an honest review
What a fantastic insight to how the other half lived at the world famous Ritz in Paris.
Ì found this an intriguing plot and can highly recommend this book to family and friends

I do enjoy reading historical fiction and especially enjoy reading books where WW2 is concerned. This is the first time that i have read any books by Marius Gabriel and have a few more which shall be reading soon. I am not going to write what this story is about, as i prefer one to read the story for themselves. Recommended.

My thanks to Netgalley and the Publishers. This is my honest review.

A fascinating work of historical fiction set during the turbulent World War II era in Paris, this book takes real life people and places and weaves them into a compelling narrative. The story follows the adventures of a young American woman, Olivia Olsen who has travelled to Paris to follow her dreams of becoming an artist, On the eve of war breaking out, she meets a charming young man who sweeps her off her feet. Unable to support herself by her art she becomes a chambermaid at the luxurious Ritz hotel, and when the Germans roll into the city she becomes a personal favourite of Goring, who has quarters at the hotel. Tragedy strikes when her lover is caught distributing anti German materials ,and he is tortured and killed. Determined to seek revenge Olivia uses her beauty and position at the hotel to spy and a dangerous game of cat and mouse ensues.
I thoroughly enjoyed this fabulous book, I felt the author did a tremendous job of bringing the luxurious and glamorous world of the Ritz to life, as well as the depressing and terrifying brutality experienced by the Parisians under German occupation, Incorporating real life personalities such as Coco Chanel was a really nice touch, adding to the authentic feel of the book, and it is clear that the author has done a good deal of research into the history, setting and people he is writing about. The book starts gently and lulls you into the story , but the tension and drama increases throughout, and if I had any criticism, and it is a slight one, I thought that the ending felt just a little rushed in comparison,
I read and reviewed an ARC courtesy of NetGalley and the publisher, all opinions are my own.

EXCERPT: . . . the eve of war had come as a shock. It was here suddenly, the thing they had all dreaded but not wished to look at, like the monster that lurked under the beds of children. Now, with terrifying purpose, it had clambered out and proved itself real after all.

ABOUT THIS BOOK: Paris, 1940. The Nazis have occupied the city¬—and the Ritz. The opulent old hotel, so loved by Parisians, is now full of swaggering officers, their minions and their mistresses.

For American Olivia Olsen, working as a chambermaid at the hotel means denying her nationality and living a lie, every day bringing the danger of discovery closer. When Hitler’s right-hand man moves in and makes her his pet, she sees an opportunity to help the Resistance—and draw closer to Jack, her contact, whose brusque instructions may be a shield for something more…

Within the hotel, famed designer Coco Chanel quickly learns that the new regime could work to her benefit, while Arletty, one of France’s best-loved actresses, shocks those around her—and herself—with a forbidden love.

But as the war reaches its terrible end, all three women learn the true price of their proximity to the enemy. For in the shadow of war, is anyone truly safe?

MY THOUGHTS: What began as a fairly average read about a young American woman in Paris to make her name as an artist, slowly morphed into a gritty novel of surviving the war, and the German occupation of Paris, by whatever means possible.

I particularly liked how the author contrasted the lives of these three women, whose lives intersect at times, to give different perspectives. I also liked how he contrasted the grim reality, the melancholy of everyday life under the occupation, with rare moments of unadulterated joy, the spark that lit the desire to survive, no matter what.

The book is peppered with real people. I learned a lot about Coco Chanel. I had never known her background, nor that she was a Nazi sympathizer. I had, in the past, simply admired her style. And I had never heard of Arletty, the French film star.

At the end of the book, the Author's Note provides a lot of information about the people in the book who were real and what happened to them after the war, as well as further information about the history of the Ritz Hotel in Paris. It, like the book itself, is well worth reading.

Although one of the categories I have assigned The Parisians is romance, don't let that put you off. There is no schmaltzy romance, more of an awakening, and nothing that is inappropriate to the story. If anything, the love story enhances the overall realism.

This is not a book to be rushed through. It is a book to be lingered over, one that may challenge your previous perceptions about the people on both sides of the war.

I would like to read more by this author.

😊😊😊😊

THE AUTHOR: Marius Gabriel is an international thriller and mystery writer.

Under the pseudonym Madeleine Ker, he wrote over 30 romance novels in the 1980s.

As Marius Gabriel he has written several mystery best-sellers, some of them historical novels.

He has three grown-up children and currently lives in Cairo and London.

DISCLOSURE: Thank you to Lake Union Publishing via Netgalley for providing a digital ARC of The Parisians by Marius Gabriel for review. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own personal opinions.

Please refer to my Goodreads.com profile page or the about page on sandysbookaday.wordpress.com for an explanation of my rating system. This review and others are also published on my sandysbookaday.wordpress.com page

Amazing and emotional read. I'm disappointed to say that I had not read anything by this author before. I loved the mix of real and fictional characters, some of which I had never heard about before this. I would like to thank the publishers and netgalley for letting me have the book to review.

The Parisians by Marius Gabriel (3 Stars)

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for an advance copy of this book in return for an honest review.

This is a book of historical fiction, yet with a lot of reality thrown into the mix. The book follows three main characters, Olivia, Arletty and Coco, all within the context of their relationship to Olivia.

Let’s start with Olivia, the fictional character. Just before World War II, Olivia is an American in Paris studying to be an artist, albeit a starving one at the moment. She meets Fabrice, an anarchist, falls in love, and goes to work at the Ritz Hotel. The Nazis soon occupy Paris and commandeer the Ritz Hotel. Fabrice is killed, and her anger over his death leads Olivia to become a spy for the Resistance. As a chambermaid at the Ritz, she has access to the Nazis’ living quarters and any papers they may have.

Based on reality, the French actress Arletty has an affair with the German officer Hans Jürgen Soehring. Arletty and Olivia become friends, which I just totally did not understand. Arletty is branded a collaborator and marked for death by the Resistance, yet Olivia tries to see the gray areas and feels benevolent toward her.

Also based on reality is the story of Coco Chanel, who lived at the Ritz for most of her life. It is well-known that not only was she was a collaborator, she initiated schemes to rid herself of her Jewish partners. Once again, Olivia feels some compassion for her.

I tried to like the book, and will say that I learned a lot about the real-life people portrayed as it led me to do some research. But the characters just seemed hollow, especially Olivia. For a woman who is a spy in the Resistance, she lacks...something. Passion? Drive? Anger? Hate? At some points it felt like I was reading a Harlequin novel. It just didn’t click for me, and didn’t add to the story. I would have preferred some more grittiness of the Resistance and less of the debauchery and opulence of the wealthy.

www.candysplanet.wordpress.com

Readers choose books for all sorts of reasons and I am no exception. I chose this book specifically for its title because Paris is one of my favorite cities in the world. I may have mentioned this in other reviews, but I cried the very first time I saw that city and if the Eiffel Tower had been a person, well it most likely asked me to stop taking pictures of it. The fact that it was also surrounding the WWII era was a plus.

Juggling characters can be difficult, in the case of The Parisians, we have three very interesting characters( a chambermaid, a French actress, and Coco Chanel) and one intriguing setting- the Ritz hotel. Since this was the main place of entertainment and rest for the main players in the Nazi regime, our plot is driven by plenty of wartime intrigue. While young Swedish-American Olivia is driven to spy on Herman Goering after her lover dies at the hands of the Gestapo, French actress Arletty balances a fine line between the France she knew and what it has become, and Marius Gabriel leaves little doubt about designer Coco Chanel's collaboration with the Nazis.

I enjoyed this story, reading it in one sitting, and despite one foolish sex scene in which both genders sexual organs were described as particular flowers, I felt this was a good addition to the WWII era library.

The Parisians is a story of WWII. The Nazi occupation of Paris includes the Ritz hotel. The story is three different perspectives of women within the Ritz. It's interesting to see how each one unfolds because of social class and station and nationality. This is a fascinating time period. Readers of historical fiction will enjoy this book. Thanks to NetGalley for an arc in exchange for an honest review.

I really felt Marius Gabriel captured the spirit of Paris and The Ritz in this and even more, he was more historically accurate than most others out there. I was so impressed with this book and I read it as if I were needing air haha I couldn't put it down. I will say that at some parts Oliva's chapters were too flowery for me, but, on the whole, I went from being a bit annoyed with her character to admiring her. I wasn't sure what type of ending it would be as the novel did go quite dark, which was reasonable given the plots, but it was a really satisfying one.

Coco and Arletty were very dynamic and I wasn't sure what I was going to get reading this book, maybe just some fluff, but it turned out to be more than that. You were allowed to feel sympathy and revulsion at some parts, to look at the darker parts of the human soul and still allowed some hope. The writing is eloquent, the shift of the characters lets you know the author has thought greatly on how each perspective will be laid out for the reader and I look forward to reading more by Marius Gabriel.

I was allowed to read a free e-copy from NetGalley of this in exchange for my honest opinion. I'm not paid, I'm poor, a hobo really who just happens to like lovely books and this is one of them.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. Despite the gritty and often gory details of the Gestapo’s torture actions, this WWII historical fiction and romance novel was really fascinating. I was reintroduced to several historical figures through a new light, and found Gabriel’s portrayal of the humanized side of the “evil” parties and the dark side of the “good” protagonists very intriguing. I did not know much of what happened leading up to the German occupation of France, and the fact that many locations, such as the famous Ritz hotel in Paris, experienced a divided and almost surreal suspension of the terrors happening around it made for a great story backdrop.

#TheParisians follows Olivia (an American artist), Arletty (the leading lady of French cinema) and Coco Chanel as they live through the occupation of Paris by the Nazis. Olivia works at the Ritz, where Arletty and Coco live for much of the story, and it is richly bought to life by the author as well as occupied Paris.

There is intrigue and heartbreak as the Gestapo do their terrible works, forbidden lovers meet and part and a look into the shameful way many embraced Nazism as it benefitted then financially.

Thank you to #NetGalley and the publisher for my free advance copy in return for an unbiased review.

The Parisians was a new take on looking at what happened I'm France during World War 2. Here you are seeing the war and occupation through those that work and live at the Ritz hotel. Yoi get to see how the rich we're affected by the Nazi's as well as those with less. There are characters within the story that are real people, which I found fascinating. It brought them to life for me.
I struggled a little with getting into the story. I love all things World War 2 and was really excited to read this book. It was an enjoyable read and did open my mind to some things I had not thought of before. But I felt like the characters could have been added to a little bit more. I was left wanting more from some of them, feeling they were not completely flushed out.
I have never read Marius Gabriel before, but I did enjoy this novel. It is an interesting take on a time when many books are written. It was nice to find something that wasn't just the same old story that we know.

The Parisians follows three main characters in Paris during WWII: American chambermaid-turned-Resistance spy Olivia, French actress Arletty, caught between her loyalty to her country and her German lover, and famed fashion designer (and Nazi-sympathizer, which I had no idea about before reading this) Coco Chanel.

I loved the concept of seeing events from the perspectives of these three very differently positioned women, but honestly I never felt much of a connection to any one of them. There were also the inevitable comparisons of Olivia’s storyline to The Nightingale and The Alice Network, and this just didn’t quite stack up. I still enjoyed the subject matter, but was left wishing it had dug a bit deeper.

I have read a lot of WWII novels and one of the things I liked about this one is the mix of fictional characters and historical persons. The Parisians has three POV characters. Olivia Olsen is a young painter from the Midwest who moves to Paris in around 1939 to paint. Olivia is the main character and we follow her through the war as she begins to work at the Ritz and then becomes a spy for the Resistance against Goering.
The other two characters are Coco Chanel and Arletty. Now I had heard of Chanel before but did not know anything about her past. (Makes me happy I don't own anything Chanel.) But I had never heard of Arletty. The nice contrast of the two historical characters is that they are women who were collaborators during the war and were actually tried after the war for their relationships with German Officers.
All of the Germans were real people, including Heike who is based on a real woman named Violetle Morris. This is a novel that you would devour in a weekend. If you want a war novel that is a little different definitely give this one a try and read the Author's Note at the end for a little history (it is super short).

I was pleasantly surprised and delighted with The Parisians. It was a pretty good realistic novel on Paris during the war It had great characters that although fictional felt very real. Seemed like a fresh read and not a repeat of something I have read before

I didn’t enjoy this book very much, so would prefer not to leave a negative review. Thank you for the opportunity to read this ARC!

The Parisians was a solid account of how WW2 imoacted Paris and the role of The Ritz hotel. The story focuses on the lives of 3 women whose paths intersect theoughout the war at The Ritz. The author includes historical characters including a famous French actress named Arletty and the infamous Coco Channel. At the heart of the story is a young American artist named Olivia Olsen who clings to her Swiss roots and pretends to be from Switzerland.

Olivia gets a job as a chambermaid at The Ritz and is privy to many of the Nazi's secret plans as she cleans rooms. Her role in the resistance is highlighted. Arletty falls for an SS officer and her budding romance is scorned by French Patriots. Coco is mostly depicted during the first part of the story as she immerses herself with the Nazis.

I enjoyed Arletty's story and Olivia's story picked up during the second half of the book. I wasn't very interested in Coco's role and found myself quite detached when the plot focused on her. In all, the story was interesting although there was nothing about the war that I didn't already know. So if you tend to read a lot of books with a ww2 backdrop, you may find the historical bits redundant. Where I struggled most with this book, was with it's one dimensional plot and limited opportunity for emotional connection. I enjoyed the love stories and felt these were the instances during which I most strongly connected emotionally. I think if the story had gone a little deeper with its characters, it would have made it that much more heartfelt.

In all, a book that I'd recommend to readers who are interested in a ww2 story that is more superficial in nature and without the raw descriptive atrocities that happened to many people during this time. Some significant occurrences are mentioned but in a lighter way.

Thank you to publisher and NG for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I am a big fan of mr. Gabriel. This is one of his best. I was engaged with the story and the characters from page one. Anyone who loves all things Paris is going to want to add this to their collection.

The Ritz Hotel in Paris takes center stage in WWII. Three women, Olivia Olsen, chambermaid, Arletty, actress and Coco Chanel, designer of women's fashions. It is no surprise, of course, from all that I have read about Chanel that she would appear in this novel. This hotel, famous for hosting the Nazi elite, would be the perfect place for these 3 women to become involved with them. Olivia to join the Resistance and gather information, Arletty to become in love with a German officer, and Chanel to save her own hide as well as her anti-Semitic views.

Olivia is the fictional character that brings the book together. A young artist who came to France to further her creativity she just can't make it financially and out of desperation becomes a chambermaid at The Ritz. With the breakout of WW!! she becomes involved with the Resistance in order to help her boyfriend who is in the hands of the Gestapo. As for Arletty and Chanel, did they sell out France when they became involved with the Nazis? Did they even care? Certainly the depiction of those 2 famous people made the book engaging. While I've never read anything about the famed French actress Arletty, I have read enough about Chanel and her "fascination" with the Nazis.

This was not the first book I've read by Gabriel...it won't be my last. The book was interesting and even though there were some "down" times, I enjoyed it. This author always gives the reader a compelling novel, which is why I always come back for more!

My thanks to NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Thanks to NetGalley for an advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.

I enjoyed the Parisians. Within a few pages I was going to Google to read more about Coco Chanel and her involvement in WWII and after that I was hooked. I loved the fictional character of Olivia and how she wove her into other famous women in France during WWII and the role of the French Resistance and the Ritz. The beginning was a little slow, but really picks up.

When Paris was overrun in WW2 the Nazi's took over the Ritz Hotel and this is the story of three women who became involved with them. Olivia is an American artist who took a job as a chambermaid at the Ritz to help pay her way and a at the outbreak of the war decided to stay, claiming her Swiss origins, and collected information for the Resistance, Arletty an actress who fell for a German SS officer and Coco Chanel whose German collaboration is well documented.
How will the lives of these three women intertwine and what will happen to them at the end of the war?

An interesting historical read, the inclusion of Coco Chanel in the story adds an interesting twist and I enjoyed the book and will be looking for further books by this author.

I loved this engaging novel set in WWII. Even Coco Chanel makes an appearance. Such a great book!

Many thanks to Netgalley, the publisher, and the author for my ARC. All opinions are my own.

I've read a lot of good reviews for this book recently, but unfortunately I just couldn't get into it.. I am sending these thoughts now but have put this e book to one side and will hopefully pick up and try again at another time.

I received a copy of this e book from netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Poignant, Deeply-moving and Heart-breaking!

Then, which World War 2 story, isn't?

This is a story of three women. Olivia Olsen, an American woman of Swedish descent. Famous french actress, Arletty and none other than Coco Chanel. With famous and grand hotel the Ritz set as a backdrop its the story of these three women as they navigate the murky paths of secrets and betrayals during the German occupation of France.

One thing that I have learned from reading books from that era is the fact that no matter how many books I may read on World War 2 there is always something new to learn about the most brutal war in the human history. However, all of the stories has one thing in common. they are all stories of courage, resilience, bravery, perseverance and extreme determination. This one is no different. while, honestly, I didn't really cared about Chanel's and Arletty's story line. Olivia story touched me deeply, her struggles, resourcefulness, resilience and courage broke my heart so many times and I was so happy with the ending of this book because Olivia just deserved all the happiness and love in the world.

I'm not sure how historically accurate the story was but I liked it. I don't think I've read any other WWII stories set in Paris so that made this story unique. I loved the glamour of the Ritz and the scandalous celebrities Coco Chanel and Arletty. I don't think Olivia made a very believable spy but I couldn't help but fall in love with Yokel and Bumpkin. I'm a sucker for a slow burn, against all odds romance.

I love WWII books set in Paris. This is the story of Coco Chanel and the ritz during a horrible time in history. I would recommend this to all fans of WWII historical fiction.

I would like to thank Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with a copy of this book. This is my honest and unbiased opinion of it.

As an artist, Olivia finds Paris to be a much harder place to make a living than she expected. Forced to find work Olivia joins the staff at the Ritz as a chambermaid. As the Nazi's take over Paris, they also take over the luxurious rooms and spaces of the Ritz. Forced to clean the rooms of top Nazi's, Olivia finds an opportunity to work for the allies, photographing documents left strewn about their rooms.

This was a very interesting story. The characters were very realistic and dynamic. I particularly loved how real historical figures were woven into the story. I look forward to reading more from this artist. Overall, highly recommended.

It is 1940 and Paris + the Ritz have been occupied by the Nazis. Most of the story revolves in the Ritz where we find 3 women, both fictional and real, who use this invasion for either their benefit or to extract revenge.

Olivia Olsen, is an aspiring artist turned chambermaid at the Ritz who becomes a favourite of Adolf Hitler's right hand man and uses this as an opportunity to help the Resistance and in the process avenge the death of her fiancee.

Coco Chanel is a world famous designer who sees at the onset that this regime can work to her benefit and doesn't waste time and effort to use them to get what she wants.

Arletty, France's darling and best loved actresses of the time, shocks herself and the sentiments of all French people when she decides to get into an ill-fated affair with a German Luftwaffe officer Hans-Jurgen Soehring.

What I really liked about this book was how the author managed to bring together both fictional and real characters into the story, at times intersecting their story lines to give a more perspective outlook on this grim period of history and what people were willing to do to survive it.

Also, at the end of the book, the author gives us a short update on all the real people in the book, telling us what happened to them and where their lives led them after the war was over which was interesting (and made me Google to know more about them). The only drawback for me was that I did not emotionally connect with anyone in the book but overall the book was gripping.

My thanks to Netgalley, the author and publishers for giving me an ARC.

I liked this World War II novel set in Paris that combined the backgrounds of real people with fictional characters. This first half was a little slow but it got more interesting as it went. I didn't love the character of Olivia, which kept me from rating it higher.

The story opens in Paris, 1939, on the banks of the Seine river where we meet Olivia, an American living in France, and Fabrice. She is a struggling artist and him a Frenchman interested in her paintings and in her.
He buys a portrait of himself for his mother and she glides into Olivia's life, shaping it for the story to come. Under his mother's recommendation she takes a job as a chambermaid at Paris's Grand Dame - The Ritz.
Within the walls of this esteemed building we meet guests like Antoinette & Arletty and the legendary Coco Chanel and staff like Heike Schwab and Monsier Auzello amongst various other guests and staffers.
And then World War Two breaks out.
We take a journey through the occupation as seen through the eyes of the people in the Ritz, whether they are guests or simply staff in the background.
We get their thoughts and feelings on the occupying Nazi's who move into the Ritz at heavily discounted prices. Some are so certain the Nazi's will improve their lives and some turn to the Resistance to fight the Nazi's in anyway possible.
Olivia, finding herself in a unique position, becoming the favourite of Hermann Goering - who believes she is Swedish not American, and having lost all she loves and cares about in France takes a brave decision that could cost her her life if found out.
This was a gripping story. The last 10 - 15% of the book was brilliant, well-researched writing. It takes you down into the bowels of human despair and depravity. Very powerful images were described.
The realities of the war on the "normal" person in the street and the privileged Ritz guests were laid out plainly for the reader to see and compare.
I enjoyed seeing how each of the three women chosen to be the main characters progressed from pre-war times to post-war times.
This was a heart-wrenching read, but a beautifully written and very well-researched book. I loved the careful blend of fact and fiction that all contributed to a great story. The inclusion of the "Author's Notes" was rather interesting.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for allowing me the chance to read this book.

This is an adequate, entertaining novel. The characters are interesting, and the plot is enough to keep me interested, both of which are good things. I don’t know why I didn’t love this book, but it just didn’t vibe particularly well with me. However. I would recommend it if you’re looking for a quick summer read!

"The Parisians" tells the story of Olivia Olsen, an American girl in Paris who falls in love with a Parisian boy just prior to WWII. As the war begins, Olivia gets work at the famed Ritz hotel. She finds that she has access to top-secret German papers and starts passing information to the French resistance. There's a great mix of real and fictional characters in the book. Olivia cleans for Coco Chanel, and the French actress Arletty is in the hotel as well.

I enjoyed this book and recommend it.

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

This book was hard to put down. The plot was complete and the characters were well rounded. This book reminded me of the true story called The Nazi Officers Wife in the sense that people had to do what they had to do in order to survive this horrible period in our history. I highly recommend this book.

After reading and loving Marius Gabriel's previous novels The Designer and The Ocean Liner I was really excited to be approved to read The Parisians.
The story focuses mainly on the Ritz in Paris and its occupants, among them none other than Coco Chanel, french actress Arletty, and the fictional character, Olivia, a chambermaid at the Ritz.

This author always gives the reader a compelling novel, which is why I always come back for more!

I would recommend this work to everyone.

I would like to thank Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with a copy of this book. This is my honest and unbiased opinion of it.

My favorite genre is historical fiction and I especially like WWII fiction. I am constantly amazed at every day people became extraordinary heroes. I have read other books that have been written about the Ritz during WWII. In this book, the author focuses on A fictional character, Olivia, an American who is in Paris who is a chambermaid and has a Swedish passport, The other two characters are real life Coco Chanel and a French actress, Arletty. I found myself caught up in their lives, the decisions they make and the consequences of their decisions. I felt the author did a wonderful job in making me feel like I was in the room with these characters and found myself having conversations with them.

I adored this book! Historical fiction is a firm favourite of mine, and this ticked all the boxes. With famous faces providing notable cameos, Olivia is a total hero. Heartbreakingly sad but full of bravery in the face of adversity, The Parisians is a book I'll come back to time and time again.

I am in charge of the senior library and work with a group of Reading Ambassadors from 16-18 to ensure that our boarding school library is modernised and meets the need of both our senior students and staff. It has been great to have the chance to talk about these books with our seniors and discuss what they want and need on their shelves. I was drawn to his book because I thought it would be something different from the usual school library fare and draw the students in with a tempting storyline and lots to discuss.
This book was a really enjoyable read with strong characters and a real sense of time and place. I enjoyed the ways that it maintained a cracking pace that kept me turning its pages and ensured that I had much to discuss with them after finishing. It was not only a lively and enjoyable novel but had lots of contemporary themes for our book group to pick up and spend hours discussing too.
I think it's important to choose books that interest as well as challenge our students and I can see this book being very popular with students and staff alike; this will be an excellent purchase as it has everything that we look for in a great read - a tempting premise, fantastic characters and a plot that keeps you gripped until you close its final page.

In Paris on the eve of the Nazi invasion, the Ritz Hotel is the center of life for the rich and famous and the staff who serve them. When the Nazis march into Paris, the Ritz Hotel is commandeered for the officers. Many of the staff have already fled or been forced out of Paris, leaving a much-reduced staff to maintain the high standards of this world-class hotel. This novel is populated with real and fictional characters, keeping the focus on three women: Olivia Olsen, a chambermaid at the Ritz, and two residents at the hotel, Coco Chanel and the French actress Arletty. Olivia is an American living in Paris as a struggling artist. To eat and pay her rent, she takes a job at the Ritz. When her fiancé is arrested and killed by the Gestapo, she is motivated to join the French Resistance. She takes advantage of her access to Hermann Goering and other Nazi officers’ rooms to gather classified information. Coco Chanel is living at the Ritz with her lover while battling drug addiction during her declining years. She is bitter towards a Jewish business associate and takes an active pro-Nazi stance. Arletty is a famous actress known for her steamy roles. She begins an affair with a Nazi officer, which has a devastating effect on her career.

This is an engrossing read. I was captivated by Marius Gabriel’s fictionalized account of the real-life Coco Chanel and Arletty, as well as his characterization of Hermann Goering. Gabriel captures the story of the people who struggled to survive the occupation, those who actively resisted, and the ones who collaborated with the Nazis. In the Author’s Notes, we learn what happened to the Ritz and many of the real-life characters after the war, including Coco Chanel and Arletty. This section nicely wraps up the novel.

-- Historical Novels Review, May 2019

Thankyou to NetGalley, Amazon Publishing UK and the author, Marius Gabriel, for the opportunity to read a digital copy of The Parisians in exchange for an honest and unbiased opinion.
I was drawn to this book by the premise of the storyline.
It was an OK read but I felt there was something lacking within the narrative. Like there was information missing.
Unfortunately, not a book for me. But if you, as a reader, enjoy this genre, give it a go and make up your own mind.

Really enjoyed this different WWII story! While a bit cliche in places (artist in Paris, hob nobs with Ritz celebrities, dates a resistance member, etc) it was still a really enjoyable read. Some pretty big swatches of time were covered between chapters and it was jarring to try to figure out how much time had passed. The chapters focusing on Arletty and Coco Chanel were a bit distracting from Olivia, the main character. So while the book had some problems, it was a great vacation read.

I decided to read this book, because of the beautiful cover :) It took me a while to read it, but it was totally worth it. The novel is set in the beautiful city of Paris during the WWII. Among the characters are Coco Chanel and Hermann Goering. The author is not beating around the bush while describing Coco Chanel's collaboration with German invaders and how she tried to deprive her Jewish business partners of their property, because while the Nazis ruled they were fair game. A big part of the book happens in the Ritz hotel and I learned a lot about it, which was fun.

I received "The Parisians" from the publisher via NetGalley. I would like to thank the author and the publisher for providing me with the advance reader copy of the book.

Thank you Netgalley and the Publisher for my ARC in exchange for my honest review. This was an enjoyable book.

"The Parisians" was an interesting read. Taking place in Nazi occupied France and including both fictional and real people with WWII as a backdrop, I found this to be a rather enjoyable historical fiction read.