The Storyteller of Casablanca

Zoe is finding it almost impossible to settle into her new life in Morocco, with her husband and a new baby and being so far from home. While investigating her new home, she finds a wooden box under the floorboards in her daughter’s bedroom. In the box are the diary and letters of Josie, a young girl waiting with her family in Casablanca in 1940 for transport to the United States, as they try to stay one step ahead of the Nazis. In Josie’s diary, Zoe is able to explore a city and a time long vanished, both the beauty and the terror. This is an unforgettable read, you can almost smell the cinnamon and allspice of the bazaar

My thanks to NetGalley and Amazon Publishing/Lake Union Publishing for this advance copy in exchange for an honest review.

Initially I found the narrative immature, but then had to revise my opinion as the story unfolded. It was apt for the tale and surprisingly, Josie’s narrative did mature over time.

With a love for Morocco I could not resist requesting this book. Despite containing descriptions of the landscape, cities and people of Morocco, bringing back fond memories of my recent visits, it’s not a page-turner. The history of Morocco during WW2, as retold in Josie’s diary, were informative and well researched. A diary written by an 13 year old and the current day events of a troubled young married woman, switches frequently between each one’s story. The characters were well portrayed and for the most part likeable.

Zoe is having a hard time adjusting to her new life in Casablanca. After finding a box containing a journal of a 13 year old girl, Josie, that was written in the 1940s.

The story switches back and forth as Zoe reads Josie’s story and begins to fall in love with the city that Josie describes so well.

I loved that Josie’s writing in her journal matured as she did. The detail and research done for this book was phenomenal.

A wonderful tale that toggles back and forth from current period to 1940s period. The writing develops throughout the story as the child, Josie, in the 1940s matures through the actions that surround her. In addition, Zoe finds the strength within the writing of the child to provide a new direction in her life. The descriptions of the landscape, cities and people of Morocco, are wonderfully descriptive and provides a view into a place I have not visited to date. The history of Morocco during WWII, told in Josie’s diary, were informative and well researched. A diary written by an 13 year old and the current day events of a troubled young married woman, switches frequently between each one’s story. The characters were well portrayed and were mostly enjoyable characters. I enjoyed the different perspective of the war and how it did have far reaches that might not have always been the mainstream.

Having read and enjoyed The Skylark’s Secret by Fiona Valpy, I had to request this book. I was not disappointed. It is a story written in dual timelines. Zoe, young , married with a baby, goes to live in Casablanca when her husband accepts a posting there. He works for a shipping company and spends a lot of time at work. Zoe is befriended by some of the other expats, and is encouraged to take part in some of their activities. One day, she finds a loose floorboard in her daughter’s bedroom. When she tries to fix it, she discovers a wooden box containing a journal, hidden underneath. The journal was written in 1941, by a 13 year old Jewish girl, who had fled, with her family, from their home in Paris to escape the Nazis. It describes life in Casablanca during the war years and the difficulties refugees were facing there.
I loved the little fables interspersed in the story and also liked the descriptions of the Medina, the people, the landscape and life in general.
I was not expecting the final turn in the story.
My thanks to NetGalley, Fiona Valpy and Lake Union Publishing for an ARC copy of this lovely story.

I was totally immersed in this book and absolutely loved it. I have enjoyed all Fiona Valpy's novels and her interweaving of present day stories wit historical fiction is mesmerising. The underlying narrative of coping with grief resonated with me very strongly personally. Superb!

This book will be included in my Most Favorite Books Read in 2021 list. I was moved by so many things in this incredibly beautiful book. Ms. Valpy's story telling of these two women in two different times is beautiful, the setting is magical. It's a book I'll be sharing with family and friends for a long time to come.

This was a wonderfully descriptive novel that takes place in Morocco, mostly Casablanca. You can almost see, hear, touch and smell the surroundings in the novel. I’ve been to Casablanca just once, many years ago but this book has peaked my interest into perhaps thinking about visiting again at some point when the world has opened up again.

The book is written in a dual time line. Our main character is Zoe, who is fairly new to Casablanca and trying hard to fit in to the expat community with the help of a few welcoming and helpful women. Her husband Tom has been transferred with his job to the city. There is also their baby Grace filling up Zoe’s days. However, Zoe is lonely and spends many hours on her own while Tom works late. While in her daughter’s bedroom, she finds a loose floorboard and underneath is a little box with a few trinkets and a diary. The diary is of a young girl of 13 called Josie written during the second world war. Josie and her family had left Paris to go to America to escape the Nazis in France. Their time in Casablanca was to be a stop-over, just for a short while until their papers for the United States came through. Zoe begins reading the diary and soon finds herself intrigued by the young author of the diary and wondering what became of them. She starts doing a little bit of research of her own.

It took me a little while to get into this novel but once I did, I was very interested. There was the hint throughout the book that something wasn’t right in Zoe and Tom’s marriage and you need to keep reading to understand what happened to this couple in order for them to seem so broken.

I enjoyed the two timelines in the novel. I equally liked the two main characters but I was particularly interested in Josie’s story. We hear about WWII in various places throughout the world but this was the first time I’ve read a story about Morocco during the second world war.

Thank you to NetGalley and Amazon Publishing UK for the advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

What a joy! Treat yourself to The storyteller of Casablanca and let Fiona Valpy wit, poignancy, and insight take you away' A real treat!
Let this book take you away to another land for a few hours of pure delight.

Another first for me in a book by Fiona Valpy. I've read a great deal about the diaspora of Jews and refugees in WW2 but nothing about Morocco. The setting is a perfect place for the story to take place.
The dual narrative switches between 1941-1943 and 2010. In 2010, Zoe and her family have come to Casablanca with her husband's work, in hopes of a fresh start after some unrevealed trauma in the past.
This is contrasted with 13 year old French refugee Josie's diary of life in Casablanca after her family escapes from Paris, waiting to get to America.

Both stories were interesting and kept me intrigued as to what fate awaited their respective characters. I had an idea the twist at the end was coming but it did take me by surprise and brought together the threads of the narrative, explaining the ideas dangled in front of us but never explained.

I really enjoyed the author's descriptions of Morocco and the way she highlights the ongoing global refugee crisis.

I would definitely recommend this book and am very grateful to the publishers and Netgalley for an early release copy.

I got bored reading the diary of a 12 year old, after all I’m an adult who needs to be entertained by my reading. This felt more like a YA book. Not for me.

Excellent book! I love all of this author’s books. Fabulous storyline and educational at the same time.

Zoe and her husband move to Casablanca to try to put right their troubled marriage. At the house they move to Zoe uncovers a diary from 1941 written by a 12 year old Jewish/Catholic girl - Josie. Her family have fled Paris as the Nazis rolled in and she tells of their struggle to obtain papers to reach America and safety whilst living under the threat of Nazi invasion and arrest in Morocco. Friendships form with a Moroccan girl and a refugee Jewish boy who lives in much poorer circumstances whilst Josie’s father becomes involved in the local resistance.

The modern day parallel sees Zoe becoming involved in a charity which supports women and children who have escaped torture and struggle in other African countries and we see how their support for each other is a healing force for Zoe.

Set against a Moroccan backdrop, which is a more unusual perspective for WW2 drama. If I have any criticism, it is that Josie’s diary is a little simplistic in style, but that is necessarily so given her age.

I found myself, surprisingly to me, caught up more in Josie’s story and was keen to read the chapters of her life. Very readable book, which draws you in, as tension builds in respect of what will happen to the Second World War family and whether Zoe’s marriage can survive the unspoken issues which have caused its breakdown. Definitely a good read and, as it developed, more and more difficult to put down.

The storyteller of Casablanca is a story with two narratives, one in the 1940s and one in 2010. Both are a fascinating look into like in Morocco during tumultuous times.

Josie is a 12 year old refugee from Nazi occupied France who has arrived in Casablanca on her way to America. Her story is shared through diary entries of her time in Morocco as her family waits for their visas to travel to America. For a 12 year old, she is remarkably observant, brave and compassionate. She does, helpfully, describe herself as precocious from the outset, which is perhaps to help the reader get used to her remarkably mature voice. Her chapters were the most interesting as she explored her new city and country. However, at one point the modern reader, Zoe, does describe the fear she feels for Josie and that she is getting from Josie herself, but up to that moment, I had not really noticed it.

In 2010, Zoe has also just arrived in Casablanca and is living in the house Josie once did. It is clear that something is going on with Zoe but it is purposefully kept from the reader. While I understand why, it didn’t make Zoe’s reading too compelling. Usually with these types of characters there’s some drive to learn more about the past character because they’re connected, the modern one is a historian, journalist and so on. However, in Zoe’s case, she’s just reading the diary out of curiosity. When she does choose to do research it is incorporated into the story a little awkwardly. You suddenly have the sense of Zoe breaking the 4th wall and speaking to you directly.

Of the two characters, Zoe is less interesting and I probably would have been happy just to read Josie’s story.

One big plus point of the book is the devotion to detail about Morocco, today and during the war. I know very little about the North African front during WWII and have yet to visit Morocco so I deeply enjoyed learning about these things through our characters eyes.

Review – The Storyteller of Casablanca by Fiona Valpy

Zoe and her new baby daughter, finds herself in Casablanca after her husband’s transfer. She has difficulties settling in the new city, finding new friends, and her anxiety nearly stifles her. Zoe notices a loose board in the floor of the baby’s room. Under the boards Zoe finds an old diary and a wooden box. She begins reading the diary.

Josie, a twelve year old girl, flees Paris with her family for Casablanca in 1941. The war is reaching for the family as they are awaiting passage on a ship to America. Several fascinating characters come into each life.

Such descriptive and enjoyable adventures and new experiences await both protagonists. As the story weaves, it brings both females awareness of their desires to belong in the captivating city while learning about themselves in the process. I was thoroughly engaged in this enthralling story.

This is a beautifully descriptive book. Makes me want to visit Morocco. My favourite genre of WWII historical fiction. This books has dual timelines in 1940's and 2010's Casablanca. Zoe moves to Casablanca for her husband's work and finds a box with a young girl, Josie's, diary and keepsakes under the floorboard of the house she moves in. Two storylines interweave as we learn of Josie's family's time in Casablanca and Zoe's struggles in her marriage. This novel contains a number of themes including Jewish refugees trying to get to America, French Resistance in Morocco, dreamseller/storyteller traditions in Africa, the use of quilts in the Underground Railroad, loss and bereavement, and the current global refugee crisis. Beautifully written! "Papa says kindness is one of the most important things in the world but a lot of people seem to have forgotten that nowadays."

Yet another dual timeline book! I did enjoy this book and thank NetGalley for the advance copy.
I found the beginning of this book to be formulaic....someone finds a hidden journal and becomes enmeshed in their story. I did like how we never know what Zoe's problems are until the conclusion of the book. I found some of the events very predictable, but it was a decent read.

Thank you to NetGalley for providing a digital copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. This is a gripping story of unimaginable loss and how one pushes forward when hopelessness lingers. Casablanca is where we meet Josie in 1941 and Zoe in 2010, two stories interwoven as told through Josie's diary that Zoe discovers in her new home. Josie and her family escape from Paris and settle in Casablanca before moving on to America. Zoe and her husband move to Casablanca to give their marriage a second chance. Both women find the city and its vibrant personalities attractive and spare no time making the most of their days.
The colorful descriptions of the sights, sounds and food were so life-like, I could imagine myself walking along the cobblestones of Casablanca! There were several aspects of the story that I thoroughly enjoyed - the tales told by the dreamseller, the way a band of misfits form in pursuit of resistance, learning the tradition of quilting as a means to record culture and history, family grief and loss and how those closest to you will nurture you to your new normal. Ultimately, this shows how the power of storytelling - those you learn and those you speak - will set you free.

I have always enjoyed Fiona Valpy’s books but this book is her best one so far..It transports to wartime Casablanca and then to modern times. The 2 main characters are a joy to learn about and leave you cheering them on. This is one of the best books I have read in a long time.

This is a beautiful story which had me absolutely hooked! Whilst reading this I felt as though I was right there in Casablanca drinking the mint tea and eating all the gorgeous food alongside Josie and Zoe.
I liked how the author used two time frames and changed the characters point of views between chapters. The story was easy to follow and there is also a twist at the end which was a massive surprise!
5 stars to this beautiful book and I will definitely be reading more from this author

This is a beautifully written story. The book has a dual timeline plot. Two storylines intertwined between the two main characters. This novel contains various themes and is beautifully written!

An intense, “hold your attention,” read, emotional and historical.

This is really two simultaneously told stories of two very different kinds of refugees. The contemporary story is of Zoe (2010) who moves to Morocco with her husband and daughter Grace, discovers a hidden box and journal of Josie (1941) in the floor boards of her house.

Josie’s story unfolds from Zoe’s reading of the hidden journal. Escaped from Paris, she and her family are waiting for papers to secure passage to Portugal and then to the US. Nazi involvement, friends with locals creates a story from the past of desperate times as a Jewish refugee.

Zoe’s refugee story is how she hides from a secret. She connects with a group that is taking care of women and children and through the story-telling of quilts and other images recovers her marriage, her life and, one hopes, happiness.

Why is the wooden box still hidden in the floor if Josie is safe? Why is Zoe’s so incredibly unhappy?

The unfolding of these tales is timed well, keeps the reader intrigued and connected to both women, and inspires the reader to search their own life for hidden truths and secrets. Well worth reading.

Brilliant, thoroughly enjoyed this book. It had twists and turns in it which kept you interested until the final pages. I didn't see the Zoe storyline coming although in hindsight it made sense. The African campaign war history is something I knew very little about and reading this book has impelled me to find out more. I found it well written and the characters all likeable. I enjoy books which switch between the then and now as this one did. I would certainly recommend to others and look for more from this author.

4.5 stars rounded up.

When Zoe’s husband Tom gets a five year posting to Casablanca she views this as a fresh start for their strained and distant relationship. She makes a chance find beneath the floorboards of their accommodation of a little box and a leather bound notebook that belongs to twelve year old Josiane Duval. Josie’s journal from 1941 reveals that she is French, the family are Jewish and are in Casablanca awaiting the paperwork to take a ship to Portugal and onwards to the USA. The story is told in alternate timelines which works extremely well as both their lives weave and interconnect in surprising ways.

This is another lovely, engaging and well written novel which is based on some actual events. There are many superbly visual descriptions of Casablanca, you feel the heat, hear the sounds, the smells and can almost taste the delicious food. You feel as if you have had a tour not just of Casablanca but also of Morocco. The journal gives insight into the war, the encroaching dangers for Josie’s family and you get a sense of foreboding for the Duval family. The historical context of the war is very well done and we even get appearances by Josephine Baker which is used so effectively in the evolving storyline. The book contains some fascinating insights into the importance of storytelling in Moroccan culture and the author cleverly uses quilting too, merging this well into the plot line. Josie is a fantastic character, she’s clever, perceptive, incredibly brave and she can think on her feet. I love her obsession with Dorothy L. Sayers and in the modern storyline the inclusion of stories like Scheherazade. The story is brought sharply up to date with the inclusion of the migrant crisis in North Africa and people there wait to make an often perilous journey to Europe. This is a soaring emotional tale which has a multitude of elements to it and keeps you transfixed. I did foresee the twist at the end but that’s doesn’t in any way spoil the enjoyment.

Overall, another winner for me from Fiona Valpy. It’s an enthralling read which demonstrates beautifully the power of storytelling on several levels.

With thanks to NetGalley and Amazon Publishing UK for the much appreciated arc in return for an honest review.

Rating: 2.3/5

This is my second experience of Fiona Valpy's work, having previously read "The Dressmaker's Gift". Overall, I think "The Storyteller of Casablanca" is a slightly better novel, but many of the frustrations that I felt while reading "The Dressmaker's Gift" were again evident in this book.

The story takes place across two timelines: Initially 2010 and then interspersed with flashbacks to 1941/42 via the medium of a young girl's diary. The narrative for the 2010 sections is provided by Zoe, an expat who has relocated to Casablanca with her husband. Hidden away in one of the bedrooms of her new home Zoe finds a diary written by Josie, a 12-year-old (initially) girl who lived in the same property with her family some 70 years earlier. As she reads through the diary Zoe is transported back to world that young Josie inhabited and the challenges that she faced.

Fiona Valpy does a creditable job of evoking the atmosphere of life in Morocco, both in the modern setting, but more especially in the wartime period. Josie's story is one that I found engaging. I was not always convinced that the voice given to her by the author was entirely authentic for a girl of her age, but I was prepared to overlook this on the grounds of artistic licence. I was less enthralled by Zoe's chapters. For the most part - certainly until much later in the novel - these contributed little to the overall development and detracted from the more compelling story of Josie, in a way that disrupted the emotional investment that was being made in the characters from that earlier time. Consequently, there are some potentially heartrending moments that don't achieve the level of impact they should have done. I made a similar observation in my review of "The Dressmaker's Gift". In that book I was also frustrated by the handling of the modern sections of the dual timeframe story and the diminishing effect they had on the impact of the novel as a whole. It is disappointing that the same trait is again evident in the author's work here.

On the whole, this is far from being a bad book, and it is a pleasant enough way to while away a few hours, but I felt it had the potential to be something much better.

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for supplying an ARC in return for an honest review.

Absolutely loved loved loved this book, the characters were lovely and I loved the description of Casablanca it made me feel as if I was there with them, loved the fact the book was written as a duel timeline so we got Zoe's and Josie's stories side by side, highly recommend this book and would rate higher if I could
BRILLIANT!

As an avid reader and someone who gravitates towards novels set during the WW2 period, I often find myself reading the same premise repeatedly. Someone from the present finds a diary/journal that belonged to someone in the past, and then we go about learning what happened to that person. After a while, it feels like creativity and novelty are lost.

I loved The Storyteller of Casablanca because it took us on a different discovery and journey of the WW2 period. This time we were able to enjoy a new setting in Morocco and, with it, a different perspective of what was taking place outside of the walls that were crumbling under the Nazi occupation. We did have a present-day character, Zoe, who we come to learn about and get involved in her heartaches, the adaptation of a new life in a new country, motherhood, and eventually her fascination when it comes to learning about Josie, a young girl who escaped the Nazi's in France with her family.

As I said, the setting alone and seeing Morocco through the eyes of the past and present was a nice, new touch to an often-told story. However, I also came to like Josie immensely. I wanted to know as much as I could about Josie, and I was also curious about what led Zoe to this place in her life, both physically and metaphorically. I couldn't put the book down until I got to the bottom of it all! I was not disappointed.

Thank you to NetGalley and Amazon Publishing UK for the advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you Netgalley and Amazon Publishing UK for the eARC.
Zoe, a young wife and mother moves to Casablanca in the 2010's when her husband is offered a job there. Their relationship is is troublesome and she's alone a lot, but finds friends among the expat community. One day she finds a journal in her daughter's room, written by a 13-year old Jewish girl during WWII, who, along with her parents, had fled the Nazis and moved to Casablanca waiting to leave for the States.
The poignant plight of the Jewish people during WWII is thoughtfully written about and described and Casablanca is depicted in such a way that I wanted to pack a suitcase!
The ending was a surprise and I can honestly recommend this book highly, it's a beautiful read.

A long but powerful story of life as a refugee in the 1940's and in 2010. The story flowed so well, the characters were all strong and important to the story.
Fiona's story was a mixture of fact and fiction. It made me want to research more about Josephine Baker and Casablanca during WW2.
I loved that different religions and cultures were carefully woven into the story as well as the history of quilts.

Sometimes books begin slowly and you patiently continue reading hoping they will take off. This one began with enough transporting beauty of prose that its slow unfold inspired me to enjoy the ride. Because it is a journey through time spanning the 1941 early war period of 13 year old Josie's life through 2010 with Zoe's life being tangently revealed bit by bit.

Fiona Valpy has written it with such descriptive imagery that it does indeed morph into an exquisite, exotic blossom gradually opening and emitting the the fragrant and visual essence that is early and modern day Casablanca and Morocco.

This is my kind of book, well-crafted literary fiction where the characters are finely honed with Josie's diary drawing you into what feels like a very intimate friendship with her. And Zoe, who is reading Josie's diary is relating her own tale in first person point of view which, to me is one of the high points of the story. Because it becomes clear that she is one of the storytellers of Casablanca.

As Josie begins to mature she becomes easily engaging and relatable. Her humor is endearing. It is her humor, even in the midst of such a tragic period of history, that carries Zoe's angst-filled struggle along.

Many of the characters are admirable, good, kind, caring and compassionate, making you want to root for them all.

Loved that the plot was neither formulaic or predictable.

Thank you to Amazon Publishing UK for allowing me to read "The Storyteller of Casablanca" in exchange for my honest review.

With thanks to netgalley and fiona valpy for an arc in return for an honest opinion.
Having read most of this authors other works I was delighted to get an early copy and what a fantastic book from start to finish she just never disappoints I can highly recommend this outstandingly fabulous book.

Really lovely book. I have read and enjoyed Fiona Valpy before and she really brings you into the setting of her stories. This story moves between two main characters and I loved at the end when it all came together. Enjoyable and captivating.

Wonderfully detailed book. The descriptions were great, they made me feel like I was actually there seeing it all. Also made me want to visit! I don't recall reading another dual timeline book. I often try to avoid those because they can be confusing and hard to follow. This wasn't one of those. It was easy to follow. I highly recommend it,

Fiona Valpy does a beautiful job of evoking the atmosphere of life in Morocco, both in the modern setting (in 2010 from Zoe's perspective), but more especially in the wartime period (in 1941 from Josie's perspective). I've always loved dual-time-lined books, but only when both the point of view of the two characters are equally interesting. And unfortunately, I found myself liking Josie's parts better and Zoe's ones slower. But overall it was a good book.

Thank you to Netgalley for this arc ebook in exchange for an honest review.

As a lover of WWII era historical fiction books, I was intrigued to read a story about Casablanca and its role in the war. Reading through Josie’s story, I was enthralled with with how a wealthy young girl managed during the war. Her insight into life at that time was enjoyable and page-turning.

I did not enjoy Zoe’s storyline as much. Without knowing her backstory until the end, I felt Zoe lacked depth and came across as odd throughout her narration. Even once we find out the cause of her turmoil and marriage problems, I still felt that the ending was too odd. I feel as though the book would have stood well on its own without her storyline in it.

Thank you to NetGalley for the early preview of this book.

This was a good book told in dual timelines. I wasn’t too familiar with any history involving Casablanca during WW2.
This book was full of rich details of the city in both timelines. I was surprised by the ending. Definitely recommend! Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for the early copy

Fiona Valpyis a born storyteller. Her novel The Storyteller of Casablanca is a beautifully written story which weaves together two periods in time using the same house as the backdrop. 2010 sees Zoe newly arrived with husband Tom in Casablanca where she uncovers an intricately ornate sandalwood box and a diary under the floorboards. The diary contents reveal the life of Josie, a 14 year old refugee arriving in Casablanca in 1941 to escape the advancements of the Nazi regime.
Zoe's life is somehow troubled and her struggles to cope with anxiety is fuelled by raging dermatitis on her hands and arms and she escapes to the rooftop bedroom of her daughter to devour the diary of Josie. Valpy writes as Josie in such a way that you fall under the spell of feeling you are actually reading a real diary and getting to know the life of Josie. The artifacts held in the box are slowly revealed in the diary extracts and a courageous under cover resistance story unfolds. There are warm and memorable elements as you get to know the characters and several events that will leave you moved to tears.
I would highly recommend this writer. This story and the memory of it's characters will remain with me long after completing the reading.
Thank you so much to Fiona Valpy, the publisher and Net galley UK for the opportunity to read this superb story.

I have read a few of Fiona Valpys books and this one is as good as her others. My book group is also very fond of her as well and we enjoy discussing them.
I've never been to Morocco, but Fiona certainly brings the area alive with her description of Casablanca.
It is written in a dual time line. The main main character is Zoe, with her husband Tom and their baby daughter Grace.. Her husband Tom has been transferred with his job to the city.
Zoe is spending her days settling in to their new home and getting to know the ex pat community.

Zoe is lonely and spends many hours on her own while Tom works late. While in her daughter’s bedroom, she finds a loose floorboard and underneath is a little box with a few trinkets and a diary. The diary is of a young girl of 13 called Josie written during the second world war.
Josie and her family had left Paris to go to America to escape the Nazis in France. Their time in Casablanca was to be a stop-over, just for a short while until their papers for the United States came through. Zoe begins reading the diary and soon finds herself intrigued by the young author of the diary and wondering what became of them. She starts doing a little bit of research of her own.

The story starts quite slowly, but once I got into it I found it very interesting . There was the hint throughout the book that something wasn’t right in Zoe and Tom’s marriage and you need to keep reading to understand what happened to them to be uneasy with each other.

I enjoyed the two timelines in the novel. I equally liked the two main characters especially Josies experience as a young teenager during WW 2 when the Nazi s came and how her family coped with it.

I loved The Storyteller of Casablanca by Fiona Valpy. It is a beautifully woven story that occurs in Morocco and alternates between 1941 and 2010. Zoe, who has moved to Morocco as an expat in 2010, struggles to adapt to her new life in a different country and finds a journal started in 1941 by Josie, a 12-year old French girl whose family had escaped Paris and lived in the same house in Morocco while awaiting their papers to travel to America. This is a rich, beautiful story that poignantly describes the challenges facing the refugees in 1941 as well as 2010. Thank you to the author, Lake Union publishing, and NetGalley for an eARC in exchange for my honest review.

I loved the dressmakers gift so was really excited to read this book by Fiona Valpy. The story is set in the wonderful Casablanca where Tom has a new job so Tom and Zoe move. To this magical place in the hope of rekindling thier love.
Zoe finds a notebook written by Josie a young girl from 1941..The historical parts of the war are authentic and well written and the character of Josie is warm and engaging. I love Fiona’s writing and it’s another winner !

I was initially attracted by the title and setting of the story, Casablanca. It is told in two timescales. It starts with modern-day Zoe who is starting a new life as an expat along with her husband and baby. Her marriage is at breaking point and both hope this is a new start for them, however its clear that both are struggling to move past what is overshadowing them from England.
She discovers a wooden box, hidden in her baby daughter's room, containing a journal and other trinkets. The story then flicks between Josie's memoirs of Casablanca and Morocco in World War Two.

I found the whole story fascinating. The historical aspects of the tale were incredibly well researched and an area of world war history that I did not know about. I feel that I've learnt a lot. The tale of Josie, her family and those of her friends was sensitively written. Valpy's rich descriptions of Morocco, both past and present, really brought it to life in my mind. There is a nice link between Josie and her family being refugees in 1941 to Zoe helping out at a refugee shelter in 2010. The representation of the refugee crisis and how Zoe finds a way to empower the women and children there was especially well-written and thought-provoking.

The twists at the end of the book in particular were heart-breaking and I spent the last few chapters in tears, the story was so moving. However, there is hope mixed with grief and this is a wonderful thing to take away from it.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book and will be looking out for more Fiona Valpy books in the future.

**Thanks to NetGalley, the publisher and author for the opportunity to read an advanced e-copy of this book. All opinions are my own **

The Storyteller of Casablanca tells two intertwining narratives of two women who lived in the same house decades apart. Josie is a teenager whose family has moved to Casablanca, Morocco to escape the Germans while Zoe is escaping her own traumatic past with a husband who has become a stranger. Zoe discovers Josie's journal in the floorboards of her house and follows Josie's story as she adjusts to life as a refugee in Morocco.

Overall, I enjoyed this story, but I thought it was too long and that the storylines didn't pick up until about a third of the way through the book. I'm not a huge fan of the two-storyline books, and while this book did a great job at weaving them together, the separate plot lines didn't really start until later in each story. I did love the research done into Moroccan history and culture and hearing about the lives of the different refugee communities--that was so interesting and well done. I just didn't find the plots themselves all that intriguing. Of the two main plot twists (Zoe's and then the main one), only one was a big surprise, although I did love it.

This book could have been better if it was shorter and the plots were stronger and started earlier, but still a good read!

Thank you to Netgalley and Lake Union Publishers for the advance copy of this book to read and review.

I have read several of Fiona Valpy’s other books set in France in WW2. and was excited to read this new one.

The Storyteller of Casablanca tells a story of Josie, a 13 year old half Jewish refugee from France in 1941 and Zoe, a British expat in 2010.

Zoe discovers a journal and wooden box under a loose floorboard in a room of her house in Casablanca.

As she reads the story left behind by Josie, she discovers an old story of Josie’s family waiting to get their papers to travel to America during the war.

Zoe becomes involved in an expat community but also starts volunteering at a refugee centre for women and children. The melting pot of culture in 1940 is not dissimilar to 2010.

There is an undercurrent of tension and sadness in both stories that only comes together right towards the end of the book.

The slow unveiling is worth it though. The city is beautifully described in both women’s words.

Summary: Zoe is adjusting to being an English expat in Casablanca. Her husband has sunk himself into his new job in the city while Zoe tries to fit in with the other work wives and care for her daughter Grace. Between monitoring her husband’s drinking, coping with the trauma of an incident that caused them to leave England for Casablanca, and compulsively washing her hands until her skin cracks and bleeds, Zoe is a woman who is lost in so many ways. Then one day while fixing a loose floorboard in her daughter’s room, she discovers a box filled with trinkets and a journal written by a young French refugee girl who lived in the house during World War II and the Nazi occupation of the city.


First off, with all of the different WWII books that are available, it was a nice change of pace to read a story that didn’t take place in England or France. This is a location that doesn’t get very much attention, so it is a refreshing perspective to WWII. I also loved the story within a story that Josie’s diary brought and how invested I ended up becoming.

This whole story is one of coping with pain and loss from a wide variety of sources. From Zoe's trauma to Josie's life being upended and the refugee women and children fleeing with only themselves, there is so much real life trauma that is addressed. However, it is meant to also be a story of healing, as all of these characters are given some way to regain their dignity and begin to find peace.

On a personal note, this book was very meaningful to me. I found so much to connect with. Zoe’s pain, her ability to stand up to privileged women who saw refugees as slackers leeching off the resources they have no right to, and her desire to find some small way to help. All of this resonated with me as I also ask myself what I can do to make the world better, and is it enough? I believe that there are also other people who would enjoy the hope that this beautiful story provides.

Lastly, the author provides resources for organizations that help both refugees and people grieving a loss of a loved one. With such hard-hitting topics, I appreciated the author didn’t simply leave readers to deal with their feelings on the subjects.

The Storyteller of Casablanca by Fiona Valpy sucked me in from the very first page. The dual timeline was so well done, and felt very different (in a great way) than other WWII novels I've read. Thorough enjoyed this book & highly recommend!

What a read! A well researched text that made me want to watch Casablanca the classic movie again. Morocco, 1941. With France having fallen to Nazi occupation, twelve-year-old Josie has fled with her family to Casablanca, An intertwining link with the modern day brings this story alive and provides hope not just for wartime but all life's challenges.
Such a moving story. Will definately read more novels by this author.

**Thanks to NetGalley, the publisher and author for the opportunity to read an advanced e-copy of this book. All opinions are my own **

I thoroughly enjoyed this book based Moroccan history. The dual timeline including some actual facts had me gripped. Connecting present day and World War 2, the well developed characters and beautiful descriptions transported me to another time and place.
I enjoyed every minute of this book and was surprised by the emotional twists and turns.

This was a first read by Fiona Valpy, but definitely won’t be my last.

Thank you to the publisher and #Net Galley for the e-copy of this book in exchange for a review.

4 solid stars. Reading a good historical fiction novel is the next best thing to time travel and this title is just that. It felt like I was transported to 1940s Morocco and I didn’t even mind the dual timelines that many books seem to be defaulting to these days.

Five star rating!

I’ve loved Fiona Valpy’s previous works e.g. Dressmakers gift, Beekeepers Daughter, Sea of Memories. I’ve absolutely loved her style of writing, historical settings and how easily she can draw you into the storyline. The Storyteller of Casablanca is no different, set in the beautiful Moroccan city of the same name, during the Second World War. I thoroughly enjoyed every page! I loved finding out about an aspect of the war that isn’t as often shown as other locations.

I am an avid historical fiction fan, and I always look forward to reading what Fiona Valpy creates next. I would highly recommend both The Storyteller of Casablanca and the author herself .

Thank you to NetGalley for allowing me to enjoy this book.

3.5-4 stars.

I love WWII historical fiction and I’m always excited to read something with a different perspective. Set in Morocco, the story was different a “fresh” take on a time in history I’ve read a lot. I absolutely loved Josie’s story and I could have read all about her and her family and left out Zoe’s story easily. Zoe was harder to connect to- I had figured out the big “surprise” fairly early on and I found myself almost… annoyed that it was leading down the path for the big plot twist.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the arc.

Interesting look at life in Casablanca and Morocco during WW2.

*I loved Josie’s story and the tale of her family seeking refuge after leaving German occupied France. Her friends in Casablanca were wonderful and the setting was fascinating. The whole book could have been about Josie’s story.

*Zoe’s story is poignant but dull. Her struggle is real and sad, but it took a long time to care about her. In the end, she healed and grew by helping others.

Advanced reader copy courtesy of the publishers at NetGalley for review.

The Storyteller of Casablanca is a heartwarming story of two women connected by a journal who lived in the same house 70 years apart . The story is told from dual timelines that are woven together seamlessly. Zoe's husband gets transferred to Casablanca for work and this is a chance at a fresh start for them and their little girl, Grace. By chance, Zoe discovers a box hidden beneath the floorboards in the attic that contains a journal from a young girl named Josie, who lived in the house in the early 1940s while waiting for the chance to board a ship to America with her family during WWII. Josie's journal takes us through her life in Casablanca during that time and through this journey, helps Zoe to come to terms with her life and the hardships she was facing and find a path forward.

The characters felt very realistic and you have to just fall in love with Josie and her beautiful approach to life. I also didn't know anything about Casablanca during WWII so I liked this unique viewpoint, especially the vibrant descriptions of Casablanca both in the 1940's and the 2010 timeline.

Thank you #NetGalley, Fiona Valpy, and Amazon Publishing UK for the eARC of #TheStorytellerof Casablanca in exchange for an honest review.

This is one of the most beautiful books I've ever had the pleasure of reading. The author places you in the story with Zoe and Josie with her symphony of words. I smiled, laughed, and cried as these two ladies, separated in their stories by over 60 years, revealed their truths and found where they belonged.

I have never had a thought about the African side of the Second War. I know the European part the best - maybe because I live here so this history affects me somehow and creates the world and the division that I know. But Africa? Of course, I remember from school that something was going on there but I have to admit (believe me, I'm truly ashamed) that I have never heard anything about Casablanca in that part of the time.

A city such beautiful. Known from the movies, books. Full of energy, color, vibrating. For those looking for freedom. But Casablanca has the second face. Face full of the immigrants' tragedy - then and even now. And it is easy to forget about it walking in the alley with the designer shops and living the best life. Casablanca is something more than another breathtaking place by the Ocean.

The book is not simple - dual timeline and the life of Josie and Zoe is full of difficult situations, even awakening, let's say. The first part of their stories seems to be a little bit naive - they see only want they want to see. They didn't realize how the world looks like outside their perfect bubble. The wake-up call is like a cold shower. Painful.

The second part of the book is much better. There is an action, hard decision that often leaves them with a broken heart.

I have very mixed feelings. I appreciate the story - the plot, twist, the idea, and the description of a hard time and everyday struggle. But on the other side - it was hard to get into this book. I just don't felt it at the beginning. That was the main reason that it takes me so long to finish it.

Anyway, I'm going to read other books by Fiona Valpy. I like her point of view, unusual topic and it could be worth to get to know other her stories.

This is a really great well researched and well written story set in Casablanca. The parallel timelines track similar events as refugees flock to the city. During WW2 Casa was a stopover for escapees from France, some but not all, of them Jews trying to reach the UK or America. In modern times the refugees are fleeing war-torn countries in other parts of Africa and the near East en-route to Europe.

The first main protagonist is Josie, a French part Jewish girl whose family have fled Paris and are now hoping to reach America before their money runs out. Secondly there is Zoe, a troubled wife and mother who is struggling with her marriage and hoping for a new start when her husband is posted to Casa.

The story uncovers the impact of Josie's history on Zoe (via a hidden journal) and secrets kept by both women. Highly recommended.

Thanks to Net Galley and the publishers for the opportunity to review this book.

I enjoyed that the narrative was split between timelines. I was surprised by how much I enjoyed it, particularly as this is not a book I would instinctively gravitate towards at a bookstore. However, I'm glad I did and I feel like I learnt a lot about the culture of north africa too

Well I loved this, it could not have been more up my street. Present day chapters, Zoe was all about the crafting (patchwork) and finding out about Josie, chapters about the past, Josie was in the midst of one of the most difficult times in history.

I really liked how the chapters were laid out flitting between present day and going back in time through Josie's journals.

I can feel the excitement and anticipation that Zoe has reading Josie's journal and I just wanted to know what happened to her and her family and friends all the way through. I found that I was getting quite emotional in parts because of the things Josie went through but also knowing that this will have happened in some ways to people during that time makes it even more heart breaking.

I felt as Zoe did that she was friends with Josie through reading her words. I felt the same with them both when reading this book.

Casablanca sounds like such an amazing place it made me want to visit.

This book is a mix of heartache and joy and both women have been through so much in their own time periods. When Zoe explains her loss and what she'd been through I got very emptional and I felt sorry for her, no wonder she could relate so much to Josie's Journal.

Brilliant book with some great surprises along the way and it was really interesting finding out about both women had been through their own heartache and they seem so similar.

Absolutely loved this book! Fiona Valpy just gets better. Perfectly captured Morocco through the eyes of a European woman. Kept me reading far later than I should have

I loved the descriptions of Casablanca, but the story was a bit predictable and somewhat far-fetched. I never really believed that the journal was written by a 13/14-year-old girl. She should have made her more like 16/17 instead. I had guessed there was something up with Zoe, but not until near the end did I figure it out.

This is a deeply touching story about a deeply saddened woman connecting through a journal sixty years old of a young girl in WWII Casablanca. The stories in the journal are at times joyous and at others scary from incidents occurring. The woman lives in a relationship in which she and her husband have drifted far apart and is exceedingly lonely for both.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

A beautiful novel which captures the atmosphere of Second World War Casablanca with the heartbreak of a new mum in present day. When a move to Casablanca billed as a new start, makes Zoe even more unhappy she takes solace in spending time in the nursery hand sewing a quilt. It is there she finds a diary under the floorboards which details how Josie and her family fled the Nazi invasion and were waiting on transport to the USA during WW2. When the diary ends abruptly Zoe endeavours to find out what happened. With a couple of twists I didn’t see coming this was a perfect story that had me turning page after page - sad and sweet in equal measures, perfect.

An engaging and well written dual timeline story full of beautiful descriptions and vivid settings. I enjoyed this beautiful tale of loss, hope and resilience of the human spirit. Five stars from me!

Josie Duval is a twelve year old Jewish girl living in Casablanca in 1941, Zoe Harris is staying in the same house in 2010 and their story has a dual timeline. The two main characters are bound together when Zoe finds Josie’s diary, a trinket box, keepsakes, under the floor boards in one of the bedrooms and where they have been hidden for over seventy years.

Guillaume, Delphine, Annette and Josie, flee France when the German’s invade Paris, they eventually arrive in Casablanca, and here they hope to get visas, pass the medical checks and immigrate to America. Josie’s loves Casablanca, it’s warm climate, sights, culture, food, people, visiting the library and spending time with her new friend Nina. The whole process is slow and tedious waiting for a boat to take them to safety, the war is getting closer to Morocco, the Duval's money is running out, German soldiers arrive and the families scared.

Zoe and Tom Harris move to Casablanca for a fresh start, their marriage is struggling, other British expats live nearby and the wives make Zoe feel welcome. However, Zoe becomes captivated by Josie’s story, she wants to discover what happened to the Duval’s and did they make it to America? Zoe and Josie both meet interesting people while living in Casablanca, they both like to help others and feel a deep connection to the place. The story is tied together by themes of hope, friendship, grief, and the importance of storytelling in Moroccan culture and it's deep history.

The Storyteller of Casablanca will have you captivated from the very first page, a beautifully written story, I loved the main characters, Fiona Valpy weaves her magic once again, and what an emotional and unexpected ending. I received a copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review, if you enjoyed the Beekeeper’s Promise and I can guarantee you will enjoy reading The Storyteller of Casablanca and five stars from me.

Overall I really enjoyed this story! I love dual timeline historical fiction! It was predictable but I still enjoyed it ! It made me want to travel to Morocco so bad !!

Thank you netgalley and the publisher for the chance to read this in exchange for honest review !

Beautiful story from WW 2! I loved having a peek at Casa in the war as well as present times! The dual timelines are my favourite and a slice of history, a double whammy. Zoe Harris and Josie Duval have more in common than the house they live in, in their respective times, expats to an extent, introverts and having the same OCD uncannily...
As Zoe discovers Josie's treasures in her attic, she embarks on a journey to self discovery along with getting to know the teen who lived through the tough years of war, destruction and picking the pieces.
I loved the tale and the treatment both!

I’m a historical fiction junkie and I’ve read a lot of stories about WWII, but Fiona Valpy's novel, The Storyteller of Casablanca, is set in French occupied Morocco so I was very intrigued in this new setting.

As is common in many historical fiction novels, this one has 2 parallel storylines: one following 12 year old Josie in 1941 and one following 20-something year old Zoe in 2010. Both are set in Casablanca. Josie’s family leaves their home in France to wait in French occupied Morocco until they can get visas to enter America just as the Germans took over France. She keeps a diary of her day to day events of what was supposed to be a temporary stay in Casablanca. Her family is wealthy and privilege keeps her from experiencing many hardships. But as the war progresses and their visas are delayed , she discovers her father is involved in the resistance and Josie finds way to help her beloved Papa. Meanwhile, In 2010, Zoe is trying to find her place with other expats in Casablanca as she deals with her personal grief and her crumbling marriage. She discovers Josie’s diary in her new home and finds solace in Josie’s world. Eventually both storylines collide for a predictable but satisfying ending.

I really enjoyed Josie’s story. Zoe’s story was ok until the end as her situation became clearer. While so many suffered during the war, young Josie was well aware of how insulated she was from much of it due to her family’s wealth. It was a unique perspective and contributed to the lighter feeling of this war-based novel.

Thank you to @netgalley for this advanced e-copy of the novel. This novel will be released in September 2021.

This review can be found on IG @maria.needs.to.read and on Goodreads.

Generally, I love Fiona Valpy’s novels, but this one was a little hard for me to get into. Per the usual, I fell right into the past part of the dual timeline—in this case a little girl named Josie who has fled France with her family for Casablanca hopefully en route to the United States to escape German persecution. With Fiona’s mother being Jewish, her family quickly saw the signs of more trouble to come and fled before being rounded up into a ghetto.

The contemporary timeline follows Zoe a recent expat with her family to Casablanca, who clearly has mysophobia and is constantly washing her hands. What is causing her extreme anxiety is the real question. She does try to fit in with the wives of her husband’s associates in their tight-knit expat community, but finds better company in the form of a journal she finds beneath the floorboard of her home—Josie’s journal.

Overall, the book was an interesting read. Josie’s maturity was a little hard to believe at times as my daughter is her age, and I think the story might have been more believable from her older sister’s perspective. I really struggled to connect to Zoe as a character. She fell somewhat flat for me. As with most books, the second half read significantly faster than the first. I did enjoy reading about WWII from the continent of Africa, which was a first for me.

Thank you to Netgalley and Lake Union Publishing for the advanced copy for an honest review.

What a beautiful book. I want to go to Casablanca discover
The sights and sounds. The sadness that prevails however is grounding and makes one realize that not all is at it seems. This book is an adventure an exciting emotional wonderful book.

This was such an immersive and wonderful story. The differing POV really helped to tell the story, with the writing becoming more mature as the story grew with the characters. I loved seeing the comparison of the city from two separate people, under completely different circumstances. Loved it!

I have mixed feelings about this book. It is a good overall, but the story for both Josie and Zoe was slow to get going. I loved how they linked up, as well as the two twists at the end. I did not guess the reason for Zoe's anxiety. I found her hard to warm to, although when you learn her story at the end of the book, you understand her more. I felt frustrated the way she wouldn't talk to her husband, but again, understood why. I do wonder whether this information should have been shared earlier, so the reader could empathise more with Zoe. Both plotlines could have been a little shorter. I was more engaged by Josie's story, but sometimes found there was detail I skimmed through. I question also whether a girl of that age would really write in the way Josie does. It was really interesting learning about what happened in Africa during WWII. With thanks to NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Josie Duval is a twelve year old Jewish girl living in Casablanca in 1941, Zoe Harris is staying in the same house in 2010 and their story has a dual timeline. The two main characters are bound together when Zoe finds Josie’s diary, a trinket box, keepsakes, under the floor boards in one of the bedrooms and where they have been hidden for over seventy years. Therein lies the story. As Fiona Valpy is one of my favorite authors, I enjoyed this book immensely. There is something to learn of Moroccan culture and its history. My thanks to NetGalley for this ARC.

The Storyteller of Casablanca provided a different take on the WW2 historical. I knew very little about Morocco and the North African campaign, so I found this boom eye opening.

Valpy does a good job of weaving the duel timelines together. I admit I was surprised when they suddenly intersected. I confess I found the ending to both storylines rushed which diminished their emotional impact. Valpy chose to tell what happened and as such I felt cheated out of some key confrontational scenes, particularly in the present day story.

Still, the book was a nice change of pace from London and Paris, and provided a wonderful travelogue of Morocco. Valpy’s descriptions made the country come to life.

An interesting story from WWII of a Jewish family who flee France to Casablanca when the Nazi’s invade, with the hope of a eventual safe passage to America. Told in the present day by Zoe, who has moved to Casablanca with her husband and finds a journal under the floorboards in their new home. The journal was written by the Jewish family’s daughter Josie, and tells of their time living in the house awaiting a boat to take them to a new life in America. It is well written and based on some real events.

One Book. Two Stories. Both Compelling. This is a story with a LOT going on and a LOT of intricacies that it seems most (at least those on Goodreads so far, about 5 weeks before publication) miss out on touching on. This is effectively *both* a historical fiction (which I think it will ultimately be marketed as) of a young Jewish girl in WWII who leaves a diary behind (where does that ring a bell? 😉 ) *and* a modern day psychological drama. Valpy does a remarkable job of bringing a sensuous and visceral understanding of both periods of Casablanca and Morocco, and both periods and their relevant issues – WWII / Nazis / Resistance / Operation Torch and modern shipping conglomerates / expats / refugees / immigrants – are shown in a degree of realism not often seen. Truly, either story could have been expanded a bit more – perhaps by extending out the later chapters of both – and stood equally well as standalone books. Which is high praise, as few dual timeline historical fiction books can pull this off, in my own reading experience at least. Truly a remarkable book, and very much recommended.

I really enjoyed this novel which entwines two tales set in Casablanca in two different decades. It is the story of Zoe, a British expat who moves to Casablanca in 2010 for a fresh start with her husband. Unhappy in her marriage and struggling to let go of some tragic events, she finds a journal and some mementos that belonged to 12 year old Josie, a French refugee during World War Two. She becomes consumed by Josie’s story and the lust for life that comes out of Josie’s writing is in stark contrast with Zoe, who is losing her grip on reality.

A sad, but also heartwarming story, it touches upon the uncertainty of refugee life both in the context of the world war, but also in the times we live in as many people are still forced to flee their homes through war and poverty. Grief and finding a way to move on after loss, are also central to the novel. It’s a quick read and the Moroccan setting is captivating.

The Storyteller of Casablanca is a historical fiction novel with a dual timeline. In 2010 Zoe has moved to Casablanca with her husband because of his job. She finds a diary hidden by 12-year-old Josie in 1941 during the WWII era. Josie's family has fled France and is waiting for paperwork and passage to America. This is the first WWII novel I have read where the setting is in Africa and I found very enjoyable. Thanks to the author Fiona Valpy, Lake Union Publishing, and NetGalley for providing a copy of this book for an honest review.

My rating:

Plot: 4 out of 5 stars
Writing: 4.5 out of 5 stars
Character development: 4.5 out of 5 stars
Overall: 4.5 out of 5 stars

Recommended for readers of:

Women’s Fiction
Historical Fiction

Review:

This is another story written over a dual time line. The main timeline tells the story of Zoe an expat wife who has recently moved to Casablanca because of her husband’s job. The second timeline tells the story of Josie a Jewish girl who fled to Casablanca during the Second World War with her parents to avoid the Nazi occupation.

Overall:

The book is beautifully written, set in an exotic location, the scenery is described careful and with great detail. This made it very captivating and vivid. It felt like you were actually there. The characters were complex but interesting. Their actions were explained well, this made them realistic. The plot was written with the right amount of suspense, mystery and intrigue this made the story captivating until the end.

This captivating book switches between the present life of an expat living in Morocco and the life of a refugee family living in Morocco during World War Two. I loved how the author moved between the past and present, exploring the different time periods within the same setting. The characters are beautifully developed, allowing for a strong connection and empathy between the reader and the characters. I highly recommend this book, brilliant just like all of Fiona Valpy's books!

I absolutely love Fiona Valpy's books, they evoke nostalgia, compassion and empathy. She takes you into the heart and soul of all the characters so well you feel that you are there with them rather than just reading about them on the page.
In this novel we are among the hot and dusty streets of Casablanca both in 1941 and present day
Present day, Zoe is a disillusioned wife who has gone with her husband to Casablanca for a couple of years as he has been based there with his job. However she spends her days lonely, until she discovers a box under the floorboards. In the box is a journal written by Josie in 1941.
The book alternates between Zoe and Josie's story.
Well worth reading. A definite 5 stars, only sorry I cannot give more
Many thanks to Netgalley and Lake House publishers for the advanced copy in exchange for my honest review

The Diary

I loved the enchantment of Casablanca. and the country of Morocco. The Ocean views, the architecture, the ancient city and the famous history behind it all. Not only was is a great story, it was a wonderful tour of the country as well.

Zoe and her husband move to Casablanca to have a fresh start to work on repairing their marriage. Zoe finds it hard to fit in as an ex-pat in a foreign country it is all so different. Then she finds the diary of a young Jewish girl from 1941 under a floorboard. It is the story of Jose, her parents, her sister Annette and her friends Nina and Felix. Written in a diary by a 12 year old it is the story of their flight from Paris and their time in Casablanca while waiting to immigrate to America.

The characters are wonderful and both Zoe and Jose are brave and both are sensitive people who care much for those they love. I loved both of the stories and how they interacted with each other beyond the years.
It is surprising how much books and stories can affect a person and help them when they have struggles. As it was in 1941 so it was in 2011 helping others helped them. Friends and projects and a feeling of belonging to something worthwhile and important was very healing.

The book ends with a twist that you will not see coming. It is a great read, you will love it. I recommend this book.

Thanks to Fiona Valpy, Amazon Publishing U.K. and NetGalley for allowing me to read a complimentary copy of the book for my honest review.

I received this e-ARC from NetGalley and the publisher. All opinions are my own.

I loved the way Morocco was described! I love travel so I was happy with the descriptions of a place I’ve never been to. I also loved the two storylines, and was completely taken off guard when they crossed! What?! Even though I enjoyed it, the ending felt rushed. And I feel that the story needed more time.

Wow, what a fabulous story. For the past two days I feel as though I have lived in Casablanca, living the life of the characters, so vivid and detailed are the descriptions. I have smiled, I have cried, so emotive is the storyline. I love this authors writing , the attention to detail, the descriptive writing and last but not least the skill in drawing the reader into the heart of the story. Thanks to TBC and the author for giving me the opportunity to read this fabulous book.

I absolutely loved this book. I have been given other books by this author which are currently on my TBR pile but they are now coming to the top.

This story covers Zoe and Josie who have lived in the same house in Casablanca but 70 years apart. Their lives are linked by a diary which explains the problems faced by Josie during the second world war as a refugee with a Jewish mother. It also brings Zoe into the modern day world of refugees.

Fiona Valpy has an emersive way of story telling, I found her characters fully developed and caring about their lives

A must read

This is an incredibly captivating five-star dual timeline historical fiction novel set in the exotic city of Casablanca in 1941 and then seventy years later. Inspired by refugees fleeing Europe during the war years, Valpy explores the challenges they faced and highlights the migrant crisis in North Africa.

One timeline focuses on the Duval family as they arrive in Casablanca after fleeing Paris when the Germans invaded. Removed from the war back home, the family settles into life in this exciting city as they await onward passage to America. Valpy makes this vibrant city come alive with such intensity that readers have no difficulty understanding daily life in this intoxicating port city.

The second timeline focuses on the Harris family who’ve accepted a five-year posting and recently arrived in Casablanca seeking a fresh start for their struggling marriage. They move into the home previously occupied by the Duvals. Valpy clearly paints a beautiful picture with words enabling readers to instantly immerse themselves in the culture and time frame. The denouement is spectacular as Valpy merges the timelines and takes readers by surprise with a plot twist they won't see coming!

At first, I groaned when I realized I was reading an all too familiar ‘discovering a diary in present time and reading about past events,’ scenario, but thankfully Valpy was able to keep me interested with a spectacular plot, enchanting setting, and interesting characters. Unique to this novel is the incorporating of Operation Torch, the expat experience, and the North African Migrant crisis.

My only issue was that I felt the 13-year-old Josie sounded far wiser than her years and didn’t seem to have a unique voice.

Publishes September 21, 2021

I was generously gifted this advance copy by Fiona Valpy, Amazon Publishing UK, and NetGalley and was under no obligation to provide a review.

This is both a beautifully heartwarming and gut-wrenching story all at the same time. Valpy uses exquisite narrative to describe both setting and place. Each character has to cope with their own devastating loses and they each have to learn how to live despite those loses. Josie loves the escapism that Casablanca provides from the horrors of WWII. Zoe struggles to accept that Casablanca can provide a way forward after a life-altering event. Valpy intertwines the storylines through Josie's hidden diary that Zoe uncovers underneath the floorboards of her home. Readers may find the portions of the book told via the viewpoint of 12 year old Josie a bit unstimulating but one must remember that the character was a child. Portions of Zoe's viewpoint also can be a bit hard to get through but that can be attributed to Valpy's skillful technique in waiting until the last possible moment to unveil Zoe's secret. This book isn't a page turner. It IS one that is to be savored and enjoyed.
I received a copy of this title via NetGalley.

Morocco, 1941: With France having fallen to Nazi occupation, twelve year old Josie has fled with her family to Casablanca, where they wait safe passage to America. Life here is as intense as the sun, every sight. smell and sound overwhelming to the senses in a city filled with extraordinary characters, It's a world away from the trouble back home - and Josie loves it.

Seventy years later: another new arrival in the intoxicating port city, Zoe, is struggling - with her marriage, her baby daughter, and her new life as an expat in an unfamiliar place. But when she discovers a small wooden box and a diary from the 1940s beneath the floorboards in her daughters bedroom, Zoe enters the inner world of young Josie.

This stories dual timeline is set seventy years apart. Set in Casablanca, Zoe's story is set in 2010 and Josie's in 1941. When Zoe finds twelve year old Josie's diary, she becomes preoccupied by her story. The two timelines are interwoven seamlessly as we learn of Zoe's marriage problems and Josie's family. This is a descriptively written story that I was quickly caught up in. The pace is steady with some wonderful characters.

I would like to thank #NetGalley #AmazonPublishingUK and the author #FionaValpy for my ARC of #TheStorytellerOfCasablanca in exchange for an honest review.

Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for an early review copy.

I loved the magic of Casablanca as well as the country of Morocco. Everything from the architecture, the views of the ocean along with the city snd it’s history. This book wasn’t just a fabulous story, but also a tour of the wonderful country.

Moving to Casablanca to make a fresh start, Zoe and her husband want to work, to fix their marriage. For Zoe, she’s finding it difficult to involve herself to life as an ex-pat in a foreign country, as it’s so different to what’s she’s used to.
She finds a diary under a floorboard a diary of a Jewish girl, from 1941. The diary is the story of Jose, as well as her parents and sister Annette, her friends Nina and Felix. This diary written by a 12 year old is their story of coming from Paris, the time spent in Casablanca as they waited to resettle in America.

Wonderful characters, both Zoe and Jose are sensitive people, caring deeply for those they love.

The way both stories linked together over the years was lovely.

The ending was something I didn’t see coming, making this book a great read.

Highly Recommend It.

I am an avid reader of Fiona's books, and await her new releases with anticipation.

Being a francophile Scot, I can usually directly relate to the landscapes, sights and smells that her writing evokes and so I was unsure about a new setting.

I needn't have worried. Within moments of diving in, I was transported to the streets of Casablanca, in both the 1940's and modern day settings.

I followed the diaries as closely as the narrator, and skipped through to see what happened. The ending did not disappoint, and once again I didn't want the story to end.

Thank you Fiona, I await your next tale.

Definite book cover judging going on here - it is just so beautiful and evocative or what I think most about Casablanca; the warmth, the smells and the sights. I have always wanted to visit Casablanca and the way Fiona describes it, especially in the chapters set in the 1940’s, it seems more magical than I could ever have thought. It doesn’t specify in the biography of the book as to whether Fiona has ever visited Casablanca herself, but her details are so exquisite, I find it hard to believe she hasn’t.

It can be confusing when a book flits from different time periods snd characters, but Fiona keeps it simple by sticking to just two main ones. This makes it an interesting read, but you’re not forever flicking back to wrap your head round whose story you’re reading at that point.

It seems very timely, particularly the chapters that focus on refugees and the war torn areas in Asia and Africa; it’s upsetting to be able to see modern parallels in reality.

It is fast paced but gentle, explosive yet calming, heartbreaking but optimistic. Every word has been thought through perfectly that it’s impossible to imagine any other author writing this story. The two stories are interconnected so beautifully, and it pulls at your heartstrings at every chapter.

This may well have been my first Fiona Valpy novel, but it sure won’t be my last.

This is a lovely dual time line novel set in Casablanca (sigh) that moves between Josie's story in 1941 and Zoe, who finds her diary in 2011. Zoe isn't happy in Morocco but finds meaning and a mission when she discovers what Josie wrote about being a Jew hoping to emigrate to the US, thinking she's in a safe haven in Morocco, and then the Nazi's arrive. Valpy is a good storyteller who made the wise, if initially a tad disconcerting to the reader, to write Josie's portion as a 12 year old would. The sounds and smells of life in Casablanca add to the novel. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. Fans of WWII fiction will relish this niche as will those who enjoy a good read.

With a dual timeline narrative, The Storyteller of Casablanca tells of Zoe’s arrival in Casablanca in 2010 carrying a burden of sadness. We’re told that the move to Casablanca is meant to revive her marriage to Tom; it doesn’t seem to be working. In alternating chapters, we read 12-year-old Josie’s journal from January 1, 1941 into 1942 which tells of her family’s move to Casablanca to escape the Nazis in Paris; it’s meant to be a jumping off point for their eventual relocation to the US. Josie is as charming and fascinating as Zoe is boring and dull. You know that eventually these two separate narratives will reach a meeting point but it doesn’t happen until the final few chapters. I felt that Zoe’s story dragged on a bit too much, although it is redeemed by a surprising twist near the end. The novel is well-researched and Casablanca comes alive on the page with lots of fascinating details, including some real-life people who lived there during WWII.

I have read and enjoyed quite a few of Fiona Valpy’s previous novels and this dual timeline seems to be her modus operandi. While this writing style worked well enough in her previous novels, I felt that the pace was too slow in The Storyteller of Casablanca. Even so, it’s worth reading just to find out how these two storylines eventually come together.

France has fallen to the Nazis . Josie Duvall and her family must find a safe passage to Casablanca where they will reside until they can get passage to America. Josie has a hard time adjusting to the hot sun, the scary sights along with the smells of this foreign land. How she longs for her home in France, her room her beloved books.. How will she survive. The next story is set in 2010 when a young woman named Zoe and her husband Tom follow Tom's job to Casablanca. This was to be a fresh start for this young couple but, Zoe is having a hard time adjusting to her new surroundings and thought what a mistake this is. Until she stumbles upon a box full of trinkets and a journal. Zoe gets very involved in reading this journal about this twelve year old girl whose house she is living in. Why is she so engrossed in this journal? What is Zoe running away from besides her crumbling marriage.
What I so enjoyed about this book was the setting. I have never read any story set in Morocco. Throw in two stories that weave into one beautifully written story. A young girl who is so scared of the future, the heartbreak she must face along with her mother and sister. The love of her father who taught her to fight for what is right and to find a way to survive. Zoe who needs to find out what happens to Josie , and when she does she must face the horrible truth that keeps her and Tom apart. The ending was a total surprise. i could not put this book down..
Thank you NetGalley and Amazon Publishing UK for approving me to read this wonderful arc. Thank you Fiona Valpy for writing such an engaging story set in a time where many people might want to forget. Beautifully written wonderful characters and the duel stories captured me and I was hooked. I love NetGalley for the reason that I have been introduced to so many new authors and books I probably would not have read on my own. I sill surly be reading more by Ms. Valpy

Zoe moves with her husband Tom to Cassablanca, where he has a five year posting. While they are there, she hopes they can have a fresh start to their marriage. She finds it difficult at first to fit in as an expat in a foreign country, while also dealing with a strained relationship and a baby daughter. Then one day, she discovers a wooden box under a floorboard in the nursery, and in it a journal from a young girl named Josie. Zoe begins reading the diary and becomes invested in Josie's life. In the dual timeline are the journal entries from the 1940's when Josie and her family had escaped to Casablanca and were awaiting visas to get to America during WWII. Josie's father became involved in the resistance as did many of the people Josie knew. The journal leads Zoe to seek the dreamseller in order to find some closure in her own life.
I loved this book. I enjoyed the dual timeline, with the one timeline being told in diary form. It was written so well, I felt as if I were really there watching it all unfold. I love that it included Josephine Baker in the story and her part with the resistance to add to the realism. I especially loved the twist at the end. I was really not expecting that! If you enjoy historical fiction, then you will definitely want to read this one.

I took a punt on "The Storyteller of Casablanca" by Fiona Valpy as it isn't my usual type of read. However I am pleasantly surprised. The story is split into Josie's of 1941/1942 told via the medium of a diary which Zoe finds in the house in 2010. The more recent part is told via Zoe and how she adjusts to life in Casablanca as an ex-pat. I can't comment too much as it may give parts of the plot away but what is most beautiful is the subplot of the crafting of the patchwork quilts - such strong symbolism on many levels.

What a fabulous book!!! The plot is amazing, with so much emotion both happy & sad. I simply couldn’t put it down & couldn’t stop the tears at the end!!! Such amazing details that I was transported to both the Casablanca of 1941 & Casablanca of 2010!,! Wonderful!

Like most Americans, what I know about Casablanca comes from a certain classic movie. In “The Storyteller of Casablanca,” the author, Ms. Valpy, made Casablanca (and Morocco) a bit more “real” with her descriptions of the streets, people, countryside, and weather. This book is told in a classic dual timeline - one in the early 1940s, the other in 2010. The 1940s story I found the most engaging. We follow Josie, a pre-teen, through her journal. Her family is temporarily in Casablanca awaiting those ever longed for letters of transit (this SO reminded me of the opening narration of the movie Casablanca). Josie’s journal documents how they coped with both the waiting and war efforts. There’s also an appearance of Miss Josephine Baker - in my opinion one of the most fascinating people of this time period - that was presented rather effectively. There’s also an introduction (and understanding) of Moroccan culture (and religion) along with the importance of storytelling. One of the things I liked about Josie was her spunk and I enjoyed reading her parts - good, bad, heartbreaking, and everything in between. The 2010 story follows Zoe, an expat, whose husband (Tom) has taken a job in Casablanca. Zoe is depressed (and stressed). Through some of Tom’s co-workers wives, Zoe decides to take up quilting, which eventually leads her to volunteering at a migrant camp. Zoe takes up reading to the children (tying together both timelines with the importance of storytelling) and suggests quilting to the mothers (again, another form of storytelling). While I believe Zoe’s part was good for complete closure, for me it didn’t pack as much of an emotional punch as Josie’s part did. There was a twist at the end that I foresaw, but that didn’t diminish my enjoyment of the overall book. This was an amazingly quick read for me - I think I finished in it one day - and it was very engaging. Do read the Author’s Note (for more information about her research) and the Acknowledgements (for how she got the idea for this book). A really solid 4.5 stars and I'd read another book by this author.

A dual timeline story . Josie is a refugee during wartime escaping the nazi tyranny and Zoe in current times trying to find a new way of life both based in Casablanca. Zoe finds the notebook left by Josie along with some prized possessions under the floorboards of the house she and her husband Tom are living in. The book is atmospheric , depicting Casablanca and you need to carefully follow the two storylines that are skilfully woven through the book. How can events from 70 years previous help to resolve the issues being faced in 2010 by Zoe.
A steady story.

My favourite kind of book, weaving fiction into history! Beautifully written, this touching story transported me to Casablanca with its sights, sounds, scents and people.
A perfectly balanced transition between Zoe in modern times as she becomes absorbed into Josie’s life in the 1940’s through the discovery of her diary.

A captivating story of hardship, grief, restoration, and new beginnings. The Storyteller of Casablanca interweaves the story of Zoe told in 2010 with the story of Josie from 1941, both who come to live in Casablanca, Morocco. It tells of their struggles and daily lives after moving to a new city for different reasons. Josie and her family were fleeing from the war and Zoe is looking for a new start with her husband. This story will grab your attention from the beginning and carry you along as the tale is woven throughout the pages.  Even with the two storylines the book is easy to keep up with and flows smoothly throughout the book. The descriptions in the book take you to Morocco and the time period. Fiona has such well developed characters that they feel like your neighbors. The plot of the book had twists that I didn't expect and left me turning the page and longing to get back to reading when I had to put the book down for awhile. I have read a few of Fiona Valpy's books and once again she does not disappoint. This is a book I would reread.  If you are looking for your next book to read I highly recommend picking up a copy of The Storyteller of Casablanca.
I received an advanced copy of this book through Netgalley for my honest review. All opinions expressed in this review are my own.

Zoe and Tom move to Casablanca for a fresh start. It is obvious that their marriage is in trouble. Zoe finds a journal in their new house which was written by a young girl, Josie, whose family fled France in the hopes of traveling to America during WWII. The novel switches between Zoe’s modern day life and Josie’s journal entries.

This was a fascinating look into life in Casablanca during the war which I was not familiar with. It was interesting following Josie’s story until her journal abruptly ends, and Zoe tries to find what happened to her and her family. It also shows the struggles refugees face trying to find a better life for themselves and their families.

Although at times, things were a bit predictable I really enjoyed this novel, and I found the ending very satisfying.

This was my first Fiona Valpy title and I have already purchased another of her books.
I thoroughly enjoyed the dual timelines and the way they were woven together.

Zoe has recently arrived in Casablanca in 2010 as her husband Tom, has travelled there for his work. Zoe is struggling to find her niche in the new country when she discovers the journal of 12 year old Josie under the floorboards of her new home.
Josie and her family have fled to Casablanca from France due to her mothers Jewish ancestry in 1941.

As Zoe reads more of Josie and her family's dangerous situation in Casablanca she meets a group of ladies assisting current day refugees.
This portion of the story provides interesting background on the history of quilting which I found fascinating.

The tale moves back and forth between the time frames and provides a very satisfying conclusion.
I would recommend this book to those who enjoy historical fiction.

Thanks to Netgalley and Lake Union/Amazon Publishing for an Uncorrected proof.
I loved it.

The story starts in 2010 immersing you in Morocco's severe heat and exotic locale. Our narrator Zoe is just getting settled as her husband’s company posted him to Casablanca. She is a bit overwhelmed by the welcome wagon talk from one of the wives posted there.

Zoe is looking around her new home when she discovers a loose board in the floor causing her to investigate. She pulls it up and discovers a dusty box and a diary from 1941. The diary is written by 13-year-old Josie. With such an exotic setting and the chance to read somebody’s diary, a glimpse of the past, I just had to read this book.

In present day there are uncomfortable social situations for Zoe as well as some marital woes. She immerses herself into Josie’s life while trying to fit in with her life in Casablanca and misses England more every day.

Both timelines have some sad stories. I think I was expecting it to be sad in the 1941 narrative but was surprised at what Zoe was going through in present day. There is nothing objectionable in this book, no poor language, just a nice story that may put you in mind of Nicholas Sparks novels.

Fiona Valpy writes about strong female characters and obviously does detailed historical research. If you like historical fiction you will enjoy this author. This book has a genre tag for romance but I would not have classified it as such. I do agree on it being women's fiction and historical fiction.

More about the author HERE.

Publication date September 21, 2021 by Amazon Publishing UK. Genre: General Fiction Romance, Women's Fiction and Historical Fiction.

Thank you to Netgalley for the advanced reader's copy of this book. I was not compensated for the review, all opinions are mine.

I loved this book! I enjoy historical fiction, especially when based on true events and/or people. While I have read many books set in the time frame of WWII, I have never read any books set in this part of the world. I loved the parallel stories. I found the characters extremely relatable and interesting. I really enjoyed the cultural aspects of the book and found them fascinating and informative. I was waiting for the resolution of Zoe's story but when it came, it was very unexpected. I highly recommend this book!

Thanks to Amazon Publishing UK and Netgalley, I was chosen as an early reviewer!

******Coming out Sep 21, 2021*****

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ One house, two stories that alternates between the year 2010 and WWll. This book will captivate you from start to finish!

Zoe, her husband, Tom and baby, Grace are relocated from England to Casablanca due to Tom’s job. In the process of fixing the squeaky floor board, Zoe discovers hidden treasure, which included Josie’s journal from WWII. This book alternates between Zoe’s experience as an expat and Zoe discovering about who Josie was and what life was like for her having to flee the Nazis, life in Casablanca, and their hopeful journey with trying to immigrate to America. Zoe finds comfort from reading this journal as a way to escape her troubled life with her cheating husband. Will Josie and family be able make it out of Casablanca to America? Will Zoe be able to make sense of her life? This heartfelt read will having you turning the pages to find out their fates!

I loved how the author included significant cultural aspects such as stories that are passed down from generation to generation. I also liked how Zoe became involved with an organization where they helped undocumented immigrants. This added to the depth to the story! Be sure to add it to your TBR list. A great book club pick!

I enjoyed The Skylark's Secret, The Dressmaker's Gift and The Beekeeper's Promise by the same author but found this one less interesting. Perhaps it was because I already knew about the coded quilts that had been used since the days of slavery. The WWII diary found by Zoe in 2010 also seemed too mature to have been written by Josie, a twelve year old Jewish girl trying to escape to America. The best parts were the evocative descriptions of Morocco with its souks and searing heat.

It took me a little while to get into this novel but once I did, I was very interested. There was the hint throughout the book that something wasn’t right in Zoe and Tom’s marriage and you need to keep reading to understand what happened to this couple in order for them to seem so broken. I enjoyed the two timelines in the novel. I equally liked the two main characters, but I was particularly interested in Josie’s story. Another first for me in a book by Fiona Valpy. I've read a great deal about the diaspora of Jews and refugees in WWII but this was the first time I’ve read a story about Morocco.

THE STORYTELLER OF CASABLANCA By Fiona Valpy
Romance/historical fiction
316 pages

In Fiona Valpy's newest book we meet 2 females 70 years apart both living in Casablanca, Morraco. Josie is a 12 yr old girl whose family had to flee home when the Germans invade France and make a new home for themselves while awaiting passage to America. Josie lives Casablanca and keeps a journal of her time there. Then 70 yrs later in the same house we meet Zoe, a young wife and mother struggling in her new home and surroundings. Zoe finds Zoe's journal and through her story finds a new outlook on her new home and life.

Fiona Valpy is one of the queens of historical fiction and is a masterful storyteller herself!!!!!! I love her ability to write relatable characters and stories that make you fall in love. I highly recommend this book

I must confess to being disappointed by this book. Having read and given a 5 star review to The Skylark’s Secret by Fiona Valpy, I was so pleased to be approved for this book. But sadly it does not live up to the standard of that book
Casablanca really is the star of this story, particularly as described in 1940s, during WW2. The descriptions are wonderful, so vivid and compelling , of the sights, sounds and smells of this city.
Zoe, the main character whose story is set in 2010, is somewhat two dimensional. I got very little sense of her as a personality, which is surprising, as strong characterisation is a stand-out feature in the author’s previous book which I read. It takes a long time to discover what the problem is between Zoe and her husband Tom, though it’s evident that she has some mental health issues. Zoe’s story just comes across as very flat and uninvolving.
Josie’s journal, a young girl who lived in the house during the war years, which Zoe has discovered beneath the floorboards, is by contrast, lively, interesting, eventful, and full of colour.
I am not convinced that such a young girl would be able to write so eloquently, but possibly the education system she had been through was exceptional, and she was clearly well educated.
The dual timeline works well, which seems to be this author’s style of writing. I just wish Zoe’s story had been more interesting.
My thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for my advance copy of this title.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️- {THE STORYTELLER OF CASABLANCA - Fiona Valpy}

Young Josie and her family have fled France due to Nazi occupation and have made their way to Casablanca to await safe travel to America. They are wealthy enough to be able to stay in a beautiful home and enjoy some of the finer things the city’s rich culture has to offer. But there is still danger lurking in the shadows for her Jewish family as German soldiers slowly start making their presence known and the anxieties of applying and waiting for their paperwork to go through causes uneasiness amongst them.

70 years later Zoe and her husband move into the very same house looking for a fresh start to reset their struggling marriage. While exploring their new home, Zoe stumbles across a raised floorboard in the attic thats hiding Josies old diary and keepsakes. Zoe is captivated from page one (much as I was with this novel) and falls in love with the brave little girl as she shares struggles as well as triumphs during the war.

💭 I really enjoyed every second of this beautiful novel. Fiona paints a vivid picture of Casablanca and effortlessly transports you to that time in history.
I love that she wrote in duel timelines, it kept me anxiously turning the pages to continue back to each storyline. I was not expecting such a surprising and emotional ending but my goodness was I moved! Cannot recommend this book enough to any historical fiction fan!!

This is a wonderful book. The dual timeline takes us between a Jewish family in 1941 and a struggling woman in 2010 with such rich characterisation that it brings both families alive. The thread of a long forgotten diary makes this an easy read with fascinating historical detail. Highly recommended. Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This was better than I thought it was going to be and my first time reading from this author. Dual timelines added to the story but it became a bit predictable. Still a decent read. Recommended.

Thanks to Netgalley, Fiona Valpy, and Amazon Publishing UK for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Available: 9/21/21

Once again, Fiona Valpy has given her readers a treasure of a book. I was transported to Casablanca in this compelling dual timeline story, set in the present day as well as in 1941. Zoe has just moved to Casablanca, getting acclimated to her new surroundings, with problems brewing in her marriage, when she discovers a box of mementos and a journal. Through the journal, we read Josie’s story—a 12-year-old French girl whose family have taken refuge in Casablanca, on their way to America. It was fascinating to read about Casablanca, it’s culture and it’s traditions, it’s place during WWII, and the refugees who lived there during the war, and also the refugees who still come to this day. Both Josie’s and Zoe’s stories are riveting and heart wrenching, both looking for hope and a new beginning in a foreign land.

The storyteller of Casablanca by Fiona Valpy
Going to Casablanca with her husband’[s work Zoe finds it hard to fit in. The weather is so hot and she struggles to fit in with the city. Luckily she finds an old diary written by Josie Duval during the Second World War. Josie and her family are waiting to get permission to go to the USA after living in Paris. At this point she manages to help her father who is doing undercover work for the American government. It is a very dangerous time to survive in Europe as Josie discovers as her mother is Jewish and her father gets into trouble with the authorities.
The diary helps Zoe get to grips with the city as she follows in the footsteps of Josie. Zoe even manages to get involved with refugees from Africa who is stuck in Casablanca. This is a moving part of the story.
There are many surprises in store for both the readers and Zoe. The baby she talks about is in fact the reason she and her husband went to Casablanca to start a new chapter in their lives. The answer to the baby’s life is a shock to both the readers and even Zoe herself.
She decides to look for Josie and find out what happened to her and her family. There is another shock in store for Zoe as her local home helper can answer many of her questions. This is a very well researched book and beautifully told. It is both a shocking and moving story and is one of the best novels I have read this year

Fiona Valpy is an excellent storyteller. In this story, she shares how an uncomfortable woman in Zoe is trying to adjust to life in Casablanca as a wife and mother to an infant. She discovers a journal in the floorboards of their rented house that belonged to a young girl in the 1940's during World War 2 named Josie. She becomes engrossed in Josie's story as, she too, was adjusting to life after fleeing France from the Germans.

The reader is pulled into the two stories and how they navigate their own difficulties. It was interesting to get a glimpse into how refugees lived during the war and experience their journey of escaping the Nazis. Valpy has a knack for capturing sights, sounds, and emotions to pull you deep into the lives of her characters. She also is wonderful at describing the struggles that families experienced during the war and how they persevered.

I highly recommend this novel and any of the other Fiona Valpy novels you can get your hands on. You won't be disappointed!

Thank you to NetGalley and Amazon Publishing UK for the ARC. The opinions expressed are my own,

A gentle but compelling tale of a troubled expat, Zoe, who finds herself living in Casablanca due to her husband’s job. She discovers a diary hidden beneath the floorboards of their home and so the story of Josie, the young daughter of a lapsing catholic father and a Jewish mother, unfolds telling of life in Morocco as the horrors of WW begin to emerge. She’s a bright, intelligent young teenager who recognises her beloved father’s efforts to help the resistance. Zoe’s marriage is troubled and Josie’s strength of character gives her a sense of purpose. Slow moving but creatively told and I was genuinely moved at times. The conclusion was a little contrived but this story was definitely worth the read!

I’m already a fan of Fiona Valpy’s books but I loved this story. Set in Casablanca during WWII, it tells the story of twelve year old Josie, a Jewish refugee waiting with her family to be granted papers for a new life in the United States. Josie’s vibrant personality comes alive to both the reader and to ex-pat Zoe, who finds Josie’s diary and treasure box seventy years later. The diary brings comfort to Zoe, whose marriage is crumbling following a family tragedy and leads her to embrace a new and better life in Casablanca.

Fiona Valpy’s writing is beautiful and the story transported me to the vivid and evocative world of war time Casablanca.

I have not read anything by this author in the past, but I will in the future. I could not put this book down. There are so many books now set in WWII, but the setting in Morocco is unique and historically informative. The characters were well-drawn and the plot had everything: friendships, sorrow, fear, love, a bit of mystery and magical storytelling.

I enjoyed this story but, at times it was a little slow. I liked the setting of the story and the dual time-line but, the characters annoyed me. Some were so weak and others too controlling. This is my first book by Fiona and I will try another one of hers in the future as she has a good reputation. My thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for giving me the opportunity to read this book in return for an honest review.

It was absolutely exquisite. This book is a mosaic of 2 stories of characters in dual timelines, living in Casablanca, woven seamlessly together. One story is set during WWII, and the other in modern day 2010. When Zoe comes to Casablanca in 2010, she discovers a box and journal beneath the floorboards of her new home. It is through her reading of that journal that we learn Josie’s story of her time in Casablanca. As their lives unfold through the pages of this book you are transported to a multi-cultured world of colors and heat, sights and smells, sounds and textures, love and fear, heartbreak and healing, hope and friendship. The imagery is breathtaking. The telling of the stories in the ways of various cultures is mesmerizing: reading books, oral tradition, dreams, art and fabric. I found the tradition of telling a story through quilting to be particularly poignant. This book, with its beautiful cover, was so much more than I expected. The characters are people I am not yet ready to let go of. I highly recommend this novel.

Set in modern day Casablanca we meet Zoe, who with her husband Tom and baby daughter Grace try to settle into their new life after Tom gets a five year posting to this exotic port. While trying to settle into her new home Zoe comes across a little wooden box hidden beneath the floorboards. Inside the box is a diary and some bits and pieces. The diary is from 1942 and belongs to Josie, a young girl who, with her family have fled to Morocco from Nazi occupied France hoping to secure passage to America. What follows is the story of both, young Josie’s experiences of her life there and Zoe’s struggles as she tries to adjust to her new surroundings.
This is a wonderful book, I felt like I was walking through the streets of both modern day Casablanca and wartime Casablanca. This for me is a 4⭐️ Book and I loved it. Many thanks to #NetGalley for an advanced ARC of this book. #TheStoryTellerofCasablanca #Historicalfiction #Casablanca

I absolutely loved this one. I've not read anything by this author before, but was looking for a book set in Morocco. This one absolutely delivered! I am a big fan of historical fiction, and have read a number of WWII books. However, I had not read any of them that had been set in Africa, so it was super interesting to learn about how folks had escaped from Europe only to be stuck living in poor conditions in Africa. I also really appreciated the current day setting to see how things had changed. I will be recommending this one to all of my friends who like historical fiction and am looking forward to reading more from this author. Thank you to the author, publisher, and netgalley for a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.

Such an outstanding novel! I loved the Dressmaker's Gift so much, that I knew I had to read this new book by Fiona Valpy, and it did not disappoint! A beautiful, engaging, and well written story makes you feel like you're a real part of the novel. Such detail and description went into writing this, you won't regret this read!

Another wonderful story from Fiona Valpy. A beautiful tapestry woven together of two women, a generation apart, two different worlds within the same city, years apart. A story of love, loss, redemption, and recovery that leaves the reader with a sense of hope. TheStorytellerofCasablanca #NetGalley

What an intriguing book this was. It did take me a while to get into but the last quarter of the book had my rapt attention. Once it got there. the story was full of intrigue and interest, connections and revelations; I was hooked.

Set in Casablanca the story is told from the dual perspectives of Josie, an 11-year-old girl in the 1940s, and Zoe who has moved to Casablanca for her husband's work in the present day, After finding Josie's diary in the house that Zoe is renting the two stories are told. Both are dealing with uncertain times and trauma. To begin with, I found the story simplistic and slow, Josie's diary entries are written from a child's perspective, which was fine, but they seemed a little long-winded at times and I wanted the story to get going.

I loved the mix of fact and fiction in the book, both situations and characters, it bought the era during the war to life and I found myself looking up things to get more information. It was fascinating. The ending of the story was very clever and I couldn't put it down. The way the author combined the two stories and rounded them off was very clever.

This is an interesting and intriguing story, which I would highly recommend. This book is definitely worth reading, just make sure you keep going.

When Zoe and her family are posted to Casablanca through work she is hoping that this will be a fresh start. A chance discovery under the floorboards opens up an insight into the life of Josie, a Jewish girl, in the 1940's. Learning about her life and Casablanca during that period is insightful. Beautifully written with a twist in the tale.

Getting to hear about this time in history from a young girl who was not in the middle or involved in anyway, for me anyway, is rare. This isn't a story about the war itself, it's simply a girl and her family who had to leave their homes. Josie while very much aware of what is happening around her, is still an innocent girl filled with optimism and hope. And her story is a perfect balance of both those sides.

Much like other stories involving duel character timelines, I was far more interested in one more than the other. While one story was instantly captivating the second was a slow build that did win me over by the end. I had my moments where I couldn't help but think it maybe it would have been better with just one story, but as it went on I realized that it's the power of stories that drove the second, I didn't have to "get it" I just had to see how a person can grow through reading and learning about someone else.

I received a free electronic ARC of this excellent historical novel from Netgalley, Fiona Valpy, and Lake Union Publishing. Thank you all for sharing your hard work with me. I have read this novel of my own volition, and this review reflects my honest opinion of this work. I am pleased to recommend The Storyteller of Casablanca to friends and family. Fiona Valpy is an author I will follow.

We see the life and times of Casablanca in the fall of 1941. These times, these folks, come alive for us on the pages of this book. We are a part of the large groupings of refugees from France, Italy, and Northern Africa who find their way to Morocco, looking for a chance to relocate to the safety of the U.S. or Britain. These are people who have already lost everything except their souls to the Second World War, their homes, family members, safety, and security all taken away without exception by the winds of combat. And we see the strength required to map a new life from scratch, the roads to take to heal from those ravages of war.

Alternately we follow Zoe and Tom, parents of Grace, as they try to find a way back to one another as they settle into Casablanca in 2010. Tom was transferred to Morocco with his work. It was a complete change of pace that each thought would help them save their marriage. Zoe chooses to stay home and take care of Grace and Tom works too hard and drinks too much. Both are buried in pain and grief and have lost the ability to see one another clearly. Zoe is suffering a serious case of OCDC, washing her hands a hundred times a day, literally germ-phobic. Every day they have less to say, less to share, until hope of reconciliation is almost gone. And then Zoe finds a loose board under the throw rug next to Graces' bed. And the treasures hidden there with the journal of a young refugee bring focus to her world again. From these treasures, she finds some of those refugees from 1941 who lived in what is now her home. But will that new perspective be enough to reset her world?

I was privileged to read an advanced review copy of The Storyteller of Casablanca. In the acknowledgments, the author refers to the gentleman who contacted her who "wished he had a granddaughter who could tell the story of life in Casablanca at the outset of World War II." It is so clear that the author travelled that journey through the eyes of her characters. The reader can see what Josie sees as a young girl who escaped France to Casablanca, and the tumult she experiences. Thank you Ms. Valpy for a book that holds your attention and allows one to visit the world of Casablanca in the early 40's.

*Thank you so much to the publishers for sending me this arc in exchange for my honest review*

The Storyteller of Casablanca
by Fiona Valpy
Pub Date: 9/21/21

Morocco, 1941. With France having fallen to Nazi occupation, twelve-year-old Josie has fled with her family to Casablanca, where they await safe passage to America. Life here is as intense as the sun, every sight, smell and sound overwhelming to the senses in a city filled with extraordinary characters. It’s a world away from the trouble back home—and Josie loves it.

Seventy years later, another new arrival in the intoxicating port city, Zoe, is struggling—with her marriage, her baby daughter and her new life as an expat in an unfamiliar place. But when she discovers a small wooden box and a diary from the 1940s beneath the floorboards of her daughter’s bedroom, Zoe enters the inner world of young Josie, who once looked out on the same view of the Atlantic Ocean, but who knew a very different Casablanca.

It’s not long before Zoe begins to see her adopted city through Josie’s eyes. But can a new perspective help her turn tragedy into hope, and find the comfort she needs to heal her broken heart?

The descriptive lyrical prose by Valpy is truly what makes this novel a work of art. You are transported to Casablanca and can almost smell your surroundings. The characters and the sweepings tales of friendship and hope will keep you turning for more!

THE STORYTELLER OF CASABLANCA by Fiona Valpy is the best form of escape into story. In two entwined storylines, Valpy tells the two stories set in Casablanca, the first a young girl in 1941 Casablanca waiting to leave for the promise of America and a young mother in 2010 seeking escape in Casablanca from the tragedy she and her husband left behind in England. Beautifully written with two powerful, engaging characters, this story is the perfect experience of a great story in escape to return home with treasure. Valpy sets us in Casablanca in the center of families and community, making a vivid, unforgettable story told by a master storyteller about the stories we tell ourselves and live. By the end of the story, I was completely invested in both storylines, cheering the heroines on as they make their way through tumult and beauty, new friends and possibilities. I received an advance reader copy of this book in exchange for my unbiased review.

To me this was a multi demential read, first about Josie and her journey and seventy years later Zoe. Leaving the only country you have known to find a home in a new country is very emotional, the unknown is so scary. This was a very well written book where I felt all Zoe’s emotions. .This is a must read and I’m sure I will enjoy reading this a second time.

4.5 stars

I enjoyed this book, and I especially liked the ending, because we were kept in the dark about why Zoe was struggling so much with her husband. In retrospect, I should have guessed what was going on with her, especially because I've read other books with a similar premise. But the truth is that I didn't figure it out and when it was revealed, a bunch of things fell into place and I liked that. The dual timeline was nothing unusual, but I loved how the author made the connection between the two people, Josie and Zoe. There were times when the story got bogged down, but the ending really lifted the entire book up for me and I could definitely see myself recommending this. I really enjoy historical fiction and I find myself drawn to WWII books, especially when the focus is about the people, which this is. But this was new to me because I have read very few situated in Africa (one or two), but definitely none in Casablanca. And I loved the connection with Josephine Baker! I also found all of the resistance stuff really interesting and I liked how Josie was able to take part in it with her school project. I also loved all the stuff about quilts, although I disagree with the author about how quilts were used in the underground railroad, although it certainly makes a nice story. Two of my students and I read several papers about this topic and while I know there is some disagreement about this, most believe it's more fable than truth. Still, I did like how the author tied it in with the women refugees and what they were going through.

If you like historical fiction, WWII stories, or realistic fiction and you're looking for something a little different, you should definitely check this out.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

The Story Teller of Casablanca by Fiona Valley. It's the story of Zoe in 2010 who finds a journal written by Josie in 1942 who is trying to get to America during the war. The characters were very real and I cared about all of them except the Nazi of course. I didn't know much about North Africa and WW2. Plus I'm a big fan of historical fiction. I'm glad that Josie and Zoe both had closure. The story was interesting, kept me reading, and I was wondering if we would ever find out what happened to Zoe. I would recommend this book. Thanks NetGalley for letting me review.

Told in a dual time line of 1941 and 2011, this story takes us to the city of Casablanca. It is a story of two woman trying to find a foothold in a world they wish was better.

Josie and her family fled to Casablanca hoping for a brief interlude away from the treachery of Nazi Germany. They escape to a world that excites the twelve year old Josie while the family awaits their clearance to come to America. Josie decided to write a journal describing her feelings and the love for the city of Morocco. Its smells, its exotic nature are an allure to her senses. It is a world she falls in love with.

Seventy years later in a place where Josie resided, Zoe with her family arrives and she is having a difficult time. Her marriage is failing and she has a new baby daughter. It's a trying time for her in a city that is so foreign to her. It's not really the new beginning she was hoping for. Then she discovers a hidden diary, one that belonged to Josie, and she sees the city as once a young twelve year old viewed it. Will this new yet old perspective be enough to create a new feeling in Zoe or is her life with a husband doomed to failure?

I enjoyed this story with its lovely writing and caution that things can be awful for many and yet happiness can be found.
Thank you to Netgalley for a copy of this story recently published.

This is a wonderfully written tale set in Morocco, with a dual timeframe centred around the lives of Josie during 1940s and Zoe in present day.

The chapters covering Josie’s story were captivating as we follow her family’s time in Casablanca where they await a safe passage to a new life in America after fleeing from France to escape German persecution.

The story of Zoe was intriguing right from the start – she has recently moved to Casablanca with her husband, Tom. As she begins this new life, in a strange country, she is struggling with both the move and her marriage. When she finds a journal, written by Josie, her focus changes as she begins to follow Josie’s tale.

The amount of research that has gone into the storyline is phenomenal and with it Valpy has created an extremely well written book, with excellent characters, which I am certain will be a bestseller. Highly recommend.

Many thanks to Fiona Valpy, Amazon Publishing UK and NetGalley for the review copy.

An excellent book by this author who never fails to deliver.
I loved the premise of the story and the geographical location was brought to life throughout the book by exceptionally descriptive writing.
The characters of Josephine and Zoe could not be more different in the face of it but upon inspection there are high links between them.
A perfect 5*

The Storyteller of Casablanca by Fiona Valpy is a story of visitors to a strange city and finding a second chance. In 2010, Zoe Harris moved to Casablanca with her husband as his company offered him a relocation. She struggles with the move, her marriage and their baby daughter. One day she discovers a small wooden box and a diary from the 1940s beneath the floorboards of her daughter’s room. In 1941, twelve-year-old Josie Duval arrives in Casablanca with her family as France falls to the Nazi occupation. There they await safe passage to America. Life there is as intense as the sun with every sight, smell and sound is different and overwhelming. A world away from the troubles back home and Jose loves it. As Zoe reads Josie’s diary, she finds herself opening up to her new city. Seeing the city through the eyes of Josie and finding hope and comfort in the words of a young girl who saw joy and life despite the terror around her. Can Josie’s story help her mend her broken heart and find life in her new home? How does Josie’s story end?
The Storyteller of Casablanca was a story I devoured. From the opening chapter to the final line, the story pulls you in and won’t let go. Fiona Valpy has written another amazing story. I loved Josie’s story and eagerly anticipated finding out what happened to her and finding out why her diary was left behind. Zoe was a character who was hard to figure out, and even sympathize with at certain points, but when the reason behind her broken heart was revealed, her behavior made sense and your heart breaks for her. I admit that I shed a few tears when she discusses the events around her heartbreak. I enjoyed the history woven into the story as I was only familiar with Casablanca from the famous 1942 movie with Humphrey Bogart and Ingrid Bergman. I wasn’t aware that many Jewish refugees fled there before searching for a safer place to call home. I also wasn’t aware of the importance of the area during World War II. I highly, highly recommend The Storyteller of Casablanca. It is a story that will stay with me for a very long time.

The Storyteller of Casablanca is available in paperback, eBook, and audiobook.

Casablanca was captured beautifully in Fiona's latest novel. The atmosphere and setting were, as always, conjured in a realistic and imaginative way. Immediately I was drawn in to the sights and smells that were evoked in the descriptions.

The storylines were weaved incredibly well, though on occasion I did struggle with some of the transitions. But the past story was by far my favourite with so many layers.

The ending blew me away, and I recommend this read for any historical fiction fan. Once again Fiona Valpy shows she is a master storyteller.

I enjoyed this book. The characters were well developed and the descriptions of Casablanca were rich and transported me to the city. Dual timelines between 12 yr old Josie in the 1940’s through her diary and new mother and expat, Zoe in 2010. A beautiful story of hope and loss with a surprising ending.

This truly is a hauntingly evocative. story, with two time lines set in Casablanca,Morocco.
Josie and her family are refugees in 1940,, Zoe is a lonely expat wife in 2010. Both are new to Morocco, both have stories to tell and after Zoe comes across Josie’s journal their two lives become interwoven .
Beautifully written with strong female characters and well researched , this novel has introduced me to a new author, whom other novels I will be seeking out.

This is the third book by the author that I have read, and this certainly did not disappoint. I love how Fiona takes this well known period of history (WWII) and provides the reader into an insight into the lesser known aspects of that period. In the case of the storyteller of Casablanca it's the refugee situation for those escaping occupied France hoping to eventually reach America. In this story, young Josie is a child refugee along with her family and her story is mostly told through a diary that is found 70years later. By means of her diary, Josie helps newcomer Zoe to find her place in Casablanca. thanks to #FionaValpy #netgalley and the publisher for my arc.

The Storyteller of Casablanca, by Fiona Valpy is a wonderful story revolving around a young girl in the 1940s during WWII and an unhappy young woman in 2010. The characters are so well developed that you know exactly what they are feeling and thinking. It is one of those books that you have a hard time putting down and I thoroughly enjoyed it!
Zoe, her husband and their baby, have come to Casablanca due to her husband’s work. Zoe finds it hard to be in a city/country where she is unfamiliar of her surroundings and without many close friends. She discovers a journal with a small box hidden under some floorboards in their baby’s room. The journal was written by 13-year-old Josie in the 1940s during the war. Her parents have come to Casablanca to wait for travel papers to go to America. When Zoe is reading Josie’s journal, she discovers so much about her life and extraordinary experiences in Casablanca. Josie is such an eloquent writer that Zoe can’t put the journal down and it consumes her, but it also will help her to get through her difficult life.
The book was historically correct with many details about the refugees in Casablanca that I was not familiar with. I strongly recommend this book to all who enjoy historical novels and heart-warming characters with an ending that you will not expect. Thank you to NetGalley and Amazon Publishing UK for the advanced copy of this book.

The Storyteller of Casablanca

Fiona Valpy is a master writer of historical fiction. Her newest book is set in Casablanca the largest city in Morocco. In 1941, Josie is 12 when her family escapes from France during WWII, hoping to immigrate to America. Her mother is Jewish, her father becomes a member of the Resistance.
In 2010, Zoe and her husband move to Casablanca as ex-pats, living in the same house that Josie did nearly 70 years before.

When Zoe finds the well-hidden journal and keepsake box of treasures of Josie’s she starts following Josie’s story. Dreams, sorrows, stories all woven beautifully.
References to the 1942 Humphrey Bogart and Ingrid Bergman film and this story have me wanting to watch it again.
This is another amazing book from Fiona Valpy. I’m sure you will shed a few tears and also see the joy of changes.

Many thanks to Fiona Valpy, NetGalley, and Amazon Publishing U.K. for allowing me to read an advance copy of this marvelous story!!

I loved this truly evocative tale of two women - Zoe - the present day occupant and Josie - who occupied the same home during the Second World War. We hear from both women - Josie through her diary found by Zoe who is hoping that Casablanca will offer her a new start and fresh hope.

I was fascinated by the historical context - war in a part of the world which is totally unfamiliar. I enjoyed the local detail - the smells, food and architecture - all brought the city to life.

I loved both characters and felt for both as they faced their individual challenges - the book felt very real.

A book of grief but ending in hope. A delight to read.

I simply adore Fiona Valpy's novels. Each one is better than the last. This novel, focused on Casablanca in WWII, is a wonder. Although there are two narrators, one - Josie - a girl from 1940's Casablanca and another older woman - Zoe - from 2010 Casablanca; both have secrets and are damaged in some way. Finding out the links between the two and the fortuitous happenstance that allows Zoe to "interact" with Josie are skillfully and evocatively handled. Even if you feel tired of WWII stories, this is so much more and I encourage you to get a copy and read it! Valpy, as I said earlier, only gets better at storytelling! Thanks for the ARC from NetGalley and Lake Union Publishers. All opinions are my own.

This is a thoroughly engaging story that goes back and forth between 2010 and 1941. Zoe is our primary character in 2010. She moved to Casablanca with her husband as a result of a transfer. Their relationship is on shaky grounds which is why they thought the move would be good for them. The reason for their unstable relationship is not immediately revealed. Zoe has a tremendous amount of anxiety, which is portrayed through her obsessive hand washing.

Our 1941 part of the story takes place during the war. Josie and her family are refugees in Casablanca. They left France because of the German take over. Josie’s mother comes from a Jewish family which is why they felt they had to leave.

In the house where Zoe is living, she finds the diary that belonged to Josie and becomes intrigued by her story. She also meets some very interesting people who help her tremendously to come to terms with what happened in her own life.

The story works extremely well weaving back and forth between Josie’s life through the diary, and Zoe’s life. The diary gives many insights into the Duval family’s life, trials, and their disappointments. You are anxious to find out what happens to them. On the other side of the story, you are learning from Zoe about living in a different place, the country’s culture, and it’s customs. Here you are anxious to find out what happened to Zoe and how she heals.

The sights, sounds and smells in the book make you feel as if you are there.. the description of the food makes your mouth water. I was thoroughly absorbed with the book and could not put it down. Thank you Net Galley for giving me the opportunity to read the unedited edition..

Another STUNNING book from one of my go-to authors!

Set in Morocco and telling the story of Zoe, a young wife and mother hoping that the move to Cassablanca for her husband's job will give them a fresh start and save their marriage, Struggling to settle and find her feet in a strange country she discovers the hidden wartime diary of Josie a 12 year old Jewish girl whose family had fled Paris to await papers for their planned resettlement in America.

This is a meticulously researched and beautifully told story, with wonderfully vivid descriptions of the city, the food , the overwhelming bustle and heat, and the culture past and present, wonderful characters and a truly gripping storyline expertly woven between past and present .

One of my favourites of 2021 - I can't actually recommend it enough

Zoe's marriage to Tom is on the rocks. When Tom is transferred to Casablanca, Zoe resolves to give their marriage a fresh start.

The house they are quartered in is old. Zoe stumbles upon an old diary written by Josie Duval in 1941. The book is written in these two timelines. Zoe's life alternates with Josie's. In many places, the 13-year-old Josie becomes a pillar of strength to the much older Zoe.

The book is brilliantly written. The sounds and sights of Casablanca in 1941 and 2010 are so vividly described it seems you can actually experience them. Zoe's difficulties with dermatitis, her excessive caution while she makes quilts, and her internal dilemma regarding her marriage and her husband tug at your heartstrings. Her baby Grace is the only ray of hope in her life.

Josie's various difficulties are also well-written. The constant fear of the Gestapo, the hope they have of leaving Africa and moving to America, and her friendships will strike a chord.

This is a moving saga of two women, separated by time, living their lives and trying to make the best of it.

5 stars.

Thanks to NetGalley for providing me a free e-ARC of this book.

Told in dual timelines the story follows young Josie and her family as well as Zoe, oth living in Casablanca. Josie and her family are waiting to travel to America to avoid the Nazi's. Zoe is struggling with family and living in an unfamiliar city. When Zoe finds Josie's diary beneath the floor boards in her home she begins to view her new city through Josie's perspective.

I love historical fiction. I love that the author's extensive research results in a fictional story about real events. My only criticism of this book was that things seemed to wrap up too nicely at the end. I understand coincidences but this one had quite a few that took away from the believability a little bit. Otherwise it was a wonderful story.

I love historical fiction, and in that sense this book didn’t disappoint. I learned about the country of Morocco both during WWII and in the current times, it’s geography, people and customs. I also learned about the North African theater of WWII.
Unfortunately, beyond that I didn’t enjoy the dual time story, most of Josie’s story was not believable to me, Zoe’s was a little strange but more realistic. The reason for her obsession to wash her hands constantly is not revealed until the very end and for me it took away empathy I might have felt for her. I thought the ending was too contrite! Overall, three stars.
Thanks NetGalley, the publisher and the author for the advanced copy.

A great story of two strong women battling their individual demons. I thought I had worked out the plot twist that was coming but I was completely wrong! This book finishes out in a way I did not see coming at all.

Fiona Valpy has succeeded again in writing another brilliant historical fiction novel. The Storyteller of Casablanca was heartbreaking and captivating. It was written in a dual time period and the chapters alternated accordingly. Both of the female protagonists were admirable and quite likable. Fiona Davis was able to incorporate the sights and smells and unique qualities of Morocco so vividly into her book that I almost felt like I was there with the characters. Many of the people she mentioned in The Storyteller of Casablanca were real people that played important roles during that time. I adored the main characters of Josie and Zoe. Their stories and circumstances really tugged at my heart. The conception of The Storyteller was sparked by a request. Someone’s husband once mentioned to Fiona Valpy that he wished he had a granddaughter that could tell about his wife’s experience in Casablanca at the onset of World War II. From that simple request and impeccable research The Storyteller of Casablanca was formulated and written.

In 1941, Josie and her family fled from Nazi occupied France to Casablanca. Josie was just twelve years old at the time. Her family’s goal was to escape to America. They had distant family that lived there. However, securing all the required documents was not easy. Their stay in Casablanca kept getting extended. Patience was needed but was not always easy to practice. During her time in Casablanca, Josie recorded many of her thoughts, feeling and things that happened in a journal her father had given to her.

Seventy years later, in 2010, Zoe and her husband Tom arrived in Casablanca. Zoe and Tom were looking for a fresh start. Tom had secured a job there. Both Zoe and Tom were aware that their marriage was in jeopardy of failing. Along with their baby daughter, Grace, life as an expat in an unfamiliar place was not easy or comfortable for either Zoe or Tom. One day Zoe discovered a hidden wooden box with a diary from the 1940’s hidden beneath the floor boards in her baby daughter’s room. Zoe was soon transported back in time into Josie’s life. She became fascinated with Josie’s story and plight. Could these two strong women, one from the past and one from the present help each other to get past their suffering and hurt?

I loved everything about The Storyteller of Casablanca. The story drew me in right from the start and I learned a lot about the role Casablanca played during World War II especially for the escaping refugees trying to get to Britain or America. The ending was quite a surprise and not expected at all. I highly recommend this book.

Thank you to Lake Union Publishing for allowing me to read this advanced digital copy of The Storyteller of Casablanca through Netgalley. All opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Told in two alternating time lines spanning 70 years.

Morocco, 1941:
Josie is 12 years old, her family leaves their financially comfortable life in France to temporarily live in Casablanca. The plan is to wait in Casablanca for their immigration paper work to come through for their ultimate destination, America. Josie thrives in her new environment, makes great friends and is happy to be away from the difficulties and horrors of what is happening back in France.

Zoe relocates (2010) with her husband and baby daughter to Casablanca. Her husband is offered a career opportunity and they are both excited for the change and hoping it will be what they need to put their struggling marriage back on track. They inhabit the exact same apartment occupied by Josie and her family 70 years prior. Zoe discovers a box under a floorboard containing misc contents and a diary maintained by Josie. Zoe finds herself obsessed with Josie’s history and won’t rest until she discovers what happened to Josie and her family members.

I have visited Casablanca and really enjoyed the narrative descriptions of the foods, sounds, neighborhoods and culture. Loved learning and reading about the history of the local custom of storytelling done by homemade quilts. An Underground Railroad of sorts done by hanging quilts on railings or on clothes lines that told of routes, safe places, time lines, etc.

I can’t say enough positive things about this book. The characters had depth and pulled you into their circumstances. I was completely invested in the outcome.

Written in duel timeline, The Storyteller of Casablanca was a interesting yet somewhat predictable read.
The authors writing of the environment was captivating.
Many thanks to NetGalley, the publisher and author for the opportunity to read this book for my honest opinion. All opinions expressed are my own.

The story connects 2 women who live in the same house in Casablanca 70 years apart through a journal. The one reading the journal in 2010 is Zoe, and the one who wrote the journal in 1941 is Josie. Josie’s family were escaping the Nazi’s. Zoe moved with her husband escaping their old life. Both show us life in Morocco across 2 time periods, and show us the strength and resilience of women to overcome challenges and obstacles. At times, Josie sounded more mature than her 12-13 years. Otherwise, it’s an enjoyable read.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the complimentary copy of this book in exchange for my honest thoughts.

This story centers around a young girl, Josie, who escaped France with her family at the time of the Nazi occupation. In a parallel storyline, Zoe arrives in Casablanca with her husband and finds Josie's memory box and journal hidden in the house. Alternating between the two stories, we learn of Josie's life in 1941 as Zoe sorts through her issues. I found Josie's story the more interesting of the two, and enjoyed how this author put the story together. The reveal in the end makes a lot of pieces fit into place and was a good resolution all around.

The story is a dual timeline is set seventy years apart. Set in Casablanca, Zoe's story is set in 2010 and Josie's in 1941. When Zoe finds twelve-year-old Josie's diary, she becomes preoccupied with her story. The two timelines are interwoven seamlessly as we learn of Zoe's marriage problems and Josie's family. This is a descriptively written story that I was quickly caught up in. The pace is steady with some wonderful characters. This is a first for me by the author and one I enjoyed and would read more of their work. The book cover is eye-catching and appealing and would spark my interest if in a bookshop. Thank you very much to the author, publisher and Netgalley for this ARC.

3.5/5.

I fell in love with this book right from the beginning! I love story told in dual timelines so this peeked my interest! Highly highly recommend…

Atmospheric and expressive describes this truly great story from author, Fiona Valpy. Josie and her family have fled from France to the relative safety of Casablanca. The year is 1941 and the Nazi occupation has forced many to make their way to Morocco to await their onward journey to America. As we begin to learn Josie’s story, the simultaneous storyline emerges of Zoe, a young wife, and mother who has moved to Casablanca in 2010. Zoe is struggling to cope with a marriage in which her husband feels distant, their relationship is strained and unhappy. Zoe has moved into the home that Josie lived in so many years before. She finds Josie’s diary and begins to learn more about the family that lived there. The characters are well-drawn, the surroundings so well written that you can easily see in your mind's eye what the author is describing. The two storylines, that of Josie in 1941 and Zoe in 2010, are equally compelling and engaging. They are woven together deftly with surprising interconnections. The twist at the end works, it’s unexpected but fitting. A thoroughly enjoyed read! Thanks to NetGalley, the author, and the publisher for a copy of the book in exchange for my honest review.

I received this book as an ARC and this is my review. This story is set in Casablanca during 2010 with flashbacks to WWII. During that time, families from all over Europe were waiting for visas and other documents to travel by ship to America. They were living their lives as best they could, and some were working for the resistance. This book is so rich with the culture and ambience that is Casablanca. I loved it! The characters are unforgettable and the history is from the viewpoint of those who are waiting and hoping. I totally recommend this amazing story to readers who enjoy historical fiction with behind the scenes action and surprising twists.

Two women living at different times and facing challenging circumstances while living in Casablanca. This is a story of struggle, survival, new beginnings, and hope. This novel is about two female characters told in alternative perspectives, Josie Duval, a twelve-year old girl in 1941 who is forced to flee France with her family during World War II and relocate to Casablanca where they awaited paperwork to travel to Portugal and then ultimately America and Zoe Harris, who relocates with her husband Tom to Casablanca in 2010 with the hopes of a new beginning and saving their distant and failing marriage. Zoe Harris recently moved into their house in Casablanca and discovers beneath the floorboards a journal written by Josie Duval and a box of keepsakes. She begins reading and finds solace and understanding in Josie’s story and yearns to discover what happened to Josie and her family.

The stories are woven together and while they take place during different times and under different circumstances, they share common emotions and challenges and overlap in surprising ways. This is an emotional tale from each perspective and the characters are well-developed, relatable, and engaging. The reader is interested in both stories and in learning the history and faith of these women and their families. The author does an excellent job of presenting life in Casablanca, both during wartime and 2010 through her description of the scenery, culture, religion, food, and social issues that existed. Having read many World War II novels, this was an interesting perspective of life during wartimes in Casablanca and the issues faced by refugees both during wartime and present day. The author does a wonderful job of bringing the stories together in an interesting and heartbreaking way towards the end of the novel connecting the two stories.

This novel is captivating and was a quick and enjoyable read. Both stories were engaging and kept the readers attention. Often, readers favor one storyline over the other, however here the stories are equally satisfying filled with interest, intrigue, heartbreak, and hope. The reader is filled with suspense while they wait to discover the faith of Josie’s family and whether Zoe and Tom can overcome their struggles together, all the while hoping for the success of each of them. The ending is surprising and a nice touch of pulling the storylines together bringing closure.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for my honest feedback.

★★★★ 3.5 stars (rounded up)

I must admit, I was intrigued by the premise for this book particularly as it was dual timelined which is of course one of my favourite forms of historical fiction. Although I have a couple of Fiona Valpy's books, THE STORYTELLER OF CASABLANCA is actually the first one I've read. It was heartbreaking and compelling at the same time although I did feel it drag a little at times, mostly through Zoe's narrative. I was, however, immediately captivated by Josie's story through her journal and admittedly it was that that kept me turning the pages till the end.

Casablanca, Morocco 1941: When 12 year old (nearly 13) Josie Duval and her family arrive in Casablanca, having fled France when the Germans invade Paris, it is but a stepping stone to their new future that awaits them across the Atlantic in America. For Josie and her sister Annette are half-Jewish as their maman DelphineGuillaume Duval arranges a passage to Casablanca where they will apply for American visas and await their transit to Portugal which would then see their passage to America.

However, Casablanca during wartime wasn't an easy place to live. Upon arrival, the Duvals are taken to a refugee camp before they move to a house in which they will live whilst awaiting their passage to America. Almost at once, Josie falls in love with everything about Casablanca - the sights, the sounds, the food, the people and of course its warm climate. She makes friends with their housekeeper's daughter Nina who is the same age as Josie and the two spend almost every moment together, even visiting the library and pouring over Dorothy L. Sayers books as well as those of Agatha Christie which the two girls devour with relish. After some time, Josie begins to feel so settled there that she begins to dread the moment her papa secures their visas and necessary paperwork to see them across the Atlantic. Maybe it was just as well the whole process was slow and tedious that it seemed like that day would never arrive.

And then strange things begin to occur. Josie began to notice her papa going to many meetings and the stealthy slip of a brown envelope passed to the tutor they hired to maintain her schooling. A couple of family trips seemed a bit out of the ordinary - one to the mountains and the other along the Moroccan coast - whilst they happened across a nasty little man that made Josie especially feel uncomfortable.

Meanwhile, her 17 year old sister Annette had been mourning the fact they had to leave her boyfriend Eduardo and would often break out in floods of tears...in between finding ways to torment her little sister. And then she met Olivier and suddenly Eduardo was forgotten which Josie was at pains to remind her.

But the war was getting closer to Casablanca and time was running out for the Duvals to escape to America before it was too late...

Casablanca 2010: Seventy years later, Zoe and her husband Tom arrive in the Moroccan town for a fresh start. Tom has secured a job in the ports there (though I'm not exactly sure what he did as that was never really outlined) while Zoe struggled to find a way to fill her time in the sprawling and somewhat empty house. Except that she had Grace, her beautiful little daughter. It's clear from the outset that Zoe and Tom's marriage is floundering and neither of them are doing much to find their way back to each other. They are like ships that pass in the night as Tom wakes before Zoe to go for an early morning run, comes home long enough to shower and change before rushing off to work where he often stays late, stopping off for a drink or three afterwards only to return home to a cold dinner and an annoyed wife. But what happened to them to rip their world apart?

Although she and Tom appear to be drifting further and further apart, Zoe meets some other British ex-pat wives who make her feel extremely welcome. Despite her fear of social situations and outings, she meets Kate and May for lunch regularly - the women bonding over Zoe's desire to begin a quilt she wishes to sew by hand as a labour of love.

It's the wee hours of one morning that Josie creeps upstairs to Grace's attic room to watch her daughter sleep that she stumbles over the creaking board under the rug again. She pulls the rug up and attempts to flatten the floorboard but it appears to be buckled and loose. She pulls it up to reveal a leather-bound notebook and small sandalwood box with a pearl lid. She pulls out the items - a Star of David necklace, a scrap of faded blue paper, a feather and a piece of green sea glass - and ponders the significance of these things that were once somebody's treasures. Then she opens the notebook. It's a diary...written by a 12 year old girl called Josiana Duval in the year 1941.

Curled up next to Grace who sleeps soundly on the bed, Zoe steps back in time to a different Casablanca during wartime and begins to see the town through Josie's eyes. It's through Josie that Zoe feels a deep connection to the place and she becomes fascinated with her story and the plight which she and her family had faced. As Zoe is swept up in Josie's story wanting to find out what happened to the family and if they made it to America, Josie's story becomes entwined with her own - tying them together through hope, friendship and grief...but above all, the Moroccan culture of storytelling and dream-sellers welded deep in history.

THE STORYTELLER OF CASABLANCA is indeed a captivating story that will have you absorbed from the beginning. However, the story does dip a little particularly through Zoe's narrative as it was difficult to connect with her. All we seemed to know about her was that she and her husband moved to Casablanca, their marriage was floundering (though we don't know why...yet) and she is obsessed with washing and rewashing her hands to the point they bleed, are dry and scaly from the dermatitis. And yet she continues to do it as she continues to bite at the skin surrounding her nails. The reason for this becomes clear by the end but it did slow the pace somewhat at times. It was Josie's story that is the winner and it was Josie's story that kept me turning the pages...and in the end I'm glad I stuck it out because the ending was worth it.

The story of Casablanca during the war is one that is little known or told. My grandfather fought in North Africa during the war and was one of the rats of Tobruk. And while wartime novels mainly feature Britain or European countries such a Germany, France or Austria, Casablanca or any North African country features very little in wartime fiction. I certainly enjoyed it far more than a previous book set in the same place and it is interesting to note that a number of the characters mentioned and portrayed in the story were in fact real people who featured in the Resistance movement there at the time. Including the famous singer and actress Josephine Baker.

I didn't see the end of the story coming at all though when I think back on it, it makes perfect sense. It is a heartbreaking tale set in frightening and turbulent times that we could only imagine but it is a story that offers hope through adversity and grief.

Beautifully written, THE STORYTELLER OF CASABLANCA is an enchanting and moving tale of two women separated by time each with their own struggles, thus creating something of an interesting perspective that is woven together beautifully by the end.

If you like historical fiction, wartime fiction or dual timelines and you're looking for something a little different, you should definitely check this out.

I would like to thank #FionaValpy, #Netgalley and #LakeUnionPublishing for an ARC of #TheStorytellerOfCasablanca in exchange for an honest review.

The Storyteller of Casablanca is an evocative historical novel by Fiona Valpy.
In short, it’s a dual timeline narrative which follows two women connected by a journal found in a house in Casablanca 70 years apart.
It’s an interesting perspective, both women adjusting to life in very different Casablanca’s! I enjoyed the story, it was both heartbreaking yet hopeful and all played out in the vivid backdrop of Casablanca, however, for me it was a rather slow start.
Big thanks to Fiona Valpy, Amazon Publishing UK and NetGalley for this eARC which I chose to read in return for my honest review.

Another good read from Fiona Valpy. I enjoyed this from the beginning and the dual timeliness works well, set 70 years apart. Zoe has moved with her husband to Casablanca and finds the journal written by Josie during the 2nd World War. Josie arrives with her parents and elder sister as refugees from France hoping to reach America, via Portugal. The story explores the feelings of loss, poverty, sickness, friendship and life in an unfamiliar world. It has been well written and draws you in from the start. I was eager to finish it and understand how these 2 women could be linked. I was very surprised by the story of Grace, who puzzled me throughout the story. I won't spoil this by telling you more.
It has also given me an insight into another place where refugees went to when the Germans invaded France. I knew nothing about Casablanca.
I can recommend this book and look forward to Fiona Valpy's next book.

The Storyteller of Casablanca by Fiona Valpy is an amazing book. The book takes place in Casablanca in two different time periods. In 2010, Zoe, her husband and daughter have moved from England to Casablanca for her husband's job. As an expat, she meets other expats as she learns about her new home and city. She finds a journal and a box within the floor boards and finds that in 1941 Josie and her family had fled Nazi-occupied France to Casablanca in order to secure passage to the United States. Josie and her family lived in the same house that Zoe and her family were living in. Zoe becomes engrossed in Josie's telling of her life in Casablanca and the challenges they faced. Josie is 13 when the journal begins so her view of the world is hopeful and optimistic, but she is also astute to what is going on around her even when she is not just annoyed by her older sister, Annette, Josie meets a local storyteller that helps her cope with the world she is living in. Zoe is fascinated by the journal, and along with the reader, wants to find out what happened in Josie's life. Fiona Valpy did an excellent job of perfectly capturing the voice of a 13 year old. I love to read beautiful stories that capture my heart and the storytelling in this book is magical and fascinating and reminds of why I love to read. I thoroughly enjoyed The Storyteller of Casablanca.

Thank you to Net Galley and Amazon UK for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

As a lover of historical fiction and also having read a few of Fiona Valpy’s books I knew that this was going to be an enjoyable read.
Set in a dual time line the narratives flow well and the time periods are so vivid for the reader.
It is such a well written and researched book and I learned a lots about an area of the world I am not that familiar with.
Another enjoyable read from this author and if you love historical fiction I am sure this will be a lovely journey through the pages for you.
Thanks the the author and publisher and NetGalley for a copy of this book in return for an honest review
Would recommend.

First read from this author and won’t be the last. Great read very different to my usual reads. Throughly enjoyed and would certainly recommend to others

I love Fiona Valpy's writing, and I loved her book The Dressmaker's Gift. That is what made me pick up this book. Unfortunately, this one was a miss for me simply because I didn't connect with either of the main characters. That might have just been my personal preference, or perhaps just bad timing. I will definitely keep reading her books though!

In 2010, expat Zoe arrives in Casablanca, having moved for her husband’s job. She is struggling with being in a new city, watching her marriage fall apart and caring for her baby daughter. She discovers a diary from the 1940s in the attic that becomes her lifeline and provides us with our second narrator, Josie. Josie is a twelve year old girl who has fled France after its fall to the Nazis and is awaiting passage to America with her family. Alternating between Zoe’s attempts to make her new surroundings feel a little more like home and Josie’s coming to terms with the ever changing world around her, the narrative provides a unique picture of what Casablanca was like both during WWII and the present from two women with literally the exact same view of the world outside their window.

Having read many books that take place during WWII, I appreciated getting a perspective that I haven’t really seen before: that of refugees in North Africa during that time. The book was well written and the descriptions of both time and place were vivid. The ending really made the book for me, but with that said, it almost felt a little too rushed after all of the build up to get there. Thanks to Lake Union Publishing and Netgalley for providing me with this ARC.

What an intriguing peek into the history of Morocco and the role it played in WWII. Josie and her story is being told by Zoe so many years later through the discovery of Josie’s diary. I love the way Fiona Valpy intertwined the past with the future. This was not just a fictional story but a history lesson in the atrocities that occurred everywhere the German Nazis reached. I highly recommend this book and thank #netgalley and the publisher for my requested copy of the ARC.

I requested this book as the title and description intrigued me. It was a more gentle story than I was expecting, but it was very enjoyable still. I particularly liked the way that the reader gets a dual perspective of Casablanca. My favourite parts were the chapters where we got to know what it was like in wartime and what people did to survive as well as the innocent teenage narrative. I found the modern day characters to be slightly annoying, but I think this was intentional!

Unfortunately, I put this book off for a little bit because I wasn't feeling a historical fiction. I finally decided it was time to give it a try and am I surprised! This book truly surprised me. I have read several novels that took place during WWII, but it was surprisingly informative to approach it from another continent. I loved how both timelines were interwoven. I was never confused and the different time periods were seamlessly integrated. I was invested in both stories, although Josie's held my attention a little more due to high stakes nature of her life. Josie was an inspirational character and so terribly brave. I was also intrigued by the specifics of Zoe's life and the small crumbs I thought were pointing me in one direction. I was truly surprised by the twist in the story and never saw it coming! Seriously, my mind was blown. I did think this book explained things a lot, sometimes in more detail than I would have wanted, but I really didn't mind.

It was truly a beautiful story and I would highly recommend it!

The Storyteller of Casablanca is dual timeline story set in Morroco.

In 1941 Josie, her older sister and her parents flee France, as they are Jewish and go to Morroco with a view to gettig passage on a ship to the US. While her father tries to arrange this, Josie makes friends and explores Casblanca itself. She keeps a journal or her life there under the floorboards
Josie's part of the book portrays the effect of Nazi Germany's presence in Africa aswell as in Europe.

The second time time was that of Zoe, in the present day. Her husband has landed a job in Casablanca and she stays at home caring for their baby. Zoe's marriage is going through a rough patch and she is lonely and depressed.
She discovers Josie's journal under a loose floorboard and sets off to trace what happened to Josie and her family.

Unlike the majority of WW2 historical fiction, this book is set in Morocco 1941. It was interesting to read about WW2 from a different viewpoint, in this case the many Jewish refugees that tried to escape via Africa.
The author captured the sights and smells of Casablanca wonderfully. She also captures the fear of teying to escape as the Germans grew ever closer well. I found Josie's story during this time the more captivating of the two . I felt it was the better told story of the two. I enjoyed it but it didn't blow me away

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for a copy of this book in return for an honest read

This book is set in a dual timeline. We read the story of 12 year old Jose that has fled Nazi occupation in France to Casablanca while they wait to get permission to go to the United States. The other story is set seventy years later when Zoe moves to Casablanca with her husband and daughter. Zoe is struggling with her marriage, her life as an expat in a foreign city and a personal tragedy that occurred before moving there. Both characters had lived in the same house. Zoe finds something that Jose left in the house that changes her perspective on everything. I highly recommend this book.

Beautifully told, switching between Casablanca in the present and in the 1940's. The story is of two different families trying to build a new life but for very different reasons.
Zoe, a modern day expat follows her husband and his career to Casablanca to try to make their marriage work. Struggling to settle and build a new life she discovers the journal of Josie, a wealthy refugee who has fled Paris due to the Jewish roots of her mother.
Zoe is engrossed in Josie's journal and, as she reads it she (and us) discover what life was like in Casablanca for the refugees, both wealthy and poor. As Zoe tries to find out more about Casablanca during this time she also finds out more about the current refugee situation and is drawn to help.
The unfolding stories of both Zoe and Josie take a surprising twist at the end.
Fiona Valpy's description of the sounds, sights and smells of Casablanca pull you in to the story.
A really good read.

I was given a copy of The Story Teller of Casablanca by NetGalley and the publishers in return for an unbiased review.

After Zoe and her husband move to Casablanca, Zoe feels a little lost as her husband buries himself in work. She funds a journal written by 12 year-old Josie in the 1940's under the floorboards. The story switches between present and past. I liked the story, the characters were good, but I wish the language used by Josie was written in a more simple way. The language as written seemed to mature for a 12/13 year old in the 1920's, making the story less believable.
3 stars

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher and author for an ARC of this book.The opinions expressed are my own.

I read this ARC for an honest review
All thoughts and opinions are mine

Absolutely loved this
Wonderfully descriptive - very vivid - loved the way the book was set

great storytellying

The Storyteller of Casablanca by Fiona Valpy is my first novel by this author. I love her style of writing! An exotic setting, a dual timeline and a story about WWII set in a location I haven't read about before. Give it a chance and I know you'll love it!

It is a dual timeline book. One timeline focuses on Zoe in 2010. She with her husband moved to Casablanca on a posting, seeking a fresh start. With her marriage on rocks, Zoe was trying to break through her continuous cycle of grief. When she chances on an old journal in the attic of her home, she gets pulled into the life of Josie, a thirteen-year-old girl. Josie lived in the same house as Zoe during the second world war. She with her family had moved to Casablanca on their way to the United States. They undergo constant daily struggle to find passage to America.
Fiona Valpy has remarkably managed to do justice to both the timelines. Zoe and Josie are two characters belonging to completely different periods and stages of life. Yet the common thread that neatly ties them together is the alluring city of Casablanca. The author has brought Casablanca of the 1940s to life with her exquisite writing making it easy for me to envision the place. I could feel the spirit, the sights and the sounds of Casablanca. The unsaid grief of Zoe and her struggle with it was palpable. Even though the author has recounted Josie's story in epistolary style but at no point, it appears bland. Instead, Josie's story comes alive in front of you by the way she articulates her thoughts in her diary entries.

“I’m an entire ocean in one tiny drop.” The Storyteller of Casablanca by Fiona Valpy

4 stars. This was an unexpected gem. I enjoyed how I got sucked into the setting and the story.

It’s sort of told in 2 timelines, present day with Zoe and in 1941 via the journal entries of Josie. Zoe found the journal in the house she’s staying at in Casablanca with her family. Adjusting to the new country, so very different from London, with some problems with her husband, Zoe found solace in the journal. And she followed the life of Josie to the end.

I really enjoyed this one. I got lost in modern day Casablanca with Zoe and explored old Morocco with Josie. I was a bit shocked at the small twist in Zoe’s life. And Josie’s too. I’m glad for the ending. This book made me want to visit the country.

Thank you Amazon Publishing UK and NetGalley for this arc. This was a good book to read.

Review ⭐️ - Thanks to netgalley for a pre released copy of this book! Set in Morocco, and alternates between back in 1941 - following Josie’s family who have had to flee France, and have stopped in Morocco awaiting safe passage to America and then, seventy years later when Zoe is struggling with her new life in Morocco, when she stumbles across the journal that belonged to Josie in 1941. The Storyteller of Casablanca follows Zoe’s journey to settling into Morocco while she unravels the story that Josie wrote all them years ago…

I love anything with a dual timeline and this was honestly the loviest, and sometimes heartbreaking historical fiction novel! Josie’s story was so captivating, and the ending was so heartwarming for both Zoe and Josie despite the heartache that they so obviously felt deeply throughout the book - This wasn’t my first Fiona Valpy novel, and it mostly certainly won’t be the last.

Quote 💌 - “You need to go to the ocean. Write the names of the things you’ve lost on stones you will find there and then cast them away into the waters. The ocean is big enough to take your grief and keep it safe for you, freeing up space in your heart for other things. The dream seller says this is an important lesson for you to learn now and you must remember it. It will help you later in life.”

I loved this book for invoking memories of my own travels in Morocco and learning more about Casablanca during the Second World War. The tales of refugees past and present.

I did not love the main character Zoe. I recognise this is probably a very true portrayal of someone suffering from anxiety but something about her helplessness just irked me throughout the story and made me think I'd much rather just read a book that was just Josie's journal. I understand the parallel stories but it felt jarring to me.

**Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for giving me access to this book in return for an honest review.

I loved this book. Simply loved it. Its a fantastically written story and the some of the characters are very engaging. I did prefer the historical story more than the current storyline in the book. A super read!

A heartwarming, gripping tale set in the landscape of Casablanca. With an unforgettable cast of characters, this extraordinary work from Fiona Valpy is a story you will never forget.

Thank you to Netgalley, the publishing house ad the author for the opportunity to read a complimentary copy of this book in return for a review based upon my honest opinion.

This gripping saga transported me to wartime Casablanca where yiou coudl see all of the beauty and feel the edginess of the refugees, most of them jewish on the run to America from the Nazis and to modern day Casablanca, not quite so splendid with the old world charm, but still an ancient city with its share of refugees and problems.

Zoe, her husband, Tom and their young daughter, Grace move to Casablanca for Tom's work. Zoe and Tom have said that the move would help to put their marriage back on track, but they quickly fall into old habits, Tom leaving early for work every morning and coming home late every night, Zoe keeping to herself and closing herself off from Tom. Zoe finds a beautiful sandalwood box under the uneven floorboard in Grace's room and in the box are; a gold Star of David necklace, a blue folded piece of paper, a small piece of wood that appears to be some sort of animal call, a faded feather and a piece of sea glass, along with them is a diary. Zoe finds herself very curious and starts to read the diary, the dairy is has been written by a young preteen, Josie, starting on New Year's Day 1941. We are quickly absorbed in the story of Josie and her family, who fled from Paris and are tryng to get to America to start a new life, as Josie's mother is jewish and her father, catholic.

Zoe feels an instant connection to Josie, even though it has been 70 years since the dairy was written. Zoe finds feels a bond with Josie and as she gets to know her new surroundings and works on her tree of life quilt, she explores Casablanca. As she nears the end of the diary, she also nears the end of making the quilt and knows that her life cannot go on the way it has but is she ready for the end of the diary, and is she ready for her next chapter of her life.

I loved the way the author told the past story of Josie and her family, the things that Josie had written in her diary really let me connect with her as Zoe did. I thoroughly enjoyed this book. It is highly recommended. It was a heartbreaking story of loss and loss through the years and that really made me think.