The Paris Apartment

By: Kelly Bowen

Narrated by: Polly Lee, Marisa Calin, Gemma Dawson, Steve West

Length: 12 hrs and 15 mins

Publisher's summary

This heart-wrenching novel about family and war unearths generations of secrets and sacrifices - perfect for fans of The Paris Orphan and The Lost Girls of Paris.

London, 2017: When Aurelia Leclaire inherits an opulent Paris apartment, she is shocked to discover her grandmother’s hidden secrets - including a treasure trove of famous art and couture gowns. One obscure painting leads her to Gabriel Seymour, a highly respected art restorer with his own mysterious past. Together they attempt to uncover the truths concealed within the apartment’s walls.

Paris, 1942: The Germans may occupy the City of Lights, but glamorous Estelle Allard flourishes in a world separate from the hardships of war. Yet when the Nazis come for her friends, Estelle doesn’t hesitate to help those she holds dear, no matter the cost. As she works against the forces intent on destroying her loved ones, she can’t know that her actions will have ramifications for generations to come.

Set 75 years apart, against a perilous and a prosperous Paris, both Estelle and Lia must summon hidden courage as they navigate the dangers of a changing world, altering history - and their family’s futures - forever.

©2021 Kelly Bowen (P)2021 Forever

Critic reviews

“Bowen draws on the lives of Nancy Wake and Josephine Baker and the 2018 discovery of a Paris apartment untouched since WWII in this rich historical tale. The stories unearthed in the apartment pique from the first page in this magnetic novel full of tragedy and rich characters.” (Publishers Weekly)

"Kelly Bowen creates an evocative and thrilling glimpse into the lives of two heroic women risking everything in occupied Paris during World War II. A dual-timeline connects past and present; a painting of a house, two matching pendants, and old photographs of a woman act as pivotal clues that bridge between the two, and fine works of art and a heartfelt love story between two people who were destined to meet brings the story full circle. A lovely aha moment at the end and the reminder to make one's life count will make this book and its characters linger long after the last page is turned. A beautiful novel for fans of The Nightingale." (Karen White, New York Times best-selling author of The Last Night in London)

“'A beautifully written cast of characters unraveling the mysteries and humanity of war. Enticing.” (Mandy Robotham, USA Today best-selling author)

Tied up nicely

I enjoyed the story and the back and forth between eras. Steve West should have been Gabriel's voice throughout. That would have made it a 5 * performance

loved story but..narration production flawed

I really enjoyed the story so listened to the end, but one of the narrators ended each sentence with an upturn of voice, as if each thing said was a type of surprising and unexpected event. Then the narration speed would switch suddenly to triple speed, often ending that speedy segment with the last word at normal speed. So very weird to listen to.. while this narrator's voice is lovely and clear, her reading smooth, just imagine a mundane sentence Ike: "She made a cup of coffee and sat down." ending with the tonation of awe, when not anywhere near to an exciting part of the story. Nearly every sentence!
To be fair and I hate to hurt feelings, I do enjoy the narrator's story telling once I get used to her style. I just imagine her reading to a bunch of 1st graders, keeping their attention with excitement in her voice. but combined with the very irritating speeded up by the producers, it was often difficult to hear.
I am glad I heard this story anyway as it provoked deep empathy for the women in wartime under threat of Nazi cruelty, instilling a reverence for the hidden strength of women in general when their loved ones and are in danger.

Excellent

Hope the author writes more like this one. Best! Enjoyed the wonderful characters and narrators !

This was a really good WWII era stoty

This was really a good WWII era story. Towards the end, it hit me in the feels. The narration was really good also. It had 4 narrators.

Very enjoyable!

Stories and characters were interwoven in a beautiful way across dual timelines. It was a captivating story!

loved it!

I adore historical fiction. even better with the flashes to today, then back. fantastic book. it kept me guessing the whole time!

Riveting

Such a wonderful blending of past, present, history, art and romance. It’s wonderfully written and was a great read.

A well crafted story of the heroism of women

Leah inherits an apartment from her Grandmother that she never knew existed. It is full of magnificent art and furnishings but looks as if no one has been there for years upon years. Was her grandmother a Nazi collaborator? It couldn’t be but signs point to yes. Her research to try to find the proper owners of the art takes her down an interesting road with her hired art expert Gabriel. A wonderful read!

Totally Engaging

Although a work of fiction, what is written in this book could have happened, perhaps even happened. Written from a variety of perspectives, the story weaves back and forth through time. The narration is very well done.

Lovely Story

Because this is a story of fiction loosely based on real life events, it's easy to imagine as true. I'm currently enjoying books that focus on civilian lives during WWII. Although these stories are difficult and sad, they are full of courage and love. This book is a nice addition to my little library.