The Paris Orphan
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4.3 • 375 Ratings
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- $9.99
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- $9.99
Publisher Description
A "rich and riveting" New York Times bestseller based on the true story of a female journalist who defied all the rules while covering World War II (Publishers Weekly, starred review).
New York City/Paris, 1942: When American model Jessica May arrives in Europe to cover the war as a photojournalist for Vogue, most of the soldiers are determined to make her life as difficult as possible. But three friendships change that. Journalist Martha Gellhorn encourages Jess to bend the rules. Captain Dan Hallworth keeps her safe in dangerous places so she can capture the stories that truly matter. And most important of all, the love of a little orphan named Victorine gives Jess strength to do the impossible. But her success will come at a price...
France, 2005: Decades after World War II, D'Arcy Hallworth arrives at a beautiful chateau to curate a collection of famous wartime photos by a reclusive artist. It's the opportunity of a lifetime, but D'Arcy has no idea that this job will uncover decades of secrets that, once revealed, will change everything she thought she knew about her mother, Victorine, and alter D'Arcy's life forever.
Includes a reading group guide!
"An emotional and sweeping tale set against the backdrop of World War II...Rich detail, compelling characters, and an interwoven dual timeline make this an engrossing read for historical fiction fans." --Chanel Cleeton, USA Today bestselling author of Next Year in Havana
"[A] splendid, breathtaking novel, full of mystery and passion...a must read!" --Jeanne Mackin, author of The Last Collection
APPLE BOOKS REVIEW
In this sweeping adventure, two generations of women find their lives forever changed by World War II. In 1942, former model Jessica May leaves New York’s high life to cover the European front as a photojournalist. Battling sexism at every turn, Jessica receives aid and encouragement from fearless war correspondent Martha Gellhorn (a real-life journalist) and hunky U.S. Army paratrooper Dan Hallworth. Then the story jumps to 2005, when art dealer D’Arcy travels to France to curate a trove of historical photographs—and makes a shocking discovery about her own family that links her with Jessica across time. Author Natasha Lester fills this romantic saga with rich details, grounding us in both the horrors of war and the beauty of vintage fashion. We were inspired by the courage and creativity that propel the story’s compelling heroines. By the end, we felt like we were right there alongside Jessica and D’Arcy, navigating parallel journeys of bravery, loyalty, and love.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
Lester (The Paris Seamstress) reveals secrets from a WWII romance in this rich and riveting novel. In 2004 France, Australian art handler D'Arcy Hallworth has been hired to pack up photographs at the French estate of Lieu de Reves for shipment to Australia for an exhibition. She meets American Josh Vaughn, the photographer's agent, and discovers that her mother, Victorine, may be the little girl in some of the photos from the 1940s. Romance blossoms between D'Arcy and Josh as she seeks to uncover the truth behind her mother's appearance in the photos. In a parallel 1942 narrative, Jessica May is a New York model whose stalled career leads her to become a photojournalist, working as a war correspondent in Europe. There she meets Dan Hallworth, a handsome, respected American officer. Lester's novel is modeled after real-life characters and is imbued with realism, highlighting the horrors of WWII and the discrimination faced by female correspondents. Readers will become engrossed from the very first page as mystery and romance are expertly combined into one emotionally charged, unforgettable story.
Customer Reviews
Great book.
I loved this book. It is a great mysterious romance. I enjoyed the historical aspect, also. I didn’t like the swearing and some of the sex depictions got a little more graphic than I like.
The Paris Orphan started well but ended poorly
The reason I am giving this book 3 stars instead of 2 stars is because the first two thirds of The Paris Orphan was very good. The characters were great, the storyline was compelling, and the research into female war correspondents was obviously done. I was hooked quickly and didn’t want to put it done. At some point, however, the relationships starting becoming one badly-written soap opera. Too much was unrealistic and not remotely believable and the ending was truly terrible. I ended this book angry at the author for starting such an interesting story and turning it into a mess. I would not recommend this book.
Read it!
Well written, a great plot, and informative, too.