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The Lost Girls of Paris

Pam Jenoff (Goodreads Author)

3.88 · Rating details · 43,420 ratings · 5,039 reviews

From the author of the runaway bestseller The Orphan’s Tale comes a remarkable story of friendship and courage centered around three women and a ring of female spies during World War II.

1946, Manhattan

Grace Healey is rebuilding her life after losing her husband during the war. One morning while passing through Grand Central Terminal on her way to work, she finds an ...more

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Paperback, 384 pages

Published January 29th 2019 by Park Row

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Jan 14, 2019 Matt rated it it was ok

Shelves: historical-fiction, world-war-ii, thriller, nazis

“And now go set Europe ablaze!”
- Winston Churchill to Hugh Dalton, first director of the Special Operations Executive

It has been awhile since I read a book with a wider gap between idea and execution. The concept of Pam Jenoff’s The Lost Girls of Paris is excellent: a World War II thriller based on the missions of the real-life women of the Special Operations Executive. Unfortunately, this great idea is squandered in a book of such mediocrity I hesitate to say anything further.

But I will, with ...more

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Jun 07, 2019 Matthew rated it it was ok

Shelves: book-a-book-club, historical-fiction, own, arc, 2019

I wish I had a better experience with and more positive things to say about this book. I went in worried about it being another “Girl-in-the-title” book or just another entry in the oversaturated “Girl-living-through-WWII” genre. While it was definitely both of these things, it was neither of those that led to this being a frustrating read.

The book was way too cheesy. If a book is supposed to be fun, silly, or light-hearted, cheesiness is a thing to be celebrated and embraced. This book was I wish I had a better experience with and more positive things to say about this book. I went in worried about it being another “Girl-in-the-title” book or just another entry in the oversaturated “Girl-living-through-WWII” genre. While it was definitely both of these things, it was neither of those that led to this being a frustrating read.

The book was way too cheesy. If a book is supposed to be fun, silly, or light-hearted, cheesiness is a thing to be celebrated and embraced. This book was supposed to be a dark, WWII era mystery so I was not expecting dialogue leading to eye rolling or scenarios causing me to audibly groan. I feel like the biggest offender in this case was bizarre insta-love. While the following is not exactly what happened, it would be like the main character was getting shot at, some random guy shows up to save her, and then the next page they are kissing and have declared their undying devotion to each other.

The book was way too convenient. “Oh, silly me, I accidently tripped over something! What is it? Oh look, a major plot point!” “Goodness, I just parachuted into Europe and need to be careful of who I meet out here in the middle of nowhere! Why hello there, who are you? The exact person in all of Europe I need to find? Excellent!” There are a few other scenarios like this – and, I know in fiction there sometimes have to be convenient turns of events to keep the plot moving. But, in this case, the conveniences started as a snowball at the top of the mountain and quickly became an avalanche!

The book had way too many giant plot jumps. One of the best parts of many stories is meeting the characters and watch them develop. Or, you learn of a key goal in the story and you watch as everything progresses to a climax. Several times in this book, we met a person as a rookie and at the beginning of the next chapter, they were the MVP. Another time, you learn what the main characters are attempting to do and it sounds very complicated and like it will involve a lot of planning and organizing moving parts. Next thing you know, it is done. This is another case where at times you may need to move events along by making a jump, but I just kept feeling like giant chunks of story were missing. I seriously several times looked back through what I had read to see if I had missed something!

I liked the story okay, but in the realm of WWII fiction it is not in the upper echelons. Maybe you will enjoy it more than I did and can look past the issues I mentioned above. But, for me, it is a bit of a dud.

Many thanks to Park Row for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review. I am sorry that this honest review could not have been a better one in support of the book! ...more

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Feb 07, 2019 Mary Beth *Traveling Sister* rated it really liked it

4.5 stars!

This is a historical fiction novel about women working with the SOE as spies during the World War II. The setting takes place in France and is inspired by true events. There are girls who are recruited and trained. One of the girls who are recruited is Marie, who is a single Mom.

Eleanor Trigg is the leader of a ring of female secret agents who are deployed out of London during the war. There were twelve woman that were sent to Occupied Europe as radio operators and couriers to aid the 4.5 stars!

This is a historical fiction novel about women working with the SOE as spies during the World War II. The setting takes place in France and is inspired by true events. There are girls who are recruited and trained. One of the girls who are recruited is Marie, who is a single Mom.

Eleanor Trigg is the leader of a ring of female secret agents who are deployed out of London during the war. There were twelve woman that were sent to Occupied Europe as radio operators and couriers to aid the resistance, but they never returned home, their fates a mystery.

Grace Healey had lost her husband during the war. She finds a suitcase that was abandoned, hidden beneath a bench. She decides to open it and she finds lots of photographs of different woman. She decides to take the photographs with her. Grace then discovers that the suitcase belongs to Eleanor Trigg. Grace then is drawn to Marie, a young single mother, turned agent whose very brave and courageous mission overseas, reveals a remarkable story of friendship and betrayal.

I loved this book. Usually books of World War II are so graphic and dark and it was nice to have a change, since this one wasnt that way at all. I am enjoying the historical fiction genre more and more because they usually are inspired by true events. We need books like this so that are history will be remembered and not forgotten. It is so great to read a book that gives you knowledge.

I felt that I was back in the 1940's with all of these characters. The author did a great job in the development of the characters and I loved the dynamics. My favorite character was Marie. She was so daring, brave and courageous.
This book was also so beautifully written.
I am looking forward to reading her book, The Orphan's Tale and have it on hold on Overdrive.

This was a Traveling Sister read and I always love reading with them because it always is a great and fun discussion.

I want to thank Edelweiss, Park Row/Harlequin and the author for the copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Available Now ...more

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Jan 15, 2019 Lindsay - Traveling Sister rated it it was amazing

Shelves: traveling-sister-read, edelweiss

4.5 stars! Another outstanding novel by Pam Jenoff!

This fascinating and unforgettable story, inspired by true events, revolves around a handpicked group of British female spies sent to France by a top secret government division during WWII. Weeks of rigorous training aim to prepare these young women to venture into unknown territory, planting themselves as everyday French citizens, intending to smoothly transition into society. Putting their lives largely at risk, they plan to connect with the ...more

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Jan 09, 2019 Angela M rated it really liked it

Shelves: netgalley-reviews

4.5 stars

I wasn’t planning on reading this book. I had previously read two books by Pam Jenoff, and while I thought they were important books on the Holocaust, I just didn’t connect with the characters. I was offered an advanced digital copy by the publisher but didn’t immediately accept it. Then a lovely Goodreads friend sent me a paper version of the advanced copy. Then I saw some rave reviews by some of my trusted Goodreads friends. Those were enough things to convince me to read it and I’m 4.5 stars

I wasn’t planning on reading this book. I had previously read two books by Pam Jenoff, and while I thought they were important books on the Holocaust, I just didn’t connect with the characters. I was offered an advanced digital copy by the publisher but didn’t immediately accept it. Then a lovely Goodreads friend sent me a paper version of the advanced copy. Then I saw some rave reviews by some of my trusted Goodreads friends. Those were enough things to convince me to read it and I’m really very glad I did. If I hadn’t read it I would have missed learning about such admirable women, courageous women who played an active and important role during WWII. I found this to be a fast paced, tension filled story that had me hooked enough to read it in two days because I came to care about the characters.

The focus of the story is on three women, spanning from England to France to the US from 1943 to 1946. Grace Healey, finds a suitcase in Grand Central Station that leads her on a search to find out about the women whose pictures she has taken from the suitcase. Eleanor Trigg works for the Special Operations Executive in England and her job is to run the top secret program placing women in France as radio operators, but who actually play a variety of roles to sabotage the Nazis. Marie Roux is one of the women recruited by Eleanor, selected because of her perfect French. There were other women, too, most notably Josie who befriends Marie on her first day of the arduous training. There are lesser characters, one of whom I fell in love with , the little boy Sammy, a Jewish refugee who comes to Grace’s attorney boss because he needs a place to live.

To say more about the plot would be giving the story away, so I’ll just say that it was harrowing and poignant. It was about brave characters who wonderfully represent the real brave women who took on these dangerous missions. It was about friendship and about women realizing their worth and strength in these endeavors, previously reserved for men. There have been a number of books over the last few years about women who played a role in WWII, the unsung heroes who acted as spies, decoders, mathematicians and in the case of this book, their mission was sabotage against Hitler and the Nazis. Pam Jenoff is among the writers deserving of praise for bringing to our attention the bravery and the contributions of the women of the SOE. While Jenoff makes a point of telling us in an ending note, that this story was inspired by some real people and events, this is a work of fiction. She made it feel very realistic, created characters who could easily have been the brave women of the SOE.

I received an advanced copy of this book from Park Row/Harlequin through NetGalley. ...more

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Jan 31, 2019 megs_bookrack rated it it was amazing

Shelves: arcs-read

Vivid. Inspirational. Poignant.

The Lost Girls of Paris drew me in from the very beginning and it never let go. This is a compulsively readable story!

Following three perspectives, this Adult Historical Fiction novel weaves together a beautifully intricate story of a group of women working inside special ops during WWII.

The reader learns of the development of the SOE's (Special Operations Executive) Women's Unit and follows along with the founder and head of that unit, Eleanor, as well as with one ...more

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Dec 29, 2018 Meredith rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Historical novel that tells the story of fierce women who served as British secret agents during WWII. This is a story about friendship, love, and tenacity.

The plot is intriguing: British women are recruited to assist the military during WWII. They are trained to serve on the ground as operatives in France. Not only was this an extremely dangerous and risky mission, but it also is one that was filled with betrayal.

The reader experiences the plan to recruit and train the women through Eleanor ...more

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Jan 07, 2019 Dorie - Cats&Books :) rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: historical-fiction, mystery-thriller, netgalley-books, 2019-netgalley-challenge

***NOW AVAILABLE***

I read a lot of historical fiction and I had read “The Orphans Tale” by Pam Jenoff and really enjoyed it. I most recently read “The Light Over London” by Julia Kelly which was about the Brtitish “gunner girls” who worked atop London’s rooftops calculating the firing of anti-aircraft guns.

This novel drew me in from the beginning, it was a quick, satisfying read with characters that I could root for. The story starts in 1946 Manhattan when a young woman, Grace, comes across a ***NOW AVAILABLE***

I read a lot of historical fiction and I had read “The Orphans Tale” by Pam Jenoff and really enjoyed it. I most recently read “The Light Over London” by Julia Kelly which was about the Brtitish “gunner girls” who worked atop London’s rooftops calculating the firing of anti-aircraft guns.

This novel drew me in from the beginning, it was a quick, satisfying read with characters that I could root for. The story starts in 1946 Manhattan when a young woman, Grace, comes across a suitcase in Grand Central Station. She is running late for work but looking inside the suitcase she sees the photographs of 12 young women with their names on the back and on a whim takes them with her. When she returns the next day for the suitcase, it is gone. She decides to try and learn who these women are and their fate. She is a recent widow, her husband killed while in training for the Army, the war is still a very real part of her life, even though it is officially over.

Eleanor Tripp was working closely as a secretary for the Secret Operations Unit (SOE) an agency in London which was created to sabotage German efforts in France, all presumably for the invasion of Normandy within a few months. Eleanor convinces the Director that women would be the most useful as they could blend in with French women, particularly if they spoke French fluently. Soon a plan was formulated to train the women that were hand picked for this job, they were dropped into France, expected to find a safe house and transmit information back and forth from London to their locations within France, they were extensively trained in radio transmissions. Ms. Tripp was in charge of the entire women’s corp of volunteers and cared deeply about the girls.

Marie is one of the group of women dropped into French territory, alone, with little to go on besides her instincts and a map. She makes it to a safe house with the help of the leader of the entire operation in France, known as Vesper (his real name is Julian). Marie begins her work of transmitting messages until she starts noticing messages that seem inconsistent and incorrect to her. Within weeks she will find out the reason. Julian and his cousin Will tell her that there is something very wrong about the operation, someone has betrayed them, but who? Is it one of the girls, someone back in London? Marie is told to get out of France, but her pilot, Will, never shows up for the planned extraction.

The story is told from the POV of Eleanor, Grace and Marie and they are all equally interesting. The more I read, the more I enjoyed the book. I don’t want to reveal any more of the plot for fear of spoilers but it was definitely a great story. The author’s note doesn’t tell us how much of the book is based on fact, perhaps that will come out when the book is published in January 2019.

I found a lot of interesting information on the following website, if you care to explore more:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/worldwar...

I think most fans of historical fiction will enjoy this book with yet another example of how much women contributed to the war effort.

I received an ARC of this novel from the publisher through NetGalley. ...more

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Dec 26, 2018 Liz rated it really liked it

Shelves: paper-arc

4.5 stars

Now this is what historical fiction is meant to be! A wonderful story that draws you in quickly and completely while teaching you about something you knew nothing about.

As is typically the case, this one is told through two storylines. Right after WWII, Grace finds an abandoned suitcase in Grand Central which contains the photos of a dozen young women. The women turn out to be agents of SOE, couriers and saboteurs sent behind enemy lines into France. It turns out the suitcase belonged ...more

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Dec 01, 2018 Larry H rated it really liked it

Shelves: arc

4.5 stars.

C'est magnifique!!

In 1946, shortly after World War II ended, Grace Healey is living in New York, fleeing for an anonymous life in the city after the tragic death of her husband. One morning on her way to work she takes a detour through Grand Central Station, where she trips over a suitcase hidden beneath a bench.

She can't resist opening the suitcase, and when she finds a group of photographs, each of a different woman, she can't seem to explain why she has this powerful need to keep ...more

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Jan 16, 2019 Diane S ☔ rated it really liked it

Shelves: lor-2019

3.5 Women operatives during WWII, and the dangers they faced. I just adored these characters, become very invested in their welfare, wanted them to succeed where the men had failed. When the OSE realized their male agents were being captured, so many men were gone fighting, they stood out like sore thumbs. It is suggested by a woman named Twigg, that females would more easily blend in, and accomplish what they needed to accomplish. She is given control of this very secret program.

The book ...more

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Dec 08, 2018 Holly B rated it it was amazing

Shelves: enjoyed-the-setting, had-to-finish, historical-fiction, read-in-2018, 2019-favorites-shelf

I loved it!

Once I started reading and became invested in these wonderful characters and the suspenseful plot, I simply had to keep on reading...

This took over my day and I set aside chores, appointments and anything else that was causing me to have to put this book down. It did take a few chapters to get settled into it, then it was easy sailing all the way to the end. A week later, I'm still thinking of these "girls".

The author does a wonderful job of characterization and I felt that I almost ...more

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Feb 18, 2019 Michelle rated it liked it

Shelves: library, feb-2019-reads

2.5-3 stars. Disappointed...don't hate me people!!!

Despite owning several Pam Jenoff books this the first one I have read! I definitely will give her another shot as I respect her research and creativity (for coming up with this story) and I was happy to learn something new. I enjoyed how the story was told from three different perspectives (kind of a past, present & future) so that you were always seeing the story from a different angle. I think this was the strongest part of the book.

My 2.5-3 stars. Disappointed...don't hate me people!!!

Despite owning several Pam Jenoff books this the first one I have read! I definitely will give her another shot as I respect her research and creativity (for coming up with this story) and I was happy to learn something new. I enjoyed how the story was told from three different perspectives (kind of a past, present & future) so that you were always seeing the story from a different angle. I think this was the strongest part of the book.

My lower rating has a lot to do with the character of Marie. Please do not go any further if you do not wish to have some plot points spoiled!!

(view spoiler)[
I liked Marie at the beginning and found her vulnerability endearing. I was okay with everything up until the end of her time as a radio operator in occupied France. So shit is really hitting the fan. Marie has totally come into her own and is stepping up in ways that I think would have surprised her before this all started. However, despite all her training, despite how she has a young daughter waiting for her at home and all her colleagues in the field do to try and convince her otherwise - SHE GOES BACK TO HER FLAT to try and see if any communications have come in about Vesper. She LITERALLY lives next to and above the Nazis. She has all but been made and she GOES BACK. Okay, fine. She goes back. She then decides NOT to destroy her radio. I honestly almost threw my book against the wall here. This goes against EVERYTHING you are trained to do. WHY would you put yourself in such NEEDLESS danger.

Next, after she blows up the bridge and she has to GTFO - she decides to STAY IN FRANCE. Again, this is just suicide. It's not that she doesn't have the courage to make this decision and I understand that she fell in love with Vesper, but I don't see how this is logical.

Third - Eleanor convinces an American Marine to let her interview Wilhelm Keitel while at Dachau, shortly after meeting him. Okay.....and she speaks with the man for 5 minutes and he spills his guts to her when he wouldn't talk to ANYONE ELSE. It was just so convenient.

Lastly - when Grace goes back to Marie in NYC (after it was known that someone in the British Government basically sold the spy network in Paris out to the Germans) and tries to figure out who that person was (Grace thinks Eleanor) - Marie with absolutely no vetting, no hesitation just spills her guts and tells this complete stranger off the street every little detail about top secret missions. I just couldn't believe it. My mouth hung open! Marie escapes by a thread from the Germans, moves to another country with her young daughter knowing that someone betrayed her and the first person that comes around asking questions about it she just gives the whole story to with no care or concern for her or her daughter's safety. It just completely boggles my mind.
(hide spoiler)]

Maybe too much time was spent focusing on the research and believability kind of fell by the wayside. Whatever it is, maybe I'm being too picky, but the above points really bothered me. ...more

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Nov 11, 2018 Tammy rated it it was amazing

I have rolled my eyes as many times as I have heard, “This is the next Nightingale”. To be fair, I didn’t hear this regarding The Lost Girls of Paris. Instead, this book is being compared to Lilac Girls and The Alice Network but this one comes very close to Nightingale. I never expected it. It’s a fictionalized account of Vera Atkins and her “girls” who were dropped into France to work with the resistance as saboteurs and radio operators. Another storyline takes place shortly after the war that ...more

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Jan 22, 2019 Hollis rated it did not like it

Shelves: ebook, romance, crime-mystery, nope, hist-fiction, arc, zzzz-snooze, disappointing, baa-baa-black-sheep, grief-or-loss

THE LOST GIRLS OF PARIS is a story I wanted to love. It's an excellent premise, with multiple POV and some overlapping timelines, of three women during and after the second world war. One a spy, another her commander, and a civilian who is compelled to pursue the truth of their story after piecing together their identities. It sounds amazing, right? If only.

Not only was the writing slow, dull, halting and unpolished (not something I think is to blame from an ARC format perspective), but the THE LOST GIRLS OF PARIS is a story I wanted to love. It's an excellent premise, with multiple POV and some overlapping timelines, of three women during and after the second world war. One a spy, another her commander, and a civilian who is compelled to pursue the truth of their story after piecing together their identities. It sounds amazing, right? If only.

Not only was the writing slow, dull, halting and unpolished (not something I think is to blame from an ARC format perspective), but the characters were.. kind of tossed about. They either felt completely out of their depth (the spy) or were compelled to move the plot forward for reasons that aren't very clear (the civilian) while both (well, all three, actually) drag around a bunch of backstory that is littered with hardships as if that was the only she could actually make them interesting. Despite the fact that one of them was a spy and should've been awesome because lady spy in WWII. But as a result of their lack of personalities, and abilities, I suppose I can see why the author made a point to give us something to distinguish them. Which, if you're curious, are the following : widower, survivor, and single mother.

Don't even get me started on the frustrations of sending someone to do a job that you don't fully believe they can do (which we get to witness when, as an example, the spy leaves her radio at the safe house, in Nazi occupied France, despite protocol saying she is to destroy it, and then actually returns to the safe house that she's fairly sure has been compromised to collect the radio because she left it behind. facepalm emoji), drag them all over the place and throw them into situations where they have little to no information, and then have a male character get mad at them for asking questions.. only for these two people to fall in love.

But it isn't restricted to just one POV/plotline, oh no. To make matters worse, there are multiple of these shoehorned in pseudo-love stories that seem to blossom over the course of, like, days, and take away even more credibility from the whole story.

The characters are painfully one dimensional, we have time-waster romances, and everything ends up reading really hyper dramatic or just completely unbelievable. Which I feel is a total disservice to this story and the real women, and true events, it is inspired by. I felt no emotional connection, no grief, no relief, no nothing. I was just bored or frustrated by the whole thing.

I thought this was probably going to be a two-star "well you tried" kind of read but in writing this review I've just annoyed myself beyond reason by thinking over all these bits I disliked so much, or was just mystified by, so, yeah. Here we are. This was my first read by Jenoff and while I have THE ORPHAN'S TALE on my bookshelf I'm definitely going to be reluctant to prioritize it after this experience.

** I received an ARC from NetGalley and the publisher (thank you!) in exchange for an honest review. ** ...more

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Jan 24, 2019 Christine rated it it was amazing

Shelves: ebooks, net-galley, historical-fiction, world-war-2

4.5 (rounded to 5) stars

Wow, this one was a real surprise. I had never read this author before, but was struck by the blurb as well as the title of this novel, and just look at that cover. These factors, plus the fact that several of my Goodreads friends gave it 4 or 5 stars, moved me to give this book a go. I was most impressed!

This WWII historical fiction novel is darker and a bit grittier than many of the other books of this subgenre. It revolves around a small organization of young women 4.5 (rounded to 5) stars

Wow, this one was a real surprise. I had never read this author before, but was struck by the blurb as well as the title of this novel, and just look at that cover. These factors, plus the fact that several of my Goodreads friends gave it 4 or 5 stars, moved me to give this book a go. I was most impressed!

This WWII historical fiction novel is darker and a bit grittier than many of the other books of this subgenre. It revolves around a small organization of young women willing to risk their lives by being deployed to the war zones of France as radio transmitters. This is a facet of the war that I was unfamiliar with, and I appreciated the opportunity to learn more about these brave women and what they did. There are three narrators of this story, all women. My favorite was Eleanor Trigg, stationed in London, who is the (fictional) founder of this agency of women as part of Churchill’s SOE (Special Operations Executive). The mission of the SOE, which by the way was composed of nonmilitary volunteers, was to sabotage and subvert the Germans in any way possible. The other voices are those of Marie, one of the transmitters out in the field in 1944; and Grace, a young woman who found photographs of twelve of Eleanor’s “girls” in an abandoned suitcase in New York City’s Grand Central Station in 1946. As we follow Grace’s mission to figure out the significance of these photographs, we flash back to 1944 through the eyes of Marie and Eleanor.

This story is laden with tension. These women truly laid their lives on the line for the Allies. The plotline is gripping and emotive; my heart was in my throat on multiple occasions. There is a thread involving romance, but this is minor and not intrusive. There is deception, lies, betrayal, and treachery. We witness the strong bonds women form with each other. We see the true essence of individual human beings unmasked by war. I was glued to this compelling novel. At night I laid in bed thinking about the characters and trying to figure out how all the pieces could possibly come together.

I highly recommend The Lost Girls of Paris to all readers of wartime historical fiction, especially those who love the darker tales such as The
Nightingale by Kristin Hannah.

My thanks go to Net Galley, Harlequin - Trade Publishing/Park Row, and Ms. Pam Jenoff for an advanced review copy of this novel. Opinions are mine alone and are not biased in any way.
...more

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Feb 05, 2019 Jennifer ~ TarHeelReader rated it it was amazing

Shelves: arcs, kindle-version, hard-soft-copy, 2019-reads

The Lost Girls of Paris is historical fiction storytelling at its finest.

It’s 1946 in Manhattan, and Grace Healey is late for work. She is starting over because her husband was killed during the war, and she has to keep this job to make ends meet.

As she rushes to work, things continue to go awry, when she happens upon a suitcase in Grand Central Terminal. Inside are a dozen photographs of women. In a moment of haste, she takes the photos with her.

Grace later learns the suitcase belonged ...more

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Apr 01, 2019 Kelly (and the Book Boar) rated it liked it

Shelves: arcs, cluck-cluck-mothafucka, girls-girls-girls, read-in-2019

Find all of my reviews at: http://52bookminimum.blogspot.com/

Historical fiction is not typically my wheelhouse, but when I heard that The Lost Girls of Paris was about a group of female spies in WWII, I was all in. It seems this plotline may be the new Gone Girl as I’ve seen several new releases regarding women in WWII all over my Goodreads’ feed, but I wanted it pretty much due to my one and only experience with this topic - Code Name Verity. The story here is about a woman named Grace who ...more

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Jul 11, 2019 Debra rated it really liked it

Shelves: traveling-frends-summer-reading-cha

A suitcase found - stories told.

Grace finds a suitcase while traveling through Grand Central Terminal on her way to work. Curious about what is inside, she opens it and finds pictures- each one of a different woman. Who were these women? Who does the suitcase belong to?

Grace soon finds the answer as to who owned the suitcase - a woman named Eleanor Trigg who was the leader of female secret agents deployed out of London during the war. The twelve women who were in the pictures that Grace found, ...more

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Dec 10, 2018 Felicia rated it really liked it

Loosely based on real events involving female spies in 1942 war-torn France.
I mean, seriously, what is there not to love about that?

Even before starting this book I was fascinated with the plot so it didn't take me long to become totally enamored.

The story begins in 1946 following Grace after she finds a set of photographs of women in an abandoned suitcase. Her curiosity gets the best of her and she goes about trying to find the identity of these women.

Honestly, I could have done without ...more

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Mar 07, 2019 Whitney rated it it was ok

Overall: I wish I could say I liked this book, but I didn't... For a similar storyline but done much, much better, try The Alice Network by Kate Quinn or learn about the true story that inspired this book 3.5/10

The good: This book had a lot of potential and was based on a portion of the resistance I knew nothing about. The novel is based on the true story of Vera Atkins and her team of Special Operations Executive spies (many of them young women) who advanced into France before D-Day to help the Overall: I wish I could say I liked this book, but I didn't... For a similar storyline but done much, much better, try The Alice Network by Kate Quinn or learn about the true story that inspired this book 3.5/10

The good: This book had a lot of potential and was based on a portion of the resistance I knew nothing about. The novel is based on the true story of Vera Atkins and her team of Special Operations Executive spies (many of them young women) who advanced into France before D-Day to help the British defeat the Germans. I enjoyed researching and learning more about Vera Atkins so the book resulted in that at least. Unfortunately I can't say much more was good beyond that.

The bad: This book is told from the perspectives of three separate characters and this was a big mistake. Eleanor is the character that represents Vera Atkins and is the only one I enjoyed, somewhat. The other two storylines are awkward, superficial, and I had to suspend disbelief repeatedly. Two of the three storylines have the addition of superficial romance that feels forced, fake, and takes away from the book. Marie, the narrator who actually becomes a spy for the SOE leaves her young daughter to become a spy, then refuses to go back to her because she must look for the love of her life who she has maybe interacted with for all of thirty minutes.
“Her eyes met his and held as they had on the train. But it was daylight now, their feeling unmasked and out of the shadows…” this was pretty much the extent of their relationship, and did I mention, they are trying to get her to leave and go back to her daughter because the Germans find out about about the operation, have infiltrated the operation, and every single women is in danger? Completely logical and believable.. not. And less than fifty pages later he is shot in the face but somehow manages to confess his undying love for her (after being shot in the face) and this is after she breaks down and does exactly what the bad German wants. The writing is not great... The number of times the narrator "bites her lip," or "catches her breath" is a bit over the top and gets very annoying. Do not read this one. ...more

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Jan 03, 2019 jv poore rated it really liked it

Shelves: heyssel-classroom, donated, student_appropriate, suspense, war

One simple statement changed the course of Eleanor’s life forever.

It was 1943 when the infuriated Director of Special Operations Executive called a meeting. As his secretary, Eleanor was present. As his metaphorical right-hand, she understood the operations better than anyone else in the room. The SOE, created three years prior to light Europe up with sabotage and subversion, had run smoothly and successfully until now.

Too many agents were being caught, and the captures seemed to quickly One simple statement changed the course of Eleanor’s life forever.

It was 1943 when the infuriated Director of Special Operations Executive called a meeting. As his secretary, Eleanor was present. As his metaphorical right-hand, she understood the operations better than anyone else in the room. The SOE, created three years prior to light Europe up with sabotage and subversion, had run smoothly and successfully until now.

Too many agents were being caught, and the captures seemed to quickly follow infiltration. The Director demanded to know why. The answer so apparent, it exploded from Eleanor, “It’s that they are men.”

After her outburst, albeit an accurate assessment, Eleanor was tasked with recruiting and training female spies. Working harder and longer than she ever imagined, she did everything in her power to ensure the safety and success of ‘her girls’; but she never considered the possibility of a saboteur within the SOE.

This historical-fiction magnificently manages to demonstrate how we’ve come so very far, while simultaneously showing a stubborn stagnation—but in an oh-so-subtle way. The improbable intermingling of three ladies’ lives, over three tumultuous years, spanning several countries, certainly takes center stage.

I was buoyed by the strength, drive and determination of those in training and totally intrigued with the spy techniques. Easily invested in the characters, many emotions were evoked as they worked diligently—both independently and collectively—to identify the traitor in the ranks.

I am psyched to submit this copy to my favorite classroom library. It brings me great joy to introduce historical fiction highlighting how much harder it is for the person breaking through barriers built from determined ignorance and I know the students will love Ms. Jenoff’s entertaining and engaging writing.

This review was written for Buried Under Books by jv poore with gratitude to Park Row Books for providing an ARC that I can pass on to my favorite classroom library.

...more

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Aug 20, 2019 Jonetta rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Recommended to Jonetta by: Marialyce

Shelves: historical-fiction, audiobook, publisher-review-request, 2019-historical-fiction-challenge, 2019-audiobook-challenge, 5000-2019, 2019-in-2019, audio-2500

It’s post-war 1946 and young widow Grace Healey is running late for work. As she takes a shortcut through Grand Central Station, she discovers an abandoned suitcase under a bench. In it, she finds photographs of 12 women and something compels her to take them with her. Once Grace learns that the owner, Eleanor Trigg, was killed in an accident that morning, she returns to get the suitcase but it’s gone. As she continues to investigate Eleanor’s life and the identities of the women in those It’s post-war 1946 and young widow Grace Healey is running late for work. As she takes a shortcut through Grand Central Station, she discovers an abandoned suitcase under a bench. In it, she finds photographs of 12 women and something compels her to take them with her. Once Grace learns that the owner, Eleanor Trigg, was killed in an accident that morning, she returns to get the suitcase but it’s gone. As she continues to investigate Eleanor’s life and the identities of the women in those photos, Grace uncovers the story of a secret group of women spies who worked undercover in France on behalf of the British government during World War II.

This is a fictional version of the true story of a female British intelligence officer and the women under her charge in the French section of the Special Operations Executive (SOE). The story transitions between 1944 and 1946, told from Grace and Eleanor’s perspectives, as well as from one of the agents, Marie Roux. The fate of these women following the Allied invasion was unknown and Grace, with the help of a friend, slowly unravels the details. The three narratives provide the full scope of the intrigue with Marie’s account of what was going on in France; Eleanor’s navigation of the management, politics and covert methods of the program; and Grace’s patchwork of what ultimately happened. It was well crafted, the story riveting and intriguing throughout, especially since I was completely unfamiliar with this aspect of World War II.

I love the use of multiple narrators when the story dictates it and I thought the performances were well done, especially those for Eleanor and Marie. I wasn’t as enamored of that for Grace as she sounded a bit more “frivolous” than the character was designed, less serious than she was portrayed. Otherwise, it was an overall exceptional performance.

I read historical fiction in the hopes of learning something and this book delivered well beyond my expectations. My husband is a history buff and he was aware of this unit and the woman on whom Eleanor is based (Vera Atkins). His understanding of the true events supports the author’s points of view, which made it even more credible in my eyes. I’m really glad I opted for the audio version as Eleanor and Marie’s narratives added a level of excitement and intrigue that were heightened through the storytelling. I’m so glad the author decided to tell the story of these brave, resourceful women, even if in the telling we had to learn the distasteful facts surrounding their fate. It’s a story everyone should know. 4.5 stars

Posted on Blue Mood Café

(Thanks to Harlequin Audio for my complimentary copy. All opinions are my own.) ...more

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Feb 15, 2019 Tadiana ✩Night Owl☽ rated it really liked it

Shelves: historical-fiction, wwii, arc

4+ stars. This historical novel of WWII focuses on an unusual aspect of the war: the British women who were deployed to France under Britain's Special Operations Executive or SOE program to work with the Resistance as radio operators, saboteurs, and couriers.

description

Real-life SOE agent Christine Granville with members of the French Resistance in 1944

Most of the reason for this dangerous venture is that most men were too suspiciously visible in France (since most men were off at war). It was a highly 4+ stars. This historical novel of WWII focuses on an unusual aspect of the war: the British women who were deployed to France under Britain's Special Operations Executive or SOE program to work with the Resistance as radio operators, saboteurs, and couriers.

description

"You're transmitting in Occupied France and the Germans will do anything to stop you." Then her expression grew serious. "Six weeks."

"Excuse me?"

"That's the average life expectancy of a radio operator in France. Six weeks."

We follow this group of women - especially Marie, a young single mother - as they are recruited, go through intensive training, and then are sent over to France ... fully prepared or not.

This is also a dual timeline novel, but not quite like any I've ever read before. The secondary timeline is only a couple of years later, in 1946, when Grace Healey, a young American war widow, finds an abandoned suitcase in Grand Central Terminal in NYC, and impulsively takes a set of a dozen photographs of women from the suitcase. When she tries to return the photos later, the suitcase is gone, and this sends her on a search for the owner of the suitcase and the story behind the women in the photos.

Excellent but heart-wrenching historical fiction. I recommend it.

Bonus material: There's an excellent web page, The Female Spies of the SOE, that tells the true stories of several of the 55 women who served as SOE agents, including Noor Inayat Khan, who was executed in Dachau after being captured and betrayed, and Nancy Grace August Wake, given the nickname “the white mouse” by the Gestapo "because of her uncanny ability to evade capture. When she learned one of the resistance groups no longer had a radio for communication, she rode almost 300 kilometers on a bicycle to make radio contact with the SEO headquarters and arrange for an equipment drop. Despite many close calls, Wake survived the war."

I received a free copy of this book for review from the publisher. Thank you!!

Content notes: wartime violence and death. Otherwise this is pretty much clean. ...more

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Mar 14, 2019 Linda rated it really liked it

Shelves: giveaways, historical-fiction, fiction, publisher

The Lost Girls of Paris opens with Grace Healey trying to maneuver her way through the crowded streets of Manhattan. It's post-war in 1946 and traffic jams and throngs of people are the new norm. Grace decides to take a shortcut through the Grand Central Terminal knowing full well that she's already late for work. A policeman tells her that there has been an auto accident and the individual didn't survive.

As Grace enters into the darkened train station building, her eyes come upon a lone The Lost Girls of Paris opens with Grace Healey trying to maneuver her way through the crowded streets of Manhattan. It's post-war in 1946 and traffic jams and throngs of people are the new norm. Grace decides to take a shortcut through the Grand Central Terminal knowing full well that she's already late for work. A policeman tells her that there has been an auto accident and the individual didn't survive.

As Grace enters into the darkened train station building, her eyes come upon a lone suitcase tucked under a bench. She looks around for an owner. Her curiosity gets the better of her and she opens it. Inside there are a few items of women's clothing and some photos. Surprising even herself, Grace tucks the photos inside her bag. And so our story begins.

Pam Jenoff will hand the microphone, so to speak, to three distinct narrators in this one. Grace begins tugging at the thread in 1946 with the discovery of those photos. Then the timeline will shift back to 1943 when we meet Eleanor Trigg, a wartime secretary working for the SOE (Special Operations Executive). Eleanor speaks up during a staff meeting and is unexpectantly handed the responsibility of recruiting and training women for secret operations. "Nonsense, Trigg. We all know you are the man for the job, if you'll pardon the expression."

And with no other recourse, Eleanor begins her search for able and talented women. It's then that we meet Marie Roux who is the mother of a young girl. Her lover abandoned her and her mother helps with childcare. Being fluent in French will be an asset when the women begin their undercover operations in France.

The training is arduous as the women will be couriers and radio operators. Mental and physical stability are key. Some of the women don't make the final cut and are sent home. Although historical fiction, the premise of this book reflects a real operation implemented during the war. I had hoped that there would have been Author's Notes at the end that would have supplemented the storyline with factual information as to the basis of this novel.

The Lost Girls of Paris is an entertaining read without a doubt. My wish would have been to curtail some of the romance that wound its way into this story. Strong, dynamic women under the weight of a serious task don't have the time or the inclination to be smitten with a handsome face. Focus had to be everything. Decision making also faltered here and there with me questioning the "why" behind certain actions. But all in all, The Lost Girls of Paris has gained high reviews here on GR.

I received a copy of this book through the publisher. My thanks to Park Row Books and to Pam Jenoff for the opportunity. ...more

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Nov 14, 2018 Katie B rated it really liked it

Shelves: arc, fiction, historical-fiction, war, france, ww2, 1940s, new-york, read-in-2018, bookish-first

I hadn't even read the synopsis yet when I realized I wanted to read this book. This is one of the rare instances when a book cover completely sold me. The use of the clock just really stood out to me. Thankfully, this turned out to be a compelling historical fiction read which was worthy of a good cover.

It's 1946 and Grace Healey is working in Manhattan after losing her husband during the war. While at Grand Central terminal she discovers a suitcase containing photographs. She soon learns the ...more

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Feb 08, 2019 Cheri rated it really liked it

Shelves: historical-fiction, arc, nyc, wwii, london, paris, 2019, washington-dc, park-row-books-harlequin

4.5 Stars

As this story begins, World War II has ended, and Grace Healy is living in New York City, where she can spend her days without the look of concern and pity on the faces of passersby, unlike her former home. Here, she is just another face in the crowd, nameless and unknown, no one knows her, or that her husband has died. She’s been avoiding Grand Central Station, but on this morning on her way to work she decides to go through there and ends up bumping into a suitcase left under a bench, ...more

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Dec 19, 2018 Marialyce rated it it was amazing

Shelves: net-galley

4.5 stars

We will never know many of the stories of bravery, courage, and fortitude that occurred during World War 2. Many of these stories are lost to time, but that doesn't make the people within these stories any less brave, any less, courageous, or any less gallant because their stories have never been told.

In the book, The Lost Girls of Paris, we meet three women who risked everything to be spies. These young girls were secreted into Paris under the nose of the Nazis, to help do what they 4.5 stars

We will never know many of the stories of bravery, courage, and fortitude that occurred during World War 2. Many of these stories are lost to time, but that doesn't make the people within these stories any less brave, any less, courageous, or any less gallant because their stories have never been told.

In the book, The Lost Girls of Paris, we meet three women who risked everything to be spies. These young girls were secreted into Paris under the nose of the Nazis, to help do what they could to see that Germany did not succeed in their quest to conquer Europe.

The book begins in 1946 when one of the characters, Grace, finds a suitcase containing pictures of young women. This seemingly innocuous event sets the scene for a journey that takes Grace on a quest to not only find the owner of the suitcase, but who these young women were. Her journey leads Grace into the world of spies, into a world where women were not considered able to do the job that these women were asked to do.

We meet Eleanor, the leader of the group, so willing to take on the onerous task of training these girls knowing that a simple mistake will cost them their lives. The girls knew this too, they knew that their mission placed them in terrible danger and yet, each and every one of them accepted that challenge with a valiant and stalwart determination. They were ready to serve, to die, to become something no other women had been before. They knew they were looking constantly into the face of death and yet, they persevered, knowing their lives could end at any moment.

Based on true events, Pam Jenoff has created a mesmerizing story, a tale of incredible daring, of heroic proportions, and one in which these young girls become a beacon for strength, resilience, and bravery beyond compare. This book is a tribute to all those unsung heroes, who risked everything in order for us today to live in freedom. Their sacrifices should always be remembered.

Thank you to Pam Jenoff, Harlequin-Park Row Publishing, and NetGalley for a copy of this awe inspiring book.
This book is due to be published on January 20,2019
My reviews can also be found here: http://yayareadslotsofbooks.wordpress... ...more

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Feb 26, 2019 DJ Sakata rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: historical-fiction, womens-fiction, netgalley, british

Favorite Quotes:

Professor Digglesby walked back into the workshop and returned with what appeared to be feces. “We plant detonators in the least likely of places,” he added. The girls squealed with disgust. “Also fake,” he muttered good-naturedly. “Holy shit!” Josie said.

Eleanor produced a necklace with a silver bird charm and held it out. Marie was surprised. But it was not a gift; Eleanor twisted the necklace and it unscrewed to reveal a cyanide capsule. “The final friend,” Eleanor declared. Favorite Quotes:

Professor Digglesby walked back into the workshop and returned with what appeared to be feces. “We plant detonators in the least likely of places,” he added. The girls squealed with disgust. “Also fake,” he muttered good-naturedly. “Holy shit!” Josie said.

Eleanor produced a necklace with a silver bird charm and held it out. Marie was surprised. But it was not a gift; Eleanor twisted the necklace and it unscrewed to reveal a cyanide capsule. “The final friend,” Eleanor declared.

Grace imagined herself at seventeen— she had been concerned with coming-out parties and summers at the beach. She could not have navigated her way across Manhattan at that point. Yet these girls were on their own in France battling the Nazis. Grace was overcome with awe and inadequacy at the same time.

My Review:

This was my first experience reading the talented Pam Jenoff and I became an instant and ardent fan. She has mad skills. I was quickly immersed in her tale and so fully invested and simpatico with her characters that I found myself flinching when one was injured. I seldom read historical fiction, as I don’t enjoy being reminded of the ignorant and concerted behaviors that oppressed women for centuries, although I will readily consider the genre when strong female trailblazers are featured. I cannot resist a kick-ass heroine! Such was the case with The Lost Girls of Paris, which featured everyday women who were recruited by for a specialized project within a little known agency of the British government during WWII, the SEO. I had never heard of this branch before but it was an actual section during Churchill. After significant failures and heavy losses of male agents, Eleanor, the secretary to the SEO Director, convinced her boss to employ female agents instead, an idea that was not well received by the Neanderthals of the day but was put into place under Eleanor’s exacting eye. The women weren’t spies and were resented and dismissively scoffed upon by MI6 and the British military, although once in place, the female’s contributions were soon heavily relied upon and invaluable, until through no fault of their own, something went amiss.

The compelling and well-crafted storylines were fictional although well researched, impeccably detailed, and featured three strong and admirably tenacious women across three timelines but only one of which, Marie, had been an actual operative and Eleanor her feared and revered supervisor/mentor. Marie’s story was the most poignant and perilous, and I often found myself taut with tension with my shoulders in my ears while I read. Grace came into the story shortly after the war when she stumbled upon Eleanor’s abandoned suitcase in New York’s Grand Central station with no awareness of what she had found until much later. Grace seemed to have sticky fingers, as she pocketed not only a set of photos before replacing the bag where she had found it, she also pilfered something else later on in the story. Grace had moxie and her own set of skills beyond typing. It was Grace’s insatiable curiosity that led her to uncover the intriguing tale of Eleanor, the SEO, Marie, and the other women’s poignant tales of heroism and sacrifice, as well as the ultimate betrayal that led to their demise. But who had compromised their mission? The answer was heartbreaking, the premise was ingenious, and the writing was transcendent.
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Jan 01, 2019 Erin rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: netgalley, kindle

Thanks to NetGalley and Harlequin- Trade Publishing for an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I was so EXCITED when I was approved for this title because Pam Jenoff is one of my favorite WWII era writers and I have devoured each of her titlesThe Orphan's Tale,The Winter Guest, and The Kommandant's Girl just to name a few. So it would be an understatement to say The Lost Girls of Paris is one of my most anticipated reads of 2019. It certainly lived up to my expectations.

Based on the ...more

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About Pam Jenoff

Pam Jenoff

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Pam is the author of several novels, including her most recent The Lost Girls of Paris and The Orphan's Tale, both instant New York Times bestsellers. Pam was born in Maryland and raised outside Philadelphia. She attended George Washington University in Washington, D.C., and Cambridge University in England. Upon receiving her master’s in history from Cambridge, she accepted an appointment as ...more