All the Flowers in Paris

by Sarah Jio

Two women are connected across time by the city of Paris, a mysterious journal, and shocking secrets, sweeping from World War II to the present--for readers of Sarah's Key.

When Caroline wakes up in a Paris hospital with no memory of her past, she's confused to learn that she's lived a sad, reclusive life for years in a sprawling apartment on the Seine. Slowly regaining vague memories of a man and young child, she vows to piece her life back together--though she can't help but feel she may be in danger. A budding friendship with the chef of a charming nearby restaurant takes her mind off of her foggy past, as does a startling mystery from decades prior...

In Nazi-occupied Paris, young widow Celine lives a quiet life with her father, the local florist, and her daughter, Cosi. When a ruthless German officer discovers the family's Jewish ancestry, he blackmails Celine, forcing her to become his mistress in exchange for the others' safety. The trio plans an escape, but their mission goes horribly awry and Celine's beloved father and daughter are sent away to a cruel fate. Initially distraught, Celine fears the worst. Yet she soon discovers that Cosi has snuck away and followed her into captivity. More motivated than ever, Celine must now fight to hide and protect the person she loves most.

Parallel timelines intersect when Caroline discovers Celine's diary tucked away in a closet, and it is revealed that the walls of her apartment harbor dark secrets. With the help of a local student from the Sorbonne, she realizes that she may have more in common with Celine than she could ever imagine.

Genres: Historical Fiction, Fiction, Romance, World War II, Historical, France, Audiobook

240 pages, Hardcover

First published August 13, 2019

About the author

Sarah Jio is the New York Times bestselling author of WITH LOVE FROM LONDON, coming from Random House (Ballantine) 2/22, as well as seven other novels from Random House and Penguin Books, including, ALWAYS, ALL THE FLOWERS IN PARIS, THE VIOLETS OF MARCH, THE BUNGALOW, BLACKBERRY WINTER, THE LAST CAMELLIA, MORNING GLORY, GOODNIGHT JUNE, and THE LOOK OF LOVE. Sarah is a journalist who has contributed to The New York Times, Glamour, O, The Oprah Magazine, Glamour, SELF, Real Simple, Fitness, Marie Claire, and many others. She has appeared as a commentator on NPR’s Morning Edition. Her novels are translated into more than 25 languages. Sarah lives in Seattle with her husband, three boys, three step-children and two puppies.

Reviews

[Debra · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars

Dual storylines, war, amnesia, loss, love, second chances, romance and Paris.

All the Flowers in Paris tells the story of two women: Caroline and Celine. Caroline has amnesia after an accident, when she begins to have vague memories, she attempts to understand her foggy past. Celine lives with her father and daughter in Nazi-occupied Paris. When her ancestry is discovered she will do anything to protect those she loves. When Caroline discovers Celine's diary, she realizes that she has things in common with the woman who wrote the diary.

This book was slow to start for me but picked up as both women's stories are fleshed out. Both are likeable characters, and both will pull on your heartstrings. With dual storylines, you know that they are eventually going to meet somewhere and this is where the book really worked for me. The description mentions Sarah's Key and it does give that vibe. Motherhood, love and loss are themes throughout this book.

Will one storyline stand out more for you than the other? For me it was that of Celine.

Thank you to Ballantine books and Goodreads who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

[Paige · Rating 3 out of 5]

Set in 2009 Paris, France, Caroline suffers memory loss after a bike incident. While searching for her past, she discovers letters in her apartment written by Celine from 1943 during German-occupied France. The reader is then taken on a journey to unearth the past of Caroline, and now Celine. Along the way, Caroline becomes romantically involved with a nearby chef, and meanwhile we see Celine’s romantic interests slipping away during the Nazi occupation. Notably, the motif of flowers is kept throughout the story to create an extended metaphor.

For the most part, the first half of this book was average. There were a few moments when it felt like the action was about to begin, yet no major occurrences or activities appear until over halfway. The story takes a considerable twist at around 80% and the story starts to take off, but at that point the book is almost over. I found the very last chapter, a two year follow up of the characters lives, very cliché.

There is little history incorporated into this story. It is not until nearly halfway that any historical aspect, other than simply being set in the past, starts to trickle into the plot. Even still, it is used as a prop rather than an emphasis. Likewise, some ideas and instances that transpire are also romanticized and not completely believable.

While much history is lacking and the overall story is too easy to follow for my taste, I found the mystery behind Caroline’s identity alluring which is what made me keep reading.

This reminded me too much of Sarah’s Key.
I recommend this book to those who enjoy romance novels set during the past.
Many thanks to Random House Publishing- Ballantine, Sarah Jio, and NetGalley for this advanced read copy in exchange for my honest review.

[Marilyn (not getting notifications) · Rating 4 out of 5]

All the Flowers in Paris was the second book that I have had the pleasure of reading by Sarah Jio. It was written in a dual time line that was separated by about sixty years. The two female protagonists were both mothers, artistic, very caring, capable and strong passionate women. All the Flowers in Paris was told from the POV of each Celine and Caroline, the two brave women portrayed in this captivating book. An old and beautiful apartment full of secrets from the past tied these two women together. Caroline resided in it in present day but back in the 1940’s, during the Nazi occupation of Paris, Celine was held captive there against her will. Sarah Jio’s masterful storytelling talents were evident throughout the book.

During the 1940’s, Celine and her beloved father owned a rather successful and well known flower shop in Paris. When Celine became a widow she moved back to Paris with her father and they opened the flower shop. She had lost her loving husband in a tragic accident right before she was going to tell him that she was pregnant. Her young daughter, Cosi, was the love of her life now. Celine was lucky enough to have fallen in love a second time with Luc. During this time, an evil and very cruel Nazi SS officer became infatuated with Celine. He made the hairs on her neck stand up and made her quite uncomfortable every time she encountered him. Then one day, the SS officer discovered that Celine’s father was half Jewish. He had Celine’s father and young daughter taken away. The evil SS officer took Celine and made her his captive. He was about to imprison her in his apartment when Celine discovered that Cosi had escaped and had followed Celine to the apartment. Celine made a snap decision and decided that she would smuggle Cosi into the apartment and hide her. What would happen to Celine and Cosi at the mercy of this monster?

In 2009, a woman named Caroline, had a terrible accident while riding her bicycle on the streets of Paris. The accident was bad enough that it sent Caroline to the hospital and erased almost all of her memories of who she had been before the accident. Locked away, deep in her subconscious, were memories of loss, sadness, grief and blame. With the help of others, Caroline slowly started to put the pieces of her life before the bike accident back together. She also discovered long buried secrets about lives that connected her to the apartment where she now resided. An art therapy program and its instructor helped Caroline learn how to open her heart again. Would Caroline be able to conjure up all the memories that had escaped her? Would she be able to live with them if she did?

I had wanted to read All the Flowers in Paris by Sarah Jio for some time now. I’m glad that I finally made the time. All the Flowers in Paris could best be described as a historical fiction romance book. It explored mother/daughter relationships, family, evil, survival, loss, grief, amnesia, mental health and love. There were horrific moments of rape and violence. I really enjoyed listening to the audiobook of All the Flowers in Paris and highly recommend it.

[Susan · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars
I was hesitant to read this book for a number of reasons but I am so glad I did. It is a beautifully written book that brought me to tears. Everything I worried about was handled wonderfully and it was a rich and realistic story set in occupied Paris in WWII. Celine lives with her Papa and her young daughter, Cosi, and they run a flower shop. She is in love with Luc Jeanty whose mother owns the famed Bistro Jeanty.

Meanwhile in 2009, Caroline is in a severe bike accident. When she wakes up she finds she has no memory. She doesn't know who or what she was. As she returns to her apartment she tries to pierce together her life before the accident and doesn't like much of what she discovers. Still she gamely preserves and discovers letters written by Celine to Luc hidden in her apartment and they are heart breaking.

A German officer comes to the flower shop and takes a fancy to Celine. Instead of buying her flowers, he beats her Papa and marks the shop with a yellow star which closes the store. She becomes a prisoner and hides her daughter in deplorable conditions. The story of these two women struggling to survive captivated this reader.

There are no easy answers and no fairy tale endings in this book. Instead it's so real that it made the hairs stand up on the back of my neck. This was a terrific book that I highly recommend.

[Krista · Rating 3 out of 5]

Rating: 3.5 stars rounded down to 3.0 stars

“All the Flowers in Paris” by Sarah Jio is an interesting book set in Paris featuring two timelines. Its part Historical Fiction, and part Romance. While the writing was good, I felt like I had read versions of at least the 1943 Paris story quite a bit recently. Maybe it’s the hot new book trend, or perhaps I’m just pulled to books set in Paris. Whatever the reason, I initially gave this book 3.5 stars. I have had to round it down to 3 stars for the whole-point rating system that is being used.

The two alternating stories are set in for the main part in Paris. Celine narrates the story set in 1943, and Caroline narrates the 2009 storyline. In 1943 Celine, her father, and her 8-year-old daughter Cosi the invading Germans them from running their successful flower shop. When a yellow Star of David is found on their storefront, their prominent clientele quickly dropped away. They then have to try to make do as resources dwindle in Paris and it becomes increasingly dangerous to venture outside. In a dramatic scene, Celine is dragged into the apartment of a malevolent German officer. During her time there, she faced with physical and mental abuse. The subplot with Cosi reminded me of somewhat of “Sarah’s Key” by Tatiana de Rosnay.

In the 2009 narrative, Caroline has had a bicycle accident and wakes up with amnesia. Upon return to the apartment that she has rented in Paris, she goes through her items to try to reclaim her memory. She finds herself in a familiar restaurant for breakfast and is not sure why the waiter and the hostess are so wary of her. The bistro owner, Victor tries to befriend her. He eventually gains her trust and they start to do more things together in Paris. She also starts taking up painting again. If the paintings she found in her apartment were her own works, then she is an accomplished artist. Slowly, slowly flashes of her memory return.

I liked both stories about equally. Usually it seems that in a dual timeline book, I am drawn to one story more than the other. Both stories could function well as standalone books. At times, I thought Celine and especially her father, underestimated the danger they were in. However, perhaps that is because I know how the German occupation of France really turned out. The 1943 timeline was obviously heavier in the Historical Fiction vein, and the 2009 story was more Romance or Women’s Fiction. I liked both timelines. I just didn’t love them. Hence the solid 3.5 star rating.

‘Thank-You’ to NetGalley; the publisher, Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine; and the author, Sarah Jio for providing a free e-ARC copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

[Dale Harcombe · Rating 3 out of 5]

Three and a half stars
Caroline Williams wakes up in a hospital in Paris with no memory of her past, or who she is. Even her apartment on the Rue Cler when she returns to it holds no clues as to the person she is. However while searching for clues to her identity she finds a hidden box of letters written by Celine, a young mother during World War 2. Celine’s story give realistic glimpses of what life is like in Paris under Nazi occupation and the atrocities that occurred.. Will Celine and her true love Luc ever get back together? Or will war take too heavy a toll? Will Caroline ever regain her memory? And what will that mean for her current life?
Told in dual timelines the chapters alternate between Caroline and Celine’s stories. Of course the reader is thinking that in some way the two stories will connect. And they do have more in common than expected. While I was quite interested in both stories I did question certain aspects of Celine’s story. Secret room or not, could it really be as easy as it appeared to hide a child? I wasn’t convinced. But then this same reader wouldn’t have let an eight year old girl go play in a park on her own out of sight, especially in war time. So I had couple of issues with these aspects.
Overall though, I enjoyed the story and it kept my interest. The two main characters Caroline and Celine are easy to associate with even if a little naïve at times. One line I really liked was this, from Caroline.’ I may be a hurt person, but I decided that I wasn’t be one who hurts others. Not any more.’ This is my first book by this author and I would be interested to try another.

[Jen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Historical fiction is one of my favorite genres, particularly books that focus on the time period during Hitlers reign. I believe we should never stop educating ourselves about that time in history. Never forget, and never let those lives lost be forgotten. ⁣
⁣
All The Flowers In Paris is one of those fabulous books that puts faces to those that suffered during the Nazi occupation and shows not only the struggles they faced during that time but the beautiful displays of humanity from others during that time as well. This is a dual timeline story of two strong, independent women. I loved both storylines and the extraordinary details that brought the setting to life. I was completely enraptured in this book and did not want it to end. For me, All The Flowers In Paris was ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5 stars. This was the first for me by this author and I immediately put library holds on her other work. This was a beautifully written, exquisite book. It cannot be easy to strike a chord between hope and the horrors of war but @sarahjio did it fabulously. Thank you @randomhouse for this advance reader in exchange for my honest review.

[Caryn · Rating 2 out of 5]

Dumb, undeveloped, historically inaccurate, & shallow characters. I was hoping it would get better, then I was so close to finishing I kept reading but should have not wasted my time. Stupid amnesia motif. This woman sustains a TBI and just simply goes home from the hospital with no other side effects? There’s no mention of a job or how she pays for this apt. The romance with Victor happened out of the blue and was totally predictable. By 1943 Paris had no food, let alone the money to buy flowers. There were no radios as they were illegal and I dare say no one had a phone to call up their friends for a chat. The whole back and forth between time was totally predictable. This whole book was amateurish. Not sure who all these people are who gave this book 5 stars. Must be the same amateur readers who liked The Tatooist of Auschwitz which was unreadable.

[Holly · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow - what a ride! I just loved All the Flowers in Paris. The story and characters will be front and center in my mind and in my heart for some time to come.

There are two alternating timelines in this book. One takes place in Nazi-occupied Paris in the early 1940s. It centers on Céline who is of Jewish descent and her young daughter Cosi. It is a story of survival and the lengths a mother will go to for her daughter.

The second timeline is the present day Paris and tells the story of Caroline who is in an accident and as a result, has amnesia.

“‘Hello?’ I call out, both to anyone who can hear me and, I suppose, to myself. I am deeply and sorely lost. I am a strange soul trapped in an even stranger body. The only thing I know is that I am alive, and that I am, in, well, Paris.”

“...I am currently a person without a story. But I feel more like a person without a soul.”

Caroline feels lost though people tell her how much happier and friendlier she is since losing her memory. She wants to remember her life yet does not want to return to being sad and miserable.

“What if my memory comes back and I hate my life, or worse, hate myself? From all I can tell, I was miserable before. I don’t want to be that woman.”

While these two timelines tell two disparate stories, Jio eventually and effortlessly joins them together, which makes for a very satisfying outcome for the reader.

These stories touched me on several levels - the horrors of the Nazis and their occupation of Pairs, a fight for survival, coping with loss, second chances, and a mother’s determination to protect her daughter.

For most of the book, the present day story seemed somewhat mundane compared to story taking place in the 1940s. As such, they felt mis-matched - a life and death thriller juxtaposed with a humdrum romance. I found my emotional response varied between disgust and almost indifference depending on which timeline I was reading. Ultimately they do fit and in fact, join together nicely.

“To think that all around me—the letters in my apartment, Monsieur de Goff—are remnants of such an ugly time in history. It makes my amnesia pale in comparison. In fact, for those who suffered trauma, as Monsieur de Goff reportedly had, amnesia could even be a gift.”

I was unable to put this book down. It was extremely well-written with highly developed characters that will live in your heart.

“I’ve always loved the city in winter, particularly the way the rooftops look as if they’ve been dusted with a heavy layer of confectioner’s sugar, turning the formerly anemic balcony gardens of winter into scenes straight out of a fairy tale.”

“.... sweeping a few stray rose petals off the cobblestones in front of the shop. I always feel bad for fallen petals, as silly as that sounds. They’re like little lost ducklings separated from their mama.”

All the Flowers in Paris was both heartwarming and heartbreaking. I cannot recommend it highly enough!

“..the truth is, these days we’re all in trouble.” He’s right, of course. We’re all sailing in a ship that’s taking on water. Life rafts are sparse.”

“We will see her again. That’s what love does. It binds people together with ties that are stronger than time, stronger than war and destruction, evil, or pain.”

Thank you to Random House Publishing - Ballantine Books and NetGalley for an advance reader copy in exchange for my honest review.

[Deacon Tom F. (Recovering from a big heart attack) · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Story of Life—Love Survives Pain

This is such a well written book. I loved how the author wove two stories together to make a wonderful finish.

The scene of War zone Paris and the struggle to survive in a Nazi occupation and oppression leads to on speakable pain for a mother and her daughter. It was magic how the author wove the sub characters into very surprising finish. I love this book

I highly recommend

[Constantine · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Genre: Historical Fiction

"I think that the most important things in life are thankfulness, forgiveness, and love."

Two different stories of grief and hardship of two women. Both take place in Paris. One is set in 1943 and the other one in 2009. Both the stories intersect later. Caroline loses her memory because of an accident but she regains it gradually and finds out her true self. Celine, on the other hand, is a widow with a daughter (Cosi) and works with her father in a flower shop during the German occupation of Paris.

Pros:
- Great description of Paris & the whole environment. As a reader, I felt as if I lived there in both periods. A good author can make this possible with beautiful and descriptive writing of the setting.
- Well-developed characters. The book has two stories and both stories had characters that one can relate to or at least sympathize with. Definitely one of the good perks of this book.
- I enjoyed the writing style of Sarah Jio. This is my first time reading a book for her. She knows when to elaborate more, when to stop and when to end a chapter.
- Let us not forget to appreciate that gorgeous cover!

Cons:
- In the first half before the two stories got connected, it was distracting a bit jumping from one story to the other one. I was connecting one story and as soon I was ready to dive more the other story would start. That was only problematic in the beginning. All this made sense though from the second half as the connection between the two tales started to get clear.

Final Thought:
I have read many books in the past with a similar format, where there are two stories and then they interwind, but I have to say that All the Flowers in Paris ranks among the very good ones. Both the stories were interesting to read and very captivating. The book will be out on August 13th, 2019. I give All the Flowers in Paris a strong 4 stars out of 5.

Many thanks to NetGalley & the publishers for providing me an ARC of this book in return for this honest and unbiased review.

[Aura · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have read two or three books by Sarah Jio and I have like most of her novels. This novel has a dual narrative story set in the present and WWII. I listened to the audiobook and it held my interest until the very end. I think the amnesia, found a diary, WWII mystery, an old apartment is being done by many authors but Sarah Jio has done it well here. I enjoyed the novel specially the lovely setting of Paris 1940's. WWII novels ofcourse are going to be a sad but there was a lot of hope and resilience in the characters. All the Flowers in Paris is kind of an expected novel but it was really good.

[Darlene · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm pretty ambivalent towards this one. It read more like a high school writing assignment filled with overused tropes (dual timeline, amnesia, found letters) and everything was just too convenient. The WWII timeline was a well-developed story while the modern timeline was cheesy, overly dramatic, and contrived.

[Amy Bruno]

Woo Hoo! I won this book from Goodreads!

[Inga Gajauskienė · Rating 5 out of 5]

Tai pirmoji pažintis mano su autore Sarah Jio ir tikrai sužavėjo. Labai patiko, negalėjau atsitraukti.

[Lisa Burgos · Rating 4 out of 5]

This story had a dual timeline between current day Paris, and Paris during the German invasion of WWII.
The past story is about Celine, her daughter Cosi and Celine's father. Celine and her father run a successful flower shop until they are marked as Jews. When word comes that Cosi and her grandfather are to be taken, Celine knows that fleeing is the only thing they can do.

Present day story is about Caroline a woman who has a bicycle accident, and wakes up with no memory. As she tries to piece together who she is, she discovers letters Celine had written to her fiance' which were hidden in a secret room in her Paris apartment.

Each storyline weaves together love, loss, and intrigue.

[Karren Sandercock · Rating 4 out of 5]

Celine lives in 1940's Paris, she's a widow, she lives with her father and her daughter Cosi.
They own and run a busy florist shop and their lives are changed forever when the Germans invade Paris. A German officer notices how pretty Celine is and he discovers that Celine's father is part Jewish. He's an evil man, he has her father arrested, holds Celine captive in a apartment in Paris and she manages to hide Cosi from him.

American Caroline 2009, wakes up in hospital in Paris and has lost her memory. She can't remember anything about her past life, she's discharged from hospital and she's sent home to live in her apartment. They found her address from information in her bag, she has no idea about her former life, and why she's living in Paris?

One day while searching for clues about herself in her apartment she finds a hidden box with love letters inside, written by a woman called Celine to her lost love Luc during WW II. While trying to find out what happened to Celine, Caroline starts to have little flash backs, small details start to pop up in her memory, she eventually remembers what happened to her and her daughter Alma.

Caroline and Celine are both mothers, by discovering what happened to Celine during WW II also helps Caroline come to terms with her own tragic loss and deal with her painful past.
I enjoyed All The Flowers In Paris, I had no issues following the dual time line and I gave it 4 stars. I will share my review on Goodreads, Twitter, Australian Amazon, Barnes & Noble and my blog. Review posted 07/09/2019.

[Shelby · Rating 4 out of 5]

It’s 1943 in Nazi-occupied Paris, France. Celine lives with her Papa and her daughter, Cosi. She runs a flower shop with her father and is in love with a French policeman, Luc, whose mother owns a famous restaurant—Bistro Jeanty. When Luc is sent away from Paris, Celine is left to take care of her family alone. And things take a turn for the worse when a yellow star is put on their flower shop’s door, closing it for good and securing their family’s terrible fate. Papa is taken away by the Nazi soldiers due to his Jewish heritage, while Celine is taken prisoner by a German soldier who takes special interest in her. Somehow, she's able to hide Cosi in her room, praying that one day, they’ll both find safety.

Meanwhile, over 6 decades later in Paris, a woman named Caroline is involved in a terrible accident on her bicycle. After several days in a coma, Caroline wakes up, but has no memory of who she is or where she came from. So she goes back to her apartment and tries to put the pieces back together of a life she can’t quite remember. When looking around her beautiful apartment, Caroline discovers a cigar box full of love letters dated 1943 from a woman named Celine to a man she loved, Luc. Even though Caroline has no idea who these people are, she feels deeply connected to them and wants to uncover what happened to this pair of lovers during WWII.

All the Flowers in Paris by Sarah Jio is a heartfelt story about family, love and survival set in the backdrop of WWII. I’m a sucker for WWII fiction, especially books told in dual timelines/perspectives, and All the Flowers in Paris is no exception. We follow along two women’s stories—Caroline and Celine. Not often do we encounter people with amnesia in WWII fiction, so I found this aspect intriguing and added an element of mystery. Although I guessed a couple of the reveals in Caroline’s story, I still was heavily invested in her storyline. My heart truly went out to Celine and her daughter, Cosi—their mother-daughter bond touched my heart and I hurt for the pain they endured. I was surprised to discover this was less of a love story and more a story about mother-daughter dynamics, I still really enjoyed this book. Definitely recommend to lovers of this genre! 4/5 stars.

Thank you to NetGalley, Ballantine Books and Sarah Jio for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

[Miriam Moore · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book started off strong for me but fell flat. I enjoy her books because they are shorter and a quick read but I wanted more from this. More depth from the characters and their story lines. It was a good story and great characters but rushed from middle to end.

[Bent.viena.puslapi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Paskutinė neskaityta Sarah Jio knyga. Oh, kaip buvo stipru!

[Galya Ozan · Rating 5 out of 5]

" В този момент само едно желание има значение, най-важното от всички: безопасност. Утре ще се събудим, ще приготвим закуска както винаги и ще продължим с надеждата, че ще можем да се събудим и да закусим на следващия ден и на следващия, и на следващия, докато най-накрая настъпи краят на тази лудост.
Това е моето единствено желание."

[Anna · Rating 4 out of 5]

Caroline, an American, lives in a lavish apartment on the rue Cler in Paris. After a terrible accident while riding her bike, she loses her memory. In seeking to regain her memory, Caroline discovers that she was a lonely, sad, isolated woman unable to recover from a tragedy in her past. While seeking clues to who she is, she discovers letters written during the German occupation of Paris during WWII.
The letters were written by Celine, a widow living with her dear father and young daughter, Cosi. They ran a flower shop that catered to their wealthy French clients. But when Celine draws the attention of a ruthless German officer, he uncovers that her father is part Jewish. He uses this to entrap her in a horrific relationship, holding her captive in the Paris apartment he had confiscated. Cosi, in a lucky escape, had followed her mother, and Celine had been hiding her under the floor boards in her bedroom. Each day is a struggle for Celine and Cosi. They pray for the Allies to capture Paris and set them free.
In alternating chapters, each woman finds an inner strength and determination to find hope, offer forgiveness and accept love.
3.5 stars rounded up to 4.

[Ell · Rating 4 out of 5]

Captivating and moving. Lovers of historical fiction and intriguing mystery alike will appreciate the well-written and thoughtful prose.

[Roxy Roman · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5⭐
Foarte drăguță și emoționantă, dar nu pot să spun că e o capodoperă

[Karen J · Rating 4 out of 5]

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I absolutely loved the story and the amazing characters right from the first chapter.

[Melissa · Rating 5 out of 5]

It's been a few years since Sarah Jio last published a novel, so I was excited to find out about the release of All the Flowers in Paris. It was well worth the wait. While there are a lot of novels about WWII and the Holocaust, this one definitely spoke to me a lot, just because of how it was written.

The story was very captivating and I read it in a short amount of time, unwilling to put it down. I liked how the women's lives mirrored each other in some ways and I cared deeply about them both. The descriptions and attention to detail made it easy to visualize everything that was happening. Some parts were sad and others were just too horrifying to fathom. Having said that, this is another book that should have been published three years ago.

I was able to guess some of what was going to happen, but still wanted to confirm if I was right or not. There were a lot of surprises and unexpected moments, as well. This novel mirrors The Winemaker's Wife in some ways, but is also very different. I recommend reading both, although maybe with some time between the two.

This is one of Sarah Jio's best, on par with Blackberry Winter and Goodnight June.

Movie casting ideas:
Caroline: Miranda Raison
Celine: Rose Williams
Victor: Steve Kazee
Luc: Israel Broussard

[Vilija|Knygų Puslapiuose · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sarah Jio "Lauksiu tavęs Paryžiuje"

"Noriu pasakyti, kad svarbiausi dalykai gyvenime yra dėkingumas, atlaidumas ir meilė. [] Ir žinoma atlaidumas, nes gyvenimas per trumpas pykti. Galiausiai, meilė: jeigu ką nors myli visa širdimi, niekas iš tavęs to neatims."

Paryžius man visad asocijuojasi su meile, grožiu ir romantika. karatais pamirštame, jog karas ir šiame nuostabiai gražiame mieste paliko savo randų...

1943 metai, Paryžius. Selina kartu su savo pagyvenusiu tėvu ir mažąja dukrele Kozi gyvena palyginus ramų gyenimą. Nors mieste ir siautėja naciai, jiems kol kas neįdomi paprasta gėlių pardavėja. Tik ar ilgai bus nepastebėta graži gėlių pardavėja?
Šių dienų Paryžius. Jauna moteris Karolina atsibunda ligonineje ir nieko neatsimena apie save. Iš aplinkinių sužino, jog gyvena prašmatniame bute Paryžiuje, ir kad neturi draugų. Jaunai moteriai tenka po truputį atskleisti savo gyvenimo detales. Tik ar ji tikrai nori žinoti, kas nutiko praeityje? Ir kodėl jos butas toks įdomus aplinkiams? Viskas dar labaiu susimaišo, kai Karolina randa paslaptingos moters Selinos laiškus mylimąjam.

Visų pirma tai reikia prisipažinti, jog mane labai patraukė nuostabiai gražus knygos viršelis. Toks jaukus, šviesus. Ir istorijos aš tikėjausi romantiškos. Kaip tik ieškojau tokios knygos. O tada gavau emocijų bombą.

Šioje istorijoje tiek skausmo, ašarų ir meilės. Dvi laiko linijos papildė viena kitą, suteikė istorijai kūną ir sielą. Ir patvirtino, jog meilė geriausias sielos vaistas. Knyga - tai odė motinos meilei, jos ryžtui padaryti viską dėl savo pačio brangiausio turto. Liūdniausia suvokti, jog taip iš tiesų galėjo būti.

Tai romanas. Puikus, išjaustas ir išgyventas romanas. Ar jis Jums patiks? Labai tikiuosi, jog knyga ras savo kelią į skaitytojų širdis ir sielą. Juk meilė ir viltis visad randa. Labai patiks Sarah Jio, Jojo Moyes gerbėjams. Ir žinoma ši knyga idealiai tinka, kai norime išlaisvinti visas susikaupusiais emocijas.

[Gabrielė|Kartu su knyga · Rating 5 out of 5]

Pamačius šią leidyklos naujieną labai nudžiugau. Esu skaičiusi jau ne vieną Jio knygą ir jos pasakojimai man labai patinka. Tad pasinėriau į naują istoriją 📚✨❤️

Karolina išbuvo be sąmonės kelias paras.. Ji prabunda vienoje iš Paryžiaus ligoninių, tačiau netrukus suvokia, jog ji nepamena net savo vardo..
Grįžusi iš ligoninės sužino, jog gyvena labai prabangiame bute, kuris vienišai moteriai atrodo gerokai per didelis.. Moteris žūtbūt nori išsaiškinti kas ji tokia.
Savo namuose, vienoje iš spintų Karolina aptinka krūvą senų laiškų. Juos rašiusi moteris - vardu Selina. Karolina jaučia tarp savęs ir šios moters ryšį.. Tik kol kas dar negali paaiškinti kokį.
1943 - ieji vokiečių okupuotas Paryžius pasikeitęs neatpažįstamai.. Selina nesiruošia taip lengvai nuleisti rankų ir pasiduoti. Nors Selina bei jos šeima stengiasi neišsiskirti, tačiau patraukia vieno vokiečio dėmesį.. Moteris supranta, jog tai nežada nieko gero..

Galbūt sakysite, jog knyga banali, nes ir vėl yra žaidžiama karo tematika.. Tačiau man ši knyga tikrai patiko. Joje pateikiama istorija dvejomis laiko linijomis. Viena yra dabarties, o kita 1943 metų. Mėgstu tokias knygas. Ir šioje knygoje abi linijos buvo iš tiesų labai įdomios. Knyga jautri, paliečianti, bet tuo pačiu ir labai įtraukianti.Taip pat nors ir aprašomi sunkiai protu suvokiami dalykai, tačiau knyga yra nuosrabi.. Ji teikia viltį 🙏🏻✨
Tiesiog negalėjau atsiplėšti, kol neužverčiau paskutiniojo puslapio.
Manyčiau, jog šioje knygoje bene pagrindinis akcentas buvo ne pats karas, o žmogaus vidiniai bei emociniai išgyvenimai. Tas man labai ir imponavo šioje istorijoje.
Rekomenduočiau "Šilko siūlų dėžutė" gerbėjams ✨

[Антоанета · Rating 4 out of 5]

Сара Джио пише красиви истории пълни с много любов, но и много тъга. Тя винаги (поне в книгите, които съм чела) съчетава две истории – едната безвъзвратно отминала, но запазила в себе си поуките на времето, а другата развиваща се в настоящето и възползваща се от тези готови поуки.
Всички цветя в Париж не е по-различна. Структурирана по познатия ни начин, тя ни пренася в Париж по време на германската окупация през ВСВ и в същото време в Париж в наши дни, но и в двата случая в един и същи апартамент на Рю Клер номер осемнадесет. По време на окупацията младата Селин трябва да се бори да оцелее не само заради себе си, но и заради 8 годишната си дъщеря Кози. Тя е пленена от немски офицер и подложена на насилие и унижение, но за миг не губи надежда. И все пак дали е успяла да спаси себе си и дъщеря си?
В настоящето Карълайн е изгубила всичко, заради което си струва да живее, тя се е предала и е спряла да вижда радостите от ежедневието. Неочаквана катастрофа изтрива паметта й и тя получава нов шанс да съгради щастлив живот и да го изпълни само с положителни емоции. Но, когато бавно и постепенно спомените нахлуват и започват да заемат старите си места дали ще е достатъчно силна да ги преодолее и да задържи постигнатата до момента хармония? А ще може ли да прости?
Животът на двете жени е коренно различен и на пръв поглед няма допирни точки, освен апартамента, но може би борбеността на едната ще даде шанс и на другата?!
Наистина красиво описана история, но не можа да ме трогне така както би ми се искало. Не можа да ме потопи и да ме вглъби в себе си и аз си останах страничен наблюдател. И все пак предполагам, че по-чувствителните читатели биха пролели сълза над нея. От мен 4*

[Jackie · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book could have been so much better. The author's writing style was interesting, with a few exceptions. But what really drove me crazy through the entire book, was the huge omisssion of financial issues. If you woke up with amnesia and had to live day to day, pay your rent, purchase food etc, wouldn't one of your first concerns be your bank account. And yet, Caroline never once considers her finances. She eats out almost every meal, pays by credit card, and never thinks of how she is going to pay off her card balance. How does she pay her rent? This detracted from the story so much that I really can't recomend this book. I finished it only because I wanted to see how the two stories would tie together. The conclusion was disappointing; too much coincidence to be believeable.