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The Black Swan of Paris

Karen Robards (Goodreads Author)

4.20 · Rating details · 4,081 ratings · 572 reviews

A world at war. A beautiful young star. A mission no one expected.

Paris, 1944

Celebrated singer Genevieve Dumont is both a star and a smokescreen. An unwilling darling of the Nazis, the chanteuse’s position of privilege allows her to go undetected as an ally to the resistance.

When her estranged mother, Lillian de Rocheford, is captured by Nazis, Genevieve knows it won’t ...more

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Published June 30th 2020 by MIRA

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Jul 01, 2020 "Avonna rated it it was amazing

Shelves: net-galley, gifted-from-publisher

Check out all of my reviews at: https://www.avonnalovesgenres.com

Rating: 4.5 out of 5

THE BLACK SWAN OF PARIS by Karen Robards is this bestselling author’s first historical fiction book and it pulls you in with a story of estranged family dynamics, loyalty, partisans, spies, intrigue and action. It is a story that features a young internationally acclaimed singer and her perilous life during WWII in Nazi occupied Europe.

Genevieve Dumont is a celebrated cabaret star with a voice and beauty that c Check out all of my reviews at: https://www.avonnalovesgenres.com

Rating: 4.5 out of 5

THE BLACK SWAN OF PARIS by Karen Robards is this bestselling author’s first historical fiction book and it pulls you in with a story of estranged family dynamics, loyalty, partisans, spies, intrigue and action. It is a story that features a young internationally acclaimed singer and her perilous life during WWII in Nazi occupied Europe.

Genevieve Dumont is a celebrated cabaret star with a voice and beauty that captivates. In 1944 Paris, Nazis, partisans and spies are everywhere as the Germans prepare for the invasion they know is coming. Genevieve has been both a star and a smokescreen for her manager, Max Bonet. She knows and at times resents how she is being used and she wants to know as little as possible about Max’s secret life, until she overhears about the capture and arrest of Lillian, Baroness de Rocheford.

Genevieve has kept secrets from Max, but now she needs his help to save the baroness, who is her mother. Reunited with her sister, who is working with the SOE, a daring plan is set into motion. Will the little group be able to rescue the baroness directly from the home of the sadistic SS General Claus von Wagner?

I loved this story, but it was a little confusing in the very beginning as all the characters are introduced because the connections and histories are reveled throughout the entire book in flashbacks. Once it started to flow, I was transported back to 1944 occupied Paris. The description of the Nazi opulence contrasted with the deprivation of the Parisians, the sparkle of the cabaret, the partisan spy networks helping to prepare for the invasion, the mistrust and secrets all engage the reader and I was completely engrossed. Genevieve’s story was as tragic as it was triumphant and her entire family’s history kept me turning the pages. Ms. Robards has written historical characters that could walk off the page with a plot that builds to an action filled climax.

I highly recommend this dynamic historical fiction book with a touch of romance!
...more

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Aug 31, 2020 Adrienne rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: historical-fiction, all-time-favourites

A fantastic historical fiction book. Set in Paris 1944. The Nazi's occupy Paris. The atmosphere of the city is fearful, no one trusts a fellow Parisian. Meanwhile the Resistence is tasked with trying to help the Allies with their D-day landing.
Seemingly immured from this is celebrated singer Genevieve Dumont. While the Nazi's love her; her unique position allows the Resistence workers to carry out their tasks around her.
Robards research for writing this novel must have been immense. Her crafting ...more

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Jun 20, 2020 Karren Sandercock rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: edelweiss-above-the-tree-line, netgalley

Thanks to NetGalley, Hachette Australia and Karen Robards for my copy of The Black Swan of Paris.

Paris 1944, Genevieve Dumont is a beautiful cabaret singer and most of her audience is made up of German soldiers and one of her admirers is the nasty general Claus Von Wagner, she puts on quite a performance on and off the stage. Like most Parisians she hates the Germans, due to her fame, her chauffeur can drive her home at night without being stopped and her car being searched. While the civilian p Thanks to NetGalley, Hachette Australia and Karen Robards for my copy of The Black Swan of Paris.

Paris 1944, Genevieve Dumont is a beautiful cabaret singer and most of her audience is made up of German soldiers and one of her admirers is the nasty general Claus Von Wagner, she puts on quite a performance on and off the stage. Like most Parisians she hates the Germans, due to her fame, her chauffeur can drive her home at night without being stopped and her car being searched. While the civilian population starves, the German soldiers eat, drink and are having a great time in Paris. The handsome Max Bonet is her manager; despite the obvious attraction between them they keep their relationship strictly professional. Both she and Max have secrets, they keep their true identities hidden from each other as it’s hard to know who you can trust at such a dangerous time and in a city controlled by the enemy.

Genevieve is French, she had a fall out with her family years before, she has changed her name and she has no idea what her parents or sister Emmanuelle is doing? Her parents are both involved in the resistance, her mother Lillian the Baroness de Rocheford has been captured by the Germans, she is being kept alive until she can talk and once the Germans have no use for her she faces being executed. Everyone had code names, they limited how much information each operative knew, because if caught the less they knew the less they could tell the Germans while being subjected to awful forms of torture they used. This is very hard to read about, but it did happen and it helps you understand how dangerous it was to be a member of a resistance cell or to be a secret agent during WW II in France.
Towards the end of the war, the Germans wanted to take down as many members of the resistance as they could and they also shot innocent civilians. They knew the Allies planned to launch an invasion somewhere along the French coast and any information they could obtain about the date, time or place the Germans were desperate to discover. Claus Von Wagner is sure Lillian de Rocheford knows where the Allies will land and will Genevieve share her past and real name with Max so he and others in his resistance network can help her save her mother?

The Black Swan of Paris is a story about secrets, espionage, danger, loyalty, family, love and war. Perfect for readers who enjoy a long book and are interested in life in Paris during WW II and the planning that went into organizing code name Utah Beach one of the five sectors used in the invasion of Normandy.
I loved the book, five stars from me I have shared my review on Goodreads, NetGalley, Edelweiss, Twitter, Australian Amazon, Kobo and my blog. https://karrenreadsbooks.blogspot.com/ ...more

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Apr 13, 2020 Christie«SHBBblogger» rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: war, june2020, advanced-copy, musician, inspired-by-real-people-or-events, epic-all-time-read, historical-fiction, heroine-worship, top-shelf-quality, unputdownable

Title: The Black Swan of Paris
Series: standalone
Author: Karen Robards
Release date: June 30, 2020
Cliffhanger: no
Genre: historical fiction

This is my tenth read by this author and it's my favorite BY FAR. It's been a long time since I read a Karen Robards book, but if this is an example of what I've been missing out on, my hiatus is over for the foreseeable future. Ever since reading The Alice Network by Kate Quinn, I haven't been able to find a good spy book that even comes close to competing to ...more

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Sep 22, 2020 Morgan rated it really liked it · review of another edition

This author is a tease. She drops tiny subtle hints as to what may have taken place in the past to find the characters in this place at this time.

Paris 1944 – ‘The Black Swan of Paris’ Genevieve Dumont is the toast of Paris thrilling audiences of Nazi Germans with her amazing voice. Unknown to Genevieve, her supposed Manager, Max, is working for the Resistance and is using her without her knowledge.

Genevieve has been estranged from her family for several years but when she learns that her mothe ...more

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Jul 25, 2020 Linda Byers rated it liked it

A reluctant 3. These types of romance novels are just not my cup of tea. This is not a bad book but it's not a good book either. By the end I was gnashing my teeth every time she described the hero as "lean". Arrrgh. ...more

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Jun 13, 2020 Robin Loves Reading rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: 2020-books, 2020-april-june, historical-fiction, kindle, netgalley, 2020-challenge, reading-challenge, robin-loves-reading-2020-challenge, pages

I have read countless historical fiction books over the last couple of years, and I would say this book by Karen Robards is by far one of the best ones that I have ever read. We have two primary protagonists. One a spymaster and one a well regarded singer recruited to the resistance during WWII.

Genevieve Dumont is loved by the Nazis and has fairly free range to travel just about anywhere possible to perform. Max Bonet becomes her manager and the pair become far more involved than performing. Tr I have read countless historical fiction books over the last couple of years, and I would say this book by Karen Robards is by far one of the best ones that I have ever read. We have two primary protagonists. One a spymaster and one a well regarded singer recruited to the resistance during WWII.

Genevieve Dumont is loved by the Nazis and has fairly free range to travel just about anywhere possible to perform. Max Bonet becomes her manager and the pair become far more involved than performing. Traveling from place to place they are able to get past the Germans time and again. But eventually the question remains whether or not the Germans would ever catch on to what was really going on.

Meanwhile, Genevieve’s mother was being held by the Germans. Held and tortured. This was not for the faint of heart. Instead it was a portrayal of the brutal realities of a war in which the Germans would use any means necessary to ferret out information by any means necessary from anyone that was opposed to them.

While both Max and Genevieve work side-by-side, Genevieve has her own agenda - that of locating and freeing her mother. Genevieve has reasons of her own as far as not revealing to Max as to who her mother is. Estranged for years, not only from her mother, but also from her sister Emmy, Genevieve‘s heart remains pure when it comes to genuine love and concern for her mother and her sister. Can Genevieve And Emmy find a way to work together in order to rescue their mother?

This remarkable story is equally heartbreaking and touching. The romance in the story was incredibly touching. While it may have developed at a very slow ebb, when it came to fruition it was well worth the wait The emotion left me completely wrecked at times. All the while, the danger never let up. Reading of that terrible time in history is always difficult, but this book was so well-written and managed to capture my attention from beginning to end.

Many thanks to MIRA and to NetGalley for this ARC for review. This is my honest opinion. ...more

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Jun 23, 2020 Carla Johnson-Hicks rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: 2020-release, historical-fiction, wwii, blog-tour, received-from-publisher-or-pr-co, netgalley, audio

I have read many books by Karen Robards, but this historical fiction story was totally unexpected in a very good way. It is 1944 and the war is nearing its end. The Germans are worried about the Allied attack and where it will occur. Genevieve Dumont is a famous songstress who often performs for the German troops in Paris. She is known as the Black Swan, named after one of her costumes she performs in. What she doesn't know is that her manager, Max, her parents and sister are all working for the I have read many books by Karen Robards, but this historical fiction story was totally unexpected in a very good way. It is 1944 and the war is nearing its end. The Germans are worried about the Allied attack and where it will occur. Genevieve Dumont is a famous songstress who often performs for the German troops in Paris. She is known as the Black Swan, named after one of her costumes she performs in. What she doesn't know is that her manager, Max, her parents and sister are all working for the resistance. When she finds out that her father is dead and her mother is in danger, she begs Max for his help. This is a fast paced story dealing with the resistance, spying, with a bit of romance and family drama.

Genevieve Dumond is actually Genevra de Rocheford who had a falling out with her family years ago. She ended up in America performing and eventually came back to Europe and began performing. She does not like the germans anymore than the other French and when the opportunity arises to work with the resistance, she jumps at the chance. She is a very feeling woman, but is also strong and independent. There is a past timeline dealt with flashbacks from Genevieve/Genevra where we learn about her past and the falling out with her family. The second protagonist is Max, a Brit and spy who is in the role of Genevieve's manager. There is some tension between the two that increases once Max tells her about his role in the resistance. Overall, this is a story about secrets, espionage, danger, loyalty, family, love and war. This story had me quickly listening and reading to find out what was going to happen, especially once Emmy (Emmanuelle), Genevieve's sister, shows up in the story. This was a well written and plotted story, with well developed characters. Karen Robards uses historical information to make this story realistic and enjoyable for those who enjoy historical fiction especially WWII stories.

I did a read/listen with this story. Narrator, Nancy Peterson, performs this story with emotion. She gives an individual voice to Genevieve, Max, and the other characters in the story. The accents were well done and made this book feel like I was listening to multiple narrators. I will definitely look for more books narrated by this talented voice. I definitely recommend this audiobook to those who enjoy audio versions of stories. The publisher generously provided me with a copy of this book upon request. The rating, ideas and opinions shared are my own. ...more

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Nov 17, 2020 Jim rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: wwii-french-resistance, historical-fiction

Thanks to a trusted source, I have just discovered author KAREN ROBARDS who has been a published author since 1981. I have read THE BLACK SWAN OF PARIS, a novel set in France (mostly Paris and Normandy) during the last year of World War II. My only regret is that I did find her books before now. There are several more that I want to read as time allows.

The story follows Genevieve Dumont, a star singer in Occupied Europe in cabarets and music halls, whose signature costume resembles a black swan. Thanks to a trusted source, I have just discovered author KAREN ROBARDS who has been a published author since 1981. I have read THE BLACK SWAN OF PARIS, a novel set in France (mostly Paris and Normandy) during the last year of World War II. My only regret is that I did find her books before now. There are several more that I want to read as time allows.

The story follows Genevieve Dumont, a star singer in Occupied Europe in cabarets and music halls, whose signature costume resembles a black swan. She is around 25 years old. She started her career in Morocco a few years before the story begins in May 1944.

Her manager is Max Bonet a handsome and charismatic man. Otto Cordier is her driver/bodyguard. They both have alter egos to their public persona.

Dumont’s parent are Baron Paul and Baroness Lillian de Rocheford from a place near Cherbourg on the Normandy coast, near the soon to be D-Day Beaches. They are members of the French Resistance. Genevieve has a sister, Emmanuelle (Emmy) who is currently living in England (since 1939) with her husband. The Black Swan is estranged from her family and has not seen them for seven years because of a traumatic series of events when she was 18.

Obergruppenfuhrer Claus Wagner is a high-ranking member of the Nazi SS in Paris. He is NOT a nice guy. He is the chief interrogator of spies in France. He is ruthless, relentless and cruel. Outwardly, he is debonair and charming.

Some of the characters are not who they seem to be on the surface. The French Resistance is a major player in the story. There are daring rescues and foiled plots. In a climactic scene in Stuttgart, Germany, revenge is taken for previous malevolent acts.

There is action galore. There are scenes of romance. The characters are well developed. I had a chance in 2011 to visit many of the places mentioned in the story. My memories were rekindled by the descriptions of the places.

HIGHLY RECOMMENDED. If you love to read stories about WWII, by all means this is for you. There are historical aspects of the story so you will end up smarter than before you read it.

GO! BUY! READ!
...more

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Jul 18, 2020 MicheleReader rated it really liked it · review of another edition

The setting is Paris, 1944. Genevieve Dumont is a beautiful singer whose performances have made her the toast of Europe and a favorite of the Nazis. She is working undercover for the Resistance enabling Max, a British Agent, to act as her manager gaining him access to roam freely throughout Europe. As plans for the invasion of Normandy are being finalized, Genevieve and Max learn that Baroness Lillian de Rocheford has been imprisoned to be interrogated about the invasion and surely killed. This ...more

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May 25, 2020 Diana rated it it was ok · review of another edition

Skimmed the last 100 or so pages. I get the urge to tell a glamorous story during a pivotal time in history. And I love a flawed heroine. But, as I've been mentioning as I update, this is a very whiny heroine. One who, in 1944 (5 years into the war), is still bitching about being tricked into being part of the resistance in France. No matter her history (which was, I think, supposed to make the reader sympathetic), I couldn't get past her whining about everything. And of course, as she bitches a ...more

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Nov 13, 2019 Janet rated it it was amazing

Shelves: zz-2019ng-when-i-read, k-e-k

When it is snowy and cold outside, superspeed readers like me can read 150 - 200+ pages/hour, so yes, I have read the book … and many more today. LOL

I received a temporary digital Advance Reader Copy of this book from #NetGalley, the publisher and the author in exchange for an honest review.

From the publisher, as I do not repeat the contents or story of books in reviews, I let them do it as they do it better than I do 😸.

A captivating story of estranged sisters reunited by a devastating war and When it is snowy and cold outside, superspeed readers like me can read 150 - 200+ pages/hour, so yes, I have read the book … and many more today. LOL

I received a temporary digital Advance Reader Copy of this book from #NetGalley, the publisher and the author in exchange for an honest review.

From the publisher, as I do not repeat the contents or story of books in reviews, I let them do it as they do it better than I do 😸.

A captivating story of estranged sisters reunited by a devastating war and the race to save their mother’s life

Paris, 1944
***************
Celebrated singer Genevieve Dumont is both a star and a smokescreen. An unwilling darling to the Nazis, the chanteuse’s position of privilege also has its advantages—such as going undetected as an ally to undercover British officer Captain Max Ryan as part of the resistance.

What Max doesn’t know is that Genevieve’s estranged mother, Lillian de Rocheford, is among the underground group recently captured by Nazis. It won’t be long before the Gestapo forces sensitive information out of Lillian that will derail the upcoming Allied invasion, so Max has been tasked with silencing her by any means necessary—including assassination. Terrified by this deadly threat, Genevieve secretly plots to rescue Lillian.

There may be seven bitter years of distance between Genevieve and her sister, Emmy, but as the clock runs down on their mother’s life, a shared determination to keep the frayed fabric of their family intact reunites them. If only they can navigate the perilous crosscurrents of occupied France undetected—and in time.

Deftly portraying the impossible choices faced in wartime, bestselling author Karen Robards vividly illuminates three women’s strength, courage and capacity for unconditional love.

Oh, sisters --- what a complicated story and history for most readers to understand: unless they are an only child, most people who that familial bonds can be ridiculously tenuous. Karen Robards is such an incredible writer that I was happy to see her delve into this historical era that is slowly being forgotten (aside from reading about it) as that generation dies off. The story reminded me a bit about Joesphine Baker as she was a singer and a spy during WWII as well and the subject of an episode of "Timeless"!

The storyline was tense at times and warm at others and the familial bonds in this story were well crafted. The fact that they were rescuing their mother is a memory-related talking point for people to think about their mothers and what they would do for them. I have added this book to the "Summer 2020" reading lists for my book club ladies as the book is wonderful and talking about siblings and mothers is always a great taking point for a group of women and a bottle or two of wine. lol.

As always, I try to find a reason to not rate with stars as I love emojis (outside of their incessant use by "🙏-ed Social Influencer Millennials" on Instagram and Twitter..get a real job, people!) so let's give it 🦢🦢🦢🦢🦢 (they did not have black swans, only white!) ...more

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Jun 18, 2020 Zoe rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Absorbing, intense, and pacey!

The Black Swan of Paris is a suspenseful, thrilling tale set in Paris during WWII that takes us into the life of Genevieve Dumont a beautiful, Parisian performer who uses her charisma, fame, and desirability to acquire crucial information from high-ranking Nazis that will not only aid Allied Forces and the Resistance but also provide her with the intelligence needed to rescue her recently captured mother from the hands of the ruthless enemy.

The prose is descriptive ...more

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May 17, 2020 Poppy rated it really liked it · review of another edition

There is nothing I love more than a WW2 novel, especially one with a female lead. And when it’s set in Paris embroiled in the French Resistance? Perfect! This novel was the first I’ve read by this author but I will definitely be reading more of her work. It was pacy, exciting, heart-breaking in places, with a truly believable romance sub-plot that was centred around characters I cared about. The lead’s emotional and personal development was great - she matured as the plot did and I thought it wo ...more

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Jan 13, 2021 Amy rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: war, world-war-two, france, paris, historical-fiction, goodreads-favorites, music, fiction, spy, women

I absolutely loved this book! Yet another 5 star in the first days of 2021! I thought it was great!

So as you know I often say, if you are a historical fiction WWII junkie like me, eventually, there are so many great novels out there, that they have to be fantastic or they just don't cut the mustard. I mean how many of these can I read, right? You'd think I'd be tired! But this one grabbed my attention. It had all the elements I loved. Paris, theater and diva star singer, resistance, spy, family, ...more

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Jun 10, 2020 Maureen Timerman rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: 2020

This book grabbed me, I could almost smell the fear and see the horrors that were being perpetrated on Europe and in this book France during this terrible time in history.
The author gives us a young woman struggling with her grief, and thrown into the limelight as a star the German Regime enjoys seeing. As her manager is a man with many personas, and at times I wondered if Max was really for or against Genevieve. Well, we sure are given a lot of action and found myself looking for answers here. ...more

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Aug 15, 2020 Shannon Dyer rated it it was amazing

Shelves: historical-fiction, 2020

Stunning! Review to come at AAR.

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Aug 09, 2020 Tracy Greer- Hansen rated it really liked it · review of another edition

4.5 stars

LOVE and WAR

This book had the best of both worlds. A totally different spin on the WWII scene which is pretty rare as this subject has been written about endlessly. This was a unique book. It is probably one of the top WWII books that I have read.

Genevieve Dumont is a smoke screen and is coveted as The Black Swan. She travels all over Europe singing with much success, but little do the Nazis know that she is working for the Resistance.

This book is harrowing. The writing was graphic a ...more

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Jul 01, 2020 Harlequin Books added it · review of another edition

Shelves: mira, 2020

Categories
Espionage, War & Military Fiction, Historical Fiction

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Jul 12, 2020 Marilyn added it · review of another edition

Shelves: marilyn-s-challenge

I listened to The Black Swan of Paris on an audiobook read by Nancy Peterson. This was the first book that I have read by this author but I will now look for her previous books and of course future ones. The Black Swan of Paris was both an exciting and powerful story. I was immediately swept into the fast paced action of this wonderful historical fiction book. Taking place during World War II, it focused more on the acts and work of the brave resistance fighters with a little romance thrown in. ...more

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Jul 26, 2020 Renee rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: 2020-reading-challenge, world-war-ii, spy-wwii, romantic

Loved it! This book was a romantic page-turner. It gave me the feel of a classic drama like Casablanca mixed with one of the lavish miniseries from the 80s. Great chemistry between Genevieve & Max. A nice balance of love/hate, misread cues & tenderness. Very enjoyable!

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Apr 10, 2020 Caroline arrow_reads rated it it was amazing

The WWII historical fiction of the summer! ⁣
⁣
Genevieve Dumont is a star singer for the Nazis in Paris during the WWII. She uses her fame to the Germans to help her aid to the Resistance go unnoticed. When she hears her estranged mother has been taken by the Nazis, she knows she has to try to use her power to help save her and help the Allies. ⁣
⁣
This book pulled me in from page one and I fell in love with the characters and story! It is full of suspense, espionage, and unconditional love. ⁣

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Feb 29, 2020 J'nell Ciesielski rated it it was amazing

Dazzling, tender, heartbreaking, romantic, and an utter whirlwind. Despite the typos that are often plagued in ARCs and the sometimes too modern phrasing, I thoroughly enjoyed this read. Absolutely adored Genevieve and Max together.

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Jul 08, 2020 Nursebookie rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: harlequinbooks, womensfiction, espionage, historical-fiction, women-author, wwii, womenshealth, mira

The story setting is in Nazi occupied Paris in 1944 and central to this story is the beautiful singer and performer, well admired by German soldiers, Genevieve Dumont. Among the admirers, is the ruthless general Claus vonWagner, which Genevieve can use to garner information to help aid the Allied Forces as well as save the life of her captured mother, Lillian the Baroness de Rocheford.

The prose and writing style will make you feel the tension and suffering of the Parisians as well as the Jewish ...more

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Jul 25, 2020 Sarah Wagner rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: historical-fiction, france

Spies abound in this tale of occupied Paris, featuring a singer who makes a public show of collaborating with the Nazis while feeding their secrets to British spies. Events become complicated as the D-Day invasion approaches and a resistance cell is captured - a cell which includes the mother of Guinevere Dumont and her sister, an SOE agent. Parts of this novel push the boundaries of plausible, but overall it makes for a good, enjoyable story and likely of interest to WWII historical fiction fan ...more

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Jun 20, 2020 Becki rated it liked it · review of another edition

What a great cover for spies! Genevieve Dumont is the Black Swan, a talented and beautiful singer with perfect cover to travel all over Europe during the war with few questions asked. Whle she didn't originally volunteer to work for the Resistance (as she laments in her head over and over - she was TRICKED), it's better than being a genuine collaborator.

Her manager, Max, is actually a British soldier in disguise. He tells her as little as possible about their illicit activities to keep her safe. ...more

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Jul 11, 2020 Thea | (unapologetic_bibliosmia) rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Genevive Dumont, better known across Paris as her stage name ‘The Black Swan’ is a show-biz star, touring her way through Paris delighting the German Officers who make up the numbers at her shows in 1944 occupied Paris.

Little do the officers know, that the dazzling Black Swan singing before them is not all she appears to be. Genevra de Rocheford, is secretly working as part of the French Resistance, with a small entourage of unlikely agents.

The story follows her fight to rescue her captured mo ...more

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Mar 10, 2020 Bonnye Reed rated it it was amazing

Shelves: wwii-fiction-and-nonfiction, kindle-or-pdf, netgalley, read-2020, historical-europe

I received a free electronic ARC of this novel from Netgalley, Karen Robards, and Harlequin - MIRA. Thank you all for sharing your hard work with me. I have read this novel of my own volition, and this review reflects my honest opinion of this work. I highly recommend this historical jewel to those who enjoy a rich, historical novel, stories set in France in World War II, or romance novels. Karen Robards doesn't ever disappoint.

The Black Swan of Paris is a remarkable tale with fully formed char ...more

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Aug 19, 2020 Alaina rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: audiobook, romance, fiction, 2020-ng, historical-fiction

The Black Swan of Paris was beyond amazing. In it, you will meet Genevieve who is a young singer living in Paris. Now that's not the only thing happening in Paris, nope - we have Nazi's. Genevieve was a fun and strong character to fall in love with. She is working with the resistance and has a pretty big role to play.

Each page, twist, and chapter just sucked me in. I'm not even mad or surprised by how quickly I devoured this book. It was just that freaking good and I wanted to know how everythin ...more

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Jul 09, 2020 Debra rated it it was ok

Shelves: audiobooks, historical-fiction, romance

For my taste, too shallow and over-sentimentalized. Obviously this book was not for me, even though others enjoyed it.

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Play Book Tag: The Black Swan of Paris, 5 stars, by Karen Robards	3	16	Jan 14, 2021 11:47AM

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About Karen Robards

Karen Robards

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Karen Robards is the New York Times, USA Today, and Publishers Weekly bestselling author of more than fifty books and one novella. She has won multiple awards including six Affaire de Coeur Silver Pen Awards for favorite author.
Karen has been writing since she was very young, and was first published nationally in the December 1973 Reader's Digest. She sold her first romance novel, ISLAND FLAME, wh ...more

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“He’s a soldier. We all fight in our own ways. And sometimes we do things we might not want to do.” Otto hung his coat, then turned to look at her. “What you have to ask yourself is where you would be right now if he hadn’t been there when you needed help. Remember Morocco?” — 0 likes

“But the past was over, was behind her, was composed of ghosts and memories and dreams, and he was real and alive and there. His eyes held hers, encouraged her, willed her, compelled her. She’d given him her loyalty. She’d trusted him with her life.” — 0 likes

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