Pieces of Paris

by G.G. Vandagriff

Is it possible to forget who you once were?
Annalisse and Dennis seem to be living the American dream until Annalisse's secret past threatens to destroy their family.
This skillfully crafted novel from Whitney Award winner G. G. Vandagriff explores the long-term effects of personal tragedy in haunting flashbacks of Annalisse's former life--flashbacks that are interwoven with a passionate romance to reveal a person entirely different from the woman Dennis thought he had married.
But as Annalisse struggles with long-buried memories, Dennis's investigation of a toxic waste incident ignites the wrath of a former political ally and an industrial firm that will go to any lengths to cover up a shocking crime.
Can Annalisse reconcile her turbulent past with her present life  before it's too late? And can Dennis find a way to save his family and the town they've called home?

Genres: Historical Fiction, Lds Fiction, Fiction, Adult Fiction, Romance, Christian Fiction

284 pages, Paperback

First published September 23, 2010

About the author

G.G. Vandagriff is the author of over thirty novels Amazon #1 Bestselling Author. The Last Waltz, the first novel in her 20th Century Historical Romance Series won the Whitney Award for Best Historical Novel in 2009. There are now two more books in that series—Exile and Defiance.
Thirteen of her novels are Regency romances, compared by critics to the witty novels of Georgette Heyer. She has also written a lively genealogical mystery series featuring Briggie and Alex, two whacky widows, as sleuths. Her most recent publications are Romantic Suspense. Her trilogy featuring Breaking News, Sleeping Secrets, and Balkan Echo tell the tale of high profile TV journalists--the Super Sleuths of WOOT TV station in Chicago.
GG graduated from Stanford and received her master’s degree from George Washington University. She worked as an associate editor at Stanford’s Hoover Institution, an assistant treasurer in the Harvard Treasurer’s office, a bond analyst at Fidelity Investments, and an international banker for Continental Illinois National Bank (later acquired by Bank of America).
She and her husband David are the parents of three children and seven grandchildren, her greatest joys in life. Her favorite novel? Jane Eyre. She also loves Florence, Sundance Resort, The Voice, hot chocolate, lilacs, and dachshunds.
Find out more about her books, download a free novella, and sign up for her newsletter at http://ggvandagriff.com. Also, be the first to know when Vandagriff’s next book is available by following her at http://bookbub.com/authors/G.G.Vandag... to receive new releases and discount alerts.

Reviews

[Michele Bell · Rating 5 out of 5]

Weaving together powerful truths and psychologically driven fiction, GG Vandagriff's, Pieces of Pieces, takes readers on a emotional ride that winds through the darkest recesses of painful memories, plunges into unexpected realities, then climbs to breathtaking vistas of understanding, forgiveness and love.

In Pieces of Paris we see the unraveling of Annalisse, a woman who seems to have everything until dark memories she's kept deeply buried for years claw their way to the surface, threatening to destroy everything she holds dear.

The story opens with Annalisse, a woman in her twenties, living a quiet, normal life on a farm in the Ozarks. She is expecting her second child and is mom to three and a half year old son, Jordan. But after four and a half years of bliss she suddenly finds herself being haunted by the past. Her predictable but seemingly happy life with husband Dennis, an attorney, begins to crumble.

The first paragraph of the book reads:
It was the simple things that undid her, Annalisse had discovered. Something as ordinary as the scent of lilacs when the air was heavy, a brief measure of Tchaikovsky, or a dream. A dream like the one she'd awakened from last night - so real she could smell the Paris Metro in it. Any of these things could revive in a moment the memories she'd spent the last six years burying. They crept under the leaden shield around her heart and found the small, secret place where she still had feeling.

So begins Annalisse's journey of facing a past she'd blocked from her reality until piece by piece, the fragments began to fit together, forcing her to face the pain she'd thought she'd covered . . . until now.

Leaving another life behind, Annaliese finds refuge and safety in the arms of her beloved, idealistic, husband, Dennis. He is her anchor, her strength, and she puts her past behind her to be with him, and that includes moving to his idea of the Garden of Eden . . . the Ozarks.

When he meets Annalisse, Dennis knows she is someone unique and special. Dealing with pain from his own past and a broken heart, he focuses on this beautiful woman, vastly different from his past relationship, Annalisse immediately appears to be the perfect person to heal his disillusionment and he knows they are meant to be together.

When the flashbacks begin, Annalisse keeps them to herself--certain that telling Dennis will destroy their relationship. At the same time Dennis is battling with a controversial legal case, fighting against an industrial firm that is trying to cover up a toxic waste dump, a case that has put his family in danger.

As each challenge grows and pushes them apart, Dennis and Annalisse both begin to wonder if their marriage is what they really wanted or expected and if the person they are with now is anything like the person they thought they married.

Vandagriff has a true gift of words and paints glorious scenes and intense emotion in this well-paced, gripping drama. This powerful story of second chances, the gift of forgiveness, and the depth of truth will resonate with readers of all ages and stations in life.

[Kileen · Rating 1 out of 5]

I honestly think this may be the worst book I've ever read. After reading the first chapter I threw it across the room in absolute disgust. Only desperation for something to read, and a desire to give this book a complete review, forced me to trudge through it. To start, it's completely unrealistic and the characters are totally unrelatable. The author had this sitting in her hard drive for years and I wish she'd kept it there. The list of things wrong with this book is endless. It seems that author couldn't decide if she wanted to write about a woman's struggle with PTSD, the intricacies of marriage or a small town lawyer taking on a big business toxic waste cover-up. In the end she did a poor job on all counts. It's boring, it's filled with extreme stereotypes of "southerners", environmentalists and politicians.There is a faint disjointed religious undertone that does little for the story. In fact, I found certain references to the Savior's atonement downright offensive. I think what bothers me the most about this book is that Deseret Books is, once again, pushing a terrible book for LDS readers in order to make a quick buck! Just because the author of a book is LDS does not make it good. And just because Deseret sells it does not make it a LDS book. I wish more people understood this!

[Michelle · Rating 1 out of 5]

I didn't like this book at all really. The author has taken three very distinct stories and tried to mesh them all into one book, and it doesn't work out very well for her in the end. This is mainly the story of Annalisse, and her marriage to two very different men. First their is Jules, a passionate musician who persuades Annalisse during her junior year at Stanford to give up her biology degree and move to Europe with him to study the piano. Their lives and short marriage are presented in the book as flashbacks to Annalisse, who in the present of the story is married to Dennis, an environmental laywer looking for his Eden and trying to save the world. Annalisse has never told him of her rocky marriage to Jules, or her incredible talent at the piano. The other story is of Dennis, from whom the reader gets these rare flashbacks of his own life in college, and a lost love named Jill. Thse flashbacks have nothing to do with the story, and in the present Dennis is trying to uncover a company's illegal dupming of toxic chemicals into the water supply of his little town in Missouri. I guess the overall story is the coming together of this estranged couple after four years of marriage and hardly knowing each other. But the author doesn't do a very good job of bringing it all together in the end, and it ends on a rather unfinished and disappointing note.

[Melissa’s Bookshelf · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm having a hard time rating this one. I'd give it 2 1/2 stars but am rounding it up to 3. I really like this author's regency romance novels and feel like she is a really good writer. This book just didn't do it for me. There were way too many stereotypes in this book. Southern Republicans are not all ignorant and prejudice. I can see having a few people in the town who are like this, but it seemed like the whole town was portrayed in this way. There was also the cliché evil chemical corp. that is illegally dumping toxic waste and the corrupt politicians who are on the take. We also can't leave out the wacko environmentalists who are the uber idealist, drug smoking, chain yourself to the tree types. Finally, we have the illegal aliens involved in gangs.

Beyond the stereotypes, there was a really good love story which explores how to forget a past love especially, when the loss was devastating. I really liked the interweaving of music into the story. I feel like if the author explored the relationship between husband and wife more fully and left out all of the other stereotypical subplots, it would have been much better.

[Annika Paxman · Rating 4 out of 5]

Written beautifully, and richly descriptive. Pieces of Paris takes you on a breathtaking journey of a woman suddenly lost in her long buried past, a past she has kept completely hidden from her husband. Her husband not only is forced to uncover his wife's mystery, but another endangering the entire town. G.G. takes the reader on an emotional rollercoaster, revealing Annalisse's past in tantalizing snippets, making this poignant story difficult to put down to the very end. Well done GG!

[T.K. · Rating 3 out of 5]

Though I appreciate that this is a cathartic piece and an expression of the author's faith, it didn't quite work. The main characters' lives are primarily dull and angst-ridden, with only the flashback chapters and the ending to liven it up. Their religious epiphanies felt more like object lessons than story flow. I think Ms. Vandagriff is a very fine writer (Authurian Omen is amazing), but I would have much prefered the non-fiction version of her ordeal. 2.5 stars

[Heather · Rating 2 out of 5]

Meh. I started reading it, put it down for a couple weeks, and then decided to finish it. It was confusing in the beginning. I was kind of annoyed trying to figure out where the plot was going. I finally got into the story and then it felt rushed at the end.

[Judy Bullard · Rating 1 out of 5]

I wasn't very impressed with this book. The last 2 or three pages tried to end the story - but way too much was lacking - not really closure. I read "The Last Waltz" and really enjoyed it. This book was a disappointment.

[Maile · Rating 1 out of 5]

I had a really hard time getting into this book. I dislike reading books that I have to convince myself to keep going. I made it about a third of the way through. I was a little disappointed because I have liked the author's books in the past.

[Hil White · Rating 1 out of 5]

I couldn't even finish this book. The writing was absolutely awful.

[Tiffany · Rating 3 out of 5]

I must admit, it took me a very long time (with multiple starts and stops) to get through this book. The beginning just didn’t grip me and pull me in. However once I got more into it the story carried me away. It’s very beautifully written and the story is both sad and beautiful at the same time. I appreciate the characters and all they went through.

[Susan · Rating 2 out of 5]

I was very disappointed in this book. The author has tried to put three stories together--two with flashbacks--and it just doesn't work. I thought this book was confusing, boring, melodramatic, and didn't like the main characters. Didn't finish it.

[Cherri · Rating 3 out of 5]

Annalise has shut off her mourning and her emotions, but pieces keep breaking through.

[Janice Fjerstad · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a really good book for someone with PTSD.

[Ana Trujillo · Rating 1 out of 5]

Boring. Very confusing about what the real story was. I just read it because somebody gave it to me. I did not enjoy this book.

[Susan Dayley · Rating 5 out of 5]

"It was the simple things that undid her, Annalisse had discovered. Something as ordinary as the scent of lilacs when the air was heavy, a brief measure of Tchaikovsky, or a dream. A dream like the one she’d awakened from last night—so real she could smell the Paris Metro in it. Any of these things could revive in a moment the memories she’d spent the last six years burying. They crept under the leaden shield around her heart and found the small, secret place where she still had feeling."

From the first paragraph Pieces of Paris gripped me. The story, by G.G. Vandagriff, didn’t matter then, the writing had enchanted. And then, I realized, the story did matter. Very much. I was carrying this book around with me everywhere I went.

Annalisse lived a life of music, Europe, and love that she never told her husband about. Because when that life crashed around her, in pain and horror, she shut it away and locked up her memories. “She had baked oatmeal cookies and resolutely shunned her piano and the road not taken.”

Dennis, the idealist, embraced lost causes, but unable to face reality when his efforts didn’t produce the end he envisioned, he always moved on. “There had been so many disillusionments, but in spite of them all, hadn’t he always been convinced that the promised land still awaited him somewhere?” When Dennis finds his “Eden,” he gathers up his family and moves them to a farm in the Ozarks.

Together they must face the crisis of Annalisse’s flashbacks that are dragging her back into the pain of her past while Dennis’ Eden is sinking into a toxic mire.

"The small cemetery lay hushed and sullen between a soot-blackened Catholic church and a bustling street of small businesses all crowned with dirty brick flats in the working-class part of Vienna. Behind a black iron fence that reached her shoulders, tall headstones stood uneasily in their surroundings, solemn gray sentinels on a green spring lawn."

Today’s society too often would suggest that Dennis and Annalisse separate to face individually those things that are trying to destroy them. “But he was bound to Annalisse by vows and to Jordan and Bronwyn by love and responsibility.” I rejoiced in that line.

Pieces of Paris is about environmental abuses, narrow-mindedness, narcissism, bigotry, tragic memories, loyalty, vindication, rediscovered faith, love, resolution, and peace. It’s about a husband and wife, who learn that the best way to resolve the challenges of life is with each other. And with God.

I recommend this book. I would suggest it to a book group. There are multiple ideas that could be explored. My own thoughts about Latinos fall somewhere between Annalisses’ and the bigotry of the Cherokee County Republican Women. I loved her description of Gustav Klimt’s The Kiss: “chaste, but far more erotic than his nudes. . .The painting showed a once-in-a-lifetime love.” Her descriptions of Chopin had me racing to the tinny sounds in my computer and mourning that I didn’t have a live pianist before me.

“For a while, they only walked in silence, their arms around each other’s waists. Couple embraced against the ramparts, cooing French words of love. In the distance, Annalisse heard a barge hooting and the klaxon of a police siren amidst muted car horns. But then they walked into a mystical fog and entered their own private world—a fairy tale place behind a scrim that protected them from the sudden turns of fate that were occurring all over Paris this night.” Isn’t this why we read?

[Lisa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Pieces of Paris explores important questions: what do you do when you discover crucial unknowns about yourself, your spouse, your lives, and what you control and what you don’t--and what you can do about it? Annalisse and Dennis Childs have been married for about four years when their worlds start to fall apart--Annalisse because of flashbacks (complete with disturbing emotions) to a past she has concealed from herself and her husband; Dennis because his wife is obviously having problems she can't or won't discuss, and because his ideals are being challenged in his profession and at home.

Unlike Vandagriff's "genealogy detective" (aka "Alex-and-Briggie") novels, Pieces of Paris is not strictly LDS fiction, although it certainly reflects LDS and other Christian values and standards. More like Vandagriff's The Arthurian Omen and especially her masterful The Last Waltz, this book explores the emotional and spiritual journeys of people who have been brought up as Christians but for whom religion plays a small role in their current lives. The Childs' ultimate search for help from many sources--a doctor, her parents, their friends in town, and ultimately each other and the Lord--is good and sweet. The pieces come together beautifully in the end.

The book is a bit difficult in that it explores the couple's sadness and problems without much comic relief, at first--the emotions can be intense and unrelenting. But about a third of the way through I was completely hooked. And there are moments of lightheartedness and goodness, especially with regard to the people of the small town where the Childs have moved to pursue their shared dreams, which may not be mutual after all.

Because of the title, I was expecting a little more Paris, but what there was of Paris was beautiful and accurate. Some readers might think the title a loose fit, but I can’t think of a better--and it refers to musical piees as well as experiences. Music is an essential part of this story and it is shown well. Perhaps the book should come with a CD of the music we "hear" in its pages.

Overall, this book rang true—especially psychologically true. Annalisse and Dennis are three-dimensional, complex people. Both the petty, mean-spirited people of the town and the good-hearted neighbors and friends who welcome and help the Childs family are convincingly and entertainingly portrayed.

Pieces of Paris is in some ways an "easy" read--just long enough and well-written. In other ways it's a little difficult, because the characters are going through intense, difficult times, and the book encourages thoughtfulness beyond its entertainment value. It is worth the thought and the sympathy for Annalisse and Dennis that the book requires.

[Heather · Rating 5 out of 5]

Every marriage is a web of complication with many aspects that go into weaving the fine interlocking threads. Our genetic makeup as well as our childhood years and past relationships combine to create the role we play in the give and take of a marital relationship.

When we first meet our spouses-to-be, we might be wearing rose-colored glasses so to speak. We might fall in love with the person we “think” they are. We might share our backgrounds, including our past relationships, but none of our personal history matters much to the person we are in love with. We have connected. We have become soul mates. And everything from this point on it just about us, just about our two-person universe, and nothing from the past can ever intrude.

Until the flashbacks start.

Annalisse has been married for several years to Dennis. They have a young boy and another child on the way. When Annalisse met Dennis, she saw him as her saving anchor to root her into a stable reality, opposite of her previous stormy relationship. She clings to him as a boat in stormy waters relies on its anchor. She wants a change—a massive change, and that includes locking her past away.

Dennis knows he’s met someone unique and special when he is set up with Annalisse. A past relationship has broken his heart, but Annalisse is vastly different. She is stoic, she is trustworthy, and she is everything he needs to heal his heart. There is no question that they are meant to be together and Annalisse will always be his one and only.

Their relationship collides when Annalisse starts to experience painful flashbacks into her past, crippling her from being content with her current married life. The pain is so intense, it threatens to pull Annalisse from all that she loves. She is too afraid to confide in her husband—sure that it will destroy their relationship. While Dennis is trying to understand his wife’s changed behavior, he is fighting against an industrial firm that is trying to cover up a toxic waste dump.

GG Vandagriff once again explores the intensity of human emotion, delivering a powerful story of second chances, the gift of forgiveness, and the depth of true love. This well-crafted story is absorbing from page one and the characters powerful and relatable.

Pieces of Paris is a literary symphony, a cacophony of words that delves into the hearts of all of us, as Annalisse and Denni fight to reestablish the rhythm of their marriage. An emotionally-engaging and unforgettable journey

[Heather · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the first book I have read by G.G. Vandagriff though I've met her briefly a couple of times at Authorpalooza events. So first off, special thanks to her and Shadow Mountain for letting me take a sneak peek at her newest novel for women.

Told through the eyes of a married couple and from two alternate points of view, Pieces of Paris opens with Annalisse, a woman in her twenties, living on a farm in the Ozarks. She is pregnant with her second child and suddenly finds herself being haunted by the past. Her stable life with husband Dennis, a local lawyer, begins to crumble as she can't shake memories that come in the way of flashbacks. Meanwhile, Dennis is battling with a case which stirs up controversy and puts their family in danger. His lifelong dream of an escape to Eden and a peaceful life are threatened by Annalisse's sudden change in behavior and the hot bed of unrest in his town. The two of them pull apart for the first time as a couple and both begin to wonder if their marriage is not at all what they wanted or expected. Can Annalisse salvage the passion and talent she once felt without losing herself to the past? Can Dennis love her as she really is?

Pieces of Paris does a masterful job of weaving a captivating story with real life issues like manic depression and the true definition of love. It's a book that is likely to evoke strong emotions for anyone with experience with mental illness or PTSD. She pushes buttons on some hot topics: racism and environmental clean up as well as small town politics. The book has some very tough and graphic moments as Annalisse learns she has to move through the pain or her past in order to overcome it. However, in the end the overall message is one of hope and finding a center that can't be lost. It was evident from the detail in Pieces of Paris that Ms. Vandagriff is a highly intelligent, cultured person with a deep knowledge of psychology. (We're excited to interview her soon!) 25 years in the making, Pieces of Paris is a glimpse of her talent. Visit her website at http://ggvandagriffblog.com/ to learn about her other published works and upcoming events.

Leave a comment on our blog at http://fireandicephoto.blogspot.com/2... for a chance to win a Paris necklace from our shop. Giveaway ends October 28, 2010 and is open internationally.

[Kathryn · Rating 4 out of 5]

This author is great at bringing real life issues to the surface of fictional characters. The characters are so life like and easy to relate to. Annalisse is a farm girl, who has exceptional talents in biology and in music. She meets Jules, a talented violinist who convinces her to explore her piano talent in Europe and his need for her to be with him there. She resists at first but decides to go to Venice and try out his prediction of a future as a pianist. His prediction is correct and her talent grows. They marry and his past comes to haunt him when he chooses music over love. He commits suicide leaving Annalisse scarred and heart broken. She rallies enough when she meets Dennis a year later, but fails to tell him about her past relationship or marriage. When flashbacks from her former life come too close to the present and overshadow it she must face the truth...she has PTSD and she must deal with all the feelings that she didn't in her past and most of all Jules.
Dennis, is an attorney and a "Green" believer. He moves his family to the missouri Ozarks in hopes of giving his family clean air and freedom unlike the city. What is doesn't know is that his wife is struggling to act the part of the contented wife on a farm she detests and in a community that are bigots and non accepting of newcomers. Dennis finds in his struggling practice that there is a toxic waste dump that may have accepted the water supply and finds resistance to get the word out or validation from the right people who are more worried about jobs that lives.
There struggles bring them together to face their past and present situations. They overcome and find that they can resolve past issues by addressing them and relying on the Savior to help with understanding, empathy, and forgiveness.

[Rachael · Rating 2 out of 5]

I was really torn between "did not like it" and "it was okay".
This is the second book of Vandagriff that I have read. If I remember the author's story accurately she suffered a serious memory trauma (its been years since I read it sorry, and I'm too lazy/tired to look it up).
I feel the horrible need to finish stories, I have to know how the story ends, I become the character so quickly into my reading I have to finish the journey.
For these two reasons I kept reading.
The author speaks with an almost Regency style which makes it hard to place the true setting. She describes people with Regency style describing her leading lady from an old country that her ancestors MANY MANY generations ago came from. It just felt odd. The story was one she had written twenty years prior and she tried to update it but the whole Regency style was difficult for me to fall into with this particular story line.

[Lisa (Bookworm Lisa) · Rating 4 out of 5]

G G Vandagriff spins a tale of secrets and unresolved issues and their effects on a marriage.

Annalisse and Dennis have been married for four years. They have a son and are expecting a daughter. Annalisse begins to have flashbacks of her life with Jules in Vienna and Paris. She has never told Dennis about Jules and fears that it is too late, that he will never forgive her for her deception.

Dennis has his own issues. When things get tough he runs away. He is running for political office and uncovers that al local company has been dumping dioxide.

Both Dennis and Annalisse must overcome their person demons, regain their faith in themselves and each other, and come together in understanding and forgiveness.

Http:lisaisabookworm.blogspot.com

[Alana · Rating 5 out of 5]

G.G. Vandagriff does not disappoint at all in her most recent book "Pieces of Paris" Once again, she transports us into a world of today's reality in people, places and politics. Her characters Annalisse and Dennis are beautifully written and tug at the heartstrings, leaving the reader wanting nothing but the best that life can provide for them and wanting them to be in the end of the novel in a world of happily ever-after. The smooth transitions between the past and the here and now ties the story together. A political nightmare is included along with Annalisses's haunting past. Beautifully written with great thought to details. Thank you G.G. for another touching novel.

[Cheri · Rating 3 out of 5]

Annalisse and Dennis have been married for four years and are awaiting the birth of their second child; when Annalisse starts having flashbacks of her college years and can't seem to think of anything else she is scared and wants to be a good wife and mother but her past seems to be holding her back. Could their be two Annalisse's can she some how connect the two so that she can put herself back together.
I wasn't sure about this book as I was reading it, I found myself getting upset at both Annalisse and Dennis, keep reading even if your upset it is worth it!!

[Aimee · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book focused a lot on Post Traumatic Stress Disorder which is something I don't know much about and find a little bit hard to understand. I've never known anyone to go through that. I read another book that had a character with that and it was so over the top I think it left me a bit of eye rolling. I read at the end that the author experienced some of this herself. I always appreciate books where you know the author really felt those emotions and literally left a piece of themselves in the book.

[April · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was an interesting story. to think that someone could sublimate (sp?) a part of themselves for a period of years and then have it rise to the surface.
The ending was a little to clean - or too quickly wrapped up. The issue of the contamination is left hanging. Yes, it looks like things are going to work out, but I would have liked a bit better wrap up on that issue - I know it's the scientist in me.

[Stephanie · Rating 4 out of 5]

My favorite thing about Pieces of Paris is the way Annalise and her husband Dennis are both deep, rounded characters. They both have problems. They both have pasts. They are both good people facing painful challenges, and they both struggle and grow. Great character development! I didn’t get much done the morning when I was finishing the book because I was eager to find out how it ended. Pieces of Paris is a compelling, multi-layered novel.

[Marci · Rating 3 out of 5]

Really liked this book; it became more and more compelling as I read, and I think she did a terrific job showing the damage that PTSD can do, and an equally terrific job showing how one woman got through it. I loved that the heroine and her husband worked through all their disillusionment and came back together in the end. I really like happy endings. This one is happy AND realistic.

[Kathleen Anderson · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was loaned to me by Cathy Stensen. It was a quick read and an interesting story about a couple who found they really didn't know each other...a big section of the wife's past was never shared and began to affect her. It included the decision the husband faced to disclose a situation of toxic waste and the damage that was done because of it. Not a must-read, but enjoyable.

[Camille · Rating 3 out of 5]

An interesting book. I felt that the writing was somewhat disjointed, and I didn't love the main characters-they lacked integrity, and ambition. I did enjoy the writing about a concert pianist's connection with her music, and how she could express herself through music. A decent book, but certainly not my fave.