Paris in July: The Lost Sister of Fifth Avenue by Ella Carey

Ella Carey is back with the fourth book in her Daughters of New York series, with each book getting better and better!

Like the other books in the series this book has multiple timelines. The major story is split between the time just before the start of WWII and then during the days of the war itself. We meet sisters Martha and Charlotte. Martha is bookish and lives at home with her widowed father in New York, making very safe choices. Charlotte is far more adventurous and living in Paris, working in an art gallery in Paris for old family friend Anita Goldstein. 

Charlotte feels a strong pull to Paris

Charlotte pulled her sister into a rough hug, closing her eyes against the familiar feel, hating the way she could almost hear Martha's heart beating hard in her chest. "I love you and I love Papa," she said, murmuring into her sister's ear. "But Paris is part of me, and I it, and should I leave --"

and then

"Paris is my New York, Martha,"

In the late 1930s the spectre of the Nazis looms large for everyone. For Anita, who is not only Jewish but is also an art gallery owner who specialises in modern art, it is clear that she will be exactly the kind of person who will be targeted in the event of an invasion. When Anita dies, Charlotte is determined that she will be the one who protects Anita's legacy. Through her work in the arts, Charlotte also becomes involved in the evacuation of the treasures of the Louvre, initially to Anita's family chateau in the Loire and again later into the Vichy France.

Before the war begins, Martha travels to France initially to try and convince Charlotte, unsuccessfully, to return to the safety of New York. Whilst on the ship to Europe, she forms an attachment to dashing Scotsman Clyde Fraser.  We experience Martha's worries as she waits for news from both Charlotte and Clyde and as she becomes involved in trying to save a Jewish professor through official channels.

Once the war begins, Charlotte relies on the fact that she is American to protect her, but when she becomes involved in the resistance movement, she puts herself in dangerous situations on a regular basis, and if she gets caught, her nationality will not protect her due to her association with both Anita and the modern art scene.

The other aspect of the story that weaves through the story, is that of the girl's mother Chloe and Anita in the days just after the end of WWI, which helps show why the bonds between the families are so strong.

Carey does a great job at creating tension within the story. There is the tension of Martha and her father waiting and wondering if Charlotte is okay, and for Martha also to hear from Clyde. Then there is the tension of the growing Nazi threat in the days during the lead up to the war, and then during the war as we follow Charlotte's dangerous work.

It sounds like there is a lot going on, and there is, but the three strands blend together beautifully. It was also an emotional ride given that we have characters who are in life and death situations throughout the story.

I mentioned before that this is the fourth book in the series, and whilst this can be read as a standalone, I think that this book is the most connected of any of the books. One of the characters, Sandrine, is the sister of the main character from the last book, fashion designer Vianne who makes a cameo appearance in this book.

I have read seven or eight books by Carey now, and I have to say that with this series of loosely connected books, she continues to improve with each book. You can also see her own passions shining through, namely art, fashion, books, New York and Paris!

I really hope there are more books to come. I will definitely be reading them!

As I am sharing this post with Paris in July, I thought I would share a passage from the book. There are several others that I could have shared, but in the end, I chose this one.

The following evening, Charlotte stood with Anita outside the Basilica Sacre-Couer. They'd take a summer stroll through the winding streets of Montmartre. Later, they'd return to Rue Laffitte to enjoy the spinach quiche and salad of grated carrot with Dijon vinaigrette that Anita had prepared for their evening meal.


Charlotte looked out at the landscape, all of Paris sprawling below. If she closed her eyes, she could imagine how this hill and its surrounding countryside were once dotted with windmills, and she felt the familiar tug at her heartstrings at the sight of the Eiffel Tower pointing up toward the heavens, while behind the monument, the sky was washed in a luminscent golden glow and the sun sank, a stunning tangerine orb beneath the horizon. Beside her, Anita was quiet, her brown eyes narrowed in contemplation.


Anita balled her hands tight. "Look at this. Paris. The city of light and dreams for so many." She turned to face Charlotte, her dark eyes narrowing. "I'd rather throw myself into the Seine than lose everything I love. As for living under the Nazi's rule?" She shook her head. "I'd rather stab myself with a dagger and end it all."


Charlotte froze and a deep coldness pierced her chest. "You must not talk that way."


Anita punched out her words "Living under a government whose very legal framework allows for the persecution of Jews would be impossible. No, I'd be better off at the bottom of my beloved Seine.


Charlotte whispered her words. "I shall never let you be hurt, as long as I draw breath." She swallowed hard, her throat sticking. She'd been too young to do anything to save her mother, but she'd rather die on the tip of a sword than sit by and do nothing to protect the woman who had been there her entire life. "I shall protect you and everything you have worked for with every fiber of my heart. When it is all over, we will dance, and we will celebrate in the streets with all of Paris, just as people did after the Great War. And then, you and I will come up here, and together, we will watch the sun set over Paris from Sacre-Couer.

I am also linking this with the Historical Fiction Reading Challenge.

Thanks to Netgalley and Bookouture for the opportunity to read and review this book.

About the book:


New York, 1938: Martha pulled the door of her Fifth Avenue apartment closed, her heart thumping, re-reading the telegram she’d been dreading. Her beloved sister Charlotte needed her help. She was alone in Paris, and the threat of Nazi invasion was growing ever stronger. The time had come for Martha to make the bravest decision of her life. She needed to bring Charlotte home.

As Martha looks out of her bedroom window at the blossom-covered trees in Central Park, she is a world away from Europe and the threat of war. But when a telegram arrives from her sister Charlotte telling of the death of their Jewish friend Anita, Martha’s quiet life changes in an instant. With the threat of the Nazi invasion growing, Martha knows she must travel to Paris to convince Charlotte to return home.

When Martha arrives, she finds a city preparing for war. Soldiers patrol Paris’ cobbled streets and families talk of packing up and fleeing with whatever they can carry. Clutching her sister tightly, Martha knows that Charlotte has already decided to stay. Charlotte’s heart is in France, and as an American in Paris she believes she will be safe.

When the Nazis march through Paris’ streets and raise their flags over the city’s most beautiful buildings, Charlotte is determined not to give in. She works for the Resistance with a Frenchman named Louis, carrying messages, and hiding Anita’s family’s precious art collection from the Nazis. Meanwhile, Martha vows to help a female Jewish professor to safety in America, only to be faced with impossible odds.

But as the war rages, Martha and Charlotte’s determination will be tested like never before. And when Charlotte uncovers a shocking secret about her family which threatens her own life, can she find the strength to protect those she loves the most?

From top ten bestselling author Ella Carey comes an utterly heartbreaking novel about the strength of sisterly love and the courage of the women of the Resistance. Perfect for fans of The Nightingale, All The Light We Cannot See and Fiona Valpy.

About the author


Ella Carey is the international bestselling author of The Things We Don’t Say, Secret Shores, From a Paris Balcony, The House by the Lake, and Paris Time Capsule. Her books have been published in over fourteen languages, in twelve countries, and have been shortlisted for ARRA awards. A Francophile who has long been fascinated by secret histories set in Europe’s entrancing past, Ella has degrees in music, nineteenth-century women’s fiction, and modern European history. She lives in Melbourne with her two children and two Italian greyhounds who are constantly mistaken for whippets.


Ella loves to connect with her readers regularly through her facebook page and on her website.


http://www.ellacarey.com/
https://www.facebook.com/ellacareyauthor/

https://www.instagram.com/ellacarey_author/
https://twitter.com/Ella_Carey


Sign up to be the first to hear about new releases from Ella Carey here: https://www.bookouture.com/ella-carey



Buy Link:

Amazon: https://geni.us/B09XJ7N5QDsocial


You can sign up for all the best Bookouture deals you'll love at: http://ow.ly/Fkiz30lnzdo

Blog Tour: The Girl from Paris by Ella Carey

Do you have authors that you don't really worry too much about reading the blurb to see what the book is going to be about because you know that you are going to read the book anyway? Ella Carey is one of those authors for me. Sometimes though, you get surprised and that has happened to me the last two times I read her books. 

I started merrily reading along about the characters called Vianne who lived in Paris with her parents and loved fashion, until suddenly

this book is set during WWI and the immediate aftermath!  Not in WWII, which is what I had assumed!

This book is the third book in the Daughters of New York trilogy which I think have consistently been Ella Carey's best books. We met Vianne in the first book where she was the trailblazing, successful businesswoman who provided inspiration to the main character, Lily Rose. Now, we learn Vianne's history, how she came to be who she is, and the events that shaped her.

Vianne lives with her parents in Paris. Her brother is off fighting, her older sister Anais is a battlefield nurse and her parents run a very successful antiques business. She has always been surrounded by beautiful things and she brings this love of beauty into her passion for designing clothes. More than anything she wants to work in the fashion industry. In the mean time, she designs dresses for her mother, sketching ideas for a career and life after the war is over that may never come to fruition.

In 1918, The family is gathered together for a rare celebration when tragedy strikes. Her sister and mother are killed in a bombing of their local church, and the tragedy breaks her father. Vianne singlehandedly keeps the antiques business running, until her brother comes home with a new wife and tells Vianne that she is no longer welcome in the family home or business.

Vianne decides to move to the bright lights of New York. Whilst on the ship, she has a chance meeting with influential society ladies who give her an introduction to the owner of an atelier (fashion house) in the city, and soon Vianne is making a name for herself as a designer.

Whilst living in New York brings success and a degree of freedom, there are still restrictions due to the differences in class between the women who work in the fashion house and those who are customers. One of those rules is that there can be no carousing with clients.  This is bad news for Vianne who is instantly attracted to Giorgio, the son of one of her clients, and someone who is well out of her class.

As Vianne navigates the difference between class, a forbidden relationship, the cutthroat world of fashion and making a new life in a new country, suddenly there is news from home that changes everything. 

I really enjoyed reading Vianne's story. We also got a few cameos from some of the older characters from the first book. I even enjoyed all the fashion talk. I am not that fussed about fashion at the best of times, and there have been times when I read books where the main character is a name dropping fashionista and I just feel a bit lost as they talk about famous designers, but while there was a lot of talk about fabric, patterns and accessories, it was still interesting to me in this book.

One of the thoughts that did cross my mind while I was reading is why aren't there more books that follow a character through both WW1 and WWII. I mean, Vianne is very young (let's say 18 or so) in 1918 then she would only be 39 at the commencement of the next war. Maybe it is that readers don't want to hear about people struggling through both of those experiences?

Rating 4/5

Thanks to Bookoutoure and Netgalley for my review copy

About the book:

Vianne rushes through the crowded streets of Paris as the German bombs begin to fall. As she rounds the corner she sees the familiar spires of the old church burst into flames. Too late, she realizes that her mother and sister are trapped inside…

Paris, 1918. The end of war is in sight, and young seamstress Vianne Mercier is longing for the day when she can stop sewing military uniforms and start creating the beautiful dresses that she has been dreaming up in her head.

But just when it seems like peace is within reach, Vianne’s mother and sister are killed in a terrible air raid. To make matters worse, Vianne’s brother has returned home a changed man. Controlling and cruel, he presents Vianne with an ultimatum; give up her dreams of becoming a designer, or be forced onto the streets, penniless and alone.

With nothing left for her in Paris but sad memories, she decides to sail for New York. Determined not to look back, she throws herself into her new life—spending her days sewing dresses for wealthy Upper East Side women, and her evenings dancing the Charleston to Duke Ellington in the new downtown clubs. When Vianne meets handsome Italian Giorgio Conti, he encourages her career, and she feels safe for the first time since she lost her family.

Then news of a terrible accident compels Vianne to suddenly return to France, where she discovers proof of a wartime secret that changes everything she thought she knew about her family. Facing the threat of sickness and ruin, the people who forced Vianne out of her home now suddenly need her help.

Will Vianne find the courage to follow her heart, return to New York and her life with Giorgio? Or will duty bind her to the family she had left behind and force her to remain in France?

From Amazon Charts bestseller Ella Carey comes an utterly gripping and emotional historical wartime novel about the terrible choices people made during humanity’s darkest days. Fans of Fiona Valpy, Rhys Bowen and The Nightingale will adore this novel.

About the Author:


Ella Carey is the USA Today and Amazon charts bestselling author of eight novels of historical fiction, including the Secrets of Paris Series, published with Hachette imprint, Bookouture. Ella’s novels have reached over one million readers and have been translated into fourteen languages. Ella has recently signed a six book deal in Germany and a nine book deal in Denmark. Ella’s latest novels are A New York Secret, and The Lost Girl of Berlin, both published with Bookouture in 2021. The Girl from Paris is the third novel in this new series, and will publish in January, 2022. Ella has a music degree in classical piano, and an arts degree majoring in English and history. Her novels have been shortlisted for ARRA awards. For further information:

 
Website
Twitter
Facebook
Instagram



Buy Links:

Amazon: https://bit.ly/3el9K4o


Audio Links:
UK: zpr.io/xx93EppYYZm2
US: zpr.io/czed4tyX3wJY
https://soundcloud.com/bookouture/the-girl-from-paris-by-ella-carey-narrated-by-laurence-bouvard

Blog Tour: The Lost Girl of Berlin by Ella Carey

Kate Mancini has worked hard to become a journalist. She is talented, driven and focussed, but no amount of talent, drive or focus can change the fact that the powers that be can't get past the fact that she is a female. They therefore think that she is only capable of reporting on issues that would be of interest to women.

Every now and again, Kate manages to get an opportunity for serious reporting. One of those is the opportunity to be the only woman journalist on a tour of post war Berlin, seeing the broken and damaged country that is left behind in the aftermath of the conflict. One day, as she is being driven through the streets of the Soviet controlled area of Berlin, Kate sees the forlorn figure of a young girl, seated on the stops of a destroyed house. Along with her fellow reporter, Rick Shearer, Mia finds her way back to the ruined house and finds the girl, still seated on the steps.

The young girl, Mia, is starving and is so traumatised by what she has endured that she can't speak. Kate is determined that she needs to find Mia's family, but Kate is only in Berlin for a few days so Rick arranges to place Mia with some old family friends.

They return to New York where, despite the fact that Kate reported on the Nuremberg trials, she still cannot get a permanent role on radio. One of the issues that face any women in the industry is that they can't get jobs because they will just go and get married and have kids. Mia therefore tries to resist her attraction to Rick.

She not only faces opposition from within the radio station but also from within Rick's family, because she is not from the right kind of family, coming from an immigrant background.

Whilst Kate starts out in print and radio, the most interesting part of the story is as she begins to make the move into the early days of television. She is given the opportunity to cover the electoral conventions which really opens doors for her career, with her unique ability to cover both in depth political news as well as giving it a female spin.

No matter how busy she is, Kate never forgets the little girl that she helped save, or Rick, so when he finds himself in trouble, it could be that Kate has the information needed to help save him.

When I read the first book in this series, I was excited to see where the trilogy was going to go. There was a whole group of interesting secondary characters in the world that Carey had created. The fact that this went in a different direction was a surprise to me. But to be fair, I don't think that the author did anything to suggest otherwise, but as a reader I did make an assumption. There is a loose connection between the first book and this one, but this is one of those occasions where there really, truly is no need to have read the first book in the series.


This was a really interesting story about a pioneering journalist, inspired by a real woman. I am going to be careful not to make any assumptions in relation to the next book in the trilogy. I will just wait and see what it has in store for us!

Book Description:

The truck stopped for a moment in the freezing, bombed-out street and Kate caught sight of a little girl in a ragged dress on the steps of a once-beautiful mansion. The child’s eyes were startling blue, a pair of endless pools, drawing Kate towards her…

1946, Berlin. War correspondent Kate Mancini is in Germany, reporting on the aftermath of the devastating war. For her readers back home in New York, she tells the stories of innocent families, trying to rebuild the wreckage of their lives now the soldiers have left at last. But in the Russian-held sector of Berlin on an icy winter’s day, Kate breaks all the rules, rescuing Mia Stein, a silent orphan who she fears will otherwise perish.

Together with her fellow journalist, handsome Rick Shearer, Kate manages to find a safe house for Mia before she returns to America and vows to keep in touch. Back home, the reality of post-war life for women is stark. Whilst Rick walks into his dream job, no newspaper will hire a woman. The editors laugh her out of their offices, telling her to get married and raise a family. Rick does all he can to support her, as she takes her first steps towards the new medium of television news, and their friendship deepens into something more.

Then tragedy strikes: Rick is falsely named as a communist sympathizer. He is arrested, blacklisted and faces prison.

Kate knows she must do all she can to free the man she loves. But that means returning to Germany, to seek out the little orphan girl who is her only chance at salvation. Kate and Rick saved Mia—will she help them both now? And even if Kate succeeds, freedom might never be hers when she returns home…

From Amazon Charts bestseller Ella Carey comes an utterly heartbreaking historical novel, inspired by true events, about the courage, love and friendships that sustain us in the darkest of days. Fans of Fiona Davis, All the Light We Cannot See and My Name is Eva will be totally captivated.

About the author

Ella Carey is the international bestselling author of The Things We Don’t Say, Secret Shores, From a Paris Balcony, The House by the Lake, and Paris Time Capsule. Her books have been published in over fourteen languages, in twelve countries, and have been shortlisted for ARRA awards. A Francophile who has long been fascinated by secret histories set in Europe’s entrancing past, Ella has degrees in music, nineteenth-century women’s fiction, and modern European history. She lives in Melbourne with her two children and two Italian greyhounds who are constantly mistaken for whippets.




Ella loves to connect with her readers regularly through her facebook page and on her website.

http://www.ellacarey.com/

https://www.facebook.com/ellacareyauthor/

https://twitter.com/Ella_Carey

Buy Link:

Amazon: https://bit.ly/3dK8lEK

Weekend Cooking: A New York Secret by Ella Carey

I have read a number of Ella Carey books over the last year or so, and I have liked them all, but this one is, in my opinion, her best yet, at least of the ones that I have read.

Lily Rose has grown up in a privileged world. Her mother has her life all planned out for her. She will marry the perfect man who happens to be well connected and wealthy, and most importantly from the right family.  There is only one problem. Lily's passion is for cooking and she loves her job as a sous chef at Valentinos, a prestigious New York restaurant, and she really doesn't want the life that her mother has planned for her which causes conflict between them. 

It's 1942 and one by one the men who work in the kitchen get called up, leaving the owner no choice but to look for other options to keep the restaurant running. With the death of the head chef, Valentino's owner, Giorgio gives his three best prospects the opportunity to lead the restaurant. This puts Lily up against Tom Morelli, and Martine, a woman who is talented in the kitchen but who Lily has struggled to connect with on a personal level. The fact Lily is attracted to Tom only complicates matters as their is no way her snobbish mother will ever accept someone like Tom for her daughter.

For whoever is successful there are challenging time ahead of them. The war is starting to have an impact. Petrol shortages, not to mention how challenging it is to get coffee, and good quality ingredients. And then there is the fact that the men who are left behind won't want to work for a woman. And then there is the big question of whether the people of New York will continue to come to the restaurant if they know that a woman is the head chef.

Lily's relationship with Tom is central to the sotry, especially once he too is drafted and their relationship has to continue to develop through letters, until they too stop. As Lily bonds with his mother, and in turn his mother bonds with Lily's grandmother (who is a wonderful character) she builds a life that she could only have imagined before the war. Now all she needs is for Tom to come home. 

As the war continues yet more women join the team who I imagine will become the characters in the next books in the series, and I am looking forward to reading more.

Whereas some of Carey's other books have been about art, this one is jam packed with food references. From truly decadent meals, to cakes and pastries, to delicious Italian food. Where this book steps away is that the author isn't afraid to explore the shortages that the war inevitably brings with it. Lily is fundamental to coming up with new ideas for the restaurant, ranging from how to use a Victory Garden to provide vegetables to how you can use the ingredients that wouldn't normally see light of day in a fancy restaurant.

There were so many passages that I could have shared but in the end I decided on a passage from early in the book as the threat of shortages takes hold.

"All the talk this morning at the deli was of meat rationing starting next year," Tom said, eyeing the produce stalls. "It made me wonder whether Paddy Jackson will really be able to cover for Valentino's."


"I've been thinking about the sugar problem too," Lily said, slipping back into talk of restaurants and produce easily with him. Giorgio says that sugar from Hawaii and the Philippines isn't coming through anymore, and our signature desserts are going to be even more challenged. And then there's coffee. But yes, I fear our main problem will be lack of meat, no matter how loyal Paddy is to Giorgio, and no matter how determined Georgia is to keep things going."

Tom stepped aside to let Lily pass by and elderly couple and then pulled her arm back towards him, his fingers flickering against Lily's, sending a thrill through her insides.

"This morning," he said, moving on again, her hand still tucked in the crook of his arm, "my mom and I were talking about using more processed meat at Albertina's to make up for the shortages. Hot dogs. Sausages. My mom is experimenting with different types of sausages at the deli, using herbs. How we convince the Valentino's clientele to take on processed meat is a different matter."

Lily looked  up at him. "Can you imagine Giorgio allowing sausages at Valentino's? How adorable for the illustrious clientele."

Tomm grinned, coming to a  stop opposite Albertina's, its picture window filled with displays of olives and hams, prosciutto and yellow and white cheeses. "We Sicilians know how to make the best out of any situation," he said, a twinkle in his eyes "We can conjure something out of nothing. Come on inside.

Book Description:


She looked at the telegram in horror, the words blurring in front of her eyes. She dropped to her knees, feeling that her entire world was ending. The paper slipped from her hands as she put her head in hands, sobs wracking her chest…

1942, New York. As war rages in Europe, Lily Rose is grateful for her perfect life: the love of her wealthy uptown parents in their beautiful brownstone overlooking the park and her dream job as a chef at one of New York’s finest restaurants, the art deco dream that is Valentino’s. But in her heart, Lily is drawn towards the bohemian Sicilian community in Greenwich Village, where gorgeous fresh fruit spills onto the pavement and the smell of freshly baked cannoli tempt her inside every Italian deli.

Part of the attraction is Tom Morelli, talented chef and handsome grandson of Sicilian immigrants, whose deep brown eyes call to her and set her heart on fire. As wartime rationing bites in the city, Lily and Tom stay up late, dreaming up delicious meals that will see Valentino’s through the war and distract New Yorkers from the threat of sons and sweethearts being called up. Lily knows he has found the key to her heart.

Then Tom receives a devastating summons that changes everything: he is drafted to Italy. He must return to his beautiful homeland to fight a desperate war.

Suddenly alone, with only the memory of Tom’s last kiss, Lily turns to her parents for support. But when her mother finds out about her relationship, she is furious. When the war ends, Lily’s duty is to marry the man picked for her, raise children and never work again. They give her a heartbreaking ultimatum: end her relationship with Tom and give up her job or lose her family and inheritance forever.

Lily knows she must follow her heart to Valentino’s and to Tom. But when Tom is declared missing in action, Lily is totally heartbroken. If she pursues her dreams, will there be anything left for her when the war is over?

From top-ten bestseller Ella Carey comes an utterly heartbreaking historical novel, inspired by true events, about the courage, love and friendships that sustain us in the darkest of days. Fans of Fiona Davis, Rhys Bowen and The Nightingale will be captivated.

Author Bio:


Ella Carey is the international bestselling author of The Things We Don’t Say, Secret Shores, From a Paris Balcony, The House by the Lake, and Paris Time Capsule. Her books have been published in over fourteen languages, in twelve countries, and have been shortlisted for ARRA awards. A Francophile who has long been fascinated by secret histories set in Europe’s entrancing past, Ella has degrees in music, nineteenth-century women’s fiction, and modern European history. She lives in Melbourne with her two children and two Italian greyhounds who are constantly mistaken for whippets.


Ella loves to connect with her readers regularly through her facebook page and on her website.


http://www.ellacarey.com/
https://www.facebook.com/ellacareyauthor/
https://twitter.com/Ella_Carey


Buy Link:
Amazon: https://bit.ly/3e4TKVv


Thanks to Bookouture and Netgalley for the review copy of this book

Weekly meals


Saturday: Out for dinner
Sunday: Nothing
Monday: Takeaway
Tuesday: Beef Rendang with rice and naan bread
Wednesday: Chicken parma
Thursday: Nasi Goreng
Friday: Sausages with Ratatouille

Weekend Cooking is open to anyone who has any kind of food-related post to share: Book reviews (novel, nonfiction), cookbook reviews, movie reviews, recipes, random thoughts, gadgets, quotations, photographs, restaurant reviews, travel information, or fun food facts. If your post is even vaguely foodie, feel free to grab the button and link up anytime over the weekend. You do not have to post on the weekend. Please link to your specific post, not your blog's home page.