Book review of Until Leaves Fall in Paris by Sarah Sundin

Until Leaves Fall in Paris, Sarah Sundin

Until Leaves Fall in Paris by Sarah Sundin

As the Nazis march toward Paris in 1940, American ballerina Lucie Girard buys her favorite English-language bookstore to allow the Jewish owners to escape. Lucie struggles to run Green Leaf Books due to oppressive German laws and harsh conditions, but she finds a way to aid the resistance by passing secret messages between the pages of her books.

Widower Paul Aubrey wants nothing more than to return to the States with his little girl, but the US Army convinces him to keep his factory running and obtain military information from his German customers. As the war rages on, Paul offers his own resistance by sabotaging his product and hiding British airmen in his factory. After they meet in the bookstore, Paul and Lucie are drawn to each other, but she rejects him when she discovers he sells to the Germans. And for Paul to win her trust would mean betraying his mission.

 

Master of WWII-era fiction Sarah Sundin invites you onto the streets of occupied Paris to discover whether love or duty will prevail.

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My Review

As the American community in Occupied Paris comes to terms with the Nazi arrival, change fractures their once tight bonds. Some leave, some accept and continue as normal, some resist. For others it is not as clear cut. When Paul Aubrey happens upon Green Leaf Books, run by Lucie Girard, he is in a difficult place. Widowed, with a four-year-old daughter and running his factory to produce civilian trucks for the Germans, leaving isn’t an option and most of their church now shun him. Lucie sees the sadness of his loss, witnesses his care and compassion and can’t reconcile or understand his obvious collaboration. She is just the breath of fresh air he and his daughter need, and despite her reservations, her bookshop needs his business help, but neither can reveal their true feelings. As the time they spend together slowly builds, a picture of danger and double lives comes to the surface. Ultimately, they learn to understand each other, but can trust no one.

 

It is as Germany declares war on America that the action and emotions in this book really stepped up a gear and it rapidly went from the book I picked up at bedtime, to a book I was reluctant to put down. 

For their best chances at survival, Paul must make difficult decisions as they make their journeys to freedom, and trust Lucie with his most precious possession. The characters showed strength, determination and resilience every treacherous step of the way through France, Spain and Portugal. Time and progress were slow. My nerves were in tatters as the storyline shifted and twisted, throwing obstacles and barriers at every opportunity. Nothing was ever certain. I knew what I wanted for the outcome, but I was never sure where this book would take me. I could just hope.

 

If you enjoy emotional World War Two dramas, this is one for you. 

 

Purchase Links  

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Sarah Sundin

Author Bio 

Sarah Sundin is the bestselling author of When Twilight Breaks and several popular WWII series, including Sunrise at Normandy, Waves of Freedom, Wings of the Nightingale, and Wings of Glory. Her novels have received starred reviews from Booklist, Library Journal, and Publishers Weekly, as well as the Carol Award, the FHL Reader’s Choice Award, and multiple appearances on Booklist’s "101 Best Romance Novels of the Last 10 Years." Sarah lives in Northern California. Visit www.sarahsundin.com for more information.

 

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Until Leaves Fall in Paris, Sarah Sundin