Book review of The Girl from Paris by Ella Carey

The Girl from Paris by Ella Carey

The Girl from Paris by Ella Carey

 

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.

 

The Girl from Paris blog tour poster

 

My review 

Having enjoyed other novels by Ella Carey, I was looking forward to being back in her take on historical Paris, and I wasn’t disappointed. I took to Vianne straight away. I felt the love of her parents, the sadness at her loss and the hurt when she is left to fend for herself. The pain and trauma of the First World War haunting her memories of a happy childhood in Paris. It is her determination and ambition to design beautiful dresses that drives her forward, and I felt the excitement, following her journey from Paris to New York, where life is full of new promises for new beginnings. 

 

Pushing her grief to a hidden place inside, Vianne embraces all New York has to offer, the hard work and new friendships, as well as the temptations. However, her past in Paris is not quite what she thinks it is and once we got a first taste of the mystery unfolding, I devoured the pages to discover the truth. Family secrets, no matter how many miles divide, have a habit of coming back.

 

Vianne was one of those characters who I really wanted to do well, to overcome the odds stacked against her and become a success in the world of couture. I loved the descriptions of the cut and flow of the gowns, the beading and the sequins, and reading this book, I felt the 1920’s fashion era come to life. 

 

This book will take you from Paris to New York and the Highlands of Scotland, with some unexpected twists and mysteries to be unravelled. The more you read, the more the surprise names turn up. 

 

Despite the traumas this book has a beautiful message and is a must read for those who have a thing for the 1920’s, fashion, romance and family dramas. It’s another great read from Ella Carey.

Purchase Links 

Amazon 

 

Audio Links

 

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US 
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Ella Carey

 

Author Bio

 

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: 

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French public and school holidays 2022

French public and school holidays 2022

Happy New Year. 

 

January is with us once more and as in previous years, here is my annual post with all the French public holidays, school holidays and other notable dates, plus how they are celebrated here in France, for 2022. 

 

Nothing much seems to have changed from when I wrote a similar post last December, as we once again find ourselves living with strict Covid-19 controls in place, concerning who travel to France from the UK and the rules they must follow. 

 

I can only hope that travel and holidays in 2022 become easier for us all, but please do check with the relevant authorities before planning your 2022 holiday travel. The UK government update this information page on their website on a regular basis: https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/france

 

Public Holidays in France 2022

1^st January, New Year’s Day, jour de l’an (a Saturday this year)

17^th April, Easter Sunday, Pâques

18^th April, Easter Monday, lundi de Pâques (note there is no Good Friday holiday in France unless you live in Alsace or Moselle areas)

1^st May, Fête du Travail (a Sunday this year)

8^th May, Victory in Europe Day, Victoire 1945 (a Sunday this year)

26^th May, Ascension Day, Ascension (note schools will have an extra day off on Friday 27^th May for the bridge (pont)) 

6^th June, Pentecost Monday, lundi de Pentecôte

14^th July, Fête Nationale 

15^th August, Assumption Day, Assomption 

1^st November, All Saints Day, Toussaint

11^th November, Armistice Day, Armistice 1918 

25^th December, Christmas Day, Jour de Noël (a Sunday this year) (note there is no Boxing Day holiday in France on 26^th unless you live in Alsace or Moselle areas)

 

Faire le pont

Except for the holidays linked to Easter: Easter Monday, Ascension Day and Pentecost Monday, the above dates are the same every year and the holiday is always observed on the actual date rather than being moved to the nearest Monday (as the UK would do). Public holidays can therefore fall on weekends; to make up for this it is not uncommon for people to faire le pont (make a bridge) if a holiday falls on a Thursday (Ascension Day) or a Tuesday, by taking off the Friday or Monday to give themselves a four-day weekend. This leave will be part of their annual holiday entitlement, or the hours need to be made up, so while most businesses will be open on bridge days, some staff shortages can be expected. 

 

In 2022 four public holidays fall on Saturdays (1^st January) or Sundays (1^st May, 8^th May and 25^thDecember), and three have the option of bridging to a weekend (26^th May, 14^th July and 1^stNovember). It is worth noting that in many areas of rural France, although some opening is becoming more common, most shops are likely to be either closed or only open in the mornings on public holidays.

 

Other dates to note

6^th January, Epiphany, celebrated in France with a Galette des Rois (see here)

12^th January, winter sales begin, soldes d’hiver, sales are regulated in France and the winter sales will run from 12^th January to 8^th February (this may be subject to change, depending on current Covid-19 restrictions)

2^nd February Candlemas day, Chandeleur, celebrated in France with pancakes (see here)

1^st March, Shrove Tuesday, Mardi Gras when carnival time begins in France and pancakes, or beignets (similar to doughnuts) are eaten.

27^th March, clocks spring forward an hour to Central European Summer Time

10^th April, Palm Sunday, Rameaux a day where our local boulangeries bake something different (see here)

27^th May, Neighbours’ Day, fêtes des voisins

29^th May, Mother’s Day, fêtes des mères

19^th June, Father’s Day, fêtes des pères

21^st June, world music day, fête de la musique, celebrated with free concerts in towns and villages all over France

22^nd June, summer sales begin, soldes d’été, and will run until 19^th July

1^st July to 24^th July, Le Tour de France, with a planned depart in Copenhagen and a finish in Paris

24^th July to 31^st July, Le Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift, the inaugural women’s Tour de France begins in Paris and finishes on the Planche des Belles Filles in the Vosges 

30^th October, clocks go back an hour to Central European Time (although the future of this is up for debate)

service-public.fr

 

School Holidays

In France the schools are split into three zones and most of the holidays are staggered so not everyone is trying to hit the ski slopes or beaches at the same time, although be prepared for extra traffic on the roads on all Saturdays during the school holidays, or better still avoid driving on these days.

 

Here are the dates for 2022:

The winter holiday is from 5^th February to 7^th March. 

Zone B gets the first two weeks, Zone A the middle two and Zone C the last two.

 

The spring holiday is from 9^th April to 9^th May. 

Zone B gets the first two weeks, Zone A the middle two and Zone C the last two weeks.

 

The summer holiday for all zones is from 7^th July until 1^st September.

 

The October holiday for all zones is from 22^nd October to 7^th November.

 

The Christmas holiday for all zones is from 17^th December to 3^rd January 2023.

 

Whether you are new to life in France, or just hoping that at some point in 2022 enough normality will return to ensure you are able to make plans to travel to France on your holidays, I hope you find this useful for planning your trip in the quieter weeks outside of the French school holidays. 

 

Brexit

Please see my post from last year (click here) detailing the changes that Brexit brought in regarding travel between the UK to the EU.

 

I really do hope you are able to enjoy a safe holiday in France at some point this year. 

 

If you have found this post useful, please feel free to share it with your French loving friends and family. 

 

  

As another year draws to a close

Three years of owning my Brompton

Today I am celebrating three years of Brompton bicycle ownership and I’m still enjoying the fun, fitness and freedom that #KTTinyTourer has given me. Every year has brought new adventures and new places to explore, as well as seen me challenge myself to longer distances and harder mountain climbs. It is no exaggeration to say that owning a Brompton has changed my life for the better.

 

January cycling

Despite turning fifty this year, I struggled to set myself cycling challenges for 2021. I would have loved a long-distance tour, ideally one that crossed France north to south, or east to west, or maybe from the Atlantic coast to the Mediterranean, but that wasn’t going to be possible. I did decide on a mini challenge, to cycle a minimum of 10km every day, during the month of January, which was a real success in terms of helping to beat the winter blues, so my plan is to make it an annual January challenge. 

 

Having cycled less than one thousand kilometres the year before I bought Katie the Tiny Tourer, in my first two years I’d clocked up almost eight thousand five hundred kilometres, so decided it would be a good challenge to reach fifteen thousand kilometres by the end of 2021. Sadly, I have failed, but only just. For a year where Covid-19 restrictions and work slightly clipped my cycle touring wings, I still managed to cycle further than last year and have reached the grand total of fourteen thousand kilometres since December 2019. I can’t be too harsh on myself. 

 

My 2021 cycling highlights 

We knew there would be no summer holiday this year, as I was working from the beginning of July until the end of October, but we did manage to squeeze in some unforgettable short breaks. 

Salers in the Cantal
Click here for more photos

 

In May we spent five days cycling in the Corrèze, Cantal and Puy-de-Dôme departments, where the climbing rivalled that of the Pyrénees and the gorges of the Haute Dordogne were stunning. 

 

Looking down on the Lot
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In June we returned to the Lot where we enjoyed cycling through vineyards and river gorges, as well as sampling lots of patisseries. It was only a five-day break, but we clocked up four hundred kilometres, including two 100km days. 

 

Aubeterre-sur-Dronne

In July we spent a long weekend in Chalais, in the south of the Charente department, where the weather wasn’t as kind and the accommodation was unforgettable for all the wrong reasons. We still managed some lovely cycling through sunflower fields and along old railway lines, taking in pretty locations like Aubeterre-sur-Dronne, Riberac and Montguyon.

 

Summer in the Cognac vineyards

In September we celebrated my birthday with two 100km days, one to Jarnac, through the Cognac vineyards, and one crossing the chemins de Saint-Jacques pilgrimage route to St-Jean-d’Angély.

 

Autumn in Angouleme
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In October we had an autumn overnighter to Angouleme, a short and sweet escape where we avoided the worst of the wet and windy weather and dined like kings on local steak. 

 

My library commute

I also really enjoyed the seven-kilometre commute to Chef-Boutonne for the four months I was working at the library. As well as proving to me that commuting by bike, even if we live in a rural village location, is a viable option, it was also a great way to clear my head and shift my brain between French and English at the end of the day. I was impressed that for a short commute, I still managed to clock up over one thousand, one hundred kilometres, meaning a huge saving on fuel for the car.

 

I can’t deny that these last two months have been rather sparse in terms of cycling, but the weather has been pretty rubbish, yet again. Even as I write this, the wind is howling outside, and the rain has been falling steadily since Boxing Day. I am, however, extremely thankful that Christmas Day was bright and sunny and so much better than forecast, meaning for the third year in a row, we managed our Christmas Day bike ride.

 

Morning coffee on Christmas Day

This year we cycled a fifty-two-kilometre loop, stopping at a lavoir (stone wash house) for morning coffee and then on to our favourite covered picnic table (with restored bread oven) for lunch. The village of La Faye also provided us with a fresh baguette from a vending machine, and my first experience at using one.

Our Christmas Day picnic

 

We laid out our baguette, naan breads, humous, carrot sticks, pâté en croûte (like a cross between a pork pie and a sausage roll), coleslaw, tuna pasta salad, Pays Basque pâté, satsumas and mince pies, plus the bottles of beer, and then two friends turned up. With smoked salmon and prawns, oatcakes, sparkling white wine, sparklers and great conversation, they certainly added some sparkle to our Christmas Day.

 

Christmas Day blue skies and sunshine

The longer we sat, the warmer the sun got, and two hours had passed before we realised it. This was markedly different to last year when we got cold sitting for a quick picnic. Thanks to the great weather, we set off for a longer route home than originally planned, treating ourselves to hot chocolate, cake and pressies when we got home at 16h30. It was a lovely, relaxing but active day, with none of the usual stress of a big Christmas dinner.

 

Our Boxing Day turkey meal

 

We did have a more traditional turkey meal on Boxing Day with Ed and Pearl, but even this was an easier option than a roast dinner. The slow cooker sorted out the spicy red cabbage and while the dauphinois potatoes were in the oven I cooked the diced turkey with lardons, onions, mushrooms, sprouts and crème fraiche.

 

Life seems to have developed a habit of throwing the unexpected our way, so I’m happy to let 2022 show me where it’s going to take us and our Bromptons. I know there is still lots of France to explore by bike and many adventures waiting for us.

This post brings with it my sincere wishes for a Happy and Healthy New Year to you all. 

   

Celebrating the winter solstice

The sun on the winter solstice 2021

Winter solstice bike ride

We took ourselves out for an afternoon bike ride today, to enjoy the sunshine and celebrate the winter solstice. Sadly, we hadn’t gone far, when we hit a strong and freezing headwind that brought with it a thick mist, that obscured the sun once more. This is most definitely not our favourite time of year, but at least from today the nights will slowly begin to shorten and our daylight hours will increase.

 

The last of the blue sky before the mist rolled in

This year seems to have been even more disruptive than last year, to what we’ve always considered normal. While some disruptions, like working at the library and Ed and Pearl moving in to a flat together, have been happy ones, some have not. The beginning of December saw Adrian spend a week in the cardiology intensive care unit of our local hospital. 

 

Adrian's bed in intensive care

A normal Monday morning, with nothing of interest on the calendar, soon became quite a drama when his heart rate soared to 210bpm, and two three-person medical teams arrived at the door on blue lights. While one of the SAMU doctors hooked up an ECG, inserted a drip and monitored him closely, the other one looked through the last cardiology report I’d got out and was on the phone to the hospital. Our GP has always had him checked out regularly due to family heart history, but nothing has ever shown up as a problem.

 

His heart rate stabilised, but they took him in, and it wasn’t long before he messaged to say he’d be staying overnight. By nine o’clock the following morning his cardiologist was at his bedside doing an ultrasound and reviewing the ECG. While most tests were coming back ok, they still had no idea what had caused the initial problem and the overnight ECG had picked something up, so a transfer to the main hospital was arranged, as was an angiogram to check out his arteries. It was only after he arrived that he was informed it was the intensive care unit and he wasn’t permitted to leave his bed. Scary, but not quite as scary as when he was asked about his resuscitation wishes.

 

Visits hadn’t been allowed at the first clinic, but I was allowed to visit the intensive care unit each day, and I did. Until you are in a situation like this, you have no idea how important being there is, for both the patient and the family. The angiogram showed no problem with his arteries and an MRI two days later was also clear of any issues. The weather on the Friday was wild and wet, but I was one happy bunny driving home with him sat beside me. January will bring with it more cardiology appointments, but in the meantime, we’ve been told to continue as before and keep up the cycling.

 

I’m not sure where the rest of December has gone; one minute I was catching my breath and relieved to have Adrian back home, the next, the kitchen was full of bags and guitars as Ed is back for part of the Christmas holidays. We are hoping this mist will have lifted by Saturday so we can continue our Christmas Day bike ride and picnic tradition that we began in 2019.

 

Wishing you a healthy Christmas from Jacqui and Adrian

I hope this update finds you all in good health and I wish you as happy a Christmas as Covid-19 will allow. Let’s hope 2022 brings good health, happiness, and new opportunities for us all. Stay safe. 

Book review of My Lucky Night by Olivia Spring

My Lucky Night by Olivia Spring

My Lucky Night: Romance Can Happen When You Least Expect It…

She hates Christmas. He’s about to change her mind…

 

Cassie isn’t a fan of Christmas. After a string of unlucky incidents during the festive season—including getting dumped—this year she decides to spend the day at home. Alone. No men. No complications. 

 

But then her nightmare boss demands she track down this year’s most coveted Christmas gift—and the only person who can help is an annoyingly sexy Frenchman she’s just met.

 

Nicolas might look hot, but Cassie can tell he’s also arrogant, irritating and in love with himself. Exactly the kind of guy she hates. Plus, he’ll only help her find the gift if she helps him with something in return... 

Could Cassie’s festive fortunes finally be about to change? Can she learn to love Christmas again? And will Cassie get lucky in more ways than one?

 

Set against a gorgeous London backdrop with sparkling lights, Christmas markets and mistletoe, My Lucky Night is a fun, sexy enemies-to-lovers romcom novella that will give you all the feels! Ideal for fans of Sophie Kinsella and Mhairi McFarlane.

 

Read as a standalone novella or as book two in the My Ten-Year Crush series.

 

My Lucky Night by Olivia Spring

My review

This book is a quick and easy read that took me to London for some festive fun, bringing back some lovely memories of enjoying the London lights at Christmas, something we’ve not been able to do for the last few years. Add a gorgeously handsome Frenchman to the mix of ice rinks, mulled wine, markets and grottos, and I was one very happy reader.

 

Cassie knows London and more importantly, she knows where to find all the magic and sparkle of Christmas, even if it’s not her favourite time of year. Despite her initial annoyance at bumping into Nicolas, she is determined (in the spirit of Christmas) to help him tick off his festive wish list on his short visit from Paris. Her story melted my heart and I really hoped she’d be able to find some Christmas cheer once more.

This book is a great reminder that we are never too old to believe in Father Christmas.

 

Nicolas has escaped his hectic life and after an unexpected meeting with Cassie, hopes they can help each other out – one impossible last minute Christmas gift in exchange for a personal tour of London. Let me just say, despite the chill in the air, temperatures rose, and things certainly got quite personal. 

 

This book was just what I needed to lift my mood during a particularly difficult week. I laughed a lot; I fell in love with both the characters, and it left me with a huge smile on my face. I haven’t read the first book in the series, but I can’t wait to read the next one.

 

As life gets hectic in the run up to Christmas, treat yourself to this romantic mini break in London, it will do you the world of good.

 

Purchase Links  

Amazon UK 

Amazon US 

 

Author Bio

Olivia Spring is a British, London-based writer of contemporary women's fiction, sexy chick lit and romantic comedy. Her uplifting debut novel The Middle-Aged Virgin, which was released in 2018, deals with being newly single in your thirties and beyond, dating, relationships, love, sex and living life to the full.

In addition to The Middle-Aged Virgin, Olivia has published The Middle-Aged Virgin in Italy, Love Offline, Losing My Inhibitions, Only When It's Love and the sequel When’s The Wedding?

Olivia’s seventh novel, My Ten-Year Crush, was published in September 2021 and book two in the series, My Lucky Night followed in November 2021.

When she's not writing, Olivia can be found enjoying cupcakes and cocktails and of course, seeking inspiration for her next book!

 

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My Lucky Night by Olivia Spring

Book review The Lost Girl in Paris by Jina Bacarr

The Lost Girl in Paris by Jina Bacarr

The Lost Girl in Paris by Jina Bacarr

'I will never forget what the Nazi did to me. Never'

1940, Nazi-occupied Paris. A powerful story of love, tragedy and incredible courage, about one woman whose life is ripped apart by war and risks everything to seek justice. Brand new from the bestselling author of The Resistance Girl.

As Nazis patrol the streets of the French capital, Tiena is alone, desperate and on the run. After defending herself against the force of an officer, she must find a new identity in order to survive.

An accidental meeting with members of the Resistance gives her a lifeline, as she is offered the chance to reinvent herself as perfumer Angéline De Cadieux.

However Angéline will never forget what happened to her, and will do everything she can to seek revenge. But vengeance can be a dangerous game, and Angeline can only hide her true identity for so long before her past catches up with her, with some devastating consequences...

Paris, 2003. When the opportunity arises for aspiring journalist Emma Keane to interview world renowned perfumer Madame De Cadieux about her life during World War Two, she is determined to take it. There are secrets from her own family history that she hopes Angéline may be able to help unlock.

But nothing can prepare Emma for Angéline's story, and one thing is for certain - it will change her own life forever…

An absolutely heartbreaking, unforgettable historical novel of war, sacrifice and survival. Perfect for fans of Suzanne Goldring, Ella Carey and Catherine Hokin.

 

The Lost Girl in Paris by Jina Bacarr

My review

When journalist Emma Keane lands herself an extraordinary experience to interview Angéline De Cadieux, she has her own personal reasons for discovering the mysterious past of this grande dame of perfume. I took to Emma from the first chapter of this book. Her determination, eye for detail and the mystery behind her obsession with Angéline piqued my interest. I couldn’t wait to discover what would be revealed and where her story would go.

 

Angéline has reached an age where she is ready to open her heart and is unusually drawn to Emma, flying her back to Paris, she begins to tell her story before they have landed. From her Roma roots, her desperate need to escape her caravan, and her arrival in Occupied Paris, her life was full of danger and the necessary deceit for survival. Her life changed in an instant, but she has a remarkable sense of smell – the gift of being a nose, that she is determined to use to her advantage. I could almost smell some of the fragrances described as I was reading.

 

There were plenty of secrets to be revealed throughout this book and I really enjoyed the way it made me try and guess what would happen when the two storylines came together.

 

I do enjoy a good split timeline novel and this one was packed with intrigue and drama from the beginning. If you are drawn to historical fiction set during the Occupation, then this should be on your 'to be read' pile this winter.

 

The Lost Girl in Paris by Jina Bacarr

 

Purchase Link  

Amazon 

Jina Bacarr

Author Bio   

 

Jina Bacarr is a US-based historical romance author of over 10 previous books. She has been a screenwriter, journalist and news reporter, but now writes full-time and lives in LA. Jina’s novels have been sold in 9 territories.

 

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The Lost Girl in Paris by Jina Bacarr