Review: The Paris Secret

Title: The Paris Secret

Author: Natasha Lester

Publisher: 31st March 2020 by Hachette Australia

Pages: 464 pages

How I Read It: ARC book

Genre: historical fiction

My Rating: 5 cups

Synopsis:

A wardrobe of Dior gowns, a secret kept for sixty-five years, and the three women bound forever by war... from the New York Times bestselling author of The French Photographer

England, 1939 Talented pilot Skye Penrose joins the British war effort where she encounters her estranged sister, Liberty, and childhood soulmate Nicholas Crawford, now engaged to enigmatic Frenchwoman Margaux Jourdan.

Paris, 1947 Designer Christian Dior unveils his extravagant first collection to a world weary of war and grief. He names his debut fragrance, Miss Dior, in tribute to his sister, Catherine, who worked for the French Resistance.

Present day Australian fashion conservator Kat Jourdan discovers a secret wardrobe filled with priceless Dior gowns in her grandmother's vacant cottage. As she delves into the mystery, Kat begins to doubt everything she thought she knew about her beloved grandmother.

An unspeakable betrayal will entwine all of their fates.

The Dior Secret is an unforgettable story about the lengths people go to protect one another, and a love that, despite everything, lasts a lifetime.

My Thoughts

Natasha Lester continues to produce spellbinding tale after spellbinding tale. Once more she delivers with another historical showpiece, a dual time narrative that will have you on the edge of your seat until you finally, and regrettably, turn the last page. If you have never read a Natasha Lester book (historical fiction fan or not) then you are missing out. I have loved everything she has written and her latest, ‘The Paris Secret’ is no exception. 

‘She wished it were that simple; that a life could be changed in the same way words in a book could be recast into a different version, a better version. A happy ever after.’

Where does one start in trying to encapsulate all that is ‘The Paris Secret’? It is a tale of family, a tale of war and a tale of love. There are multiple locations - Paris, Cornwall, Australia and concentration camps. There are timelines from pre war, during war (WWII) and post war. There are secrets and sacrifices. There is an array of characters .... but all of it .... ALL OF IT is wound together so seamlessly and perfectly to produce an amazingly poetic tapestry of storytelling. You will read the story, then reread the story, never wanting it to end making it a perfect example of masterclass writing. The amount of research undertaken, as so much of it is based on fact, is to be applauded. The Author’s Note at the end testifies to that. 

At its heart is a tale of the extent people go to to protect those they love. You cannot help but be moved by the  way Natasha magically weaves love, loss and longevity throughout this tale. Come the end of the book you will be filled with such an array of emotions, truly feeling at a loss for all that has been played out. Your heart will break for more than one character in this wonderful tale with a climactic but befitting ending. 

Am I gushing? Yes I am. Natasha is an amazing author with her words lingering on long after you have turned the final page. She is a delightful author, so accessible on social media and so very humble. Thank you for your storytelling .... never doubt that you are an incredibly talented writer and congratulations on producing and sharing the amazing tale that is, The Paris Secret.

‘He wanted to tear the moon from the sky and extinguish it in the sea so she wouldn’t see the agony on his face. ‘I was just ... ' he started to say. Just trying to do the right thing. The right thing in a wrong world.  A world he alone couldn’t change.’

This review is based on a complimentary copy from the publisher and provided through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. The quoted material may have changed in the final release.