The pace of this book was a bit off for me. It started off so slowly.
The characters are well developed and likeable.
A good historical fiction story

This is a beautifully written dual time line novel set in Paris during WW2 and present day (2009). The main characters are Celine and Caroline. Celine lives with her father and sister in occupied France during 1943. We find Caroline in 2009 waking up in a Parisian hospital after she’s had a bicycle accident, she has no memory and is desperately trying to piece her life together. During Caroline’s search she discovers letters written by Celine during 1943 and she begins to unravel bot just her own life but Celine’s also. This is a tale of love, loss, struggle and survival. I’d recommend this book to anyone interested in historical fiction and women’s fiction.

So Sarah Jio was a new author to me but given how much I love historical fiction with dual timeline storyline involved, it was a no brainer that I had to read this plus the book cover and blurb were highly enticing/alluring in equal measures.

It didn't take me long to be drawn into the stories of Céline/Cosi/Luc back in 1943 and that of Caroline in present day, I was captivated right from the first few chapters. I loved how the story went back and forth from 1943 to present day which was done so seamlessly.

This was a truly magnificent, emotional and well written story from start to finish. I was completely captivated and engrossed throughout, really enjoyed getting to know all of the characters and to discovering their stories. I even learnt a fair bit with regards to what it must have been like for Paris being under Nazi occupation during the second World War, it truly left me speechless and shocked in places. 

If you love books that tell a story in the present and in the past then I can highly recommend this one as a must read for any historical fiction fan.

The subject is hard as always with WW2 as the subject but the story is so beautifully written. I loved the characters of Celine, her father and her adorable daughter Cosi. The story told in recent times of Caroline is really gripping too. Waking up following an accident she has no recollection of why she, an American, is in Paris. The two strories intertwine perfectly to end this story. A heartbreaking and heartwarming read.

I absolutely love dual timeline stories, especially if they are partly set in world war two, so this book instantly appealed.

Firstly the author does an amazing job of setting the scene so that I really felt transported to 1943 Paris. The little details of life back then along with some of the things that you might have seen or heard helped bring the story to life. The tension or fear that must have been felt in Paris was almost palpable which I thought was cleverly done and further increased my enjoyment as I could feel everything the characters felt.

Unusually I enjoyed both of the storylines equally and thought they were woven together beautifully. There was lots of mystery and action to ensure that I was kept thoroughly absorbed in the story, which made it difficult to put down. I found myself sneaking off to try and read a few more pages which is always a sign of a great book. I particularly liked how Caroline’s exploration into Celine’s past helps her deal with her own painful experiences.

This is the first book I’ve read from this author and I’m very excited to read more from her in the future. If you like atmospheric though emotional stories which are full of love and hope then you’ll love this story.

Huge thanks to Tracy Fenton for inviting me onto the blog tour and to Kate from Orion for my copy of this book.

I adore this author and this book was a brilliant read and one that is perfect to escape for a few hours and loose yourself.
Characters that fall out of the pages of the book and make you fell apart of the story, the setting comes alive and captured is well with words.
A great read. that I would highly recommend.

'All the flowers in Paris' is a dual narrative novel, alternating between 2009 and 1943, with both timelines being set in Paris. In 2009, Carloline is attempting to piece together her past after losing her memory in a mysterious accident. Meanwhile, in 1943, Paris is occupied, and Celine is forced to make impossible choices to ensure her daughters survival.

I am a huge fan of historical fiction. Unfortunately, for me this was a little too light on the historical elements - it is over halfway through the book that real history begins to influence events, and even then it feels like it is almost being brushed over? It's hard to explain, but for me it just felt like it was lacking in any real historical detail. Obviously, this is personal preference, as some people may prefer this sort of historical fiction - it was just that for me, the historical sections didn't feel historical until quite far into the book, and the characters naivety just felt like poor development. And the sections that were historical felt far too similar to another book set during this time that's been very popular...

I did find the mystery of Caroline's true identity interesting, and surprisingly I really enjoyed her sections - I normally prefer the historical narrative in a dual narrative book like this, but in this case I think the mystery pulled my focus more towards Caroline. Her sections were far more emotional, and as such I think her character felt more real and complete than Celine's did.

All in all, I found this to be just ok. I wouldn't personally read it again, but it also wouldn't put me off reading something else by this author. There was some very strong writing and characterisation in Caroline, but I felt like the historical sections - which for me was why I chose this book - were just a bit too contrived at times. If you enjoy the authors other work, it might be worth a go.

This book seems to have all the emotions that you would expect to find in this genre.
I particularly liked the dual time zone and was captured with the author's writing and of how they were able to mingle together.
The characters were so different from each other and several times I was so engaged that I lost track of time.
As someone who loves Paris, I found it interesting how the setting was explained. More great writing.
Will be looking for more books by Sarah Jio.

Thanks to netgalley for an early copy in return for an honest review first time reading this Author and made quite a good impression found the storyline good and enjoyable

A fascinating historical novel that made me think and feel. The characters were well drawn and some of them drew quite a bit of sympathy.

This was a dual time frame story with alternate chapters for the two main characters. I really enjoyed the narrative set during the war. I found it gripping and terrifying all at once, desperately hoping that things would turn out ok. The tension in this part of the book was intense. The more modern timeframe did not hold my interest as much but helped complete the story.

A great new novel from Sarah Jio, maybe the best so far by my opinion. It's wonderful, with the stories of great strong women, and also tension, love and romance in the great city of Paris.

It starts with the American Caroline, who lives in Paris en loses her memory in an accident. Trying to find something about herself she’s discovers in her apartments some old love letters from Celine to Luc, never be send. It’s the start of a search for her own life, and also finding out what happened during the war with those people.

Chapters switch from Caroline to Celine and so we find out how their lives went. Both strong women in a different time, but both with a lot of love and hope trough tough times. It’s ends when both timelines come together, and realize that forgiveness is important to continue living.

I love both stories, both with love and tension, hope and pain, but in the end the puzzle is completed. Its great to see how the flowers have their own part in de the stories. Its álso great to be in Paris with the characters en visit the well known spot like Montmartre.

All the flowers in Paris is a delight to read.