A gripping book that I struggled to put down. Brilliant plot with a host of interesting characters, I will definitely read more by this author.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC of this book. I have chosen to write this honest review voluntarily and it reflects my personal opinion.
This dual timeline novel is set across WW2 and 2006, with each period clearly defined. Beatrice has a highly-paid job which has allowed her to move from Paris, her home, to Washington. Whilst I cannot vouch for the historical accuracy the story is based on factual accounts from WW2, and Judith's story is told in an interesting and engaging manner. The difficulties she had, surviving as a Jew in Paris, are clearly described and it is easy to imagine her loving relationship with Christian alongside the horrors of struggling with little of the basics to live with her mother. Beatrice, meanwhile, has her own problems with her boss and her lover, Joaquin and I found it difficult to understand why she stayed with him. Her developing friendship with Jacobina leads her into an attempt to trace Judith, whilst providing hints of an elderly person's difficulties of living alone with a limited budget.
I found the whole book fascinating; even though some of the final twists in the outcome were unsurprising the ending of the sort was not spoilt in any way. If you like historical fiction you'll definitely enjoy this novel, I've signed up to follow this author.

Thank you to @bookbreak and @panmacmillan for the advanced copy of this title. This book is right up my street, I love historical fiction so this had all the makings of a great read..and it didn’t disappoint. The flits back and forth between time spans of the story, which always leaves me wanting more. I love when a writer chooses to do this as I feel it helps you to delve deeper into the many layers of the characters and their links with each other. This book is full of heartbreak, tragedy, fun, friendship and it just gave me an all round warm feeling. Jacobina and Beatrice’s friendship is beautiful, Judith’s determination to continue with her life after surviving the hideous Auschwitz is admirable, Christian’s love for Judith is heart breaking, and Beatrice’s feistiness made me want to spur her on! I loved this book. It hits the shelves in the UK on the 4th August 2022, so get yourselves a copy!

One of the best things about A Jewish Girl in Paris is that it is based on events from the author's real family history. From the forward I was intrigued, especially as a Canadian and someone who has Jewish roots on my father's side, I have always wondered if there were relatives we never knew about whose fate was lost in the concentration camps.

The story begins with Jacobina and her difficult relationship with her father Lica, whose deathbed confession sends her on a quest to find the half-sister she has only just found out about.
The narrative then switches to Judith, a young Jewish girl living in Paris, working in a library whose budding romance is set against the backdrop of the German occupation.

The historical detail is excellent and the writing is pacy and keeps the reader emotionally involved with the characters across the generations.

Overall an enjoyable read for fans of The Paris Library and Cilla's Journey. Many thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

As usual with a novel like this, I will not be re writing the description of the storyline as I am a firm believer that the blurb writers do a better job without giving anything away about the plot.

As for the style of writing, my feeling was that the author improved as the book developed. To begin with I found the pace rather slow and the narrative sluggish and slightly repetitive. However, as the two stories being told, one in relatively modern times and the other during WW2, unfolded and came together, so the writing improved and the pace picked up.

I enjoyed this book and it is one which I will remember for a while.

A moving story of two ladies, in different decades but both with complicated love lives.
Judith is in Paris during WW2. Her world comes crashing down when Jewish people are forbidden to do so many things. She is only happy when she's with her secret boyfriend Christian.
Beatrice is from Paris but she is working in New York. She has a high powered job and has a older boyfriend. It's 2006 and Beatrice starts to volunteer for an agency where she meets Jacobina, a lonely Jewish lady who is looking for her half sister.
This book deals with the harsh history of Jews in WW2 as well as supporting the survivors of the concentration camps.
A well written book.

The books looks at three lives, Jacobina who finds out her father had been married before and she had a half sister on his deathbed, Beatrix, a French girl working in Washington and having difficulties at work so she volunteers for a charity and end up helping Jacobina, and Judith's ( her half sister) story from living in Paris in WWII under Nazi occupation and her love for Christian.

The book was quite slow to begin with ...but ended up being a good read

Judith Goldemberg lives with her mother in Paris, and Judith is studying and working in a library. Judith starts finding notes left in books, she has a secret admirer and she discovers his name is Christian. He’s the son of a wealthy banker, his parents are German sympathizers and they wouldn’t approved of him dating a Jewish girl.

As the war drags on, the Germans start making things harder for Jewish people, seizing their businesses, freezing bank accounts and both Judith and her mother lose their jobs. Judith’s mother has always suffered from melancholy since her husband divorced her and moved back to Romania, now it’s much worse and Judith is thankful for Christian's support. The young couple make plans to flee the Paris, Christian returns to collect Judith, she’s disappeared and he can’t find her anywhere.

On his deathbed in Montreal, Lica Grunberg confesses to his daughter Jacobina that she has an older half-sister Judith and he wants her to find out what happened to her. Lica left Romania after the war, Judith was a teenager the last time he saw her in Paris, and he has no idea what happened to her during the war?

Beatrice Duvier is French, she works for The World Bank in Washington DC and she’s disillusioned with her life and job. One day a lady from a charity gives her a card, they need volunteers and she decides to help. She visits an older lady called Jacobina, she lives alone and is struggling to make ends meet. Beatrice and Jacobina become friends, she tells her years ago she made a deathbed promise to her father, she hasn’t been able to find her sister and Beatrice offers to help. Beatrice visits the holocaust memorial museum, here she meets Gregoire, he gives her a list of places to contact and she has no idea that she's about to solve a sixty year old mystery.

I received a copy of A Jewish Girl in Paris by Melanie Levensohn from NetGalley and Pan Macmillan in exchange for an honest review. Inspired by true events, it’s a well written and researched story told from three women’s points of view and during three different timelines. A haunting narrative about war, mental illness, lost love, family secrets, coincidences, and choices! Some survivors of the holocaust blocked out the terrible memories, moved away from war-torn Europe, and didn’t tell anyone what happened to them.

The story has so many twists and turns, it kept my attention from the beginning to end, I highly recommend reading this book, and five stars from me.

Inspired by true events and set against the backdrop of the Second World War. Utterly unique, exquisitely crafted and quietly powerful. I loved it and want everyone to read this novel! The perfect book to wrap yourself around on a dark night!

I have really tried to get into this book, but so far I have failed. The narrative has not engaged my interest, despite my perseverance. The opening, is dry, dreary and depressing, hinting at a very difficult family background for Jacobina, who is sitting reluctantly by her dying father’s bed. This is difficult to read, especially her introspection on how her father made her feel.
The next chapter is a different timeline, and features Beatrice, who works for the World Bank, and is enduring a public humiliation from her monstrous boss Michael, who terrifies all her fellow employees. Having endured an onslaught of a recitation of dry facts and figures regarding the World Bank’s philanthropy, Bea is sent off to rewrite a Press statement which will please the odious Michael. This does not make interesting reading.
None of this piqued my appetite to continue reading. I have come to the conclusion that this book is not for me, sadly. I need a book which I can become immersed in, not one which is a chore to read.
I’m sorry to say, this is a DNF for me. I am sure that this book will appeal much more to other readers, so I suggest you try it for yourself.
My thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for my advance copy of this title.

A novel that will appeal to anyone with an interest in the history of Jewish civilians during WW2 with an original perspective.

This was a compelling read spanning 2 times in history. Old and modern times.
It was an easy style to read and the characters personalities and lives pulled me in to want to read more. For fans of historical fiction I recommend this book by Melanie Levensohn.

Loved it!!! I knew I was going to love it after reading the author's note about her namesake Melanie Levensohn and now I can't stop thinking about the story. All the characters were brought into each other's lives for a reason. They just didn't know why. Béatrice ended up being the perfect friend for Jacobina. Without Beatrice's help, Jacobina would have never looked for her long-lost half sister. As soon as Béatrice found the letter in Jacobina's long forgotten box, I knew how Grégoire would be involved. I enjoyed how the book alternated between characters and the dual timelines. Judith's story was heartbreaking during the war. I kept wondering what happened to Lily after Judith fled the apartment. Judith was pretty much abandoned by her father and her mother (in different ways.) I hated the relationship Béatrice had with Joaquín. He never had the time for her and the way he reacted with Béatrice's news was ridiculous. I knew Béatrice was going to take the fall for the press release Michael was forcing her to write. The World Bank did not sound like a great place to work. I loved the book, it was beautifully written and kept me interested until the very end. I couldn't wait to see if Béatrice ever discovered the mystery about what happened to Judith. I was definitely surprised when the truth was finally revealed.

Definitely recommend the book, especially if you enjoy historical fiction. Loved the characters, writing style and story. Look forward to reading more books by the author.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Pan Macmillan through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

This is perfect historical fiction for fans of Kristin Hannah’s The Nightingale or even Lucinda Riley’s Seven Sisters series. Written from three women’s perspectives in three different time periods, the reader follows their stories and the mystery that links them all. A good page-turner that flows easily. A really satisfying and enjoyable read. I highly recommend it.

Oh My Gosh I read this book in one sitting it is usch an incredible read. Any book set during this period of time is emotive but this was really emotive especially as it is based upon a true story.
Well written with a compelling and heart-wrenching storyline and well developed characters some of which I really took to my heart. I also loved the dual timeline which worked really well within the book and I couldn't stop reading.