I am always sold to read a novel with a bookstore as a backdrop. This book surrounds the love of literature and love of reading, which makes you want to go and drop everything to buy an independent bookstore in Paris.

There are two story lines, and I love when the history matches or intertwines with a present day story. With everything that happened in WWII, so many tragedies are not shared, and buried inside without the families knowing much. They seem to find out after a loved one has passed. These stories never get old as I feel they should not be forgotten. The author Daisy Wood does this well, in her story telling.

The love between her two main characters of Mathilde and Jacques was portrayed perfectly; you could just feel it. The present day story was a common trope of a marriage breakdown and moving to another country, but I don’t mind this trope. I enjoy when characters start afresh. There was tragedy, feel good moments, and I recommend this novel. This story reminds me that literature never gets old, and that books are everything. This novel was poignant, and I will continue to seek out Daisy Wood’s novels.

Thank you to Netgalley, the publisher, and Daisy Wood for providing me an advanced copy, and to provide honest feedback.

📖 BOOK REVIEW📖
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5

#TheForgottenBookShopInParis by @daisywoodwriter

⏩for synopsis

What a beautiful book this is… while a work of fiction, I feel many stories like this happened during ww2 and I found it really touching to experience it through Jacques and Mathilda story.

I loved the duel timelines set between present day and 1939 - both had equally strong, interesting storylines that married up perfectly at the end. The characters, even ones just passing through, were strong, well rounded and realistic; making an impact that lasted throughout the book.

This is my first by the author and certainly won’t be my last!

With thanks to author #DaisyWood, @avonbooksuk and @netgalley for allowing us to read this one early!

RELEASED: October 27th

-EMILY

@the_book_girls_1

Fabulous dual timeline set in present time and WW2. Curl up with a blanket, a fire and a mug of hot chocolate and enjoy this engrossing, exciting and sometimes sad story.
Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher and the author for the e-advance review copy. and also posted to Goodreads.

The forgotten bookshop in Paris by Daisy Wood

Juliette and Kevin are on holiday in Paris from the USA. Juliette is half French and wants to find the square that has been drawn in her late mothers painting, that she kept on her wall for so many years. But things don’t go to plan with the holiday in the city of love. Her Husband Kevin decides that he wants to stop short the holiday and go home but Juliette has other ideas and when she finds out that her husband ha been having an affair, she decides that she wants to stay on in Paris.
She finds an apartment above a Bookshop, and she decides that she wants to restore the shop and sell books again against the owners 97-year-old Grandmothers wishes. She doesn’t want the past to be dug up.
Paris 1940 Jacques and Mathilde gets married just as WW2 breaks out. They live in an apartment above a bookstore. Mathilde works for a museum but also the resistance. She decides to leave Paris and help an Englishwoman too safety, but Jacques decides to stay in Paris and sells books to the Germans, hoping that one day Mathilde with return to him. Jacques finds a secret room in the Bookshop, so he does his bit for the war and hides jews and children that would be otherwise get caught by the Gestapo.
Thank you, Avon, for a copy of The forgotten Bookshop by Daisy Wood. This is my first book from the author, and it won’t be my last. Although this is a work of fiction it is said by the author that this story contains true facts. This is a dual timeline story in Paris 1940 and present day. For me personally, I enjoyed Jacque’s journey more than the present timeline. I found it more interesting. I didn’t much care for Juliette and her relationship with Nico. I just wanted more of the previous storyline. And I found this different and a unique story to other books I have read similar to this one. 4 stars from me.

Its like been transported back into 1940!
A tale of love, war and betrayal across two time lines, a really beautiful read.
Set in Paris at the start of the War in 1940, the Nazis are taking away everything the people of France hold dear including love ones, you really get an insight into how tough times were back then for families in war times and especially jewish families. Jacques is the owner of a little book shop La page cachee but not all is as it seems about the little shop, after he loses someone very close to him he stands up to the Nazis but putting him and hos bookshop at risk.
Set between two timelines Juliette finds herself walking in the footsteps of loved ones past finding out fate has brought her to Paris and the same book shop that holds so many ties to her own family’s past.
Id like to thank the Author Daisy Wood for a fantastic and beautiful novel and to the publisher for allowing me the chance to read this, I would definitely recommend to all.

A thoroughly enjoyable read ,I initially felt that this novel was going to be rather lighter than it turned out to be ,the first few pages read like light woman’s fiction .It did however proofed itself to be a more rounded and accomplished novel than I initially expected
I loved the way the story is told from the point of view of a man in war torn Paris and of a modern woman seeking knowledge about her French grandmother
I was quickly invested in both narrators and felt their characters were developed well ,they felt like real people to me .
The bookshop itself is central to the story and I loved the circular nature of time with the book shop being resurrected as the book progresses
War novels need to tread a fine line when showing the horror of Nazi occupation without becoming unreadable .The author managed this very well ,the history is well known and in the novel the limitations to what the characters know is happening and what we as modern readers know happened is managed very well .The small children saved by the book shop keeper are poignant examples of the horrors enacted on the population at the time
The author has a clear prose style and the book is an easy comfortable read
I would recommend to lovers of a historical novel with emotional character development .
I read an early copy on NetGalley Uk the book is published 27th October 2022 by Avon books

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/5005656989

Enjoyable historical romance, and a bit of a tear jerker. It's nice to have an older divorcee as the protagonist in a novel like this.
The plot is all a bit escapist and probably wouldn't ever happen in real life, but we all need a bit of light relief and joy once in a while. I liked this and would definitely read more by this author.

Thanks to her, the publisher and NetGalley for an ARC in return for an honest review.

I am a big fan of stories set in Paris and historical fiction is one of my favorite genres. That is why, from the moment I saw this book, I knew it was my kind of read.
The Forgotten Bookshop in Paris is a charming story about hope and love. We get to know Jacques story and the struggle of Paris citizens during occupation in WWII. Jacques and his wife try to do the right thing even when it is dangerous but they must help the cause and every person they can.
On the present day, we have Juliette and her second chance in life; a new life that was waiting for her in Paris and that might hold a connection to her past.
Both story lines are interesting and have a good rhythm. I read for hours and hours, lost in Jacques and Juliette stories. Immerse in the struggles but also touched by their way of looking at things. I liked how they occupation theme was approached, in a true but still hopeful way, and even when there sad moments that broke my heart a little, the story was easy to read.
I genuinely enjoyed the book, although I liked more Jacques part. Juliette’s part was good but I did not particularly enjoyed the insta-love vibe. I love that it talks about Paris and books and that it has love, drama and a little mystery. It was a perfect combination and I would certainly like to read more books by the author.

I received a complimentary copy from Avon Books UK and all opinions expressed are entirely my own.

I am not a huge fan of Historical Fiction but I enjoyed reading this book and cannot recommend it enough. The book is structured between two timelines one being that in 1940 after the Invasion of France and present day with Juliette and her husband,

The book tells the story of Juliette who is keen and excited about going to Paris but her husband could not even pretend to be excited. Juliette is open to a new experience and is very eager to learn a lot about her family's history. So we travel through time to find out more about the bookshop. It was an eye opening book about family, relationships, history and love.

While it bothers me to read about a woman whining about an unfaithful husband and an unhappy marriage, I was relieved to hear that this author created a strong female who stood her ground and did something about it; albeit a rather unrealistic ‘move’ and ‘ending.’

I absolutely loved the 1940s timeline and could have appreciated it as a stand-alone. The characters were wonderful, the shop, its name, the magic it held, and the wartime setting pulled me in and I resented having to flip forward to the modern timeline. I felt the modern-day tie-in with its cliched romance lessened the impact of a beautiful story. I think it boils down to the fact that I felt Juliette needed to be reigned in a little. Her brash moves irritated me as much as they irritated the locals. I think it also could have been that the relationships in both timelines were polar opposites, emphasising Juliette’s unhappy marriage and fling. Likewise, Kevin repulsed me. I couldn’t stand the man. I wonder if there could have been a different reason she found herself in Paris and alone. Did it have to be an unhappy marriage? Did we need to know about the husband’s secret gifts? Could it have simply started where Juliette’s on a plane leaving her past behind her? Regardless, it’s a good exploration of wartime survival, devastating loss and secrets, and the serendipitous power of fate.

While I didn’t feel this story measured up to her previous historical fiction, I did love the premise. Who wouldn’t want to run off on an adventure in Paris and discover a forgotten bookshop that reveals secrets from the past?! If like me, you enjoy great historical fiction that isn’t heavy on unrealistic romance or marriage problems, you’ll want to read The Clockmaker’s Wife.

I was gifted this advance copy by Avon Books UK and NetGalley and was under no obligation to provide a review.

This book was ok. I breezed through it rather quickly so it’s a fast read. However, I feel like I’d read this type of story over and over. Authors of historical fiction seem to find the only way to do a dual timeline is to have the present day be a couple whose marriage is in trouble.

That being said, I was way more interested in Jacques and Mathilde’s story. Their love story was so pure. I love stories where the bookworm gets a happy ending in the form of a fulfilling relationship. Jacques is truly an unsung hero in his timeline.

As for Juliette, I wasn’t impressed with her story. Her marriage fell apart and suddenly, she just decided to stay in Paris. Leaving even her children behind (albeit grown children). Her husband is two-dimensional. He cheats on Juliette and then wants to make up and it’s all very predictable.

Special thanks to NetGalley and Avon Books UK for this eARC in exchange for my honest review.

I can't seem to engage with this book. I love the parts about Juliette but there aren't enough of them in the first quarter. I'm not enjoying the 1940 story enough. Things are going to heat up, I know, but it's just taking too long. It might be the reading mood I'm in right now.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this book.

This book alternates between the present day and 1940’s Nazi-occupied France. I didn’t know as much about France during WWII so some of the details were new learning for me. I appreciate how this book follows the everyday acts of resistance by a group of average citizens. Each day these people showed small kindnesses and did what they could for others—and it turned out to have a big impact. I especially enjoyed the tenderness, love, and compassion Jacques showed to children.
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There were some incredibly strong female characters involved in the resistance movement storyline. I wanted to know more about them and their work. I feel these characters could have been the heart of another historical fiction novel on their own.
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Juliette’s present day marriage struggles felt very cliche for me. I think there could have been a better storyline that leads to Juliette staying in France longterm. Her relationship with Nico also felt very predictable. Another question I have is regarding her decision to renovate and open the bookstore despite Zizi telling her not to for both historical and personal reasons. While I love Juliette’s dream of opening/restoring The Hidden Page to its former glory, I wonder if knowing the complex, traumatic history of WWII would allow someone to essentially ignore such a request.
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Like most readers, I love reading books about books and bookstores. This bookstore brought magic, comfort, and safety during the most difficult of times.

The Forgotten Bookshop in Paris has a dual time line telling two stories .Set in occupied Paris during WW2 and present day ,this is a story of bravery ,love ,loss and new beginnings.What a wonderful story ,how brave the people in the French Resistance were ready to risk their lives for others.I loved the characters especially Jacques and Mathilde .A very enjoyable and interesting read .Thank you to NetGalley for my ARC.

A trip to Paris can change your life.

2022 - Juliette and her husband Kevin are on a trip to Paris from the USA. She is half French, he's American and she is on a mission to find a square depicted in a painting belonging to her grandmother. She discovers that Kevin has been having an affair with one of their neighbours. The decision is made - she will stay in Paris, decide what to do about her marriage, and investigate her family history.
1939 - Jacques falls in love with Mathilde and marries her on the day WW2 breaks out. He runs a bookshop in Paris; she is a firebrand who will do everything she can to resist the Nazi occupation.
A story of Paris in wartime and an American in Paris in the present-day. What connections will she uncover? Will it end well for Jacques and Mathilde?

Charming, if a little predictable. A good book to curl up with on a cool autumn evening.

I devoured this book, it feels like a long time since I’ve done this but I read this book in 24 hours!

In 1940 War has closed the city of love and Nazi’s have settled there. Jacques the owner of La Page Cachee and husband to Mathilde is terrified something will happen to her. She is soon made to flee to the countryside and Jacques Ickes up where his wife left off and begins helping the resistance. He builds a secret room in his bookshop and begins hiding people from the Nazis.

Meanwhile modern day has brought Juliette and her husband to Paris, Juliette knows her roots are here but is set about discovering more about her grandmother’s past.

I loved reading about past and present Paris and how even through war this city remained a place of beauty. This book was well written and engaging and even made me shed a few tears.

A tale of hope and love during the time of anything but; an absolute page-turner!

A Parisian bookshop with a secret is brought back to life in the present in the most heartbreakingly beautiful and fitting manner. The dual timelines of the story keep things interesting as we read on in the hopes that the present finds some kind of closure through the stories of the past. The moderate pace of the book also adds to the excitement of finding out whether or not our guesses turn out to be correct. A big win for this one is that it has packed in equal curiosity for both timelines with utterly seamless transitions between them.

"Everyone has a story to tell and what a great one ours will be when all this is over.”

Coming out next month, do keep an eye out if historical fiction tied in with the present is of your interest. Thank you @netgalley for my advance copy; I absolutely adored this one.

A truly engrossing novel, told in two time periods, present day, and war time Paris. Telling the story of the shop, and it’s inhabitants, very engrossing, a real page turner. Loved it from start to finish

I’ve read so many books about WW2 and yet each one offers a different view on the war.
Jacques and his wife are only together for a short time before the war separates them.
Juliette and her husband are in Paris for a romantic vacation however things don’t go quite as planned. A picture that belongs to her Grandma is pulling her to stay.
It’s a lovely story with dual time lines which is my favorite. Both just as interesting. It takes place in a bookstore that has a hidden room. What more could you ask for.
Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for the early copy

I really enjoyed this book I was in a bit of a slump and needed to read something that lifted me out of it and the book did just that. Told in two different timelines by Jacques at the start of the war and by Juliette in the present day it’s a quick and easy read that that kept my interest throughout. I particularly liked the the story of Jacques and his constant battle do help save Jewish people particularly children whilst putting his safety at risk. The two stories begin to come together as Juliette in the present day begins to find clues that leads her to think her grandmother may have been involved and although I found this to be a little predictable it never spoilt my enjoyment of the read.
At all in all a n easy book that kept me reading and I look forward to more books by Daisy Wood in the future.
My thanks to NetGalley and Avon Books UK for giving me the chance to read the ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.