I loved this book - it flowed and the characters got right into your head and the reality of wartime made you feel you where living through it

A World War II historical novle follows the story of Madeleine and her son, Oliver. Madeleine is studying in Paris when she falls in love with Giles and marries him. At the outbreak of the war, Giles joins the French Resistance and Madeleine and Oliver return to London. Madeleine ends up becoming a courier for British intelligence and is sent back to France (but not Paris) for her assignment. The storyline is divided to follow both Madeleine and Oliver.

What I liked: great descriptions of Paris pre-war, the training program for spies, the phenomenon of "orphan farms" in Australia, and daily life in France during the war. Madeleine is sympathetically drawn and it's easy to be drawn into her story and life and root for her along her journey.

On the other hand, the pacing of the story was slow for me, with a lot of time covering every aspect of Madeleine's training and relatively little on her eventual undercover assignment. A series of improbable coincidences leads to a tidy resolution at the end. Some of the dialogue is very stilted, with characters speaking in longwinded sentences that seem more like speeches than conversation, and the characters fall into neat stereotypes (evil stepmother, jealous mistress, spunky Cockney).

Thanks to NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing for the ARC in exchange for an unbiased review.

Madeleine, an England native with a French mother, moves to France to study at the Sorbonne. She falls in love with and marries a fellow classmate and has a son. As the Germans invade and occupy France, Madeleine is forced to face the horrific challenges of the war head on.

Unfortunately, despite a promising storyline, I feel like this books suffered a little bit of an identity crisis. This is a partial dual POV. There was so much going on, that the character development took a back seat. I felt the book overall had a flat affect, or a lack of emotion, from the dialog that appear somewhat robotic to amazing resilience (or lack of emotion) the main character displayed when very bad things happened to her or those around her. The plot was the primary driving force pulling you through the book, but conflicts seemed to be resolved quickly and somewhat miraculously. I feel like both POV storylines had promise and showed a lot of research had been done, which I appreciate. It provided another view of English children in World War 2 that I was not aware of, which was both interesting and devastating all at the same time. But the story line might have been a victim of Information overload. Overall, if you really enjoy World War 2 historical Fiction and are looking for a different viewpoint, this might be a good book for you.

Londoner Madeleine Grant meets Giles Martin while studying for a term at the Sorbonne and they soon marry and have a child, Olivier. When the Nazis invade France, Madeleine and Olivier return to London while Giles stays behind to join the Resistance. After the tragic loss of her son in England, bilingual Madeleine is recruited as a spy, trained and sent on assignment to a small village in France (not Paris) where she comes face-to-face with the brutality of the Nazi regime.

A dual point-of-view story set in Britain, France and Australia beginning in Paris in the early 1930s through the war years and into the early post-war period. This was just an okay read for me. I read a lot of historical fiction and there are several about female spies in World War II that are better written and cover the topic with more depth. The most interesting aspect of this story is the part that takes place at an orphan farm in Australia. I would have enjoyed the novel more if that had been the sole focus as it is an aspect of World War II history that I hadn't previously read about.

Thank you to NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing for sending a digital ARC of this book for review consideration. All opinions are my own.

Paris. WWII. Again? This book – it’s a good one.

Madeleine has an admirer: Giles. She is a student from London attending the Sorbonne University in Paris for just one quarter. They have become close and he begs her to return to be with him – and she does.

Life and love can be complicated and this romance is no different. It starts with love, marriage, a child and then a horrible war. It reminds us all how fortunate we are these days to have freedom, peace, food and all the other good things in life. Madeleine’s great aunt said, “Cling to your dreams. You may need them.”

After reading this, I wondered who would ever want to sign up to be a spy. The book outlines how they had to prepare for their assignments. Danger was a huge part of the task. Everyone was given a cyanide pill in case they were captured as torture was beyond brutal.

Madeleine was a wife that loved her husband no matter what. She was a mother that wanted all good things for her son. And she was a daughter that accepted her father’s choice with his second marriage. Her relationships with family and friends gave her a reason to survive.

The book is a page turner. And yet, the end has coincidences which made it a little less believable. However, this book has a strong storyline. It makes me think a lot about the war times and how it must have affected people going forward. It would be a great discussion for a book club.

My thanks to Lake Union Publishing and NetGalley for allowing me to read this advanced copy with an expected release date of August 8, 2023.

Thank you to Netgalley for providing me with an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

This book fell flat for me. I have read a few other books on the subject of women spies recruiting during WWII. Huge sections and characters could have been omitted and the book would have been the same (what was the point in adding Portia as a character?)

More time should have been devoted to Olivier's story in Australia, as I haven't read much about that particular wartime scenario. The ending was too coincidental for my taste.

And what exactly was The Paris Assignment? Any assignment that Madeleine took did not happen in Paris, so I am not sure why the book was given this title.

There are better 'female WWII spy" books out there.

These stories of motherhood, courage, and the resiliency of women in the face of such horror never cease to amaze. This story was no exception!

This was a hard story to follow. There was times the story was slow and I ended up not finishing the story. However I love the author and have read other from different series and look forward to what ever else she does

This is my first Rhys Bowen book and it WILL not be my last! So gripping, moving, and beautiful. Rhys has a way with words and creating gripping scenes and situations I couldn’t wait to dive in and finish! Definitely recommend! I’m in my historical fiction era and loving it!

While spending a semester at the Sorbonne, British citizen Madeleine Grant falls in love with Giles Martin. Madeleine defies her mother and stepmother to return to Paris and Giles, whose wealthy mother also disapproves of the match. Despite that, they live a happy life with their son, Olivier, until war breaks out and the Nazis occupy France. Mother and child flee to London, while Giles remains in his homeland to join the Resistance. When the bombings start in London, it isn’t safe there either. Madeleine sends Olivier to the country only to be informed that he has been killed when his train is bombed. Despondent over her loss and wanting to do something for the war effort, she joins an elite group of French speaking women who are trained as spies and sent to France.

From Britain to France to Australia, this sweeping novel follows the Martin family through World War II and into the initial post war years. It is an enthralling tale of love, sacrifice, the horrors of war, and the hope that can spring from its end. Yes, there are quite a few convenient coincidences that are probably unrealistic, but they did make for a good story and I couldn’t put this book down, reading it late into the night.

Every time I read a historical fiction novel set in WWII, I think the same thing….how have we not learned from the mistakes of history?. People still gravitate toward narcissistic authoritarians and elevate them to positions of power. When will we ever learn?

This is only the second book I have read by prolific writer Rhys Bowen; I have enjoyed both of them.

For sensitive readers, there are some tough subjects here…sexual abuse, child abuse, and the atrocities of war.

I swore I wasn’t going to read any more World War II novels, especially set in Paris, but I’m glad I agreed to read this one. Bowen is quite a writer. I have read a lot by her, but perhaps I will read more now. She made me care about her characters right away.

Madeleine, a college student whose mother has died a number of years before, goes to Paris for a semester. Along the way, the model student is captivated by a fellow student who is a bit of a rogue. He begs her to return to Paris and finish her year. Since her father is now married to a woman she can’t stand, Madeleine boldly decides to do so. But when she gets back, Giles is nowhere to be found. She stays with her great aunt, but eventually Giles (the heir to an old family) returns. She moves in with him, and of course within a few months she is pregnant. When Giles tells his family about the baby (and that he has married a woman not of their choosing) he is disowned. Then WWII begins in earnest. France is no longer safe.

Madeleine and their son Oliver agreed to go to London, even though her stepmother is critical and harsh. Oliver’s entire school decides to evacuate to the countryside. She brings him to the train station and in the chaos on the platform, he is taunted into exchanging identities with another boy. The train is bombed. Oliver is pulled out and taken to a hospital. The other boy, who has his identity tag, is killed. That boy’s family is killed by another bomb in London. And so Madeleine and Oliver each believe that the other is dead. Oliver is told that his family is dead and sent to Australia on a boat with other orphans.

The real meat of the story begins when Madeleine, who is totally bilingual, is recruited to be a spy in France. This part of the book is based on real events. Women spies were critical to WWII.

I found the descriptions of Oliver’s life in an orphanage in Australia to be distressing, but I have no doubt they were accurate. The life of Madeleine (now Minette) and Annie (now Colette) begins pleasant in comparison, except for the fear they faced from the Germans.

But Bowen is true to the horrors of war, and life devolves from pleasant to terrifying for Madeleine and Annie. Giles appears, now working for the resistance, but in horrible danger. I can’t say much more without giving away key elements, but you should just be aware that certain sections will be difficult to read. Nevertheless, I was pleased with how Bowen handled the ending. I’m happy to recommend this book.

What a beautifully told historical fiction story of one woman's love, loss, perseverance and bravery as she forges her path into a world she both fears and despises. The setting in Paris was an amazing backdrop providing a sense of place that one could taste, smell and hear yourself into the scene. Well done!

I love Rhys Bowen’s writing in her books. They always bring such detail that you feel like you are right there. Madeleine Grant is studying in Paris and meets Giles Martin. They fall in love and have a son, Oliver. The War breaks out and Giles is afraid for Madeline and Oliver and send them home to England. Giles is in the resistance so he stays behind. Her son is believed dead, and doesn’t know the fate of Giles. She feels she has nothing to live for and joins the resistance to do what she can to help. The Paris Assignment was heart wrenching tale of Madeleine and what she had to endure during the war. I couldn’t put it down.

Thank you NetGalley, Lake Union Publishing, and Rhys Bowen for the ARC for my review.

Rhys Bowen it’s one the best World War 2 historical fiction novelists. I learn from her books every time. The Paris Assignment was epic and fast paced. Madeleine meets Giles at the Sorbonne and it’s basically love at first sight for both of them. After some bumps, they marry and have Olivier, their joy. When War breaks out, Giles, who is half Jewish, sends his family back to England where Madeline’s father and step mother are. Without spoiling the plot, all I can say is that war is hard. So hard and terrible. Madeleine and Giles both have war time jobs doing important spy things. The end is always perfect.

I loved the romance of the book. While the author certainly painted the picture of the hardships and atrocities that inevitably come with war, she also led us through love stories and friendships and redemption. This book is beautifully written. If you love world war 2 Fiction, historical fiction, love stories, or women’s fiction, this one is for you!

When Madeline goes to Paris to study for a semester little did she know that a chance encounter would change the trajectory of her whole life. A whirlwind romance that leads to a marriage and the birth of a son makes Madeline feel like her life is finally exactly what she has always wanted. When WW2 intensifies Madeline and her son flee back to England for safety, leaving her husband behind to fight in the resistance. When the war reaches England Madeline sends her son on a train to try to find a safe haven but a bomb hits, killing a bunch of the children. Thinking her son is dead Madeline joins the resistance and becomes a spy while her son, thinking his family is dead is sent to a orphanage in Australia.

This story was very easy to read with great characters and the historical significance of the conditions of the orphanage’s in Australia was not something that I was familiar with. I loved the friendships Madeline forms with the other women who sign up to help the resistance and the love between Madeline and her husband was envious.

This was a great story told in a masterful manner. Thank you to the publishers and to Netgalley for allowing me to read this advanced copy.

My thanks to Net Galley and Lake Union for allowing me to review this very excellent read.

Young Madeline meets Giles while she is in school in France. They fall in love,marry, and have an adorable son, Olivier. Then they are separated by the tragedy of war when Giles joins the resistance and a "mistake " involving Olivier further continues more tragedy.

I enjoyed this. It had a bit of The Alice Network and The Bletchley Circle elements. Well written, great narrative, very engaging.

My negative comments. Did not like the "farm" and this could have been a bit shorter. Still highly recommend this.

A love story and heartbreaking tale of Madeline & Giles set amidst the turmoil & chaos of WWll Paris and England.
Perseverance, determination and brutality combine to make for a gripping summer read. This is not a lighthearted or easy read, so be prepared to feel all emotions.

Thank you to NetGalley for the eArc in exchange for my honest review.
#NetGalley #TheParisAssignment #RhysBowen #HistoricalFiction
Pub Date 8 August 2023

This is my third Rhys Bowen book - all three of them have been historical fiction.

My first reaction to this novel came in chapter 5, about 14% of the way along when Tante Janine is talking with Giles. I stopped, re-read the sentence and put the book down. What the heck? Why was that claim even put in this novel? I had no respect for Tante Janine thereafter. I finished the book, but noted that there were several things included that should have been edited out; this would have helped the pacing.

One thing I’ve noticed is the ease with which Bowen writes. It’s fairly evident with the flow of her books that they are written by an accomplished author. I wonder in this case, though, if her comfort level meant that things were better understood in her head than put down on paper. There were many instances where more information or emotion would have taken the story to the next level. I did note that several times the ‘women’ sounded like ‘girls.’ In some cases, the conversation didn’t sound natural.

Bowen is also known as an author who pays attention to the details. I made note of the effort she went to in using British words and ways of expressing oneself, making this feel so authentic. With this level of commitment to reality, I wondered about the heroine’s new job. It seemed as though she just tripped into it and that the offer came from out of nowhere by someone that just appeared in the story from stage left. Regardless, it didn’t take away from the story. Just made me stop and pause.

I also smiled when I saw the front cover as it didn’t look like a bone-rattler to me!

Both narratives were interesting, but my heart was pulled more toward Olivier’s experience. I needed to keep reading to find out if the ‘mistake’ was ever corrected.

I really wanted to love this one, but instead, I just liked it.

I was gifted this copy by Lake Union Publishing and NetGalley and was under no obligation to provide a review.

I enjoy reading books that take place during WWII. This was my first read coming from the perspective of a mother during that time. I feel the end was rushed and a little too good to be true. I wanted to like it more.

Ugh. I needed this to be a physical copy so that I could fling it against the wall.

It was boring, predictable, and all around weak. I really *wanted* to enjoy it. But like the characters truly lacked depth. So many scenes felt rushed. It felt like this version was a draft and not the final deal...

I think the only note worthy aspect was the horrific treatment of the orphans taken abroad to Australia. I didn't know about that prior and it broke my heart.