The Paris Dancer

Annie Mayer has dreams of becoming a ballerina. It's 1938 and war is raging. She is offered a dance partnership with which she is able to hide her Jewish heritage and keep herself safe

Fast forward to 2012.and Miriams great aunt has died and she travels to New York to deal with her belongings.

What a wonderful wondeful tale. It is full of heartbreak, bravery and it's very exciting.

I loved all the women in this book. They are full of courage and hope.

This story is based on the life of a real life ballerina and her story is quite momentous. I loved it

I’m writing this review with tears in my eyes and tears on my kindle. What a beautiful, beautiful book. Initially, I thought this was going to be a run of the mill historical fiction, but it turned out to be so much more. Packed full of emotions and characters teeming with life, this book was truly remarkable.

Rayner has a way with words, her writing is delicate one moment and knocks you out the next. Mim and Esther’s stories were mirror images of each others and I thoroughly enjoyed both, something that I usually struggle with in other dual narrative historical fictions. As the book progressed and the story deepened, I found myself unable to put the book down. I desperately needed to know what was going to happen to both women in their respective timelines.

The last untold secrets finally revealed themselves in the final few chapters and the quiet elegance of this book and the masterful storytelling left me speechless. A story of love more than anything else.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I’ll start by saying that I loved the premise of this book. The story was wonderful and I enjoyed the split timeline and the settings. It was very evocative and emotional and I really enjoyed it. I would definitely recommend to friends and family and anyone interested in historical fiction.

The reason for my rating is that I struggle with third person POV and one of the timelines employs this. This is a personal preference and is entirely subjective. Another reader will not mind at all. I found the first person POV timeline much easier to read.

I would be interested in listening to the audiobook of this as I feel the third person POV may translate better in audio format for me personally. The story and the dual POV would certainly lend itself to narration.

This book is an absolute delight. The historical aspects are sensitively told, well researched and honest. The dual timeline narrative was perfectly intertwined to unravel the story gradually as the book progresses without being confusing. I think this would also translate perfectly to an audiobook format.

The characters were perfectly developed, beautifully and vibrantly written. There are romantic elements but it is so much more than a romance. The story is full of tragedy and sadness but somehow manages to be uplifting. The focus is on the journey through trauma and grief to hope, forgiveness and the discovery of one’s own strength and peace.

This is a truly fantastic example of historical fiction that I couldn’t put down and highly recommend. Intricately woven, evocative, enthralling and very moving. Thank you to Net Galley and the Publisher Aria and Aries for the ARC in exchange for my honest review. I loved it!

A beautiful story about guilt, letting go and second chances. When Miriam goes to New York to clear out her great aunt Esther's apartment, she finds out more about her great aunt, especially her experience in WW2. Along the way, she also meets Lucky and learns to deal with her own guilt over a friend’s death. Set in two timelines, both stories are compelling and sad, yet also inspiring as each learns to live with the guilt they are carrying. The bonds between sisters are explored in this story as well. I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book. Thanks to NetGalley for a chance to read and review this book.

The Paris Dancer by Nicola Rayner is a breathtaking tale of resilience, love, and the indomitable spirit of women across generations. Woven through a dual timeline, the story masterfully connects the lives of Annie Mayer, an aspiring ballerina in 1938 Paris, and Miriam, her great-niece, navigating her own journey of discovery in 2012.

Annie’s story is both poignant and thrilling. Amid the looming threat of war, she hides her Jewish heritage by accepting a dance partnership that offers her protection but at great personal cost. Her world, set against the glamorous yet perilous backdrop of pre-war Paris, is filled with heartbreak, bravery, and the haunting weight of survival. Annie’s passion for dance becomes her shield and solace, even as she faces unimaginable trials.

In 2012, Miriam travels to New York to settle the affairs of her late great-aunt, Annie. As she delves into Annie’s past through letters and mementos, Miriam begins to confront her own grief and guilt over a friend’s tragic death. The connection between the two women grows with each revelation, creating a deeply moving narrative of healing, courage, and self-discovery.

Rayner’s writing is evocative and immersive, bringing to life the contrasting worlds of 1930s Paris and contemporary New York. The historical elements are impeccably researched, blending seamlessly with the fictional narrative. The dual timeline structure is elegantly executed, offering equal weight to both women’s journeys without overshadowing one or the other.

What makes The Paris Dancer truly stand out is its rich, complex characters. Annie’s strength and vulnerability are inspiring, while Miriam’s modern-day struggles resonate deeply. Together, their stories explore themes of identity, sacrifice, and the unyielding bonds of family.

This book is more than just historical fiction—it’s a testament to the human spirit and the enduring power of art and memory. Nicola Rayner has crafted a beautifully layered story that is both heart-wrenching and uplifting, leaving readers with a profound sense of hope and admiration for the women who came before us.

Thank you to Aria & Aries and NetGalley for the ARC. Highly recommended for fans of historical fiction and dual timeline narratives!

This surpassed all expectations for me, in all the best ways! I'm not usually a huge fan of WWII historical fiction, namely because I feel like it tends to be somewhat derivative. But I was curious about this title because I do love dancing, and I thought I'd give it a go. What I got, as the pages unfolded, was gorgeous, heartfelt writing and two characters, spanning two distinct timelines, who I absolutely fell in love with. Esther and Mim, ah, they are so beautifully portrayed, and their personalities are so well conceived, they truly leapt off the page. And Lucky, what an added treat he was! I laughed, I swooned, I cried, this book has everything. It's absolutely stunning historical fiction and I would love to read more by this author in this space.