One woman’s quest to uncover a secret sends her to Paris and what she finds is not what she was expecting at all.
They say Paris is for lovers. I wouldn’t know as I have never been there. I have read many books over the past few years that included Paris in the story. The latest one I read is Letters From Paris by Juliet Blackwell (Berkley Trade Paperback Original; in stores Tuesday, September 6). It’s a romantic love letter to the city and to one character who’s trying to find herself. A beautiful story that paints a picture of Paris and if you haven’t thought of going already, you will after you read this!
Claire Brossard grew up in a small Louisiana town. Her mother was killed in an automobile accident when she was just a baby. Somehow she survived. Her dad had custody but he was an alcoholic and a bad father. She ended up being raised by her Grandmother. She was able to escape and move to Chicago where she got a great job, made good money and met a nice man. When she got word that her Mammaw (is what her Grandmother was called) was on her death bed, she decided to quit her job and leave Chicago. She had no real plan. She just had to be back home before it was too late.
When she finds a sculpture in the attic (called L’inconnue…the Unknown Woman) that came from Paris after WWII (one she found when she was a kid but forgot about) with a mysterious note, she asks her Grandmother about it. She tells her to go to Paris and find the answers she’s looking for. She goes to the show where it was made and ends up getting a job there. She asks questions but really can find no answers.
Flashback to the past every couple of chapters and we learn that Sabine has movie to Paris (the woman the sculpture is based on) and is broke and looking for work. She ends up becoming a model to an abusive artist. Her story is told throughout the book (don’t want to say more without giving away spoilers).
As Claire searches more she finds more clues and learns some things. She also opens her heart and falls in love. The more she presses, the more the past and her future collide with a shocking secret that will forever shake her to her foundation.
