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Thursday 22 April 2021

A Postcard from Paris by Alex Brown

 


I am beyond thrilled to be part of the blog tour for A Postcard From Paris as I am Alex Brown's BIGGEST fan! ( Yes I did give myself that number one spot!)
I have loved each and everyone of Alex's novels but this one is definitely up there with my favourite of hers so check out my review and see if this one needs to make its way onto your bookshelf.



Annie Lovell is keen to put the spark back into her life and when her elderly neighbour inherits an abandoned Parisian apartment she goes to Paris to discover more. Her curiosity takes an unexpected turn on discovering a bundle of secret diaries hidden within the walls, detailing the life of a young English woman, Beatrice Crawford, who volunteered in 1916 to nurse the soldiers in the fields of France.
 
Captivated by the romantic City of Light, Annie realises first appearances are not always as they seem. Following Beatrice’s journey from the Great War, through the Roaring Twenties and to a very different life in Nazi-occupied Paris, Annie must piece together the events from the past, if she is to fulfil the legacy that Beatrice left for her to find…


I really missed not having a book by Alex Brown to lose myself in in 2020 but I kept seeing her social media showing updates on her writing process and cover reveals which gave me something to look forward to for 2021. As much as I am not a fan of reading on my kindle I was so desperate to read A Postcard From Paris that I couldn’t wait for the paperback release and having now finished reading A Postcard from Paris I can tell you all, this was well worth the wait so I forgive her for not giving me a book last year!

Annie needs some excitement in her life and the perfect opportunity arises when her elderly friend Joanie inherits an apartment and boutique in Paris left to her by a Beatrice Archambeau but she doesn’t know who the lady is. Annie embarks on a mission to try and find out who Beatrice was and as she uncovers the diaries she kept during the war she begins to form a picture of the courageous woman, but what is the connection between Joanie and Beatrice?

This was such a heart warming and insightful read, certainly up there with my favourite novel by Alex Brown. The storyline is predominantly told from Annie’s point of view but we get a wonderful insight into the life Beatrice lead through her own words in her diaries and I for one am not great with dual time frames but with the past being unravelled to us in this way made it all the more engaging and I looked forward to the chapters where we would be taken back in time to see what a courageous woman Beatrice was and to gradually pick up little pieces of the puzzle to see how everything fit.

The part Beatrice played in the war was portrayed well and gave a small insight into the way they all lived in constant fear and secrecy to stay safe but with thanks to a few brave souls who put their own lives at risk to protect others some lives were spared.

The author describes in such detail the beauty of Paris, I longed to be sat outside Odette with Annie, Maggie and Kristen on the cobbled street under the red canopies eating freshly baked patisseries experiencing my own Parisian adventure!

I found I was equally invested in both Annie and Beatrice lives so I enjoyed moving back and forth between the characters watching them grow, with Annie building firm friendships and finally taking time to look around and find enjoyment in her life. The novel was such a positive and uplifting read full of bravery, friendships, new beginnings and a touch of romance too.

I am a huge Alex Brown fan and her fictitious village Tindledale is a favourite of mine so I was so thrilled to see Tindledale and a could of the old characters pop up and have a connection in this novel.

I highly recommend A Postcard From Paris with its mix of modern chic Parisian charm and heartwarming, heroic history.



Kindle                      Paperback

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