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The Last Restaurant in Paris
Paris 1944. To save her people, she served the enemy.
In enemy-occupied Paris, as the locals go to bed starving and defeated by the war, music and laughter spill through the door of a little restaurant crowded with German soldiers. The owner Marianne moves on weary feet between its packed tables, carrying plates of food for the enemy officers. Her smile is bright and sparkling, her welcome cordial. Nobody would guess the hatred she hides in her heart.
One night the restaurant closes its doors for the final time. In the morning, the windows are scratched with the words traitor and murderer . And Marianne has disappeared without a trace…
Years later, Marianne’s granddaughter Sabine stands under the faded green awning of the restaurant left to her by the grandmother she never met. She knows she isn't welcome. Marianne was hated by the locals, and when Sabine discovers they blamed her for the terrible tragedy that haunts the restaurant, she is ready to abandon her dark legacy. Then she finds a hidden passport with a picture of a woman who looks like her grandmother but has a different name, and she knows there must be more to Marianne’s story.
As Sabine digs into the past, she starts to wonder if her grandmother was a heroine, not a traitor. What happened to her after the tragic night when she fled from her restaurant? And will the answer change Sabine's own life forever?
In enemy-occupied Paris, as the locals go to bed starving and defeated by the war, music and laughter spill through the door of a little restaurant crowded with German soldiers. The owner Marianne moves on weary feet between its packed tables, carrying plates of food for the enemy officers. Her smile is bright and sparkling, her welcome cordial. Nobody would guess the hatred she hides in her heart.
One night the restaurant closes its doors for the final time. In the morning, the windows are scratched with the words traitor and murderer . And Marianne has disappeared without a trace…
Years later, Marianne’s granddaughter Sabine stands under the faded green awning of the restaurant left to her by the grandmother she never met. She knows she isn't welcome. Marianne was hated by the locals, and when Sabine discovers they blamed her for the terrible tragedy that haunts the restaurant, she is ready to abandon her dark legacy. Then she finds a hidden passport with a picture of a woman who looks like her grandmother but has a different name, and she knows there must be more to Marianne’s story.
As Sabine digs into the past, she starts to wonder if her grandmother was a heroine, not a traitor. What happened to her after the tragic night when she fled from her restaurant? And will the answer change Sabine's own life forever?
336 pages, Paperback
First published July 18, 2022
5368 people are currently reading
5110 people want to read
About the author
Lily Graham
18 books419 followersLily Graham grew up in South Africa and is a former journalist.
As a child she dreamt of being an author, and had half-finished manuscripts bulging out of her desk drawers, but it wasn't until she reached her thirties that she finally finished one of them. Her first books were written for children, but when her mother was diagnosed with cancer she wrote a story to deal with the fear and pain she was going through - this became her first women's fiction novel, which was published by Bookouture (Hachette) in 2016.
Since then she has written six novels, covering many topics, her first four novels were a blend of light hearted women's fiction and drama, but in recent years she has found her niche in historical fiction, after she wrote The Island Villa - a story about a secret community of Jews, who some believed were living on the island of Formentera during the Inquisition. It is a story about love, betrayal, and courage.
It took getting to her mid-thirties for her to realise that these were the types of stories she truly wanted to write. Since then she has written two other historical fiction novels, including The Paris Secret, a story about a woman, a bookshop and a secret that goes back to the occupation, and most recently, her most daunting book to date - The Child of Auschwitz, which was a story she never meant to write, but found herself compelled to after reading a story about a woman who gave birth to a child after surviving a concentration camp.
As a child she dreamt of being an author, and had half-finished manuscripts bulging out of her desk drawers, but it wasn't until she reached her thirties that she finally finished one of them. Her first books were written for children, but when her mother was diagnosed with cancer she wrote a story to deal with the fear and pain she was going through - this became her first women's fiction novel, which was published by Bookouture (Hachette) in 2016.
Since then she has written six novels, covering many topics, her first four novels were a blend of light hearted women's fiction and drama, but in recent years she has found her niche in historical fiction, after she wrote The Island Villa - a story about a secret community of Jews, who some believed were living on the island of Formentera during the Inquisition. It is a story about love, betrayal, and courage.
It took getting to her mid-thirties for her to realise that these were the types of stories she truly wanted to write. Since then she has written two other historical fiction novels, including The Paris Secret, a story about a woman, a bookshop and a secret that goes back to the occupation, and most recently, her most daunting book to date - The Child of Auschwitz, which was a story she never meant to write, but found herself compelled to after reading a story about a woman who gave birth to a child after surviving a concentration camp.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 418 reviews
July 20, 2022
It was 1987 when Sabine Duchelle was told by a solicitor that her recently deceased mother had been adopted and he had the forms to prove it. The solicitor also had information on her biological grandmother who'd lived and worked in France during the occupation. There was one person left alive who could fill Sabine in with the details - if she wanted them.
Gilbert was fifteen when he worked for Marianne Blanchet, owner of the new restaurant which the Germans had helped her open. She was feeding good wholesome food to the Germans and locals, like her grandmother used to make. Gilbert's tale was one of much sorrow and both he and Sabine weren't sure they wanted to talk about it. But Gilbert, feeling the loosening of his burden, led Sabine down a path she'd had no idea existed.
Marianne's story was a dark one, with her mother dying when she was nine and her father not wanting her, she went to her Grand-mere, whom she'd never met but within days, loved deeply. Grand-mere taught her to cook in the small restaurant the locals visited daily. But when she was in her teens, her father sent her to England for boarding school, where she met her half brother Freddie, who was to feature further in her life. In 1944, Marianne moved to Paris to befriend the enemy...
The Last Restaurant in Paris by Lily Graham was an excellent read. Heartfelt, poignant, sad and gutwrenching - I needed the tissues in this one. It's a different take on the war years than I've read, recently at least, and I thoroughly enjoyed it. It's one I won't forget in awhile. Highly recommended.
With thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for my digital ARC to read in exchange for an honest review.
Gilbert was fifteen when he worked for Marianne Blanchet, owner of the new restaurant which the Germans had helped her open. She was feeding good wholesome food to the Germans and locals, like her grandmother used to make. Gilbert's tale was one of much sorrow and both he and Sabine weren't sure they wanted to talk about it. But Gilbert, feeling the loosening of his burden, led Sabine down a path she'd had no idea existed.
Marianne's story was a dark one, with her mother dying when she was nine and her father not wanting her, she went to her Grand-mere, whom she'd never met but within days, loved deeply. Grand-mere taught her to cook in the small restaurant the locals visited daily. But when she was in her teens, her father sent her to England for boarding school, where she met her half brother Freddie, who was to feature further in her life. In 1944, Marianne moved to Paris to befriend the enemy...
The Last Restaurant in Paris by Lily Graham was an excellent read. Heartfelt, poignant, sad and gutwrenching - I needed the tissues in this one. It's a different take on the war years than I've read, recently at least, and I thoroughly enjoyed it. It's one I won't forget in awhile. Highly recommended.
With thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for my digital ARC to read in exchange for an honest review.
June 8, 2022
Firstly I would like to Thank netgalley and Bookoutune and the author Lily Graham for a copy of this book.
A wartime story set in Paris, The description of Paris was beautifully described in this book.for me this book I didnt connect with this storyline,I did enjoy her other book The child of Auschwitz,and still to read the German girl on my kindle.This book starts with Sabine Duchelle she was left a restaurant by her Grandmother, she meets with Monsieur Geroux to learn more about the restaurant as he worked there as a child,he wanted to know the truth about her Grandmother, did she poison her customers?for me its was an okay read.
This book is reviewed on goodreads and will be reviewed on Amazon.
A wartime story set in Paris, The description of Paris was beautifully described in this book.for me this book I didnt connect with this storyline,I did enjoy her other book The child of Auschwitz,and still to read the German girl on my kindle.This book starts with Sabine Duchelle she was left a restaurant by her Grandmother, she meets with Monsieur Geroux to learn more about the restaurant as he worked there as a child,he wanted to know the truth about her Grandmother, did she poison her customers?for me its was an okay read.
This book is reviewed on goodreads and will be reviewed on Amazon.
January 20, 2023
In the top 5. Yes, it went back and forth between WWII and present day, but the plot twists were transitioned so well it was very difficult to put down. Could this have happened? Maybe. It feels like it did. Well worth a read.............
March 31, 2024
The story begins in 1987 when Sabine Duchelle gets a call from a lawyer that (1) she has inherited a restaurant with a very notorious past being the site of the murder of a number of Nazi officers for which her grandmother was arrested and (2) the mother she thought she knew was adopted.
She subsequently learns that there is one person who was alive at the time her grandmother owned the restaurant who may be able to shed some light on this incredibly surprising news.
I almost gave up in the first part because it felt as if the author was writing for a YA reader.
Until Part Two of the book when we meet Elodie, Jacques and Elodie’s Grand-mère in Provence starting in 1926 - that kept me reading. From there on it held my interest 100%.
Several passages are repeated in the end that we have already read in the beginning – I’m not sure why the author would use this method.
My 4-stars are for Elodie, Jacques and Elodie’s Grand-mère and for the brave wonderful woman who killed the Nazis. In spite of the writing (in my opining) not being the greatest I still enjoyed the story very much.
She subsequently learns that there is one person who was alive at the time her grandmother owned the restaurant who may be able to shed some light on this incredibly surprising news.
I almost gave up in the first part because it felt as if the author was writing for a YA reader.
Until Part Two of the book when we meet Elodie, Jacques and Elodie’s Grand-mère in Provence starting in 1926 - that kept me reading. From there on it held my interest 100%.
Several passages are repeated in the end that we have already read in the beginning – I’m not sure why the author would use this method.
My 4-stars are for Elodie, Jacques and Elodie’s Grand-mère and for the brave wonderful woman who killed the Nazis. In spite of the writing (in my opining) not being the greatest I still enjoyed the story very much.
March 29, 2024
German occupied Paris is inundated with Nazi soldiers. A young Parisian, Marianne, colludes with a young German soldier to open a restaurant. Why would someone open a restaurant when so many are closing? She says she will, not only feed the soldiers, but also the good people of Paris who are living on rations and starving to death. Is this her only motive?
Her granddaughter, Sabine, inherits the long closed restaurant in 1987 and if full of questions about this grandmother she doesn’t know existed. She sets out on a journey to uncover the truth about her mysterious grandmother, and her restaurant, with the help of someone who remembers the entire harrowing incident.
With alternating timelines, we delve into Marianne’s complicated story and come to understand this fearless young woman.
Moving and lovely historical fiction!
Her granddaughter, Sabine, inherits the long closed restaurant in 1987 and if full of questions about this grandmother she doesn’t know existed. She sets out on a journey to uncover the truth about her mysterious grandmother, and her restaurant, with the help of someone who remembers the entire harrowing incident.
With alternating timelines, we delve into Marianne’s complicated story and come to understand this fearless young woman.
Moving and lovely historical fiction!
November 18, 2023
Amazing story and so compelling.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Sometimes you need a little change of pace and the synopsis of this upcoming re-release sounded so compelling I really had to read it. I then found I couldn’t put it down.
I love reading books that have a little bit of history included in the backstory and plot. This gives a deeper dimension to the book and makes it so real.
Told in multiple points of view across time, the story had so many surprising pieces to it. Unexpected twists and heartbreaking feelings will pour out as you turn the pages. The author developed a story that rings true. In many ways, it reminds me of an old war movie I once saw.
The Last Restaurant in Paris is heartbreaking as Graham weaves a story of family secrets, ties, and loss. The author blends in intrigue, espionage, subterfuge, and shocking twists as the story develops. Nothing is as it seems the deeper you dig into learning whether Marianne is a traitor or a hero.
An addicting read that takes you deep into occupied France during WW II and uncovers family secrets left dormant for years. An Excellent read!
~~~
* I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
* full review - https://amidlifewife.com/the-last-res...
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Sometimes you need a little change of pace and the synopsis of this upcoming re-release sounded so compelling I really had to read it. I then found I couldn’t put it down.
I love reading books that have a little bit of history included in the backstory and plot. This gives a deeper dimension to the book and makes it so real.
Told in multiple points of view across time, the story had so many surprising pieces to it. Unexpected twists and heartbreaking feelings will pour out as you turn the pages. The author developed a story that rings true. In many ways, it reminds me of an old war movie I once saw.
The Last Restaurant in Paris is heartbreaking as Graham weaves a story of family secrets, ties, and loss. The author blends in intrigue, espionage, subterfuge, and shocking twists as the story develops. Nothing is as it seems the deeper you dig into learning whether Marianne is a traitor or a hero.
An addicting read that takes you deep into occupied France during WW II and uncovers family secrets left dormant for years. An Excellent read!
~~~
* I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
* full review - https://amidlifewife.com/the-last-res...
January 27, 2023
“To save her people, she served the enemy”
...
Lily Graham is a multi genre author, who writes both contemporary and WWII novels, although I have so far only read books from the latter category, something I aim to address as soon as my schedule allows.
I marvel at authors who can still be inspired to write diverse, unique and interesting storylines in the world of WWII fiction, however, Lily takes things to a whole new level with this compelling saga. No! It wasn’t perfect, there were a couple of typos and other anomalies…
However… If you only have the opportunity, or desire, to read one WWII book in 2023, then please make it this one!
...
The story opens in 1987, in the Batignolles village of Paris. Antiquarian bookshop owner Gilbert Geroux, is one of the few remaining residents who can remember the terrors and horrors of WWII. The Nazi occupation of his beloved hometown and Country and the part which the still derelict restaurant Luberon, on the corner of the street, played in events during that fateful period. The restaurant where, as a teenaged boy, he had helped its then new owner, Marianne Blanchet, prepare the rundown building for business and make it the success it had gone on to be.
All, despite initial opposition from the local population, who on realising that Marianne’s backers were in part high ranking officers of the occupying Nazi party, had refused to believe that she was not a collaborator. Marianne is reluctant to take Gilbert and his hot-headed younger brother Henri into her confidence too much, as she fears for their safety. However, when it comes to her attention that Gilbert has joined the local branch of the Resistance chapter, their relationship subtly changes and an unwritten understanding is forged between them, when it is apparent that they are both fighting from the same corner, albeit in different ways and for separate personal outcomes. Until that fateful night in 1943, when a young man’s world is shattered twice in one evening, his trust in someone he had come to respect and admire is destroyed, and his faith in the ideal that all his fellow Resistance team are fighting for the same freedoms as himself, are tossed aside.
Into Gilbert’s still raw memories, steps one Sabine Dupris who, after so many years of searching, has been authenticated as Marianne’s granddaughter and only surviving family member. Sabine’s mother Marguerite has recently gone to her grave, not knowing that she had been adopted by the couple she had always believed to be her natural parents and who Sabine had always known as her only grandparents. The shock for both Sabine and Gilbert, of uncovering two entirely different lifetimes of events surrounding Marianne, about which neither knew anything of the other, is palpable and it takes some time for them to build any bond of friendship and mutual trust. Marianne, has however, left several clues to her past, which the two of them uncover together during their searches through the remains of the restaurant. So with the blessing of Sabine’s husband Antoine, the pair begin to piece together the life of a woman who was both selfish and single-mindedly focussed; whilst selfless, faithful and remorseful, until the end of her short life, and how that impacted on them both, and continues to do so.
Their search takes the reader back to 1926, when nine-year-old Elodie Clairmont, daughter of a French woman (who has just died) and her married English lover, is collected from her Paris apartment and taken to England, to her father’s home. His wife doesn’t want this cuckoo in the nest, although Elodie’s much older stepbrother Freddie and she, soon become firm friends, so Elodie is packed off to boarding school during term-time and is returned to Batignolles, France for the holidays, into the care of her maternal grandmother Marguerite Renaux, whom she has never met. The two soon become firm friends and fellow bakers for Marguerite’s small village restaurant business. Elodie also becomes close friends with Marguerite’s neighbour and his son Jacques Blanchet, who has also only recently lost his own mother, so knows exactly the turmoil Elodie is experiencing. Jacques is an avid ornithologist and bird befriender, so when several years have elapsed and his dream job comes along as an apprentice researcher at a Bird Observatory, on an island off the German coast, Elodie encourages him to follow his heart, much as he has already captured hers. Before leaving, Jacques, who is a Jew and can see the writing on the wall as WWII grows ever closer, obtains a forged set of identification papers, just in case he needs an emergency escape route home, and an engagement ring for Elodie. The pair marry quickly and on one his infrequent trips home from the island and following several miscarriages, a baby is conceived who will survive to full term. Tragedy strikes twice for Elodie and although baby Marguerite brings some joy to her mother, that is not enough to overcome the grief Marianne (as she is now known) has to endure from her double-hand of misery. She convinces herself that she will not be able to see through the fog of despair until she has avenged a terrible crime, so a distance between mother and daughter has to be established, to keep baby Marguerite safe and leave her mother free to do what she must!
Elodie had also befriended the nuns of the local Abbey, particularly Sister Augustine, who is her constant support and confidante, up to and beyond the time of her death, right into the current day, when she is pivotal to Gilbert and Sabine’s search for answers and closure. Can she shine a light on the woman who was Sabine’s grandmother, Marianne Blanchet and restore the good name of a once loved and respected mentor and friend for Gilbert?
...
This tragically inspiring, beautifully nuanced and textured storyline, is a multi-generational saga, narrated predominantly by Gilbert, Marianne (Elodie) and Sister Augustine. It is roughly divided into two timelines 1926-1943 / 1987-1990 and although the chapters do tend to meander between timeframes as the voice of the narrator dictates, you are always certain whereabouts you are, as each is concise and clearly signposted, with the reasons for any slight detours always relevant to the flow of the story.
The writing is evocative, poignant and totally captivating. A wartime City devastated, families divided and friendships torn apart, often in the name of faith and religion, by those who would appease and serve their captors in the hope of survival and eventual freedom, being pitted against their fellow countrymen willing to suffer and endure abject poverty in an effort to thwart the invaders at every opportunity and fight the battle for victory from within. It’s contemporary counterpart, is a Paris full of life and a population for whom the scars of war are a mere memory, fading with the passage of time. However, for the few remaining brave souls who have never forgotten, there are still some long-held secrets of heritage and heroism to be uncovered and wrongs to be righted.
Lily pays great attention to the detail and descriptive qualities with which she paints the physical location of this storyline. She teased the ‘armchair traveller’ in me, with a real sense of time and place I could almost step into, and an atmosphere which lingered long after I had closed the final page.
The entire, extensive cast of multi-faceted characters are wonderfully drawn and developed. Whilst they are all, by necessity of circumstances, often complex and emotional, volatile and passionate; they are addictively genuine, believable and authentic to the roles which have been created for them. Although Marianne is portrayed as someone with a strong sense of purpose, high moral fibre and an advocate for doing the right thing, I’m still not certain I can correlate that she allowed those beliefs to override the overwhelming desire she had shown to bear a child for Jacques, a daughter who she may now never see grow into a young lady, should her plans go wildly askew. The profound complexity of her motivations and the vying raw emotions she was experiencing, must surely, have somewhat coloured her judgement? Her fate and her bravery in accepting the inevitable price she knew she had to pay was never in question, however, the true actions of her crime (if ever there was one), are known only to one other living person, who has held their counsel and would have taken the knowledge to their grave had circumstances so dictated.
The dynamics of a family separated by a stretch of water and the anathema of class distinction, a tragedy so devastating that revenge and vengeance were the only antidotes, the abject guilt and grief of the accidental consequences of actions which were never intended to harm all their victims.
What typically makes reading such a wonderful experience for me, is that with each and every book, I am taken on a unique and individual journey, by some amazing authors who fire my imagination, stimulate my senses and stir my emotions. This storyline gave more than I could have hoped for on just about every front, so thanks for some lovely memories to treasure, Lily.
...
Lily Graham is a multi genre author, who writes both contemporary and WWII novels, although I have so far only read books from the latter category, something I aim to address as soon as my schedule allows.
I marvel at authors who can still be inspired to write diverse, unique and interesting storylines in the world of WWII fiction, however, Lily takes things to a whole new level with this compelling saga. No! It wasn’t perfect, there were a couple of typos and other anomalies…
However… If you only have the opportunity, or desire, to read one WWII book in 2023, then please make it this one!
...
The story opens in 1987, in the Batignolles village of Paris. Antiquarian bookshop owner Gilbert Geroux, is one of the few remaining residents who can remember the terrors and horrors of WWII. The Nazi occupation of his beloved hometown and Country and the part which the still derelict restaurant Luberon, on the corner of the street, played in events during that fateful period. The restaurant where, as a teenaged boy, he had helped its then new owner, Marianne Blanchet, prepare the rundown building for business and make it the success it had gone on to be.
All, despite initial opposition from the local population, who on realising that Marianne’s backers were in part high ranking officers of the occupying Nazi party, had refused to believe that she was not a collaborator. Marianne is reluctant to take Gilbert and his hot-headed younger brother Henri into her confidence too much, as she fears for their safety. However, when it comes to her attention that Gilbert has joined the local branch of the Resistance chapter, their relationship subtly changes and an unwritten understanding is forged between them, when it is apparent that they are both fighting from the same corner, albeit in different ways and for separate personal outcomes. Until that fateful night in 1943, when a young man’s world is shattered twice in one evening, his trust in someone he had come to respect and admire is destroyed, and his faith in the ideal that all his fellow Resistance team are fighting for the same freedoms as himself, are tossed aside.
Into Gilbert’s still raw memories, steps one Sabine Dupris who, after so many years of searching, has been authenticated as Marianne’s granddaughter and only surviving family member. Sabine’s mother Marguerite has recently gone to her grave, not knowing that she had been adopted by the couple she had always believed to be her natural parents and who Sabine had always known as her only grandparents. The shock for both Sabine and Gilbert, of uncovering two entirely different lifetimes of events surrounding Marianne, about which neither knew anything of the other, is palpable and it takes some time for them to build any bond of friendship and mutual trust. Marianne, has however, left several clues to her past, which the two of them uncover together during their searches through the remains of the restaurant. So with the blessing of Sabine’s husband Antoine, the pair begin to piece together the life of a woman who was both selfish and single-mindedly focussed; whilst selfless, faithful and remorseful, until the end of her short life, and how that impacted on them both, and continues to do so.
Their search takes the reader back to 1926, when nine-year-old Elodie Clairmont, daughter of a French woman (who has just died) and her married English lover, is collected from her Paris apartment and taken to England, to her father’s home. His wife doesn’t want this cuckoo in the nest, although Elodie’s much older stepbrother Freddie and she, soon become firm friends, so Elodie is packed off to boarding school during term-time and is returned to Batignolles, France for the holidays, into the care of her maternal grandmother Marguerite Renaux, whom she has never met. The two soon become firm friends and fellow bakers for Marguerite’s small village restaurant business. Elodie also becomes close friends with Marguerite’s neighbour and his son Jacques Blanchet, who has also only recently lost his own mother, so knows exactly the turmoil Elodie is experiencing. Jacques is an avid ornithologist and bird befriender, so when several years have elapsed and his dream job comes along as an apprentice researcher at a Bird Observatory, on an island off the German coast, Elodie encourages him to follow his heart, much as he has already captured hers. Before leaving, Jacques, who is a Jew and can see the writing on the wall as WWII grows ever closer, obtains a forged set of identification papers, just in case he needs an emergency escape route home, and an engagement ring for Elodie. The pair marry quickly and on one his infrequent trips home from the island and following several miscarriages, a baby is conceived who will survive to full term. Tragedy strikes twice for Elodie and although baby Marguerite brings some joy to her mother, that is not enough to overcome the grief Marianne (as she is now known) has to endure from her double-hand of misery. She convinces herself that she will not be able to see through the fog of despair until she has avenged a terrible crime, so a distance between mother and daughter has to be established, to keep baby Marguerite safe and leave her mother free to do what she must!
Elodie had also befriended the nuns of the local Abbey, particularly Sister Augustine, who is her constant support and confidante, up to and beyond the time of her death, right into the current day, when she is pivotal to Gilbert and Sabine’s search for answers and closure. Can she shine a light on the woman who was Sabine’s grandmother, Marianne Blanchet and restore the good name of a once loved and respected mentor and friend for Gilbert?
...
This tragically inspiring, beautifully nuanced and textured storyline, is a multi-generational saga, narrated predominantly by Gilbert, Marianne (Elodie) and Sister Augustine. It is roughly divided into two timelines 1926-1943 / 1987-1990 and although the chapters do tend to meander between timeframes as the voice of the narrator dictates, you are always certain whereabouts you are, as each is concise and clearly signposted, with the reasons for any slight detours always relevant to the flow of the story.
The writing is evocative, poignant and totally captivating. A wartime City devastated, families divided and friendships torn apart, often in the name of faith and religion, by those who would appease and serve their captors in the hope of survival and eventual freedom, being pitted against their fellow countrymen willing to suffer and endure abject poverty in an effort to thwart the invaders at every opportunity and fight the battle for victory from within. It’s contemporary counterpart, is a Paris full of life and a population for whom the scars of war are a mere memory, fading with the passage of time. However, for the few remaining brave souls who have never forgotten, there are still some long-held secrets of heritage and heroism to be uncovered and wrongs to be righted.
Lily pays great attention to the detail and descriptive qualities with which she paints the physical location of this storyline. She teased the ‘armchair traveller’ in me, with a real sense of time and place I could almost step into, and an atmosphere which lingered long after I had closed the final page.
The entire, extensive cast of multi-faceted characters are wonderfully drawn and developed. Whilst they are all, by necessity of circumstances, often complex and emotional, volatile and passionate; they are addictively genuine, believable and authentic to the roles which have been created for them. Although Marianne is portrayed as someone with a strong sense of purpose, high moral fibre and an advocate for doing the right thing, I’m still not certain I can correlate that she allowed those beliefs to override the overwhelming desire she had shown to bear a child for Jacques, a daughter who she may now never see grow into a young lady, should her plans go wildly askew. The profound complexity of her motivations and the vying raw emotions she was experiencing, must surely, have somewhat coloured her judgement? Her fate and her bravery in accepting the inevitable price she knew she had to pay was never in question, however, the true actions of her crime (if ever there was one), are known only to one other living person, who has held their counsel and would have taken the knowledge to their grave had circumstances so dictated.
The dynamics of a family separated by a stretch of water and the anathema of class distinction, a tragedy so devastating that revenge and vengeance were the only antidotes, the abject guilt and grief of the accidental consequences of actions which were never intended to harm all their victims.
What typically makes reading such a wonderful experience for me, is that with each and every book, I am taken on a unique and individual journey, by some amazing authors who fire my imagination, stimulate my senses and stir my emotions. This storyline gave more than I could have hoped for on just about every front, so thanks for some lovely memories to treasure, Lily.
June 26, 2022
“Victory comes at a price, and sometimes that price is on one’s soul.”
When people hear they’ve inherited something, they’re excited because they assume it’s something of value. Author Lily Graham takes that premise and twists it to explore what happens when someone inherits something that isn’t so wonderful. She allows us to follow her protagonist of the 1987 timeline, Sabine Dupris, as she is confronted with the knowledge that she is related to one of the most evil women in Paris.
Sabine has inherited Luberon, an old and dilapidated restaurant with a dark reputation. It has been abandoned for the past 40 years because “during the war, when the city was under occupation, the restaurant’s owner poisoned and killed all her customers in one night.”
The cover grabbed my attention, the premise had me eagerly reaching for it, and the plot kept me spellbound. I had to find out why and how!
Graham takes us on a circular journey so that we can appreciate the legacy of Luberon and its Provencale family of cooks as well as fully comprehend the price someone is willing to pay for justice. I read about a long-lost grandmother, a restaurant full of secrets, and a woman, traumatized by the events of WW2, who was determined to set things right. I loved that Graham brought us full circle and hammered home the important segments of Marianne Blanchet’s life. I teach like this too, and I feel it’s conducive to making connections.
Marianne Blanchet is a fabulous character! To many, she was despised, but once you get to know her, you’ll understand that everything people think they know about her is wrong. Dead wrong.
Historical fiction lovers, this story, set in Nazi-occupied Paris and highlighting love, strength and sacrifice, needs to be on your reading list.
I was gifted this advance copy by Lily Graham, Bookouture and NetGalley and was under no obligation to provide a review.
When people hear they’ve inherited something, they’re excited because they assume it’s something of value. Author Lily Graham takes that premise and twists it to explore what happens when someone inherits something that isn’t so wonderful. She allows us to follow her protagonist of the 1987 timeline, Sabine Dupris, as she is confronted with the knowledge that she is related to one of the most evil women in Paris.
Sabine has inherited Luberon, an old and dilapidated restaurant with a dark reputation. It has been abandoned for the past 40 years because “during the war, when the city was under occupation, the restaurant’s owner poisoned and killed all her customers in one night.”
The cover grabbed my attention, the premise had me eagerly reaching for it, and the plot kept me spellbound. I had to find out why and how!
Graham takes us on a circular journey so that we can appreciate the legacy of Luberon and its Provencale family of cooks as well as fully comprehend the price someone is willing to pay for justice. I read about a long-lost grandmother, a restaurant full of secrets, and a woman, traumatized by the events of WW2, who was determined to set things right. I loved that Graham brought us full circle and hammered home the important segments of Marianne Blanchet’s life. I teach like this too, and I feel it’s conducive to making connections.
Marianne Blanchet is a fabulous character! To many, she was despised, but once you get to know her, you’ll understand that everything people think they know about her is wrong. Dead wrong.
Historical fiction lovers, this story, set in Nazi-occupied Paris and highlighting love, strength and sacrifice, needs to be on your reading list.
I was gifted this advance copy by Lily Graham, Bookouture and NetGalley and was under no obligation to provide a review.
November 6, 2024
The story begins in 1980s France with a young librarian named Sabine Dupris who inherits a restaurant from her biological grandmother, whom Sabine did not know she had. And, to add to the story is that this restaurant holds a dark family secret history that takes readers to Nazi-occupied Paris during WWII.
Sabine learns of the tragic history behind the restaurant which included murder. Her interest leads Sabine to seek answers from locals who have intimate knowledge of this past.
In many ways this was a gripping read focusing on unraveling the wartime mystery of this restaurant and Marianne Blanchet, the biological grandmother.
As readers, will we find ourselves feeling empathy or sympathy for Marianne and the situation she was in? How will we, as readers, respond to the evil that surrounded her? Or what Marianne did to survive?
This historical fiction story felt like an emotional exploration of morality and justice, and was certainly, thought-provoking and engaging.
For those who enjoy historical fiction, and exploring the complexities of that time in history – collaboration and resistance – this may be considered a good read.
Sabine learns of the tragic history behind the restaurant which included murder. Her interest leads Sabine to seek answers from locals who have intimate knowledge of this past.
In many ways this was a gripping read focusing on unraveling the wartime mystery of this restaurant and Marianne Blanchet, the biological grandmother.
As readers, will we find ourselves feeling empathy or sympathy for Marianne and the situation she was in? How will we, as readers, respond to the evil that surrounded her? Or what Marianne did to survive?
This historical fiction story felt like an emotional exploration of morality and justice, and was certainly, thought-provoking and engaging.
For those who enjoy historical fiction, and exploring the complexities of that time in history – collaboration and resistance – this may be considered a good read.
July 12, 2022
In the year 1987, Sabine Duchelle discovered that her mother was adopted. This was only the tip of the iceberg for Sabine. Armed with an old key and determination, she heads to Paris for answers.
Enemy occupied Paris, 1940s. Marianne Blanchet is determined to open a small restaurant, knowing full well that most, if not all of her customers will be enemy officers. Her customers will likely be the hated Germans who have infiltrated the country. However, Marianne is not about to be deterred and does what she can to obtain any permissions that she can and does indeed open her restaurant.
However, the restaurant was only open for so long. In fact, Marianne's story ended on a very dark note. After the restaurant was closed, words were scratched on the windows - traitor and murderer. Why did the restaurant close so suddenly, and what was the meaning behind those words?
These are questions that Sabine has decades later. She goes to Paris with her key and has many questions about her grandmother Marianne. There was a legacy left by Marianne and this is something the locals have not forgotten - or forgiven - all those years later. Sabine meets an old man named Gilbert. Gilbert was around during the time the restaurant was opened, and his story is chilling and sad.
What an incredibly tragic story! Marianne had a plan, that much is made clear. However, it took a turn that was not expected. Sabine wants answers. Whether or not she can handle the truth behind those answers remains to be seen. Something happened in 1943 and Sabine's determination for the truth will not be swayed. In this compelling read by Lily Graham, readers will slowly learn the motive behind Marianne's actions and why it was that Sabine's mother was adopted.
Both timelines were intriguing, especially considering the irreversible actions that Marianne took in 1943. She took great risks and those risks came with tragic results. A morally sensitive story to be sure, one that any lover of historical fiction should read. This was a book that was impossible to put down, especially when the mystery and motive behind Marianne's actions are explored and how Sabine and Gilbert slowly uncovered the secrets of the past in order to understand what happened back in 1943.
The story paints Marianne one way or another - evil or kind. Sabine wants to understand how to view her. Was Marianne a heroine or was she truly a traitor, a murderer, something believed for decades? This dark story answers those questions while smartly delivering a message of strength, hope and courage.
Many thanks to Bookouture and to NetGalley for this ARC for review. This is my honest opinion.
Enemy occupied Paris, 1940s. Marianne Blanchet is determined to open a small restaurant, knowing full well that most, if not all of her customers will be enemy officers. Her customers will likely be the hated Germans who have infiltrated the country. However, Marianne is not about to be deterred and does what she can to obtain any permissions that she can and does indeed open her restaurant.
However, the restaurant was only open for so long. In fact, Marianne's story ended on a very dark note. After the restaurant was closed, words were scratched on the windows - traitor and murderer. Why did the restaurant close so suddenly, and what was the meaning behind those words?
These are questions that Sabine has decades later. She goes to Paris with her key and has many questions about her grandmother Marianne. There was a legacy left by Marianne and this is something the locals have not forgotten - or forgiven - all those years later. Sabine meets an old man named Gilbert. Gilbert was around during the time the restaurant was opened, and his story is chilling and sad.
What an incredibly tragic story! Marianne had a plan, that much is made clear. However, it took a turn that was not expected. Sabine wants answers. Whether or not she can handle the truth behind those answers remains to be seen. Something happened in 1943 and Sabine's determination for the truth will not be swayed. In this compelling read by Lily Graham, readers will slowly learn the motive behind Marianne's actions and why it was that Sabine's mother was adopted.
Both timelines were intriguing, especially considering the irreversible actions that Marianne took in 1943. She took great risks and those risks came with tragic results. A morally sensitive story to be sure, one that any lover of historical fiction should read. This was a book that was impossible to put down, especially when the mystery and motive behind Marianne's actions are explored and how Sabine and Gilbert slowly uncovered the secrets of the past in order to understand what happened back in 1943.
The story paints Marianne one way or another - evil or kind. Sabine wants to understand how to view her. Was Marianne a heroine or was she truly a traitor, a murderer, something believed for decades? This dark story answers those questions while smartly delivering a message of strength, hope and courage.
Many thanks to Bookouture and to NetGalley for this ARC for review. This is my honest opinion.
February 17, 2024
A dual timeline taking place in modern times of 1987 and WW11 years. A gentle back and forth storyline each one easy to follow. Sabine finds out she has inherited a restaurant business in Paris from her grandmother. She is shocked to find out family secrets she had known nothing about.
The author vividly brings the story to life, and it is based on true events. Finding out these secrets is haunting as we can easily visualize the restaurant full of life. While the young pretty owner of the Parisian restaurant smilingly serves the enemy German soldiers no one can guess the secret she harbors in her heart. Heartbreaking and thought provoking. The main plot of the story is the action taken that causes her to be labeled a traitor and murderer. I enjoyed reading Gabriel's thoughts as he actually knew Marianne during WWII. The book has the running of the restaurant as the main focus during the war, which is different than many books, I've read but it works well. This is a book that won't be easily forgotten.
Pub Date 18 Jul 2022
I was given a complimentary copy of this book.
All opinions expressed are my own.
The author vividly brings the story to life, and it is based on true events. Finding out these secrets is haunting as we can easily visualize the restaurant full of life. While the young pretty owner of the Parisian restaurant smilingly serves the enemy German soldiers no one can guess the secret she harbors in her heart. Heartbreaking and thought provoking. The main plot of the story is the action taken that causes her to be labeled a traitor and murderer. I enjoyed reading Gabriel's thoughts as he actually knew Marianne during WWII. The book has the running of the restaurant as the main focus during the war, which is different than many books, I've read but it works well. This is a book that won't be easily forgotten.
Pub Date 18 Jul 2022
I was given a complimentary copy of this book.
All opinions expressed are my own.
September 21, 2022
5.0
What happened in 1943 on the last night Luberon was open? This tragic event changed many lives forever.
First we “ need to feed the sharks in order to feed the minnows.”
Luberon is a Paris restaurant owned by Marianne,
that opened during the occupation. German officers ate at the restaurant— it will be three weeks after the opening before any locals eat there. Four locals come to eat , but only because they are ordered to by Otto Busch, the Nazi cultural liaison officer for Paris.
Gilbert Geroux currently owns an antiquarian bookstore located near the now abandoned restaurant. Gilbert and his little brother Henri worked for Marianne when they were fourteen and twelve years old.
The story alternates between the early 1940s and 1987 when Sabine inherits an abandoned restaurant from a grandmother she has never met. Sabine learns a story of love and sacrifice.
What was Marianne’s big sacrifice?
What is the link between Marianne, Jacques, Otto and Gilbert?
Tragedy, revenge, justice…
* I first heard of this book on Goodreads want-to-read lists. I’m glad I read it!
* This book was not like the other recent WWII books I read. It did not dwell on imprisonment, for example. It focused more on Marianne’s coworkers, friends, family and acquaintances.
What happened in 1943 on the last night Luberon was open? This tragic event changed many lives forever.
First we “ need to feed the sharks in order to feed the minnows.”
Luberon is a Paris restaurant owned by Marianne,
that opened during the occupation. German officers ate at the restaurant— it will be three weeks after the opening before any locals eat there. Four locals come to eat , but only because they are ordered to by Otto Busch, the Nazi cultural liaison officer for Paris.
Gilbert Geroux currently owns an antiquarian bookstore located near the now abandoned restaurant. Gilbert and his little brother Henri worked for Marianne when they were fourteen and twelve years old.
The story alternates between the early 1940s and 1987 when Sabine inherits an abandoned restaurant from a grandmother she has never met. Sabine learns a story of love and sacrifice.
What was Marianne’s big sacrifice?
What is the link between Marianne, Jacques, Otto and Gilbert?
Tragedy, revenge, justice…
* I first heard of this book on Goodreads want-to-read lists. I’m glad I read it!
* This book was not like the other recent WWII books I read. It did not dwell on imprisonment, for example. It focused more on Marianne’s coworkers, friends, family and acquaintances.
June 23, 2022
I would like to thank @netgalley and @Bookoutune and author @LilyGraham, for a copy of this book. This is my second book from Lily Graham.
This book earns 4 Stars. There are a few anomalies that I recognize as a francophone. It does not detract from the story, but does cause me to correct things in my mind. A typical example is referring to Elodie (female child) as “Mon Petit” (male). I feel that “Ma Petite” (female), would be more appropriate. “The Last Restaurant in Paris”, I found to be a little long and slow to get going. However, it captured me and I was drawn in, wanting to understand what had brought Marianne to do what she had done.
During WWII, the restaurant “Luberon” was the scene of an incident in 1943 where both Germans and French citizens died at the hands of Marianne Blanchet, the restaurant’s owner. The story switches between 1987 with Sabine, Marianne’s grand-daughter and 1942/43 with Marianne. Secrets are slowly revealed and the lives of both Sabine and Gilbert, an old man who worked as a boy in the restaurant, will never be the same.
This is a good read. I highly recommend it. Enjoy!
This book earns 4 Stars. There are a few anomalies that I recognize as a francophone. It does not detract from the story, but does cause me to correct things in my mind. A typical example is referring to Elodie (female child) as “Mon Petit” (male). I feel that “Ma Petite” (female), would be more appropriate. “The Last Restaurant in Paris”, I found to be a little long and slow to get going. However, it captured me and I was drawn in, wanting to understand what had brought Marianne to do what she had done.
During WWII, the restaurant “Luberon” was the scene of an incident in 1943 where both Germans and French citizens died at the hands of Marianne Blanchet, the restaurant’s owner. The story switches between 1987 with Sabine, Marianne’s grand-daughter and 1942/43 with Marianne. Secrets are slowly revealed and the lives of both Sabine and Gilbert, an old man who worked as a boy in the restaurant, will never be the same.
This is a good read. I highly recommend it. Enjoy!
July 19, 2022
Told over three timelines, including the early 1940s and 1987, The Last Restaurant in Paris is a tragic and engrossing story with love, revenge and retribution being at its heart. Frenchwoman Marianne Blanchet, the owner of the said restaurant known as ‘Luberon’, was regarded as being a collaborator with the Nazis and also a murderer by her fellow citizens. However had they been in knowledge of all the facts, I wonder whether she would have been judged so harshly.
Sabine, her adult granddaughter and in receipt of an unexpected inheritance, knows nothing of her grandmother’s past but with the help of someone who was closer to Marianne than she, sets out to discover why Marianne’s memory is so reviled and what exactly took place that fateful evening. Because of the passage of time, there was no guarantee she would find all the answers but all the way through I was hoping that somehow she would discover her grandmother’s incredible story.
I really enjoyed this and was completely captivated by the entire story however the part for me that stood out the most was Marianne’s story. This was actually my favourite part because you get a real sense of the person and their motivations. It delves into family relationships, the effects of grief, and includes the horrific consequences of the Nazi occupation and the separation of France between ‘free’ and occupied territories.
There are plenty of family secrets to discover in this story of wartime occupation and whilst it is in some ways a heartrending read because you know almost from the outset the consequences of Marianne’s actions, other aspects are gradually revealed which form an enthralling story of secrets and deceit. There are so many characters to sympathise with and the author has done an excellent job in bringing them to life through the pages. Good and evil is not black and white with this story but has shades of grey.
A fabulous read and definitely recommended for readers of this genre.
Sabine, her adult granddaughter and in receipt of an unexpected inheritance, knows nothing of her grandmother’s past but with the help of someone who was closer to Marianne than she, sets out to discover why Marianne’s memory is so reviled and what exactly took place that fateful evening. Because of the passage of time, there was no guarantee she would find all the answers but all the way through I was hoping that somehow she would discover her grandmother’s incredible story.
I really enjoyed this and was completely captivated by the entire story however the part for me that stood out the most was Marianne’s story. This was actually my favourite part because you get a real sense of the person and their motivations. It delves into family relationships, the effects of grief, and includes the horrific consequences of the Nazi occupation and the separation of France between ‘free’ and occupied territories.
There are plenty of family secrets to discover in this story of wartime occupation and whilst it is in some ways a heartrending read because you know almost from the outset the consequences of Marianne’s actions, other aspects are gradually revealed which form an enthralling story of secrets and deceit. There are so many characters to sympathise with and the author has done an excellent job in bringing them to life through the pages. Good and evil is not black and white with this story but has shades of grey.
A fabulous read and definitely recommended for readers of this genre.
July 17, 2022
An unknown grandmother, a life filled with secrets and mystery,
To solve it all it needs a search back in history.
As Sabine discovers a past she never knew,
She's unsure what is to come or what she should do.
What a fascinating story this proved to be
With dual timelines sharing their history.
Uncovering a tale of love, revenge and war
Collaboration, resistance, murder and so much more.
A fascinating read, with so many surprises in store,
Including the revenge someone was searching for.
With great characters and family dramas, too,
Making this a great read I highly recommend to you!
For my complementary copy, I say thank you,
As I share with you this, my honest review
To solve it all it needs a search back in history.
As Sabine discovers a past she never knew,
She's unsure what is to come or what she should do.
What a fascinating story this proved to be
With dual timelines sharing their history.
Uncovering a tale of love, revenge and war
Collaboration, resistance, murder and so much more.
A fascinating read, with so many surprises in store,
Including the revenge someone was searching for.
With great characters and family dramas, too,
Making this a great read I highly recommend to you!
For my complementary copy, I say thank you,
As I share with you this, my honest review
July 16, 2022
If you’re looking for an uplifting, inspiring story set in World War II, featuring a strong female lead, this is the book for you.
Though the introduction is a bit lengthy with the meeting of Sabine and Gilbert, the real focus is on Marianne’s life. That’s when the book takes off and we can no longer put it down. We find out about her from the nun, who was also her good friend. Her story is emotional and beautiful and I thoroughly enjoyed it. At one point she stays with her grandmother in a small country village and her life is simply idyllic. She learns to cook and becomes as passionate about it as her grandma. She falls in love and has a child. Reading all of this was dreamy. It was very, very well written. The small details of life in Provence where exquisite. They simply made me want to live there as well. Marianne’s personality is carefully constructed so that we get to see the change in her, the change that made murder possible. I loved witnessing that!
More on my blog/yt channel: https://readfinebooks.com/2022/07/16/...
Though the introduction is a bit lengthy with the meeting of Sabine and Gilbert, the real focus is on Marianne’s life. That’s when the book takes off and we can no longer put it down. We find out about her from the nun, who was also her good friend. Her story is emotional and beautiful and I thoroughly enjoyed it. At one point she stays with her grandmother in a small country village and her life is simply idyllic. She learns to cook and becomes as passionate about it as her grandma. She falls in love and has a child. Reading all of this was dreamy. It was very, very well written. The small details of life in Provence where exquisite. They simply made me want to live there as well. Marianne’s personality is carefully constructed so that we get to see the change in her, the change that made murder possible. I loved witnessing that!
More on my blog/yt channel: https://readfinebooks.com/2022/07/16/...
March 12, 2024
This started slow but was so good! I felt everything, happy and excited and angry and so heartbroken. I loved it, so many thoughts!!
August 9, 2024
3.89
Quick WW2 read, but an interesting story with the German occupation of France.
Quick WW2 read, but an interesting story with the German occupation of France.
April 11, 2023
Brilliantly written.
January 31, 2023
I clearly have an opinion about this book that is at odds with all the smarmy devotional ones.
Few things are more maddening to a reader, especially one who is a professional editor, than a book with a gripping plot, well-defined and charismatic characters, and an appealing historical setting that is plagued with editorial errors of commission and omission from beginning to end.
Right out of the starting gate The Last Restaurant in Paris assaults the reader with a blizzard of inappropriate punctuation: commas spattered across the page as if a comma salt shaker had been upturned, yet no commas where they are needed, nor semicolons, either. And that’s just the beginning.
Letters omitted — “rst” instead of “first”
Words omitted
Extra words
Weird word substitutions — “want”instead of “watch” in a simple sentence.
Anachronistic speech.
Cavalier attention to French diacriticals: Géroux and Pétain and Grand-mère, but Timothee and Luberon and Aimee and Marguerite and cherie; la instead of là….
“the latter” after a list of three
Inconsistencies galore: Occupied and occupied, “all right” on one page and “alright”on the next
A single sentence with the word “like” in it five times; the author has no idea how to use the word “like” properly in any case.
Two consecutive sentences featuring “with all manner of…”
It wasn’t just the occasional glitch; it was a non-stop pummeling of bad grammar, inconsistencies, oddities, and just editorial stupidness — the sort of thing that just leaps off the page at any editor worth her salt.
And as this editorial mess marches on toward its final demise, it disintegrates, as if Lily Graham were having some sort of psychotic editorial breakdown that is in full cry in Book Three, where she — and I have never witnessed an author with the audacity to do this — actually lifts a couple of chapters almost verbatim from Book One and plunks them down in Book Three. The biggest in-your-face cut and paste ever. Did she think we wouldn’t notice????? Actually, I hesitate to ask, because obviously most readers didn’t.
It’s all too, too bad, because there was a good story here. But I will never again pick up a book by Lily Graham or her “publisher.”
Few things are more maddening to a reader, especially one who is a professional editor, than a book with a gripping plot, well-defined and charismatic characters, and an appealing historical setting that is plagued with editorial errors of commission and omission from beginning to end.
Right out of the starting gate The Last Restaurant in Paris assaults the reader with a blizzard of inappropriate punctuation: commas spattered across the page as if a comma salt shaker had been upturned, yet no commas where they are needed, nor semicolons, either. And that’s just the beginning.
Letters omitted — “rst” instead of “first”
Words omitted
Extra words
Weird word substitutions — “want”instead of “watch” in a simple sentence.
Anachronistic speech.
Cavalier attention to French diacriticals: Géroux and Pétain and Grand-mère, but Timothee and Luberon and Aimee and Marguerite and cherie; la instead of là….
“the latter” after a list of three
Inconsistencies galore: Occupied and occupied, “all right” on one page and “alright”on the next
A single sentence with the word “like” in it five times; the author has no idea how to use the word “like” properly in any case.
Two consecutive sentences featuring “with all manner of…”
It wasn’t just the occasional glitch; it was a non-stop pummeling of bad grammar, inconsistencies, oddities, and just editorial stupidness — the sort of thing that just leaps off the page at any editor worth her salt.
And as this editorial mess marches on toward its final demise, it disintegrates, as if Lily Graham were having some sort of psychotic editorial breakdown that is in full cry in Book Three, where she — and I have never witnessed an author with the audacity to do this — actually lifts a couple of chapters almost verbatim from Book One and plunks them down in Book Three. The biggest in-your-face cut and paste ever. Did she think we wouldn’t notice????? Actually, I hesitate to ask, because obviously most readers didn’t.
It’s all too, too bad, because there was a good story here. But I will never again pick up a book by Lily Graham or her “publisher.”
August 6, 2022
If you are a fan of WWII historical novels, especially ones set in Paris, I highly recommend this book. It’s a very different take on the topic of collaboration vs. resistance. The story of the protagonist beginning prewar is very moving. The author stated she wanted to write a plot with moral ambiguity. She succeeded masterfully. This was not based on a true incident however after reading this I can imagine many resistants were faced with similar moral dilemmas in carrying out their work. An aspect of war we don’t often think about along with the devastating consequences for those whose bravery in fighting the enemy puts them is such circumstances.
January 2, 2024
3.5 ⭐️
This book isn’t what I expected going into it. I thought there would be more of a story / mystery side to it. It truly is exactly what the synopsis is however still beautifully written and such a good short read.
This book isn’t what I expected going into it. I thought there would be more of a story / mystery side to it. It truly is exactly what the synopsis is however still beautifully written and such a good short read.
September 14, 2023
Whenever I read historical fiction, the WWII era is my favorite story line to visit.
The Last Restaurant in Paris takes place during the WWII German occupation in Paris. It is told in a past/present format. We ultimately follow the story of Marianne. She is one of the few Parisans that successfully opened up a restaurant during war time. Her motivation to do so was her own secret and that secret unfolds as the story goes on.
The story telling was captivating and I didn’t want to put this one down. I highly recommend this one if WWII historical fiction is your favorite.
The Last Restaurant in Paris takes place during the WWII German occupation in Paris. It is told in a past/present format. We ultimately follow the story of Marianne. She is one of the few Parisans that successfully opened up a restaurant during war time. Her motivation to do so was her own secret and that secret unfolds as the story goes on.
The story telling was captivating and I didn’t want to put this one down. I highly recommend this one if WWII historical fiction is your favorite.
March 21, 2023
Slow start but once I hit Part 2 I could NOT put it down.
July 22, 2022
I was first drawn to this book by the beautiful cover which I think is fabulous. This is a Historical Fiction book with a dual timeline and I absolutely loved this book. From the very start this book had me completely captivated and for me it was one of those books I just had to keep on reading. This book was heartbreaking and poignant at times and it’s one that will stay with me for a long time. I highly recommend this book for fans of Historical Fiction.
February 13, 2024
My first historical fiction and it was so good! The jargon and history was broken down clearly and incorporated so seamlessly! I loved the variety in POV’s and timelines of past and current day with amazing transitions. The love between the characters was felt all throughout the story and I kept thinking to myself how great of a series or movie this would make. I really enjoyed it.
September 30, 2023
Thank you so much to NetGalley, Bookouture and Lily Graham for my very first ARC. So so grateful for the opportunity,
The Last Restaurant in Paris is a historical fiction about WW2. It's about Marianne and a restaurant she opened during the occupation in France, Paris. One night something terrible happens and she has to flee, Years later her granddaughter Sabine finds out about the restaurant and the tragic incident that happened there. After her discovery, Sabine really wants to find out what exactly happened back then.
This was my first book from Lily Graham and will definitely not be my last. The story itself is split into three parts (Introduction, Marianne's backstory, the incident). There are also different timelines during the whole book. It switches between the present (1980s) and the past (1940s). It was a bit slow going in the beginning for me but once I passed the 20 % mark I couldn't put it down. For me it was a very good mix of mystery and history. It was a heartbreaking story that brought me to tears. I highly recommend this book if you like historical fiction especially WW2 stories.
Merged review:
Thank you so much to NetGalley, Bookouture and Lily Graham for my very first ARC. So so grateful for the opportunity,
The Last Restaurant in Paris is a historical fiction about WW2. It's about Marianne and a restaurant she opened during the occupation in France, Paris. One night something terrible happens and she has to flee, Years later her granddaughter Sabine finds out about the restaurant and the tragic incident that happened there. After her discovery, Sabine really wants to find out what exactly happened back then.
This was my first book from Lily Graham and will definitely not be my last. The story itself is split into three parts (Introduction, Marianne's backstory, the incident). There are also different timelines during the whole book. It switches between the present (1980s) and the past (1940s). It was a bit slow going in the beginning for me but once I passed the 20 % mark I couldn't put it down. For me it was a very good mix of mystery and history. It was a heartbreaking story that brought me to tears. I highly recommend this book if you like historical fiction especially WW2 stories.
The Last Restaurant in Paris is a historical fiction about WW2. It's about Marianne and a restaurant she opened during the occupation in France, Paris. One night something terrible happens and she has to flee, Years later her granddaughter Sabine finds out about the restaurant and the tragic incident that happened there. After her discovery, Sabine really wants to find out what exactly happened back then.
This was my first book from Lily Graham and will definitely not be my last. The story itself is split into three parts (Introduction, Marianne's backstory, the incident). There are also different timelines during the whole book. It switches between the present (1980s) and the past (1940s). It was a bit slow going in the beginning for me but once I passed the 20 % mark I couldn't put it down. For me it was a very good mix of mystery and history. It was a heartbreaking story that brought me to tears. I highly recommend this book if you like historical fiction especially WW2 stories.
Merged review:
Thank you so much to NetGalley, Bookouture and Lily Graham for my very first ARC. So so grateful for the opportunity,
The Last Restaurant in Paris is a historical fiction about WW2. It's about Marianne and a restaurant she opened during the occupation in France, Paris. One night something terrible happens and she has to flee, Years later her granddaughter Sabine finds out about the restaurant and the tragic incident that happened there. After her discovery, Sabine really wants to find out what exactly happened back then.
This was my first book from Lily Graham and will definitely not be my last. The story itself is split into three parts (Introduction, Marianne's backstory, the incident). There are also different timelines during the whole book. It switches between the present (1980s) and the past (1940s). It was a bit slow going in the beginning for me but once I passed the 20 % mark I couldn't put it down. For me it was a very good mix of mystery and history. It was a heartbreaking story that brought me to tears. I highly recommend this book if you like historical fiction especially WW2 stories.
June 13, 2022
Thanks to NetGalley for the preview version of this book by Lily Graham!
This is a fictional story of resistance inspired by many other true stories.
The restaurant was the scene of an incident in 1943 where both Germans and French died at the hands of Marianne Blanchet. The story goes between 1987 where one of the few remaining locals who knew the story was contacted by a lawyer to recall it for a relative of Marianne, and 1942/43. Secrets are slowly uncovered and the lives of both Sophie, Marianne’s granddaughter and Gilbert, the old man who worked as a boy in the restaurant, will never be the same.
Although I found the book a little slow to begin with, it captured me and I was drawn in, wanting to understand what had brought Marianne to do what she had done.
Would recommend to those who enjoy historical fiction, but it also contains an element of a thriller and a romance.
Merged review:
Thanks to NetGalley for the preview word this book by Lily Graham!
This is a fictional story of resistance inspired by many other true stories.
The restaurant was the scene of an incident in 1943 where both Germans and French died at the hands of Marianne Blanchet. The story goes between 1987 where one of the few remaining locals who knew the story was contacted by a lawyer to recall it for a relative of Marianne, and 1942/43. Secrets are slowly uncovered and the lives of both Sophie, Marianne’s granddaughter and Gilbert, the old man who worked as a boy in the restaurant, will never be the same.
Although I found the book a little slow to begin with, it captured me and I was drawn in, wanting to understand what had brought Marianne to do what she had done.
Would recommend to those who enjoy historical fiction, but it also contains an element of a thriller and a romance.
This is a fictional story of resistance inspired by many other true stories.
The restaurant was the scene of an incident in 1943 where both Germans and French died at the hands of Marianne Blanchet. The story goes between 1987 where one of the few remaining locals who knew the story was contacted by a lawyer to recall it for a relative of Marianne, and 1942/43. Secrets are slowly uncovered and the lives of both Sophie, Marianne’s granddaughter and Gilbert, the old man who worked as a boy in the restaurant, will never be the same.
Although I found the book a little slow to begin with, it captured me and I was drawn in, wanting to understand what had brought Marianne to do what she had done.
Would recommend to those who enjoy historical fiction, but it also contains an element of a thriller and a romance.
Merged review:
Thanks to NetGalley for the preview word this book by Lily Graham!
This is a fictional story of resistance inspired by many other true stories.
The restaurant was the scene of an incident in 1943 where both Germans and French died at the hands of Marianne Blanchet. The story goes between 1987 where one of the few remaining locals who knew the story was contacted by a lawyer to recall it for a relative of Marianne, and 1942/43. Secrets are slowly uncovered and the lives of both Sophie, Marianne’s granddaughter and Gilbert, the old man who worked as a boy in the restaurant, will never be the same.
Although I found the book a little slow to begin with, it captured me and I was drawn in, wanting to understand what had brought Marianne to do what she had done.
Would recommend to those who enjoy historical fiction, but it also contains an element of a thriller and a romance.
July 12, 2022
Thank you to Netgalley and Bookouture for the ARC. The opinions expressed are true and my own.
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1944, Paris is occupied by the Nazis. Marianne opens a restaurant on the corner to serve the hungry people at low cost. But she also has to serve the Germans. Many call her a collaborator and a murderer.
Sabine receives a letter about a restaurant left to her by her grandmother. This leads her down a path of getting to know the woman who was named a collaborater and murderer.
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This was my first book from Lily Graham and I look forward to reading more of hers!. The story itself is split into three parts (Introduction, Marianne's backstory, and the incident). There are also different timelines during each part. The 80’s and the 40’s.
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From the start, I was intrigued and personally found the plot, setting and characters well-presented and they kept me glued to the pages. It is a story that explores the actions and reactions of everyday citizens during war and how loss can change people or send them down a path they would not normally have gone. As the story unveils all its mysteries, the question of whether Marianne is a heroine or traitor is answered. The truth is painful but those connected to this woman and events find a new understanding of what this woman was all about: her difficult childhood, her love, her losses and the choices she made to try and right some wrongs.
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This book brought me to tears and I cannot wait for others to have the opportunity to experience it.
.
1944, Paris is occupied by the Nazis. Marianne opens a restaurant on the corner to serve the hungry people at low cost. But she also has to serve the Germans. Many call her a collaborator and a murderer.
Sabine receives a letter about a restaurant left to her by her grandmother. This leads her down a path of getting to know the woman who was named a collaborater and murderer.
.
This was my first book from Lily Graham and I look forward to reading more of hers!. The story itself is split into three parts (Introduction, Marianne's backstory, and the incident). There are also different timelines during each part. The 80’s and the 40’s.
.
From the start, I was intrigued and personally found the plot, setting and characters well-presented and they kept me glued to the pages. It is a story that explores the actions and reactions of everyday citizens during war and how loss can change people or send them down a path they would not normally have gone. As the story unveils all its mysteries, the question of whether Marianne is a heroine or traitor is answered. The truth is painful but those connected to this woman and events find a new understanding of what this woman was all about: her difficult childhood, her love, her losses and the choices she made to try and right some wrongs.
.
This book brought me to tears and I cannot wait for others to have the opportunity to experience it.
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