Last Twilight in Paris

by Pam Jenoff, Saskia Maarleveld (narrator), Thérèse Plummer (narrator)

A Parisian department store, a mysterious necklace and a woman’s quest to unlock a decade-old mystery are at the center of this captivating novel of love and survival.


London, 1953. Louise is still adjusting to her postwar role as a housewife when she discovers a necklace in a box at a secondhand shop. The box is marked with the name of a department store in Paris, and she is certain she has seen the necklace before, when she worked with the Red Cross in Nazi-occupied Europe — and that it holds the key to the mysterious death of her friend Franny during the war.

Following the trail of clues to Paris, Louise seeks help from her former boss Ian, with whom she shares a romantic history. The necklace leads them to discover the dark history of Lévitan — a once-glamorous department store that served as a Nazi prison — and Helaine, a woman who was imprisoned there, torn apart from her husband when the Germans invaded France.

Louise races to find the connection between the necklace, the department store and Franny’s death. But nothing is as it seems, and there are forces determined to keep the truth buried forever. Inspired by the true story of Lévitan, Last Twilight in Paris is both a gripping mystery and an unforgettable story about sacrifice, resistance and the power of love to transcend in even the darkest hours.

Genres: Historical Fiction, Fiction, Mystery, World War II, Audiobook, Historical, Romance

Audible Audio

First published February 4, 2025

About the author

Pam is the author of several novels, including her most recent The Woman With The Blue Star, as well as The Lost Girls of Paris and The Orphan's Tale, both instant New York Times bestsellers. Pam was born in Maryland and raised outside Philadelphia. She attended George Washington University in Washington, D.C., and Cambridge University in England. Upon receiving her master’s in history from Cambridge, she accepted an appointment as Special Assistant to the Secretary of the Army. The position provided a unique opportunity to witness and participate in operations at the most senior levels of government, including helping the families of the Pan Am Flight 103 victims secure their memorial at Arlington National Cemetery, observing recovery efforts at the site of the Oklahoma City bombing and attending ceremonies to commemorate the fiftieth anniversary of World War II at sites such as Bastogne and Corregidor.

Following her work at the Pentagon, Jenoff moved to the State Department. In 1996 she was assigned to the U.S. Consulate in Krakow, Poland. It was during this period that Pam developed her expertise in Polish-Jewish relations and the Holocaust. Working on matters such as preservation of Auschwitz and the restitution of Jewish property in Poland, Jenoff developed close relations with the surviving Jewish community.

Having left the Foreign Service in 1998 to attend law school at the University of Pennsylvania, Jenoff practiced law at a large firm and in-house for several years. She now teaches law school at Rutgers.

Reviews

[NILTON TEIXEIRA · Rating 3 out of 5]

“Last Twilight in Paris”, by Pam Jenoff

a generous 3 stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Great concept but its development was very slow during the first half, with not so interesting characters, and the second part felt rushed.
The writing was a bit repetitive.
I didn’t find the story that plausible or compelling, and I thought about quitting at 20%, but I was curious about its development, even though I felt no connection with the characters.
There are two timelines and two perspectives.
I did like learning about Lévitan, a Parisian department store that once became a Nazi prison.
For a story set between the Nazi-occupied Paris and post-war, I didn’t think that the author put her heart in the storytelling. There was something missing for me. There was no passion, no emotional impact.
And I don’t like convenient coincidences that happen just to facilitate the development of the storyline, as I see it as an easy (lazy) way out.
And since the story was around a mysterious necklace, there was not a complete explanation of its trajectory.

E-book (Kobo): 336 pages, 107k words, 24 chapters

PS. This was my fourth book by this author.

[Kristine · Rating 5 out of 5]

In the US at 7 PM ET, Pam Jenoff is speaking in the FB group FriendsandFiction. That is my favorite group. Each week the 4, have an author speak about her book. Tonight Pam is speaking about Last Twilight in Paris. Really Excited as I know my Dad would love this 🥰. Miss You, Dad. Be thinking of You! 💕 Update: I asked a question my Dad had always wondered and it was read during the Discussion. I was so Happy, since my Dad always told me she was in the State Department and was a lawyer, so wondered how she got into writing. Really great show to watch.

I am so excited this is Pam Jenoff’s latest book. My Dad and I read all her books together. My Dad turned 91, September 20th. Pam Jenoff is his favorite author and I love her books, too. He wants the Physical Book though. Fortunately, he is doing much better, so will order the Book for Him from Barnes & Noble and Signed by Pam Jenoff. He will love that. It is Spectacular just to look at.

I Read this book in 3 days, stayed up late to finish. The Stories Pam Jenoff comes up with are always so interesting. In a Paris Department Store, Lévitan, there are Jewish People Arrested and housed there. During the day, they must work unloading and sorting all the furniture, accessories, and home goods from Jewish Families Homes. The Jewish People have been sent East, clearly with no plans of Returning. Then the Merchandise is displayed and Germans can purchase it. This is horrible, but actually happened.

So, a young couple Helaine and her husband, Gabriel who is a top Cello Player, are trying to start a life together when the war harshly stumbles over their lives. Gabriel must leave the Country to play in an Orchestra and Helaine is Jewish, so eventually she ends up at Levitan. This is considered a good place to be compared to the Camps many are sent to, but it is brutal to be there. Helaine does not know if Gabriel is alright or her parents either. Helaine sneaks to the Rooftop and sees the glorious beauty of Paris all around her, and is in shock that she is caged in an Upscale Department Store frightened and hungry all the time.

Then there is Louise. She is eager to help with the war effort and volunteers to help The Red Cross. She even agrees to go into enemy territory to bring POW’s Care Packages with Food and Supplies. This is quite dangerous though. She meets a performer, Franny and each sees a kindred soul in the other. Yet, Franny seems to possibly be taking too many risks to help those suffering. She wants Louise to help deliver a heart necklace to a man’s wife. Louise wants to help, but also get home safely.

In 1953, Louise has married her husband, Joe, carrying psychological wounds from the war. They have two children and life has become a bit stifling for her. She works at a Shop in England, sorting out seconds hand goods. Her eye catches a heart shaped necklace, just like the one she saw back during the War. Could it possibly be the same one and if so, she wants to know the full story. So, she sets off to London and Paris to find out. It is quite a story.

It was so heartbreaking all the pain the war caused so many people, but through all that struggle we are reminded that even wounded people still can find ways to savor the joy in life. All the pieces of the story blend seamlessly and there is much beauty left after all the destruction.

Love Wins over Hate, even if you end up losing someone you love. My Dad is Going to love this Book. I love you, Dad. Can’t wait to talk this one over with you. 💕

In Loving Tribute to my Father who passed on 12/28/24. So, sorry it was not meant to be. Love Wins Though. Miss You so Very Much.

[Karren Sandercock · Rating 5 out of 5]

London, 1953. Louise Burns is married to veteran Joe, post-war life isn’t what she expected, Joe has bad dreams and he won’t talk to her about them, and she works part time in a second-hand shop and has two children.

One day Louise is going through a box and she discovers a necklace inside and it’s marked with the name of an expensive department store in Paris. Louise is sure she has seen it before, when she was a volunteer for the British Red Cross, and a team was sent to occupied France and Germany to deliver relief packages to prisoners of war. Here her friend Franny died, is was hushed up and she's sure it belonged to a man in the last camp they visited and Franny wanted to talk to him just prior to her death.

Louise tracks down her former Red Cross boss Ian Shipley, she shows him the necklace but he’s busy and thinks she’s wasting his and her time. Louise ignores his advice travels to Paris and try to find out who owned it, are they still alive and how did it end up in England.

The story has a dual timeline and is told from the two main character’s points of view and Louise an English lady and a young sheltered Jewish woman called Helaine Weil.

Lévitan was an elite department store in Paris, the Nazi's used it for two sinister purposes, to sort, repair and sell the goods they stole from Jewish houses and as labour camp, and Helaine was one of the many prisoners captured and held here and she slept on the top floor in terrible conditions and where she hid her necklace a decade ago.

I received a copy of Last Twilight in Paris from HarperCollins and Edelweiss plus in exchange for an honest review. Pam Jenoff likes to write fiction about untold true history, that shocks and inspires her and bring it to our attention and for us to feel the same.

A narrative about how people faced circumstances they didn’t expect, and how they found the strength they didn’t know they had to keep going and survive, and the mysterious link a necklace has to all of this and it’s meaning.

Five stars from me, Ms. Jenoff is an amazing writer and an eye opening and a must read, it will make you to think and consider many things well after you’ve finished the final page and I highly recommend.

[Sherry · Rating 3 out of 5]

Idk…this book has a lot of 4 and 5 ratings. Didn’t love it but didn’t hate it. Enjoyed learning about this aspect of the war but something was missing for me….

[Shantha (ShanthasBookEra) · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is my first Pam Jenoff novel, and I will certainly be reading more by this author. Jenoff masterfully weaves real elements into the historical backdrop of WWII France. The story is told in a dual timeline ten years apart. We meet Helaine, a Jewish girl who falls in love with a cellist and has a difficult relationship with her parents. Later, we meet Louise, who worked for the Red Cross during the war and found half of a necklace that belonged to her best friend. The story centers around these characters and the real life Levitan department store in Paris that housed prisoners during WWII.

I loved this new perspective on WWII that I was not aware of. Jenoff centers a true story around a lost necklace, a love story, and hope and redemption during the darkest of times. There were many heroes during the war. Ordinary people doing extraordinary things that made a difference. I highly recommend it. The Last Twilight in Paris is told in a more uplifting way than most.

[Marialyce · Rating 3 out of 5]

I always have so enjoyed Pam Jenoff's books. However, this one was a bit disappointing, sadly.

I felt the story dragged on too much, and probably would have been a fine short story. However, I am always grateful when I learn something new and in that vein Pam Jenoff did succeed. I learned of a former department store in Paris named Levitan which during the war was turned into a Jewish camp of sorts where the women sorted and sold (to Nazi high ups), items stolen from the Jews. It was the place where the main protagonist Helaine and Louise's lives intertwine after Louise finds a necklace and tries to trap down its history and relevance.

I certainly will not give up on this author and will continue to read her often fascinating stories.

[Elizabeth of Silver's Reviews · Rating 5 out of 5]

We meet Louise who delivered packages to prisoners of war during World War II and Helaine who was a prisoner in the Levitan department store taken over by the Nazis that housed goods stolen from Jewish homes.

The prisoners had to sort through all of the goods, and the German officers would stop by to buy it.

Louise now has a husband and twin children and works in a secondhand store. One day she found a necklace that she recognized as one similar to the one her friend Franny had.

How did the necklace happen to be in a box with other items that came to the second hand shop with the name Levitan Department Store on the outside?

Could it be the same one?

Louise travels to France and meets her old heartthrob but he disappears and she continues to try to solve the mystery of the necklace and to find out what really happened to her friend Franny.

Will she find out about the necklace or simply find what prisoners housed in the department store endured and were forced to do?

We learn of Heleine’s fate, her eventual arrest because she was Jewish, and her time in the department store.

If you have read Pam Jenoff’s books, you know you will be reading a marvelous, well-researched historical gem with a pull-you-in storyline and with characters you will love and be able to feel their every emotion. 5/5

Thank you to the publisher for a copy of this book. All opinions are my own.

[Jane · Rating 2 out of 5]

I usually like Pam Jenoff's books but this one just didn't equal the rest. Yes, she brought a gasp, as she calls it, presenting something that's little known about world war II history. But I found too many things in the writing that I didn't like. First off two characters but three timelines. Why do so many authors do multiple timelines now? Also, it seems so unrealistic that one of the characters, who's been basically quarantined in her house for most of her life, would fall in love with the first person, the only person, that she interacts with once she leaves the house. And we never do find out how that necklace got into the crate from levitan. There were just too many things about the story that I didn't like.

[theliterateleprechaun · Rating 4 out of 5]

When forces are determined to keep the truth buried, Helaine and Louise show how love and sacrifice thwart the efforts and illuminate the path to second chances. Jenoff showcased the juxtaposition of her main characters well and readers will have a compelling story that showcases two difficult, yet very different wartime experiences.

I always anticipate and appreciate a Jenoff book because I know I’ll get a well-researched and well-written piece of historical fiction that explores a little-known piece of history. Jenoff explored the complex wartime role of the Red Cross in Europe, piqued my interest in Mizpah charms, and wrapped me up in a compelling story about a Red Cross volunteer and a Jewish Holocaust victim.

I was most invested in Helaine and Gabriel’s story and enjoyed uncovering the threads of mystery.

I quickly found myself down a Google rabbit hole investigating the author’s inspiration for this book and have added Juliet Blackwell’s book, The Paris Showroom, to my tbr in an effort to learn more.

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

[Christine M in Texas (stamperlady50) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Last Twilight in Paris
By: Pam Jenoff
Pub Date: February 4, 2025
Publisher: Park Row

Jenoff is an auto-buy for me. I look forward to all her books because her books transcend me to the past and part of history which involves parts that are not always easy to talk about, but a must.

This novel takes us on a journey into the past involving a necklace, a department store and a couple who struggled during the war.

Louise is a wife in London. The year is 1953 and she has found a necklace in a shop. There is a name located on the necklace, and she feels she KNOWS who this necklace belongs too. What are the odds? She once worked for the Red Cross in Europe, when it was occupied by the Nazis. She had friend named Fanny at that time who died and Louise is positive there is a connection.
Louise has a former boss Ian, whom can help her solve this mystery. The soon discover the necklace is connected to Levitan, which is a department store, unfortunately this store was a Nazi prison and people worked at this store selling stuff stolen from the Jewish people.

Unraveling the mystery and clues to find out what happened to Franny lead her on a dangerous journey. She must decide how far she is willing to go to seek the truth.
Another emotional and mesmerizing novel by Jenoff. During one of the darkest times in history, love and sacrifice can bring up through so much.

All historical fiction fans will want this on their shelves. I am off to pre-order because I want a hard copy to re-read and support this author. I discovered that pre-orders are extremely important to authors.

[Tracey · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a well-written, entertaining, dual timeline, WWII historical fiction novel which is inspired by actual places and events. I was not aware of the camp which existed in France, on which the setting is based, and appreciated learning of its existence. This novel has likable female protagonists, mystery, intrigue, a beautiful romance, heartbreak, hope, healing, and a gratifying conclusion. The author's note is interesting and informative, and is truly appreciated. I listened to the audio book, which is brilliantly narrated by my favorite narrator, Ms. Saskia Maarleveld, and the talented Ms. Thérèse Plummer.

[Stephanielikesbooks · Rating 5 out of 5]

It’s only February and I’ve already read several excellent historical fiction novels, including this one.

Inspired by true events, this is a story set in two timelines (1940s and the 1950s) about two women, Helaine and Louisa, during WWII and told from their respective POVs. The author shines a light on an unknown (to me) part of the Nazi occupation in France, namely that the Nazis used a department store in the heart of Paris as a prisoner centre for “high status” Jewish prisoners. There, the prisoners were forced to sort through the stolen belongings of Jewish families, display the items, and sell them to high-ranking Nazi officials. The threat of being transported to the concentration camps was ever-present.

The interweaving of the timelines was so well done and the pacing was consistent throughout. The storytelling, clearly informed by research, was captivating and compelling and the writing was vividly descriptive. A story of loss, sorrow, but also of resilience and hope.

Highly recommended for historical fiction lovers.

Thanks to the publisher for this complimentary copy. All opinions are my own.

[Mitzi · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is the perfect example of why I love to read historical fiction. It's about the little known Levitan, a former Parisian furniture store where during WWII Jewish prisoners were forced to sort and sell what was stolen from Jewish homes. Pam took this little known bit of information and built a dual timeline (around 1943 and then about 1953) story around it. Not only did I learn about Levitan, but I learned terms such as oflags and stalags and learned some things about the Red Cross as well. It reminds us of the evils of war as well as the aftermath. In my opinion, it's also a story about the power of love and the lasting effects of human choice.

[Pam · Rating 2 out of 5]

Boring and unrealistic. I couldn't connect to any of the characters who felt flat. Only redeeming factor was finding out the true story of Levitan.

[Cyndi · Rating 4 out of 5]

An outstanding work of historical fiction about Nazi Germany, a department store, a necklace and true love. This has just the right combination of history, romance and suspense. An enchanting story and excellent character development. For fans of Kristin Harmel and Kristin Hannah.

Many thanks to Netgalley, Edelweiss, Park Row and Pam Jenoff for my complimentary e-book ARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

[Suzanne Leopold (Suzy Approved Book Reviews) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another great book by Pan Jenoff! Historical fiction fans will love this one with a blend of mystery!

[Louise · Rating 4 out of 5]

(4.25 stars)
You can always count on Pam Jenoff to write historical fiction that is not only a page-turner, but also highlights a piece of history not known widely. In Last Twilight in Paris, Jenoff tells the story of how the N*zis used a former furniture store in the middle of Paris as a prison camp. They brought goods stolen from the Jewish people of Paris - china, silver, furniture, you name it - to Levitan and made their prisoners sort, clean, and display the goods in order to sell them to high-ranking German officers, to be shipped home to their families. Diabolical.

Of course, Jenoff gives us this information while also giving us a rollicking good story. The timeline and location shift back and forth between wartime in France and 1953 in England and France. We have two main female characters. Louise is English; she volunteered for the International Red Cross, delivering care packages to prisoner of war camps behind enemy lines. The other is Helaine, a young Parisian woman from a prominent Jewish family.

Another thing Jenoff showcases is the ineffectiveness (that’s a nice word) of the International Red Cross in “inspecting” prisoner of war camps and concentration camps. (Just the same today - they never visited any of the hostages held in Gaza, but they were there to receive them as they were released.) In Last Twilight in Paris, Louise does her very best to deliver care packages to prisoners of war. She is frustrated at not being able to do more than the Germans begrudgingly allow.

In 1953, Louise comes across a “broken heart” or Mizpah necklace in a second-hand shop she works at, near Oxford. (It’s the kind of thing where one person has one half of the heart and someone else has the other half.) She is sure that she has seen this very necklace before - when she was at the POW camp in Germany. This sets off a search to find out more about the necklace and where it came from, as the crate she found it in bore the name of the French store, Levitan. Books like these depend on very improbable (but not impossible) coincidences, but that didn’t take away from my enjoyment of the book.

I bounced between the digital version of the story and the audiobook, which was beautifully narrated by the fabulous Thérèse Plummer and Saskia Maarleveld.

Thank you to Park Row and NetGalley for the opportunity to read an advance copy of this book and to Harlequin Audio and NetGalley for the opportunity to listen to an advance copy of this audiobook. All opinions are my own.

[Victor The Reader · Rating 4 out of 5]

In this dual story novel, we first meet Louise in postwar 1950s England where she come across a mysterious necklace from France that may be connected to someone she lost when she was working for the Red Cross during the war. A decade apart during 1940s Paris, we also follow Helaine and her journey of survival to evade the Nazis while attempting to stay with the man she married. Both their stories will slowly intertwine as Louise will unravel the story of the necklace and what secrets it has.

It’s a very emotional and fascinating Holocaust story that slowly becomes a war mystery. While both characters’ stories bring a lot, I found Helaine’s to be the most bittersweet and tense as we also learn how it ties to Louise’s quest for answers. “Last Twilight” is another excellent historical story from Jenoff with plenty of mystery to follow. A- (91%/Excellent)

[Erin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thanks to NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing for access to this title. All opinions expressed are my own.

One of my "eagerly anticipated" book releases, Last Twilight in Paris is a historical fiction that presents two women- Helaine, a Pariasan Jewish woman that finds herself in Levitan, a department store that became a Nazi prison, and Louise, a British woman, who worked for the British Red Cross, and now is a wife and mother in post-war England who stumbles upon a mysterious necklace. The lives of these two women are equally fascinating and I promise that future readers will get lost in the narratives.

Once again, Pam Jenoff has introduced me to another tragic story of World War II that of the prisoners transferred from the concentration camp Drancy to work as labourers in the Levitan department store in Paris. Prisoners like Helaine were expected to comb through items that were confiscated from Jewish families who were rounded up and sent to concentration camps. It was an eye-opening reading experience to learn about and I thank the author for creating a character that lives this experience.

As too, I am glad that we also have Louise, who through her war work with the British Red Cross, sees the conditions in many of the camps and yet because of bureaucracy is told that she cannot do anything. Yet, Louise encounters Franny, a singer who challenges Louise to listen to her heart. Franny's tragic death will be something that even in the 1950s will haunt her and it is also this mystery that spurs Louise to return to France.

On top of the history and the mysteries, this is also the story of two couples and their marriages and how they deal with all of the obstacles in their way. It's a truly moving narrative.

I will be recommending this book to all my fellow historical fiction fans. As well, as reader fans who enjoyed Sarah's Key.







Publication Date 04/02/25
Goodreads Review 12/02/25
#LastTwilightinParis #NetGalley.

[Maven_Reads · Rating 4 out of 5]

Last Twilight in Paris by Pam Jenoff

In Last Twilight in Paris, Pam Jenoff weaves a historical mystery spanning two timelines that intersect through a single object: a half-heart necklace that links past and present. It begins in 1953 London, where Louise, a former Red Cross volunteer adjusting to life as a housewife, finds this enigmatic necklace and believes it connects to the death of her friend during World War II. Her search for answers leads her to Paris and the forgotten story of Lévitan, a glamorous department store turned Nazi prison camp where a young Jewish woman named Helaine was held and forced to sort stolen belongings from her own community under occupation. The narrative alternates between Louise’s postwar investigation and Helaine’s wartime struggle, revealing love, loss, resistance, and the hidden histories behind personal and collective trauma.

What I loved most was how the mystery of the necklace pulled me into deeply human stories of courage and survival, particularly Helaine’s resilience amidst unfathomable hardship and Louise’s determination to confront the past rather than let it remain buried. Jenoff’s pacing made the dual timelines feel urgent yet thoughtful, and the way she handles the emotional weight of friendship and sacrifice stayed with me long after finishing.

4 out of 5: a compelling, heart-aching historical journey that shines light on a lesser-known corner of World War II.

[Christi · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars. Last Twilight in Paris is a historical fiction set during and post WWII. We get a story centered around a necklace with dual timeline from 1943 in Nazi-occupied Paris and 1953 in London and Paris.

In 1953 Louise is living in London and finds a necklace in a second hand shop and is sure she’s seen it before around the same time a friend mysteriously died when they were working with the Red Cross in Nazi-occupied Europe. The necklace is marked with a department store in Paris, so she takes off there with the hopes to learn more. We then flashback to 1943 Paris, Helaine is a young Jewish woman whose husband goes missing while fighting in the war. When she tries finding out information about him she’s taken custody and put into a labor camp of sorts that was once a fancy department store where she has to sort through belongings taken from other Jewish families.

This one had a lot going on with all the characters backstory, maybe a tad bit too much at times since it started to take away from the overall story. I wasn’t as invested in Louise’s timeline as much. All in all, a decent read, my first from this author!

[Marloes · Rating 3 out of 5]

Londen, 1953. Als Louise tijdens haar werk in een tweedehandswinkel een wel erg bekende ketting in handen krijgt, wordt ze teruggeworpen naar de oorlogsjaren, naar haar vrijwilligerswerk bij het Rode Kruis, naar de dood van haar vriendin Franny in Duitsland. Ze is vastberaden om de herkomst van deze ketting te onderzoeken en reist af naar Frankrijk, waar ze stuit op verzet en geheimen en ze de confrontatie met haar verleden moet aangaan.

In Parijs hebben Helaine en Gabriel het geluk bij elkaar gevonden en zijn ze net getrouwd als de Duitsers binnenvallen. De spanningen lopen op, er zijn steeds meer restricties en als Gabriel, een cellist, naar Duitsland wordt gestuurd om daar te spelen en Helaine naar Lévitan wordt afgevoerd, dat ooit een luxe warenhuis was maar nu een gevangenkamp is waar Joodse mensen hun geroofde huisraad moeten opknappen en verkopen, is het maar de vraag of ze elkaar ooit terug zullen zien.

Pam Jenoff baseert haar verhalen meestal op een onderbelicht stuk geschiedenis en ook in Het verraad van Parijs verweeft ze in wisselende tijdlijnen en perspectieven indringende gebeurtenissen met een vleug mysterie en neemt ze je op soepele wijze mee in de levens van deze jonge vrouwen, waardoor je in een relatief onbekend werkkamp terechtkomt en je de verschrikkingen in de kampen beziet door de ogen van een vrijwilliger. Hun verhaallijnen vullen elkaar aan, je gaat met beide vrouwen meeleven en ze komen in het begin vrij naïef over, maar ze maken al snel een groei door, worden gevormd door hun ervaringen en passen zich aan om te overleven, nemen risico’s, sluiten nieuwe vriendschappen en behouden veerkracht in een moeilijke tijd.

Door de zoektocht van Louise wordt het verleden steeds verder ingekleurd, lees je over een ketting die deze personages met elkaar verbindt, over dappere mensen die het verschil maakten en over mensen die een dubbelrol speelden, krijg je antwoorden op vragen en zullen enkele onthullingen je verrassen. Hoewel sommige ontwikkelingen wat toevallig zijn en ik graag nog meer over het leven in Lévitan had willen lezen, is dit bovenal een boeiend, beklemmend en origineel oorlogsverhaal over verraad, opoffering, moed en hoop dat je aan het denken zet over verschillende rollen, dat je wat leert en dat je raakt, zeker het lezen waard!

3.5⭐

[Madison Warner Fairbanks · Rating 4 out of 5]

Last Twilght in Paris by Pam Jenoff
Historical fiction WWII. Multiple timelines.
Louise finds a necklace in a secondhand store in London in 1953, or rather, half a necklace. The box is marked from a once glamorous department store, Leviton. She knows she’s seen the necklace before and she gets help from an old friend in trying to track down its history. The store has a dark history as being a Nazi prison location during the war. Helaine was one of the prisoners in the store. She was imprisoned when her husband was forced to play with a small group of musicians to entertain the German elite. The prisoners in the store were forced to help resell items to the Germans that were confiscated from Jewish homes.
In a mix of stories between two women, the necklace leads them both down an unexpected path.
This story is primarily about the store and Helaine from one timeline, and Louise, working backwards to find her. It’s sad and poignant and at the same time brave to try to tell the stories of the lost. I know it’s fiction but I’m also sure the story represents the situations most will never hear about.
I enjoyed the interwoven pieces that led to the connections to complete the story.
Mesmerizing.

I received a copy of this from NetGalley.

[Barb Martin · Rating 3 out of 5]

While I mostly enjoyed "Last Twilight in Paris," I found parts of it to be overwrought and pretentious. The book's resolution, set during a time when millions of people were slaughtered for no good reason, seemed too neat and tidy, despite being the best resolution I could have hoped for, given the circumstances.

Author Pam Jenoff skitters across timelines between the late-1930s and mid-1950s to tell the story of Louise and Helaine, two women whose stories are entwined by a lost necklace.

I've read a lot of novels set during World War II. "Last Twilight in Paris" was OK, but it failed to resonate the true horrors of the time in the same way that books such as "The Book Thief" do.

No tears were shed in the reading of this book. Given the real-life horrors of the Holocaust, that's just not good enough. Never again . . . for any religious or immigrant group.

[Kelly - readinginthe419 · Rating 3 out of 5]

As a big historical fiction reader, I’m not sure how I have never read Pam Jenoff’s books. So I was excited to read this one and, as always, I learned surprising new information.

The dual timeline story shifts between 1943 Paris under Nazi occupation and 1953 England and Paris. We meet Louise, who lives with her husband & children in a small village outside Lindon. Until one day she discovers a necklace in a box at a secondhand shop. The box is marked with the name of a department store in Paris, and she is certain she has seen the necklace before, when she worked with the Red Cross in Nazi-occupied Europe.

Ten years earlier, we meet Helaine a young Jewish woman whose husband has left to fight the Germans. When she’s taken into custody, she’s forced to work at Lévitan—a once-glamorous Paris department store that serves as a Nazi prison. Daily, she sorts through items that once belonged to Jewish families across the city.

I have to say, this one seemed to take some time to draw me in. I loved learning about the Paris department store turned Jewish prison during WWII. I can’t even imagine the pain of sorting through belongings that were plundered from Jewish families.

But while there were definitely parts I enjoyed, some of the storyline was a bit predictable to me. And I didn’t really forge a strong connection to the two main characters. I did enjoy the ending, which was unique and heartwarming.. Rounding up to 3.5⭐️

Thank you HTP Books, Park Row Books and NetGalley for my complimentary digital ARC!

[Jaime Green · Rating 3 out of 5]

*I received this ARC from Harlequin Trade Publishing through NetGalley in return for my honest review. I appreciate the opportunity to provide feedback.*

I am definitely the outlier here. There are so many 4 & 5 star ratings and it just didn't hit me in the same way. It was a perfectly ok story but lacked emotion in both the characters and the storytelling. I was excited to learn more about Levitan, but I feel a little cheated by how little history we got. It took forever to get there and then I feel like the history was sort of glossed over. Helaine doesn’t even make it to Levitan until more than halfway through the book.

My biggest beef with the story is the lack of emotion. I did not shed one tear and that says a lot from someone who cries at literally everything. These characters had experienced very traumatic events in their life, and we hear about those, but we don’t feel it. The character development was there, but the emotional depth was not. The character that I felt the most connected to was Franny and we got so little of her.

The plot was solid, and it had the potential to be a really emotional read but the pace for most of the book was so slow that it was hard to stay interested. The last third of the book finally got to a pace that held my attention. There was a nice twist towards the end that took me by surprise. Although I didn’t hate the book, I am not sure that it is one I would pick up to read again.

[Gwen Kubberness · Rating 4 out of 5]

I listen to this one on Audible because I'm physically reading two books right now and it was pretty good I love historical fiction and it was very well written she did a good job on her research and I recommend it other people read it

[Kris Book Reads]

I really appreciated the multiple perspectives and how the storylines intertwined. While WWII can be a difficult topic to read about, I loved how this book infused hope and resilience into the narrative.

[Adi · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5⭐️ rounded down! LOVED the premise/plot, the twists, the setting, the history. Just docked a bit because the writing style didn’t jive well with me (very heavy on the telling instead of showing, and at times I felt the dialogue was a bit childish).

[Jean Meltzer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Happy Pub Week to the unassailable, Pam Jenoff, and congratulations on the birth of her latest book baby, Last Twilight in Paris! This compelling and fast-paced historical fiction novel follows Louise in 1953 London as she uncovers a necklace’s link to Helaine, a Jewish woman imprisoned in a Nazi-run Parisian department store turned labor camp known as Lévitan.

Some Reasons I Loved This Book:

*I learned something new! I didn’t know about the history of Levitan during the Holocaust, or of mizpah jewelry. For those curious, mizpah jewelry began in the Victorian era and were exchanged between loved ones separated by distance. Levitan was a department store in central Paris. During the war, Jews were confined to the premises and forced to sell goods looted from their own homes. While Pam admits to taking some liberties on the items sold in her author’s not, this was a fascinating look into a little-known piece of war history which I am glad to have learned.

*This book is fun AND deep. There are some absolutely beautiful themes and metaphors in this one about confinement, how it can be used to keep someone safe or do someone harm. I also loved the idea of people as commodities, but also, the way commodities become holders of their owners’ stories. This is expressed beautifully through Louise’s hunt for the truth behind a necklace, but also, through these small moments. A cello. A teapot. Bedsheets.

*I don’t know if Pam did this on purpose, or if anyone else will feel this way about reading, but I found the bits and pieces regarding the Red Cross—and their attempt to stay neutral—fascinating and very relevant to todays’ news. I also thought it was interesting how bad players can attach to charitable organizations, and under the guise of good, do harm. Again, it all felt very timely to today’s news.

*Strong women abound! This really shouldn’t surprise me at this stage considering I’ve read several of Pam’s books, but once again, she presents a story that features some truly bad-ass women.

*The characters are well-drawn and psychologically deep. Louise is likeable, beginning the book as a mom, dealing with a husband who has PTSD. As the story progresses, she realizes that she also has been traumatized by war, and takes the steps necessary for the whole family to heal. Helene begins the book sheltered and naïve, and while she never completely loses that starry-eye hopefulness, she becomes a woman who takes charge of her own life and legacy.

*This is weird to say, because obviously, all of Pam’s books are brilliant AND Jewish. But I felt like there was some really love Jewish worldview moments in this one that I hadn’t necessarily caught in previous book. Case in point, there’s a moment when a non-Jewish character decides to run-off with a Jewish lover and she uses the phrase “casting his lot”—which immediately made me think of Shulchan Aruch and the description of welcoming those interested in becoming converts. Again, I don’t know if she did it on purpose, but it shows the rich layering you will find in this book... if you want to go looking for it!

*There is a lot of romance of in this book! Despite the evil of the Holocaust, this is a story about the power of love to traverse all challenges.

*Finally, I think Pam is secretly a member of the Jewish Joy family. One of my favorite lines in this book, which I wrote in big block letters across my notes: “People’s stories matter, and how they end matter.” And this book, ya’all... I would say Pam ABSOLUTELY comes through for us with a happy ending. (I mean, as happy as you can get about the Holocaust.)

On that note, I often talk about how I was inspired to write Jewish romcoms (and romance) because I didn’t have anything but Holocaust fiction growing up—and I know that a lot of Jews my age and younger feel the same way. So, I want to add one small addendum for clarity. And I’ll put this in writing, because I also have said it at events.

Though I’m the Queen of Jewish Romance (and Jewish joy!), I don’t want people to stop writing Holocaust fiction. We are not living in a time where anyone should forget what happened to Jews less than a century ago. What I want, however, is for people who write Holocaust fiction to do it responsibly.

So, who should be writing Holocaust Fiction that centers Jews? People who have experience with Jews and the Jewish community. People who do their research. (THAT’S A BIG ONE!) People who inherently understand why a Nazi guard getting together with a Jewish woman in a concentration camp is not a love story against all odds... BUT SUPER FREAKING PROBLEMATIC!

Pam is one of those people who should be writing Holocaust fiction. She always brings her best self to the page, drawing from her own experiences in Eastern Europe working with Holocaust survivors for the State Department. And I hope Pam never stops writing these books. Because they’re important. And because, when you pick up a Pam Jenoff book, you know she is writing it with care, respect for the past, and most importantly, talent.

So, go out and support Pam by buying her book! Or, better yet, meet me and her at Park Books in Severna Park, MD, this Saturday, February 8th, 2025 at 7:00 PM Eastern when we’ll be in conversation about Last Twilight in Paris. I know it is going to be an absolutely unforgettable experience.