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The Stolen Life of Colette Marceau
Goodreads Choice Award
Nominee for Readers' Favorite Historical Fiction (2025)Kristin Harmel, the New York Timesbestselling author who “is the best there is at sweeping historical drama” (Kelly Harms, author ofThe Seven Day Switch), returns with an electrifying new novel about two jewel thieves, a priceless bracelet that disappears in 1940s Paris, and a quest for answers in a decades-old murder.
Colette Marceau has been stealing jewels for nearly as long as she can remember, following the centuries-old code of honor instilled in her by her mother, take only from the cruel and unkind, and give to those in need. Never was their family tradition more important than seven decades earlier, during the Second World War, when Annabel and Colette worked side by side in Paris to fund the French Resistance.
But one night in 1942, it all went wrong. Annabel was arrested by the Germans, and Colette’s four-year-old sister, Liliane, disappeared in the chaos of the raid, along with an exquisite diamond bracelet sewn into the hem of her nightgown for safekeeping. Soon after, Annabel was executed, and Liliane’s body was found floating in the Seine—but the bracelet was nowhere to be found.
Seventy years later, Colette—who has “redistributed” $30 million in jewels over the decades to fund many worthy organizations—has done her best to put her tragic past behind her, but her life begins to unravel when the long-missing bracelet suddenly turns up in a museum exhibit in Boston. If Colette can discover where it has been all this time—and who owns it now—she may finally learn the truth about what happened to her sister. But she isn’t the only one for whom the bracelet holds answers, and when someone from her childhood lays claim to the diamonds, she’s forced to confront the ghosts of her past as never before. Against all odds, there may still be a chance to bring a murderer to justice—but first, Colette will have to summon the courage to open her own battered heart.
Colette Marceau has been stealing jewels for nearly as long as she can remember, following the centuries-old code of honor instilled in her by her mother, take only from the cruel and unkind, and give to those in need. Never was their family tradition more important than seven decades earlier, during the Second World War, when Annabel and Colette worked side by side in Paris to fund the French Resistance.
But one night in 1942, it all went wrong. Annabel was arrested by the Germans, and Colette’s four-year-old sister, Liliane, disappeared in the chaos of the raid, along with an exquisite diamond bracelet sewn into the hem of her nightgown for safekeeping. Soon after, Annabel was executed, and Liliane’s body was found floating in the Seine—but the bracelet was nowhere to be found.
Seventy years later, Colette—who has “redistributed” $30 million in jewels over the decades to fund many worthy organizations—has done her best to put her tragic past behind her, but her life begins to unravel when the long-missing bracelet suddenly turns up in a museum exhibit in Boston. If Colette can discover where it has been all this time—and who owns it now—she may finally learn the truth about what happened to her sister. But she isn’t the only one for whom the bracelet holds answers, and when someone from her childhood lays claim to the diamonds, she’s forced to confront the ghosts of her past as never before. Against all odds, there may still be a chance to bring a murderer to justice—but first, Colette will have to summon the courage to open her own battered heart.
500 pages, Library Binding
First published June 17, 2025
5008 people are currently reading
105594 people want to read
About the author
Kristin Harmel
28 books16.4k followersKristin Harmel is the New York Times bestselling, USA Today bestselling, and #1 international bestselling author of The Paris Daughter, The Forest of Vanishing Stars, The Book of Lost Names, The Winemaker’s Wife, and a dozen other novels that have been translated into more than 30 languages and are sold all over the world.
Kristin has been writing professionally since the age of 16, when she began her career as a sportswriter, covering Major League Baseball and NHL hockey for a local magazine in Tampa Bay, Florida in the late 1990s. In addition to a long magazine writing career, primarily writing and reporting for PEOPLE magazine (as well as articles published in numerous other magazines, including American Baby, Men’s Health, Woman’s Day, and more), Kristin was also a frequent contributor to the national television morning show The Daily Buzz. She sold her first novel in 2004, and it debuted in February 2006.
Kristin was born just outside Boston, Massachusetts and spent her childhood there, as well as in Worthington, Ohio, and St. Petersburg, Florida. After graduating with a degree in journalism (with a minor in Spanish) from the University of Florida, she spent time living in Paris and Los Angeles and now lives in Orlando, with her husband and young son. She is also the co-founder and co-host of the popular weekly web show and podcast Friends & Fiction.
Kristin has been writing professionally since the age of 16, when she began her career as a sportswriter, covering Major League Baseball and NHL hockey for a local magazine in Tampa Bay, Florida in the late 1990s. In addition to a long magazine writing career, primarily writing and reporting for PEOPLE magazine (as well as articles published in numerous other magazines, including American Baby, Men’s Health, Woman’s Day, and more), Kristin was also a frequent contributor to the national television morning show The Daily Buzz. She sold her first novel in 2004, and it debuted in February 2006.
Kristin was born just outside Boston, Massachusetts and spent her childhood there, as well as in Worthington, Ohio, and St. Petersburg, Florida. After graduating with a degree in journalism (with a minor in Spanish) from the University of Florida, she spent time living in Paris and Los Angeles and now lives in Orlando, with her husband and young son. She is also the co-founder and co-host of the popular weekly web show and podcast Friends & Fiction.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 5,603 reviews
January 16, 2026
2.75⭐️s rounded up. Too many coincidences, and I think I got eye strain from rolling my eyes.
I feel like I’m in the category of everyone loves this book/author but me. This is my third try with Kristin Harmel and I’m clearly in the minority. I always love the description of her books, but I don’t become invested in any of the characters or the outcome of the plot.
I definitely didn’t like that she body-typed three of the antagonistic characters as fat or pudgy. Maybe it made sense in the context of the plot for one of them, but it just rubbed me the wrong way to make being overweight synonymous with being “the bad guy/girl. ”
I feel like I’m in the category of everyone loves this book/author but me. This is my third try with Kristin Harmel and I’m clearly in the minority. I always love the description of her books, but I don’t become invested in any of the characters or the outcome of the plot.
I definitely didn’t like that she body-typed three of the antagonistic characters as fat or pudgy. Maybe it made sense in the context of the plot for one of them, but it just rubbed me the wrong way to make being overweight synonymous with being “the bad guy/girl. ”
January 2, 2026
An outstanding historical fiction that kept me on the edge of the seat. It is full of suspense. A modern day Robin Hood, Colette, has spent a lifetime lifting jewels from the cruel and unkind people and giving it to a good cause. 70 years ago, in 1942, Colette's mother, Annabel, was arrested by the Nazis and sent to her death for stealing jewels from a Nazi officer. Colette was responsible for watching over her sister, but she left her outside their window to go back and help her mother. When she came back, Liliane was gone and later her body was found floating in the Seine. One of the key elements of the story are the jewels sewn into the girls' dresses to give back to the Rosman's, a Jewish family, that were stolen from them. Colette still has half of the bracelets when they are placed together they make a butterfly. The pieces represent the Rosman's twins that the famous Jewish jeweler, Max Besner, made for the mother.
70 years later the other half of the bracelets shows up in a museum exhibit in Boston, Colette ventures out to find where it has been and who was responsible for her sister's death.
Lucas is director of the museum and has the information Colette needs. She recruits her friends Aviva, a lawyer and her best friend Marty to help her with the search. Colette has admitted to stealing over 30 million dollars worth of jewels and given the money to Jewish organizations that benefit survivors.
This is such a fabulous book. I held my breath each time Colette attempted a theft. I could feel the tension and relief when she succeeded. It is a thought provoking moment with each existing chapter during WWII. The horrors of the Holocaust is well reflected as families are scattered during such a horrible time in history. Another great story of the resistance group during such a difficult time.
Thank you NetGalley and Gallery Books for this incredible ARC in exchange for my honest review.
70 years later the other half of the bracelets shows up in a museum exhibit in Boston, Colette ventures out to find where it has been and who was responsible for her sister's death.
Lucas is director of the museum and has the information Colette needs. She recruits her friends Aviva, a lawyer and her best friend Marty to help her with the search. Colette has admitted to stealing over 30 million dollars worth of jewels and given the money to Jewish organizations that benefit survivors.
This is such a fabulous book. I held my breath each time Colette attempted a theft. I could feel the tension and relief when she succeeded. It is a thought provoking moment with each existing chapter during WWII. The horrors of the Holocaust is well reflected as families are scattered during such a horrible time in history. Another great story of the resistance group during such a difficult time.
Thank you NetGalley and Gallery Books for this incredible ARC in exchange for my honest review.
May 27, 2025
Perfection!!!!!
August 12, 2025
A deeply touching novel that blended mystery with historical fiction, The Stolen Life of Colette Marceau had me under its thrall from the very first word. With flawless character development, two mind-blowing timelines, and a family saga for the ages, I could not put this book down and ended up reading it in one single sitting. You see, from scenes that moved me to tears to others that had me thinking long and hard, there was no end to the profound poignancy that this novel delivered in spades. Bravo, Ms. Harmel, you crafted a novel that is sure to be one heck of a blockbuster hit that’s just perfect for summer.
Alongside of the emotional layers, however, there was a suspenseful mystery that had my thriller loving self flying through the pages. I mean, every time a heist was begun, I was on tenterhooks just hoping she’d be able to pull it off. The strongest piece of this WWII novel, however, was easily Colette herself. Strong, clever, and daring, she was everything I could want in a female main character. Even better, though, was the immersive storytelling that pulled me into this heartbreaking tale. With an atmospheric air and plenty of serious themes, it was a book that made me sit up and take notice of this dynamite new-to-me author.
All said and done, I am over the moon that I decided to try this slightly out-of-my-norm novel. From the adrenaline-fueled jewel heists to the Robin Hood vibe, it wasn’t surprising that I fell in love with this one in no time at all. You see, the multiple plot lines tied together with utter precision all while keeping me firmly in suspense from beginning to end. The best piece of all, though? That had to be how I lost myself in the pages to the extent that when I finally finished, I had to blink to remember where I was. So if you’re looking for a story to lose yourself in, grab this one now as it’s sure to captivate and delight you to no end. Rating of 4.5 stars.
SYNOPSIS:
Colette Marceau has been stealing jewels for nearly as long as she can remember, following the centuries-old code of honor instilled in her by her mother, take only from the cruel and unkind, and give to those in need. Never was their family tradition more important than seven decades earlier, during the Second World War, when Annabel and Colette worked side by side in Paris to fund the French Resistance.
But one night in 1942, it all went wrong. Annabel was arrested by the Germans, and Colette’s four-year-old sister, Liliane, disappeared in the chaos of the raid, along with an exquisite diamond bracelet sewn into the hem of her nightgown for safekeeping. Soon after, Annabel was executed, and Liliane’s body was found floating in the Seine—but the bracelet was nowhere to be found.
Seventy years later, Colette—who has “redistributed” $30 million in jewels over the decades to fund many worthy organizations—has done her best to put her tragic past behind her, but her life begins to unravel when the long-missing bracelet suddenly turns up in a museum exhibit in Boston. If Colette can discover where it has been all this time—and who owns it now—she may finally learn the truth about what happened to her sister. But she isn’t the only one for whom the bracelet holds answers, and when someone from her childhood lays claim to the diamonds, she’s forced to confront the ghosts of her past as never before. Against all odds, there may still be a chance to bring a murderer to justice—but first, Colette will have to summon the courage to open her own battered heart.
Thank you to Kristin Harmel, Gallery Books, and BookSparks for my complimentary copy. All opinions are my own.
PUB DATE: June 17, 2025
Content warning: kidnapping, war, racism, antisemitism, hate crime, child death
Alongside of the emotional layers, however, there was a suspenseful mystery that had my thriller loving self flying through the pages. I mean, every time a heist was begun, I was on tenterhooks just hoping she’d be able to pull it off. The strongest piece of this WWII novel, however, was easily Colette herself. Strong, clever, and daring, she was everything I could want in a female main character. Even better, though, was the immersive storytelling that pulled me into this heartbreaking tale. With an atmospheric air and plenty of serious themes, it was a book that made me sit up and take notice of this dynamite new-to-me author.
All said and done, I am over the moon that I decided to try this slightly out-of-my-norm novel. From the adrenaline-fueled jewel heists to the Robin Hood vibe, it wasn’t surprising that I fell in love with this one in no time at all. You see, the multiple plot lines tied together with utter precision all while keeping me firmly in suspense from beginning to end. The best piece of all, though? That had to be how I lost myself in the pages to the extent that when I finally finished, I had to blink to remember where I was. So if you’re looking for a story to lose yourself in, grab this one now as it’s sure to captivate and delight you to no end. Rating of 4.5 stars.
SYNOPSIS:
Colette Marceau has been stealing jewels for nearly as long as she can remember, following the centuries-old code of honor instilled in her by her mother, take only from the cruel and unkind, and give to those in need. Never was their family tradition more important than seven decades earlier, during the Second World War, when Annabel and Colette worked side by side in Paris to fund the French Resistance.
But one night in 1942, it all went wrong. Annabel was arrested by the Germans, and Colette’s four-year-old sister, Liliane, disappeared in the chaos of the raid, along with an exquisite diamond bracelet sewn into the hem of her nightgown for safekeeping. Soon after, Annabel was executed, and Liliane’s body was found floating in the Seine—but the bracelet was nowhere to be found.
Seventy years later, Colette—who has “redistributed” $30 million in jewels over the decades to fund many worthy organizations—has done her best to put her tragic past behind her, but her life begins to unravel when the long-missing bracelet suddenly turns up in a museum exhibit in Boston. If Colette can discover where it has been all this time—and who owns it now—she may finally learn the truth about what happened to her sister. But she isn’t the only one for whom the bracelet holds answers, and when someone from her childhood lays claim to the diamonds, she’s forced to confront the ghosts of her past as never before. Against all odds, there may still be a chance to bring a murderer to justice—but first, Colette will have to summon the courage to open her own battered heart.
Thank you to Kristin Harmel, Gallery Books, and BookSparks for my complimentary copy. All opinions are my own.
PUB DATE: June 17, 2025
Content warning: kidnapping, war, racism, antisemitism, hate crime, child death
June 10, 2025
Beautifully written, well thought out, and moving, The Stolen Life of Colette Marceau will steal your heart as well as having you turning the pages! Colette Marceau has been stealing since her childhood. Her mother stole as did her grandmother. It is a unique family tradition of taking from the cruel and evil and giving to those in need. If you are getting strong Robin Hood vibes you are not alone!
Colette has lived a long life and has stolen a massive amount and has given to to worthy causes. She can steal just about anything. But when a long missing bracelet from her past shows up at a museum in Boston, her past comes rushing back to her.
1942 - Occupied France
Annabel Marceau has taught her daughter, Colette to be a successful thief in order to fund the French resistance during WWII. But one horrible and fateful night, Annabel is caught by the Germans and Colette's four-year-old sister, Liliane has disappeared with half of a diamond bracelet sewn into her nightgown. Colette is told that her sister's body was found floating in the Seine.
Told in two timelines, The Stolen Life of Colette Marceau shows the horrors of occupied France, the holocaust, and the quest for survival. It also shows the bonds of family, and those doing what they can to help those in need. It shows us Colette as a young girl and as a woman who has lived a long life. A woman with a heavy heart and survivor's guilt. She has spent her life stealing to help those in need even though the most precious things of all have been stolen from her - her mother and sister.
Kristin Harmel has written another gripping, moving, and thought-provoking tale about family, loss, grief, love, history, and survival. This is the second book I have read by Kristin Harmel, and I look forward to reading many more in the future.
Thank you to Gallery Books and NetGalley who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All the thoughts and opinions are my own.
Read more of my reviews at www.openbookposts.com 📖
Colette has lived a long life and has stolen a massive amount and has given to to worthy causes. She can steal just about anything. But when a long missing bracelet from her past shows up at a museum in Boston, her past comes rushing back to her.
1942 - Occupied France
Annabel Marceau has taught her daughter, Colette to be a successful thief in order to fund the French resistance during WWII. But one horrible and fateful night, Annabel is caught by the Germans and Colette's four-year-old sister, Liliane has disappeared with half of a diamond bracelet sewn into her nightgown. Colette is told that her sister's body was found floating in the Seine.
Told in two timelines, The Stolen Life of Colette Marceau shows the horrors of occupied France, the holocaust, and the quest for survival. It also shows the bonds of family, and those doing what they can to help those in need. It shows us Colette as a young girl and as a woman who has lived a long life. A woman with a heavy heart and survivor's guilt. She has spent her life stealing to help those in need even though the most precious things of all have been stolen from her - her mother and sister.
Kristin Harmel has written another gripping, moving, and thought-provoking tale about family, loss, grief, love, history, and survival. This is the second book I have read by Kristin Harmel, and I look forward to reading many more in the future.
Thank you to Gallery Books and NetGalley who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All the thoughts and opinions are my own.
Read more of my reviews at www.openbookposts.com 📖
July 12, 2025
An avid fan of historical fiction and I had never read a book by Kristin Harmel prior to this?
Inconceivable.
*hangs head in shame*
I’m so glad I came out from under the rock I had apparently been living under and cracked open The Stolen Life of Colette Marceau.
Mon dieu, Harmel has crafted the perfect summer armchair travel to Paris, France. I swear, I could hear the Seine lapping at its banks and smell the fresh baguettes wafting on the breeze from the little boulangerie around the corner. Mmmm.
Since she was 10-years-old, Colette Marceau has been raised to carry on the tradition of her ancestors: steal from the cruel and give to those less fortunate.
In 1942 Paris, Colette and her mother steal from Nazi collaborators to fund French resistance activities.
With the war long over and now an ex-pat living in Boston, Colette has upheld her lifelong commitment to her mother’s ideals.
Our 89-year-old protagonist is a modern-day Robin Hood, who has since redistributed $30 million in stolen jewels to fund worthy organizations.
Gotta come clean: despite living by her own questionable code of ethics, I fell hard for this morally grey octogenarian.
I could also feel my heart pounding with every heist that Colette pulls off.
Hats off to you, Kristin Harmel. Like the one-of-a-kind diamond bracelet at the center of this novel, you’ve created a beautiful and multifaceted tale.
This may be my first Harmel read, but certainly not my last.
Inconceivable.
*hangs head in shame*
I’m so glad I came out from under the rock I had apparently been living under and cracked open The Stolen Life of Colette Marceau.
Mon dieu, Harmel has crafted the perfect summer armchair travel to Paris, France. I swear, I could hear the Seine lapping at its banks and smell the fresh baguettes wafting on the breeze from the little boulangerie around the corner. Mmmm.
Since she was 10-years-old, Colette Marceau has been raised to carry on the tradition of her ancestors: steal from the cruel and give to those less fortunate.
In 1942 Paris, Colette and her mother steal from Nazi collaborators to fund French resistance activities.
With the war long over and now an ex-pat living in Boston, Colette has upheld her lifelong commitment to her mother’s ideals.
Our 89-year-old protagonist is a modern-day Robin Hood, who has since redistributed $30 million in stolen jewels to fund worthy organizations.
Gotta come clean: despite living by her own questionable code of ethics, I fell hard for this morally grey octogenarian.
I could also feel my heart pounding with every heist that Colette pulls off.
Hats off to you, Kristin Harmel. Like the one-of-a-kind diamond bracelet at the center of this novel, you’ve created a beautiful and multifaceted tale.
This may be my first Harmel read, but certainly not my last.
June 15, 2025
"Kristin Harmel, the New York Timesbestselling author who “is the best there is at sweeping historical drama” (Kelly Harms, author ofThe Seven Day Switch), returns with an electrifying new novel about two jewel thieves, a priceless bracelet that disappears in 1940s Paris, and a quest for answers in a decades-old murder."
When Germans raid the Marceau home, teenage Colette leaves the bedroom to help her parents, and her four-year-old sister Liliane is kidnapped through an open window, her body found in the Seine and a priceless bracelet missing from the hem of her nightgown.
In 2018 America, Colette has been living with the guilt of leaving her sister alone for seventy six years. She has spent her life redistributing wealth by stealing jewels and money from unscrupulous individuals and giving it to various causes that do good in the world. Will she ever get answers to what happened to her family on that fateful day?
Kristin Harmel has done it again - created an emotionally gripping novel that is pure perfection with the right amount of detail and flawless character development. Historical fiction that includes Paris, WWII, a kidnapping and murder mystery, jewel heists, a family saga, and a romance? Yes, please! Be sure to add this to your summer TBR s'il vous plait!
Many thanks to NetGalley, Gallery Books, and Kristin Harmel for the advance reader's copy in exchange for my honest review.
When Germans raid the Marceau home, teenage Colette leaves the bedroom to help her parents, and her four-year-old sister Liliane is kidnapped through an open window, her body found in the Seine and a priceless bracelet missing from the hem of her nightgown.
In 2018 America, Colette has been living with the guilt of leaving her sister alone for seventy six years. She has spent her life redistributing wealth by stealing jewels and money from unscrupulous individuals and giving it to various causes that do good in the world. Will she ever get answers to what happened to her family on that fateful day?
Kristin Harmel has done it again - created an emotionally gripping novel that is pure perfection with the right amount of detail and flawless character development. Historical fiction that includes Paris, WWII, a kidnapping and murder mystery, jewel heists, a family saga, and a romance? Yes, please! Be sure to add this to your summer TBR s'il vous plait!
Many thanks to NetGalley, Gallery Books, and Kristin Harmel for the advance reader's copy in exchange for my honest review.
May 6, 2025
Paris, 1934. When Colette turns ten, her mother Annabel, teaches her how to steal. When Colette questions stealing, she is explained the story of Robin Hood. It’s about taking from those who are cruel and helping those who are kind. And the golden rule is they never keep anything for themselves, except the twin bracelets belonging to her mother’s friend Helene.
Annabel and Helene are part of underground network. Annabel tries to persuade her friend Helene to leave Paris due to possible mass deportation of Jews. When Helene with her family are deported and the twin bracelets appear on mistresses’ wrist of a German officer, Annabel decides to do the right thing. At least, it’s the right thing in her mind, but that’s when she makes a fatal mistake. She lets emotions get in the way and loses her full concentrations, leading to fatal events.
Meanwhile, the bracelets are split in half, just in case, if the worst comes to pass, each girl, Colette and her younger sister, would have something to bargain with to keep them safe during the war. But her younger sister later is found dead and the bracelet sewn into the hem of her nightgown for safekeeping is gone until it turns up in the museum almost seventy years later.
This dual time line, switches between WWII and the present time when Colette is almost ninety and is proud of her achievement, funneling well over $30 million in stolen jewels to deserving organizations. One of the bracelets resurfaces at the Diamond Museum. As the bracelet reappears, it brings the painful memory back. Colette gathers her strength to find out where the bracelet came from.
As engaging as the story is, there are parts that are questionable if it’s believable. How did she support herself? Some dialogue of a young girl didn’t sound believable. The confirmation of the found body was questionable.
At the end, the story makes a good point that there is no point of holding on to the past. It robs one of good experiences.
Overall, the story has a good flow, is engaging and fast-paced, the characters are well-developed and interesting. The story doesn’t go into atrocities of the war which I personally preferred.
Source: ARC was provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Annabel and Helene are part of underground network. Annabel tries to persuade her friend Helene to leave Paris due to possible mass deportation of Jews. When Helene with her family are deported and the twin bracelets appear on mistresses’ wrist of a German officer, Annabel decides to do the right thing. At least, it’s the right thing in her mind, but that’s when she makes a fatal mistake. She lets emotions get in the way and loses her full concentrations, leading to fatal events.
Meanwhile, the bracelets are split in half, just in case, if the worst comes to pass, each girl, Colette and her younger sister, would have something to bargain with to keep them safe during the war. But her younger sister later is found dead and the bracelet sewn into the hem of her nightgown for safekeeping is gone until it turns up in the museum almost seventy years later.
This dual time line, switches between WWII and the present time when Colette is almost ninety and is proud of her achievement, funneling well over $30 million in stolen jewels to deserving organizations. One of the bracelets resurfaces at the Diamond Museum. As the bracelet reappears, it brings the painful memory back. Colette gathers her strength to find out where the bracelet came from.
As engaging as the story is, there are parts that are questionable if it’s believable. How did she support herself? Some dialogue of a young girl didn’t sound believable. The confirmation of the found body was questionable.
At the end, the story makes a good point that there is no point of holding on to the past. It robs one of good experiences.
Overall, the story has a good flow, is engaging and fast-paced, the characters are well-developed and interesting. The story doesn’t go into atrocities of the war which I personally preferred.
Source: ARC was provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
February 1, 2025
I was immediately hooked on the premise of generations of women stealing jewelry from the nefarious to help the needy. When a bracelet resurfaces after being last seen on Colette’s dead little sister decades ago, the mystery of what happened begs to be solved. The Stolen Life of Colette Marceau weaves a fabulous tale of heartbreak and bravery and just how hard one will fight for those they love. I absolutely loved Colette, who was clever, plucky, and quirky. Kristin Harmel has done it again with this powerful story that moved me to tears.
Read
July 28, 2025This was REALLY good.
August 30, 2025
Wow!
Collette was stealing during the French Resistance, but then her young sister and mother are arrested and killed. There was a bracelet in the hem of her little sister’s dress and no one has ever found it. Now, so many years later Colette Realizes where it is. There is a whole story behind it and Colette’s Tragic History.
Captivating Story. Loved Reading the Author’s Notes and Processing how the message of the book reflected events happening in Kristin Harmel’s Life. A Book about Identity, how to survive horrible times and come out on the other side, the parts of ourselves we shut down to survive and the effect that can have, and ultimately if hope and love can prevail even late in life.
So, for me this Book tells an Intimate Story both about Colette, but also about Kristin Harmel. She was contracted to write this book, but found out she had Breast Cancer. While being treated, she found she could not write, which is a huge part of her identity. The same is true for Colette and Being a Modern Day Robin Hood. What happens when our essence is challenged? Can we make it through and make it through well. This book has Kristin’s soul baked into it. Reading it, you feel the sense of hope against seemingly impossible odds. So, to Read this and know how much Kristin had done to achieve writing again, really is the book to me. It speaks to my heart. It says community, friends, and family really can get us through the very worst of times. Kristin Harmel, you touch my heart. Beautiful Book, Beautiful Woman 🎀 I went through this 3X with my Mom and she lived to see another day. Lived until 85 Years Old. Reading Changes Us, Reading Reveals Us, Reading Makes Us Feel.
Thank you NetGalley and Gallery Books for this book. I always leave reviews of Books I Read.
Collette was stealing during the French Resistance, but then her young sister and mother are arrested and killed. There was a bracelet in the hem of her little sister’s dress and no one has ever found it. Now, so many years later Colette Realizes where it is. There is a whole story behind it and Colette’s Tragic History.
Captivating Story. Loved Reading the Author’s Notes and Processing how the message of the book reflected events happening in Kristin Harmel’s Life. A Book about Identity, how to survive horrible times and come out on the other side, the parts of ourselves we shut down to survive and the effect that can have, and ultimately if hope and love can prevail even late in life.
So, for me this Book tells an Intimate Story both about Colette, but also about Kristin Harmel. She was contracted to write this book, but found out she had Breast Cancer. While being treated, she found she could not write, which is a huge part of her identity. The same is true for Colette and Being a Modern Day Robin Hood. What happens when our essence is challenged? Can we make it through and make it through well. This book has Kristin’s soul baked into it. Reading it, you feel the sense of hope against seemingly impossible odds. So, to Read this and know how much Kristin had done to achieve writing again, really is the book to me. It speaks to my heart. It says community, friends, and family really can get us through the very worst of times. Kristin Harmel, you touch my heart. Beautiful Book, Beautiful Woman 🎀 I went through this 3X with my Mom and she lived to see another day. Lived until 85 Years Old. Reading Changes Us, Reading Reveals Us, Reading Makes Us Feel.
Thank you NetGalley and Gallery Books for this book. I always leave reviews of Books I Read.
January 6, 2025
I’ll first say that I love Kristin Harmel. Her books are always so well researched and I learn things from reading her works. This book was no different in that regard.
This book was harder for me to get into, though. It’s not that it was written poorly; it had the same easy to read style as her other works. I appreciated the short chapters which made it easy to follow as the story jumped between the different characters. I think my trouble with this novel was the thieving. Maybe this is my own lack of research, but it seemed so far fetched that I had trouble relating to the story and the main character, Collette. (It does discuss jewel thieves in the afterward, but not much and it didn’t seem that it was as prolific as the book made it sound.)
This book was also very predictable. No spoilers, but it had a nice, clean ending. While I appreciated that in some respects, I finished the book with a strange sense of indifference.
Overall, 3⭐️s because it was an engaging book and because I really am a fan of the author. This just wasn’t my favorite work of hers.
Many thanks to Gallery Books and NetGalley for an advanced copy! This book will be released in June, 2025
This book was harder for me to get into, though. It’s not that it was written poorly; it had the same easy to read style as her other works. I appreciated the short chapters which made it easy to follow as the story jumped between the different characters. I think my trouble with this novel was the thieving. Maybe this is my own lack of research, but it seemed so far fetched that I had trouble relating to the story and the main character, Collette. (It does discuss jewel thieves in the afterward, but not much and it didn’t seem that it was as prolific as the book made it sound.)
This book was also very predictable. No spoilers, but it had a nice, clean ending. While I appreciated that in some respects, I finished the book with a strange sense of indifference.
Overall, 3⭐️s because it was an engaging book and because I really am a fan of the author. This just wasn’t my favorite work of hers.
Many thanks to Gallery Books and NetGalley for an advanced copy! This book will be released in June, 2025
June 15, 2025
Paris, 1942: Anabel Martinet is a jewel thief, she been told she’s a descendant of Robyn Hood and she steals for the good. France is occupied by the Germans, it makes her blood boil to see their wives and mistresses and traitors and collaborators wearing expensive jewellery, she has no qualms about picking their pockets and funding the French Resistance. When she takes a pair of valuable and unique diamond bracelets that belonged to a Jewish friend from a high-ranking Nazi officer she puts her family in danger and it has devastating and long lasting consequences.
Boston, 2018: Colette Marceau is almost ninety, she has lived with the trauma of when the Nazis arrested her mother and the loss of her little sister Liliane and her father’s desertion for decades. Her mum taught her the tricks of her trade, and has continued stealing and secretly uses the money to fund a range of charities and good causes. She has a remaining link to the past, one of the diamond bracelets and it made in 1920’s by master Jewish jeweller Max Besner. Colette can’t believe it when the second is included in an exhibit at the Boston Diamond Museum, she hopes she can finally find some answers and justice, for what happened to her mother, Liliane and the Rosman family.
I received a copy of All the Diamonds in Paris or The Stolen Life of Colette Marceau from the publisher and in exchange for an honest review. In her latest dual timeline blockbuster, Kristin Harmel looks at topics such as, loss and grief, getting revenge and finding hope, is stealing justified if it’s for a good cause and to right a wrong and how diamonds are the ultimate currency, not just pretty and sparkly and they can be dangerous as well.
Five stars from me, I really liked the characters in this book, especially Colette and her assistant Aviva, Marty and Lucas and a must read for lovers of well written and historical fiction that will make you think outside of the box and especially about theft and the Holocaust.
Boston, 2018: Colette Marceau is almost ninety, she has lived with the trauma of when the Nazis arrested her mother and the loss of her little sister Liliane and her father’s desertion for decades. Her mum taught her the tricks of her trade, and has continued stealing and secretly uses the money to fund a range of charities and good causes. She has a remaining link to the past, one of the diamond bracelets and it made in 1920’s by master Jewish jeweller Max Besner. Colette can’t believe it when the second is included in an exhibit at the Boston Diamond Museum, she hopes she can finally find some answers and justice, for what happened to her mother, Liliane and the Rosman family.
I received a copy of All the Diamonds in Paris or The Stolen Life of Colette Marceau from the publisher and in exchange for an honest review. In her latest dual timeline blockbuster, Kristin Harmel looks at topics such as, loss and grief, getting revenge and finding hope, is stealing justified if it’s for a good cause and to right a wrong and how diamonds are the ultimate currency, not just pretty and sparkly and they can be dangerous as well.
Five stars from me, I really liked the characters in this book, especially Colette and her assistant Aviva, Marty and Lucas and a must read for lovers of well written and historical fiction that will make you think outside of the box and especially about theft and the Holocaust.
May 28, 2025
I’m bummed that I didn’t enjoy this one! I think Kristin Harmel is a skilled historical fiction writer, and I typically find her books well-researched with depth to her characters, but this one misses the mark for me in a couple key areas.
First off, I had zero semblance of a connection to the main character - Colette. I found her completely unlikeable and nothing made me want to root for her. Her narrator perspective as a 90 year old woman just starting to process events that occurred 70 years earlier during WWII was unique, but I felt her character voice wasn’t quite authentic to her age or presumed experiences.
My main quibble with her character, though, was her profession : a jewelry thief that chooses “targets” she seems deserving of having their valuables stolen, nabs them to sell and give the proceeds to “worthy causes”. The whole book was spent on emotionally manipulating the reader into supporting this abject crime. This misplaced vigilante justice can get very dangerous when it’s left up to one individual (the thief in this case) to decide what’s right and what’s wrong.
Given the nature of the story, there were multiple tough conversations that took place with elderly individuals surrounding traumatic events. These conversations were very harsh and I found them personally upsetting. The dialogue made me physically cringe as a I read it.
Despite my critiques of the story, I really do appreciate that it was generally clean. Very sparse language apart from a gentle curse here and there. And no bedroom action to speak of. That’s more and more rare to find so I commend authors for sticking to writing apart from those elements.
First off, I had zero semblance of a connection to the main character - Colette. I found her completely unlikeable and nothing made me want to root for her. Her narrator perspective as a 90 year old woman just starting to process events that occurred 70 years earlier during WWII was unique, but I felt her character voice wasn’t quite authentic to her age or presumed experiences.
My main quibble with her character, though, was her profession : a jewelry thief that chooses “targets” she seems deserving of having their valuables stolen, nabs them to sell and give the proceeds to “worthy causes”. The whole book was spent on emotionally manipulating the reader into supporting this abject crime. This misplaced vigilante justice can get very dangerous when it’s left up to one individual (the thief in this case) to decide what’s right and what’s wrong.
Given the nature of the story, there were multiple tough conversations that took place with elderly individuals surrounding traumatic events. These conversations were very harsh and I found them personally upsetting. The dialogue made me physically cringe as a I read it.
Despite my critiques of the story, I really do appreciate that it was generally clean. Very sparse language apart from a gentle curse here and there. And no bedroom action to speak of. That’s more and more rare to find so I commend authors for sticking to writing apart from those elements.
July 8, 2025
Colette Marceau has experienced the tragedies of living in Paris during the war. She has lost family, her mother, (a jewel thief dedicated to helping the Jews), her beloved sister, four years old dead, found floating in the Seine, and a disinterested father.
Colette follows in her mother's footsteps and is a jewel thief herself stealing to benefit the poor and downtrodden and she has been quite successful in that endeavor, having claim to have been descendant of Robin Hood.
However, when a missing diamond bracelet, (that was sewn into the nightdress of her sister many years ago) turns up in an exhibit, her need to know is rekindled. Colette embarks on a journey to find the owner of the bracelet for that will perhaps be her sister's killer. Along the way, Colette finds both people and places that she remembers even though she is ninety.
It's an interesting story and we do know that the Nazis did plunder millions of dollars worth of Jewish possessions, hoping to establish a museum with displays of art, furniture and jewels.
The question is will Colette get her answer to her sister's tragic death or will she forever be locked in by the tragedy? I did enjoy the book but felt it was a tad too long and drawn out.
Colette follows in her mother's footsteps and is a jewel thief herself stealing to benefit the poor and downtrodden and she has been quite successful in that endeavor, having claim to have been descendant of Robin Hood.
However, when a missing diamond bracelet, (that was sewn into the nightdress of her sister many years ago) turns up in an exhibit, her need to know is rekindled. Colette embarks on a journey to find the owner of the bracelet for that will perhaps be her sister's killer. Along the way, Colette finds both people and places that she remembers even though she is ninety.
It's an interesting story and we do know that the Nazis did plunder millions of dollars worth of Jewish possessions, hoping to establish a museum with displays of art, furniture and jewels.
The question is will Colette get her answer to her sister's tragic death or will she forever be locked in by the tragedy? I did enjoy the book but felt it was a tad too long and drawn out.
July 22, 2025
2.5 stars
This had everything I despise about Kristin Hannah’s novels except a surprise pregnancy.
People who were thought to be dead not actually being dead? Check.
An over the top, hyper-unrealistic ending? Check.
A main character who made everything super-dramatic? Check.
Neglectful, toxic parents? Check.
I never really bought into “stealing is a necessary evil in order to benefit those more deserving” premise. It felt like the only purpose it served was to move the plot forward.
Finally, the plot was so slow. The writing felt repetitive and simplistic.
This had everything I despise about Kristin Hannah’s novels except a surprise pregnancy.
People who were thought to be dead not actually being dead? Check.
An over the top, hyper-unrealistic ending? Check.
A main character who made everything super-dramatic? Check.
Neglectful, toxic parents? Check.
I never really bought into “stealing is a necessary evil in order to benefit those more deserving” premise. It felt like the only purpose it served was to move the plot forward.
Finally, the plot was so slow. The writing felt repetitive and simplistic.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 29, 2025
This is a well-written, entertaining, dual timeline, WWII historical fiction novel. It has a liable and engaging, courageous female protagonist, tragedy, loss, grief, a touch of romance, resilience, hope, several unexpected twists, and a gratifying conclusion. I especially liked the underlying message to never forget the Holocaust. I listened to the audiobook, and the narrator, Ms. Madeleine Maby, does an outstanding job voicing the characters. The author's note, read in Ms. Harmel's own voice, is informative and enlightening, and is truly appreciated.
June 16, 2025
This is a poignant and spellbinding book with a lot of heart. I can't seem to pass up historical fiction books about WWII, especially when they are written by such a talented author as Kristin Harmel. I adored her books, The Forest of Vanishing Stars and The Paris Daughter. Told in dual timelines, this is a story of survival and how one single person can make such a difference in so many people's lives.
In 1938, when Colette Marceau was ten years old her mother taught her the family secrets and lessons in being a jewel thief. She stressed to her daughter, "...only take from those who are cruel, and ...find a way to help those who are kind..." When WWII arrived in France in 1940, Colette's mother sold the jewelry she stole to help finance the French Resistance. Colette soon followed in her mother's footsteps. But was it worth the risk?
At the spry age of 89 in Boston, Colette is still busy expanding her Robin Hood type adventures to help Holocaust survivors and others in need. She has also been searching for seventy-six years for a diamond bracelet that was sewn into her sister's nightgown and that matches one that she herself owns. Colette continued to harbor a terrible burden of guilt that many people carried even decades after the war ended.
I was surprised by how spry, inquisitive, and resourceful Colette was at the age of 89! I swear there are days when I feel like I must be 89 or more when I struggle to get out of bed in the morning! She had a wonderful memory, as well as the will and fortitude to make a difference in people's lives. This story is filled with sorrow and grief at times, but it ends up overflowing with happily ever after for everyone.
This book will definitely be a winner for all of the fans of this author and readers who love historical fiction. The author's note at the end of the book is one that should not be missed.
My sincere thanks to Gallery Books and NetGalley for the digital ARC of this novel. All opinions expressed are my own. Publication date: June 17,2025.
In 1938, when Colette Marceau was ten years old her mother taught her the family secrets and lessons in being a jewel thief. She stressed to her daughter, "...only take from those who are cruel, and ...find a way to help those who are kind..." When WWII arrived in France in 1940, Colette's mother sold the jewelry she stole to help finance the French Resistance. Colette soon followed in her mother's footsteps. But was it worth the risk?
At the spry age of 89 in Boston, Colette is still busy expanding her Robin Hood type adventures to help Holocaust survivors and others in need. She has also been searching for seventy-six years for a diamond bracelet that was sewn into her sister's nightgown and that matches one that she herself owns. Colette continued to harbor a terrible burden of guilt that many people carried even decades after the war ended.
I was surprised by how spry, inquisitive, and resourceful Colette was at the age of 89! I swear there are days when I feel like I must be 89 or more when I struggle to get out of bed in the morning! She had a wonderful memory, as well as the will and fortitude to make a difference in people's lives. This story is filled with sorrow and grief at times, but it ends up overflowing with happily ever after for everyone.
This book will definitely be a winner for all of the fans of this author and readers who love historical fiction. The author's note at the end of the book is one that should not be missed.
My sincere thanks to Gallery Books and NetGalley for the digital ARC of this novel. All opinions expressed are my own. Publication date: June 17,2025.
July 22, 2025
Spoilers ahead!
While I understand that some people loved this book, I did not. Here are some of the reasons:
Ridiculous premise: I’m a descendant of Robin Hood, therefore I shall do nothing in my life except steal jewelry from awful people. Stealing is extremely easy and the author never describes any real “close calls” or any of the real danger that these thieves would actually have faced—especially when stealing in Nazi-occupied Paris.
The writing style is also not my cup of tea. I can’t stand when authors repeatedly use questions in their characters’ thoughts. I read the audiobook, but I almost feel compelled to get a physical copy and count the question marks!
And are there really that many nonagenarians running around stealing jewels, pining over a lost love that was never really a relationship (76 years ago, I might add), finding and marrying said lost love, while also finding her assumed-dead sister and unknown branch of the Robin Hood descendants’ family. Will the newly discovered family members now give up their day jobs and join the jewel thieves? Might be a sequel! 😳
Calling this book historical fiction rubs me the wrong way. I prefer a book that gives real information about periods in history and uses fictional characters to do so. Books like this just paint a vague wash of the time period and really could have been set during any era.
While I understand that some people loved this book, I did not. Here are some of the reasons:
Ridiculous premise: I’m a descendant of Robin Hood, therefore I shall do nothing in my life except steal jewelry from awful people. Stealing is extremely easy and the author never describes any real “close calls” or any of the real danger that these thieves would actually have faced—especially when stealing in Nazi-occupied Paris.
The writing style is also not my cup of tea. I can’t stand when authors repeatedly use questions in their characters’ thoughts. I read the audiobook, but I almost feel compelled to get a physical copy and count the question marks!
And are there really that many nonagenarians running around stealing jewels, pining over a lost love that was never really a relationship (76 years ago, I might add), finding and marrying said lost love, while also finding her assumed-dead sister and unknown branch of the Robin Hood descendants’ family. Will the newly discovered family members now give up their day jobs and join the jewel thieves? Might be a sequel! 😳
Calling this book historical fiction rubs me the wrong way. I prefer a book that gives real information about periods in history and uses fictional characters to do so. Books like this just paint a vague wash of the time period and really could have been set during any era.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 5, 2025
'If you can take from people who are cruel and unkind and use what you've taken to make the world a better place, then what you have done is heroic, not criminal'.
Colette Marceau is a skilled jewel thief. As a direct descendant of Robinhood, she learned from her mother, who learned from hers and so on. When she loses her mother, sister, and young love during the Nazi Occupation of France, she decides she must continue where her mother left off and steal to help fund the French Resistance. But no amount of stealing for good will help wash away the pain of not knowing what happened to her sister. Even after she moves to America, after the war, and continues to steal but this time in order to set up and fund a Holocaust centre, she can't get over the guilt that maybe she's to blame for her sister's disappearance. However, when one half of a diamond bracelet turns up at an exhibition, decades after the war ended, a half that was last seen on her sister, maybe there's a chance to finally put an end to the mystery.
'All the Diamonds in Paris' is a dual-time story that follows Colette's life in Occupied France as well as her current life in America. Usually with dual-time stories, I much prefer the historic storyline to the contemporary but oddly it was the modern timeline that drew me in. I enjoyed trying to uncover the mystery of the jewels and the resolution to so much unhappiness and thought this story was a nice, lovely read overall but there were times when I believed things wrapped up a bit too tidily to be believable. Overall though, the firm fans of Harmel's as well as readers looking for an enjoyable historical fiction book will enjoy page-turning this one.
'...diamonds never really belong to anyone. They'll witness births and deaths, war and peace, feast and famine, and yet they'll live on...'.
Colette Marceau is a skilled jewel thief. As a direct descendant of Robinhood, she learned from her mother, who learned from hers and so on. When she loses her mother, sister, and young love during the Nazi Occupation of France, she decides she must continue where her mother left off and steal to help fund the French Resistance. But no amount of stealing for good will help wash away the pain of not knowing what happened to her sister. Even after she moves to America, after the war, and continues to steal but this time in order to set up and fund a Holocaust centre, she can't get over the guilt that maybe she's to blame for her sister's disappearance. However, when one half of a diamond bracelet turns up at an exhibition, decades after the war ended, a half that was last seen on her sister, maybe there's a chance to finally put an end to the mystery.
'All the Diamonds in Paris' is a dual-time story that follows Colette's life in Occupied France as well as her current life in America. Usually with dual-time stories, I much prefer the historic storyline to the contemporary but oddly it was the modern timeline that drew me in. I enjoyed trying to uncover the mystery of the jewels and the resolution to so much unhappiness and thought this story was a nice, lovely read overall but there were times when I believed things wrapped up a bit too tidily to be believable. Overall though, the firm fans of Harmel's as well as readers looking for an enjoyable historical fiction book will enjoy page-turning this one.
'...diamonds never really belong to anyone. They'll witness births and deaths, war and peace, feast and famine, and yet they'll live on...'.
August 17, 2025
It should be no surprise to me that this newest release by Kristin Harmel was so good, because I’ve loved her some of her previous books, like The Book of Lost Names. Similar to some of her other books, one of the timelines here is set in Paris. Colette Marceau is a young girl, and then a teen in 1940’s Paris. Her mother Annabel is a jewel thief following the tradition of Robin Hood, stealing from those that demonstrate cruelty to others. And at this time in Paris, her thefts help to fund the French Resistance and work against the Nazis that have taken over their country.
Colette learns how to steal jewels from her mother, and becomes very good. But their thefts catch up with them and her mother is arrested. Her mother’s last words to Colette were to keep her little sister, Liliana, safe. On that terrible night, Liliana is taken… along with a jeweled bracelet that her mother had sewn into the hem of her nightgown. Colette has the other matching bracelet, their mother intending her girls to use them for bargaining if needed.
Our other timeline finds Colette living in Boston seventy years later. She has carried on her mother’s tradition, using the jewels to fund many worthy organizations. But then a local museum has an exhibit of jewels, and the matching bracelet to hers is photographed. Colette is desperate to find who the donor was, and try to trace back to find out who had taken and killed her sister. All these years later, she still feels the guilt from that night. As she searches for clues, she encounters people from her past, as well as meeting new people and trying to determine who she can trust with this endeavor. The ending builds as discoveries are made, with a great conclusion.
These characters are complex and quickly pull you in and having you want to find out what happens to them.
Colette learns how to steal jewels from her mother, and becomes very good. But their thefts catch up with them and her mother is arrested. Her mother’s last words to Colette were to keep her little sister, Liliana, safe. On that terrible night, Liliana is taken… along with a jeweled bracelet that her mother had sewn into the hem of her nightgown. Colette has the other matching bracelet, their mother intending her girls to use them for bargaining if needed.
Our other timeline finds Colette living in Boston seventy years later. She has carried on her mother’s tradition, using the jewels to fund many worthy organizations. But then a local museum has an exhibit of jewels, and the matching bracelet to hers is photographed. Colette is desperate to find who the donor was, and try to trace back to find out who had taken and killed her sister. All these years later, she still feels the guilt from that night. As she searches for clues, she encounters people from her past, as well as meeting new people and trying to determine who she can trust with this endeavor. The ending builds as discoveries are made, with a great conclusion.
These characters are complex and quickly pull you in and having you want to find out what happens to them.
May 4, 2025
I would have given this book 5 stars if it were not for the many coincidences at the end. They were too contrived to be believable. This book was a fairytale. Lovely to imagine the Universe bringing together people in their late 70s and 80s, some presumed dead for decades, some missing for decades, and providing closure and happiness. In theory, wonderful, in reality, not probable. And a family tradition of jewel thievery, albeit for the “greater good” as Robin Hood lived, was also implausible. Thank you Netgalley and Gallery Books for the providing this ARC for review consideration. All opinions are my own. #NetGalley, #Goodreads, # GalleryBooks, #TheStolenLifeofColetteMarceau.
August 4, 2025
It was an easy read and interesting story. It went from a 4 star read to a two star read with the ridiculously sappy ending. Good grief. Incredible way to sabotage a decent read.
August 27, 2025
I'm kind of wondering...did I read the same book as everyone else??
What a journey this one was...and not an altogether pleasant one. But it seems as if I went on a different journey than the rest of society cause this has rave reviews and I'm not raving.
First I was bored.
Then I wasn't bored.
Then I finished and I was just...disappointed...??
This book just fell way, way flat for me. The whole stealing thing was...weird. I mean, I got it when it was happening in Nazi Germany and they were just thieving from those who had already stolen everything from the Jewish people. But the modern day stealing stuff was so off-putting. Descendant of Robin Hood?! What?! I guess you could have a whole discussion on the ethics of stealing from someone because you disagree with the way they live their lives, but painting those thieves as not just heroic, but fulfilling a family birthright, a family legacy, just didn't entirely sit right with me.
But beyond that, it was just super cheesy and kind of unbelievable and far-fetched. Harmel relies too heavily on a certain plot point and it just sort of feels predictable and eye roll inducing.
I have loved many of her books. The Paris Daughter made my top ten last year, but this one was sadly a huge disappointment for me.
And if you think I feel awful writing this review after reading the author's note where she talks about her struggle with writing after breast cancer, then you would be correct. I feel like a big fat jerk, but I just can't be a liar.
I wanted to love it but I just only sort of, barely liked it.
What a journey this one was...and not an altogether pleasant one. But it seems as if I went on a different journey than the rest of society cause this has rave reviews and I'm not raving.
First I was bored.
Then I wasn't bored.
Then I finished and I was just...disappointed...??
This book just fell way, way flat for me. The whole stealing thing was...weird. I mean, I got it when it was happening in Nazi Germany and they were just thieving from those who had already stolen everything from the Jewish people. But the modern day stealing stuff was so off-putting. Descendant of Robin Hood?! What?! I guess you could have a whole discussion on the ethics of stealing from someone because you disagree with the way they live their lives, but painting those thieves as not just heroic, but fulfilling a family birthright, a family legacy, just didn't entirely sit right with me.
But beyond that, it was just super cheesy and kind of unbelievable and far-fetched. Harmel relies too heavily on a certain plot point and it just sort of feels predictable and eye roll inducing.
I have loved many of her books. The Paris Daughter made my top ten last year, but this one was sadly a huge disappointment for me.
And if you think I feel awful writing this review after reading the author's note where she talks about her struggle with writing after breast cancer, then you would be correct. I feel like a big fat jerk, but I just can't be a liar.
I wanted to love it but I just only sort of, barely liked it.
June 6, 2025
THE STOLEN LIFE OF COLETTE MARCEAU by Kristin Harmel ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ The easiest 5 stars from me. This was one of THOSE books. The ones where you love every. single. page. and know you’ll remember it! I was hooked from the very beginning. I loved the story happening in both timelines. I loved the mystery. I loved the characters. I did predict part of the mystery towards the end, but it didn’t make it any less enjoyable for me. If you love historical fiction with romance, mystery, and unique characters… then RUN to buy this as soon as it is released!
Colette grew up in Nazi-occupied France during the 1940’s and endured loss and heartbreak. She lost her mother, sister, and her father abandoned her. Now, a bracelet has resurfaced that was with her sister when she went missing decades before, and Colette is determined to find out what happened to her.
Pub. Date: June 17, 2025.
Perfect if you like:
•Back and forth timeline.
•Family of Jewel Thieves!
•Nazi-occupied France.
•Strong FMC.
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Spice: No 🌶️
Mood: 🍜🫗
Colette grew up in Nazi-occupied France during the 1940’s and endured loss and heartbreak. She lost her mother, sister, and her father abandoned her. Now, a bracelet has resurfaced that was with her sister when she went missing decades before, and Colette is determined to find out what happened to her.
Pub. Date: June 17, 2025.
Perfect if you like:
•Back and forth timeline.
•Family of Jewel Thieves!
•Nazi-occupied France.
•Strong FMC.
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Spice: No 🌶️
Mood: 🍜🫗
June 30, 2025
This is a duel time line story with Collette in present day 2018 when she is 89 years old and the past 1942-1945 where Collette is a teenager.
It started out with a bang! I was really enjoying it! Then towards the middle, it really dragged and I couldn't figure out why it had so 5 shiny stars ratings on Goodreads. Then, the last part of the book was totally amazing and I really loved it!!!! 💛 I really liked the present time line better, but it all worked well together!
Kristen Harmel delivered another winner 🏆! I very highly recommend this book 📖. You'll be glad that you read it, I know that I am!
Enjoy and Happy Reading 💫
It started out with a bang! I was really enjoying it! Then towards the middle, it really dragged and I couldn't figure out why it had so 5 shiny stars ratings on Goodreads. Then, the last part of the book was totally amazing and I really loved it!!!! 💛 I really liked the present time line better, but it all worked well together!
Kristen Harmel delivered another winner 🏆! I very highly recommend this book 📖. You'll be glad that you read it, I know that I am!
Enjoy and Happy Reading 💫
October 20, 2025
As Kristen Harmel is one of my favorite historical fiction authors I was expecting a wonderful novel and oh my did she deliver!
The character development she served up was top notch. Colette Marceu was such a fascinating protagonist. Dreaming up a 89 year old jewel thief who does things Robin Hood style…she steals from dark hearted individuals and gives to worthy organizations makes for a really unique character with a lot of intelligence and grit.
In this dual timeline story you are successfully taken from the ugly gathering of Jews in Paris by the Nazis to 2018 Boston.
It is a well blended mixture of historical fiction, a 1942 murder mystery, family drama and romance. But not too much romance which was perfect for me not being a huge fan of the genre.
This in my humble opinion is an incredible piece of historical fiction. I highly recommend reading the novel.
The character development she served up was top notch. Colette Marceu was such a fascinating protagonist. Dreaming up a 89 year old jewel thief who does things Robin Hood style…she steals from dark hearted individuals and gives to worthy organizations makes for a really unique character with a lot of intelligence and grit.
In this dual timeline story you are successfully taken from the ugly gathering of Jews in Paris by the Nazis to 2018 Boston.
It is a well blended mixture of historical fiction, a 1942 murder mystery, family drama and romance. But not too much romance which was perfect for me not being a huge fan of the genre.
This in my humble opinion is an incredible piece of historical fiction. I highly recommend reading the novel.
June 27, 2025
Kristin Harmel is one of my absolute favorite World War II historical fiction writers. She has a way of bringing characters to life and having them steal your heart at the same time.
𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗮𝗽𝗽𝗲𝗮𝗹𝗲𝗱 𝘁𝗼 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗺𝗼𝘀𝘁 𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘆?
This story was written with such beauty and clarity. I felt the intensity of wartime fear and devastation, yet didn't feel overwhelmed with sadness. Instead, the story was presented such a hopeful way since it had the underlying Robin Hood theme. Then, you combine the mystery with the suspense and you have a story that you can’t help but devour!
𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝘁𝗼 𝗲𝘅𝗽𝗲𝗰𝘁:
Dual Timeline
Jewel Heists
Robinhood-esque
Strong FMC
Mystery
𝗛𝗼𝘄 𝘄𝗮𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗽𝗮𝗰𝗲?
I was able to fly through this fast-paced story about heists, bravery, sacrifices, friendship, love, grief and despair with characters that had me shedding tears.
𝗗𝗼 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗿𝗲𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗺𝗲𝗻𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗯𝗼𝗼𝗸?
I will always recommend Harmel’s moving stories. She is able to tell a story that highlights those who still had heart, bravery, faith and strength in order to create an emotional story that will have you turning the pages without feeling bogged down.
Thank you, Gallery Books, for this gifted copy in exchange for my honest review.
𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗮𝗽𝗽𝗲𝗮𝗹𝗲𝗱 𝘁𝗼 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗺𝗼𝘀𝘁 𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘆?
This story was written with such beauty and clarity. I felt the intensity of wartime fear and devastation, yet didn't feel overwhelmed with sadness. Instead, the story was presented such a hopeful way since it had the underlying Robin Hood theme. Then, you combine the mystery with the suspense and you have a story that you can’t help but devour!
𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝘁𝗼 𝗲𝘅𝗽𝗲𝗰𝘁:
Dual Timeline
Jewel Heists
Robinhood-esque
Strong FMC
Mystery
𝗛𝗼𝘄 𝘄𝗮𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗽𝗮𝗰𝗲?
I was able to fly through this fast-paced story about heists, bravery, sacrifices, friendship, love, grief and despair with characters that had me shedding tears.
𝗗𝗼 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗿𝗲𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗺𝗲𝗻𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗯𝗼𝗼𝗸?
I will always recommend Harmel’s moving stories. She is able to tell a story that highlights those who still had heart, bravery, faith and strength in order to create an emotional story that will have you turning the pages without feeling bogged down.
Thank you, Gallery Books, for this gifted copy in exchange for my honest review.
December 19, 2024
The Stolen Life of Colette Marceau by Kristin Harmel is a gripping historical fiction novel set in dual timelines—one in Nazi-occupied France during the 1940s and another in more present times, 2018. As the story unfolds, both timelines become more intertwined, with Colette’s past and present gradually converging.
Colette comes from a long line of jewel thieves. Not just any kind of thieves, but those that have descended from Robin Hood. Their jewel captures are intended to punish those who have done wrong. The proceeds from the sale of the jewelry is then donated to organizations that help others.
Colette has lived a life of tragedy, enduring the loss of her mother, Annabel, and young sister, Liliane. She has also felt the stinging realities of a father that gave up on her, as well as the joys of a first love. Now, her biggest goal is to retrieve the missing bracelet that once belonged to a family friend and now is on display at a local museum in Boston. By retrieving the bracelet, Colette hopes to learn the truth. Where has the bracelet been all this time and who has kept it? Colette yearns to learn who is behind the deaths of her mother and sister.
I am a huge fan of historical fiction and a huge fan of Kristin Harmel. The Stolen Life of Colette Marceau is FANTASTIC! Colette is a modern day bad-ass. She conforms to no one and has strong and deep convictions. Colette evolves so much from the start to the end. You can feel her pain and her joys. She is a wonderfully developed character! This novel really got me thinking about right and wrong and who decides between those two distinctions.
Many thanks to NetGalley, Kristin Harmel, and Gallery Books for the opportunity to read The Stolen Life of Colette Marceau!
Colette comes from a long line of jewel thieves. Not just any kind of thieves, but those that have descended from Robin Hood. Their jewel captures are intended to punish those who have done wrong. The proceeds from the sale of the jewelry is then donated to organizations that help others.
Colette has lived a life of tragedy, enduring the loss of her mother, Annabel, and young sister, Liliane. She has also felt the stinging realities of a father that gave up on her, as well as the joys of a first love. Now, her biggest goal is to retrieve the missing bracelet that once belonged to a family friend and now is on display at a local museum in Boston. By retrieving the bracelet, Colette hopes to learn the truth. Where has the bracelet been all this time and who has kept it? Colette yearns to learn who is behind the deaths of her mother and sister.
I am a huge fan of historical fiction and a huge fan of Kristin Harmel. The Stolen Life of Colette Marceau is FANTASTIC! Colette is a modern day bad-ass. She conforms to no one and has strong and deep convictions. Colette evolves so much from the start to the end. You can feel her pain and her joys. She is a wonderfully developed character! This novel really got me thinking about right and wrong and who decides between those two distinctions.
Many thanks to NetGalley, Kristin Harmel, and Gallery Books for the opportunity to read The Stolen Life of Colette Marceau!
November 12, 2025
(4.75 stars)
Kristin Harmel kept me riveted to this dual timeline story: The Stolen Life of Colette Marceau. The two main time periods are 1942-43 in Paris, France (under N*zi occupation) and 2018 Boston. Colette is a young teen during the war, the older daughter of a family who traces their heritage back to Robin Hood (her mother is English). They do the Robin Hood thing, stealing from the rich and giving to the poor, but their own version of it, which at that time meant stealing jewels from N*zis or collaborators and selling the jewels to provide funding for resistance efforts. Colette’s mother teaches her all she can before she inevitably runs afoul of the occupiers.
When we meet Colette in 2018, she’s almost 90 years old but is still at her “trade.” She has a heartbreaking backstory and has been searching for the other half of a very special custom-designed bracelet for over 70 years and she may just have found it. The story bounces back and forth between the two timelines (chapters are well-marked so you are never confused). The 1942 timeline affected me in a very strong way. The Marceau family is not Jewish but they were outraged about the treatment of their Jewish friends and neighbors, something I was pleased to read. Unfortunately we are seeing a rise in antisemitism around the world today and the actions of “everyday” people back then are very clearly echoed in some things we are seeing now.
While there were some coincidences that stretch believability, I still loved the story and highly recommend this book.
Thank you to Gallery Books and NetGalley for the opportunity to read an advance readers copy of this book. Because I was late to it, I bounced between the e-ARC and the published audiobook, courtesy of my public library. Madeleine Maby did a wonderful job with all the different voices and accents.
All opinions are my own.
Kristin Harmel kept me riveted to this dual timeline story: The Stolen Life of Colette Marceau. The two main time periods are 1942-43 in Paris, France (under N*zi occupation) and 2018 Boston. Colette is a young teen during the war, the older daughter of a family who traces their heritage back to Robin Hood (her mother is English). They do the Robin Hood thing, stealing from the rich and giving to the poor, but their own version of it, which at that time meant stealing jewels from N*zis or collaborators and selling the jewels to provide funding for resistance efforts. Colette’s mother teaches her all she can before she inevitably runs afoul of the occupiers.
When we meet Colette in 2018, she’s almost 90 years old but is still at her “trade.” She has a heartbreaking backstory and has been searching for the other half of a very special custom-designed bracelet for over 70 years and she may just have found it. The story bounces back and forth between the two timelines (chapters are well-marked so you are never confused). The 1942 timeline affected me in a very strong way. The Marceau family is not Jewish but they were outraged about the treatment of their Jewish friends and neighbors, something I was pleased to read. Unfortunately we are seeing a rise in antisemitism around the world today and the actions of “everyday” people back then are very clearly echoed in some things we are seeing now.
While there were some coincidences that stretch believability, I still loved the story and highly recommend this book.
Thank you to Gallery Books and NetGalley for the opportunity to read an advance readers copy of this book. Because I was late to it, I bounced between the e-ARC and the published audiobook, courtesy of my public library. Madeleine Maby did a wonderful job with all the different voices and accents.
All opinions are my own.
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