The Paris Secret

by Karen Swan

Somewhere along the cobbled streets of Paris, an apartment lies thick with dust and secrets: full of priceless artworks hidden away for decades.

High-flying Fine Art Agent Flora from London, more comfortable with the tension of a million-pound auction than a cosy candlelit dinner for two, is called in to asses these suddenly discovered treasures. As an expert in her field, she must trace the history of each painting and just who has concealed them for so long.

Thrown in amongst the glamorous Vermeil family as they move between Paris and Antibes, Flora begins to discover that things aren't all that they seem, while back at home her own family is recoiling from a seismic shock. The terse and brooding Xavier Vermeil seems intent on forcing Flora out of his family's affairs - but just what is he hiding?

Genres: Fiction, Romance, Historical Fiction, Mystery, Contemporary, Chick Lit, France

416 pages, Paperback

First published July 14, 2016

About the author

Karen Swan began her career in fashion journalism before giving it all up to raise her three children and a puppy, and to pursue her ambition of becoming a writer. She lives in the forest in Sussex, writing her books in a treehouse overlooking the Downs. Her books include Christmas at Tiffany's, Summer at Tiffany's, The Perfect Present, Christmas in the Snow, The Summer Without You, The Paris Secret, and Christmas Under the Stars.

Reviews

[Cindy Burnett (Thoughts from a Page) · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 stars

This is the third book I have read that is inspired by an abandoned apartment in Paris that was discovered several years ago. The owner fled Paris during World War 2 and never returned. Each book has been fascinating to read (the other two are The Paris Apartment by Michelle Gable and The Velvet Hours by Alyson Richman), and I love that each book is dramatically different from the others. Karen Swan tells a fascinating and compelling tale with the world of fine art as a background. The Paris Secret is a page-turner with a satisfying plot and well-drawn characters. The ending was outstanding, and I certainly did not see the resolution coming. I highly recommend this novel – it is well worth the read.

[Karen · Rating 4 out of 5]

I appreciate when a fellow Goodreads friend recommends a book. This was one of them.

Consider the news…

A perfectly preserved apartment in Paris that has been closed up and untouched since WWII.

Why would someone walk away and never return?

What could be left in this unexpected time capsule?

And…

Those that left it behind, could they have been victims of the war? Or, did they need to leave because they couldn’t face the memories of what the war did to them?

So…

What is an author to do with a story like this apartment?

She creates a back story that gives readers an opportunity to uncover deeply buried secrets.

Interesting. Provocative. Thoughtful. Gripping.

[Irena BookDustMagic · Rating 4 out of 5]

3,5 stars to be precise.

I have a confession to make: I never understood the art.
You can put me infront of the most phrased art work in the world, and I will just stand there, totally confused, forcing my brain cells to see the beauty everyone talks about.
I was never good at art class. I hated it. As an outcome to that, I didn’t particularly enjoy learning about it either.
Therefore, when it comes to art culture, telling you that I am bad would probably be understate.

Main theme of this book is the discovery of an abandoned apartman full of paintings collected during World War II.
You can imagine my reaction when everything about it was divulged, all those masters who stood behind those masterpieces.
Yes, I was confused, but I also tried my best to keep up.

Although the name of this novel is The Paris Secret, Paris is not the only city Karen Swoon took us to in the adventure she created.
We also got to visit London, Vienna and Antibes.
However, not one of those places, Paris included, was explored enough to make me feel like I was there or like I was learning something new about those places.

Although the art theme was somewhat miss in my case, I found the story behind the main theme pretty fascinating.
All those secrets that were revealed and consequences that came with their revelation gave interestingness to the story.

I only wish that the love aspect took a bigger part of this book.
I also wish that it was observed more and in my opinion stronger love feature is the one ingredient that missed.
I usually don’t crave for love in books I’m reading, but in this particular novel, on page 70, I cought myself hoping there would be love interest already to spice up this (until then pretty boring) book.

From all the characters in the book, there were only two I wanted to know more about: Xavier and Natascha. They were mysterious and I knew from the moment we met them that there is something about them, that there is more then meets the eye. Although their characters have a part in this novel through the whole story, I honestly wish we got the chance to get to know them even better, especially Natascha.

This is the second book by Karen Swan I read. I read her Christmas at Tiffany’s in December 2015 and fall in love with it.
Although The Paris Secret didn’t live up to my expectations, I am more then happy to know that Karen wrote many books before this one and I am looking forward to read them.
It exceptionally makes me happy the fact that most of her books are taking part during Christmas or are Christmas themed, because I really, really enjoy reading Christmas stories.

I would recommend The Paris Secret to everyone who loves art, who likes reading stories about secrets and who enjoys reading family prose.

Note: I got this book for free via Netgalley in an exchange for an honest review. Thank you Pan Macmillan.

Read this and more reviews on my blog: http://bookdustmagic.wordpress.com

[Aditi · Rating 4 out of 5]

“Art is the lie that enables us to realize the truth.”

----Pablo Picasso


Karen Swan, an English author, pens a heart-touching and intense contemporary romance novel, The Paris Secret which unfolds the story of a family as well as a powerful female art dealer who gets muddled into the family drama as well as the family secrets of a reputed and affluent French family suddenly discovered artworks are needed to be studied by the art dealer to find its origin as well as the reason behind its concealment, but there's more to art drama than this art dealer can ever guess.


Synopsis:

Somewhere along the cobbled streets of Paris, an apartment lies thick with dust and secrets: full of priceless artworks hidden away for decades.

High-flying Fine Art Agent Flora from London, more comfortable with the tension of a million-pound auction than a cosy candlelit dinner for two, is called in to asses these suddenly discovered treasures. As an expert in her field, she must trace the history of each painting and just who has concealed them for so long.

Thrown in amongst the glamorous Vermeil family as they move between Paris and Antibes, Flora begins to discover that things aren't all that they seem, while back at home her own family is recoiling from a seismic shock. The terse and brooding Xavier Vermeil seems intent on forcing Flora out of his family's affairs - but just what is he hiding?


Flora Skyes is an English art dealer, adviser as well as auctioneer and her mind revolves around her parents, her brother and art, in big bold capital letters, rather than indulging herself in romance or any kind of compassion with an opposite sex. So this career-minded woman lands up in Paris after her boss, Angus's frantic call to handle and find the originality as well as to verify the authenticity of some suddenly discovered artworks, including a rare piece of Renoir in an apartment hidden and tucked away in some forgotten alley in Paris. That apartment belongs to Madame Vermeil's father-in-law, whose clear instructions say that the apartment and its contents can't be sold off if his wife is still alive. Soon Flora begins her investigation to find out about the hidden artworks and that stumbles her upon a dark Vermeil family secret, that can destroy the whole clan, and within no time, Flora finds herself getting allured to this compelling family, especially the mother-in-law and the two grand kids, Xavier and Natascha, and gets meddled into their dark family affairs.

After reading this reading, I was left with the thought that Karen Swan is an incredible writer, not just her writing is flawless, but her style of spinning the story is also polished and perfect. Firstly, my heart was left arrested by that enchanting and oh so Parisian! artwork of the book cover that instantly begged me to open the book and start reading. And needless to say, right from the very prologue, the story left me wanting for more and to know what will happen next.

The author's writing style is eloquent and exquisite, laced perfectly with intense emotions and mind-blowing tension. The author narrates the story with the help of layers without giving away too much, but enough to make her readers to stay glued to the story line. The dialogues are convincing and free-flowing as well as articulate enough to help the readers comprehend or lose themselves into it. The pacing of the book is moderate, as this is the kind of book that readers need to enjoy in a subtle way.

The backdrop of Paris is bound to leave the readers awe-struck not only to those who have visited Paris but to also those who are yet to visit or haven't visited. The author has vividly captivated the charm, the perfect flair as well as the essence of a real Paris landscape, streets, restaurants, people, weather, flora as well as the fashion and the culture. The author has brought alive the city of lights with her fascinating words that strikingly portrays the city with its finest details for the readers to visually imagine it in their mind's eyes. Apart from Paris, the author also depicts so many French cities with careful observation and in proper depth so that the readers can imagine and feel the change in the landscape.

The characters from this book are extremely well developed, especially the central character, Flora, who is a no-nonsense heroine, who has a sharp mind like a detective and a fine eye like an artist. Her brave, careful and determined demeanor makes her a perfect role model for the book, who doesn't like to get involve in a love-drama but her caring nature towards this French family will make the readers sympathize and keep rooting for her till the end. Well I was wondering that the book would be free of any cliched love stories, but anyhow, Flora eventually gets involved as she falls head-over-heels in the love with the badass guy from the book. The supporting characters are much better the central character, as each and everyone from that French family felt multi-dimensional and flawed to the very core, beyond their complex attitude and poshness.

In a nutshell, the story is perfect for a long afternoon escape read and with a glass of red wine, this is surely going to take you places with some intense family drama and brain-twisting and gripping mystery to keep you hooked into it.

Verdict: Enthralling, riveting as well as romantic..and very, very French! Oui!

Courtesy: Thanks to the publishers from Pan Macmillan India for giving me the opportunity to read and review this book.

[Tara ~ · Rating 1 out of 5]

I'll tell you what The Paris Secret is. The Paris Secret is... IT SUCKS! Continue to read for my view as to why ~

This book brings to mind a quote by Eleanor Roosevelt ~ "Great minds discuss ideas; average minds discuss events; small minds discuss people." After reading The Paris Secret by Karen Swan, I'd have to add the addendum "trite minds discuss labels". I realized that Ms. Swan is a former fashion editor and that her world then consisted of knowing different designers as well as various other entitlements of a more rarified crowd than most people will ever become familiar with, but much like an emaciated model wearing a plus sized sweater, this book simply drowns in what I'm sure was intended to be descriptives for her characters and settings. Instead of acting as an accent to enhance and flesh out said characters and settings, they become lost and even replaced by them, to the extent that it becomes tiresome. Excess is the rule and not the exception here. Everyone is rich, thin, beautiful, and has the ultimate in clothing, shoes, cars, or connections, even those that are deemed "ungettable" or "unobtainable", our heroine Flora and her clique of friends have to the point that it becomes meaningless and sadly, tedious to the point of pretension. It is not uncommon for Ms. Swan to write up to an entire paragraph to describe what Flora or someone within her group is wearing. Which is a great shame, since this story is based on some real events and uses the tragedy of what so many people lost during WW2 as it's backdrop. I guess this book is written more for people who enjoy a good romance story than someone like me who is more interested in historical fiction. Still, there were some parts of this book that were entertaining and some even beautifully written descriptions of places that most of us will never travel to or see, and reading this piqued my interest in what happened to so many lost or stolen pieces of art during the Second World War. If only Ms. Swan had written her characters more believably instead of the two-dimensional ones we are presented with, because I would have liked to have become more connected and engaged with them. One and a half stars out of five.

[Zoe · Rating 5 out of 5]

Compelling, emotional and deliciously mysterious!

This is a riveting tale that sweeps us into the glamorous world of art and takes us on a journey to find the true provenance of precious paintings that have been concealed for decades.

The story is predominantly set in Paris during both the latter part of WWII, as well as present day and is filled with mystique, familial drama, heartbreak, secrets, deception, history, abuse, self discovery, exotic locales and of course a little bit of romance.

The prose is precise and vividly descriptive. The characters are complex, independent and affluent. And the plot uses a present/past style to not only build suspense and tension, but to create depth and understanding to the personalities, motivations and relationships within it.

I have to admit that when it comes to Karen Swan I’m a little bit biased. I’m a huge fan! To me her books are like a cosy jumper, every time I pick one up I know I can snuggle down for the whole day and be immersed in a story that will captivate me, make me smile, probably make me laugh, and possibly even make me cry and this one was no exception.

Thank you to PGC Books for providing me with a copy in exchange for an honest review.

All my reviews can be found on my blog at http://whatsbetterthanbooks.com

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

An apartment hidden for 73 years and forbidden by the owner to be known to anyone, but why?

The children didn't even know about it until the apartment was broken into.

Once the apartment was revealed to the children, in comes Flora and Angus, well-known art dealers and auctioneers. And what a find in that apartment closed for 73 years...famous paintings, artifacts, and the home left as it had been when the family lived there.

Flora was in her domain and in her glory over this, but some things didn't seem right with the Vermeil family - the children were obnoxious, and their parents seemed excited but a bit disinterested in the apartment and its contents. Something else must be behind all of this.

We follow Flora as she investigates the contents of the apartment and the path of sales of the Renoir from the painter to each seller. She came to a standstill when she found out that a dealer who dealt with the Nazis was the last recorded owner of the Renoir. If that was where it ended, no one would want the painting. Then when Flora went to Vienna to meet someone who had the companion painting to the Renoir, another surprise awaited her.

Mystery, intrigue, and deceit abound in THE PARIS SECRET.

I truly enjoyed THE PARIS SECRET. It was a bit of mystery mixed in with history. I was impressed at how much research goes into checking the authenticity of paintings. It actually was quite fascinating along with the excitement of recognizing the names of famous painters.

This was my first book by Karen Swan and am sorry I have never read anything else by her. The story line is interesting, the writing is marvelous and very descriptive.

If you love Paris, drama, art, finding treasures in old buildings, and a bit of romance, THE PARIS SECRET won't disappoint.

The secret revealed in the ending pages was excellent. 5/5

This book was given to me free of charge and without compensation by the publisher in return for an honest review.

[ꕥ Ange_Lives_To_Read ꕥ · Rating 3 out of 5]

This novel is one of several fictionalized accounts (and so far, the only one I've read) of the luxurious apartment belonging to Madame de Florian, a French socialite and actress. It was abandoned after the Nazis occupied Paris during WWII and left undisturbed for 70 years. I've pored over the available photos and information online, this is such a fascinating story!!

The Paris Secret doesn't try to create a narrative to fit the facts but uses the story as inspiration. The fictional plot revolves around a cast of characters including the wealthy Vermeil family who are surprised to learn the apartment belongs to them; and Flora Sykes, a fine arts specialist who is charged with cataloguing the apartment's treasures.

The problem is, instead of focusing on the interesting part of the story - the mystery of the apartment and why it was abandoned - the author spends way too much time on extraneous details and tangential plotlines. The narrative about Flora's brother, falsely accused of a crime, is introduced, abandoned, and then resurrected again later while adding nothing to the story. Most egregious is the overwrought love story between Flora and the Vermeils' son, bad-boy Xavier. This was so clearly Twilight-inspired, I wouldn't have been surprised if Xavier called Flora, “Spider Monkey.”

The character of Flora was completely undeveloped, distinguished only by the fact that she wore designer everything (oy, the name dropping!!) Also, it must have been so TEDIOUS for the poor girl, when every handsome millionaire she met in the course of her work fell for her and she had to break their hearts. Until Xavier, of course. Yawn.

I'm probably being too hard on the book, mostly because I think it had so much potential. But I did enjoy it, some of the writing was very good, and unlike other novels it delivered on its main promise - the secret, when finally revealed, is a doozy.

[Maddie · Rating 2 out of 5]

If you took out the entirely useless side plots of her brother and her love life, maybe this would have been okay. The editor needed to do a better job. Flora has this high-flying job, yet her and her boss can't afford a data plan and they're always waiting for a wifi connection? Or Ines has a professional skateboarder for a boyfriend, and her favourite "trick" is to ride goofy foot?

The book comes so close to addressing interesting questions and situations, like fortunes made from buying and selling art during WWII, or even describing that art. Why write a book about art if you're never actually going to describe what makes it good?

Xavier is a terrible character and couldn't be more one-dimensional if he was run over with a steamroller. He goes from terrible manipulative and abusive man to.... terrible manipulative and abusive man, but one that Flora is IN LOVE WITH. Nevermind that Flora has adamantly never been in love but once Xavier looks at her the right way SHE KNOWS. And by the end, they still haven't really had a real conversation.

Her brother's storyline was unnecessary. By the time he was brought up again, I'd forgotten about the terrible cliffhanger from the first chapter. Throughout, I couldn't have cared less about what was going to happen to him, or what crime he supposedly committed. Then, the whole handling of his crime was a bit tone deaf. How did no one notice this added nothing to the story?

The main plot of the story comes so close to being interesting, but even this doesn't count for much as the interesting bits (the lost apartment and Nazi art dealings) are actual historic events.

[Антоанета · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ехаааа, тази книга беше такова страхотно приключение, че много съжалявам, че свърши – исках още. Просто впечатляваща! Авторката е споделила, че действителна случка отразена в пресата я е вдъхновила за измислянето на тази история, а именно заключен 70 години апартамент в центъра на Париж без никой да прояви интерес към него, напълно забравен…
Историята тук започва по същия начин – апартамент заключен от времето на ВСВ, оставен като някаква капсула на времето с всичко, което е било в него. Но защо е оставен? Хората заради войната ли са избягали така внезапно оставяйки изключителни ценности и произведения на изкуството? А настоящите собственици – защо не са подозирали за съществуването му? Когато богатата и известна фамилия Вермей разбира, че има апартамент, за който не са подозирали, те мислят само за това да се опише какво има в него и какво ще може да се продаде и какво да се запази. Те наемат агенция занимаваща се с произведения на изкуството, аукциони и кураторство, а представителката им Флора се заема да опише всичко и да разпознае кое е ценно и кое не. Силно бях впечатлена от тази част, защото авторката подробно ни описва всеки детайл от работата по проучването на всеки аспект на изкуството, как се разпознава, през какви стъпки се преминава при откриване и проследяване на историята на всеки предмет, защо трябва да се проследи историята и да се докаже собственост, за да се премине към продажба на търг. Описани са самите търгове – с тяхната помпозност, страстта на всеки колекционер, жаждата за притежание на даден предмет или картина, как може да се изгуби ума от силното желание за притежание и самозабрава при залагането в търговете. Осъзнавам, че това е специфична тематика и може би не на всеки би било интересно, но за мен определено беше. Хареса ми как авторката е проучила всеки детайл от този начин на живот до най-малката подробност, а не просто да е някакъв мъгляв фон на заден план. А главната героиня Флора беше толкова интелигентна и ерудирана, толкова добра в работата си, че няма как да не й се възхитиш. Тя можеше да разпознае всяка картина, всеки художник, всеки период и да проследи историята от рисуването до всяка препродажба до последната. В същото време Флора беше нежна, ранима (заради проблеми в собственото й семейство) и будеща дълбока симпатия. А насреща й имаше хиени в човешки образ. Порасналите деца на семейство Вермей на всяка крачка й спираха работата, пречеха й и я презираха. И двамата – Наташа и Ксавие са разглезени, типични деца на богаташи разнасяни по таблоидите и жълтите хроники. И въпреки, че книгата не е типичен любовен роман (любовната история е някъде на заден план) нямаше как да не се почувства сексуалното напрежение между Флора и Ксавие. И все пак на преден план беше една мистерия, една история от ВСВ, едно чудовище търгувало с картини и прибирало произведения на изкуството за Третия Райх от нищо неподозиращи евреи, които предлагали всичките си ценности, за да минат границата… Пътуването в миналото показа тежки събития, трудни решения, ужасът на една война, но и как някои хора са се спасили чрез измама, а други не са имали този шанс. В крайна сметка нищо не се оказа такова каквото изглежда първоначално. Всички теории в тази книга се разбиват на пух и прах, но това само засилва желанието за препускане по страниците, за да се разбере какво ще се случи по-нататък. Категорични 5 звезди!

[Kirsten · Rating 4 out of 5]

I happened to start listening to this audiobook for for a second time and only after some time did I realize that I had heard it all before. This didn't alter my view on the book though, still a very good story with a lot of twists.

[Magdalena aka A Bookaholic Swede · Rating 4 out of 5]

THE PARIS SECRET is such a fabulous book. From the start, the story engrossed me as Flora, a fine art agent from London, arrived in Paris together with her boss to visit an apartment that has been locked since World War II. What secrets does the apartment have? Why has the apartment been locked and forgotten for so long time? But as Flora begins investigating the history of the paintings that are found in the apartment, she realizes maybe the apartment was left that way for a reason.

READ THE REST OF THE REVIEW OVER AT FRESH FICTION!

[Cindy aka "The Book Fairy" · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was was of my favourites indeed....a keeper and a deciding factor to read more by her. I was totally intrigued as I was trying to figure out the puzzling connection/mystery in a sense. Having read countless books over the years, I generally give an author only one chance in deciding if I will read any more by him or her...She is a definite more than one chance :)

[Elizabeth · Rating 3 out of 5]

World War II, nazis, intrigue, secrets, romance, fine art, a stolen baby, a locked room—what a story! Too bad I didn’t like it.

Don’t get me wrong—it’s not bad. In fact, It’s pretty solid in many respects. But despite the amazing content, I thought it was boring. I know that’s only my opinion, and other people loved it (and I’m glad they did), but I thought the first half, at least, was really, really boring. I wouldn’t have finished it if it hadn’t been a book club read, and even then, it was a close call. I don’t know how a story with this much going on could be anything less than gripping, but this was. Again, this is only my opinion, and it was only my own experience. That said, the story picked up about halfway through and got a lot better, and I enjoyed most of the rest of the book. I think with better editing this could have been a much stronger narrative. There are lots of details about things that don’t matter, and stuff that’s really interesting is shoved into the background and never addressed.

My thoughts: The plot, once it gets going, is really pretty good. There are plenty of twists and turns, and not every character is being honest. The secrets are nicely set up. I don’t know much about art, but I didn’t need to in order to follow the story. The artwork is central to the plot, but information about art that’s important to the story is explained in the story. I didn’t like the romance; the whole good-girl-falls-for-bad-boy type has been done before, and this doesn’t take it in any new direction. He says he’s bad for her and should leave. Then he doesn’t. He says she’s somehow special, different from everyone else (but he doesn’t say how).

The whole book really fell apart for me with the storyline about the brother. The very first chapter introduces Flora, her brother, and their parents. They’re nice people, and Swan really made me want to know more about them. The brother has a terrible secret, but we don’t know what. He’s in trouble, but we don’t know why. Chapter one ends with him about to tell Flora. Chapter two opens with Flora already knowing, but the readers don’t, and she has gone off to Paris to look into the apartment with artwork, something completely unrelated to her brother’s crisis, whatever that is. In chapter two, I wanted to know. As the story progresses, Flora is troubled, but we readers still don’t know why. If the main character is bothered by something, readers probably should know about it. The author keeps dropping tantalizing hints about the brother’s mysterious trouble, but now we’re shut out of both characters’ minds. A third of the way through, I still wanted to know. Half way through, I felt really distant from all the characters, but I was still kinda curious. The big reveal (the one that the characters themselves knew from chapter one) doesn’t happen until 73% into the story, and by then, I really didn’t care. She was trying to sustain the tension, I think, but she killed it.

And that leads me to my biggest issue: I don’t know anything about Flora. She spends almost three quarters of the book struggling with some mysterious problem, so how she feels or what she does is never really described. She’s the main character, but she doens’t have much personality, and she just goes along with everything that happens to her. She never came alive in the way that other book characters did for me. I know how Jane Eyre or Samwise Gamgee might react in a given situation because I know their characters so well. I have no idea what Flora would do in any circumstance.

It’s not a bad book, certainly, and when it finally gets going, it’s really something. In fact, this book does something very unusual for a WWII novel: It turns an evil nazi into a sympathetic character. Now THAT’s really interesting. It just took too long to happen that I’m not sure it was worth the wait. This book is like a picture that focuses on the wrong thing. It’s definitely solid, and parts of it are interesting, but it could have been so much more.

EDIT: Stumbled across this book on Goodreads. It’s only been two years, but I barely remember it. I don’t even recall what the big secret with the brother was, nor did I remember that there was a romance subplot until I reread my review. Overall, not very memorable.

[Gabriela Karadzhova · Rating 5 out of 5]

Много интересна история.. Изобщо не е поредната love story.. 😍❤️ Изкуство, минало, тайни.. И разбира се силна любов 😍❤️ Препоръчвамм.. Това в втората книга, която чета от Карън Суон и определено започвам много да я харесвам. Надявам се Ciela да издават още от нея ❤️❤️❤️

[DJ Sakata · Rating 5 out of 5]

My Rating:

4.5

Favorite Quotes:

She could feel the lives that had once pulsed here, the social gaiety that must have been enjoyed in this very room before the horrors of war and then the enduring silence afterwards.

The neglected apartment reclaimed at long last. The past was stirring and shaking off the dust. The neighbours would soon know, then the city, until finally, when the sale was announced, the entire world. After seventy-three years of silence, the secret was finally slipping out.

He ran his hands through his hair, pulling so tight at the roots he gave himself a momentary facelift.

Flora was seated next to Sylvie, a seventy-six-year-old woman with the skin of a baby who proceeded to regale Flora with merry tales of her widowhood and, in particular, her current torrid affair with the butcher.


My Review:

Despite taking the required Art Appreciation courses in college, what I have actually retained and know about fine art could fit on a Post-it note, and the same could be said about French geography. So the in-depth analysis of various works of art and masters’ techniques were rather lost on me, although I did employ my good friend Mr. Google a few times for an assist. I was unaware until reaching the acknowledgments that the germination of the book was sparked by a news item of found art and “painfully true events.” The Paris Secret was my first experience reading Karen Swan’s skillful word-craft, although having a taste of her talent I now plan to follow her like a disciple. I was engaged by the premise and intriguing storylines but was captivated by her fluid writing style, cleverly tantalizing pace, and profoundly vivid descriptions. I was continually taken with her agile and sly deployment of unusual and unexpected items that were seemingly peripheral or inconsequential to the scene, yet were intricately detailed in such a vibrant manner that never failed to pluck at my curiosity or heighten my amusement and pleasure. However, I was conflicted with the integrity of these rather contemptible characters as very few of them displayed admirable qualities, and I was looking hard hoping to find some, but thankfully that problem resolved during the final two chapters with several clever plot twists that caused me to blink and paved the way for a highly satisfying conclusion. Sigh, Karen Swan has stealthy ninja writing skills… more, please.

[Marilyn (not getting notifications) · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received a free copy of The Paris Secret by Karen Swan in a goodreads give away in exchange for an honest review. From the first page I was hooked. This was the first book I have read by Karen Swan and I was not disappointed. The main character, Flora Skyes, a fine art agent, is believable and very likable. She is commissioned by the Vermeils family to appraise their pieces of art left behind in two abandoned apartments located in Paris since World War II. Flora discovers that she has more questions than answers concerning the discovered pieces of art, especially a Renoir painting, and the true identity of their owner. As Flora uncovers layer upon layer of the truth behind the paintings and how they got there and why they were left untouched for years in not one but two unoccupied apartments in Paris, a long hidden secret comes to the surface and is revealed. I did not want this book to end. Each time I thought I had some of the details figured out, a new twist was added. I really enjoyed reading The Paris Secret by Karen Swan and would recommend it very highly.

[Ashley Daviau · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book had a lot of potential but it came up a little short for me. I thought the whole idea was fascinating, nothing like an abandoned apartment in Paris to grab my interest! I really enjoyed how the historical aspect was woven in as well, it really added something extra to the story. Where it fell short for me was the characters, I didn’t particularly like any of them and they just didn’t make me feel anything.

[Hannah · Rating 4 out of 5]

With a Karen Swan book for me it is either a deep interesting read, even if not quick read or a struggle. This one was brilliant full of mystery and was rather a quick read once I got into it. It is dark in places but that just adds to the quality of the story. 4 stars

[Danito · Rating 5 out of 5]

Не знам какво да кажа! Прекрасно написна история.Роман, вдъхновен от откритие през 2010 г. на заключен апартамент в Париж.
Авторката разгръща едно вълнуващо приключение, когато богатото семейство Вермей наема агенция, за да опише и оцени ценностите в апартамента. Това, което откриват Флора и Ангъс е спиращи дъха картини и предмети, както и моя любим "Гърти" 😅. Книгата се впуска в едно изключително завладяващо и интересно представяне за пътя на разпознаване на картината, проследяване на историята ѝ и оценяването ѝ.
Нашата героиня Флора е изключително вдъхновяващ персонаж - интелигентна, с остър ум и високи професионални качества.Тя се е отдала на работата и изкуството, което я прави динамична личност с почти непостоянно работно място. Изпълнена със своя професионализъм и любов към работата си, тя се сблъсква с трудностите, които я спохождат през целия процес на проучване. Децата на семейство Вермей - Наташа и Ксавие не понасят нейното присъствие и усложняват или вгорчават атмосферата. Докато Флора се бори вътрешно със своите лични проблеми, развиващи се в Лондон, тя на своя страна успява неусетно да стане свидетел и дори част от бури, тайни и шокиращи обрати на наелото я богато семейство в Париж. Обстановката се нажежава, репутации и съдби стоят на косъм. Флора се блъска между правилното и професионалното решение. Навлиза в техния свят, от където тайни от Втората световна война имат своята тежест и до днес. Замесени са незаконни и нечовешки изземвания или купени на безценица предмети на изкуството, съдбата на евреите, лъжите и измамите през ВСВ. На фона на търгове, изкуство и тайни, химията между Ксавие и Флора се засилва. Някак из хауса той успя да прозре колко е ценна и рядка самата тя.
Той и сестра му Наташа са вечно обсъждани във вестници и тема за клюка на всяко мероприятие. Разнася се лоша и не особено ласкава репутация за тях. Той е като сянка на сестра си, пази я и защитава нейните лудешки и не особено възпитани изблици.
Професионализмът, кариерата и сърцето на Флора са заложени на карта и може би късмет или нейната интелигентност, рационално мислене и професионализъм могат да я спасят.

Хареса ми как авторката е обхванала голяма част от света на изкуството - от откриването до пътя на една картина до търга.
Всичките проучвания и описания бяха разкошни и добре поднесени.Страхотна работа на Суон. Обожавам темите за търгове и аукциони, книгата ми е вече в любими. ♥️

[MaryBeth's Bookshelf · Rating 5 out of 5]

When "urban explorers" (people who enter places they are not allowed) find an apartment in Paris that has laid empty since WWII secrets are exposed and a family worst nightmare is realized.

Flora Sykes works for an art agency and is called in to assess the hundred of pieces of art, sculpture, and objects found in an abandoned Paris apartment. We come to find out that the apartment is owned by the rich and high powered Vermeil family. As secrets begin to unfold, a family is torn apart, and a part of history is brought to light.

I don't want to say too much about this book because I don't want to spoil it for anyone. But I will say that I LOVED THIS BOOK!!!!!! Total page turner, I stayed up late into the night to finish it. It has everything I love - history, art, love. It left me wishing I could find an abandoned apartment in Paris myself (mostly so I could live in it, but you know what I mean). The writing is sublime and the premise very inventive and engaging. It makes my favorites of 2018 list for sure!

[Jeanette · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely thrilled when I won this book in the Goodreads First Reads giveaway.

This is the third book that I have read by Karen Swan that I have read. Up until earlier this year, I had never read any of her books, but that all changed when I found two in a local charity shop. I enjoyed reading this book as much as I did her previous two (Christmas in the Snow and The Summer Without You). I very rarely write what a story is about for fear of spoiling for others, but I do highly recommend.

[Aneta Batakchieva · Rating 4 out of 5]

Тази история ми хареса една идея повече от другата й в "Коледна тайна".Макар че и от изкуство разбирам толкова,колкото от уиски 😁 .Демек нищо 😊 Както и да е,като оставим това настрана,хареса ми сюжета.Тайните,които буквално извираха,държат в напрежение непрестанно.Макар че на моменти ми напомняше на "Парижкият апартамент" на Мишел Гейбъл,който с нищо не ме впечатли,това тук беше в пъти по-оригинално и определено по-запомнящо се.

[Debbie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved the intrigue and mystery surrounding the discovery of an apartment that hasn’t been used in over seventy years that is filled with art works. However, the romance angle wasn’t as engaging. I would give this well written book 3.5 stars.

[Nevena · Rating 4 out of 5]

Не е висока литература, жанрова литература е, но е изпълнена добре. С увлекателен сюжет и разкази за картини. Любовната нишка по едно време ми стана съвсем блудкава, но ако очакванията са реалистични, всичко е ок.

[Ariel · Rating 3 out of 5]

An apartment in Paris that has been sealed since WWII is finally opened and it contains a glittering array of priceless art works. Even more mysteriously another apartment is found owned by the same family. It contains one piece of art and it's very existence is a closely guarded secret. Flora Sykes a young and attractive art expert is hired by the family to bring the paintings to auction. Complicating the matter is the fact that a large amount of undiscovered random paintings found in an apartment from the era of WWII smacks of Nazi involvement. The family also has two obnoxious descendants who seem determined to make Flora's life as miserable as possible for no discernible reason. If all that isn't enough Flora's thoughts are back home with her brother who is facing a charge of rape. As Flora investigated the paintings and comes closer to the truth she finds herself immersed in a love triangle as the secret of the Paris apartment threatens to destroy the Vermil family.

It was very difficult to get into this book at first. Every chapter ended in a cliff hanger and the new chapter started on a completely different topic. Once the story finally settled in and stuck to a more progressive build up it got much better. I was especially interested in the parts of the story as it related to WWII. I think the book could have been improved if it spent more time in the WWII period. Instead we only get a glimpse of the past through brief letters written by the patriarch of the family revealed at the end of the book. I think I would have enjoyed the story more if it had been told in two time periods allowing for more development of the characters in the WWII era. The real life discovery of an apartment not opened in 70 years was the inspiration for this story. While I am glad that I finally finished this book I think there are better novels written about this era.

[Tedy Miller · Rating 5 out of 5]

Тази книга ми влезе определено под кожата! Карън Суон е успяла да направи своето проучване много старателно. Благодарение на самото преплитане на реални факти от живота и богатото въображение на писателката, всичко това ѝ се е получило като една много красива история, съчетала в себе си малко драма, доза мистерия и вълнуващи приключения, които се въртят около истинската история за изоставен апартамент в Париж, останал заключен от ВСВ. Флора, главната героиня е много интелигентна и изключително отдадена на работата си, тя е успяла да се реализирала професионално в живота. Много ми хареса образа на независима, модерна, широко скроена и заобиколена от приятели, които са бохеми по душа съвременна жена. Детайлното описание на обстановката и на всички приказни места в Париж бяха също особено очарователни и със сантиментална стойност за мен. Ксавие ми стана любимец още с първата си поява. Суон винаги ме е впечатлявала със своите мъжки персонажи, те са загадъчни, недостъпни, със силен характер и с много силно присъствие, тук също не успя да ме разочарова. Акцентът в тази книга не е любовната история, макар че такава има и то каква, сродните души винаги се намират, когато е писано. Тук писателката залага на една история, в която има много тайни, болезнено реални събития, исторически факти, преплитане на съдбите на няколко аристократични фамилии, велики художници и творци и техните произведения на изкуството. Бях малко разочарована да разбера, че картините, които се споменават са измислени (успокоих се от факта, че Гърти съществува, макар да не е с това име), но въпреки това Суон успя да ме спечели за пореден път с таланта си - да успее така въздействащо да напише историята, все едно съм част от сюжета и да съпреживея всички онези вълнуващи и емоционални моменти в Парижка тайна.

[Tracy Shephard · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a wonderful and beautiful tale. I just adored this novel.

I love all things French and when the doors of Apartment number 8 were opened for me I just got lost in the dust, the beauty and the art. Along with Flora and Angus, I became engrossed in the Renoirs and the other priceless artifacts that have been lain untouched for 70 years. I also have to admit that I Googled like mad at every piece that was described and not only did I enjoy the ride, I also learned quite a bit too.

Karen Swan is a creative and brilliant storyteller. She weaves her tale in the most absorbing and thrilling of ways and this stylish and chic story is one that I just didn't want to end.

Flora is a gifted and totally relate-able character and I loved her. The war and Nazi theme was interesting and somewhat sad, although this did add a lot to the 'feel' of the story. It really made the book a thoughtful read.

This book is the perfect summer read and one that will kept on my shelf and re-read.



Perfect.

[Sue · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have to admit that if a book has the word PARIS in the title, I am going to read it. Sometimes I get a good book and sometimes not. This time I was thrilled because this is a fantastic book. I have never read anything else by Karen Swan but I plan to read her previous books. This book had all of the hallmarks of a fantastic book
- wonderful settings - not just Paris but also Vienna, England and the south of France
- interesting characters - the main character Flora as well as all of the supporting characters. I especially enjoyed Flora's best friend Ines.
- romance - an interesting relationship between Flora and Xavier
- mystery - how and why were all of those paintings hidden in an apartment in Paris for over 50 years.

Flora is a high powered fine art agent and is thrilled to be asked to look at a recently discovered abandoned apartment in Paris. Underneath all of the dust and debris and hundreds of paintings and sculptures, Flora found a missing Renoir that had been lost for years. While trying to trace the painting's past purchasers, she found out information that could ruin the lives of the glamorous heirs of the apartment. What she does with that information makes this a thrilling and interesting book.

This book is so much fun to read. It's full of the beauty of Paris, the beautiful clothes and a whole group of very interesting characters. Parts of the book take place during WWII but the main focus is on the modern day mystery of the Renoir painting.

I found this a book that was impossible to put down once I started reading it. Thanks to the publisher for a copy to read and review.

[Даян Шаер · Rating 3 out of 5]

Всеки път посягам към Карън Суон с чудене какво ли ще ме очаква. Авторката ту ме изненадва, ту понякога ме разочарова. С тази книга е някъде по средата… Но едно е сигурно - всеки път между страниците й ме посреща онова чувство на топлина и уют.
“Парижка тайна” имаше своите силни моменти - светът на изкуството и връзката на главната героиня с него, но имаше и своите слаби моменти - неубедителната любовна връзка, както и историята на брата на Флора (главната героиня). На моменти имах чувството, че е неумело скалъпена втора линия, която има за цел просто да подпомогне развръзката между главните герои.
Иначе Флора сама по себе си е интересен, колоритен и истински образ. Добре е изградена и е удоволствие “да си в нейните обувки”. Но историята имаше доста пролуки. В крайна сметка беше увлекателна и приятна, но очаквах малко повече.