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Secrets of Paris Series #2
Dům na jezeře
Mladá Američanka Anna žije klidným a spořádaným životem v San Francisku a o kořenech své rodiny nic netuší. Jednoho dne se však dozví šokující informaci: pochází z aristokratické rodiny, která za druhé světové války přišla o vše, a její dědeček musel na útěku zanechat v rodinném sídle jakýsi nesmírně cenný artefakt. Nyní si přeje jediné – aby milovaná vnučka ztracený poklad našla a přivezla mu ho. Jaká věc může být pro starého pána tak důležitá, a proč právě nyní? Jak to, že se o Annině původu nikdy ani slůvkem nezmínil? Anna se vydává do Německa a při hledání odpovědí se setká s Wilem, mužem, který jí pomáhá vyřešit dávnou záhadu a který ji neodolatelně přitahuje. Společně s ním zjistí, že tajemství její rodiny je úzce spjaté s opuštěným bytem v Paříži a že celá minulost je mnohem komplikovanější, než si uměla představit.
256 pages, Hardcover
First published March 29, 2016
3612 people are currently reading
8486 people want to read
About the author
Ella Carey
26 books684 followersElla Carey is the USA Today and Amazon charts bestselling author of Secrets of Paris series, as well as the standalone kindle bestsellers, Secret Shores, The Things We Don’t Say and Beyond the Horizon, set around the brave, unsung Women’s Airforce Pilots of World War Two.
A New York Secret is the first in Ella's new Daughters of New York series and published on March 12th, 2021. Laced with all the glamour of New York, the book is set in an exquisite Uptown restaurant where Lily Rose is training to become head chef in the 1940's. Ella traveled to New York to research the book, which involved going incognito on foodie tours, visiting some of New York's most famous restaurants, and exploring the atmospheric streets of Greenwich Village. The whole experience resulted in her developing a serious addiction to cannoli, a passion for The Strand Bookstore, a love for The Village, along with six new novels set in New York, all to be published in the coming years.
The second book in the series, The Lost Girl of Berlin, released on July 12th, 2021, and is set in the aftermath of the Second World War amongst the ruins of Berlin and then, in fabulous post war New York, and the third book in the series is The Girl from Paris, telling the story of Vianne Mercier, a Parisian fashion designer who travels to New York, and for whom beautiful couture is a fairytale.
Ella was born in Adelaide, Australia, and was educated at the University of Adelaide, completing a music degree in classical piano at the Elder Conservatorium, and an arts degree with a double major in History and English Literature.
Ella lives in Melbourne, Australia with her family. Ella's house is run by one very elderly and adored Italian Greyhound, and one cute puppy called Sassy who thinks she is the boss! And Ella's garden is managed by four chickens, Miss Pertelote, Annie, Harriet and Fox's Dinner.
Ella has recently signed a nine-book deal with Hachette UK imprint Bookouture. Bookouture have published all of Ella’s previous books, which have reached over one million readers in English alone, and are also publishing Ella's New York series for publication in 2021, 2022 and 2023. This sweeping historical series of six books, featuring unforgettable characters, will tell the stories of dazzling hopes and difficult dreams in America, before, during and after the Second World War.
Ella's New York series and her Paris Secrets Series have been sold for translation into many countries into over twenty languages.
When she’s not writing, Ella enjoys studying Italian, walking along the beach, travelling when she can, and spending time with her family and friends. She also loves to chat with her readers, and would be delighted for you to join her lovely group of long time readers on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/ellacareyaut..., and on her website at www.ellacarey.com, where you can find more information about the background behind her books, and join her mailing list for regular updates about her upcoming novels.
A New York Secret is the first in Ella's new Daughters of New York series and published on March 12th, 2021. Laced with all the glamour of New York, the book is set in an exquisite Uptown restaurant where Lily Rose is training to become head chef in the 1940's. Ella traveled to New York to research the book, which involved going incognito on foodie tours, visiting some of New York's most famous restaurants, and exploring the atmospheric streets of Greenwich Village. The whole experience resulted in her developing a serious addiction to cannoli, a passion for The Strand Bookstore, a love for The Village, along with six new novels set in New York, all to be published in the coming years.
The second book in the series, The Lost Girl of Berlin, released on July 12th, 2021, and is set in the aftermath of the Second World War amongst the ruins of Berlin and then, in fabulous post war New York, and the third book in the series is The Girl from Paris, telling the story of Vianne Mercier, a Parisian fashion designer who travels to New York, and for whom beautiful couture is a fairytale.
Ella was born in Adelaide, Australia, and was educated at the University of Adelaide, completing a music degree in classical piano at the Elder Conservatorium, and an arts degree with a double major in History and English Literature.
Ella lives in Melbourne, Australia with her family. Ella's house is run by one very elderly and adored Italian Greyhound, and one cute puppy called Sassy who thinks she is the boss! And Ella's garden is managed by four chickens, Miss Pertelote, Annie, Harriet and Fox's Dinner.
Ella has recently signed a nine-book deal with Hachette UK imprint Bookouture. Bookouture have published all of Ella’s previous books, which have reached over one million readers in English alone, and are also publishing Ella's New York series for publication in 2021, 2022 and 2023. This sweeping historical series of six books, featuring unforgettable characters, will tell the stories of dazzling hopes and difficult dreams in America, before, during and after the Second World War.
Ella's New York series and her Paris Secrets Series have been sold for translation into many countries into over twenty languages.
When she’s not writing, Ella enjoys studying Italian, walking along the beach, travelling when she can, and spending time with her family and friends. She also loves to chat with her readers, and would be delighted for you to join her lovely group of long time readers on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/ellacareyaut..., and on her website at www.ellacarey.com, where you can find more information about the background behind her books, and join her mailing list for regular updates about her upcoming novels.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,031 reviews
July 5, 2016
Edit: Did I read the same book as everyone else??
A by-the-book cafe owner is prompted to return to her grandfather's forgotten home in Germany to retrieve a long lost item left behind in his youth. The request leads to an uncovering of a past full of love and loss; 6 lives weaving in and out of time to unravel a mystery of a lost love and a forgotten mansion.
This book is made of adjectives and "and yets." By page 27, 7 characters have been introduced but there is no connection to any of them; most of them that seem relevant to the story end up going nowhere. (I'm looking at you, Cass.) The first 2 chapters are a clumsy attempt to suck the reader into a fast paced love/mystery that quickly fizzles out. It fizzled out, fell off the wagon and was drug through dusty decades of hit-and-miss storytelling. The plot has potential but after finding the "item" the rest of the book feels like filler only to quickly find out what happened between Isabelle and Max. The actual plot almost feels like an afterthought. I suspect the birth of this book was just to write about an abandoned apartment. Cool in theory; poor in execution. I ended up skimming the last 20 pages, finishing only because I made it too far to quit.
What's with all of the questions? As a reader I develop enough of my own questions without having to trudge through the writer's AND the protagonist's as well.
A by-the-book cafe owner is prompted to return to her grandfather's forgotten home in Germany to retrieve a long lost item left behind in his youth. The request leads to an uncovering of a past full of love and loss; 6 lives weaving in and out of time to unravel a mystery of a lost love and a forgotten mansion.
This book is made of adjectives and "and yets." By page 27, 7 characters have been introduced but there is no connection to any of them; most of them that seem relevant to the story end up going nowhere. (I'm looking at you, Cass.) The first 2 chapters are a clumsy attempt to suck the reader into a fast paced love/mystery that quickly fizzles out. It fizzled out, fell off the wagon and was drug through dusty decades of hit-and-miss storytelling. The plot has potential but after finding the "item" the rest of the book feels like filler only to quickly find out what happened between Isabelle and Max. The actual plot almost feels like an afterthought. I suspect the birth of this book was just to write about an abandoned apartment. Cool in theory; poor in execution. I ended up skimming the last 20 pages, finishing only because I made it too far to quit.
What's with all of the questions? As a reader I develop enough of my own questions without having to trudge through the writer's AND the protagonist's as well.
April 4, 2016
I received this book as an ARC through Net Galley for an exchange of an honest review.
I love historical fiction and particularly this time period. This was a great book and so easy to read. It was written in one of my most favourite forms..back and forth through past and present.
Anna's Grandfather, Max asks her to retrieve a hidden treasure (a ring) that he left behind in his family's home in Germany in the WW II era.
The book also tells the love story of Max and Isabelle during the 1930's in Germany.
This was such an endearing book about family, love and secrets. Mostly it warmed my heart but there were some sad parts.
I love historical fiction and particularly this time period. This was a great book and so easy to read. It was written in one of my most favourite forms..back and forth through past and present.
Anna's Grandfather, Max asks her to retrieve a hidden treasure (a ring) that he left behind in his family's home in Germany in the WW II era.
The book also tells the love story of Max and Isabelle during the 1930's in Germany.
This was such an endearing book about family, love and secrets. Mostly it warmed my heart but there were some sad parts.
May 17, 2016
This is 2.5, rounded up to 3 stars.
I am such a huge fan of books written about WWII specifically the Nazi invasion. I mean, I have read a lot of historical fiction about this and I am always wowed, this one missed the mark entirely. I could not wait to finish it. I found myself glazing over the pages in an effort to just be done with it all.
I felt zero for the characters, the description did not wow me. I usually get a bout of the travel bug after reading these books, I felt nothing except annoyance. I am not sure where Carey went wrong I mean she seemed to have all the makings of a great novel:
- WWII
- Mystery of the Lake House
- The flashbacks between past and present
- A solid intriguing concept
Everything just did not come together for me. Maybe I will revisit in the future.
I am such a huge fan of books written about WWII specifically the Nazi invasion. I mean, I have read a lot of historical fiction about this and I am always wowed, this one missed the mark entirely. I could not wait to finish it. I found myself glazing over the pages in an effort to just be done with it all.
I felt zero for the characters, the description did not wow me. I usually get a bout of the travel bug after reading these books, I felt nothing except annoyance. I am not sure where Carey went wrong I mean she seemed to have all the makings of a great novel:
- WWII
- Mystery of the Lake House
- The flashbacks between past and present
- A solid intriguing concept
Everything just did not come together for me. Maybe I will revisit in the future.
September 13, 2019
I only just found out this is the second book in a series, but I think it could be read as a stand alone.
Anna is very close to her 94 year old grandfather Max, but gets frustrated with his inability to talk about his past and his family. Through a series of events she discovers that he was from an aristocratic family in Germany that had close ties to the Nazi's. Max then requests that Anna visit the Schloss in Germany that had been his family home to discover something he valued and lost.
This sets off Anna on a path of discovery and she soon finds out more about her family than she is comfortable with.
A good story, perhaps a bit over sentimental in places, but still a good read.
Anna is very close to her 94 year old grandfather Max, but gets frustrated with his inability to talk about his past and his family. Through a series of events she discovers that he was from an aristocratic family in Germany that had close ties to the Nazi's. Max then requests that Anna visit the Schloss in Germany that had been his family home to discover something he valued and lost.
This sets off Anna on a path of discovery and she soon finds out more about her family than she is comfortable with.
A good story, perhaps a bit over sentimental in places, but still a good read.
November 13, 2020
“You know, seeing these pictures, after all this time . . .” He pointed at the haunting photos. “Seeing these photographs has brought it all back. It seems as if it happened, oh, I don’t know, a month ago, perhaps. I can still see it. I don’t know. I think regret is the saddest thing we can have in this life. It’s what we miss out on, what we don’t do . . . that causes the worst sort of pain. Because you never will know what might have been. The chances we didn’t take. How different our lives may have turned out . . . if we had made different choices. We will never know if we don’t do them, if we don’t act.”
E assim se inicia, cheio de nostalgia, o segundo livro da série Paris Time Capsule
Gostei mais do primeiro, foi diferente.
Podem-se ler individualmente, a história complementa-se mas não está envolvida num livro com o outro.
Este deixou-me com sentimentos controversos.
Como podemos não gostar mas simultaneamente não deixar de gostar de Max, como se fica preso entre o amor familiar e sentimental.
O sentido de dever. Como, mesmo lutando pelo Hitler, existiam pessoas boas apenas fizeram uma má escolha.
Senti este livro mais no passado que no presente, Anna e Wil não foram as personagens principais, não foi a história deles que foi contada mas sim a de Max e Isabelle.
E assim se inicia, cheio de nostalgia, o segundo livro da série Paris Time Capsule
Gostei mais do primeiro, foi diferente.
Podem-se ler individualmente, a história complementa-se mas não está envolvida num livro com o outro.
Este deixou-me com sentimentos controversos.
Como podemos não gostar mas simultaneamente não deixar de gostar de Max, como se fica preso entre o amor familiar e sentimental.
O sentido de dever. Como, mesmo lutando pelo Hitler, existiam pessoas boas apenas fizeram uma má escolha.
Senti este livro mais no passado que no presente, Anna e Wil não foram as personagens principais, não foi a história deles que foi contada mas sim a de Max e Isabelle.
September 2, 2016
I honestly feel bad giving poor reviews as I know how hard authors must work to put out a novel and I certainly couldn't do it myself, but I think it's helpful to share what I found difficult about a book as much as what I like about one.
That being said...I really struggled to get through The House By the Lake. The story was a typical present day grand-daughter searching back in time to unveil a well kept family secret from WWII. It could have been wonderful - with all the rich WWII history we have coupled with what started as a pretty intriguing plot and cool main character (I thought Max sounded pretty cool!). However... characters were numerous, uninteresting and flat. The main story was unattended and undernourished. It was chopped up so much so that when we got to what I assume was the climax I was jolted - "wait, what? seriously???". This terrible event came out of nowhere - no build up - no background - just "boom" - there you have it!
I thought her writing not only lacked originality but was was redundant and depended a great deal on common phrases and cliche's.
That being said...I really struggled to get through The House By the Lake. The story was a typical present day grand-daughter searching back in time to unveil a well kept family secret from WWII. It could have been wonderful - with all the rich WWII history we have coupled with what started as a pretty intriguing plot and cool main character (I thought Max sounded pretty cool!). However... characters were numerous, uninteresting and flat. The main story was unattended and undernourished. It was chopped up so much so that when we got to what I assume was the climax I was jolted - "wait, what? seriously???". This terrible event came out of nowhere - no build up - no background - just "boom" - there you have it!
I thought her writing not only lacked originality but was was redundant and depended a great deal on common phrases and cliche's.
March 20, 2017
This could have been such a good book. The characters were not really developed, the story had little depth. The rise of Hitler and the invasion of Europe provided enough to make for a very rich tale, however the author seemed to just scratch the surface. I didn't care a quack for Anna, her romance was predictable and formulaic. I found this one for free with Amazon Prime. While it wasn't a waste, it really wasn't that good.
June 4, 2016
I found this book to be weak in its writing and plot. The characters are not believable and they are disconnected from each other. Feels like a cheap romantic novel trying to dress up as an elegant one. By the middle of the book I was angry at myself for wasting my time. I finished it because It was a rather short novel and I am a fast reader.
April 22, 2019
8,5 de 10*
Aqui está um daqueles livros que adoro ler. O ambiente, uma história de família, o intercalar de capítulos entre o passado e o presente, as descobertas de segredos…
Anna é uma jovem com uma vida tranquila em São Francisco, que adora o seu avô Max. Mas Anna não faz ideia do passado do avô, originário da Alemanha. Já bastante idoso, o senhor pede-lhe que viaje até à sua terra natal, para recuperar um anel que deixou escondido debaixo do soalho do Schloss da família.
Comentário completo em:
https://abibliotecadajoao.blogspot.co...
Aqui está um daqueles livros que adoro ler. O ambiente, uma história de família, o intercalar de capítulos entre o passado e o presente, as descobertas de segredos…
Anna é uma jovem com uma vida tranquila em São Francisco, que adora o seu avô Max. Mas Anna não faz ideia do passado do avô, originário da Alemanha. Já bastante idoso, o senhor pede-lhe que viaje até à sua terra natal, para recuperar um anel que deixou escondido debaixo do soalho do Schloss da família.
Comentário completo em:
https://abibliotecadajoao.blogspot.co...
June 5, 2016
Disclaimer: I received a free copy of this book for review through the Goodreads Giveaways program.
This is a 1.5, but since I got the book for free, I'm rounding up. Where to start? Quick plot summary: Anna's beloved grandfather, Max, tells her that she's from a prestigious German family, and that they used to own a large estate, which was later taken over by the Soviets. He asks her to retrieve an item from that estate but refuses to tell her what it is. Anna travels to Germany, meets with the attractive lawyer Wil who represents the new owner, and tries to get the item back and resolve the family mysteries. We also have Isabelle's storyline from the past; she is a sweet Parisian girl who is a bit of an outcast in high society because her grandmother was a famous demimonde (basically, a high class prostitute).
First, the protagonist, Anna, is a grown up, slightly less irritating version of Bella Swan. It's nice that she's so close to her grandfather, but we don't find out why until a significant amount of the book has passed. All we really know about her is that she runs a cafe, has dark hair/eyes, loves to wear black, and supposedly is a stick in the mud. I say "supposedly" because in the beginning, her friend Cass and her grandfather say she's too obsessed with work and avoiding romance, but she never actually demonstrates her commitment to her cafe (I expected a few scenes where she frantically calls back home, asking if Cass has burned the place down already). I think that's why I made the Bella Swan comparison (Bella tells us she likes to read, but she does it maybe once in the whole series, and all her favorites are just things people already read for school).
The readers keep getting introduced to characters, and we think they are going to be important, only to never have them show up again. Meanwhile, characters who are really important to advancing the plot only show up for a short while, and we don't really get an idea of what they're like. For example, Cass, Anna's friend/business partner, could have been a fun side-kick who could be Anna's sounding board for her frustrations, but instead she disappears. The mayor is a pointless character; we could have eliminated her and instead had more development of Anna's relative/rival. The characters involved in ending Max's dreams hardly get a few pages worth of development.
Speaking of character development, because there isn't any, the tentative romance between Wil and Anna is pointless. I don't understand Wil (or Max for that matter) talking as if letting go of fears and worries is so easy; the fact is, he doesn't know Anna well enough to say these things, because they spend only a few days time with one another. Likewise, Isabelle and Max's romance is equally implausible. Isabelle is preoccupied with how others see her, and while she expresses alarm at Hitler's rise, it's not clear she really understands politics (I'd say she's stupid, but I think there's also a degree of ignorance and naivete there as well). Isabelle and Max don't have many conversations aside from how much they love each other; I wanted a meeting of the minds, or at least Isabelle or Max doing something that show how they are people worthy of each other's love. Boring.
As for the plot, so little action happens that the book is padded out by Anna's questions about her family's past. I swear a quarter of the book is her second guessing herself (literally, I might add--there are rhetorical questions peppered throughout the book).
I also find it irritating when Anna brings up that she's a quarter German and has rights to stick her nose in everybody's business. While she does have a point--she's asking for a small favor for her grandfather, and they're giving a girl who had nothing to do with the decline of their village a lot of grief for no reason--she also reminds me of those white people who say things like "I'm 1/32 Cherokee Princess, so I know the struggle of the Native Americans!!1!1" Anna, you're an American girl. You don't understand the horrors that went on in Germany the way the German people themselves do. It's a horror that they still feel the effects of, a shame that they can never wipe away.
This book was very boring and had a lot of flaws, but I'm not so angry at it that I'd give it a single star.
This is a 1.5, but since I got the book for free, I'm rounding up. Where to start? Quick plot summary: Anna's beloved grandfather, Max, tells her that she's from a prestigious German family, and that they used to own a large estate, which was later taken over by the Soviets. He asks her to retrieve an item from that estate but refuses to tell her what it is. Anna travels to Germany, meets with the attractive lawyer Wil who represents the new owner, and tries to get the item back and resolve the family mysteries. We also have Isabelle's storyline from the past; she is a sweet Parisian girl who is a bit of an outcast in high society because her grandmother was a famous demimonde (basically, a high class prostitute).
First, the protagonist, Anna, is a grown up, slightly less irritating version of Bella Swan. It's nice that she's so close to her grandfather, but we don't find out why until a significant amount of the book has passed. All we really know about her is that she runs a cafe, has dark hair/eyes, loves to wear black, and supposedly is a stick in the mud. I say "supposedly" because in the beginning, her friend Cass and her grandfather say she's too obsessed with work and avoiding romance, but she never actually demonstrates her commitment to her cafe (I expected a few scenes where she frantically calls back home, asking if Cass has burned the place down already). I think that's why I made the Bella Swan comparison (Bella tells us she likes to read, but she does it maybe once in the whole series, and all her favorites are just things people already read for school).
The readers keep getting introduced to characters, and we think they are going to be important, only to never have them show up again. Meanwhile, characters who are really important to advancing the plot only show up for a short while, and we don't really get an idea of what they're like. For example, Cass, Anna's friend/business partner, could have been a fun side-kick who could be Anna's sounding board for her frustrations, but instead she disappears. The mayor is a pointless character; we could have eliminated her and instead had more development of Anna's relative/rival. The characters involved in ending Max's dreams hardly get a few pages worth of development.
Speaking of character development, because there isn't any, the tentative romance between Wil and Anna is pointless. I don't understand Wil (or Max for that matter) talking as if letting go of fears and worries is so easy; the fact is, he doesn't know Anna well enough to say these things, because they spend only a few days time with one another. Likewise, Isabelle and Max's romance is equally implausible. Isabelle is preoccupied with how others see her, and while she expresses alarm at Hitler's rise, it's not clear she really understands politics (I'd say she's stupid, but I think there's also a degree of ignorance and naivete there as well). Isabelle and Max don't have many conversations aside from how much they love each other; I wanted a meeting of the minds, or at least Isabelle or Max doing something that show how they are people worthy of each other's love. Boring.
As for the plot, so little action happens that the book is padded out by Anna's questions about her family's past. I swear a quarter of the book is her second guessing herself (literally, I might add--there are rhetorical questions peppered throughout the book).
I also find it irritating when Anna brings up that she's a quarter German and has rights to stick her nose in everybody's business. While she does have a point--she's asking for a small favor for her grandfather, and they're giving a girl who had nothing to do with the decline of their village a lot of grief for no reason--she also reminds me of those white people who say things like "I'm 1/32 Cherokee Princess, so I know the struggle of the Native Americans!!1!1" Anna, you're an American girl. You don't understand the horrors that went on in Germany the way the German people themselves do. It's a horror that they still feel the effects of, a shame that they can never wipe away.
This book was very boring and had a lot of flaws, but I'm not so angry at it that I'd give it a single star.
March 26, 2016
This is an amazing story that I loved from page one it is magical, emotional and is a joy to read as we slip back in time to Europe 1930's just before world war 2 the pressure that the men woman and families were under and the remarkable love story that is unfolded by a granddaughter in 2010 after the discovery of an apartment in Paris that had been locked up since the war.
Anna Young runs a café in San Francisco she is very close to her grandfather Max who is 94 he has never spoken about his past and has destroyed any photos that he once had but when he reads an article in a newspaper about an apartment in Paris that has been discovered untouched since world war 2 he decides that it is time to talk to Anna and he asks her to return to his past and Germany to retrieve something that means so much to him. Anna is intrigued by what Max tells her and leaves for Germany to start her search but when she arrives she feels at home, there is a bond that is so strong and when she arrives at Schloss Siegel Max's old family palace it is very run down but she sees the beauty and feels the past, but she needs help and that comes in the form of the Lawyer who handles the estate Wil Jager and together they journey along a path that will uncover secrets about a love affair between Anna's grandfather Max Albrecht and Isabelle de Florian the granddaughter of the infamous Paris Courtesan Mathe de Florian once owner of the mysterious apartment in Paris.
This is a beautifully written story that was a joy to read from start to finish there will be tears shed as you feel the emotions of the past and the present and as Anna learns so much about her family and the terror and hardships of the war years but also the love that runs so deep and as we see Anna and Wil get closer and the heartfelt joy that comes their way. This is the follow on from the book The Paris Time Capsule which was awesome and I can recommend this book to anyone who wants to get lost in another time and marvel at the journey, truly grab yourself a drink and sit back for a fabulous journey this one will be on my keeper self and read many times over thank you MS Carey for another awesome story and the smiles it has brought me.
Anna Young runs a café in San Francisco she is very close to her grandfather Max who is 94 he has never spoken about his past and has destroyed any photos that he once had but when he reads an article in a newspaper about an apartment in Paris that has been discovered untouched since world war 2 he decides that it is time to talk to Anna and he asks her to return to his past and Germany to retrieve something that means so much to him. Anna is intrigued by what Max tells her and leaves for Germany to start her search but when she arrives she feels at home, there is a bond that is so strong and when she arrives at Schloss Siegel Max's old family palace it is very run down but she sees the beauty and feels the past, but she needs help and that comes in the form of the Lawyer who handles the estate Wil Jager and together they journey along a path that will uncover secrets about a love affair between Anna's grandfather Max Albrecht and Isabelle de Florian the granddaughter of the infamous Paris Courtesan Mathe de Florian once owner of the mysterious apartment in Paris.
This is a beautifully written story that was a joy to read from start to finish there will be tears shed as you feel the emotions of the past and the present and as Anna learns so much about her family and the terror and hardships of the war years but also the love that runs so deep and as we see Anna and Wil get closer and the heartfelt joy that comes their way. This is the follow on from the book The Paris Time Capsule which was awesome and I can recommend this book to anyone who wants to get lost in another time and marvel at the journey, truly grab yourself a drink and sit back for a fabulous journey this one will be on my keeper self and read many times over thank you MS Carey for another awesome story and the smiles it has brought me.
March 17, 2016
4+ stars!
Another great read by Ella Carey!
I so enjoyed this compelling and engrossing novel. It has essentially 2 storylines with Max being in forefront of both. The "root" story is centered around the time directly before and during WWII in Europe/Germany. It illustrates deftly how even families were turned against each other. Who can you trust? Where do your loyalties lie? How far will go to prove yourself?
This novel intersects with her previous one, Paris Time Capsule. You don't have to have read it to enjoy this one, but you will want to after you finish if you haven't! :)
It's a fast read, and warning that there are some sad parts. But, I highly recommend it!
**Many thanks to NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing for an advance readers copy!!**
Another great read by Ella Carey!
I so enjoyed this compelling and engrossing novel. It has essentially 2 storylines with Max being in forefront of both. The "root" story is centered around the time directly before and during WWII in Europe/Germany. It illustrates deftly how even families were turned against each other. Who can you trust? Where do your loyalties lie? How far will go to prove yourself?
This novel intersects with her previous one, Paris Time Capsule. You don't have to have read it to enjoy this one, but you will want to after you finish if you haven't! :)
It's a fast read, and warning that there are some sad parts. But, I highly recommend it!
**Many thanks to NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing for an advance readers copy!!**
July 18, 2022
A standard 3. I have had this book for a long time and it has been one of the oldest books in my TBR. Since I was on vacation, I took 8 owned books along, and this was my fifth.
I think the book was kind of meh. I read a lot of this genre, dual timeline, in the present, a great granddaughter has to retrieve an item from the past which reveals secrets from a hidden past during the war. Doesn't it already sound like a 1000 books you have already read? There is a love story in both timelines. This one passed the time, but compared to the greats, it didn't come close.
I think the book was kind of meh. I read a lot of this genre, dual timeline, in the present, a great granddaughter has to retrieve an item from the past which reveals secrets from a hidden past during the war. Doesn't it already sound like a 1000 books you have already read? There is a love story in both timelines. This one passed the time, but compared to the greats, it didn't come close.
September 9, 2016
I can't for the life of me figure out why this book has such rave reviews?! It was a total dud; the writing is so choppy and the characters and plot are completely underdeveloped. At times, as I read the dialogue between Anna and Wil, I convinced myself that I was reading what must be a foreign novel, and that some finer details of normal speech were lost in the transition.
I downloaded this book from my kindle unlimited account based on the reviews, and after forcing myself to finish it, I just don't understand?! Terrible. There are so many books to be read, don't waste your time on this one.
I downloaded this book from my kindle unlimited account based on the reviews, and after forcing myself to finish it, I just don't understand?! Terrible. There are so many books to be read, don't waste your time on this one.
March 24, 2020
Gostei muito deste livro. Mas gostei mais do primeiro. Entre as histórias do passado e do presente, fiquei sempre mais emocionada com a história do passado. Uma história de amor 💔 que sabíamos desde o início iria acabar mal... sobre a história do presente esperava mais romance, mais paixão. Ainda assim as histórias acabam bem interligadas!
February 9, 2018
The House by the Lake is the second book in what appears to be a loosely connected historical fiction romance series. The book is an interesting light read that moves along at a quick pace. I listened to audio book and narrator did a fine job bringing the characters to life.
As I read more romantically inclined historical fiction, I'm starting to notice a writing pattern. The pattern goes something like this: an adult child has a parent or grandparent or [fill in the blank] who has a secret and mysterious past. The adult child gets sucked into (voluntarily or otherwise) to a quest of figuring out the secret/mystery. The story flips back and forth from the past to the present.
In this case, Anna's grandfather, Max, asks Anna to go back to Germany to retrieve a personal item he hid in his home at the beginning of WWII in Europe. At first, Anna hesitates to take on what seems to be a fool's errand. Max is 94 years old and Anna truly loves her grandfather who raised Anna when her mother died at age 12. Anna goes but her errand is not without complications. She winds up enlisting the help of a handsome lawyer in Berlin. And so the parallel love stories evolve. One about Max's romance with a beautiful French woman and Anna's own as her relationship with develops with the lawyer, Will.
The characters of Max's story are colorful and interesting as the reader is transported to Paris and East Germany (Prussia) in the 1930's leading up to the rise of Nazi Germany. A love story set in the uncertain events of enormous magnitude.
Anna's story seems to be more contrived. Her story centers around the dilapidation and defilement of the heritage of the once glorious aristocratic homes prior to WWII.
The book is an enjoyable read that doesn't go to deep and things work out in the end. A nice escape...for awhile at least.
As I read more romantically inclined historical fiction, I'm starting to notice a writing pattern. The pattern goes something like this: an adult child has a parent or grandparent or [fill in the blank] who has a secret and mysterious past. The adult child gets sucked into (voluntarily or otherwise) to a quest of figuring out the secret/mystery. The story flips back and forth from the past to the present.
In this case, Anna's grandfather, Max, asks Anna to go back to Germany to retrieve a personal item he hid in his home at the beginning of WWII in Europe. At first, Anna hesitates to take on what seems to be a fool's errand. Max is 94 years old and Anna truly loves her grandfather who raised Anna when her mother died at age 12. Anna goes but her errand is not without complications. She winds up enlisting the help of a handsome lawyer in Berlin. And so the parallel love stories evolve. One about Max's romance with a beautiful French woman and Anna's own as her relationship with develops with the lawyer, Will.
The characters of Max's story are colorful and interesting as the reader is transported to Paris and East Germany (Prussia) in the 1930's leading up to the rise of Nazi Germany. A love story set in the uncertain events of enormous magnitude.
Anna's story seems to be more contrived. Her story centers around the dilapidation and defilement of the heritage of the once glorious aristocratic homes prior to WWII.
The book is an enjoyable read that doesn't go to deep and things work out in the end. A nice escape...for awhile at least.
March 11, 2016
It’s been some time now since I indulged in a historical romance and Ella Carey’s new book The House by the Lake cemented all the reasons why I love the genre so much! The House by the Lake is storytelling at its best: unique, riveting, well-written with heartbreaking romance at the very center… this is the perfect book to curl up with on a rainy day when you’re all alone at home. The raw, intense emotions, the vividly descriptive scenes scuttling between modern day and the life-changing era of WWII…this is a story so passionate, so moving it will stir your heart with its profoundness. This is a book set in Paris and Germany, where part is true and the other fictional but I must commend Ms. Carey on doing her homework with researching vital facts. As a reader I was taken back in time to places I’ve never visited, to an era I’ve never known yet Ms. Carey’s vivid prose did not make me feel as if I were an outsider. Her story is so raw and electrifying, her characters so real and three-dimensional, her plot so complex you just read on to know what happens next. The steaming chemistry between Anna and Wil gives the story depth. The supporting characters add life and diverseness to the moving plot. Overall, a great historical story written by an amazing author whose book is sure to entertain a lover of historical romances!
Highly Recommended
5 Stars
September 14, 2017
You can read all of my reviews on my blog -> Cover2CoverMom
I am a huge historical fiction fan, especially WWII historical fiction. I am also a big fan of books that deal with past family secret mysteries (think Kate Morton). So when I read the book description for The House by the Lake and found that it was a fusion of the two, I was all for it.
I love books that are inspired by real people/events. The House by the Lake was inspired by Marthe de Florian and the discovery of her apartment in 2010. Marthe de Florian was a famous French courtesan around the time of WWI. In 2010, her abandoned apartment in Paris was discovered. It had been untouched for decades and contained many paintings, furniture, and belongings. I really like how the author drew inspiration from Marthe de Florian, and built her story around her. The House by the Lake follows Marthe’s granddaughter, Issabelle, but Marthe is apart of the story as she is the one who raises Issabelle.
Despite this book including elements that I typically love, this book did not work for me, which is a shame because the concept and storyline COULD have made for a great read. I would very much like to preface this review with the fact that I am in the minority here. This book has a 3.9 star rating on Goodreads with almost 15,000 ratings. While this book was not my particular cup of tea, obviously there are many people who enjoyed the book, so take my thoughts with a grain of salt. Basically, I felt like the author had a wonderful concept for a story here, but the execution came up short.
The House by the Lake alternates between past and present, where the characters in the present storyline are trying to figure out the mysteries of the past. While I love this method, I also feel it is risky because it can be hard to pull off. In every book I read with this format, I almost always find myself drawn to one story over the other. This one was no different. I found myself being indifferent to Anna and her quest to reveal the secrets of the house by the lake. There was so much potential in this part of the story, but Anna & her story felt very flat. In comparison, Isabelle’s story was a tad more interesting, but again flat & emotionless. When I read a WWII historical fiction, I want it to evoke strong emotions: fear, anger, sorrow, hope…. Something! Unfortunately this book failed in bringing about any strong emotions in me while reading.
The romance in this book, in both past and present storylines, was bland and unbelievable. Max & Isabelle is an instalove situation in that their relationship develops very quickly. They actually spend the majority of the book apart, but in the scenes when they are together, I didn’t feel any type of romance or passion. As far as Anna & Wil are concerned, their relationship felt very awkward and forced. There was no chemistry.
Most of all, the climax was rushed and didn’t evoke the feelings it should have. This was a HUGE plot twist that I didn’t ever see coming & should have made me feel a particular emotion, but it didn’t… This isn’t to say that I was upset with how everything panned out, actually I thought it was fitting, but that it felt lackluster.
In summary, despite the overall plotline of The House by the Lake being quite good, I couldn’t connect to any of the characters, the romance was unbelievable, it lacked emotion, and the climax felt very rushed.
*Big thanks to Lake Union Publishing for providing me with a copy of this book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
I am a huge historical fiction fan, especially WWII historical fiction. I am also a big fan of books that deal with past family secret mysteries (think Kate Morton). So when I read the book description for The House by the Lake and found that it was a fusion of the two, I was all for it.
I love books that are inspired by real people/events. The House by the Lake was inspired by Marthe de Florian and the discovery of her apartment in 2010. Marthe de Florian was a famous French courtesan around the time of WWI. In 2010, her abandoned apartment in Paris was discovered. It had been untouched for decades and contained many paintings, furniture, and belongings. I really like how the author drew inspiration from Marthe de Florian, and built her story around her. The House by the Lake follows Marthe’s granddaughter, Issabelle, but Marthe is apart of the story as she is the one who raises Issabelle.
Despite this book including elements that I typically love, this book did not work for me, which is a shame because the concept and storyline COULD have made for a great read. I would very much like to preface this review with the fact that I am in the minority here. This book has a 3.9 star rating on Goodreads with almost 15,000 ratings. While this book was not my particular cup of tea, obviously there are many people who enjoyed the book, so take my thoughts with a grain of salt. Basically, I felt like the author had a wonderful concept for a story here, but the execution came up short.
The House by the Lake alternates between past and present, where the characters in the present storyline are trying to figure out the mysteries of the past. While I love this method, I also feel it is risky because it can be hard to pull off. In every book I read with this format, I almost always find myself drawn to one story over the other. This one was no different. I found myself being indifferent to Anna and her quest to reveal the secrets of the house by the lake. There was so much potential in this part of the story, but Anna & her story felt very flat. In comparison, Isabelle’s story was a tad more interesting, but again flat & emotionless. When I read a WWII historical fiction, I want it to evoke strong emotions: fear, anger, sorrow, hope…. Something! Unfortunately this book failed in bringing about any strong emotions in me while reading.
The romance in this book, in both past and present storylines, was bland and unbelievable. Max & Isabelle is an instalove situation in that their relationship develops very quickly. They actually spend the majority of the book apart, but in the scenes when they are together, I didn’t feel any type of romance or passion. As far as Anna & Wil are concerned, their relationship felt very awkward and forced. There was no chemistry.
Most of all, the climax was rushed and didn’t evoke the feelings it should have. This was a HUGE plot twist that I didn’t ever see coming & should have made me feel a particular emotion, but it didn’t… This isn’t to say that I was upset with how everything panned out, actually I thought it was fitting, but that it felt lackluster.
In summary, despite the overall plotline of The House by the Lake being quite good, I couldn’t connect to any of the characters, the romance was unbelievable, it lacked emotion, and the climax felt very rushed.
*Big thanks to Lake Union Publishing for providing me with a copy of this book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
May 11, 2019
2,5*
Após de ler a sinopse desse livro, fiquei curioso pois tenho um certo fascínio pela 2ª Guerra Mundial e pelos mistérios existentes nas famílias.
Fiquei logo agarrado nas primeiras páginas... Bastante intrigado com o avô (Max) que nunca falou à neta (Anna) acerca do seu passado, até que um dia ele vê um artigo num jornal sobre um apartamento da Belle Époque em Paris e um retrato de uma mulher.. Ficou tão abalado e foi que decidiu a reagir... Revela à neta mostrando um papel antigo com um desenho sobre uma planta do interior de um palácio... Este edifício elegante era a sua casa, situado na Alemanha Leste, onde o avô passou a infância até ter emigrado para o E.U.A. O avô pede à neta para ir buscar um anel de noivado que se encontra escondido no quarto dele… Não lhe dá mais explicações… Assim a Anna parte para a Alemanha satisfazendo esta vontade do avô e vamos acompanhá-la nessa viagem e no desvendar do mistério.
A Anna encontra o tal palácio tristemente abandonado e degradado, e não só como é mal recebida pelas pessoas da aldeia que a olham com muita hostilidade…
O que é que aconteceu exatamente? E porquê? Para quem era o anel de noivado e porquê se encontrava escondido? O que tem a ver com o avô, o apartamento Belle Époque em Paris? O que é que o avô fez durante a 2ª Guerra Mundial até terem chegado os soviéticos?
Uma história que prometia ser muito interessante, mas infelizmente fiquei desapontado... Não me senti 100% transportado para dentro do livro, nem cheguei ao epicentro das emoções das próprias personagens. O horror da 2ª Guerra Mundial está tão resumido em descrições pobres e superficiais, que mais parece ficção ou inexistente. Faltou muitas coisas... O desfecho foi trágico e doloroso, sem dúvida, mas não me convenceu, não achei que fosse credível ter acontecido e acabado assim (até a autora referiu na sua nota que foi fruto da sua imaginação), e a forma como o final está relatado não me atingiu em pleno, mais parecia estar a ver as marionetas numa peça de teatro...
Já li melhores livros sobre o tema com as personagens inesquecíveis e cativantes.
Nota: Não sabia que este livro fazia parte de uma trilogia, sendo o 2# volume, só soube depois de o ter terminado. Não me fez confusão, achei como se fosse uma história independente.
Após de ler a sinopse desse livro, fiquei curioso pois tenho um certo fascínio pela 2ª Guerra Mundial e pelos mistérios existentes nas famílias.
Fiquei logo agarrado nas primeiras páginas... Bastante intrigado com o avô (Max) que nunca falou à neta (Anna) acerca do seu passado, até que um dia ele vê um artigo num jornal sobre um apartamento da Belle Époque em Paris e um retrato de uma mulher.. Ficou tão abalado e foi que decidiu a reagir... Revela à neta mostrando um papel antigo com um desenho sobre uma planta do interior de um palácio... Este edifício elegante era a sua casa, situado na Alemanha Leste, onde o avô passou a infância até ter emigrado para o E.U.A. O avô pede à neta para ir buscar um anel de noivado que se encontra escondido no quarto dele… Não lhe dá mais explicações… Assim a Anna parte para a Alemanha satisfazendo esta vontade do avô e vamos acompanhá-la nessa viagem e no desvendar do mistério.
A Anna encontra o tal palácio tristemente abandonado e degradado, e não só como é mal recebida pelas pessoas da aldeia que a olham com muita hostilidade…
O que é que aconteceu exatamente? E porquê? Para quem era o anel de noivado e porquê se encontrava escondido? O que tem a ver com o avô, o apartamento Belle Époque em Paris? O que é que o avô fez durante a 2ª Guerra Mundial até terem chegado os soviéticos?
Uma história que prometia ser muito interessante, mas infelizmente fiquei desapontado... Não me senti 100% transportado para dentro do livro, nem cheguei ao epicentro das emoções das próprias personagens. O horror da 2ª Guerra Mundial está tão resumido em descrições pobres e superficiais, que mais parece ficção ou inexistente. Faltou muitas coisas... O desfecho foi trágico e doloroso, sem dúvida, mas não me convenceu, não achei que fosse credível ter acontecido e acabado assim (até a autora referiu na sua nota que foi fruto da sua imaginação), e a forma como o final está relatado não me atingiu em pleno, mais parecia estar a ver as marionetas numa peça de teatro...
Já li melhores livros sobre o tema com as personagens inesquecíveis e cativantes.
Nota: Não sabia que este livro fazia parte de uma trilogia, sendo o 2# volume, só soube depois de o ter terminado. Não me fez confusão, achei como se fosse uma história independente.
March 20, 2016
This was an interesting and enjoyable book. It is a historical romance which has two story lines, one in the present and one during World War II. The love stories in this book were very touching.
Anna is raised by her grandfather, Max, and loves him dearly. He has stubbornly refused to talk about his past so she knows nothing of his life before his emigration to the United States after World War II. Out of love, Anna goes to Germany at his request to recover a ring that he left behind in his family home when he left Germany. The quest for the ring becomes a quest for information about the German side of Anna's family and her discovery of a family that she never knew that she had.
The World War II era story line tells the story of Max and his love for a French woman of Jewish descent. It is also connected to the discovery of an apartment abandoned during the war which is left untouched for 70 years and what happened to the owner of the apartment,
What made this interesting and different from most historical fiction about World War II is that it told the story of an area of East Germany after the Soviet occupation. It was an unusual but very appropriate setting. The characters were also very compelling and drew you into the story. They also gave you insight into the Soviet occupation of East Germany.
This book would be a great choice for anyone who enjoys historical romances, particularly those set in the World War II era.
I was given a copy of the book in exchange for an honest review by NetGalley.
I was given a copy of this book
Anna is raised by her grandfather, Max, and loves him dearly. He has stubbornly refused to talk about his past so she knows nothing of his life before his emigration to the United States after World War II. Out of love, Anna goes to Germany at his request to recover a ring that he left behind in his family home when he left Germany. The quest for the ring becomes a quest for information about the German side of Anna's family and her discovery of a family that she never knew that she had.
The World War II era story line tells the story of Max and his love for a French woman of Jewish descent. It is also connected to the discovery of an apartment abandoned during the war which is left untouched for 70 years and what happened to the owner of the apartment,
What made this interesting and different from most historical fiction about World War II is that it told the story of an area of East Germany after the Soviet occupation. It was an unusual but very appropriate setting. The characters were also very compelling and drew you into the story. They also gave you insight into the Soviet occupation of East Germany.
This book would be a great choice for anyone who enjoys historical romances, particularly those set in the World War II era.
I was given a copy of the book in exchange for an honest review by NetGalley.
I was given a copy of this book
April 25, 2016
From Author: "This book was inspired by two true stories that are woven together to form this fictional story surrounding Isabelle and Max, and Anna and Wil."
The book starts on SF CA. Anna owns her own cafe in San Francisco, she is only focused on her work and her 94 year old grandfather, Max. Max moved to US during WWII and doesn't talk about his past. He has raised Anna since she was 12, when her mother passed away and her dad moved on to a new life that she refused to move with him.
Max asks for one favor after seeing an abandoned apartment news story & pictures. Max needs Anna to go visit Berlin and a small village on the outskirts to find an object he left at his families old mansion. Anna goes and it starts the mystery to her families past. Author is great at description and the characters are likable but a little vague. The story also switches between 2010 and during WWII. The WWII part is described by Isabella (Max's lost love).
This is a touching story and a quick read. The history was interesting but I felt the author could have expanded this book to make us more attached to characters, learn more of history and give us more of Max's viewpoint. I would still recommend for a fun, fast paced summer read.
The book starts on SF CA. Anna owns her own cafe in San Francisco, she is only focused on her work and her 94 year old grandfather, Max. Max moved to US during WWII and doesn't talk about his past. He has raised Anna since she was 12, when her mother passed away and her dad moved on to a new life that she refused to move with him.
Max asks for one favor after seeing an abandoned apartment news story & pictures. Max needs Anna to go visit Berlin and a small village on the outskirts to find an object he left at his families old mansion. Anna goes and it starts the mystery to her families past. Author is great at description and the characters are likable but a little vague. The story also switches between 2010 and during WWII. The WWII part is described by Isabella (Max's lost love).
This is a touching story and a quick read. The history was interesting but I felt the author could have expanded this book to make us more attached to characters, learn more of history and give us more of Max's viewpoint. I would still recommend for a fun, fast paced summer read.
February 25, 2016
THE HOUSE BY THE LAKE by author Ella Carey is a March 2016 release by Lake Union Publishing.
Anna is astonished when her grandfather, Max, reveals a startling secret about his past. He brings her the news article about the abandoned Paris apartment which is the linked to his past. And he implores her to go to his family’s estate in Berlin and bring back something he had hidden there.
Could Anna do it? Would Anna find what she sets out to get? What else would she find on her journey? Was Max the man Anna though he was? Why did people in his village had such a negative image of him?
Once I started reading THE HOUSE BY THE LAKE, I couldn’t stop. I had to find out all the secrets and family skeletons. Readers would get engrossed in this story by author Ella Carey and by the end of the story forget where they are. Because this story takes a reader on a special journey to Paris as well as Berlin. And uncovers much more than family skeletons. It uncovers the betrayal of loved ones. Family pressure during war and the aftermath is brought to the surface.
Highly recommended for all readers.
Anna is astonished when her grandfather, Max, reveals a startling secret about his past. He brings her the news article about the abandoned Paris apartment which is the linked to his past. And he implores her to go to his family’s estate in Berlin and bring back something he had hidden there.
Could Anna do it? Would Anna find what she sets out to get? What else would she find on her journey? Was Max the man Anna though he was? Why did people in his village had such a negative image of him?
Once I started reading THE HOUSE BY THE LAKE, I couldn’t stop. I had to find out all the secrets and family skeletons. Readers would get engrossed in this story by author Ella Carey and by the end of the story forget where they are. Because this story takes a reader on a special journey to Paris as well as Berlin. And uncovers much more than family skeletons. It uncovers the betrayal of loved ones. Family pressure during war and the aftermath is brought to the surface.
Highly recommended for all readers.
March 1, 2016
This was definitely an interesting book. To find an apartment in France that hadn't been lived in for 70 years and then to find a house in Germany that hadn't been lived in for almost that long. Seems impossible. Of course, the one in Germany was fictional, but made for a great story.
This was a great story and such a sad one, as well. The story moves from present time when Anna's grandfather is in his 90's back to his younger days during the war. It's not hard to keep up as the author does a good job letting you know what time period your in.
I liked this story a lot. It was very entertaining, intriguing and sad. I whipped through this one because I just had to know the story. What happened during the war? I recommend this to any one who has a heart. It is a beautiful story.
Thanks Lake Union Publishing for approving my request and to Net Galley for providing me with a free e-galley in exchange for an honest review.
This was a great story and such a sad one, as well. The story moves from present time when Anna's grandfather is in his 90's back to his younger days during the war. It's not hard to keep up as the author does a good job letting you know what time period your in.
I liked this story a lot. It was very entertaining, intriguing and sad. I whipped through this one because I just had to know the story. What happened during the war? I recommend this to any one who has a heart. It is a beautiful story.
Thanks Lake Union Publishing for approving my request and to Net Galley for providing me with a free e-galley in exchange for an honest review.
May 3, 2016
Entertaining Historical fiction
Historical romances are not my usual area of interest, however the Soviet zone of Germany aspect lured me in…
Whilst a little light weight the book keeps your attention and works well with the alternating time periods of 1930s Europe and the present.
The story of Germany during the Soviet occupation is an interesting one and this book does give you some insight into the experiences of German civilians during that period.
An entertaining read.
Historical romances are not my usual area of interest, however the Soviet zone of Germany aspect lured me in…
Whilst a little light weight the book keeps your attention and works well with the alternating time periods of 1930s Europe and the present.
The story of Germany during the Soviet occupation is an interesting one and this book does give you some insight into the experiences of German civilians during that period.
An entertaining read.
March 29, 2016
"The House by the Lake" by Ella Carey is a wonderful, story about secrets from the past that are brought into today. Anna's Grandfather, Max, shows her a newspaper article from the past about an abandoned Paris apartment. It is linked to his past and affects her. We learn about 1930's Europe, the family history, betrayal, war, and what this means for Anna. The author does an amazing job of jumping back and forth between the past and present. Wonderful story and highly recommended. I didn't rush through this book because I didn't want to miss anything.
December 7, 2016
This was a good story. Nothing earth-shattering. An old man named Max wants his granddaughter to go to Berlin to retrieve something from his family's castle that he hid in WWII. She doesn't know what it is nor does she know anything about it once she finds it. I found his secrecy a little unbelievable, but I find that a lot of fiction is based on people keeping secrets from other people. So, I just try to accept that now.
The narrator for the audio book is terrible. Her German accent bordered on Asian and her dutch accent sounded like her German accent. Terrible.
The narrator for the audio book is terrible. Her German accent bordered on Asian and her dutch accent sounded like her German accent. Terrible.
March 2, 2017
more like a 3.5 I enjoyed reading the two different story lines. At times it was very interesting and i couldnt put it down. Other times i felt alittle bored. All in all it was a good book. Just wish i would have cared more about the characters. Felt like there could have been more to the story.
May 8, 2019
Beautiful
June 17, 2017
Max, il nonno di Anna, è un ex ufficiale nazista della seconda guerra mondiale, che, giunto a novantaquattro anni, incarica la nipote di cercare un oggetto che rappresenta il più grande dei suoi segreti e dei suoi rimpianti.
Volete scoprire con noi questo mistero che Max si è portato dentro per più di settant'anni, facendo sopravvivere un ricordo alla guerra e al tempo?
Nel 2010 venne rinvenuto un appartamento di Parigi che era rimasto abbandonato per settant’anni dopo che la proprietaria, una certa Mme de Florian, era fuggita alla vigilia dell’invasione nazista. La casa di Mme de Florian era un vero scrigno del tesoro, appartenuto a sua nonna, famosa attrice e cortigiana della fine dell’800, in piena Belle Époque. Dalle vicende di questa cortigiana nasce la storia immaginaria della nipote Isabelle, fidanzata francese dello splendido e ricchissimo Max, poi arruolatosi nella milizia nazista di Hitler.
Anche il palazzo di Schloss Siegel, fantasiosa residenza della nobile famiglia di Max, è ispirato a una storia vera. Le rovine di quello che doveva essere una magnifica dimora, appartenne davvero a una famiglia poi caduta in disgrazia durante la seconda guerra mondiale.
Anna è la protagonista e viaggiatrice del romanzo la quale, grazie alla ricerca compiuta per conto del nonno Max, ci mostra un paesino tedesco antico e la villa-castello di Schloss Siegel, simbolo di una storia dolorosa e profondamente vera, uno degli innumerevoli crimini del Terzo Reich.
Il libro ci svela pian piano la vita di Anna, sola e diffidente, e quella di suo nonno Max, che non è sempre stato americano e civile. In un alternanza continua tra passato e presente, ogni segreto viene rivelato e il ritmo si fa via via più serrato, fino all'epilogo. Anna trova ogni risposta e scioglie ogni dubbio e risentimento.
Confesso che fino a metà libro non sono riuscita a godere in pieno di questo piccolo gioiello, perché ha un tono poco emozionale, dovuto in parte al continuo spostamento nel tempo e nei protagonisti delle vicende, in parte alla freddezza caratteriale dei personaggi, tipica della loro origine nordeuropea. Ma nel momento in cui Anna si è svegliata dal suo torpore, appassionandosi al passato della sua famiglia e scoprendosi perfino innamorata, la trama ha spiccato il volo.
Anche se trovo che i flashback della vita di Max siano incredibilmente più affascinanti e il suo personaggio maggiormente degno di nota.
Il vero protagonista è infatti il vecchio Max, vivo nel ricordo di Anna, come anche nelle pietre e nei colori di quel palazzo diroccato che riusciamo a vedere florido come in un film d'epoca, con i suoi saloni da ricevimento in cui signore eleganti si nascondono dietro a ventagli e sorrisi, e uomini in divisa sono costretti a recitare la storia, tacitando sentimenti e libertà dietro a terribili interessi di bandiera…
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Volete scoprire con noi questo mistero che Max si è portato dentro per più di settant'anni, facendo sopravvivere un ricordo alla guerra e al tempo?
Nel 2010 venne rinvenuto un appartamento di Parigi che era rimasto abbandonato per settant’anni dopo che la proprietaria, una certa Mme de Florian, era fuggita alla vigilia dell’invasione nazista. La casa di Mme de Florian era un vero scrigno del tesoro, appartenuto a sua nonna, famosa attrice e cortigiana della fine dell’800, in piena Belle Époque. Dalle vicende di questa cortigiana nasce la storia immaginaria della nipote Isabelle, fidanzata francese dello splendido e ricchissimo Max, poi arruolatosi nella milizia nazista di Hitler.
Anche il palazzo di Schloss Siegel, fantasiosa residenza della nobile famiglia di Max, è ispirato a una storia vera. Le rovine di quello che doveva essere una magnifica dimora, appartenne davvero a una famiglia poi caduta in disgrazia durante la seconda guerra mondiale.
Anna è la protagonista e viaggiatrice del romanzo la quale, grazie alla ricerca compiuta per conto del nonno Max, ci mostra un paesino tedesco antico e la villa-castello di Schloss Siegel, simbolo di una storia dolorosa e profondamente vera, uno degli innumerevoli crimini del Terzo Reich.
Il libro ci svela pian piano la vita di Anna, sola e diffidente, e quella di suo nonno Max, che non è sempre stato americano e civile. In un alternanza continua tra passato e presente, ogni segreto viene rivelato e il ritmo si fa via via più serrato, fino all'epilogo. Anna trova ogni risposta e scioglie ogni dubbio e risentimento.
Confesso che fino a metà libro non sono riuscita a godere in pieno di questo piccolo gioiello, perché ha un tono poco emozionale, dovuto in parte al continuo spostamento nel tempo e nei protagonisti delle vicende, in parte alla freddezza caratteriale dei personaggi, tipica della loro origine nordeuropea. Ma nel momento in cui Anna si è svegliata dal suo torpore, appassionandosi al passato della sua famiglia e scoprendosi perfino innamorata, la trama ha spiccato il volo.
Anche se trovo che i flashback della vita di Max siano incredibilmente più affascinanti e il suo personaggio maggiormente degno di nota.
Il vero protagonista è infatti il vecchio Max, vivo nel ricordo di Anna, come anche nelle pietre e nei colori di quel palazzo diroccato che riusciamo a vedere florido come in un film d'epoca, con i suoi saloni da ricevimento in cui signore eleganti si nascondono dietro a ventagli e sorrisi, e uomini in divisa sono costretti a recitare la storia, tacitando sentimenti e libertà dietro a terribili interessi di bandiera…
Continua a leggere la recensione su: CrazyForRomance
Per acquistare il libro clicca qui
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