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Lost in Paris
When a deed to an apartment in Paris turns up in an old attic trunk, an estranged mother and daughter must reunite to uncover the secret and mysterious life of a family matriarch—perfect for fans of The Little Paris Bookshop and The Beekeeper’s Daughter.
Hannah Bond has always been a bookworm, which is why she fled Florida—and her unstable, alcoholic mother—for a quiet life leading Jane Austen-themed tours through the British countryside. But on New Year’s Eve, everything comes crashing down when she arrives back at her London flat to find her mother, Marla, waiting for her.
Marla’s brought two things with her: a black eye from her ex-boyfriend and an envelope she discovered while cleaning out the attic of Hannah’s childhood home. Its contents? The deed to an apartment in Paris, an old key, and newspaper clippings about the death of a famous writer named Andres Armand. Hannah, wary of her mother’s motives, reluctantly agrees to accompany her to Paris, where against all odds, they discover great-grandma Ivy’s one-bedroom apartment frozen in 1940 and covered in layers of dust and cobwebs.
As Hannah and Marla uncover clues about great-grandma Ivy in the nooks and crannies of the apartment—including a diary detailing evenings spent drinking and dancing with Hemingway and the Fitzgeralds—they trace her steps through the city in an attempt to understand why she never mentioned her life in Paris before settling in Florida during the war.
A heartwarming and charming saga set in the City of Lights, Lost in Paris is an unforgettable celebration of family and the love between a mother and a daughter.
Hannah Bond has always been a bookworm, which is why she fled Florida—and her unstable, alcoholic mother—for a quiet life leading Jane Austen-themed tours through the British countryside. But on New Year’s Eve, everything comes crashing down when she arrives back at her London flat to find her mother, Marla, waiting for her.
Marla’s brought two things with her: a black eye from her ex-boyfriend and an envelope she discovered while cleaning out the attic of Hannah’s childhood home. Its contents? The deed to an apartment in Paris, an old key, and newspaper clippings about the death of a famous writer named Andres Armand. Hannah, wary of her mother’s motives, reluctantly agrees to accompany her to Paris, where against all odds, they discover great-grandma Ivy’s one-bedroom apartment frozen in 1940 and covered in layers of dust and cobwebs.
As Hannah and Marla uncover clues about great-grandma Ivy in the nooks and crannies of the apartment—including a diary detailing evenings spent drinking and dancing with Hemingway and the Fitzgeralds—they trace her steps through the city in an attempt to understand why she never mentioned her life in Paris before settling in Florida during the war.
A heartwarming and charming saga set in the City of Lights, Lost in Paris is an unforgettable celebration of family and the love between a mother and a daughter.
352 pages, Paperback
First published April 13, 2021
119 people are currently reading
8519 people want to read
About the author
Elizabeth Thompson
5 books164 followersUSA Today Bestselling Author Elizabeth Thompson writes contemporary and historical women's fiction and heartwarming romance (as Nancy Robards Thompson). She loves food, books, and art. She currently resides in Tennessee with her husband and their Pembroke Welsh corgi, Luna.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 351 reviews
August 30, 2022
This is a Women's Fiction book with a little bit of Historical Fiction. The historical fiction parts of this book is diary pages of the Great Grandmother diary, and the diary page is less then 10% of this book. It does bring a lot to the book, but I just want to to let the people that is looking for a historical fiction book that just may not be the book for you. This book is told from the point of view of Hannah who is a big bookworm. I loved her character. This book is all about Hannah learning to get along with her Mother, and Hannah and her Mother learning about family secrets her Grandmother never told them about. This book is so well written, and I loved it so much. I have to say it took a little bit to get going, and it took me a few chapters to be pulled into the story. I found the storyline/plot to be so great, and one I have not seen in a book before. I was kindly provided an e-copy of this book by the publisher (Gallery Books) or author (Elizabeth Thompson) via NetGalley, so I can give honest review about how I feel about this book. I want to send a big Thank you to them for that.
May 10, 2021
Hannah Bond has a dream job conducting Jane Austen themed tours in the English country side.
Hannah has a strained relationship with mother, Marla. Hannah’s grandmother is one who raised her. Her grandmother has recently died.
Hannah finds her mother in her flat after returning to London from one of her tours. Marla has found a deed to an apartment in Paris and a newspaper clipping about a death of a famous author. What could this mean?
Hannah and Marla travel to Paris and find the apartment just as Great-Grandma Ivy left it frozen in time.
This novel is written in dual time lines. Present day and Ivy’s diary from 1920’s-1940’s.
In the diary are indications of friendships with Scott and Zelda Fitzgerald and Ernest Hemingway.
It is a charming and heartwarming story filled with mystery and intrigue.
I loved to read books about Paris, this book did not disappoint. I loved the descriptions of Paris architecture and life in Paris in 1920’s.
It is a wonderful read of mother’s and daughter’s relationships.
I received my copy of this book from a Goodreads giveaway promotion.
Hannah has a strained relationship with mother, Marla. Hannah’s grandmother is one who raised her. Her grandmother has recently died.
Hannah finds her mother in her flat after returning to London from one of her tours. Marla has found a deed to an apartment in Paris and a newspaper clipping about a death of a famous author. What could this mean?
Hannah and Marla travel to Paris and find the apartment just as Great-Grandma Ivy left it frozen in time.
This novel is written in dual time lines. Present day and Ivy’s diary from 1920’s-1940’s.
In the diary are indications of friendships with Scott and Zelda Fitzgerald and Ernest Hemingway.
It is a charming and heartwarming story filled with mystery and intrigue.
I loved to read books about Paris, this book did not disappoint. I loved the descriptions of Paris architecture and life in Paris in 1920’s.
It is a wonderful read of mother’s and daughter’s relationships.
I received my copy of this book from a Goodreads giveaway promotion.
August 20, 2021
I didn’t love it, but I didn’t hate it.
Hannah Bond is a Jane Austen tour guide in London. Her grandmother in Florida recently passed away and left her house to Hannah and her mother Marla. Hannah doesn’t know who her father is, and growing up Marla was an unreliable parent. Marla unexpectedly shows up in London with news that her grandmother Ivy (Hannah’s great grandmother) has left them her old apartment in Paris. Intrigued they both go to Paris to find out more. In the apartment they find Ivy’s diary entries from 1927-1940 along with other meaningful treasures.
The story alternates back and forth between Ivy’s life in Paris in the 1920s and present day Hannah and Marla as they work to heal their fragile relationship and uncover their family’s past. I found the mother-daughter dialogue a bit awkward and at times harsh. The plot was somewhat dominated by their relationship, with Hannah trying to trust her mother and Marla trying to prove herself and start anew. I thought that the descriptions of Paris scenery were great, and it was fun to learn about famous figures in literature and art history. However, the characters and their relationships weren’t developed as much as I would have liked.
With the story’s dual timelines, I found the past story more interesting than the present and there was a lot less of it. The present story was somewhat slow and at times boring. There was a long and steady build to revealing the mysteries, but once revealed it felt that everything was conveniently wrapped up and everyone got a happy ending. I am all for happy endings and things working out, but the ending just felt a bit rushed and abrupt.
Overall, this women’s fiction novel had a bit of everything, including history, romance, and mystery. It had a lot of potential, but didn’t quite meet the mark for me. Though it wasn’t my absolute favorite, I still enjoyed reading it. I also think that the plot and setting would make a cute movie. (:
Hannah Bond is a Jane Austen tour guide in London. Her grandmother in Florida recently passed away and left her house to Hannah and her mother Marla. Hannah doesn’t know who her father is, and growing up Marla was an unreliable parent. Marla unexpectedly shows up in London with news that her grandmother Ivy (Hannah’s great grandmother) has left them her old apartment in Paris. Intrigued they both go to Paris to find out more. In the apartment they find Ivy’s diary entries from 1927-1940 along with other meaningful treasures.
The story alternates back and forth between Ivy’s life in Paris in the 1920s and present day Hannah and Marla as they work to heal their fragile relationship and uncover their family’s past. I found the mother-daughter dialogue a bit awkward and at times harsh. The plot was somewhat dominated by their relationship, with Hannah trying to trust her mother and Marla trying to prove herself and start anew. I thought that the descriptions of Paris scenery were great, and it was fun to learn about famous figures in literature and art history. However, the characters and their relationships weren’t developed as much as I would have liked.
With the story’s dual timelines, I found the past story more interesting than the present and there was a lot less of it. The present story was somewhat slow and at times boring. There was a long and steady build to revealing the mysteries, but once revealed it felt that everything was conveniently wrapped up and everyone got a happy ending. I am all for happy endings and things working out, but the ending just felt a bit rushed and abrupt.
Overall, this women’s fiction novel had a bit of everything, including history, romance, and mystery. It had a lot of potential, but didn’t quite meet the mark for me. Though it wasn’t my absolute favorite, I still enjoyed reading it. I also think that the plot and setting would make a cute movie. (:
November 21, 2020
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for my digital copy in exchange for an honest review. Honestly? There is a good chance I will request any fiction book having to do with Paris...and some nonfiction. So I requested it just based on the title and I liked the cover of it as well but once I read what it was actually about, I couldn't wait to get into it. This would be a dream come true for me :) Hannah and her mother have a strained relationship due to past events but suddenly, an apartment in Paris that none of them even knew about drops in to their laps through an inheritance...now not only do they have to work together and get along to go check it out but they also have to decide if they want to or even CAN keep it. Imagine the inheritance tax that will apply having sat empty for so many years...While they are diving into this apartment and trying to get it clean, they are both falling in love with the city of Paris and they are also diving into Ivy's diaries and learning of HER times when she first came to Paris. I think I liked the story within a story just as much as I liked Hannah and her Mom's story. Loved the book overall.
April 12, 2021
Hannah Bond moved from Orlando, Florida to England after her grandmother, the woman who raised her, passes away. Her mother Marla is a free-spirit and their relationship is distant and complex. Marla shows up unexpectedly at her apartment and tells her that while cleaning through the belongings of her mother/Hannah’s grandmother, she learns that they have jointly inherited an apartment in Paris that had belonged to her great-grandmother Ivy. They discover that the apartment has stood frozen in time since 1940. While sorting through her possessions, the mystery of Ivy’s life in Paris unfolds.
Lost in Paris is told in dual timelines. In the present, Hannah is trying to come to terms with her trust issues caused by a series of disappointments starting with her relationship with her mother, who has no idea who her father is. Marla’s return to Paris brings her back to a time when she was a groupie, at seventeen years old, of a punk rock band. The women have to work together to sort out their new inheritance. They uncover a diary which details Ivy’s life in Paris. Her writing starts in the late 1920s. While trying to find work as a clothing designer, Ivy finds love and is introduced to an extraordinary group of ex-pat artists including F. Scott and Zelda Fitzgerald and Ernest Hemingway. What a social circle!
I loved being transported to Paris both in the past and present. Author Elizabeth Thompson’s descriptions of all the settings are wonderful. The cafes, the bars, the apartment untouched for decades. The story is engaging and emotional. I was equally taken by the present day story of Hannah and Marla as with Ivy’s, making this book appealing to those who read both contemporary and historical fiction. This fast-paced book has it all - family, secrets, love, second chances, Paris.
Many thanks to NetGalley, Gallery Books | Simon & Schuster for the opportunity to escape into Lost in Paris before its April 13, 2021 publication. I didn’t want it to end.
Rated 4.25 stars.
Review posted on MicheleReader.com.
Lost in Paris is told in dual timelines. In the present, Hannah is trying to come to terms with her trust issues caused by a series of disappointments starting with her relationship with her mother, who has no idea who her father is. Marla’s return to Paris brings her back to a time when she was a groupie, at seventeen years old, of a punk rock band. The women have to work together to sort out their new inheritance. They uncover a diary which details Ivy’s life in Paris. Her writing starts in the late 1920s. While trying to find work as a clothing designer, Ivy finds love and is introduced to an extraordinary group of ex-pat artists including F. Scott and Zelda Fitzgerald and Ernest Hemingway. What a social circle!
I loved being transported to Paris both in the past and present. Author Elizabeth Thompson’s descriptions of all the settings are wonderful. The cafes, the bars, the apartment untouched for decades. The story is engaging and emotional. I was equally taken by the present day story of Hannah and Marla as with Ivy’s, making this book appealing to those who read both contemporary and historical fiction. This fast-paced book has it all - family, secrets, love, second chances, Paris.
Many thanks to NetGalley, Gallery Books | Simon & Schuster for the opportunity to escape into Lost in Paris before its April 13, 2021 publication. I didn’t want it to end.
Rated 4.25 stars.
Review posted on MicheleReader.com.
July 17, 2022
Just perfect for my vacay in Paris ❤️
January 7, 2021
I highly enjoyed this book. When Hannah’s gram dies her mother,Marla, finds a deed to an apartment in Paris. Neither one of them ever knew about this. So Marla convinces Hannah to go with her to Paris to see what this is all about. Marla is Hannah’s mother but at times their roles were reversed. Marla didn’t really raise Hannah, so their relationship was very contentious. With this apartment, Marla is trying to heal the wounds between them. Although, I still felt Marla acted like a teen most of the time. Not only are you following their story, you also get diary entries from Hannah’s great-grandmother from when she first went to Paris in the 20’s. So, of course, she meets a lot of famous people from the Lost Generation. I loved those parts! The book had family drama, romance, history, and Paris. You can’t go wrong!
*Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an arc in exchange for an honest review.
*Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an arc in exchange for an honest review.
March 24, 2021
Hannah Bond and her mother, Marla, have an estranged relationship. Hannah resides in England and her mother appears in England on New Years Day with a deed to an apartment in Paris, France that belonged to Hannah's great-grandmother, Ivy.
Hannah and her mother venture off to Paris to find the apartment and to see what kind of mysterious life great-grandmother Ivy once led. Hannah has trust issues with Marla and Marla wants a new beginning with Hannah. During this opportune time both mother and daughter rekindle a once lost relationship.
Lost in Paris has a dual timeline between Hannah in the present and Ivy in the 1940s discussing her time before and in the Paris apartment. I loved the historical aspect of the book, but I'm a sucker for anything related to France.
The story itself was charming between Hannah and Marla. I understood both characters. Loved the mysterious building of Ivy's life throughout the book.
A fantastic enjoyable read! Thank you to Gallery Books and Netgalley for offering me this ARC in exchange for my honest review. All opinions and thoughts are my own.
Hannah and her mother venture off to Paris to find the apartment and to see what kind of mysterious life great-grandmother Ivy once led. Hannah has trust issues with Marla and Marla wants a new beginning with Hannah. During this opportune time both mother and daughter rekindle a once lost relationship.
Lost in Paris has a dual timeline between Hannah in the present and Ivy in the 1940s discussing her time before and in the Paris apartment. I loved the historical aspect of the book, but I'm a sucker for anything related to France.
The story itself was charming between Hannah and Marla. I understood both characters. Loved the mysterious building of Ivy's life throughout the book.
A fantastic enjoyable read! Thank you to Gallery Books and Netgalley for offering me this ARC in exchange for my honest review. All opinions and thoughts are my own.
January 30, 2021
4.5 / 5.0 Stars
Great story line, replete with history, mystery, quests, family drama and a touch of romance.
Author Elizabeth Thompson (a.k.a., Nancy Robards Thompson to her contemporary romance readers), has done a smashing job taking a story straight from the headlines and given it a fictional background story all its own. ( You may remember back in 2011, when the apartment of Parisian socialite and actress Marthe de Florian was opened for the first time in 70 years - an absolutely perfect time capsule.) Unbeknownst to estranged mother and daughter, they jointly inherit a Parisian flat which had been abandoned by grandma/great-grandma Ivy back in 1940, just as the Nazi's were laying siege to Paris. The discovery forces the two to work in concert with one another until decisions about the property can be made. Not only do they discover treasures in the apartment and long-held family secrets but also much about one another. Nothing about the partnership is easy and they do struggle through most of the story. Can these two keep it together long enough to create a plan and execute it without undoing each other. Only time will tell.
Ms. Thompson's writing of this dual timeline story is well constructed, her historical research solid and her story flows perfectly. Her characters are well fleshed out and exceedingly human with a few flaws and much depth. There were so many lines in the book which caused me to reflect back on my relationship with my own mother, that it felt as though it was written personally for me. The mother/daughter relationship is often not easy. Emotions run the entire gamut and Ms. Thompson has nailed it perfectly.
All in all, this was a refreshing and delightful story and I look forward to reading more of this author's work.
I am grateful to author Elizabeth Thompson and her publisher, Simon and Schuster, Inc. for having provided a complimentary advance reader's edition of this book through Goodreads First Reads. Their generosity, however, has not influenced this review - the words of which are mine alone.
Great story line, replete with history, mystery, quests, family drama and a touch of romance.
Author Elizabeth Thompson (a.k.a., Nancy Robards Thompson to her contemporary romance readers), has done a smashing job taking a story straight from the headlines and given it a fictional background story all its own. ( You may remember back in 2011, when the apartment of Parisian socialite and actress Marthe de Florian was opened for the first time in 70 years - an absolutely perfect time capsule.) Unbeknownst to estranged mother and daughter, they jointly inherit a Parisian flat which had been abandoned by grandma/great-grandma Ivy back in 1940, just as the Nazi's were laying siege to Paris. The discovery forces the two to work in concert with one another until decisions about the property can be made. Not only do they discover treasures in the apartment and long-held family secrets but also much about one another. Nothing about the partnership is easy and they do struggle through most of the story. Can these two keep it together long enough to create a plan and execute it without undoing each other. Only time will tell.
Ms. Thompson's writing of this dual timeline story is well constructed, her historical research solid and her story flows perfectly. Her characters are well fleshed out and exceedingly human with a few flaws and much depth. There were so many lines in the book which caused me to reflect back on my relationship with my own mother, that it felt as though it was written personally for me. The mother/daughter relationship is often not easy. Emotions run the entire gamut and Ms. Thompson has nailed it perfectly.
All in all, this was a refreshing and delightful story and I look forward to reading more of this author's work.
I am grateful to author Elizabeth Thompson and her publisher, Simon and Schuster, Inc. for having provided a complimentary advance reader's edition of this book through Goodreads First Reads. Their generosity, however, has not influenced this review - the words of which are mine alone.
May 20, 2021
The book was good, but I wasn't pleased with the two narrators. The American sounded like a petulant teenager, ending each sentence with a high note as if it was a question and the British was like she was acting in a melodrama. And why is it that Audible can't find narrators who can pronounce words in French correctly? This one couldn't pronounce the word bienvenu.
December 13, 2022
Cute. Sweet. Pleasant. Surprisingly diversity checklist free. A few plot points that don't jive with each other, but nothing that will ruin the book. A great, minimalist read!
April 13, 2021
Secret places!
I love descriptions of those Interbellum years of the 1920’s and 30’s where there was a buzz in the air. Paris was bursting with creativity—artists, writers, designers, Gertrude Stein, the Fitzgerald’s, Picasso, the Hemingway’s!
And into this world fell Ivy in pursuit of her dream to enter a Paris fashion house. Well that didn’t work out, but she did meet writer Andres Armand.
Her great granddaughter Hannah has a bad relationship (think zero) with her mother Marla, doesn’t know who her father is and has just lost her Gram who brought her up. To cap it all off she’s just broken up with her boyfriend
What is it about the romance of a hidden apartment left as though people had just walked out waiting for their return.? It gets me every time. I thought I’d grow tired of this trope—I haven’t as yet! The mystery pulls us in. And to find it is unexpectedly yours, to find a great grandmother with a secret life is both shocking and exciting, as Hannah and her mother discover.
Moving between 1929 and 2019 this story captures that shock with a few extra layers, and with burdens that need to be laid down. Mind you Marla is a huge challenge, although I move between giving her the benefit of the doubt and just being cross.
Hannah Bond’s search for meaning, for redefining her relationship with her mother, for the woman her Great Grandma Ivy was, and for finding her own way forward is brilliantly portrayed.
A Gallery Books ARC via NetGalley
I love descriptions of those Interbellum years of the 1920’s and 30’s where there was a buzz in the air. Paris was bursting with creativity—artists, writers, designers, Gertrude Stein, the Fitzgerald’s, Picasso, the Hemingway’s!
And into this world fell Ivy in pursuit of her dream to enter a Paris fashion house. Well that didn’t work out, but she did meet writer Andres Armand.
Her great granddaughter Hannah has a bad relationship (think zero) with her mother Marla, doesn’t know who her father is and has just lost her Gram who brought her up. To cap it all off she’s just broken up with her boyfriend
What is it about the romance of a hidden apartment left as though people had just walked out waiting for their return.? It gets me every time. I thought I’d grow tired of this trope—I haven’t as yet! The mystery pulls us in. And to find it is unexpectedly yours, to find a great grandmother with a secret life is both shocking and exciting, as Hannah and her mother discover.
Moving between 1929 and 2019 this story captures that shock with a few extra layers, and with burdens that need to be laid down. Mind you Marla is a huge challenge, although I move between giving her the benefit of the doubt and just being cross.
Hannah Bond’s search for meaning, for redefining her relationship with her mother, for the woman her Great Grandma Ivy was, and for finding her own way forward is brilliantly portrayed.
A Gallery Books ARC via NetGalley
February 26, 2022
This was part Historical Fiction and part contemporary fiction. And it turned out to be a pleasant surprise. The author put in a few unexpected twists and turns instead of going down the well trod road that many other authors tread.
I liked this one. It was a family tree shake down and interesting things fell from this tree. The MC was great...as were the other characters. And Paris and London were great backdrops for the setting. So 4 stars because even though this is softer than most books I read, I ended up liking this one.
I liked this one. It was a family tree shake down and interesting things fell from this tree. The MC was great...as were the other characters. And Paris and London were great backdrops for the setting. So 4 stars because even though this is softer than most books I read, I ended up liking this one.
March 25, 2021
I requested this book based on the cover alone, because who wouldn’t want to get lost in Paris, and I didn’t really know what it was about, and that ended up working from me. Quite enjoyed this story!
Hannah is a tour guide in England and one day her estranged mother turns up on her doorstep and says she found some papers in Hannah’s recently deceased grandmother’s house that said she left them an apartment in Paris that no one knew anything about. Despite their rocky relationship, they decide to go to Paris and figure out what exactly is it that they have been left. When they get there, they find an amazing little place, although covered in dust and grime after being abandoned for many, many years. With the help of their lawyer, they get it cleaned up and decide to stay and figure out the history of the apartment and that may in turn lead to knowing more about Grandma Ivy’s life. While cleaning the apartment, they find her diaries, and in alternating chapters we read pages from it showing her life in Paris leading up to the war.
While they work on figuring out the past, Hannah and her mother learn to work on their relationship and are even able to work together to branch out the tour business to make a new tour about grandma Ivy’s life and all the famous people she came in contact with before they were super famous. And Hannah’s mom worked on herself to be a better mom to Hannah and help figure out who her father was.
Really enjoyed this story overall. The characters had depth and I loved reading the journal entries! Will definitely be recommending this one to my other book friends.
Thanks to Simon & Schuster and Netgalley for this Arc in exchange for my review
Hannah is a tour guide in England and one day her estranged mother turns up on her doorstep and says she found some papers in Hannah’s recently deceased grandmother’s house that said she left them an apartment in Paris that no one knew anything about. Despite their rocky relationship, they decide to go to Paris and figure out what exactly is it that they have been left. When they get there, they find an amazing little place, although covered in dust and grime after being abandoned for many, many years. With the help of their lawyer, they get it cleaned up and decide to stay and figure out the history of the apartment and that may in turn lead to knowing more about Grandma Ivy’s life. While cleaning the apartment, they find her diaries, and in alternating chapters we read pages from it showing her life in Paris leading up to the war.
While they work on figuring out the past, Hannah and her mother learn to work on their relationship and are even able to work together to branch out the tour business to make a new tour about grandma Ivy’s life and all the famous people she came in contact with before they were super famous. And Hannah’s mom worked on herself to be a better mom to Hannah and help figure out who her father was.
Really enjoyed this story overall. The characters had depth and I loved reading the journal entries! Will definitely be recommending this one to my other book friends.
Thanks to Simon & Schuster and Netgalley for this Arc in exchange for my review
June 21, 2021
*I received a free copy of Lost in Paris. This has in no way influenced my voluntary review which is honest and unbiased.*
3.5 stars
Lost in Paris is a mix of epistolary and contemporary - the letters and diary entries are from the era between the two wars, all set in Paris, while the contemporary parts of the story are set in London, Paris and Bristol.
Hannah has a very difficult relationship with her mother, and in some ways, I wished there would have been some more 'help' with that. They managed to trudge through quite a bit of their differences on their own, and in a way, that didn't really seem all that realistic to me.
The story is heartfelt - can you imagine finding out after your grandmother's death that your great-grandmother left you the deed to an apartment in Paris? It becomes almost a detective story in some ways, as Hannah and her mother, Marla, try to figure out why Ivy had lived in Paris, and also how come she had never shared her secret life with any of them.
Building a new relationship between the mother and daughter in the present, somehow, Marla also managed to build a new relationship between herself and her late grandmother. Overall, a heartfelt story that I'm sure many readers will enjoy.
3.5 stars
Lost in Paris is a mix of epistolary and contemporary - the letters and diary entries are from the era between the two wars, all set in Paris, while the contemporary parts of the story are set in London, Paris and Bristol.
Hannah has a very difficult relationship with her mother, and in some ways, I wished there would have been some more 'help' with that. They managed to trudge through quite a bit of their differences on their own, and in a way, that didn't really seem all that realistic to me.
The story is heartfelt - can you imagine finding out after your grandmother's death that your great-grandmother left you the deed to an apartment in Paris? It becomes almost a detective story in some ways, as Hannah and her mother, Marla, try to figure out why Ivy had lived in Paris, and also how come she had never shared her secret life with any of them.
Building a new relationship between the mother and daughter in the present, somehow, Marla also managed to build a new relationship between herself and her late grandmother. Overall, a heartfelt story that I'm sure many readers will enjoy.
March 21, 2021
What I loved the most about this book were the diary entries made in the late 1920's by Hannah Bonds great grandmother. These entries felt... I don't know how to explain this, somehow truer and more realistic to me than the book's main part.
The main part of the book deals with Hannah and her mother Marla and the discovery of a Parisian apartment that they have inherited. The apartment has been closed since 1940, so 80 years! I was surprised to read that anything in this apartment had survived. Realistically nothing should have, but there you go.
Yes, I had some issues with this book, but it was written so that it would suck me into the story, both the past and the present stories.
ARC supplied by the publisher, the author, and ATTL/Edelweiss.
The main part of the book deals with Hannah and her mother Marla and the discovery of a Parisian apartment that they have inherited. The apartment has been closed since 1940, so 80 years! I was surprised to read that anything in this apartment had survived. Realistically nothing should have, but there you go.
Yes, I had some issues with this book, but it was written so that it would suck me into the story, both the past and the present stories.
ARC supplied by the publisher, the author, and ATTL/Edelweiss.
November 24, 2021
4.5 stars rounded down.
A totally enjoyable and charming read. It takes place in two time frames (of course) and is told through Ivy Braithwaite’s diaries starting in 1927 and her great granddaughter’s POV in 2018.
Ivy left her home in Bristol, UK and moved with a friend to Paris, hoping to make her mark as a clothing designer. Along the way she meets a lot of the expats who were living in Paris: Hemingway, Scott and Zelda Fitzgerald, Gertrude Stein, among others.
Hannah Bloom and her mother Marla, who has lived a chaotic life, discover that they have inherited an apartment in Paris that used to belong to Ivy. As Hannah struggles to deal with her mother, they start to learn about Ivy’s intriguing past.
I really liked Hannah and Ivy; Marla, not so much. There are a lot of other fascinating characters in this book, some famous, some ordinary, some very likable and others who are just nasty. The story touches on a lot of themes: family, honesty, sexual assault, misogyny, independence, and forgiveness.
The writing is good but not great. Hannah offers a lot of snark, and you know how much I enjoy snark! The story is such that I couldn’t wait to be able to pick up the book again, which, although the writing may not have been the best, is the hallmark of a good read.
A definite recommend.
A totally enjoyable and charming read. It takes place in two time frames (of course) and is told through Ivy Braithwaite’s diaries starting in 1927 and her great granddaughter’s POV in 2018.
Ivy left her home in Bristol, UK and moved with a friend to Paris, hoping to make her mark as a clothing designer. Along the way she meets a lot of the expats who were living in Paris: Hemingway, Scott and Zelda Fitzgerald, Gertrude Stein, among others.
Hannah Bloom and her mother Marla, who has lived a chaotic life, discover that they have inherited an apartment in Paris that used to belong to Ivy. As Hannah struggles to deal with her mother, they start to learn about Ivy’s intriguing past.
I really liked Hannah and Ivy; Marla, not so much. There are a lot of other fascinating characters in this book, some famous, some ordinary, some very likable and others who are just nasty. The story touches on a lot of themes: family, honesty, sexual assault, misogyny, independence, and forgiveness.
The writing is good but not great. Hannah offers a lot of snark, and you know how much I enjoy snark! The story is such that I couldn’t wait to be able to pick up the book again, which, although the writing may not have been the best, is the hallmark of a good read.
A definite recommend.
May 13, 2021
I have never been to Paris and probably never will get a chance to go. So, I travel vicariously through books. This book hooked me in the first chapter! I had read a book with a similar plot, I thought and was worried that this would be a complete rehash of that book. But it wasn't and I thoroughly enjoyed this book!
Hannah and her mother, Marla, have had a contentious relationship for years. Hannah was raised by her Gram and, because of the past, doesn't trust her mother. But when her mother brings a key to the past, Hannah reluctantly takes off to Paris. And the story only gets better from there!
Thank you to Netgalley and Gallery Books for the opportunity to read and provide an honest review of this book.
Hannah and her mother, Marla, have had a contentious relationship for years. Hannah was raised by her Gram and, because of the past, doesn't trust her mother. But when her mother brings a key to the past, Hannah reluctantly takes off to Paris. And the story only gets better from there!
Thank you to Netgalley and Gallery Books for the opportunity to read and provide an honest review of this book.
February 17, 2021
I so wanted to love this book. Unfortunately, I didn't!
The story is told through alternating points-of-view: that of Hannah Bond, a 27-year-old American living in London, and the diary entries of her great-grandmother Ivy, who lived in Paris in the 20s and 30s. Hannah, and her mother Marla, learn they have inherited a Parisian apartment that once belonged to Ivy. The apartment has not been touched for 80 years.
As Hannah and Marla sift through the apartment's secrets, they learn truths about themselves. At the same time, Marla confronts some ghosts from her past.
This story had so much potential, but I felt that the relationships were poorly developed. For example, the storyline between Hannah and Aiden was rushed and unrealistic. There were too many coincidences and too many pieces that fell into place way too easily. I love a happily-ever-after as much as the next person, but I like for them to have some pretense of believability. Plus, the writing was choppy and just did not flow well.
Thank you to NetGalley and Gallery Books for the opportunity to read a digital ARC in return for an honest review.
The story is told through alternating points-of-view: that of Hannah Bond, a 27-year-old American living in London, and the diary entries of her great-grandmother Ivy, who lived in Paris in the 20s and 30s. Hannah, and her mother Marla, learn they have inherited a Parisian apartment that once belonged to Ivy. The apartment has not been touched for 80 years.
As Hannah and Marla sift through the apartment's secrets, they learn truths about themselves. At the same time, Marla confronts some ghosts from her past.
This story had so much potential, but I felt that the relationships were poorly developed. For example, the storyline between Hannah and Aiden was rushed and unrealistic. There were too many coincidences and too many pieces that fell into place way too easily. I love a happily-ever-after as much as the next person, but I like for them to have some pretense of believability. Plus, the writing was choppy and just did not flow well.
Thank you to NetGalley and Gallery Books for the opportunity to read a digital ARC in return for an honest review.
June 9, 2021
Lost in Paris
By Elizabeth Thompson
Hannah and her mom have a hard relationship, but will an apartment in Paris that’s been dropped in to their laps help them. So off to Paris they go to open an 80 year old apartment and find secrets kept long buried.
I love Elizabeth choice to use Ivy’s diary to connect the past with the present. And with Hannah reading each page you are hearing the life of Ivy. And all that’s gone on before.
Lost in Paris is filled with wonderful characters and has everything you could want in a book. Intrigue, romance, complex families that are trying to work their way together again.
I loved this book, it makes you think of all that’s hear and what was left behind.
I was loaned this temp E-book from NetGalley for my honest opinion.
I would highly recommend it to anyone, it was a wonderful reading experience.
By Elizabeth Thompson
Hannah and her mom have a hard relationship, but will an apartment in Paris that’s been dropped in to their laps help them. So off to Paris they go to open an 80 year old apartment and find secrets kept long buried.
I love Elizabeth choice to use Ivy’s diary to connect the past with the present. And with Hannah reading each page you are hearing the life of Ivy. And all that’s gone on before.
Lost in Paris is filled with wonderful characters and has everything you could want in a book. Intrigue, romance, complex families that are trying to work their way together again.
I loved this book, it makes you think of all that’s hear and what was left behind.
I was loaned this temp E-book from NetGalley for my honest opinion.
I would highly recommend it to anyone, it was a wonderful reading experience.
February 17, 2021
A charming story about family, trust and how people aren't always who you think they are. In the beginning of Lost in Paris, Thompson introduces readers to four generations of the Bond family, all of whom have very defined personalities. There's the dutiful daughter, the unreliable mother, the loving grandmother, the sweet, old-fashioned great grandmother. By the end, these roles have been challenged and changed. The underlying lesson is that people (and relationships) have many facets. A light mystery and the romantic streets of Paris give the story extra depth.
I truly enjoyed this book.
(I received an advance read of this book through Netgalley in exchange for my honest opinion. Thank you to Simon and Schuster.)
I truly enjoyed this book.
(I received an advance read of this book through Netgalley in exchange for my honest opinion. Thank you to Simon and Schuster.)
March 13, 2021
Thank you to Netgalley for this advanced copy! It was so refreshing to enjoy Paris during a time when it wasn’t under attack. With so many WW2 stories, I have come accustomed to visiting Paris during its harder times. Lost in Paris gave me a hopeful & refreshing story to explore the city. I enjoyed the way we connect to Granny Ivy through her witty diary entries. How we learn of who she was during a fundamental part of literature & art history. I would have loved even more from her! Our present day follows an estranged mother & daughter duo as they discover family secrets changing what they thought they knew of their past & each other.
I truly enjoyed getting “Lost in Paris”!
I truly enjoyed getting “Lost in Paris”!
April 6, 2021
This is an amazing debut!!!!!!!!! 5 stars to Elizabeth Thompson and Lost In Paris!!!!!! This is a charming historical fiction book about mothers and daughters that pulls at your heartstrings from the first page. I love this authors style of writing so much!!!!!! I highly recommend this book. Thank you to Netgalley and Simon and Schuster for my early review copy
March 28, 2021
I thoroughly enjoyed Elizabeth Thompson’s novel Lost in Paris. The novel is filled with unique characters, romance and secrets which span four generations.
Loved Elizabeth Thompson’s voice—-the vivid descriptions of Paris and its sights and sounds, and the people drew me into the story. I loved the pages where Marla and Hannah get lost in Paris the minute they step off the train from London. I imagined I was walking the streets of Paris with them. I could hear the street noise, see the architecture and the feel the joie de vivre of the city.
Elizabeth Thompson’s choice to use Ivy’s diary to provide to connect the past to the present was executed flawlessly. Ivy’s story comes to life as Hannah reads each page—this drew me into the story. The diary provided insight into ivy, her life and Paris during this exciting time as Paris established itself as a home to members of the Lost Generation. The author’s descriptive writing style shines as Ivy becomes part of the F Scott Fitzgerald, Ernest Hemmingway and Gertrude Stein social circle.
The relationships between four generations of the same family are perfectly intertwined throughout the book. Marla and Hannah’s relationship is complicated at best and I really enjoyed their honest, heartfelt and often frustrating conversations. Lost in Paris is filled with great secondary characters – Cressida and Tallulah, Hannah’s roommates, Aiden and Gabriel.
Lost in Paris has all of the story elements that I adore—intrigue, romance and complex family relationships. Like a red wine, Lost in Paris should be savored slowly for its blend of dynamic characters and well-paced storyline. Lost in Paris is a special vintage—ENJOY!
Loved Elizabeth Thompson’s voice—-the vivid descriptions of Paris and its sights and sounds, and the people drew me into the story. I loved the pages where Marla and Hannah get lost in Paris the minute they step off the train from London. I imagined I was walking the streets of Paris with them. I could hear the street noise, see the architecture and the feel the joie de vivre of the city.
Elizabeth Thompson’s choice to use Ivy’s diary to provide to connect the past to the present was executed flawlessly. Ivy’s story comes to life as Hannah reads each page—this drew me into the story. The diary provided insight into ivy, her life and Paris during this exciting time as Paris established itself as a home to members of the Lost Generation. The author’s descriptive writing style shines as Ivy becomes part of the F Scott Fitzgerald, Ernest Hemmingway and Gertrude Stein social circle.
The relationships between four generations of the same family are perfectly intertwined throughout the book. Marla and Hannah’s relationship is complicated at best and I really enjoyed their honest, heartfelt and often frustrating conversations. Lost in Paris is filled with great secondary characters – Cressida and Tallulah, Hannah’s roommates, Aiden and Gabriel.
Lost in Paris has all of the story elements that I adore—intrigue, romance and complex family relationships. Like a red wine, Lost in Paris should be savored slowly for its blend of dynamic characters and well-paced storyline. Lost in Paris is a special vintage—ENJOY!
March 15, 2021
A Paris apartment frozen in time, everything left, just waiting, suspended. The story of this mysterious apartment has been the fodder for numerous books and I've read most of them. Lost in Paris adds yet another dimension to the story and is a terrific read. Hannah and Marla's realtionship improves and Hannah maybe finds a love interest that will work out. I love Hannah's job and how she expands it. I liked the diary entries that allows a glimpse into the past so it can connect with the future. Get lost in Paris with this read. Thanks to Gallery Books and NetGalley for the advance copy.
April 12, 2021
I thoroughly enjoyed this book! The main character, Hannah, is a twenty-something living in London leading Jane Austen-themed tours around England when her mom, whom she has never been close to or gotten along with, shows up at her door to share about a key to a Paris apartment that she found while cleaning out her recently deceased mother's attic. What progresses is a dual-timeline story that tells of Hannah and Marla finding the apartment, cleaning it up, and learning the history of Ivy, Hannah's great-grandmother. They are simultaneously building a relationship and learning their own histories. The other timeline is from the perspective of Ivy and her life in Paris in the 1920s and 1930s. It tells of her life and love interest and social gatherings with now-famous authors like Ernest Hemingway, Zelda and F. Scott Fitzgerald, and others.
There was a lot to love both about the stories and about the writing. The stories themselves were well-developed with strong descriptions, like-able characters, and a fast-moving plot. The short chapters and jumping back and forth kept me reading and wanting to know more. The back and forth was not at all confusing, and it was easy to follow. In both cases, I was excited when the story got back to that time.
Additionally, the research and writing is strong. Thompson put some time into researching Paris architecture, famous literary characters of the 1920s and 1930s, and life during the Années folles in Paris. It made the book so much fun to read, and I felt like I learned so much! While I was reading and something would happen in the plot, I would look it up and find the connection to a real-life event or a real place. There were no holes left in the story--all the plot lines were tied up, and they were done so in a realistic way. There was never a time that I rolled my eyes or questioned what any of the characters said or did. Overall, it was just an enjoyable, well-written book that taught me a little and made me feel good reading it.
I would absolutely recommend this to anyone!
There was a lot to love both about the stories and about the writing. The stories themselves were well-developed with strong descriptions, like-able characters, and a fast-moving plot. The short chapters and jumping back and forth kept me reading and wanting to know more. The back and forth was not at all confusing, and it was easy to follow. In both cases, I was excited when the story got back to that time.
Additionally, the research and writing is strong. Thompson put some time into researching Paris architecture, famous literary characters of the 1920s and 1930s, and life during the Années folles in Paris. It made the book so much fun to read, and I felt like I learned so much! While I was reading and something would happen in the plot, I would look it up and find the connection to a real-life event or a real place. There were no holes left in the story--all the plot lines were tied up, and they were done so in a realistic way. There was never a time that I rolled my eyes or questioned what any of the characters said or did. Overall, it was just an enjoyable, well-written book that taught me a little and made me feel good reading it.
I would absolutely recommend this to anyone!
January 26, 2025
3.5 stars rounded up.........Hannah Bond is a bookworm from Florida living in London leading Jane Austen-themed tours through the British countryside. For this sentence alone is why I purchased this book......not to mention that Hannah moves to Paris because she was left an apartment frozen in time (1940) by her great-grandmother Ivy. Paris, books, food and historical fiction, this was a sweet story that was the French fix I needed. I highly recommend because Hey!!......Paris is always a good idea!
August 30, 2021
I loved this story. I traveled vicariously from London to Paris, and I enjoyed the mystery of Ivy's apartment and legacy. This book helped me escape into another time and place. The heroine Hannah was tough and determined and her mother Marla made an interesting counterpart to Hannah's levelheaded personality. If you love all things French, you will love this book. I need a croissant!
April 19, 2021
I loved getting wrapped up in this book. The mother/daughter relationship between Hannah and Marla was heartwarming to watch repair. Even though Marla acted more like the child, I enjoyed her and found her endearing...in all her ridiculousness.
I loved going back to Ivy’s diary and pretending to be in the 1920’s with the expats! What a time to be alive and a part of!
I honestly loved every aspect of this book and would recommend for a lighthearted read where you get swept away in Paris ❤️
Thank you to @netgalley and @gallerybooks for this arc!
I loved going back to Ivy’s diary and pretending to be in the 1920’s with the expats! What a time to be alive and a part of!
I honestly loved every aspect of this book and would recommend for a lighthearted read where you get swept away in Paris ❤️
Thank you to @netgalley and @gallerybooks for this arc!
July 2, 2024
This book was a pleasurable read. Very quick to engage and some mystery to boot.
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