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Huset på Rivieraen
En medrivende og velresearchet historie om nazisternes kunsttyverier og de stærke kvinder i den franske modstandsbevægelse.
Under den tyske besættelse af byen får den unge franske kvinde
Éliane Dufort til opgave at katalogisere Louvres kunstskatte. Hvad de tyske soldater, der overvåger arbejdet, ikke ved, er, at Éliane
forstår tysk og holder øje med, hvilke kunstværkerne tyskerne er i
færd med at stjæle til deres egne private samlinger. Sin viden deler
hun med den franske modstandsbevægelse, men hvor lang tid vil
der gå, før hun bliver afsløret?
Nutiden. Efter en personlig tragedie har den australske modeekspert Remy Lang søgt tilflugt i et vidunderligt hus på Den Franske Riviera, som hun har arvet. Under sit ophold i huset opdager Remy en fortegnelse over kunstværker stjålet under 2. verdenskrig, og hun er chokeret over på listen at opdage et maleri, der hang på hendes børneværelse hjemme i Sydney. Hvem er hendes familie egentlig? Og gemmer huset på Rivieraen på flere hemmeligheder?
Under den tyske besættelse af byen får den unge franske kvinde
Éliane Dufort til opgave at katalogisere Louvres kunstskatte. Hvad de tyske soldater, der overvåger arbejdet, ikke ved, er, at Éliane
forstår tysk og holder øje med, hvilke kunstværkerne tyskerne er i
færd med at stjæle til deres egne private samlinger. Sin viden deler
hun med den franske modstandsbevægelse, men hvor lang tid vil
der gå, før hun bliver afsløret?
Nutiden. Efter en personlig tragedie har den australske modeekspert Remy Lang søgt tilflugt i et vidunderligt hus på Den Franske Riviera, som hun har arvet. Under sit ophold i huset opdager Remy en fortegnelse over kunstværker stjålet under 2. verdenskrig, og hun er chokeret over på listen at opdage et maleri, der hang på hendes børneværelse hjemme i Sydney. Hvem er hendes familie egentlig? Og gemmer huset på Rivieraen på flere hemmeligheder?
491 pages, Hardcover
First published August 31, 2021
754 people are currently reading
26563 people want to read
About the author
Natasha Lester
18 books3,452 followersNatasha Lester is the multi-award winning and New York Times best-selling author of THE PARIS SEAMSTRESS, THE PARIS ORPHAN, THE PARIS SECRET and THE DISAPPEARANCE OF ASTRID BRICARD. Her new book, THE MADEMOISELLE ALLIANCE, the story of Marie-Madeleine Fourcade, the only female leader of a French Resistance network in WWII, is coming in April 2025.
Prior to writing, she worked as a marketing executive for L’Oreal, managing the Maybelline brand, before returning to university to study creative writing.
Natasha's books have been translated into twenty-one different languages and are published all around the world. She lives in Perth, Western Australia with her 3 children and loves fashion history, practising the art of fashion illustration, collecting vintage fashion, travelling and, of course, books.
Prior to writing, she worked as a marketing executive for L’Oreal, managing the Maybelline brand, before returning to university to study creative writing.
Natasha's books have been translated into twenty-one different languages and are published all around the world. She lives in Perth, Western Australia with her 3 children and loves fashion history, practising the art of fashion illustration, collecting vintage fashion, travelling and, of course, books.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,365 reviews
June 24, 2021
Eliane Dufort lives in Paris, her parents run a brasserie or small restaurant, and she has an older brother Luc and four younger sisters. Eliane loves art, she works part time at Louvre and as a waitress. France declares war against Germany in 1939 and the city of Paris falls to the mighty German army in 1940, and Eliane’s world is now full of uncertainty and fear. Rose Valland and Eliane are employed by the Germans to catalog priceless paintings, tapestries and statues at Jeu de Paume. The German's are stealing the nation’s treasures and art from rich Jewish people and it makes Eliane furious.
They have no idea she can speak German, Eliane and others in the small resistance group are keeping records about the stolen art, decoding notes and passing on information to the resistance. It’s hard to know who she can trust, Xavier Laurent and Ernst Konig are both working for the Germans and they make her feel uneasy. Xavier’s family own a beautiful villa on the French Riviera at Cap Ferrat, and Ernst wants Eliane to attend a Nazi party function with him and stay overnight!
Remy Lang, lost her daughter and husband in a tragic accident. Two years later she’s struggling, not sleeping and living in a world full of sadness. She owns a vintage fashion business called Remy’s Closet and she decides to work on her new collection at her villa on the French Riviera. Remy's adopted, included with her paperwork as a baby, are the deeds to the villa and a painting she has hanging in her childhood bedroom in Sydney. Remy discovers a catalog of artwork stolen during WW II by the Germans and she’s stunned to see a picture of her painting included in the booklet. Remy has no idea about her real family, she worried what she will discover and she’s not sure she can deal with decades old secrets.
The book has a dual timeline, it seamlessly flows between Paris during WW II, the present time and it's fascinating reading about the following aspects in the story. The Germans easily invading France, ruling the country, taking what they wanted, sending stolen treasure back to Germany, the suffering and deprivation the French people endured for four years and how they resisted. The divine vintage clothes and jewellery Remy sells in her business, how the luxurious villa and the painting ties everything together. The Riviera House is thoroughly researched, beautifully written, rich in detail and reading about the beautiful vintage fashion is always a highlight in Natasha Lester's books.
I received a copy of this book from NetGalley and Hachette Australia in exchange for an honest review, it's brilliant and five stars from me. https://karrenreadsbooks.blogspot.com/
They have no idea she can speak German, Eliane and others in the small resistance group are keeping records about the stolen art, decoding notes and passing on information to the resistance. It’s hard to know who she can trust, Xavier Laurent and Ernst Konig are both working for the Germans and they make her feel uneasy. Xavier’s family own a beautiful villa on the French Riviera at Cap Ferrat, and Ernst wants Eliane to attend a Nazi party function with him and stay overnight!
Remy Lang, lost her daughter and husband in a tragic accident. Two years later she’s struggling, not sleeping and living in a world full of sadness. She owns a vintage fashion business called Remy’s Closet and she decides to work on her new collection at her villa on the French Riviera. Remy's adopted, included with her paperwork as a baby, are the deeds to the villa and a painting she has hanging in her childhood bedroom in Sydney. Remy discovers a catalog of artwork stolen during WW II by the Germans and she’s stunned to see a picture of her painting included in the booklet. Remy has no idea about her real family, she worried what she will discover and she’s not sure she can deal with decades old secrets.
The book has a dual timeline, it seamlessly flows between Paris during WW II, the present time and it's fascinating reading about the following aspects in the story. The Germans easily invading France, ruling the country, taking what they wanted, sending stolen treasure back to Germany, the suffering and deprivation the French people endured for four years and how they resisted. The divine vintage clothes and jewellery Remy sells in her business, how the luxurious villa and the painting ties everything together. The Riviera House is thoroughly researched, beautifully written, rich in detail and reading about the beautiful vintage fashion is always a highlight in Natasha Lester's books.
I received a copy of this book from NetGalley and Hachette Australia in exchange for an honest review, it's brilliant and five stars from me. https://karrenreadsbooks.blogspot.com/
June 12, 2021
BEST LESTER YET!
THE RIVIERA HOUSE is a stunning dual timeline historical fiction novel by New York Times bestselling author, Natasha Lester. I luxuriated in every page, every scene, every word as it revealed the brutal art theft the Nazis did during their Paris occupation in WWII, and the brave Resistance workers who risked all to try to save such great works as the Mona Lisa.
The love affair between Éliane, who works at the Louvre, and Xavier, an artist and son of an art gallery owner, adds depth and great feeling as readers hope against hope for their survival too.
The story moves seamlessly between the war and the present, when Remy, who owns a vintage fashion company, comes to the Riviera after a tragic loss. She has mysteriously inherited a spectacular house there, and by chance, meets and falls in love with a world renown fashion photographer, Adam.
The two love affairs have parallels that connect the eras, and Lester entwines them deftly. She writes so descriptively that we’re stunned by the glow of the famous art, hear the thunder of the ocean in the South of France, feel the silk of the amazing vintage clothing Remy wears. It’s a feast for the senses, and expertly draws the reader in.
Love, loss, war, betrayal, hope, and new life kept me engrossed ‘til the very last page of this book I did not want to end. A triumph!
5 of 5 Stars
Pub Date 31 Aug 2021
#TheRivieraHouse #NetGalley #ReadForeverPub
Thanks to Natasha Lester, Forever (Grand Central Publishing), and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.
THE RIVIERA HOUSE is a stunning dual timeline historical fiction novel by New York Times bestselling author, Natasha Lester. I luxuriated in every page, every scene, every word as it revealed the brutal art theft the Nazis did during their Paris occupation in WWII, and the brave Resistance workers who risked all to try to save such great works as the Mona Lisa.
The love affair between Éliane, who works at the Louvre, and Xavier, an artist and son of an art gallery owner, adds depth and great feeling as readers hope against hope for their survival too.
The story moves seamlessly between the war and the present, when Remy, who owns a vintage fashion company, comes to the Riviera after a tragic loss. She has mysteriously inherited a spectacular house there, and by chance, meets and falls in love with a world renown fashion photographer, Adam.
The two love affairs have parallels that connect the eras, and Lester entwines them deftly. She writes so descriptively that we’re stunned by the glow of the famous art, hear the thunder of the ocean in the South of France, feel the silk of the amazing vintage clothing Remy wears. It’s a feast for the senses, and expertly draws the reader in.
Love, loss, war, betrayal, hope, and new life kept me engrossed ‘til the very last page of this book I did not want to end. A triumph!
5 of 5 Stars
Pub Date 31 Aug 2021
#TheRivieraHouse #NetGalley #ReadForeverPub
Thanks to Natasha Lester, Forever (Grand Central Publishing), and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.
June 17, 2021
So good!! I think these sorts of books done well are my ultimate comfort read. A bit of history, romance and mystery told in two timelines, good characters and a story told in a believable way, almost impossible to put down.
This book is divided into parts alternating between Paris 1939-45 and a modern storyline. The history is based on fact and the theft of art by the Nazis. A fictional character Eliane works at the Louvre then is part of the cataloguing of the art taken from Jewish owners like the Rothschilds. I was so involved in this story from the start that when it switches to the modern timeline in part 2 I was annoyed but then I got hooked on the modern storyline too. Remy is a widow who also lost her daughter in a car accident 18months earlier. The wrench back and forward between the time periods made me read it faster! I really needed to know what happened and how the stories were connected. The emotional ending is satisfying and perhaps a bit melodramatic but after such a great read I was willing to forgive this.
I think I will have to read more Natasha Lester!
This book is divided into parts alternating between Paris 1939-45 and a modern storyline. The history is based on fact and the theft of art by the Nazis. A fictional character Eliane works at the Louvre then is part of the cataloguing of the art taken from Jewish owners like the Rothschilds. I was so involved in this story from the start that when it switches to the modern timeline in part 2 I was annoyed but then I got hooked on the modern storyline too. Remy is a widow who also lost her daughter in a car accident 18months earlier. The wrench back and forward between the time periods made me read it faster! I really needed to know what happened and how the stories were connected. The emotional ending is satisfying and perhaps a bit melodramatic but after such a great read I was willing to forgive this.
I think I will have to read more Natasha Lester!
February 6, 2022
Long book. Worth reading. 3 🌟 because it didn’t keep my attention. Seemed to be a disconnect between the dual time lines. My mind wondered a lot. I seemed to zone out through the book. The idea behind it was good -solid. Maybe it was me? Thoughts?
August 27, 2021
Éliane Dulac was the eldest child, so spent most of her time mothering her four siblings while their mother ran the restaurant with their father, who was a drunken bully, brutal and unkind. Éliane studied art during her mornings, then worked at the Louvre gallery in the afternoons to earn some money to buy food for her family. With the Nazis close to invading Paris, food was becoming scarcer, and it was a daily struggle to find enough to feed them only a small portion each. When the decision was made for Éliane’s mother and sisters to flee Paris, Éliane decided to stay as she could do more good against the Germans. Luc, her brother, was an artist and part of the resistance; Éliane’s focus was on doing the same.
Joining Rose Valland to catalogue priceless artworks at Jeu de Paume that the Germans were bringing together in order to ‘safeguard’ it (read - steal it for their own collections), Éliane didn’t let on that she understood German. And so began her subterfuge of finding out as much as was humanly possible, which she passed on to the Resistance workers of whom there were many. With one of the Nazis, Ernst Konig, offering affection, Éliane shuddered and played the game. The danger was when she was invited (ordered) to go to the French Riviera to a villa called Cap-Ferrat with the Nazis. Could she continue to get away with it?
Remy had inherited a villa in the French Riviera – a mystery she wanted to solve – so her journey there was fortuitous as she was still hollowed out with grief. Remy owned a vintage fashion business called Remy’s Closet which she ran online, and her discovery of stolen artworks led Remy to search out details of her biological family, of which she had none. Did Remy really want to delve into the past? Her emotions were all over the place; perhaps she should leave it all in the past…
Based on fact, The Riviera House is another exceptional historical novel by Aussie author Natasha Lester, which I loved. I don’t think I’ve read one of this author’s books and not loved it! The characters, as always, were well-written and played their parts well. Angelique, one of Éliane’s sisters, is a strong and determined young woman (not unlike Éliane), and Éliane continually outdid herself with her strength and sheer resolve under extremely difficult circumstances. Highly recommended.
With thanks to NetGalley and Hachette AU for my digital ARC to read in exchange for an honest review.
Joining Rose Valland to catalogue priceless artworks at Jeu de Paume that the Germans were bringing together in order to ‘safeguard’ it (read - steal it for their own collections), Éliane didn’t let on that she understood German. And so began her subterfuge of finding out as much as was humanly possible, which she passed on to the Resistance workers of whom there were many. With one of the Nazis, Ernst Konig, offering affection, Éliane shuddered and played the game. The danger was when she was invited (ordered) to go to the French Riviera to a villa called Cap-Ferrat with the Nazis. Could she continue to get away with it?
Remy had inherited a villa in the French Riviera – a mystery she wanted to solve – so her journey there was fortuitous as she was still hollowed out with grief. Remy owned a vintage fashion business called Remy’s Closet which she ran online, and her discovery of stolen artworks led Remy to search out details of her biological family, of which she had none. Did Remy really want to delve into the past? Her emotions were all over the place; perhaps she should leave it all in the past…
Based on fact, The Riviera House is another exceptional historical novel by Aussie author Natasha Lester, which I loved. I don’t think I’ve read one of this author’s books and not loved it! The characters, as always, were well-written and played their parts well. Angelique, one of Éliane’s sisters, is a strong and determined young woman (not unlike Éliane), and Éliane continually outdid herself with her strength and sheer resolve under extremely difficult circumstances. Highly recommended.
With thanks to NetGalley and Hachette AU for my digital ARC to read in exchange for an honest review.
March 20, 2022
This is a very good book about a family who has to flee France when the German army arives. The oldest girl and boy are left behind to work.
The boy joins up with the France army and the oldest girl learns plans of the Germans to protect her homeland and the valuable art of the world.
I highly recommend this book.
The boy joins up with the France army and the oldest girl learns plans of the Germans to protect her homeland and the valuable art of the world.
I highly recommend this book.
September 5, 2021
Natasha Lester is one of my favourite historical fiction writers. Her books are always so well researched, beautifully written and full of emotions. I really do not know how to do this book justice. There is so much that I loved about it and I learnt so much about the French efforts to save their art. Absolutely fantastic and highly recommend to lovers for this genre.
Natasha brings her characters to life with her writing. They become people that you would like to be friends with (or kill, depending on the circumstances) As always, we have a dual timeline happening in The Riviera House and I love both parts of the story.
In 1939 Paris we meet Elaine Dufort and her family. She works at The Lourve and she finds love with a painter, Xavier. But then the Nazi's take over the city and he flees for England. Elaine send her family away to safety and remains in Paris to help protect the city and the artworks from the Germans. But life for a young woman in Nazi run Paris is hard and she has to do what she has to do to survive, even if she cannot bear to think it.
In the present day we meet Remy Lang. She is grieving and travels from Sydney to her home on the French Riviera to take some time away for herself and work on her business. The home was something she inherited but has no idea from who or why. She find a catalogue of artworks and discovers a family connection that she cannot ignore.
Both women are incredibly strong and worthy women. I felt for them both and the situations that they were in. I wanted things to work out for them both but always fearful of what the story would unfold.
Natasha, I loved it. It will make you cry and it will make you appreciate the freedom of the world that we live in today.
Thank you Hachette Australia for sending me this advanced copy. Released in Australia September 1st.
Natasha brings her characters to life with her writing. They become people that you would like to be friends with (or kill, depending on the circumstances) As always, we have a dual timeline happening in The Riviera House and I love both parts of the story.
In 1939 Paris we meet Elaine Dufort and her family. She works at The Lourve and she finds love with a painter, Xavier. But then the Nazi's take over the city and he flees for England. Elaine send her family away to safety and remains in Paris to help protect the city and the artworks from the Germans. But life for a young woman in Nazi run Paris is hard and she has to do what she has to do to survive, even if she cannot bear to think it.
In the present day we meet Remy Lang. She is grieving and travels from Sydney to her home on the French Riviera to take some time away for herself and work on her business. The home was something she inherited but has no idea from who or why. She find a catalogue of artworks and discovers a family connection that she cannot ignore.
Both women are incredibly strong and worthy women. I felt for them both and the situations that they were in. I wanted things to work out for them both but always fearful of what the story would unfold.
Natasha, I loved it. It will make you cry and it will make you appreciate the freedom of the world that we live in today.
Thank you Hachette Australia for sending me this advanced copy. Released in Australia September 1st.
August 27, 2021
A building, the Jeu de Paume, filled with stolen paintings during the occupation of France during WWII and a mansion on the Riviera in present day is where we meet Eliane and Remy.
WWII…Eliane was summoned to help sort out the stolen paintings and get them prepared to be sent to Hitler and Goring’s private collections.
Eliane didn’t want to do this, but she had no choice. She did have the choice to not let the Germans know she spoke their language so she could spy on them and carry on Resistance work.
PRESENT DAY…Remy is in her mansion, Cap-Ferrat, in France, meets new neighbors, tries to continue to overcome her grief, and finds a painting in a catalog that lists the paintings Goring had taken for his own.
She is shocked to see a painting that she has in her home in Sydney.
How can that be? That was 70 years ago.
We move back and forth in time and find out the connection between the two time periods and the two women as well as the men they love and the house one had visited and one was living in now.
When names from the past started to surface in the present-day story and the connection to the house became apparent, the intrigue ramped up.
THE RIVIERA HOUSE pulled me in and didn’t let go. This book is very well written and flows nicely.
Ms. Lester’s research is impeccable.
THE RIVIERA HOUSE is a beautiful read with authentic, mostly likable characters.
And, of course, you can’t have a book set in France without some romance. :)
Historical fiction fans, photography fans, vintage clothing fans, and art fans will not want to miss this book.
Another book that MUST be added to your summer reading list. 5/5
This book was given to me by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
WWII…Eliane was summoned to help sort out the stolen paintings and get them prepared to be sent to Hitler and Goring’s private collections.
Eliane didn’t want to do this, but she had no choice. She did have the choice to not let the Germans know she spoke their language so she could spy on them and carry on Resistance work.
PRESENT DAY…Remy is in her mansion, Cap-Ferrat, in France, meets new neighbors, tries to continue to overcome her grief, and finds a painting in a catalog that lists the paintings Goring had taken for his own.
She is shocked to see a painting that she has in her home in Sydney.
How can that be? That was 70 years ago.
We move back and forth in time and find out the connection between the two time periods and the two women as well as the men they love and the house one had visited and one was living in now.
When names from the past started to surface in the present-day story and the connection to the house became apparent, the intrigue ramped up.
THE RIVIERA HOUSE pulled me in and didn’t let go. This book is very well written and flows nicely.
Ms. Lester’s research is impeccable.
THE RIVIERA HOUSE is a beautiful read with authentic, mostly likable characters.
And, of course, you can’t have a book set in France without some romance. :)
Historical fiction fans, photography fans, vintage clothing fans, and art fans will not want to miss this book.
Another book that MUST be added to your summer reading list. 5/5
This book was given to me by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
September 28, 2021
I loved this book! When I wasn’t reading it, I was thinking about it. Éliane was such a strong, brave, and amazing character. I don’t know how such a young lady found that kind of courage. I guess that is what war does, brings out the very best, or in some cases, the very worst in people. In contrast, Remy’s character was a little annoying. However, the book was excellent! It’s been awhile since I’ve enjoyed a book as much as this. I know it will stay with me. This book has reenergized my love of reading.
November 18, 2021
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The Riviera House by Natasha Lester. (2021).
Paris, 1939. Éliane is working at the Louvre and falling in love with talented painter Xavier. But when the Nazis arrive, Xavier leaves for England and Élaine must send her sisters away. Broken-hearted, she finds herself working with the mysterious Rose on a dangerous secret mission to record all the priceless treasures the Germans are stealing.
Present Day. Desperate to escape her grief, Remy is at a stunning private estate on the French Riviera. While working on her vintage fashion business, she discovers a catalogue of artworks stolen during WWII and is shocked to see a painting she owns. Who is her family, really? And does the Riviera house hold more secrets than she is ready to face?
Another fabulous five-star read from this author, which will come to no surprise to any readers of her novels. In this one we are alternating between Éliane in Nazi occupied Paris, and for the modern timeline we have Remy who is trying to emotionally heal in the Riveria. Both storylines are heartbreaking in different ways, with both women displaying courage in completely different situations. Élaine's circumstances were quite intense, and I appreciated learning about the stolen art history side of WWII, as well as those people who secretly kept information on it in order to track the art down later - it was fascinating. I always admire the technique of using real and fictional characters to share history in an engrossing manner. For Remy, her journey was more of an emotional healing and learning about her family background; my heart hurt for Remy and I was hoping she would come out the other side with some happiness. I have zero hesitation in recommending this fantastic novel.
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The Riviera House by Natasha Lester. (2021).
Paris, 1939. Éliane is working at the Louvre and falling in love with talented painter Xavier. But when the Nazis arrive, Xavier leaves for England and Élaine must send her sisters away. Broken-hearted, she finds herself working with the mysterious Rose on a dangerous secret mission to record all the priceless treasures the Germans are stealing.
Present Day. Desperate to escape her grief, Remy is at a stunning private estate on the French Riviera. While working on her vintage fashion business, she discovers a catalogue of artworks stolen during WWII and is shocked to see a painting she owns. Who is her family, really? And does the Riviera house hold more secrets than she is ready to face?
Another fabulous five-star read from this author, which will come to no surprise to any readers of her novels. In this one we are alternating between Éliane in Nazi occupied Paris, and for the modern timeline we have Remy who is trying to emotionally heal in the Riveria. Both storylines are heartbreaking in different ways, with both women displaying courage in completely different situations. Élaine's circumstances were quite intense, and I appreciated learning about the stolen art history side of WWII, as well as those people who secretly kept information on it in order to track the art down later - it was fascinating. I always admire the technique of using real and fictional characters to share history in an engrossing manner. For Remy, her journey was more of an emotional healing and learning about her family background; my heart hurt for Remy and I was hoping she would come out the other side with some happiness. I have zero hesitation in recommending this fantastic novel.
October 18, 2021
Honestly, why did I listen to this book? WWII Paris, French resistance attempting to save important works of art from the Nazis - yes. A beautiful house on the French Riviera - yes. Overwrought emotions at every turn. Mills & Boon type love scenes, ridiculous male characters that profess their undying love, can cook and can really listen to what a woman is saying, is in touch with their emotional side while looking damn sexy with washboard stomach and tattoos… No.
2015 and Australian adopted orphan, recently bereaved and finding herself inheriting said French Riviera house while building successful Instagram based vintage fashion business finds Mr Sexy & Sensitive photographer holidaying right next door. Really. Oh Adam, cook me eggs after ravishing me in my gorgeous vintage frock and be very mindful of my brittle emotional state. Ugh. The WWII story is equally nauseating. I should have just stopped listening but some macabre desire for completion kept me going to the bitter end.
2015 and Australian adopted orphan, recently bereaved and finding herself inheriting said French Riviera house while building successful Instagram based vintage fashion business finds Mr Sexy & Sensitive photographer holidaying right next door. Really. Oh Adam, cook me eggs after ravishing me in my gorgeous vintage frock and be very mindful of my brittle emotional state. Ugh. The WWII story is equally nauseating. I should have just stopped listening but some macabre desire for completion kept me going to the bitter end.
February 23, 2021
In Hitler's war on civilization, a group of women and men risk everything to protect the art in their care, but it's not until decades later that the profound extent of their sacrifice is discovered. RIVIERA HOUSE is a love letter to art in all its forms. With beautiful prose and immeasurable heart, Natasha Lester shows we must dare to love, in spite of fear, no matter the cost.
September 1, 2021
Natasha Lester has well and truly made her mark when it comes to writing novels about the bravery and determination of women’s efforts at resistance and survival throughout WWII. In her latest release, The Riviera House, she turns her gaze to art, namely, the efforts of a brave few who endeavoured to hide, record, and save from destruction, priceless art that was being stolen and destroyed by the Nazis. And what of the importance of art, when human lives are being lost?
‘Art is all we have when words fail us, when mankind fails us and when we each fail each other. If we don’t save these works, we can’t save ourselves.’
Not only was this a novel about art, but it was also written with such artistry. There were many times where I just lingered over passages, appreciating the way in which I could envisage the entire scene so vividly on account of Natasha’s beautifully descriptive prose. Take this as an example, the way in which her words, quite literally, paint a picture.
‘…his face a stark and sludgy grey, the same wretched shade produced when all the colours – brilliant blues and passionate reds and hopeful yellows and adoring pinks and the golden colour of dreams – were mixed and, rather than a hue more spectacular than each individual shade, what appeared was something ignoble.’
I really appreciate art, although I know nothing about it, technically. I love how this character speaks about the Mona Lisa after seeing it for the first time, and how it makes her realise why it should be saved; this is what I’m talking about when I mention brilliant and Natasha Lester in the same sentence.
‘I asked Monsieur Jaujard to show me the Mona Lisa. You’d always said she was a queen among paintings and I wanted to see; to know why you and Luc were taking so many risks for a painted woman. It was almost evening and when Monsieur lifted the lid off her crate, I saw it: the sfumato, those edgeless shadows you’d often talked about. They were . . .’ She paused, groping for words. ‘Depthless,’ she settled on. ‘As if they went on and on through time and into forever. Then I looked up at Monsieur Jaujard and even though he’s seen the Mona Lisa a thousand times –but maybe never before in the darkness of France’s broken heart –he was crying too. So, I had to do something –and I won’t stop until the Nazis are gone forever.’
The Riviera House is a deeply moving story of love, sacrifice, patriotism and bravery. Heartbreaking and hopeful, and above all, inspiring. I absolutely loved this novel – all the stars!
‘At neither of these next moments do the heavens weep. They pass by unremarked amid the shadow of so much cruelty. Was it all, then, for nothing?’
Thanks to the publisher for the review copy.
‘Art is all we have when words fail us, when mankind fails us and when we each fail each other. If we don’t save these works, we can’t save ourselves.’
Not only was this a novel about art, but it was also written with such artistry. There were many times where I just lingered over passages, appreciating the way in which I could envisage the entire scene so vividly on account of Natasha’s beautifully descriptive prose. Take this as an example, the way in which her words, quite literally, paint a picture.
‘…his face a stark and sludgy grey, the same wretched shade produced when all the colours – brilliant blues and passionate reds and hopeful yellows and adoring pinks and the golden colour of dreams – were mixed and, rather than a hue more spectacular than each individual shade, what appeared was something ignoble.’
I really appreciate art, although I know nothing about it, technically. I love how this character speaks about the Mona Lisa after seeing it for the first time, and how it makes her realise why it should be saved; this is what I’m talking about when I mention brilliant and Natasha Lester in the same sentence.
‘I asked Monsieur Jaujard to show me the Mona Lisa. You’d always said she was a queen among paintings and I wanted to see; to know why you and Luc were taking so many risks for a painted woman. It was almost evening and when Monsieur lifted the lid off her crate, I saw it: the sfumato, those edgeless shadows you’d often talked about. They were . . .’ She paused, groping for words. ‘Depthless,’ she settled on. ‘As if they went on and on through time and into forever. Then I looked up at Monsieur Jaujard and even though he’s seen the Mona Lisa a thousand times –but maybe never before in the darkness of France’s broken heart –he was crying too. So, I had to do something –and I won’t stop until the Nazis are gone forever.’
The Riviera House is a deeply moving story of love, sacrifice, patriotism and bravery. Heartbreaking and hopeful, and above all, inspiring. I absolutely loved this novel – all the stars!
‘At neither of these next moments do the heavens weep. They pass by unremarked amid the shadow of so much cruelty. Was it all, then, for nothing?’
Thanks to the publisher for the review copy.
March 27, 2021
A vivid, nuanced and deeply moving depiction of women’s courage in the face of unimaginable danger, sacrifice and loss. The Riviera House is a gripping story of a young woman who risks her life to record the Nazi’s pillage of fine artworks during World War II, and the repercussions of her actions down the years, as her legacy helps another woman in her greatest hour of need. A superlative work of historical fiction—Natasha Lester’s finest yet!
October 4, 2021
This book is two separate stories that come together to make one story. I was just getting invested in story one when I was yanked into story two. Unfortunately, I did not like story two as much as story one. I stuck with it although I found it intolerable (a guy lets his brother use his sperm to have a kid, and then regrets it. Really?) and then again I am pulled back into story one. It took me one day to read this book as I kept hoping that it would get better; I was waiting for anything to happen. The first book was a lot of build up, heart pounding, but not earth shattering. The twist in story one was seen a mile away - it could have been done more creatively. The second story was predictable, cheesy, and just blah. Story one ends on a sad note, story two is like a bad romance novel, and the book is done. I was hoping for more from this book, and think if the author had stuck with the one storyline that I would have enjoyed it more and would have given it a higher rating. I was disappointed.
August 6, 2022
Wielka historia, wielka sztuka, wielka miłość i wielka odwaga w opartej na faktach opowieści o kobiecie, której odwaga pozwoliła uratować tysiące skradzionych przez hitlerowskie Niemcy dzieł sztuki – „Dom na Riwierze” Natashy Lester, która zachwyci wszystkich czytelników i czytelniczki takich opowieści jak „Słowik” Kristin Hannah czy „Sieć Alice” Kate Quinn.
W czasie II Wojny Światowej hitlerowskie Niemcy plądrowały całą Europę. Stworzona została nawet jednostka specjalna, która przeszukiwała nie tylko galerie, ale też prywatne mieszkania i domy. Gromadzili największe dzieła sztuki, kradli, odbierali, poświęcali czas i środki, by tworzyć kryjówki i ukrywać to, co najcenniejsze. Podobno w jednej ze starych kopalni soli, na głębokości ponad 600 metrów odnaleziono niejeden prawdziwy, bezcenny skarb. To dzięki Rose Valland i jej niezwykłej odwadze do Francji po wojnie powróciło 60 tysięcy skradzionych dzieł sztuki. Rose prowadziła rejestr, zapisywała każdy przyjazd wysoko postawionych dowódców Rzeszy, opisywała zabierane dzieła sztuki. Największym zaskoczeniem była informacja, że zdobyła listę magazynów, o której nawet Niemcy nie mieli pojęcia! Współpracowała z ruchem oporu, a potem z elitarną amerykańską jednostką „Monuments Men”, której zadaniem było właśnie odszukiwanie zrabowanych zabytków. Jej wkład okazał się nieoceniony.
Powieść Natashy Lester ożywiła nieco zapomnianą, zakopaną w historycznych meandrach historię Rose Valland. Autorka, korzystając ze źródeł i archiwów, obudziła tamte lata na nowo, ożywiając zarówno wojenny Paryż, jak i powołując do życia postacie, które mogły wspomóc sekretną działalność Rose. To umiejętne połączenie fikcji literackiej i faktów, udramatyzowane i podkręcone tak, by poruszyć serce czytelnika w najdelikatniejszy możliwy sposób. Autorka włożyła mnóstwo pracy z nakreślenie niebezpiecznej sytuacji, w jakiej postawieni zostają bohaterowie. Podbiła stawki do nieprzytomności, uzupełniając dzieje Valland o historię młodziutkiej pomocnicy kuratorki, jej wielkiej miłości i niepojętego poświęcenia. Całość uzupełniła współczesną klamrą, którą domyka „Dom na Riwierze”, a która ukazuje również dobrze to, za co czytelniczki za oceanem tak pokochały prozę Lester.
„Dom na Riwierze” to jedna z tych opowieści, które łączą wielką historię z fikcją literacką i pozostają po sobie niezatarte wrażenie.
W czasie II Wojny Światowej hitlerowskie Niemcy plądrowały całą Europę. Stworzona została nawet jednostka specjalna, która przeszukiwała nie tylko galerie, ale też prywatne mieszkania i domy. Gromadzili największe dzieła sztuki, kradli, odbierali, poświęcali czas i środki, by tworzyć kryjówki i ukrywać to, co najcenniejsze. Podobno w jednej ze starych kopalni soli, na głębokości ponad 600 metrów odnaleziono niejeden prawdziwy, bezcenny skarb. To dzięki Rose Valland i jej niezwykłej odwadze do Francji po wojnie powróciło 60 tysięcy skradzionych dzieł sztuki. Rose prowadziła rejestr, zapisywała każdy przyjazd wysoko postawionych dowódców Rzeszy, opisywała zabierane dzieła sztuki. Największym zaskoczeniem była informacja, że zdobyła listę magazynów, o której nawet Niemcy nie mieli pojęcia! Współpracowała z ruchem oporu, a potem z elitarną amerykańską jednostką „Monuments Men”, której zadaniem było właśnie odszukiwanie zrabowanych zabytków. Jej wkład okazał się nieoceniony.
Powieść Natashy Lester ożywiła nieco zapomnianą, zakopaną w historycznych meandrach historię Rose Valland. Autorka, korzystając ze źródeł i archiwów, obudziła tamte lata na nowo, ożywiając zarówno wojenny Paryż, jak i powołując do życia postacie, które mogły wspomóc sekretną działalność Rose. To umiejętne połączenie fikcji literackiej i faktów, udramatyzowane i podkręcone tak, by poruszyć serce czytelnika w najdelikatniejszy możliwy sposób. Autorka włożyła mnóstwo pracy z nakreślenie niebezpiecznej sytuacji, w jakiej postawieni zostają bohaterowie. Podbiła stawki do nieprzytomności, uzupełniając dzieje Valland o historię młodziutkiej pomocnicy kuratorki, jej wielkiej miłości i niepojętego poświęcenia. Całość uzupełniła współczesną klamrą, którą domyka „Dom na Riwierze”, a która ukazuje również dobrze to, za co czytelniczki za oceanem tak pokochały prozę Lester.
„Dom na Riwierze” to jedna z tych opowieści, które łączą wielką historię z fikcją literacką i pozostają po sobie niezatarte wrażenie.
December 28, 2023
The Riviera House is a poignant meditation on loss and the courage it takes to start over. A stark reminder of how the past influences the present, the novel kept me up at night, turning the pages faster and faster, in order to be with its heroine Remy as she solved the mystery of an enigmatic painting and learned what happened to the Résistants who risked their lives to help others.
September 14, 2021
I enjoyed the parts about Eliane but did not enjoy the parts about Remy most of the time.
August 28, 2021
Another fabulous story from Natasha Lester, one that is based on fact and then told in a way that pulls at the readers emotions as they see the courage and strength that ordinary people possess in times of struggle and need, I have never been dis appointed by one of MS Lester’s stories and this is another one to add to the keeper shelf.
Paris 1939 and the Germans have arrived in Paris Eliane Dufort has a hard life caring for her younger siblings while her parents run a brasserie she is also studying art in the mornings and works at The Louvre in the afternoons then in the brasserie at night, she is close to her older brother Luc who is an artist. Everything changes when the Nazi’s arrive at the Louvre to help themselves to the art works. Eliane convinces them that she can help them catalogue the works and here starts her work helping protect the art with the help of Rose Valland, it is a dangerous position to be in and then the man, Xavier who she thought she loved has arrived to help the Germans.
The Riviera 2015 Remy Lang has arrived at the house she inherited to try and get on with her life two years after the tragic loss of her husband and child, Remy runs a vintage fashion design business and is here to do a photo shoot then when she meets Adam Henry-Jones, photographer staying with his family next door Remy discovers a book a catalogue of Goring’s artworks from World War two and is shocked to discover that a painting that she inherited is in that book, how does this relate to her, who are her real family and with Adam’s help Remy discovers a lot about her past and this helps her move into the future.
This is a gorgeous story over two time lines, so beautifully written with heartfelt emotion courage and strength, MS Lester brings these characters to life and puts the reader in the seat of intrigue, daring and bravery as ordinary people do what they can to save precious artefacts for future generations. It shows what people will do for the people they love in a page turning story that was hard to put down.
I loved the fashions that Remy has and the house on the Riviera is just gorgeous in both time lines so many memories there and the characters, there are so many of them that made this story so good, and the romances in both time lines added to the emotions. This is a story that I would highly recommend, clear some time because you are not going to want to put it down as you get to know these people from the past and present.
My thanks to Netgalley and the publisher Hachette AUS for my copy to read and review.
Paris 1939 and the Germans have arrived in Paris Eliane Dufort has a hard life caring for her younger siblings while her parents run a brasserie she is also studying art in the mornings and works at The Louvre in the afternoons then in the brasserie at night, she is close to her older brother Luc who is an artist. Everything changes when the Nazi’s arrive at the Louvre to help themselves to the art works. Eliane convinces them that she can help them catalogue the works and here starts her work helping protect the art with the help of Rose Valland, it is a dangerous position to be in and then the man, Xavier who she thought she loved has arrived to help the Germans.
The Riviera 2015 Remy Lang has arrived at the house she inherited to try and get on with her life two years after the tragic loss of her husband and child, Remy runs a vintage fashion design business and is here to do a photo shoot then when she meets Adam Henry-Jones, photographer staying with his family next door Remy discovers a book a catalogue of Goring’s artworks from World War two and is shocked to discover that a painting that she inherited is in that book, how does this relate to her, who are her real family and with Adam’s help Remy discovers a lot about her past and this helps her move into the future.
This is a gorgeous story over two time lines, so beautifully written with heartfelt emotion courage and strength, MS Lester brings these characters to life and puts the reader in the seat of intrigue, daring and bravery as ordinary people do what they can to save precious artefacts for future generations. It shows what people will do for the people they love in a page turning story that was hard to put down.
I loved the fashions that Remy has and the house on the Riviera is just gorgeous in both time lines so many memories there and the characters, there are so many of them that made this story so good, and the romances in both time lines added to the emotions. This is a story that I would highly recommend, clear some time because you are not going to want to put it down as you get to know these people from the past and present.
My thanks to Netgalley and the publisher Hachette AUS for my copy to read and review.
October 1, 2021
I received this book as a giveaway and I’m giving an honest review. The claim that fans of Kate Morton will be delighted by this book is most likely very true. I will say to start that I very much enjoyed the story of the resistance to save the art of France from Nazi thievery. I felt like the book was well researched and I believe the author was very true to the facts of how much the French citizens suffered under Nazi occupation. The drawbacks for me were the unbelievable, over the top, swooning romantic relationships in both eras. I hate reading romances. I would say that this book is equally a romance as it is historical fiction. In summary, a solid 2.5, a decently written book, but overly romantic for me.
May 10, 2022
The Rivieira House is the story of Eliane, she is raised in a large family with five girls in Paris during the 1930's during the time of Hitler. She is studying Art, and working 2 jobs, whilst also trying to take care of her family. Her Mother works hard at the Brasserie they own, her father is a drunk, and is quite aggressive and violent and takes a lot of out on Eliane and her mother.
Eliane meets Xavier, an old friend of her brothers who is an Artist, his family run an Art Museum in town and also own a couple in America and England. Eliane and Xavier fall in love, they spend every possible moment together, Xavier is a kind, generous and thoughtful boyfriend to Eliane.
Xavier and his father move to England when the Germans invade France, Eliane is on her own. Her Father and Brother have been called up to join the army. Her Mother and her four sisters have fleed Paris in search of safety away from the war. Eliane is left on her own as the eldest daughter to keep working and earning money to support her family.
Ellie has been relocated to work at Jeu de Paume, under the supervision of the Germans, she keeps a secret from them and also pretends that she can not speak German.
The book then moves to the year 2015, Remy is living in a seaside house she is grieving the loss of her daughter and husband in a car accident two years prior. Remy wakes up one morning to find a stranger sitting in her lounge chair reading a book in the sunshine, she looks outside and the stranger quickly disappears. Remy owns a boutique antique clothing online store, she loans her antique clothing collection to fashion shoots and also sells them.
Remy meets her neighbours whilst she is down on the beach reading a book, they all invite her over to dinner, and the friendship she is forming with these strangers, is a great relief to Remy, she is starting to laugh again. She forms a friendship with Adam who is a professional photographer, who assists Remy by doing some photoshoots of her clothing for her Instagram account. Adam and Remy find a book which is a catalogue of lost Art from 70+ years ago, "The Goring Catalogue," which contains Art that Hermann Goring stole during World War II. It is this catalogue that Remy sees a picture of a stolen piece of Art that is hanging on her bedroom wall back home in Sydney. Remy is confused, how did she end up with this particular art piece that was stolen during war 70+ years ago, when Germany invaded France, and why is it in her family's possession.
This book is beautifully written by Natasha Lester, the dual time lines make the book very intriguing, and making you want to keep reading, to find out what is going to happen next with both main characters. It is a book I could not put down. This is the first book I have read by Natasha Lester, and I am now a huge fan, I will definitely be looking for more of her books in the future.
I received a copy of this book from Better Reading and Hachette Australia in exchange for an honest review, it's brilliant and five stars from me.
Please visit my blog and follow to see all of my past and future book reviews.
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Eliane meets Xavier, an old friend of her brothers who is an Artist, his family run an Art Museum in town and also own a couple in America and England. Eliane and Xavier fall in love, they spend every possible moment together, Xavier is a kind, generous and thoughtful boyfriend to Eliane.
Xavier and his father move to England when the Germans invade France, Eliane is on her own. Her Father and Brother have been called up to join the army. Her Mother and her four sisters have fleed Paris in search of safety away from the war. Eliane is left on her own as the eldest daughter to keep working and earning money to support her family.
Ellie has been relocated to work at Jeu de Paume, under the supervision of the Germans, she keeps a secret from them and also pretends that she can not speak German.
The book then moves to the year 2015, Remy is living in a seaside house she is grieving the loss of her daughter and husband in a car accident two years prior. Remy wakes up one morning to find a stranger sitting in her lounge chair reading a book in the sunshine, she looks outside and the stranger quickly disappears. Remy owns a boutique antique clothing online store, she loans her antique clothing collection to fashion shoots and also sells them.
Remy meets her neighbours whilst she is down on the beach reading a book, they all invite her over to dinner, and the friendship she is forming with these strangers, is a great relief to Remy, she is starting to laugh again. She forms a friendship with Adam who is a professional photographer, who assists Remy by doing some photoshoots of her clothing for her Instagram account. Adam and Remy find a book which is a catalogue of lost Art from 70+ years ago, "The Goring Catalogue," which contains Art that Hermann Goring stole during World War II. It is this catalogue that Remy sees a picture of a stolen piece of Art that is hanging on her bedroom wall back home in Sydney. Remy is confused, how did she end up with this particular art piece that was stolen during war 70+ years ago, when Germany invaded France, and why is it in her family's possession.
This book is beautifully written by Natasha Lester, the dual time lines make the book very intriguing, and making you want to keep reading, to find out what is going to happen next with both main characters. It is a book I could not put down. This is the first book I have read by Natasha Lester, and I am now a huge fan, I will definitely be looking for more of her books in the future.
I received a copy of this book from Better Reading and Hachette Australia in exchange for an honest review, it's brilliant and five stars from me.
Please visit my blog and follow to see all of my past and future book reviews.
https://www.facebook.com/Kylies-Book-...
September 14, 2021
Paris 1939 – 1944 Élaine and Xavier
Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat 2015 Remy and Adam
Élaine is working along with (the real) Rose Valland at great risk to themselves as they try to keep track of the art being stolen by the Nazis. For Élaine especially this means making nice with the Nazis. Just before the war Élaine and Xavier are in love but he goes away on unexplained ‘business’ until later it appears that he may be assisting the Germans with their art theft, but all is not as it seems.
Remy is mourning the loss of her husband and daughter in Australia at which point her adopted parents inform her she has inherited a beautiful home in Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat. When she arrives strangely she does not appear to be terribly interested in finding out how exactly she came by this amazing property. I can’t recall what peaked her interest but she does begin to seek the connection that has brought her to this beautiful villa in France. No surprise when we find it is the property that binds the story together.
Remy is operating a vintage clothing business and is in need of a photographer for her lookbook.
She meets the family in the neighbouring property and by coincidence there is Adam, a photographer who offers to do the photos. No need to say more.
The very essence of this book is about the love of art which was the very best part for me.
There are beautiful moments as well as some (Remy) that were a bit too maudlin but all in all I enjoyed it.
Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat 2015 Remy and Adam
Élaine is working along with (the real) Rose Valland at great risk to themselves as they try to keep track of the art being stolen by the Nazis. For Élaine especially this means making nice with the Nazis. Just before the war Élaine and Xavier are in love but he goes away on unexplained ‘business’ until later it appears that he may be assisting the Germans with their art theft, but all is not as it seems.
Remy is mourning the loss of her husband and daughter in Australia at which point her adopted parents inform her she has inherited a beautiful home in Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat. When she arrives strangely she does not appear to be terribly interested in finding out how exactly she came by this amazing property. I can’t recall what peaked her interest but she does begin to seek the connection that has brought her to this beautiful villa in France. No surprise when we find it is the property that binds the story together.
Remy is operating a vintage clothing business and is in need of a photographer for her lookbook.
She meets the family in the neighbouring property and by coincidence there is Adam, a photographer who offers to do the photos. No need to say more.
The very essence of this book is about the love of art which was the very best part for me.
There are beautiful moments as well as some (Remy) that were a bit too maudlin but all in all I enjoyed it.
March 29, 2023
”Cu lacrimi adevărate. Așa este iubirea în vreme de război, o dorință care aproape că depășea capacitatea trupurilor de a-și exprima nevoia reciprocă, prin atingerea mâinilor sau gurilor sau a pielii pe piele.”
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https://bookwormsinacozycorner.home.b...
December 31, 2021
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‘The world still has its masterpieces. But how many people know what it cost to save them?’
Inspired by a remarkable and heroic true story, The Riviera House is the sixth historical fiction release from New York Times bestselling author Natasha Lester. A story of endurance, sacrifice, valour and yearning, The Riviera House is my favourite Natasha Lester novel thus far!
In this graceful dual timeline novel, West Australian author Natasha Lester effortlessly carries her readers from the French Riviera area in the present day to Paris in the Second World War. We are acquainted with two awe-inspiring women, who on first glance do not appear to have anything in common. As this classy story unfolds, we learn of the extraordinary life of Eliane Dufort, an employee of the famous Louvre, who is in love with a painter named Xavier. However, Eliane’s fortunes change when the Nazis infiltrate Paris, which forces Xavier to flee the occupied city for England. Despite her despair, Eliane is drawn to the French Resistance and the underground efforts of Rose Valland, a woman on a mission to protect her country’s most lucrative artworks. Moving forward in time to the present day, Lester’s modern day lead protagonist has just set foot on an estate nestled in the enviable French Riviera area. By chance Remy Lang comes across a catalogue that reveals a hidden history of stolen artworks taking during WWII. When Remy makes a connection between this lucrative catalogue and a piece of art in her possession, she begins to question her family bloodline. Secrets emerge through Remy’s investigations, leading this woman to reassess everything that she knows about her family’s past.
I didn’t think it was at all possible but Natasha Lester has truly outdone herself with her latest and sixth historical release, The Riviera House. Natasha Lester is definitely an author on the rise and a real superstar in the book world. I was not expecting this new Natasha Lester release to trump her previous books, all of which I have adored. The Riviera House was the perfect novel to send out 2021 with a big book bang!
For those who follow my blog closely will already be aware that I absolutely love a dual timeline novel and stories set in Paris during the war. The Riviera House received a number of ticks of approval before I even started my journey with Natasha Lester’s labour of love. I need to extend my gratitude to Natasha Lester for all her hard work in bringing this story to light in the first place. I understand from Lester’s Author’s Note contained at the close of The Riviera House that this novel was far from a walk in the park to bring to the publication stage. With this dedicated writer and researcher reading French only written material in some cases to compliment her historical narrative, Lester clearly went to great pains to birth this incredible story!
To read a Natasha Lester novel, especially in regards to the historical storyline element is to receive the best form of education possible on the Second World War. Lester’s wartime storyline is deeply inspiring, shocking, regrettable and moving. I have always been interested in the efforts of the French Resistance, in particular the hidden female heroines of this perilous time. The Riviera House pays respectful homage to these gallant women, thanks to Eliane and Rose, two of Lester’s principal protagonists in the past storyline. I have a strong connection to the Louvre and the stunning artwork that adorns this prolific building after two visits to the well-known tourist mecca. To read about such a remarkable history and delicate operation to preserve the work that we can currently enjoy today took my breath away. Lester does an exceptional job of illuminating the tireless, dangerous and loyal work of the employees of the Louvre at such a critical time in this building’s history.
In terms of the current day setting, this was Natasha Lester at her optimum! With plenty of references to fashion of the vintage variety, an exotic French Riviera setting and a generous romantic sub plot, complete with lashings of familial intrigue, The Rivera House was utterly divine in my eyes! Modern day lead Remy Lang’s work as a vintage fashion influencer was a fantastic and most fitting addition to this stunning narrative. Remy’s heart-breaking past wounds and devastating loss is felt deep by the reader, thanks to Lester’s emotive prose. I really wanted Remy to find acceptance, happiness and finally settle the family mystery that was plaguing her thoughts. Thankfully, Lester ensures that we have a resolution and although it almost induced a flood of tears for this reader, I’m glad to have experienced every single page of this grand-scale novel.
The Riviera House is book #110 of the 2021 Australian Women Writers Challenge
‘The world still has its masterpieces. But how many people know what it cost to save them?’
Inspired by a remarkable and heroic true story, The Riviera House is the sixth historical fiction release from New York Times bestselling author Natasha Lester. A story of endurance, sacrifice, valour and yearning, The Riviera House is my favourite Natasha Lester novel thus far!
In this graceful dual timeline novel, West Australian author Natasha Lester effortlessly carries her readers from the French Riviera area in the present day to Paris in the Second World War. We are acquainted with two awe-inspiring women, who on first glance do not appear to have anything in common. As this classy story unfolds, we learn of the extraordinary life of Eliane Dufort, an employee of the famous Louvre, who is in love with a painter named Xavier. However, Eliane’s fortunes change when the Nazis infiltrate Paris, which forces Xavier to flee the occupied city for England. Despite her despair, Eliane is drawn to the French Resistance and the underground efforts of Rose Valland, a woman on a mission to protect her country’s most lucrative artworks. Moving forward in time to the present day, Lester’s modern day lead protagonist has just set foot on an estate nestled in the enviable French Riviera area. By chance Remy Lang comes across a catalogue that reveals a hidden history of stolen artworks taking during WWII. When Remy makes a connection between this lucrative catalogue and a piece of art in her possession, she begins to question her family bloodline. Secrets emerge through Remy’s investigations, leading this woman to reassess everything that she knows about her family’s past.
I didn’t think it was at all possible but Natasha Lester has truly outdone herself with her latest and sixth historical release, The Riviera House. Natasha Lester is definitely an author on the rise and a real superstar in the book world. I was not expecting this new Natasha Lester release to trump her previous books, all of which I have adored. The Riviera House was the perfect novel to send out 2021 with a big book bang!
For those who follow my blog closely will already be aware that I absolutely love a dual timeline novel and stories set in Paris during the war. The Riviera House received a number of ticks of approval before I even started my journey with Natasha Lester’s labour of love. I need to extend my gratitude to Natasha Lester for all her hard work in bringing this story to light in the first place. I understand from Lester’s Author’s Note contained at the close of The Riviera House that this novel was far from a walk in the park to bring to the publication stage. With this dedicated writer and researcher reading French only written material in some cases to compliment her historical narrative, Lester clearly went to great pains to birth this incredible story!
To read a Natasha Lester novel, especially in regards to the historical storyline element is to receive the best form of education possible on the Second World War. Lester’s wartime storyline is deeply inspiring, shocking, regrettable and moving. I have always been interested in the efforts of the French Resistance, in particular the hidden female heroines of this perilous time. The Riviera House pays respectful homage to these gallant women, thanks to Eliane and Rose, two of Lester’s principal protagonists in the past storyline. I have a strong connection to the Louvre and the stunning artwork that adorns this prolific building after two visits to the well-known tourist mecca. To read about such a remarkable history and delicate operation to preserve the work that we can currently enjoy today took my breath away. Lester does an exceptional job of illuminating the tireless, dangerous and loyal work of the employees of the Louvre at such a critical time in this building’s history.
In terms of the current day setting, this was Natasha Lester at her optimum! With plenty of references to fashion of the vintage variety, an exotic French Riviera setting and a generous romantic sub plot, complete with lashings of familial intrigue, The Rivera House was utterly divine in my eyes! Modern day lead Remy Lang’s work as a vintage fashion influencer was a fantastic and most fitting addition to this stunning narrative. Remy’s heart-breaking past wounds and devastating loss is felt deep by the reader, thanks to Lester’s emotive prose. I really wanted Remy to find acceptance, happiness and finally settle the family mystery that was plaguing her thoughts. Thankfully, Lester ensures that we have a resolution and although it almost induced a flood of tears for this reader, I’m glad to have experienced every single page of this grand-scale novel.
The Riviera House is book #110 of the 2021 Australian Women Writers Challenge
August 23, 2021
You can also read this review on my blog at https://thebashfulbookworm.com/book-r...
The Riviera House by Natasha Lester is a beautifully written, historic novel, with dual timelines set in France during WWII and the present. I was entranced and blown away by the beauty of the writing and the stories inside.
The first timeline starts in Paris in 1930 and follows Éliane as she struggles to go to school and learn about art and art history and also helps care for her sibling. She also falls in love with Xavier, an Englishman who trades fine art, however, he disappears just before the Nazi invasion and breaks her heart. Once the Nazis invade she works at a museum, cataloging fine art pieces. The Nazis don’t believe she knows understands German and she’s free to pick up information and pass it on to the Resistance.
In the present-day timeline, Remy discovers she inherited a stunning villa on the French Rivier from her birth parents that she never knew. Remy is has a vintage fashion business but is also still grieving the loss of her young daughter and husband in a car accident nearly three years ago. Once in the Villa, she meets a boisterous family next door, who all have their own secrets. She also discovers that an old painting she’s had with her since her childhood was once stolen from the Louvre by the Nazis in World War II. How did she get that painting?
The Riviera House is a stunning and beautifully written story about unimaginable courage and survival during one of the most horrendous times in our history. The Riviera House is also two of the most enchanting love stories I’ve read in a while. This book is huge at 480 pages, but I zipped through this book in only two sittings because I was enthralled by the story from the very first page. The descriptions of the exotic settings in this book are stunning.
Often in dual timeline books, one of the timelines is better than the other, but in The Riviera House, I found both stories equally enthralling, for different reasons. I loved the past timeline and was fascinated with the historical details as well as the courage and bravery of Éliane and her friends and family. In the present timeline, I was drawn to Remy and empathized with her grief and sadness, but I was also interested in her vintage fashion business. The neighbors next door, especially her love interest, Adam, were interesting and realistic. I thought the author did an excellent job at describing the beautiful scenery, the villa, and the vintage clothes.
What I also found surprising about this book was the unexpected twists and turns the story takes. I could not guess the ending, nor the relationships between the timelines until the very end. I received a complimentary copy of this book. The opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
The Riviera House by Natasha Lester is a beautifully written, historic novel, with dual timelines set in France during WWII and the present. I was entranced and blown away by the beauty of the writing and the stories inside.
The first timeline starts in Paris in 1930 and follows Éliane as she struggles to go to school and learn about art and art history and also helps care for her sibling. She also falls in love with Xavier, an Englishman who trades fine art, however, he disappears just before the Nazi invasion and breaks her heart. Once the Nazis invade she works at a museum, cataloging fine art pieces. The Nazis don’t believe she knows understands German and she’s free to pick up information and pass it on to the Resistance.
In the present-day timeline, Remy discovers she inherited a stunning villa on the French Rivier from her birth parents that she never knew. Remy is has a vintage fashion business but is also still grieving the loss of her young daughter and husband in a car accident nearly three years ago. Once in the Villa, she meets a boisterous family next door, who all have their own secrets. She also discovers that an old painting she’s had with her since her childhood was once stolen from the Louvre by the Nazis in World War II. How did she get that painting?
The Riviera House is a stunning and beautifully written story about unimaginable courage and survival during one of the most horrendous times in our history. The Riviera House is also two of the most enchanting love stories I’ve read in a while. This book is huge at 480 pages, but I zipped through this book in only two sittings because I was enthralled by the story from the very first page. The descriptions of the exotic settings in this book are stunning.
Often in dual timeline books, one of the timelines is better than the other, but in The Riviera House, I found both stories equally enthralling, for different reasons. I loved the past timeline and was fascinated with the historical details as well as the courage and bravery of Éliane and her friends and family. In the present timeline, I was drawn to Remy and empathized with her grief and sadness, but I was also interested in her vintage fashion business. The neighbors next door, especially her love interest, Adam, were interesting and realistic. I thought the author did an excellent job at describing the beautiful scenery, the villa, and the vintage clothes.
What I also found surprising about this book was the unexpected twists and turns the story takes. I could not guess the ending, nor the relationships between the timelines until the very end. I received a complimentary copy of this book. The opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
August 2, 2021
Effects of War
This book was a heartbreaking story to read, both parts the current and the WWII parts. It is a dual timeline, but easily kept apart. I spent some extra time reading as I wanted to savor the story. I enjoyed reading the whole book...beginning, middle and ending....what a wonderful story.
The book is about some brave hero's during WWII that gave everything to save the paintings which were being stolen from the Jewish people. The resistance working right under the noses of the Nazi's. Then it all turned out bad for them when one of their own turned traitor. I especially liked the characters of Eliane, Rose and Xavier.
I loved the descriptions of the clothing and the buildings. It was even interesting to hear how both sides lived, the Nazi's and the Parisians under occupation. The long queue lines for food, the greediness of the Nazi's and their overindulgence while everyone else was starving and freezing to death. How they would just shoot someone for disagreeing with them in any matter. To live with fear in your every waking moment would be even worse than being cold and hungry.
In the second timeline Remy who has just lost her husband and daughter in a car accident finds out she has inherited a beautiful house in Paris. When she digs to find out information on why she was left the house she finds much more than she bargained for. There are many secrets concerning her house in Paris. She needed to confront the past in order to live in the future. She does have her new friend and love interest Adam there to help her solve all the mysteries.
Was an interesting historical story. I liked that it was based on actual events. This author did her research. It was a very well written story and I would recommend it.
Thanks to Natasha Lester, Forever, Grand Central Publishing, and NetGalley for providing me with a complimentary copy of the book for my honest review.
This book was a heartbreaking story to read, both parts the current and the WWII parts. It is a dual timeline, but easily kept apart. I spent some extra time reading as I wanted to savor the story. I enjoyed reading the whole book...beginning, middle and ending....what a wonderful story.
The book is about some brave hero's during WWII that gave everything to save the paintings which were being stolen from the Jewish people. The resistance working right under the noses of the Nazi's. Then it all turned out bad for them when one of their own turned traitor. I especially liked the characters of Eliane, Rose and Xavier.
I loved the descriptions of the clothing and the buildings. It was even interesting to hear how both sides lived, the Nazi's and the Parisians under occupation. The long queue lines for food, the greediness of the Nazi's and their overindulgence while everyone else was starving and freezing to death. How they would just shoot someone for disagreeing with them in any matter. To live with fear in your every waking moment would be even worse than being cold and hungry.
In the second timeline Remy who has just lost her husband and daughter in a car accident finds out she has inherited a beautiful house in Paris. When she digs to find out information on why she was left the house she finds much more than she bargained for. There are many secrets concerning her house in Paris. She needed to confront the past in order to live in the future. She does have her new friend and love interest Adam there to help her solve all the mysteries.
Was an interesting historical story. I liked that it was based on actual events. This author did her research. It was a very well written story and I would recommend it.
Thanks to Natasha Lester, Forever, Grand Central Publishing, and NetGalley for providing me with a complimentary copy of the book for my honest review.
August 30, 2021
Natasha Lester’s latest historical fiction alternates between Paris in the 1940s and 2015 on the French Rivera. Eliane Dufort is working at the Louvre when the Nazis start stealing the country’s most treasured artwork. The Jeu de Paume gallery becomes the transit station for the movement of the pieces to various locations. Pretending to not understand German, Eliane is able to spy on those coordinating the plundering and she secretly catalogs each piece, noting where the artwork is being sent. The second timeline takes place at the villa owned by Remy Lang, who is mourning the loss of her husband and young daughter. Although she was adopted as a baby, the luxurious property was left to her by her birth family. She finds a book at the villa which shows pictures of all the looted artwork during WWII. Included is a painting she immediately recognizes as one that had hung in her bedroom since childhood. The discovery leads Remy to seek the truth about her birth family.
Lester’s books are beautifully written. As with her others, she weaves historical figures with fictional characters. The Riviera House is another wonderful, well-researched story that tells of brave people who risked their lives to save France’s masterpieces. While the wartime storyline is the most riveting, as it reflects the unimaginable reality of what was occurring during the Nazi occupation, the modern day story is very engaging. Both periods include some romance. And when the past and the present start to come together, prepare to be deeply moved.
Many thanks to Forever / Grand Central Publishing, NetGalley and the author for the opportunity to read this memorable book in advance of its August 31, 2021 publication.
Rated 4.75 stars.
Review posted on MicheleReader.com.
Lester’s books are beautifully written. As with her others, she weaves historical figures with fictional characters. The Riviera House is another wonderful, well-researched story that tells of brave people who risked their lives to save France’s masterpieces. While the wartime storyline is the most riveting, as it reflects the unimaginable reality of what was occurring during the Nazi occupation, the modern day story is very engaging. Both periods include some romance. And when the past and the present start to come together, prepare to be deeply moved.
Many thanks to Forever / Grand Central Publishing, NetGalley and the author for the opportunity to read this memorable book in advance of its August 31, 2021 publication.
Rated 4.75 stars.
Review posted on MicheleReader.com.
March 31, 2023
Sunt fan Natasha Lester, am decis asta de la prima carte și îmi mențin părerea și acum după a 3-a.
Casa de pe Riviera este o altă împletire de povești emoționante și intrigante, de această dată având ca punct central operele de artă, în special picturile.
Punctul de legătură dintre cele doua planuri sunt reprezentate de frumoasa casă de pe Riviera, un tablou agățat într-un dormitor din Sydney și o protagonistă care a trecut printr-o tragedie.
Autoarea s-a inspirat din fapte reale și a descris într-un mod atractiv și presărat cu suspans pasaje de istorie ce cuprind furturile operelor de artă și sacrificiile făcute de rezistență în numele acestora. Bineînțeles că pe durata evenimentelor viața oamenilor și-a urmat cursul și au avut parte de dramă, iubire și speranță.
Casa de pe Riviera este o altă împletire de povești emoționante și intrigante, de această dată având ca punct central operele de artă, în special picturile.
Punctul de legătură dintre cele doua planuri sunt reprezentate de frumoasa casă de pe Riviera, un tablou agățat într-un dormitor din Sydney și o protagonistă care a trecut printr-o tragedie.
Autoarea s-a inspirat din fapte reale și a descris într-un mod atractiv și presărat cu suspans pasaje de istorie ce cuprind furturile operelor de artă și sacrificiile făcute de rezistență în numele acestora. Bineînțeles că pe durata evenimentelor viața oamenilor și-a urmat cursul și au avut parte de dramă, iubire și speranță.
March 8, 2023
What a great first read of 2023! This is a dual timeline historical fiction novel that is so descriptive it almost feels like you are there. The focus of this book is the art theft the Nazi's engineered during their occupation in Paris during WWII and the brave resistance workers who did what they could to save priceless pieces such as the Mona Lisa.
The book seamlessly flows between both timelines. In 1939 Paris we meet Elaine Dufort and her family. She works at The Louvre and she finds love with a painter, Xavier. But then the Nazi's occupy Paris, he flees for England and Elaine sends her family away. She decides to remain in Paris to protect the artwork she so dearly loves. She ends up joining the resistance and cataloging artwork being stolen by Nazi officials in hopes that the pieces can be returned to their owners once the war is over.
In the present day we meet Remy Lang. She is grieving and travels from Sydney to her home on the French Riviera to take some time away for herself and work on her business. The home was something she mysteriously inherited when she was adopted. She find a catalogue of artworks and discovers a family connection that she cannot ignore.
I loved both stories and found myself equally absorbed in them.
The book seamlessly flows between both timelines. In 1939 Paris we meet Elaine Dufort and her family. She works at The Louvre and she finds love with a painter, Xavier. But then the Nazi's occupy Paris, he flees for England and Elaine sends her family away. She decides to remain in Paris to protect the artwork she so dearly loves. She ends up joining the resistance and cataloging artwork being stolen by Nazi officials in hopes that the pieces can be returned to their owners once the war is over.
In the present day we meet Remy Lang. She is grieving and travels from Sydney to her home on the French Riviera to take some time away for herself and work on her business. The home was something she mysteriously inherited when she was adopted. She find a catalogue of artworks and discovers a family connection that she cannot ignore.
I loved both stories and found myself equally absorbed in them.
December 9, 2021
"The world still has its masterpieces. But how many people know what it cost to save them." Elaine's cost was high and made for a great historical fiction read. Remy's story from years in the future was also endearing. These two women are determined to persevere when they are stripped of everything important in their lives either by war or tragedy.
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