What do you think?
Rate this book
The Three Fry Sisters #2
The Paris Sister
‘Adrienne Chinn is at the height of her storytelling powers…an immersive, emotional and highly enjoyable historical novel that takes readers all over the world and keeps them turning the pages’ Bookish Jottings
Three sisters separated by distance but bound by loveThe Fry sisters enter the Roaring Twenties forever changed by their experiences during the Great War. Now, as each of their lives unfold in different corners of the globe, they come to realise that the most important bond is that of family.
Desperate to save the man she loves, Etta leaves behind the life she has made for herself in Capri and enters the decadent world of Parisian society with all its secrets and scandals.
Celie’s new life on the Canadian prairies brings mixed blessings – a daughter to adore, but a husband who isn’t the man who holds her heart.
In Egypt, Jessie’s world is forever changed by a devastating loss.
And back in London – where each of their adventures began – their mother Christina watches as the pieces of her carefully orchestrated existence begin to shatter…with implications for them all…
Readers are loving The Paris Sister:‘It was wonderful to catch up with the Fry sisters again, after enjoying Love in a Time of War. I recommend both books for fans of expansive historical fiction’
‘I couldn't believe it when I reached the last page! I wanted to find out more. Looking forward to Book 3!’
‘Oh my goodness! I wanted this story to go on and on! Excellent story and I can't wait to read more from this author’
‘Having thoroughly enjoyed Love in a Time of War, I was delighted in The Paris Sister. The next book in the series can't come quickly enough for me! I highly recommend both books’
‘The Paris Sister is the second in this lovely series and it is as beautiful and engrossing as the first. Adrienne Chinn wrote with gorgeous clarity, ingenuity and that extra something which captivated my heart. This is a wonderful, wonderful book’
Three sisters separated by distance but bound by loveThe Fry sisters enter the Roaring Twenties forever changed by their experiences during the Great War. Now, as each of their lives unfold in different corners of the globe, they come to realise that the most important bond is that of family.
Desperate to save the man she loves, Etta leaves behind the life she has made for herself in Capri and enters the decadent world of Parisian society with all its secrets and scandals.
Celie’s new life on the Canadian prairies brings mixed blessings – a daughter to adore, but a husband who isn’t the man who holds her heart.
In Egypt, Jessie’s world is forever changed by a devastating loss.
And back in London – where each of their adventures began – their mother Christina watches as the pieces of her carefully orchestrated existence begin to shatter…with implications for them all…
Readers are loving The Paris Sister:‘It was wonderful to catch up with the Fry sisters again, after enjoying Love in a Time of War. I recommend both books for fans of expansive historical fiction’
‘I couldn't believe it when I reached the last page! I wanted to find out more. Looking forward to Book 3!’
‘Oh my goodness! I wanted this story to go on and on! Excellent story and I can't wait to read more from this author’
‘Having thoroughly enjoyed Love in a Time of War, I was delighted in The Paris Sister. The next book in the series can't come quickly enough for me! I highly recommend both books’
‘The Paris Sister is the second in this lovely series and it is as beautiful and engrossing as the first. Adrienne Chinn wrote with gorgeous clarity, ingenuity and that extra something which captivated my heart. This is a wonderful, wonderful book’
480 pages, Kindle Edition
Published February 3, 2023
163 people are currently reading
422 people want to read
About the author
Adrienne Chinn
15 books101 followersAdrienne Chinn was born in Grand Falls, Newfoundland, grew up in Quebec, and eventually made her way to London, England after a career as a journalist. In Britain she worked as a TV and film researcher before embarking on a career as an interior designer, lecturer, and writer.
Her second novel, The English Wife -- a timeslip story set in World War II England and contemporary Newfoundland -- was published in June 2020 and has become an international bestseller. Her debut novel, The Lost Letter, was published by Avon Books UK in 2019. Her third novel, Love in a Time of War, the first in The Three Fry Sisters series centred around three English sisters, was published in 2022, with the second book in the series, The Paris Sister, following in 2023. The third book in the series, In the Shadow of War, was published in 2024. A stand alone historical timeslip novel, The Queen's Necklace, will be published in 2025, and the fourth book in The Three Fry Sisters series will be published in 2026.
Her second novel, The English Wife -- a timeslip story set in World War II England and contemporary Newfoundland -- was published in June 2020 and has become an international bestseller. Her debut novel, The Lost Letter, was published by Avon Books UK in 2019. Her third novel, Love in a Time of War, the first in The Three Fry Sisters series centred around three English sisters, was published in 2022, with the second book in the series, The Paris Sister, following in 2023. The third book in the series, In the Shadow of War, was published in 2024. A stand alone historical timeslip novel, The Queen's Necklace, will be published in 2025, and the fourth book in The Three Fry Sisters series will be published in 2026.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 63 reviews
December 27, 2022
‘The Paris Sister’ is part two in a series which follows the lives of three sisters and their mother. Each sister has married and moved to different parts of the globe, while their mother remains in England. The chapters alternate to reveal events in each others’ lives, as well as a scattering of letters, giving updates.
Christina, the mother is concerned details of her youthful affair and illegitimate child will become public. Her daughter Celie has recently emigrated to Canada to farm with her husband, but it’s a big adjustment from her freedom as a photographer and journalist. Jessie, her sister, resides in Egypt and continues to work as a nurse in a health clinic. Difficulties continue to arise as cultures clash, and her mother-in-law is problematic to say the least. Jessie’s twin, Etta is in despair as her husband is imprisoned, accused of murdering his previous wife. It is left up to her to use her ingenuity to fund a campaign for his freedom. It is for Etta that this book is named, as she increasingly spends greater lengths of time in Paris. At first to sell her husband’s artwork, but she’s quickly enticed to join a crowd of bohemian artists who know how to help her escape her worries.
This story covers about nine years of their lives and the short chapters constantly flip from one character to another. This results in quite a pacy read but also doesn’t allow for a lot of character development in my opinion. I was also unclear, for the middle part of the book, just where the stories were heading. That said, a fair amount of action takes place at the conclusion. Overall, I thought this was an ok read.
Thank you NetGalley and Harper Collins UK One More Chapter for the opportunity to read and review this book.
Christina, the mother is concerned details of her youthful affair and illegitimate child will become public. Her daughter Celie has recently emigrated to Canada to farm with her husband, but it’s a big adjustment from her freedom as a photographer and journalist. Jessie, her sister, resides in Egypt and continues to work as a nurse in a health clinic. Difficulties continue to arise as cultures clash, and her mother-in-law is problematic to say the least. Jessie’s twin, Etta is in despair as her husband is imprisoned, accused of murdering his previous wife. It is left up to her to use her ingenuity to fund a campaign for his freedom. It is for Etta that this book is named, as she increasingly spends greater lengths of time in Paris. At first to sell her husband’s artwork, but she’s quickly enticed to join a crowd of bohemian artists who know how to help her escape her worries.
This story covers about nine years of their lives and the short chapters constantly flip from one character to another. This results in quite a pacy read but also doesn’t allow for a lot of character development in my opinion. I was also unclear, for the middle part of the book, just where the stories were heading. That said, a fair amount of action takes place at the conclusion. Overall, I thought this was an ok read.
Thank you NetGalley and Harper Collins UK One More Chapter for the opportunity to read and review this book.
February 6, 2023
The Paris Sister is the second book in, The Fry Sisters series and it begins after the end of, The Great War, going into the decade known as the Roaring Twenties and ends just before the Wall Street crash.
Cecelia and her husband Frank Jeffries decide to move to Alberta, Canada, Frank wants to be a wheat farmer on the prairie and Celie is expecting the couple’s first child. Celie misses her old life, taking photographs and writing newspaper articles, Frank doesn’t want Celie working outside of the home, and he’s very moody and jealous.
Etta is married to Italian artist Carlos Marinetti, he's been accused of murder, Etta travels to Paris to sell his paintings and they need the money to pay the lawyers fees. Etta's drawn into Paris’s heady social scene, of never ending parties and she mixes with self-indulgent people like; F. Scott Fitzgerald and his wife Zelda, Ernest and Hadley Hemingway. Etta’s not keen to return home to Capri and sort out the latest mischief her daughter Adriana has gotten into and her poor aunt Stefania is getting too old to cope.
Jessie is married to Doctor Aziz Khalid, they live in Cairo, her husband works at a hospital and Jessie and her sister-in-law Zara run a clinic for disadvantaged people. Jessie and Aziz desperately want to have a child, and her mother-in-law Layla is putting pressure on them and you can imagine what she thinks about Jessie’s dreams of one day becoming a doctor. The situation in Cairo is extremely volatile, some Egyptians want break away from British rule and form their own government.
Christiana Fry still lives in England, she has a secret from her past, she doesn’t want it exposed and it would have devastating consequences for one of her daughters.
I received a copy of The Paris Sister by Adrienne Chinn from NetGalley and HarperCollins UK in exchange for an honest review. It was wonderful to catch up with the Fry sisters again, I read and enjoyed the first book, Love in a Time of War. Women roles changed a lot during WW I and many experienced freedom for the first time, and they didn’t want to give it up. I enjoyed reading about Cecelia and Jessie’s involvement during a time of major social change, cutting their hair shorter was rather radical and practical. At times the narrative was a little slow moving, this could be because the stories told from four points of view and in four different countries. I recommend both books for fans of expansive historical fiction, especially those who enjoy a complicated family saga and four stars from me.
Cecelia and her husband Frank Jeffries decide to move to Alberta, Canada, Frank wants to be a wheat farmer on the prairie and Celie is expecting the couple’s first child. Celie misses her old life, taking photographs and writing newspaper articles, Frank doesn’t want Celie working outside of the home, and he’s very moody and jealous.
Etta is married to Italian artist Carlos Marinetti, he's been accused of murder, Etta travels to Paris to sell his paintings and they need the money to pay the lawyers fees. Etta's drawn into Paris’s heady social scene, of never ending parties and she mixes with self-indulgent people like; F. Scott Fitzgerald and his wife Zelda, Ernest and Hadley Hemingway. Etta’s not keen to return home to Capri and sort out the latest mischief her daughter Adriana has gotten into and her poor aunt Stefania is getting too old to cope.
Jessie is married to Doctor Aziz Khalid, they live in Cairo, her husband works at a hospital and Jessie and her sister-in-law Zara run a clinic for disadvantaged people. Jessie and Aziz desperately want to have a child, and her mother-in-law Layla is putting pressure on them and you can imagine what she thinks about Jessie’s dreams of one day becoming a doctor. The situation in Cairo is extremely volatile, some Egyptians want break away from British rule and form their own government.
Christiana Fry still lives in England, she has a secret from her past, she doesn’t want it exposed and it would have devastating consequences for one of her daughters.
I received a copy of The Paris Sister by Adrienne Chinn from NetGalley and HarperCollins UK in exchange for an honest review. It was wonderful to catch up with the Fry sisters again, I read and enjoyed the first book, Love in a Time of War. Women roles changed a lot during WW I and many experienced freedom for the first time, and they didn’t want to give it up. I enjoyed reading about Cecelia and Jessie’s involvement during a time of major social change, cutting their hair shorter was rather radical and practical. At times the narrative was a little slow moving, this could be because the stories told from four points of view and in four different countries. I recommend both books for fans of expansive historical fiction, especially those who enjoy a complicated family saga and four stars from me.
January 31, 2023
An emotional family drama set during the Roaring twenties.
I have not read the first book in this series, instead jumping in at book two of three. I absolutely need to read book one now.
The book is very wordy at 480 pages, and I loved it. The more descriptive for me the better.
Set during the 1920's we can see woman are starting to stand up for themselves and not be dominated by men anymore.
There is strife, there is drama, as there is in every family but at the end of the day there is the love of family.
This book features three sisters and their mother. The women all live in different parts of the world, one in Canada, one in Egypt and one in Paris.
There is a lot going on in this story as it takes place over years. What I found to make it easier to follow is if you concentrate on each woman and their story rather than concentrate on too many characters at once.
I really enjoyed this historical fiction and learning about the different foods, languages and customs of each country.
The widowed mother has a secret her daughters must not find out. It happened during her younger days when she was not married. Living in London she must now face her past.
One of the daughters lives in Alberta, Canada amongst the wheat fields.
Another daughter lives in Cairo running a health clinic. Another daughter lives in Paris trying to forget her past.
I enjoyed seeing how the women and their mother communicated by letter. Though they may not agree on everything there is always love, communication and encouragement.
The book is very well researched. I felt as if I were right there in the story experiencing all this with the characters.
This is a wonderful, wonderful book. The next book can't come out soon enough for me!
Pub Date 03 Feb 2023
I was given a complimentary copy of this book.
All opinions expressed are my own.
I have not read the first book in this series, instead jumping in at book two of three. I absolutely need to read book one now.
The book is very wordy at 480 pages, and I loved it. The more descriptive for me the better.
Set during the 1920's we can see woman are starting to stand up for themselves and not be dominated by men anymore.
There is strife, there is drama, as there is in every family but at the end of the day there is the love of family.
This book features three sisters and their mother. The women all live in different parts of the world, one in Canada, one in Egypt and one in Paris.
There is a lot going on in this story as it takes place over years. What I found to make it easier to follow is if you concentrate on each woman and their story rather than concentrate on too many characters at once.
I really enjoyed this historical fiction and learning about the different foods, languages and customs of each country.
The widowed mother has a secret her daughters must not find out. It happened during her younger days when she was not married. Living in London she must now face her past.
One of the daughters lives in Alberta, Canada amongst the wheat fields.
Another daughter lives in Cairo running a health clinic. Another daughter lives in Paris trying to forget her past.
I enjoyed seeing how the women and their mother communicated by letter. Though they may not agree on everything there is always love, communication and encouragement.
The book is very well researched. I felt as if I were right there in the story experiencing all this with the characters.
This is a wonderful, wonderful book. The next book can't come out soon enough for me!
Pub Date 03 Feb 2023
I was given a complimentary copy of this book.
All opinions expressed are my own.
January 26, 2023
3.5 stars rounded up.
The Three Fry Sisters #2
The Fry sisters enter the Roaring Twenties forever changed by their experiences during the Great War. Now, as each of their lives unfold in different corners of the globe, they come to realise that the most important bond is that of family.
Desperate to save the man she loves, Etta leaves behind the life she has made for herself in Capri and enters the decadent world of Parisian society with all its secrets and scandals.
Chelle's new life on the Canadian Prairies brings mixed blessings - a daughter to adore, but a husband who isn't the man who holds her heart.
In Egypt, Jessie's world is forever changed by a devasting loss.
Set in the 1920s. As the story progresses, it dips in and out of the sisters' lives. We follow their and their mothers' trials and tribulations. This is a well written story with likeable characters. Although I have not read the previous book, it did read well as a standalone as the author gives us some details from the first book. The story does end leaving loose ends, perfect to start the next book of with, but a bummer when you're desperate to find out what's going to happen next. I quite enjoyed this book.
I would like to thank #NetGalley #HarperCollinsUK #OneMoreChapter and the author #AdrienneChinn for my ARC of #TheParisSister in exchange for an honest review.
The Three Fry Sisters #2
The Fry sisters enter the Roaring Twenties forever changed by their experiences during the Great War. Now, as each of their lives unfold in different corners of the globe, they come to realise that the most important bond is that of family.
Desperate to save the man she loves, Etta leaves behind the life she has made for herself in Capri and enters the decadent world of Parisian society with all its secrets and scandals.
Chelle's new life on the Canadian Prairies brings mixed blessings - a daughter to adore, but a husband who isn't the man who holds her heart.
In Egypt, Jessie's world is forever changed by a devasting loss.
Set in the 1920s. As the story progresses, it dips in and out of the sisters' lives. We follow their and their mothers' trials and tribulations. This is a well written story with likeable characters. Although I have not read the previous book, it did read well as a standalone as the author gives us some details from the first book. The story does end leaving loose ends, perfect to start the next book of with, but a bummer when you're desperate to find out what's going to happen next. I quite enjoyed this book.
I would like to thank #NetGalley #HarperCollinsUK #OneMoreChapter and the author #AdrienneChinn for my ARC of #TheParisSister in exchange for an honest review.
February 6, 2023
This is book two about three very different sisters. All living in different parts of the world. The story jumps from sister to sister and at times was a bit too wordy. While I did enjoy parts of the book it was just ok
Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for the early copy
Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for the early copy
February 26, 2023
The Paris Sister is the second book in the author’s series featuring the three Fry sisters – Cecilia (Celie) and non-identical twins, Jessica (Jessie) and Etta – to whom we were first introduced in Love in a Time of War which I read back in March 2022 as part of the blog tour. The Paris Sister can be read as a standalone as there are occasional references to events in the previous book but in order to get into the story as quickly as possible it probably helps to have read the first instalment. Although quite a chunky read, the short chapters and frequent changes of point of view keep it feeling well-paced.
The events in Love in a Time of War unfolded in the years from 1913 to 1919, with occasional trips back to the 1890s. The Paris Sister takes us through the 1920s, very much ‘The Roaring Twenties’ in the case of Etta who finds herself rubbing shoulders with the rich and famous, including Scott and Zelda Fitzgerald, Ernest Hemingway and Man Ray. Very much, ‘Oh, is that Josephine Baker dancing on the table over there?’.
The sisters and their mother all find themselves faced with challenges. In the case of Christina, a secret she hopes will never be revealed puts her in a position where she can be manipulated by others. But she wouldn’t be Christina if she didn’t find a way to fight back.
For Celie, it’s coming to terms with her new life in Alberta, trying to put behind her memories of Max, her first love, and coping with her husband Frank’s very traditional views on the role of women. I liked the way, little by little, she manages to achieve a small degree of independence.
For Jessie, it’s the challenge of building a life in Egypt for herself and her husband Aziz at a time of political turmoil in that country, navigating the trials of a multi-racial marriage and facing up to her formidable mother-in-law who is aghast at Jessie’s ambition to become a doctor. Jessie also longs to give Aziz the child he wants.
I confess I faced my own personal challenge with feeling any sympathy for Etta. I found her abandonment of her daughter and Carlo, her husband, imprisoned on a charge of murder, to spend time living it up in Paris difficult to empathise with. I wouldn’t have blamed Carlo if he’d told her to get lost.
By the way, those who love a chance encounter will be amply rewarded by some coincidences that I term ‘Casablanca moments’, as in ‘Of all the gin joints in all the towns in all the world she walks into mine’.
Just as in Love in a Time of War, the concluding chapters of The Paris Sister find the sisters at pivotal moments in their lives and, as yet, unaware how the Great Depression will affect their futures. So plenty to look forward to in the next book in the series.
The events in Love in a Time of War unfolded in the years from 1913 to 1919, with occasional trips back to the 1890s. The Paris Sister takes us through the 1920s, very much ‘The Roaring Twenties’ in the case of Etta who finds herself rubbing shoulders with the rich and famous, including Scott and Zelda Fitzgerald, Ernest Hemingway and Man Ray. Very much, ‘Oh, is that Josephine Baker dancing on the table over there?’.
The sisters and their mother all find themselves faced with challenges. In the case of Christina, a secret she hopes will never be revealed puts her in a position where she can be manipulated by others. But she wouldn’t be Christina if she didn’t find a way to fight back.
For Celie, it’s coming to terms with her new life in Alberta, trying to put behind her memories of Max, her first love, and coping with her husband Frank’s very traditional views on the role of women. I liked the way, little by little, she manages to achieve a small degree of independence.
For Jessie, it’s the challenge of building a life in Egypt for herself and her husband Aziz at a time of political turmoil in that country, navigating the trials of a multi-racial marriage and facing up to her formidable mother-in-law who is aghast at Jessie’s ambition to become a doctor. Jessie also longs to give Aziz the child he wants.
I confess I faced my own personal challenge with feeling any sympathy for Etta. I found her abandonment of her daughter and Carlo, her husband, imprisoned on a charge of murder, to spend time living it up in Paris difficult to empathise with. I wouldn’t have blamed Carlo if he’d told her to get lost.
By the way, those who love a chance encounter will be amply rewarded by some coincidences that I term ‘Casablanca moments’, as in ‘Of all the gin joints in all the towns in all the world she walks into mine’.
Just as in Love in a Time of War, the concluding chapters of The Paris Sister find the sisters at pivotal moments in their lives and, as yet, unaware how the Great Depression will affect their futures. So plenty to look forward to in the next book in the series.
March 20, 2023
Second in the Fry Sisters trilogy, THE PARIS SISTER refers to Etta, whose entrance into the roaring 20s is fraught with scandal and fear. All three sisters - and their mother - feature in each of the books. Etta's husband is in prison and she resorts to drastic measures to try to get him released, but loses herself in the process. Celie is now in Canada with her husband, but life is harder than she could ever imagine, and Jessie's happy ending is marred by something that leaves her forever changed. It feels a little strange having all four characters in different countries, which makes it a tad disjointed, but when you look at this as part of a whole (the trilogy) it works much better! There are lots of questions to be answered in the third book, which I'm looking forward to!
October 29, 2025
This historical novel, set in post WW1, follows three sisters and their mother scattered and living very different lives in Canada, Britain, Italy and Egypt.
When I started The Paris Sister I didn’t realize I was Reading #2 in a 3 book series of the Fry Sisters. Very surprised when I reached the end without resolution to each characters story, then turning the page to find the authors Acknowledgments indicating this was in fact a series.
Guess, I’ll hit the stacks to see if I can find 1 & 3…..
When I started The Paris Sister I didn’t realize I was Reading #2 in a 3 book series of the Fry Sisters. Very surprised when I reached the end without resolution to each characters story, then turning the page to find the authors Acknowledgments indicating this was in fact a series.
Guess, I’ll hit the stacks to see if I can find 1 & 3…..
November 26, 2022
The 2nd in the Fry sisters series although I did not realise that while reading. An interesting, easy read following the lives of a mother in London and her three daughters living in Canada, Cairo and Capri. This can be a standalone in that the background details were very comprehensively filled in however the final chapters very much left a to be continued vibe about them.
The book takes us through the 1920s, very much the roaring 20s in the case of Etta who is moving with the IT crowd in Paris. Each woman’s story is interesting on its own, each dealing with gender based prejudice and trying to carve their own path. However this doesn’t get the development it deserves as each is still hankering after a man.
The feature that spoiled the book somewhat for me is the weaving in of real life persons to the story. A wide range of historical authors, artists and gentry were used, some integral to the story, some superfluous. I’m just not a fan of this intermingled fact and fiction.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for an ARC in exchange for this honest review
The book takes us through the 1920s, very much the roaring 20s in the case of Etta who is moving with the IT crowd in Paris. Each woman’s story is interesting on its own, each dealing with gender based prejudice and trying to carve their own path. However this doesn’t get the development it deserves as each is still hankering after a man.
The feature that spoiled the book somewhat for me is the weaving in of real life persons to the story. A wide range of historical authors, artists and gentry were used, some integral to the story, some superfluous. I’m just not a fan of this intermingled fact and fiction.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for an ARC in exchange for this honest review
March 9, 2023
That I realised only towards the end of the book that this was book 2 of a series is testament to the great characters in this story. The three sisters and their mother are navigating the 1920s - the decade of adjustment after the Great War - in their various locations. I particularly loved Etta's time in Paris as she links up with the Fitzgerald's, Ernest Hemingway, Man Ray and others while trying to sell her imprisoned husband's art work, and those she has painted under her name.
All of the strong female characters are having to adjust to the changing role of women in the 1920s
Thanks to NetGalley for an early copy
All of the strong female characters are having to adjust to the changing role of women in the 1920s
Thanks to NetGalley for an early copy
March 2, 2025
Book two of this series. This was an emotional ride not only for the sisters but for me, it finished quite abruptly this time, luckily there is a book three. And I just read there will also be a book 4 coming next year.
November 19, 2023
This read isn't my usual choice and the title brought greater expectation than the book delivered. It is dispersed around four locations, not all that hard to follow even with everyone spread all over the globe. This is the second book of the Fry sisters which takes place just after the great war for which Etta meets up with many of the new celebrities that invaded Paris, the risqué city of the time, Cole Porter, James Joyce, Coco Chanel to name a few but why the author had to add these celebrities seems so unnecessary.
Etta is in Paris to sell her forged paintings under her husband’s name who is in prison accused of murdering his former mentally ill wife; Cecelia (Celie) is married to a man she doesn't love, the love of her life, a German had returned to Germany, while Cecelia and her husband have moved to Alberta, Canada to take up farming from the land allotted to them by the Canadian government, (returned soldiers) and for which neither have any farming experience; Jessie is running a health clinic in Cairo, married to a Muslim which brings all sorts of conflict when Christina, the girls’ mother arrives in Egypt after Jessie has a baby. Christina, mother; the fourth element of this story is forced to face up to her past for which Etta, having recently acquired this knowledge, threatens to divulge the secret to Cecelia, the sister the secret is about.
Etta is in Paris to sell her forged paintings under her husband’s name who is in prison accused of murdering his former mentally ill wife; Cecelia (Celie) is married to a man she doesn't love, the love of her life, a German had returned to Germany, while Cecelia and her husband have moved to Alberta, Canada to take up farming from the land allotted to them by the Canadian government, (returned soldiers) and for which neither have any farming experience; Jessie is running a health clinic in Cairo, married to a Muslim which brings all sorts of conflict when Christina, the girls’ mother arrives in Egypt after Jessie has a baby. Christina, mother; the fourth element of this story is forced to face up to her past for which Etta, having recently acquired this knowledge, threatens to divulge the secret to Cecelia, the sister the secret is about.
February 4, 2023
The Paris Sister picks up directly after book 1 with the three Fry sisters married and scattered around the globe, leaving their mother, Christina, back in London with the family housekeeper.
The story covers almost a decade, from the end of The Great War to The Depression of 1929. It’s told through alternating chapters of the sisters and their mother, as well as through correspondence between them.
Love in a Time of War ended with Christina’s secret – one that could devastate her daughters, Celie, in particular – at risk of being exposed. She must surely hope that since the three sisters are so far away, that secret will remain buried. But that hope is about to be dashed, and whether she can maintain the lie – for that is what it is – is a dominant thread that moves the plot forward, challenges relationships, and creates even more turmoil.
Of the three sisters, I really liked, and felt for Celie. She has married Frank and emigrated to Canada, learning all too late that the love of her life, Max, is not dead after all. Celie, however, is a strong woman, determined to stay in her marriage, come what may. (And with Frank’s mood swings and not a little misogyny in his attitude to women working, she has more than enough to contend with.) Thankfully, she is blessed with a best friend, Mavis, who ensures that Celie does not succumb to a life of cooking, cleaning and motherhood, as Frank would have her do. Instead, Mavis encourages and helps Celie to be her own woman in so many ways. Without Mavis, Celie would have struggled more to stand by Frank. You might wonder whether that friendship – as wonderful and supportive as it seems – has actually held her back, more a curse than a blessing!
Jessie is another of my favourites, now in Egypt with her wonderful husband, Aziz, she has to tread an altogether different path, primarily because of his mother, Layla. Jessie understands, and witnesses first-hand, the limitations for women in Muslim society, and she doesn’t want that for their daughter. This raises tensions with Layla who tries to impose her will on Jessie and Aziz. Fortunately, Aziz backs his wife, although he does seem to be putting off some key decisions, mainly which religion they will raise her under. This topic is a hot potato, made even more difficult when Layla meets Jessie’s mother, Christina. The two grandmothers want different things, and are not above using sneaky tactics to get their way. It’s deliciously entertaining to see them spar with each other. Prepare to race through those scenes; you won’t want to put the book down. Their rivalry and one-upmanship puts the political debate of the time (over Suez, and British rule in Egypt) firmly in the shade.
Etta, the third sister, and Jessie’s fraternal twin, is, however, the black sheep of the family. She eloped with Carlo, intending to wed, only to find he was already married. When he is subsequently charged with his wife’s murder, they are separated, he in jail and Etta living with her rebellious daughter and Stephania on the beautiful island of Capri. It’s not a life Etta enjoys, and she spends a lot of her time in Paris, selling her husband’s art work to fund legal costs to get him released. However, the Roaring 20s are here, and Etta is mixing in circles where partying is the main activity. Etta comes across as thoughtless (especially in relation to her family) frivolous and unlikeable, putting herself before everyone and everything. When family members try to help, she digs in further, making matters worse.
Christina, their mother, interacts with them via correspondence, though she does visit Jessie, but has her own problems in the form of a blackmailing relative, and a long-lost love that she cannot resist. Together, the lives of the four women makes for fascinating reading, the pace picking up greatly towards the end in preparation for the third in the series. The story is open-ended as a result, with a cliffhanger that has me eagerly awaiting book three.
The story covers almost a decade, from the end of The Great War to The Depression of 1929. It’s told through alternating chapters of the sisters and their mother, as well as through correspondence between them.
Love in a Time of War ended with Christina’s secret – one that could devastate her daughters, Celie, in particular – at risk of being exposed. She must surely hope that since the three sisters are so far away, that secret will remain buried. But that hope is about to be dashed, and whether she can maintain the lie – for that is what it is – is a dominant thread that moves the plot forward, challenges relationships, and creates even more turmoil.
Of the three sisters, I really liked, and felt for Celie. She has married Frank and emigrated to Canada, learning all too late that the love of her life, Max, is not dead after all. Celie, however, is a strong woman, determined to stay in her marriage, come what may. (And with Frank’s mood swings and not a little misogyny in his attitude to women working, she has more than enough to contend with.) Thankfully, she is blessed with a best friend, Mavis, who ensures that Celie does not succumb to a life of cooking, cleaning and motherhood, as Frank would have her do. Instead, Mavis encourages and helps Celie to be her own woman in so many ways. Without Mavis, Celie would have struggled more to stand by Frank. You might wonder whether that friendship – as wonderful and supportive as it seems – has actually held her back, more a curse than a blessing!
Jessie is another of my favourites, now in Egypt with her wonderful husband, Aziz, she has to tread an altogether different path, primarily because of his mother, Layla. Jessie understands, and witnesses first-hand, the limitations for women in Muslim society, and she doesn’t want that for their daughter. This raises tensions with Layla who tries to impose her will on Jessie and Aziz. Fortunately, Aziz backs his wife, although he does seem to be putting off some key decisions, mainly which religion they will raise her under. This topic is a hot potato, made even more difficult when Layla meets Jessie’s mother, Christina. The two grandmothers want different things, and are not above using sneaky tactics to get their way. It’s deliciously entertaining to see them spar with each other. Prepare to race through those scenes; you won’t want to put the book down. Their rivalry and one-upmanship puts the political debate of the time (over Suez, and British rule in Egypt) firmly in the shade.
Etta, the third sister, and Jessie’s fraternal twin, is, however, the black sheep of the family. She eloped with Carlo, intending to wed, only to find he was already married. When he is subsequently charged with his wife’s murder, they are separated, he in jail and Etta living with her rebellious daughter and Stephania on the beautiful island of Capri. It’s not a life Etta enjoys, and she spends a lot of her time in Paris, selling her husband’s art work to fund legal costs to get him released. However, the Roaring 20s are here, and Etta is mixing in circles where partying is the main activity. Etta comes across as thoughtless (especially in relation to her family) frivolous and unlikeable, putting herself before everyone and everything. When family members try to help, she digs in further, making matters worse.
Christina, their mother, interacts with them via correspondence, though she does visit Jessie, but has her own problems in the form of a blackmailing relative, and a long-lost love that she cannot resist. Together, the lives of the four women makes for fascinating reading, the pace picking up greatly towards the end in preparation for the third in the series. The story is open-ended as a result, with a cliffhanger that has me eagerly awaiting book three.
February 6, 2023
Once again, the author has produced a book that totally captivated me – a substantial read, but one in which I was totally immersed throughout in the lives of Christina and her three daughters, scattered across the globe, each facing their own trials and tribulations, all set against a richly drawn historical and social backdrop extending from the end of WW1, through the Roaring Twenties, and ending with the Great Depression.
The Paris sister of the title is Etta – always the flighty one, she’s now a mother living with family in Capri, her desperate need for money driving her to travel to Paris – initially to raise money by selling her now notorious husband’s paintings but getting caught up in the vibrant social scene, neglecting her original plans and her many obligations. Her twin, Jessie, runs a clinic for the disadvantaged in politically turbulent Cairo – married to her Egyptian doctor husband Aziz she hopes for her own career in medicine, struggles with her relationship with traditional mother-in-law Layla, but has a strong yearning to be a mother. The eldest daughter Celie is married to Frank, and travels to Alberta where they eke out a life on the land, starting a wheat farm – where, after the romance of her youth and her involvement with social change during the war years, she finds it particularly difficult to cope with the constraints of life as a housewife and mother. And, back in London, mother Christina revisits a liaison from her past with the threat that a long-held secret is in danger of being revealed.
Just this once, I really mustn’t tell any more of the story – the author does it so much better, following the lives of all four women and telling it from their separate viewpoints (but always cleverly maintaining the connection between them), and each of the four intertwined storylines was simply wonderful. The research that went into such a vivid recreation of both the era and the locations must have been immense – and I especially enjoyed the blending of fiction with fact as the sisters variously encounter the likes of F. Scott Fitzgerald (and the vibrant Zelda), Ernest Hemingway, and Lady Evelyn Herbert, all brought to life on the page. There’s romance aplenty, a focus on motherhood and the bonds of family, strong friendships, a sure touch with all the varied emotional content, fascinating historical detail that never weighs down the story, many moments of drama and intrigue and people behaving badly – and the wider supporting cast is every bit as well drawn as the principal characters. And the story-telling itself is just fantastic, perfectly paced, picking up momentum as the end grew closer – I flew through this book’s close to 500 pages in a couple of sittings, unable to tear myself away.
Could you start the series with this one, the second book? Yes, I think you could – there’s just enough catching up with the back story to make that comfortable. And as was the case in the first book of the series, the ending leaves a number of intriguing threads open, ready for the next instalment – and it’s one I’ll most certainly be eagerly awaiting. The publishers have called this book “an epic sweeping historical novel perfect for fans of Lucinda Riley” – and that certainly sums it up for me. Just wonderful – I loved it.
The Paris sister of the title is Etta – always the flighty one, she’s now a mother living with family in Capri, her desperate need for money driving her to travel to Paris – initially to raise money by selling her now notorious husband’s paintings but getting caught up in the vibrant social scene, neglecting her original plans and her many obligations. Her twin, Jessie, runs a clinic for the disadvantaged in politically turbulent Cairo – married to her Egyptian doctor husband Aziz she hopes for her own career in medicine, struggles with her relationship with traditional mother-in-law Layla, but has a strong yearning to be a mother. The eldest daughter Celie is married to Frank, and travels to Alberta where they eke out a life on the land, starting a wheat farm – where, after the romance of her youth and her involvement with social change during the war years, she finds it particularly difficult to cope with the constraints of life as a housewife and mother. And, back in London, mother Christina revisits a liaison from her past with the threat that a long-held secret is in danger of being revealed.
Just this once, I really mustn’t tell any more of the story – the author does it so much better, following the lives of all four women and telling it from their separate viewpoints (but always cleverly maintaining the connection between them), and each of the four intertwined storylines was simply wonderful. The research that went into such a vivid recreation of both the era and the locations must have been immense – and I especially enjoyed the blending of fiction with fact as the sisters variously encounter the likes of F. Scott Fitzgerald (and the vibrant Zelda), Ernest Hemingway, and Lady Evelyn Herbert, all brought to life on the page. There’s romance aplenty, a focus on motherhood and the bonds of family, strong friendships, a sure touch with all the varied emotional content, fascinating historical detail that never weighs down the story, many moments of drama and intrigue and people behaving badly – and the wider supporting cast is every bit as well drawn as the principal characters. And the story-telling itself is just fantastic, perfectly paced, picking up momentum as the end grew closer – I flew through this book’s close to 500 pages in a couple of sittings, unable to tear myself away.
Could you start the series with this one, the second book? Yes, I think you could – there’s just enough catching up with the back story to make that comfortable. And as was the case in the first book of the series, the ending leaves a number of intriguing threads open, ready for the next instalment – and it’s one I’ll most certainly be eagerly awaiting. The publishers have called this book “an epic sweeping historical novel perfect for fans of Lucinda Riley” – and that certainly sums it up for me. Just wonderful – I loved it.
February 11, 2023
Although this is book 2 of a series, there is enough detail that a new reader doesn’t feel lost. In chapters that alternate the story of each sister and their mother, the novel follows the characters during the Roaring 20’s, each very different and living in far-flung parts of the globe. The “Paris sister,” Etta, is married to Carlos Maranetti, an Italian artist imprisoned for supposedly murdering his first wife. Etta, who ran away to Capri to be with Carlos, travels frequently back and forth to Paris to sell his works in an attempt to accumulate enough money to hire (and bribe) lawyers and politicians to secure her husband’s release. But as the supply of available paintings dwindles, Etta takes the risk of passing of her own paintings (which the unknowing Paris dealer thinks superior to her husband’s earlier work) off as her famous husband’s to keep the sales coming. While in Paris, she falls in with the beautiful decadent set, rubbing shoulders with Sylvia Beach, Hemingway and Hadley, F Scott Fitzgerald and Zelda, who becomes a good friend who encourages Etta to linger and enjoy the hedonistic pleasures of Paris. Meanwhile, on Capri, her long-suffering aunt tries to keep her wild daughter under control.
Quiet Celie has emigrated to Alberta, Canada, with her husband Frank, a good, solid man—but not the one who holds her heart. She hopes their new daughter and their work establishing the wheat farm will fulfill the emptiness left when she abandoned her work as a journalist and photographer, a career her husband emphatically does not want her to continue. But her talent and the encouragement of a Canadian friend mean that she cannot forever deny this part of who she is.
Sister Jessie lives in Cairo with her husband Dr. Aziz Khalid, and with his sister’s help, runs a clinic for the indigent, much to the disapproval of her Egyptian mother-in-law, who wants her to focus of having babies—something both Jessie and Aziz desperately want but which has not happened. Even worse, it’s Jessie’s dream to become a doctor, a goal her husband supports but his family bitterly opposes. In addition to family unrest, Egypt is seething with dissent, more and more young people, her sister-in-law included, wanting an end to English colonial rule.
Though letters and narrative, we follow the sisters as they make choices that will upend marriages and redirect the course of their lives, while their mother must deal with the possible emergence of an old scandal that could change forever the relationship between her daughters.
This is a detailed and leisurely read which might not be appreciated by those who prefer a fast-paced story. But for those who love a long and richly nuaned story, Chinn’s novel is sure to delight. Thanks to Netgalley and Harper Collins for a chance to read this ARC.
Quiet Celie has emigrated to Alberta, Canada, with her husband Frank, a good, solid man—but not the one who holds her heart. She hopes their new daughter and their work establishing the wheat farm will fulfill the emptiness left when she abandoned her work as a journalist and photographer, a career her husband emphatically does not want her to continue. But her talent and the encouragement of a Canadian friend mean that she cannot forever deny this part of who she is.
Sister Jessie lives in Cairo with her husband Dr. Aziz Khalid, and with his sister’s help, runs a clinic for the indigent, much to the disapproval of her Egyptian mother-in-law, who wants her to focus of having babies—something both Jessie and Aziz desperately want but which has not happened. Even worse, it’s Jessie’s dream to become a doctor, a goal her husband supports but his family bitterly opposes. In addition to family unrest, Egypt is seething with dissent, more and more young people, her sister-in-law included, wanting an end to English colonial rule.
Though letters and narrative, we follow the sisters as they make choices that will upend marriages and redirect the course of their lives, while their mother must deal with the possible emergence of an old scandal that could change forever the relationship between her daughters.
This is a detailed and leisurely read which might not be appreciated by those who prefer a fast-paced story. But for those who love a long and richly nuaned story, Chinn’s novel is sure to delight. Thanks to Netgalley and Harper Collins for a chance to read this ARC.
January 6, 2023
Loved this book and the series!! I can't wait for the next one. The three Fry sisters definitely live adventurous lives. Celie is now in Canada, trying to start a farm with her husband Frank. Frank only wants her to be a wife and mother. Celie is with the wrong man. I'm hoping she will be reunited with Max. The only good thing to come out of Canada is her friendship with Mavis. Jessie is still living in Cairo and constantly battling her mother-in-law. I love the relationship she has with Aziz. I felt bad for Aziz when he had to live with both Layla and Christina. Living with Layla is bad enough, then add another strong , opinionated woman to the mix. Then there is Etta. Instead of staying in Italy and taking care of her daughter, she spent most of her time in Paris, spending money, partying and forgetting about her responsibilities. Etta is the sister I liked the least. Everything is about her. She doesn't care that her daughter is running wild at home or that she has her eighty year old cousin looking after Adriana. She is completely selfish. Once again she needs someone to come to her rescue. Loved that Adriana smuggled Alice onto the ferry. I don't think Adriana is going to enjoy her time in England. Was Carlo and Etta's relationship doomed from the start? Nothing has been easy for them. Something always happens to keep them apart. Christina is a force to be reckoned with. I'm sure she will get her family house back somehow. I wished the chapters about the sisters were longer (except Etta) and I would have loved to read more about was happening in their lives. At times, it felt like little glimpses and the chapter would be over. I enjoyed that the chapters alternated between the sisters and their mother. All around I LOVED this book and can't wait to see what's next for the family. Everyone needs a cousin Stefania. She's always there to help, but she spoke her mind to Etta. Although, Etta rarely listens.
Definitely recommend the book. Loved the characters, story and writing style. I was so sad when it ended. I wanted to keep reading about the Fry sisters. I felt like I was part of their family and got to know everyone so well. I can't wait until the next book in the series. Look forward to reading more books by the author.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from HarperCollins UK, One More Chapter through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
Definitely recommend the book. Loved the characters, story and writing style. I was so sad when it ended. I wanted to keep reading about the Fry sisters. I felt like I was part of their family and got to know everyone so well. I can't wait until the next book in the series. Look forward to reading more books by the author.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from HarperCollins UK, One More Chapter through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
January 6, 2023
The Paris Sister is the second in the lovely The Three Fry Sisters trilogy and it is as beautiful and engrossing as the first. Set starting in the 1920s (what a fascinating era to read about!) with so many changes to the world...and also disasters. In her fifties, Christina is the mother of three very different women. While her heart grows heavy for her daughters' problems, she is no stranger to heartaches of her own. Her past simmers below the surface and bits of it escape to the top whether she wants them to or not.
Etta grew bored of her quiet life on Capri and was enticed to the brightness and glamour of Paris. However, she didn't take everything with her to her new life. But she often lived as one without a past, partying, meeting the crème de la crème people of the day such as Hemingway and Fitzgerald.
Celie and her husband whose love for her was unrequited made the long journey to Alberta, Canada, where conditions were harsh, especially in the winter. She was ill prepared but was determined to make the best of it. To a point. Their darling daughter united them in joy but there were underpinnings of sorrow and longing.
Jessie passionately ran a medical clinic in Egypt with her husband. But cultural and religious beliefs were pronounced, especially when it came to women, marriage and children. Her mother in law constantly reminded her of her duties.
Christina and her daughters in a sense all escaped problems with a spirit of adventure but encountered fresh ones. They all struggled. This story outlines those struggles, tears, heartaches and joys. Adrienne Chin wrote with gorgeous clarity, ingenuity and that extra something which captivated my heart. Historical Fiction readers, do be sure to add this trilogy to your to be read pile.
My sincere thank you to HarperCollins UK, One More Chapter and NetGalley for the privilege of reading this wonderful, wonderful book. I anticipate the third so much that it is not even necessary to read the blurb first. The author's name is enough.
Etta grew bored of her quiet life on Capri and was enticed to the brightness and glamour of Paris. However, she didn't take everything with her to her new life. But she often lived as one without a past, partying, meeting the crème de la crème people of the day such as Hemingway and Fitzgerald.
Celie and her husband whose love for her was unrequited made the long journey to Alberta, Canada, where conditions were harsh, especially in the winter. She was ill prepared but was determined to make the best of it. To a point. Their darling daughter united them in joy but there were underpinnings of sorrow and longing.
Jessie passionately ran a medical clinic in Egypt with her husband. But cultural and religious beliefs were pronounced, especially when it came to women, marriage and children. Her mother in law constantly reminded her of her duties.
Christina and her daughters in a sense all escaped problems with a spirit of adventure but encountered fresh ones. They all struggled. This story outlines those struggles, tears, heartaches and joys. Adrienne Chin wrote with gorgeous clarity, ingenuity and that extra something which captivated my heart. Historical Fiction readers, do be sure to add this trilogy to your to be read pile.
My sincere thank you to HarperCollins UK, One More Chapter and NetGalley for the privilege of reading this wonderful, wonderful book. I anticipate the third so much that it is not even necessary to read the blurb first. The author's name is enough.
January 26, 2023
The Paris Sister by Adrienne Chinn is a marvelous historical novel following the lives of three sisters through the roaring twenties.
The world is in a time of immense change after World War I. The role of women is a complex one. World War I gave women many freedoms but as the men returned home, the lives of women were expected to go back in the box.
The women in the story are all strong characters, knowing their own minds. They believe in equality with men and set out to achieve this in their various ways. The women are forced to be strong due to their personal circumstances as some are coping without their husbands and one is married to a weak man.
This is a cosmopolitan novel as we travel from England to Canada, Paris, Italy and Egypt, following the various characters. Paris after the War is full of gaiety and life. Italy is beautiful with sun, sea and sand. Egypt is wild, dusty and full of adventure as the tomb of Tutankhamun is about to be opened up in 1922. Canada has a wilderness waiting to be tamed.
The reader is treated to all this and more as we follow the events and characters through the twenties, ending with the Wall Street Crash in October 1929.
We witness various marriages. There are challenges and difficulties within them all – from an overbearing mother-in-law to mixed marriages to addictions. Through it all, the sisters and their mother support each other either via letter or in person.
The Paris Sister was an epic read giving a glimpse into a bygone era and a world teetering on the brink of modernity.
I received a free copy via Net Galley. A favourable review was not required. All opinions are my own.
The world is in a time of immense change after World War I. The role of women is a complex one. World War I gave women many freedoms but as the men returned home, the lives of women were expected to go back in the box.
The women in the story are all strong characters, knowing their own minds. They believe in equality with men and set out to achieve this in their various ways. The women are forced to be strong due to their personal circumstances as some are coping without their husbands and one is married to a weak man.
This is a cosmopolitan novel as we travel from England to Canada, Paris, Italy and Egypt, following the various characters. Paris after the War is full of gaiety and life. Italy is beautiful with sun, sea and sand. Egypt is wild, dusty and full of adventure as the tomb of Tutankhamun is about to be opened up in 1922. Canada has a wilderness waiting to be tamed.
The reader is treated to all this and more as we follow the events and characters through the twenties, ending with the Wall Street Crash in October 1929.
We witness various marriages. There are challenges and difficulties within them all – from an overbearing mother-in-law to mixed marriages to addictions. Through it all, the sisters and their mother support each other either via letter or in person.
The Paris Sister was an epic read giving a glimpse into a bygone era and a world teetering on the brink of modernity.
I received a free copy via Net Galley. A favourable review was not required. All opinions are my own.
February 6, 2023
Discover the locations in the novel
This is the second in a trilogy about three sisters but I didn’t realise. Don’t let that put you off as it reads as a standalone and you will want to read the one before as I did.
The story is of a mother and her three daughters who are living in Canada, Cairo and Capri. Etta, is at the time of the novel in Paris and it’s there we join her, in the midst of the roaring 20s no less. That gave the author plenty of scope to recreate that magical time and so she did. There’s music, painters, art, historical figures throughout the novel. I find the mix of fact and fiction like this quite magical and this author does it well. Of course, the war was just over and another one was on the horizon but for now, the atmosphere in Paris is warm and inviting.
Etta is part of the IT crowd in Paris and it’s a world I would never have been in so it’s a delight to share it with her. Lots of anger at being a woman in a man’s world of course, but it was fascinating to see her journey at such a key time in history.
This is just one sister’s story but together I imagine this paints a very unique view of three countries in unique key moments in history. A saga that really opens up the family and what life was like at the time.
I will be getting the others in the series.
February 7, 2023
The Paris Sister by Adrienne Chinn is the second in the trilogy of the Fry Sisters. I thoroughly enjoyed the first book “Love in the Time of War”. I was very happy to be able to read this second book. The series is about three sisters and their Mother. Each of the four women have now gone their own way and all are living in different countries. Etta is living in Italy, Celie is living in Canada, Jesse is living in Egypt and Mom lives in England. This is a post war story set in the 1920’s when changes are happening.
I love how Ms. Chinn develops her characters. They are rich, deep, interesting, compassionate and likeable. You get to feel as if you know them personally. You cry when they cry and cheer them on when something good is happening. I enjoy how the author meshes all these different characters into one family unit.
The settings of the different countries are magnificent. You feel like you are in the wilderness of Canada. You can see the wheat fields, the gardens and feel the wind in your hair. You can see the markets in Egypt and smell the spices. Italy and England are just as grand. The descriptions are vivid and realistic. You feel as if you have been transported.
I am looking forward to the third installment of the trilogy. If it is anything like the first two books, I can hardly wait.
Thank you to Ms. Chinn, Harper Collins UK, One More Chapter and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
I love how Ms. Chinn develops her characters. They are rich, deep, interesting, compassionate and likeable. You get to feel as if you know them personally. You cry when they cry and cheer them on when something good is happening. I enjoy how the author meshes all these different characters into one family unit.
The settings of the different countries are magnificent. You feel like you are in the wilderness of Canada. You can see the wheat fields, the gardens and feel the wind in your hair. You can see the markets in Egypt and smell the spices. Italy and England are just as grand. The descriptions are vivid and realistic. You feel as if you have been transported.
I am looking forward to the third installment of the trilogy. If it is anything like the first two books, I can hardly wait.
Thank you to Ms. Chinn, Harper Collins UK, One More Chapter and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
November 7, 2022
I could not wait to read more about the Fry sisters and their mother, Christine so when I saw this on Net Galley I jumped on it! I became totally invested in their lives upon reading "Love in a Time of War" and could not wait to see what happened to them.
In this book the 3 sisters go their separate ways, their lives taking many unexpected turns. Celie is of to Canada to become a farmer's wife, Etta is living on the island of Capri with her infant daughter and a absent lover, and Jessica is married and running a clinic in Egypt, while Christine still back home in England runs into a spectre from her past, Harry, or Lord Sherbrooke as he is know in London..
I just love this continuing story of these fascinating women, the ups and downs of their lives. The unexpected turns that their lives take when a decision is made and the outcome is not what you expected it to be at all. This book is just as good as the first if not better. The writing continues to flow seamlessly, the descriptive passages set time and place beautifully, you are once again transported to far away places in a turbulent time in history.
I highly recommend both books in this continuing saga and give 5 stars. Thank you to Harper Collins Uk, One More Chapter and to Net Galley for the free ARC, I am leaving my honest review in return.
In this book the 3 sisters go their separate ways, their lives taking many unexpected turns. Celie is of to Canada to become a farmer's wife, Etta is living on the island of Capri with her infant daughter and a absent lover, and Jessica is married and running a clinic in Egypt, while Christine still back home in England runs into a spectre from her past, Harry, or Lord Sherbrooke as he is know in London..
I just love this continuing story of these fascinating women, the ups and downs of their lives. The unexpected turns that their lives take when a decision is made and the outcome is not what you expected it to be at all. This book is just as good as the first if not better. The writing continues to flow seamlessly, the descriptive passages set time and place beautifully, you are once again transported to far away places in a turbulent time in history.
I highly recommend both books in this continuing saga and give 5 stars. Thank you to Harper Collins Uk, One More Chapter and to Net Galley for the free ARC, I am leaving my honest review in return.
Read
December 26, 2022This was my introduction to the Fry sisters and their mother, as I have not read the first book in the series. Although this 2nd book can be read as a stand alone novel, it was rather difficult to connect to the characters at the beginning, but I gradually got to know them (and something of their pasts!) Although the title suggests this is the story of 0f Etta, the Paris sister, it does in fact follow four stories; one for each of the three sisters, each of whom are very different and live in different countries, and Christina, the mother, who lives in London. Set in the 1920s, the Paris story of Etta, the frivolous one, rather strangely brings into the story real famous people of that time. Zelda Fitzgerald is a significant secondary character and becomes Etta's friend, and Hemingway is a peripheral character. Each woman’s story is interesting on its own, with only Jessica, the Cairo sister, happy in her marriage, although of course it was far from plain sailing for her in other ways. The sisters' stories are all clearly designed to travel further in the next book. I shall read book number one before book number three is published, and do suggest that the books are read in order for the best reading experience.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for an ARC in exchange for this honest review
Thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for an ARC in exchange for this honest review
January 4, 2024
THE FRY SISTERS AND THEIR MOTHER CHRISTINA
My first 2024 book - So frustrating... it was just as choppy as the prequel with very short chapters that ended abruptly. It made me feel like someone was in the middle of telling me everything that happened to them in the last month but they were interupped halfway through their story and I was left hanging... wandering where the story was going. Each chapter had a different sister's ongoing (I use that word lightly) story
over a period of 9 years - then... the book just ends... just like that...which often happens in books but.... this was like a cliffhanger that does not belong here. I really did not care for it at all - the way it was just over. But probably for the best as I was bored and tired of tiresome Etta, lovely but very weak willed Cecelia and their mother. The saving grace was Jessie.
I know there's a third book coming but not sure if I'll read it...I don't like feeling like I've got no choice if I want to know how it all ends or comes together - it's like the author purposefully set up the last sentence like an unfinished one so you have to read the next book.
My first 2024 book - So frustrating... it was just as choppy as the prequel with very short chapters that ended abruptly. It made me feel like someone was in the middle of telling me everything that happened to them in the last month but they were interupped halfway through their story and I was left hanging... wandering where the story was going. Each chapter had a different sister's ongoing (I use that word lightly) story
over a period of 9 years - then... the book just ends... just like that...which often happens in books but.... this was like a cliffhanger that does not belong here. I really did not care for it at all - the way it was just over. But probably for the best as I was bored and tired of tiresome Etta, lovely but very weak willed Cecelia and their mother. The saving grace was Jessie.
I know there's a third book coming but not sure if I'll read it...I don't like feeling like I've got no choice if I want to know how it all ends or comes together - it's like the author purposefully set up the last sentence like an unfinished one so you have to read the next book.
March 25, 2024
This is book #2 in The Three Fry Sisters series. Even though this is titled The Paris Sister which is Etta it is only 25% of the story. Each chapter is devoted to either Etta in Capri and Paris, Celie starting a new life in Alberta, Canada with her husband, Frank, and Jessica living in Cairo with her husband, Aziz, and their mother, Christina back home in London. My problem was that the chapters were so short and just as I was getting into the feel of the story going on it would switch to another character's view point. It felt like a literary whiplash.
The characters for the most part were well developed but maybe if the chapters were longer I would have gotten to know them better and more about the place they were in before I had to leave and visit another sister. Their stories were all so different there was never a problem with who's story is this and one wasn't more interesting to me than another although I think I liked Celie best.
Now I am on to book #3.
I would like to thank Netgalley and Harper Collins UK One More Chapter for providing me with a digital copy.
The characters for the most part were well developed but maybe if the chapters were longer I would have gotten to know them better and more about the place they were in before I had to leave and visit another sister. Their stories were all so different there was never a problem with who's story is this and one wasn't more interesting to me than another although I think I liked Celie best.
Now I am on to book #3.
I would like to thank Netgalley and Harper Collins UK One More Chapter for providing me with a digital copy.
January 28, 2023
Many thanks to Net Galley and Harper Collins Uk for an ARC of this book in exchange for a review.
I was unaware that this was the 2nd book in a series about the Fry sisters, of which there are three, and their mother.
Their mother is living in England, the three sisters are married and living in different parts of the world, Celia in Canada, Jesse in Egypt and Etta in Italy, though she spends a lot of time in Paris.
The story is told in short chapters, flipping between the sisters and their mothers and what is happening in their lives, they write letters to one another also.
I loved the story and was willing each sister on in their vastly different lives, each of them seem to keep secrets and their mother Christina has a huge secret she certainly doesn’t want exposed . The story moves at a fast pace and what an cliffhanger ending - more please.
I loved this book and all the characters and will definitely be watching for book 3.
I was unaware that this was the 2nd book in a series about the Fry sisters, of which there are three, and their mother.
Their mother is living in England, the three sisters are married and living in different parts of the world, Celia in Canada, Jesse in Egypt and Etta in Italy, though she spends a lot of time in Paris.
The story is told in short chapters, flipping between the sisters and their mothers and what is happening in their lives, they write letters to one another also.
I loved the story and was willing each sister on in their vastly different lives, each of them seem to keep secrets and their mother Christina has a huge secret she certainly doesn’t want exposed . The story moves at a fast pace and what an cliffhanger ending - more please.
I loved this book and all the characters and will definitely be watching for book 3.
December 17, 2022
I really enjoyed the first book in this triology of the three Fry Sisters ,so I was delighted to be given the chance to read this second book .This follows the three girls and their Mother who have now gone their own ways and living in different countries .Etta is living in Capri ,Celie is trying to make a new life in Canada as a Farmers wife and Jesse is living in Egypt running a clinic with her husband whilst their Mother remains in England with her own problems .The story is now set in the 1920's when changes are happening post war . The descriptions of each country is so vivid I felt I was there and the story gets even better ,one of those books it is hard to put down .I loved all the different characters and now look forward to reading the last book in this most brilliant of series .Thank you to NetGalley for my ARC.
April 16, 2023
I was really looking forward to reading the second installment in this series. However, I really struggled trying to get through it, and in the end, it left me feeling disappointed. I thought Etta's story was shallow and drawn out, and it literally felt like it repeated itself over and over. I couldn't, for the like of me, feel any type of empathy towards the character at all. Celies story was the only section that felt like it progressed, and although the other stories were okay, it was the reason I gave it 3 stars instead of 2. One thing to note is that authors tend to insert small recaps in their second novels to remind you of what went on in the first book. I felt she kept doing this over and over again in each chapter of this book. All in all, I think the whole series could have ended in two books, and not three.
July 26, 2024
In the 1920s, three sisters and their mother all live far apart but keep in touch by letters. One lives in Alberta, Canada where she and her husband attain land and build a farm and homestead. Another is a nurse and lives in Cairo, Egypt with her physician Egyptian husband. The third is an artist who lives in Italy while her husband is wrongly accused of murder and is in jail. Their mother is widowed and lives in London.
Although I found the story of the sister in Paris a bit mindless, I did enjoy the other sisters’ plot lines. They all had their challenges, that’s for sure!
The very short chapters seemed to whiplash you back and forth between the different characters but at least you never had a chance to get bored! It was a quick read.
I hadn’t realized it was part of a series until I finished and I am not sure if I will read on in the series.
Although I found the story of the sister in Paris a bit mindless, I did enjoy the other sisters’ plot lines. They all had their challenges, that’s for sure!
The very short chapters seemed to whiplash you back and forth between the different characters but at least you never had a chance to get bored! It was a quick read.
I hadn’t realized it was part of a series until I finished and I am not sure if I will read on in the series.
January 29, 2023
Firstly this must be announced as part of a trilogy and whilst it is possible to read and follow without having read book one, I do think it may have helped my understanding of the characters and their development in this novel. The story centres around three sisters who have very different lives in different locations. The Paris Sister refers to Etta who runs with a famous crowd of people in Paris whilst trying to sell her husbands artwork to fund his appeal against a sentence of murder. The story moved a little slowly for me and I found it a bit unbelievable in places, whilst being predictable in others. It remains an interesting enough historical family saga. Thanks to the publisher and netgalley for the opportunity to read an arc in exchange for an honest review.
July 22, 2023
Three sisters bound by love, separated by Distance
This book follows three sisters, Eta, Jessie and Celie and their separate history.
Eta Fry is desperately trying to save her husband's life in Capri, Italy. She soon travels to Paris to sell her husband's paintings and falls into Parisian Society and scandal.
Jessie Fry faces many devastating loss in Egypt.
Cellie's life in Canada is a mix of blessings and frustration, a daughter she loves and the man who isn't the man she imagines she married.
In London their mother, Christina watches as the delicate life she orchestrated is slowly about to unravel and shatter with complications for all of them.
This is book 2 of a series.
This book follows three sisters, Eta, Jessie and Celie and their separate history.
Eta Fry is desperately trying to save her husband's life in Capri, Italy. She soon travels to Paris to sell her husband's paintings and falls into Parisian Society and scandal.
Jessie Fry faces many devastating loss in Egypt.
Cellie's life in Canada is a mix of blessings and frustration, a daughter she loves and the man who isn't the man she imagines she married.
In London their mother, Christina watches as the delicate life she orchestrated is slowly about to unravel and shatter with complications for all of them.
This is book 2 of a series.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 63 reviews