An American soldier and an enterprising photographer brave occupied France during World War II to help give a little girl her dream—a family—in this gripping novel from the bestselling author of The Paris Seamstress. New York City/Paris, 1942: When American model Jessica May arrives in Europe to cover the war as a photojournalist for Vogue, most of the soldiers are determined to make her life as difficult as possible. But three friendships change that. Journalist Martha Gellhorn encourages Jess to bend the rules. Captain Dan Hallworth keeps her safe in dangerous places so she can capture the stories that truly matter. And most important of all, the love of a little orphan named Victorine gives Jess strength to do the impossible. But her success will come at a price... France, 2005: Decades after World War II, D'Arcy Hallworth arrives at a beautiful chateau to curate a collection of famous wartime photos by a reclusive artist. It's the opportunity of a lifetime, but D'Arcy has no idea that this job will uncover decades of secrets that, once revealed, will change everything she thought she knew about her mother, Victorine, and alter D'Arcy's life forever. Includes a reading group guide! "An emotional and sweeping tale set against the backdrop of World War II...Rich detail, compelling characters, and an interwoven dual timeline make this an engrossing read for historical fiction fans." —Chanel Cleeton, USA Today bestselling author of Next Year in Havana "[A] splendid, breathtaking novel, full of mystery and passion...a must read!" —Jeanne Mackin, author of The Last Collection
Author
Natasha 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 THREE LIVES OF ALIX ST PIERRE. Her new book, THE DISAPPEARANCE OF ASTRID BRICARD is out now in Australia, and will be published in North America in Feb 2024. 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 more than twenty-one different languages and are now 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.
