Review: Until Leaves Fall in Paris by Sarah Sundin

Genre: Historical Romance 
Publisher: Revell
Released: Feb. 1, 2022
403 pages

About the Book:

When the Nazis march toward Paris, American ballerina Lucie Girard buys her favorite English-language bookstore to allow the Jewish owners to escape. The Germans make it difficult for her to keep Green Leaf Books afloat. And she must keep the store open if she is to continue aiding the resistance by passing secret messages between the pages of her books.

Widower Paul Aubrey wants nothing more than to return to the States with his little girl, but the US Army convinces him to keep his factory running and obtain military information from his German customers. As the war rages on, Paul offers his own resistance by sabotaging his product and hiding British airmen in his factory. But in order to carry out his mission, he must appear to support the occupation—which does not win him any sympathy when he meets Lucie in the bookstore.

In a world turned upside down, will love or duty prevail?

  

My Rating & Thoughts:    ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

I had high hopes going in and was not disappointed. I loved it. Story is set in Paris 1940 at the time when the Germans are beginning to move into France. Lucie and Paul are two Americans who have made Paris their home but with tensions rising between the Germans and the French they are living during unsettling times. Paul runs an automotive factory and has been convinced by the US Army to stay to obtain information for the US. Lucie is a ballerina by trade but buys a bookstore to allow the Jewish owners to escape. Paul and Lucie meet when Paul brings his five-year-old daughter, Josie, to the bookstore. There is an instant connection between them but due to circumstances they can’t/won’t explore it. After a while they do begin to grow closer but a relationship between them would not be safe for either. Then America and Germany declare war and staying in Paris is dangerous. Can they escape to safety, and can they explore a relationship? Once war is declared I was on the edge of my seat needing to know what was going happen and if Paul, Josie, and Lucie be safe. There were quite a few terrifying moments and one that had me in tears. I really loved the interactions between Lucie, Paul and Josie. Josie had a vivid imagination and I loved how Lucie was able to bring Josie’s stories to life. The courage that both Paul and Lucie show was incredible. I couldn’t imagine living in the circumstances surrounding them. The details of the story were incredible. I learned so much about this time in history. I highly recommend this book. 

Favourite Quote: 

“I'll explain this simple truth. If I were to ban sinners from this church, the pews would be empty. So would the pulpit.”

(I received this book as a gift from a friend; opinions expressed 

in this review are my honest opinion and completely my own.)

Other books from this author that I have reviewed:   

   

A Distant Melody - Wings of Glory #1

A Memory Between Us - Wings of Glory #2

Blue Skies Tomorrow - Wings of Glory #3