Madeleine KerReseñas

This is part of the books I inherited from my grandmother after she died. As a teen she would lend me volumes of Harlequin novels--from the 70's/80's/90's--because they interested me. I'll admit something off the top, I loved this book. I mean I loved it with a pretty fierce passion. I must have read it at least a dozen times between the ages of 13 and 16. And that's even with the almost not quite forced consent love scene that nearly happens.

I think what grabbed me as a young teen was the fact that Sophie remade herself (or rather unmade what she had become for a role in a TV show) and hey it grabbed the attention of the guy she was pining for. At the time I read this originally that was my dream--to suddenly flourish and the guy I had been nursing a crush on to notice me and be like 'Where have you been?' and I'd laugh and say 'right under your nose' with a dramatic kiss. So yeah I may have projected just a little.

On a re-read as an adult (I haven't touched this book in gosh about 7 years? maybe more) I realized that they both need a LOT of serious therapy. I mean it. Sophie needs help because she let something get to her so badly that a year later she decides to get revenge on the man by getting him sexually frustrated. Kyle needs help because he then wants revenge for her revenge and all buts tells Sophie he's seducing her (younger) cousin. Meanwhile they're both so hung up on each other that they can't eat or sleep or even hold a conversation properly.

Still I admire Ker in her ability to still make me want to let them get together. They deserve each other, though I find it...unrealistic that Sophie would give up everything she worked for just because she suddenly has Kyle. I mean really? But that seems to be really popular in Harlequin novels of this era.

"Hero"is a jerk-off who justifies treating the lady badly because he just wants her so much but you know, women just can't be trusted. The heroine is super competent and super classy and doesn't take his bs sitting down, so rating up a bit.

I must say though, a white lady wearing a geisha costume (at least it was not a costume in a package but a real kimono and stuff) to a fancy dress party in actual Japan strikes me as incredibly tasteless and if it had occurred in a more recently written book I would be much less forgiving.

This story involves Igor Stravinsky, Nazi submarines, the Kennedy family, Jewish girls and I don't know what all else. Everyone (except the submarine) on the same ocean liner headed to America from France. Possibly the last ship to be able to leave France with freedom. At first I wondered where the author was going with all that. The story went nowhere slowly. The characters were not appealing, the "history" far-fetched. I didn't finish reading it because I began to be nauseated by all the characters, except maybe Stravinsky and the boy. Your mileage may vary, so don't take my word for it.

Forced to abandon her dreams of completing medical school in order to support her profligate parents, Katya reluctantly accepts a position as a governess in Vienna. Though she quickly grows fond of both her peculiar young charge and the child's father, their safety is very soon threatened by the the onset of World War II, Hitler's sudden annexation of Austria and unrest in the streets.

There has been a whole string of recent books I have had complaints about, and I feel kind of bad because often the negative aspects make up a greater portion of my review due to the extent to which they irritated me. I consider Gabriel to be one of my favorite authors, going all the way back to his epic The Original Sin which swept me away during formative teenage years, but unfortunately this is another of those instances in which most of the notes I took while reading were about things that were driving me nuts. Most of the characters were like caricatures, especially the villainous — no subtlety. Katya and Thor's relationship felt weirdly abrupt with few to no supporting scenes suggesting a progression of intimacy. It was also almost gag-inducingly saccharine ("You are everything I've always wanted in a man"). Katya herself comes across as naively lacking in common sense. Minutes after she has been beaten by a mob in the street she is heard to utter, "I don't think things are that bad." ??? Over and over throughout the story she has opportunities to avoid conflict/detection by blending in or going through the motions, whether it be remaining silent, saluting or wearing a Nazi badge, but nearly every single time she chooses the worst action, thereby continually risking her and others' safety. Also disappointing was Thor's false choice as he justified to Katya his reasons for remaining in Austria. They could absolutely have fled together.

Having said all that, I thought the beginnings of WWII from a more unfamiliar Austrian perspective was new and interesting, and (assuming this is based on a mostly accurate timeline) I was both surprised and disappointed at how quickly Austrians ate up the propaganda. There were numerous moments and dialogue that I felt were pointed, though fitting, warnings for today's United States and increasingly conservative Europe. I really wanted to like this book more than I did — there were just too many things that made me want to pull my hair out.

I will say this about this book, thank God for Coco Chanel and Arletty! Those two women made the book worthwhile reading. I found the beginning of the book very hard to get into thanks to Olivia Olsen, this young artist who has come to Paris to paint. She's just the kind of character I have a problem with, a young naive thing that on the very first pages of the book meets a young anarchist that will take her by storm. I was not amused, I found Olivia to be boring to be very frank. However, I kept on reading because as I wrote before there were two bright spots in this book Coco Chanel and the French actress Arletty. Personally, I wouldn't have minded that Olivia had been cut out of the picture and the book had been just about Coco Chanel and Arletty. Although I have to admit Olivia's role become more interesting after the Germans occupied France and she started to help the Resistance.

At first, I gave the book 4-stars, but after some consideration did I lower the rating to 3-stars. And, that's because I've read two books previously by Marius Gabriel that I really enjoyed, The Ocean Liner and The Designer. The Parisians can't really measure up to them. It's just not as interesting, unfortunately. Still, there are some really good parts in the book, well everything concerning Coco Chanel and Arletty. I felt that Olivia's personality was truly bland and I felt it the most when she interacted with them. She grew a bit better towards the end, but still, the stars of this book were Coco Chanel and Arletty!

I want to thank the publisher for providing me with a free copy through NetGalley for an honest review!>

It was the mentioning of Christian Dior that made me curious to read the book. Well, not only that, but I was intrigued by the fact that the main character, Copper, strikes up a friendship with the well-known fashion designer. A man I know next to nothing about.

The book took me by surprise, at first I thought this would be the usual woman finds herself and has to choose between two men. But, yeah Copper does leave her husband after he has one affair too many, but after that, her life takes a pretty drastic turn as she tries to fulfill her dream as a journalist. Her friendship with Dior is a strong point in her life and I loved how to book introduced all the bohemian artist, painters writers, etc. that are living in Paris at the time. A lot of name dropping (in a good way) and I love how Copper embraces the bohemian world. And, there is love waiting around the corner, two very different people enter her life and both stir feeling inside her. But, who will win her heart? Or rather, will she sacrifice her new-won freedom she gained after her divorce? I was engrossed in the story and I really enjoyed reading about Copper's life in Paris.

The Designer is a fabulous book. I loved reading about Paris after the liberation, how the city slowly tries to return to normal after the occupations. But, there is unrest in the city and collaborators are frowned and often roughly treated.And, the war is yet over. This part of the book, everything going on that concerns the war added a deeper layer to the story. The Germans may have left the city, but the memory of their occupations is a deep wound.

I want to thank the publisher for providing me with a free copy through NetGalley for an honest review!

It's not long ago that I read THE DESIGNER by Marius Gabriel, a book that I came to enjoy quite a lot. So, when I saw this book for the first time, I was intrigued, especially since there was no attached blurb at the moment. All I knew is that I wanted to read it. And, I'm happy to say that THE OCEAN LINER is just as good as THE DESIGNER.

READ THE REST OF THE REVIEW OVER AT FRESH FICTION!

This was the 3rd Gabriel I've read. So far, 2-1 in favor of Gabriel. This was a historical fiction set during the last days of WWII in Singapore, Hong Kong, and Laos. It is the story of loss, redemption, and forgiveness. A good read with some twists. I feel the ending was a bit abrupt. 321 pages

Willaful, you scared me about this one but it wasn't bad at all. I think you should have stuck it out and read the middle. The hero rescues this girl on a deserted island, almost dead. He took her to the drs. in Fiji. He didn't really want to be stuck with a perfect stranger which I felt was very realistic. He was in the middle of delivering a yacht to California. It didn't take him long to agree to take her and he was nice to her on the trip and showed he was falling in love with her.

When her memory returns, she reverts to her old accustomed attitude of being a rebellious brat and they argue and she returns to England. I was pretty disgusted with her at this point. Then I realized that the author was making a point. That she was very young (22) and had not really grown up. The amnesia had allowed her to leave behind her habitual attitude, (and it was only habitual rebellion and teen angst), and she was able to be a better truer self without her baggage. After she got back to England she realized that the home truths the hero had told her during their arguement about how she needed to grow up were true and so she was able to let the old attitudes fall away. When they meet again in England she has matured and apologizes for being a brat etc.

There is some condescension on his part when they get back together before he gives in and admits he loves her but that is a pretty basic Harlequin Presents superior alpha hero schtick and was okay here.

A huge disappointment; it had so much potential but instead was dragged down with the culture of drugs, homosexual detail, and frivolity set in post-war Paris. Many of the rich and famous make split second appearances never to be seen again. (Dior, Chanel, Hemingway, etc.) This was a DNF for me. Read 25.2% of the book according to Kindle.

A work of historical fiction about the crossing of the USS Manhattan from Le Havre/Southampton to New York City (Ellis Island) about 1940. Real personages were aboard: Arturo Toscainni, Stravinsky, "Lizzie Taylor", Rose Kennedy and all her children except Kathleen (who was with her father undergoing a lobotomy--true!) and assorted others as to support this cast. Good read! 380 pages I listened to this on audio--11 hours 13 minutes.

Before reading this, I saw the number of positive reviews but didn't read any of them. I didn't read the summary either. I went in blind. I came out on the other end a true fanatic.

Usually WWII books focus on fighting the resistance and are one sided, but The Girls in the Attic really showed that the war was multi-dimensional. It showed not only what it took to survive, but how we might all be more alike (human) than we are different. I loved the characters and the way they interacted. Their fiery spirits really show the readers how the "other side" may have felt. The growth of the characters was outstanding.

I listened to the audiobook and was absolutely blown away. Using amazing accents for each character that were true to the natural way one might speak really brought this book to a new level.

This is definitely a historical fiction book I will recommend to anyone who enjoys this genre.

Thank you Brilliance Audio for allowing me to listen and give my honest opinion.

Max, a lieutenant officer in the German army, is heading home on leave after having been seriously injured at the Russian front. When he arrives in his hometown, he discovers to his anger and horror that his mother is sheltering two Jewish sisters in their attic. Dedicated to the Reich and its ideologies he fully intends to turn them in, but after a few days his resolve begins to waver, and before long realizes he's grown fond of them — in particular, the younger, Lola.

I've long been a fan of Marius Gabriel and have enjoyed both his breathtaking early works like The Original Sin and his impressive more recent works, such as The Designer and The Ocean Liner. However, this new novel was an unfortunate disappointment, due largely to the colossal suspension of disbelief required on the part of the reader. From start to finish, it just felt unbelievable. Even the conversations, especially those that took place between Lola and her sister Heidi, felt expositorily stilted and unrealistic. Having said all that, I'm still no doubt enough of a Gabriel devotee to read every future novel he publishes.

A beautifully written story finding, and losing love, family and friendships during a brutal and savage war. The story starts and ends with elderly Lola, teliing her story to her eldest daughter, a story that includes how Maggie, the daughter came to be. As the story starts, we meet Max, a young Nazi Panzer commander, who is home on leave after being injured. Max, to his disgust, disvovers his widowed mother is hiding 2 Jewish girls in her attic. We discover that Max's deceased father was a preacher, who regularly denounced Hitler and the actions of the Nazis. The story is told so well and the characters so real, it is difficult not to see them in your mind's eye, and to feel for them. While the story may be far from historically accurate, it is alive and the human spirit soars.

An unusual WW2 novel, set in Germany and written, largely, from the point of view of ordinary Germans as the tide of war turns. Two Jewish sisters are hidden by a woman whose husband was strongly anti-Nazi and imprisoned and killed. Her son returns home injured from fighting on the Russian front as a Panzer commander, unexpectedly, and discovers his mother's secret. As a loyal German, but not a Nazi, the son is conflicted about how to handle his mother's secret guests. Eventually he decides they must all move from their isolated country home into a local town, for safety, as it is more anonymous. Unfortunately, the allies target the town and bomb them out, forcing them become refugees, trying to keep ahead of the Russian army heading for Berlin. The story's final stages is an emotional rollercoaster as the allies converge on Berlin. Highly recommended.

This tale, set in the fall of Germany in World War II, unpacks themes of love, loss, the Third Reich, the Holocaust, and the meaning of life. One of the main characters Max returns home after being injured fighting for the Nazis only to find his mother housing two Jewish girls in the attic. All the girls’ relatives have been murdered. Max’s values – formed by the Hitler Youth in rebellion against his Christian parents – are quickly called into question by his mother’s persevering faith and by the decency of the Jewish sisters Lola and Heidi.

Thus begins a road where this once-Nazi soldier becomes an opponent of the Third Reich. In the process, he falls in love with one of the Jewish sisters. They seek shelter together, and he defends her as Germany crumbles to Soviet, British, and American invaders. They lose everything, but seem to gain an inner sense of self-respect with each indignity. Survival amidst abiding love becomes the motif of their lives.

Gabriel integrates a wide scope of history into this text. He also alternates genres of fiction in rapid sequence. Just when it seems that the novel has settled into one archetype (like a romance or a war novel), the action alternates into something different. Clearly, Gabriel is a master of writing historical fiction. Not much stands to be improved, but were I to suggest something, it would be in pulling minor historical details into the narrative. I didn’t learn a whole lot I didn’t know about the time period, but I am already well-read in this era. I would have liked to have learned a few nuggets of new material that could drive the unfolding of plot.

Appropriate audiences include war-buffs as well as fans of romances. Be forewarned: Many dark and tragic losses occur in this book. Positive human themes shine through, but the end of Nazi Germany and the Soviet invasion of eastern Europe did not, to say the least, usher an immediate utopian era. There are periods of positivity, but those are bookended by sadness. The perseverance of love amidst sorrow abides as a theme. As previously mentioned, readers steeped in World War II history might find some of the historical details superficial.

Overall, Gabriel spins together an interesting tale full of intrigue. This page-turner should collect larger audiences of those who appreciate good stories. The book is skillfully told, and its fast-moving plot will not disappoint. Love ultimately triumphs despite all the dark that Nazis and Soviets can throw at it and despite how tragedy seems to ineluctably follow moments of human warmth. In that respect, this story captures the essence of human life on earth and reminds readers of the inner strength that can be gained through suffering.

Historical fiction set during WWII and takes place on the ocean liner Manhattan as it sails to New York City. I enjoyed the stories of the cousins Masha and Rachel Morgenstern. Their is an interesting cast of characters on board and learning about their stories was intriguing. I would recommend this book to friends and give it a 4 star rating.

I really enjoyed this book in which of the three main female characters, two were real people who lived in France and at the Ritz during the German occupation of WWII. Historical fiction usually drives me to research more about the real-life people who are included and to research the accuracy of the story with regard to them. In this case, I did this pretty early on as there was a relationship in here with one character that immediately caused me to question if it was accurate or more of a current political agenda being included in the story. I confirmed that it was accurate (when you get there, you'll know what I'm talking about). I've read reviews where someone commented that they enjoyed the two story-lines about Arletty and Coco Chanel but not the one of Olivia Olsen. I enjoyed all three and especially liked the overlap between them all. Thinking back on this, it is a bit heartbreaking that the futures in the book of Arletty and Coco were not very overly happy ones. Olivia's balanced that out. This book has inspired me to learn more about Arletty and Coco and to explore on my own and that is probably the thing that I love most about historical fiction so this book was definitely a 4 star rating!

DNF

I am always in awe of writers who take a little snippet of fact and have the imagination to weave a whole convincing story around it. The author of The Ocean Liner brings a cast of real and fictional characters together on a cruise ship bound for the United States from Europe right before WWII. One of the passengers is a young Rosemary Kennedy. While living in England where her father served as Ambassador, she fell in love with a man named Cubby Hubbard. He truly loved Rosemary in return, and planned to marry her, saving her from the sad life she lived with the demanding Kennedy family. As history shows, this was not Rosemary's fate.

I thought that was such a tragic, romantic part of her story I had never known about before. But then I found out that this wasn't true, and the man never existed! (In fact, I don't think Rosemary was even on the cruise ship with the rest of her family, but instead stayed on in England for awhile with her father, but I'm not sure about that.) Anyway, that kind of killed what little interest I had in the story, so this one is a DNF for me.

Dit luisterboek eerder na twee dagen weggedaan. Het was niet door te komen. Of eigenlijk, de eerste pagina's deden niets voor mij, en daarom maar weg gedaan. Op een gegeven moment had ik echter niets meer, en uiteindelijk toch maar weer dit boek geprobeerd. En ach... het viel uiteindelijk wel mee.

De vertelling van dit boek bedroeg ruim 27(!) uur, en af en toe raakte ik wel eens de weg kwijt in het verhaal, of viel ik zelfs in slaap.

Het boek was uiteindelijk zo/zo. Geen hoogstaand verhaal, maar ook geen boek dat je in de ramsj-bakken verwacht. Vooral het heen-en-weer gespring tussen de verschillende tijden in het begin maakte het boek wat lastiger voor mij om te lezen (luisteren). Het ene moment zat je in het 'nu' van de jaren '90, om daarna weer in het Rusland van de jaren '40/'50 uit te komen, met soms een uitstapje naar de jaren '60.

Het einde.. ach, dat was dus echt jammer. Het had mooier kunnen eindigen, maar de laatste hoofdstukken waren het niet.

Of de auteur het einde zo bedoeld had, of een plot-twist nodig had, weten we niet.

Deels is dit verhaal aan te raden, maar de seks-scenes kan je zonder problemen overslaan.

World War II novels set in Paris or London and dealing with Resistance fighters have become their own genre, and some are just awful. This one, however, is fairly good and deals with actually characters of the time: Coco Chanel and the French actress, Arletty.

The story revolves around a young American artist who becomes a chambermaid at the Hotel Ritz and is recruited by the OSS to take pictures of German documents to pass on to London. ironically, since this is the main character in the book, it's the weakest part of the novel because it is so unlikely. But the details of life in occupied Paris, the brutality of the Germans, and the ways Parisians accommodated themselves to the occupation is very, very real.

Not too many surprises in the plot, but the author is a good enough writer that the reader keeps turning the pages.

Over 1500 people, rich and poor, desperate and hopeful, were on board the SS Manhattan on its voyage from Europe to New York City in 1939. Two young Jewish cousins (the only ones of their family to escape from the Nazis), a young Jewish boy posing as a member of the Nazi Youth, and well known names such as Stravinsky, Toscanini, and the Kennedys are just a few of the many to call the SS Manhattan their home for its long trip. Though all plan to begin life anew in America, each carry burdens that threaten their happiness, with their broken hearts and forsaken first loves laid bare.

In a way I enjoyed reading the stories of those who sailed on board the SS Manhattan so many years ago, however, I thought the author covered TOO many stories. I feel it would have been beneficial to focus on just a few individuals instead of so many because, after awhile, it got confusing.

However, because it was a good bit of historical fiction, my favorite genre, I will recommend it for Adults.

Book review link: https://shouldireaditornot.wordpress.com/2019/09/03/the-ocean-liner-by-marius-ga...

Another WWII book, The Parisians was a superb read. It was heavy on the real persons (a good thing) such as Coco Chanel, Hermann Goring, Arlette (Machal), athlete Violet Morris turned Gestapo torturer and Swedish Raol Wallenberg. Most of the action takes place at the Ritz Hotel, which the Nazis did commandeer (with a 90% discount) as their headquarters. A great book depicting both the collaborators as well as the resistance

Sophie Aspen was an actress just starting out. She gained 40lbs. to play the role of a housemaid. Kyle Hart was a financier who met up with her after her role later in Jamaica.

As an artist, Olivia finds Paris to be a much harder place to make a living than she expected. Forced to find work Olivia joins the staff at the Ritz as a chambermaid. As the Nazi's take over Paris, they also take over the luxurious rooms and spaces of the Ritz. Forced to clean the rooms of top Nazi's, Olivia finds an opportunity to work for the allies, photographing documents left strewn about their rooms.

This was a very interesting story. The characters were very realistic and dynamic. I particularly loved how real historical figures were woven into the story. I look forward to reading more from this artist. Overall, highly recommended.