By: Michelle Gable ISBN-13: 9781250048738 Publisher: St. Martin's Press Publication date: 4/22/2014 Format: e-book My Rating: 5 Stars Bienvenue à Paris! When April Vogt's boss tells her about an apartment in the ninth arrondissement that has been discovered after being shuttered for the past seventy years, the Sotheby's continental furniture specialist does not hear the words “dust” or “rats” or “decrepit.”
She hears Paris. She hears escape.Once in France, April quickly learns the apartment is not merely some rich hoarder's repository. Beneath the cobwebs and stale perfumed air is a goldmine, and not because of the actual gold (or painted ostrich eggs or mounted rhinoceros horns or bronze bathtub). First, there's a portrait by one of the masters of the Belle Epoque, Giovanni Boldini.
And then there are letters and journals written by the very woman in the painting, Marthe de Florian. These documents reveal that she was more than a renowned courtesan with enviable decolletage. Suddenly April's quest is no longer about the bureaux plats and Louis-style armchairs that will fetch millions at auction. It's about discovering the story behind this charismatic woman.It's about discovering two women, actually.
With the help of a salty (and annoyingly sexy) Parisian solicitor and the courtesan's private diaries, April tries to uncover the many secrets buried in the apartment. As she digs into Marthe's life, April can't help but take a deeper look into her own. Having left behind in the States a cheating husband, a family crisis about to erupt, and a career she's been using as the crutch to simply get by, she feels compelled to sort out her own life too. When the things she left bubbling back home begin to boil over, and Parisian delicacies beyond flaky pâtisseries tempt her better judgment, April knows that both she and Marthe deserve happy finales.
Whether accompanied by croissants or champagne, this delectable debut novel depicts the Paris of the Belle Epoque and the present day with vibrant and stunning allure.
Based on historical events, Michelle Gable's A Paris Apartmentwill entertain and inspire, as readers embrace the struggles and successes of two very unforgettable women.
My Review
A PARIS APARTMENT by Michelle Gable, a fantastic debut novel, making you yearn to return to beautiful Paris, and all the French has to offer. From the inviting front cover, to its escape within the journals of the former owner, Marthe de Florian in the 1900s, and the engrossing mystery – A winner!
April, works for the auction house Sotheby’s, as a continental furniture specialist, and travels to Paris to evaluate the contents of an apartment which has been vacant for over seventy years. She also wants to escape her own life and her marriage, which is in shambles (like the apartment). Instead of concentrating on the furnishings, she is obsessed with the discovery behind this charismatic woman, and the secrets she held.
However, as April learns more about Marthe’s life, she has to take inventory of her own life and control.With the help of a somewhat appealing solicitor, April begins to uncover the truth about the owner of the apartment, and why it has been kept locked for so many years. Alternating between Belle Epoch and modern day Paris, the novel is quite engaging for both readers of historical and contemporary fiction. You have to love dual narratives which cross time and generations.
With April in the present, suffering from her husband’s infidelity and a bad marriage, and Marthe de Florian (1800s), orphaned with determination to rise above her status – both these women’s stories connect with complex relationships.
What is not to love about alluring Parisian life . . . Paris? From the beautiful setting, French bakeries, croissants, fine wine, cheeses, coffees, crepes, champagne, art, history, antiques, culture, romance, and architecture . .
Inspired by true events, a delectable and engaging debut novel about two unforgettable and extraordinary (past and present) women, their struggles, and successes.Having been a fan of Michelle Gable on Goodreads with her insightful reviews – her writing style is captivating, as reflective in the charming, A PARIS APARTMENT.
About the Author Michelle Gable is the international bestselling author of A PARIS APARTMENT. When not dreaming up fiction on the sly, she works in finance, specializing in investor relations. A College of William & Mary graduate, Gable currently resides in Cardiff by the Sea, California with her husband, two daughters, and one lazy cat. Her second book, I'LL SEE YOU IN PARIS, will be published by St. Martin's Press/Thomas Dunne Books in Spring 2016. Connect with Michelle: Website Twitter Goodreads
I'll See You in Paris
By Michelle Gable ISBN: 9781250070630 Publisher: St. Martin's Pess/Thomas Dunne Publication Date: 02/09/2016 Format: Other My Rating: TBR
Michelle Gable's I'll See You in Paris winds together the lives of three women born generations apart, but who face similar struggles of love and heartbreak.ultimately to Paris where answers will be found at last. Read More
