Renee Ryan

This was a fascinating book that sucked me in from the first page and kept me hooked to the end. World War Two is a rare setting for a category romance, making this book doubly appealing. Here, we have an American man and a Russian woman teaming up to acquire vital intelligence for the British.

Katia is the daughter of a murdered Russian prince. She and her mother fled to Germany years ago, and Katia grew up to become a celebrated actress. She puts those skills to work as a spy for the British to defeat the Nazis and protect her mother. Their secret Jewish heritage would mean their deaths if it were discovered. The story opens as she is about to meet her latest contact. Jack is deep undercover as an SS officer working directly for Himmler. The things he has done because of it have taken a toll on him, and he is deeply cynical about human nature.

The initial meeting between Katia and Jack is difficult. Neither trusts the other, yet they must work together to secure the information they seek. Matters become complicated when Katia's mother shows up with her Nazi naval officer fiancé, and Jack's suspicions are further aroused. However, time is short, and Jack and Katia must find a way to work together to accomplish their mission. It isn't easy. Katia is confident in her abilities and adamant in her need to be hands-on during their mission. Jack is accustomed to working primarily alone. Their power struggle was intriguing, and I enjoyed watching them work out the details.

Of course, things rarely go to plan during something like this. The twists and turns of this story kept me glued to the pages as Jack and Katia dealt with one issue after another. The complications felt realistic, and I enjoyed seeing them work through them. As the deadline drew nearer, the escalating tension kept me reading long past my bedtime as I had to know how it turned out. The conclusion was a nail-biter that had me truly worried for Katia's safety.

I enjoyed watching the development of Jack and Katia's relationship. Though initially distrustful and antagonistic, there were also sparks of attraction and fascination. As much as they irritated each other, there was also a great deal of respect for each other's abilities. That respect quickly turned to caring despite obstacles to doing anything about it. The manner of the resolution was unexpected but made sense under the circumstances. I liked the author's note at the end, which replaced an epilogue.

As this was a Love Inspired novel, Katia and Jack's faith was also a large part of the story. Each of them believed that they had been abandoned by their god. Katia blamed him for her father's death. Jack believed that the terrible things he'd done put him beyond redemption. Opening their hearts to each other also opened their hearts to a renewal of faith.… (meer)

When Nazi's occupy France, Camille, Rachel, and Vivian must decide where their loyalties lie and how far they are willing to go to survive. Each woman is connected to the Ritz Hotel in Paris. Rachel is a Jewish house maid, who suffers ridicule and exclusion from her co-workers. Camille, a pretty French girl, is caught up in the resistance by passing notes. Vivian, an American ex-pat, decides to fraternize with the enemy in order to continue forging documents and helping Jews escape.

I'm not entirely sure how to rate this book. The three points of view worked well for the storyline. However, the book itself was extremely repetitive. Each time the pov switched, the author rehashed the characters motivations, doubts, and struggles. This grew extremely tedious. Additionally, the book itself lacked storytelling. The author told us what happened rather than describing what happened. Because off these criticism, 3 out of 5 stars.… (meer)

Renee Ryan writes lovely historical fiction that has beautiful cadence, memorable characters, and powerful impact. The Paris Housekeeper does have a smooth flow and interesting characters but felt a little too long and drawn out. This tale of war, greed, grief, loss, betrayal and sacrifice told from three women's perspectives was indeed powerful, even with the few places that were harder to read due to the awful gut-wrenching things that happened in Paris under The Occupation. I had loved The Secret Society of Salzburg and was hoping to love this book as much but I did not fully connect with any of the characters and felt the pace of the story was a bit slow. Still I learned much about Paris during the years of 1940-1942 and appreciated the arduous journey that Rachel, Camille, and Vivian undertook for survival and human decency.

If you enjoy WWII historical fiction, you will thoroughly enjoy this book filled with historical tidbits and thought-provoking questions. I received a complimentary copy courtesy of Love Inspired via NetGalley and was under no obligation to post a positive comment. All opinions are my own.… (meer)

I read a lot of WWII fiction, and find this novel by Renee Ryan to be truly inspired and original. It is a story of the intertwined lives of three women living in Paris from 1940 to 1942. One is a beautiful, wealthy American widow, another a young French chambermaid working at the Hotel Ritz, and the last a young Jewish woman also employed at the Ritz. The French chambermaid, Camille Lacroix, orchestrates events, however unintentionally, which tie these three lives together. While historic events such as the June, 1942 Vel d'Hiv roundup are mentioned, with the author relying on the reader's historical knowledge, the story remains focused on these women, their relationships, the choices they make, and the impact they have on one another.

This novel is very well-written. Readers can not help but become emotionally involved with the three leading characters. This investment may cost the reader heartache and tears along the way. The ending will not be happy for all of the characters, but good can come out of even the saddest of events.

I highly recommend The Paris Housekeeper, and am grateful to have received a complimentary copy from Harlequin via NetGalley without obligation. All opinions expressed here are my own.… (meer)