Susan's Review of Lost in Paris by Elizabeth Thompson

When a deed to an apartment in Paris turns up in an old attic trunk, an estranged mother and daughter must reunite to uncover the secret life of a family matriarch.

Hannah Bond has always been a bookworm, which is why she fled Florida—and her unstable, alcoholic mother—for a quiet life leading Jane Austen-themed tours through the British countryside. But on New Year’s Eve, everything comes crashing down when she arrives back at her London flat to find her mother, Marla, waiting for her.

 
Marla’s brought two things with her: a black eye from her ex-boyfriend and an envelope. Its contents? The deed to an apartment in Paris, an old key, and newspaper clippings about the death of a famous writer named Andres Armand. Hannah, wary of her mother’s motives, reluctantly agrees to accompany her to Paris, where against all odds, they discover great-grandma Ivy’s apartment frozen in 1940 and covered in dust.

 
Inside the apartment, Hannah and Marla discover mysterious clues about Ivy’s life—including a diary detailing evenings of drinking and dancing with Hemingway, the Fitzgeralds, and other iconic expats. Outside, they retrace her steps through the city in an attempt to understand why she went to such great lengths to hide her Paris identity from future generations.

 
A heartwarming and charming saga set in the City of Lights, Lost in Paris is an unforgettable celebration of family and the love between a mother and a daughter.

I thoroughly enjoyed Elizabeth Thompson’s novel Lost in Paris. The novel is filled with unique characters, romance and secrets which span four generations.

Loved Elizabeth Thompson’s voice—-the vivid descriptions of Paris and its sights and sounds, and the people drew me into the story. I loved the pages where Marla and Hannah get lost in Paris the minute they step off the train from London. I imagined I was walking the streets of Paris with them. I could hear the street noise, see the architecture and the feel the joie de vivre of the city.

Elizabeth Thompson’s choice to use Ivy’s diary to connect the past to the present was executed flawlessly. Ivy’s story comes to life as Hannah reads each page—this drew me into the story. The diary provided insight into Ivy, her life and Paris during this exciting time as Paris established itself as a home to members of The Lost Generation. The author’s descriptive writing style shines as Ivy becomes part of the F Scott Fitzgerald, Ernest Hemmingway and Gertrude Stein social circle.

The relationships between four generations of the same family are perfectly intertwined throughout the book. Marla and Hannah’s relationship is complicated at best and I really enjoyed their honest, heartfelt and often frustrating conversations. Lost in Paris is filled with great secondary characters; Hannah’s roommates: Cressida and Tallulah as well as Aiden and Gabriel.

Lost in Paris has all of the story elements that I adore—intrigue, romance and complex family relationships. Like a red wine, Lost in Paris should be savored slowly for its blend of dynamic characters and well-paced storyline. Lost in Paris is a special vintage—ENJOY!
Reviewed by Susan Gorman
ARC provided by Net Galley
Photo by Pilat

Elizabeth Thompson is a lifelong Francophile with a degree in journalism. She loves food, books, and art. Lost in Paris is her first novel for Simon and Schuster‘s Gallery Books. She currently resides in Tennessee with her husband and their Pembroke Welsh corgi, Luna.

For pre-order information, take a look Elizabeth's Blog HERE!

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