Review: The Black Swan of Paris by Karen Robards

The Black Swan of Paris

by Karen Robards

Publisher: MIRA

Pages: 480

Format: eARC 

Buy the Book: Amazon 

Goodreads:  A world at war. A beautiful young star. A mission no one expected.

Paris, 1944

Celebrated singer Genevieve Dumont is both a star and a smokescreen. An unwilling darling of the Nazis, the chanteuse’s position of privilege allows her to go undetected as an ally to the resistance.

When her estranged mother, Lillian de Rocheford, is captured by Nazis, Genevieve knows it won’t be long before the Gestapo succeeds in torturing information out of Lillian that will derail the upcoming allied invasion. The resistance movement is tasked with silencing her by any means necessary—including assassination. But Genevieve refuses to let her mother become yet one more victim of the war. Reuniting with her long-lost sister, she must find a way to navigate the perilous cross-currents of Occupied France undetected—and in time to save Lillian’s life.

Kritters Thoughts:  A historical fiction book written during a time period where a lot of historical fiction takes place, but this one has the chance to stand out from the crowd as it is told through the perspective of Genevieve Dumont who has become a star and while she sings in many different venues across Paris, she is also sharing secrets of the Nazis to the Resistance.  Her mother is captured by the Nazis and Genevieve's mission becomes very personal.  

A hefty book at well over 400 pages, this book did linger in a few places where I would have sped up, but once you hit the race to save Lillian this book really is a sprint to the end!  

I have read a few books that hint at the existence of the Resistance, but I loved reading a whole book that focuses on them and shares with the readers all the ways that information was passed to and fro and how much organization was behind it all was just beyond fascinating.  

I always love when a historical fiction book teaches me something and I learned quite a bit of the behind the scenes of a whole group of people who were trying to collapse the Nazi regime in this book.  

This was my very first Karen Robards fan and I was completely unaware of her huge backlist until I finished and am intrigued to read more by her, where should I go next?  

Rating: definitely a good read, but can't read two in a row

Ebook 2020 Challenge: 63 out of 100

Disclosure of Material Connection:  I received one copy of this book free of charge from Harlequin.  I was not required to write a positive review in exchange for receipt of the book; rather, the opinions expressed in this review are my own.