Lost in Paris

April 1, 2021
Hannah Bond returns home to London, surprised to find her estranged mother, Marla, charming her roommates. Marla has a mission: when Hannah's grandmother died, Marla discovered a mysterious envelope in the attic, and the contents lead the mother-daughter duo to Paris, where they learn that they have inherited an apartment that belonged to Hannah's great-grandmother Ivy. The apartment has been untouched since the 1940s, including both Ivy's diary and a novel-length manuscript stashed under the bed. Hannah and Marla are forced together as they figure out both why Ivy fled Paris and who wrote the manuscript. As their family's past is revealed, Hannah and Marla sort through their own complex relationship in an attempt to break the cycle of mother-daughter estrangement. Thompson intersperses entries from Ivy's diary throughout, capturing the romance of 1920s Paris via Ivy's encounters with Lost Generation luminaries like Hemingway, Stein, and Picasso. The satisfying ending provides a thoughtful resolution, as well as room for all of the characters to continue their growth. Readers who enjoy Abbi Waxman and Jenny Colgan will be drawn into this multigenerational story.

COPYRIGHT(2021) Booklist, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

Starred review from April 2, 2021

DEBUT Hannah Bond is happily living in London and leading literary tours of Jane Austen locales. She has great friends and a job she loves, and she has just met a man who could be the one. When her estranged mother arrives from Florida, Hannah's life is upended. Marla was an absentee mother whose problems with alcohol and men meant Hannah was primarily raised by her recently deceased grandmother. She arrives on Hannah's doorstep with items she found while cleaning out her mother's home, an old brass key and a yellowed deed to an apartment in Paris. Hannah is unable to trust that Marla has changed, but mother and daughter head to Paris and discover an apartment that has been frozen in time since 1940. They learn that Hannah's great-grandmother Ivy led a secret life in prewar Paris. Ivy hung out with expats including Hemingway, the Fitzgeralds, and Picasso, posed nude as an artist's model, and fell in love. Delving into Ivy's life, Hannah and Marla slowly begin to build a new relationship with each other. VERDICT This debut novel will appeal to historical fiction readers, Francophiles, those who enjoy stories about mother-daughter relationships, and fans of Woody Allen's 2011 movie, Midnight in Paris. The historical mystery, beautiful setting, and vivid characters make this a must-read. --Catherine Coyne, Mansfield P.L., MA

Copyright 2021 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.