Until Leaves Fall in Paris

What a delightful, high-suspense story! I read it all in one sitting, into the wee hours of the morning on a work night—tomorrow will be fun on 3.5 hours of sleep! Simply couldn't put it down and couldn't quit flipping pages. I'm pretty sure I'll reread the whole thing again when I get a paper copy.

Lucie has had a dream of being a top ballerina in the top Paris ballet for a long time until war closes in and she finds herself stepping up to take over the English bookshop for her Jewish friends as they evacuate Paris ahead of the Germans. When she meets the young car-factory owner, Paul Aubrey, sparks fly instantly when she sets out to capture his daughter's imagination and snags his broken heart in the process—but instantly, vey real issues force them apart. Both hold dangerous secrets and won't risk others in their lives as they do what they can against the German advances. And just when they begin to truly grow closer, America and Germany declare war and Paris erupts into a pit of danger.

Lucie and Paul truly have perfect chemistry and four-year-old Josie continually steals the show. Characterization is done so well that they spring off the page and seem to take on a life of their own.

I'm glad to count this action-packed WW2 romantic thriller as a new favorite for this year. Now I'm off to pout because I have to wait a whole year for the next Sundin book. (And maybe to sleep a little.)

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for an advance copy. A favorable review was not required.