The Last Fashion House in Paris by Renee Ryan
A few years back, I was lucky enough to read Renee Ryan’s historical fiction debut, THE WIDOWS OF CHAMPAGNE. One of the plot points in the book that really stuck with me was when Paulette Leblanc accidentally betrayed her mother and was subsequently banished from her home. To me, banishing Paulette and leaving her fate unknown demonstrated how WW2 divided families, often forever. Still I couldn’t help but wonder what happened to Paulette once she left home.
Three years later, in THE LAST FASHION HOUSE IN PARIS, Ryan finally shares with readers Paulette’s fate and does so in magnificent fashion.
The book opens immediately after Paulette’s betrayal. We immediately learn of her deep regret. One youthful indiscretion has destroyed her family. Her mother has disappeared after being arrested by the Nazis, her grandmother is lost to dementia, and her sister hates her. She’s sent to Paris where her family hopes she will grow up and start anew. Meanwhile Paulette wants is to fix the past and atone for her sins.
Enter the House of Ballard where Paulette goes to work as a seamstress. Sabine Ballard is Paris’s premier fashion designer and a member of the Resistance. She takes Paulette under her wing and turns her into a spy for the organization. In my opnion, Sabine Ballard is the book’s most interesting character (more so than Paulette) as she works both sides of the street. She harbors Jews from the Nazis but is business partners with a notorious German collaborator. She spends the entire novel on borrowed time.
The other POV character is Noelle Cadieux, a Jewish seamstress who works on the escape line and who is dangerously close to an emotional breakdown from the stress. I loved her storyline as well because it broke my heart.
In fact, while I loved all three, if I was pressed, I would say that Paulette’s redemption arc was #3 compared to the others – which is ironic since her redemption is why I wanted to read the book. (Although, to be fair, this storyline was also the most complex to write. Betraying your Jewish mother to the Nazis is a hard mistake to forgive.)
Regardless, Ryan weaves the three women’s stories brilliantly. To fulfil their missions, all three women find themselves taking greater and greater chances. Ryan doesn’t let up the tension, and by the time you reach the climax, you’ll wonder how the women will make it out alive.
Bottom line: This is a wonderful story of redemption, forgiveness, adventure, and sisterhood. The writing is top notch. The research is spot on. The only mystery is why haven’t more people discovered Renee Ryan’s books?
PS: Readers of THE PARIS HOUSEKEEPER will be excited to see a few Easter Eggs as well.
Disclaimer: I am a friend of Renee’s, but that doesn’t change my opinion of her writing. It’s awesome.
Disclaimer #2: I received an advanced copy from Netgalley in exchange for this honest review.
