THE BLACK SWAN OF PARIS BY KAREN ROBARDS

Print Length: 480 pages
Publisher: MIRA; Original edition (June 30, 2020)
Publication Date: June 30, 2020
Sold by: Harlequin Digital Sales Corp.

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.

In this heart-wrenching novel, bestselling author Karen Robards showcases the extraordinary lengths one goes to save their family from a German prison. A web of spies, the resistance and a vivid portrayal of Paris in wartime.

THOUGHTS/REVIEW

The story setting is in Nazi occupied Paris in 1944 and central to this story is the beautiful singer and performer, well admired by German soldiers, Genevieve Dumont. Among the admirers, is the ruthless general Claus vonWagner, which Genevieve can use to garner information to help aid the Allied Forces as well as save the life of her captured mother, Lillian the Baroness de Rocheford. 

The prose and writing style will make you feel the tension and suffering of the Parisians as well as the Jewish people as they starve and live in fear, while at the same time, you will feel disgust as the Germans are enjoying Paris to the fullest with lavish meals, drinking to their hearts content and enjoying the entertainment. Genevieve as a beloved celebrity enjoys some freedom from the Germans. Because of this, she is able to help the Resistance in plain sight with the help of Max who covers as Genevieve's manager. 

Karen Robards writes a grand story through the eyes of Genevieve. Robards writing is fully transformative as she paints the picture of Paris in the midst of WWII Nazi occupied city. What Genevieve goes through, I share those sentiments as the reader - feeling the danger, suspense, and palpitation as she plays her part as an espionage to beat the Nazis and save lives. The details of the story really captivated me with Robards' expertly researched story that resonated in the writing of this amazing novel. 

I highly recommend this book for fans of WWII historical fiction. The Black Swan of Paris is an incredible book full of suspense, action and thrill of a wonderful espionage story. 

I also had the opportunity to listen to the audio book, which was fantastic as narrated by Nancy Peterson - Thank you Harlequin Audio.

AUTHOR SPOTLIGHT

Karen Robards is the New York Times, USA TODAY and Publishers Weekly bestselling author of fifty novels and one novella. She is the winner of six Silver Pen awards and numerous other awards.