Jan 26, 2021

All The Ways We Said Goodbye.

                                                                                                

                     CONTAINS SPOILERS


The heiress . . .
The Resistance fighter . . .
The widow . . .
Three women whose fates are joined by one splendid hotel

 
France, 1914. As war breaks out, Aurelie becomes trapped on the wrong side of the front with her father, Comte Sigismund de Courcelles. When the Germans move into their family's ancestral estate, using it as their headquarters, Aurelie discovers she knows the German Major's aide de camp, Maximilian Von Sternburg. She and the dashing young officer first met during Aurelie's debutante days in Paris. Despite their conflicting loyalties, Aurelie and Max's friendship soon deepens into love, but betrayal will shatter them both, driving Aurelie back to Paris and the Ritz— the home of her estranged American heiress mother, with unexpected consequences. 


France, 1942. Raised by her indomitable, free-spirited American grandmother in the glamorous Hotel Ritz, Marguerite "Daisy" Villon remains in Paris with her daughter and husband, a Nazi collaborator, after France falls to Hitler. At first reluctant to put herself and her family at risk to assist her grandmother's Resistance efforts, Daisy agrees to act as a courier for a skilled English forger known only as Legrand, who creates identity papers for Resistance members and Jewish refugees. But as Daisy is drawn ever deeper into Legrand's underground network, committing increasingly audacious acts of resistance for the sake of the country—and the man—she holds dear, she uncovers a devastating secret . . . one that will force her to commit the ultimate betrayal, and to confront at last the shocking circumstances of her own family history. 


France, 1964. For Barbara "Babs" Langford, her husband, Kit, was the love of her life. Yet their marriage was haunted by a mysterious woman known only as La Fleur. On Kit's death, American lawyer Andrew "Drew" Bowdoin appears at her door. Hired to find a Resistance fighter turned traitor known as "La Fleur," the investigation has led to Kit Langford. Curious to know more about the enigmatic La Fleur, Babs joins Drew in his search, a journey of discovery that that takes them to Paris and the Ritz—and to unexpected places of the heart. . .

 

 

 

Captivating. Mysterious. Unforgettable Story. 


All The Ways We Said Goodbye was such a beautiful story. It did not take me long to get captivated by this story—this story about three strong women, all during different periods. The book's timeline took place in 1914, 1942, and 1962, years apart. I loved how transitions were set, each chapter from a different character and a different timeline. Aurelie, Daisy, and Babs all had their own stories to tell, each going through so much. I thought that starting the book with Babs point of view was a great idea, setting the mood for the rest of the book. The way that the first chapter ended, you cannot help but wonder what happened. I was curious if Aurelie, Daisy, and Babs were somehow connected. I wasn't even aware that Aurelie was Daisy's mother until later. It wasn't until later where it was discovered, that Kit's identity was found and his first love. There wasn't a moment in the book where it wasn't surrounded by suspense. 


I loved the way that romance was portrayed in this book. I was happy to see that Babs was able to find someone after Kit's death. She was hesitant at first, and I understand why she was. On the other hand, I saw the connection between the two of them from the moment they met. Drew is what Babs needed. I believe that trying to discover the identity of "La Fleur" brought the two of them together. I know that it wasn't comfortable that your husband that you loved that he loved someone else first. I did wonder what Babs would do or what she would say if she found "La Fleur." I loved that each of the women; had mysteries of their own. I could not stop reading, making me wish that I had more time in the day to read. I loved all the three characters; I wouldn't be able to choose. While reading from Aurelie, Daisy, and Babs's perspectives, I imagined being there and being in their situation. Each of them was filled with so much courage; always keep on going despite the situation. 


All The Ways We Said Goodbye is not the first book I read by the authors. Karen White has been one of my favorites since 2012. I have read couple books by Beatriz Williams . I wasn't aware of Lauren Willig not until 2018 when I read their book The Glass Ocean, which I loved as well. Now that I have read their books, I cannot wait for a chance to read the rest of their books. I am hoping that they will write more books together in the future. I wondered about the title when I came across the book in the electronic collection at my library. Looking at the title; and the cover, you cannot help but be curious about it. Everything that Aurelie, Daisy, and Babs faced; makes the perfect sense for the title. This book was…incredible; I wish I had more words to explain all the feelings I had while reading this book. All The Ways We Said Goodbye is a story that will stay with you; a book that you will be telling your friends about. This is a story that deserves so much that five stars. 


An Inspiration.

2 comments:

Davida Chazan (The Chocolate Lady) said...

Team W can really tell a story, can't they!

Jenia. said...

Yes, they can!

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