Publisher: Bookouture
Genre: Historical Fiction
Synopsis
The small green chest was concealed at the back of her father’s wardrobe. Its hinges were made of brass that must once have shone, but now the surface was roughened and dull. As she opened the lock, there was only one thing inside: a letter, postmarked 1895, Paris.
England, 1895. Louisa West, a young beauty from Boston, looks like she has it all: a handsome husband, she is lady of Ashworth Manor and one day she’ll be a duchess. But in truth, her life is falling apart. Louisa’s honeymoon is barely over when her husband deserts her, leaving her devastated and alone. She flees to Paris, longing to escape her grief, but finds only tragedy…
Boston, 2015. Life hasn’t been kind to Sarah West. In one year, she has lost both her parents and her marriage. After her father’s death, Sarah is sorting through his belongings when she finds a letter about her mysterious ancestor, Louisa. There have always been whispers in the family about Louisa’s suicide—from a high balcony in Paris—but as Sarah reads, she starts to question everything she was told. Desperate to leave her broken heart behind, she books a trip to Paris to find out more…
When Sarah arrives in the city of lights, the cobbled streets of Montmartre and the river Seine at twilight make her heart sing. Then, on the bookshelf of a beautiful Paris apartment, hidden inside the yellowing pages of an old novel, she finds a note about Louisa which shatters Sarah’s understanding of her family’s past. Did Louisa really throw herself from a Paris balcony? And when Sarah uncovers the truth, will it change everything about her future?
My Thoughts
From a Paris Balcony is the third and final volume of a trilogy inspired by Marthe de Florian's famous Paris apartment. As with the previous two novels, Paris Time Capsule and The House by the Lake, it can be enjoyed as a standalone. The story unfolds over two time lines: the present and the Belle Époque, as Sarah West embarks on a quest to learn more about her great-great-aunt Louisa and the manner of her death.
A letter amongst her late father's possessions, dated 1895 and written by Marthe de Florian to Viscount Henry Duval following the suicide of his wife, Louisa, rekindles Sarah's interest in this family tragedy. In the past, when questioned about Louisa and why she was never spoken of, Sarah's father was unable to provide answers, nor the reason why her death was never investigated. Now, Sarah is tempted to find out more.
When Sarah learns that Marthe de Florian's apartment is available to rent, she contacts the owner and explains why she is interested in taking the apartment for the summer. The apartment, however, has already been promised to Laurent Chartier, an artist, but he is willing to share.
Taking a sabbatical from her job at the Boston Museum of Fine Arts, and hoping that time away will help her recover from her parents' deaths and the breakdown of her marriage, Sarah goes to Paris in search of those elusive answers, but it is in England that she makes a most astounding discovery.
In the late 19th century, Louisa, an American heiress, marries into the aristocracy hoping that marriage will allow her to freely pursue her suffragist ambitions. Instead, she finds that her life is now constrained by even more rules and the authority of a husband whose plans do not include her. A trip to Paris reveals more of her husband's lifestyle and Louisa realises she has made a huge mistake in marrying Henry, especially when she meets his younger brother and sees what her life could have been.
I enjoyed Sarah's quest to uncover what happened to Louisa while finding happiness for herself along the way. Louisa's tale is the more emotional of the two. Her death and the actions by the Duval family to avoid a scandal were poignant and heartless in equal measure. And the revelation regarding Sarah was unexpected, but a great way to end the story.
Once again, Ella Carey has written a captivating story across two timelines involving the apartment of Marthe de Florian. A lovely touch is the reintroduction of characters from the first book, which brings the trilogy full circle.
I now consider myself an Ella Carey fan and I am looking forward to reading more of her novels.
Where to Purchase
From a Paris Balcony is available from Amazon, Apple, Kobo and Google.
Meet the Author
Ella loves to connect with her readers regularly through her facebook page and on her website.
http://www.ellacarey.com/
https://www.facebook.com/ellacareyauthor/
https://twitter.com/Ella_Carey
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