A lush debut novel in the vein of Kathleen Tessaro’s international bestseller, Elegance, about a beautiful woman working as a model for Christian Dior in postwar Paris, who discovers astonishing secrets about herself and the fabulous people around her.
Raised on a vast Australian sheep farm, the beautiful Grace Woods is compelled to travel to tumultuous, postwar Paris in order to start a new … compelled to travel to tumultuous, postwar Paris in order to start a new life. While working as a glamorous model for Christian Dior, the world’s newly acclaimed emperor of fashion, Grace mixes with counts and princesses, authors and artists, diplomats and politicians. Amongst those she befriends are Pablo Picasso, Julia Child, and the future Jackie Kennedy.
But when Grace falls in love with the handsome Phillippe Boyer, she doesn’t know that he is leading a double life, nor that his past might hold secrets and lies that will turn her life upside down.
Based on a true story, The Paris Model by debut fiction author Alexandra Joel, is an unforgettable tale of glamour, family secrets, and heartbreak.
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Alexandra Joel tells a captivating story filled with glamour and a bit of espionage. From Australia to Paris, The Paris Model is a fabulous debut!
The history is excellent. Problems occur with a novel based on unfounded assumptions which made the reading experience aggravating.
Goes back and forth in time with interesting characters and the real world of a Dior model just after the war was fascinating to read about.
Not sure what I’m missing here considering the other reviews, but true story or not, I found the characters and plot line shallow. Wanted to make it until she meets THE ONE, where, I guess the story was really supposed to take off, but found him so obnoxious I could care less what happened afterward. Also did not care for all the name dropping or the gratuitous injections of French words here and there, as if that would make the story more authentic.
Based on a true story it is an incredible journey in terms of a young ladies adventures and loss. Grace gets married to her childhood friend finds out it is not as romantic as she thought it would be and then learns her parents aren’t her real parents and takes off from Australia to Paris to become a model. There she finds independence true love and a shocking discovery which sends her on flight again. She gives birth and finally learns the whole truth. Incredible story as well as a path to grow up.
The book is a really slow start, but once it gets going it is really good. The story is based on a real person, which I didn’t know until I read the Author’s Note at the end.
The book is set in Australia and France in the aftermath of WWII. Two diverse lifestyles. Grace lives on a rural sheep station. But in a determined effort to make her life better, she flees to Paris where she becomes a model at the House of Dior. (I learned that models were called mannequins.) She also gets caught up in some espionage.
Grace is quick to jump to conclusions and quick to run from confrontation. This tended to frustrate me. I also did not care for all the name-dropping. Numerous cameo appearances. But Grace is an interesting character and forms some wonderful friendships.
Overall, I enjoyed the book. It was easy to read and had a bit of romance, a bit of fashion, a bit of espionage. I also enjoyed the inside look at being a high fashion model at the House of Dior and how the fashions were created. I also enjoyed the complexity of both Grace’s family and her fiancé Philippe’s family.
Thank you to Harper Perennial for the ARC. Opinions expressed are entirely my own.
Grace Woods makes a life changing decision, and leaves Australia and an aggressive husband behind to head to post-war Paris to become a model for Christian Dior. The one that everyone is talking about. He is changing the fashion world and everyone wants in and Grace has gotten an invite to be on the inside. She can hardly believe her luck!
After having had the courage to leave her husband, and lying on her paperwork to get the passport needed to leave Australia, she now has questions about who she herself is. Her birth certificate was questioned when she applied for the passport, and now she has even more anger towards her mother. How could she have kept such a secret from Grace? What would happen if they found out the truth about her?
Grace, having really stuck to herself because of her secrets gets pushed to venture out with some of the other girls. They get her to loosen up, and to venture out amongst Paris. She soon becomes intermingled amongst the higher class; counts, princesses, authors, artist and diplomats and everyone wants a piece of her. Her beauty. Everyone comments on her luscious dark locks, and green eyes.
She continues to turn down request after request for diners and evenings out with these various men, until her friend introduces Grace to her cousin. Albeit he is not of the other class, he is intriguing and different than the others. He seems sure of himself and isn’t exaggerating his wealth or power upon her, as all of the others. For as hard as she tries not to, she starts to have feelings for him. She’s still a married women, technically. ‘
As the relationship progresses, Grace struggles with herself and her past. Who is she really, and why hasn’t her mother attempted to make contact? She has not yet received one letter from her. Grace feeling the weight on her shoulders her heavier everyday is then asked to do the unthinkable by Philippe. He knows she is sought after, and she is the only one who can obtain information he needs. Information that will protect a government official.
Can she become a spy? Meanwhile keeping the secrets she has from Philippe even though he has trusted her enough to divulge his secret to her? Grace then has a visit from someone from her past, and she has to make a decision that will potentially get rid of her biggest secret, but can she agree?
This was another very well written WWII novel! I have not yet read much about stuff happening right after the war ended, so this was very informative and interesting to read about. There were also a lot of historical people that I did not know all hung around in the same crowds. Thank you to Shelfawareness and Harper Perennial for the ARC!
The Paris Model by Alexandra Joel is an excellent historical fiction that follows Grace Woods from her early years in Australia to her experiences in Paris post-war within the fashion and modeling industries.
This was such a unique book in that it included some of the experiences and landscapes of Australia and also of its residents during WWII. I do not think that there are enough novels covering this location available for us historical fiction fans. I loved reading about the farm, the social hierarchies, and Grace’s experiences growing up there. I also loved reading about her time spent in the house of Dior. It was so great to read about some of the fashions, the experiences she had with so many historic and famous patrons and individuals that graced the doors of the Christian Dior fashion house.
I also truly enjoyed the mystery, intrigue, suspense, and twists/turns that the author added to Grace’s story while she was in Paris and with meeting Philippe. There were definitely a few paths that were included that really surprised me (and that is a good thing). I liked the fact that we were able to see Grace grow, change, mature, and find herself in the course of the novel. I also really, really enjoyed the ending.
This book really surprised me and included so much more in regards to complexity of plot, and the richness of the wonderful character cast. I loved how the author was able to seamlessly weave the tale between several different time periods to create a wonderful patchwork so to speak of Grace’s story and past to show how she ended up where she did. I was also surprised to see that the novel was based off of a real persona. I will definitely look up more in regards to Grace Woods.
An excellent historical fiction. 5/5 stars
Thank you EW and Harper Perennial for this ARC and in return I am submitting my unbiased and voluntary review and opinion.