Review: The Riviera House by Natasha Lester (audio)

Publisher: Forever / Hachette Audio

Published: August 31, 2021

Source: Print: ARC Paperback via Forever / Audio: ALC via Libro.fm via Hachette Audio

 

Summary:

The New York Times bestselling author of The Paris Secret weaves a lush and engrossing novel of World War II inspired by a true story and perfect for fans of Kate Quinn and Pam Jenoff.

Paris, 1939: The Nazis think Éliane can’t understand German. They’re wrong. They think she’s merely cataloging art in a Louvre museum and unaware they’re stealing national treasures for their private collections. They have no idea she’s carefully decoding their notes and smuggling information to the Resistance. But Éliane is playing a dangerous game. Does she dare trust the man she once loved with her secrets, or will he only betray her once again? She has no way to know for certain . . . until a trip to a stunning home on the French Riviera brings a whole new level of peril.

Present Day: Wanting to forget the tragedy that has left her life in shambles, Remy Lang heads to a home she’s mysteriously inherited on the Riviera. While working on her vintage fashion business, she discovers a catalog of the artworks stolen during World War II and is shocked to see a painting that hung on her childhood bedroom wall. Who is her family, really? And does the Riviera house hold more secrets than Remy is ready to face?

Natasha Lester brilliantly explores the impossible choices ordinary people faced every day during extraordinary circumstances, weaving fact with fiction and celebrating women who push the boundaries of their time.

 

My thoughts:

I’m not sure how this is the first book I’ve read by Natasha Lester, but it certainly will not be the last. I now know why everyone raves about her books and will be adding her backlist to my tbr immediately!

Historical fiction is definitely one of my favorite genres and it’s books like this that just make me love the genre all the more. I can never get enough stories about WWII because I always find something new – and that is what we have here. I had no knowledge beforehand that there were people who spent time cataloguing the art stolen by the Nazis during WWII, so I found this to be so informative.

I loved the dual narrative and found that I was equally invested in both timelines – something that is not always the case when it comes to dual timelines. I was completely immersed in this story and as the book progressed and the pacing picked up, I felt torn each time the story would flip from one timeline to the other – as much as I wanted to get back to Remy, I wanted to stay with Eliane and vice versa.

This story is based on real people and true events, with fictional characters and storylines woven in. It also is a story about two women who embodied strength and resilience. I could not get enough of them. There is the hint of intrigue and mystery surrounding both timelines and I love how they ultimately tie together.

I absolutely loved this story and did not want it to end. It is a truly a remarkable, well-researched, addictive read and I’m so glad I picked it up.  I cannot believe I have waited this long to read one of her books and will certainly be reading another one very soon!

 

Audio thoughts:

I was able to grab a copy of the audio version of this story and it was narrated by Barrie Kreinik, who did a fabulous job bringing it to life. She gave such unique voices and personalities to the characters and really made this audio shine. Her pacing is spot on and she infuses just the right amount of tension and emotion into her voice as needed. This was a great book to listen to and I really enjoyed it!