The last time Valerie was in Paris, she was three years old, running from the Nazis, away from the only home she had ever known.
Now as a young woman all alone in the world, Valerie must return to Paris, to the bookshop and her sole surviving relative, her grandfather Vincent, the only person who knows the truth about what happened to her parents. As she gets to know grumpy, taciturn Vincent again, she hears a tragic story of Nazi-occupied Paris, a doomed love affair and a mother willing to sacrifice everything for her beloved daughter.
Can Valerie and Vincent help each other to mend the wounds of the past? Valerie isn’t after a fairytale ending, she only wants the truth. But what is the one devastating secret that Vincent is determined to keep from his granddaughter?
An unputdownable and unforgettable story of love, fear and courage in a time of war. Immerse yourself in a Paris where soldiers’ boots echo on cobbled streets and the air is full of whispers. Fans of Before We Were Yours, Kathryn Hughes and The Paris Wife will be absolutely hooked by this beautiful, tragic tale.
Readers are falling in love with The Paris Secret:
‘WOW that was one brilliant read, definitely up there with my top books for 2018! Superbly written and a beautiful if heart-wrenching at times storyline... It’s a beauty and the granddad and Clotilde are just wonderful characters. Highly recommend, worthy of more than 5 stars!’ Goodreads Reviewer, 5 Stars.
‘How to put my feelings into words about this book... absolutely one of the best books I have read in 2018… Lily Graham has written one of the best books of the year in my honest opinion! If I could have given this a higher rating that 5 stars I would have done so… truly an unforgettable story!’ Goodreads Reviewer, 5 stars.
‘Warning! This book will make you cry and crave the attention of a mangy old cat. It will make you want to head straight to Paris to find this magical bookstore!... The most moving story I’ve read in a long while… Magical… Mon Dieu, I have not wept so much in a while. Such rich characters and vivid scenes. Gorgeously evoked! I fell in love with one of them myself. I bawled at one of the later scenes. But by the end I was smiling and crying. I was an emotional mess all round really. Think I need that mangy old bookshop cat to come alive so I have something to cuddle right now.’ The Book Trail
‘What a delightful yet sad and heart-breaking story! I loved the back and forth storytelling… The author has quite a talent for painting a picture as it was so easy for me to imagine everything!’ Goodreads Reviewer
‘You really get a sense of Paris as well as sadly the war… Really makes you fall in love with the place... I was gripped… Valerie's story will have readers totally engrossed and taken on an emotional roller coaster of a ride… A heart-breaking and emotional read that will have you reaching for the tissues more than a few times. Sometimes in happiness and others in sadness. A captivating and beautifully written story that ingrains itself in readers’ hearts and minds.’ By The Letter Book Reviews, 5 Stars
‘This book pulls you in from the start. I love the character of Valerie and the growth of the relationships throughout the story… A quick, sweet read… Overall, a great story.’ Goodreads Reviewer
Readers adore Lily Graham’s writing:
‘I was hooked… a beautiful story… absolutely amazing!... truly beautiful… even though I did spend most of the time blubbering into my tissues!’ Stardust Book Reviews, 5 stars
