This is a very moving story about several women fighting to get through Hitler's reign during World War II. Paulette, who was fooled into trusting a man she shouldn't have, seeks redemption by going to stay and work with her mother's good friend, Sabine, who is a very successful designer with her own fashion house. What Paulette doesn't know is that Sabine uses her business to cover the fact that she is helping Jewish people escape Paris once it becomes deadly for them to stay.
Nicolle, one of Sabine's workers in the fashion house, has become a trusted confidant and passeur, a transporter for Jewish people escaping. Sabine and Nicolle secure documents including new identities for them and Nicolle physically helps get the people to safety. Nicolle is dealing with her own heartbreak due to the war and finds comfort and purpose in saving as many lives as she can.
Paulette quickly learns the ropes and is taken into the secret part of the fashion house business. She is extremely willing to work, trying to atone for things she has done and things she believes she has done in the past. The relationships between these women are quite moving and inspirational.
The horrors of what the Jewish people went through and imagining a hometown become occupied and taken over is unfathomable, but it did happen. Ms. Ryan does an excellent job of bringing those feelings out and while I was saddened reading some of the story, I was also totally invested in what was going to happen to these characters.
I really enjoyed Ms. Ryan's other book, The Secret Society of Salzburg, too. I always enjoy an engrossing story that teaches me more about factual events, and this is one of those stories.
Thank you to NetGalley and to the publisher for the advance copy. No review was required.
