The Bubbling Beneath.

Book Review for “The Paris Deception” by Bryn Turnbull. Summary: "Sophie Dix fled Stuttgart with her brother as the Nazi regime gained power in Germany. Now, with her brother gone and her adopted home city of Paris conquered by the Reich, Sophie reluctantly accepts a position restoring damaged art at the Jeu de Paume museum … Continue reading The Bubbling Beneath. →

The Acts of Friendship.

Book Review for “Goodnight from Paris” by Jane Healey. Summary: "Paris, 1939. Hollywood actress Drue Leyton, married to Frenchman Jacques Tartière, lives as an expatriate in love. But when her husband is dispatched to Brittany to work as a liaison for the British military, Drue finds herself alone with her housekeeper, adrift and heartsick in … Continue reading The Acts of Friendship. →

TCL’s #DNF Friday – 2022 Recap.

The Chocolate Lady's Worst Books of 2022! It wasn't that long ago that I shied away from quitting a book. But I'm getting older, and since I retired, I refuse to deprive myself. That means I will no longer suffer through a book I'm not enjoying. I should have done this sooner, I know. In … Continue reading TCL’s #DNF Friday – 2022 Recap. →

Good Lies.

Book Review for “The Lipstick Bureau” by Michelle Gable. Summary: "1944, Rome. Newlywed Niki Novotná is recruited by a new American spy agency to establish a secret branch in Italy's capital. One of the OSS's few female operatives abroad and multilingual, she's tasked with crafting fake stories and distributing propaganda to lower the morale of … Continue reading Good Lies. →

The Real Miss Moneypenny.

Book Review for “One Woman's War” by Christine Wells. Summary: "When Victoire "Paddy" Bennett first walks into the Admiralty's Room 39, home to the Intelligence Division, all the bright and lively young woman expects is a secretarial position to the charismatic Commander Ian Fleming. But soon her job is so much more, and when Fleming … Continue reading The Real Miss Moneypenny. →

Trifecta of Terror.

Book Review for “When We Had Wings” by Ariel Lawhon, Kristina McMorris, and Susan Meissner. Summary: The Philippines, 1941. When U.S. Navy nurse Eleanor Lindstrom, U.S. Army nurse Penny Franklin, and Filipina nurse Lita Capel forge a friendship at the Army Navy Club in Manila, they believe they’re living a paradise assignment. All three are … Continue reading Trifecta of Terror. →

Arias for Hope.

Book Review for “The Opera Sisters” by Marianne Monson. Summary: "British sisters Ida and Louise Cook enjoy their quiet, unassuming lives in south London. Ida writes romance novels, and Louise works as a secretary. In the evenings, the sisters indulge in their shared love for opera, saving their money to buy records and attend performances … Continue reading Arias for Hope. →

Veils of Sorrow.

Book Review for “The School for German Brides” by Aimie K. Runyan. Summary: "Germany, 1939 - As the war begins, Hanna Rombauer, a young German woman, is sent to live with her aunt and uncle after her mother’s death. Thrown into a life of luxury she never expected, Hanna soon finds herself unwillingly matched with … Continue reading Veils of Sorrow. →

Shades of Cyrano.

Book Review for “Until We Meet” by Camille Di Maio. Summary: "Margaret Beck is proud of her work at the Brooklyn Navy Yard sewing stars onto the Stars and Stripes, but she yearns to contribute to the war effort more meaningfully. She's angling for a promotion to the mechanic section, but she doesn't want to … Continue reading Shades of Cyrano. →

Sarah’s Second Secret.

Book Review for “Her Last Betrayal” by Pam Lecky. Summary: "After losing her family to a Nazi bomb attack back home in Ireland, Sarah Gillespie joins the British Secret Services to bring them justice. Partnered with an American undercover agent, Lieutenant Tony Anderson, Sarah embarks on a dangerous mission that takes her from war-torn London … Continue reading Sarah’s Second Secret. →