Book Review – The Paris Model by Alexandra Joel

Paris is one of my favourite cities in the world. I love the food, the architecture and the people watching. I have to admit I’m drawn to books set in Paris and so when I read the synopsis of this book, I knew I had to read it.

The story is centred around Grace, a young woman who discovers a family secret so traumatic that she leaves Australia for post-war Paris. She becomes one of the fashion mannequins of Christian Dior, a glamorous role that fulfills her wishes to wear high fashion. Despite having a secret of her own, she falls in love with Phillipe who eventually reveals to her in confidence about his double life. Soon Grace is drawn into his world and participates in international espionage – a situation that puts her in danger and causes her to flee her beloved Paris without Phillipe.

I enjoyed this piece of historical fiction, which is based on a true story. I loved the story in Paris with Grace modelling for the likes of Jacqueline Bouvier and Julia Child. I was not as appreciative of Grace’s time away from Paris, which felt a little drawn out in my opinion. Having said that, I loved Grace’s character and her ability to rebound after difficult times and was satisfied with the conclusion of the book. I listened to the audiobook version of the book which was narrated by Katherine Littrell who gave an excellent performance. Her Australian accent, coupled with her pronunciation of French words, brought a sense of realism to Grace’s story.

My rating: ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️/5.