This is the 3rd book in the Great War Books by Jennifer Robson. It follows Helena Parr, the woman to whom Edward, Lord of Cumberland was engaged for five years during the great war. Following the cancelled engagement, she was looked down upon by her peers. After a severe illness a few years later, she decides to go to France and live with her Aunt Agnes while she attends art school. There she makes several friends while they labor under a very hard instructor. She also meets Sam, an American correspondent for the Chicago Tribune, and falls in love with him. He is from a wealthy family in New York. The story is about her relationships with her friends, Aunt Agnes, and Sam. ( )

Fluff really. I kept waiting for something to happen. The heroine Helena is vapid. Her hands are always shaking. The obstacle between her and Sam is that he’s wealthy. ( so is she). In this novel it appears to be a shameful thing. I don’t get it.
What I did like is the descriptions of Paris. ( )

Best aardig boek over een meisje dat zichzelf vind tijdens een jaar schilderles in Parijs. En natuurlijk vind ze ook liefde. Schrijfstijl wel een beetje harkerig ( )

The year is 1924 and Lady Helena Montagu-Douglas-Parr has decided that she will fulfill her life dream to become an artist. She has barely recovered from being seriously ill and because of almost dying does she want to explore more of life and not sitting home feeling sorry for herself after her ex-fiancé married someone else. Everyone thinks that she dump him because he was injured in the war, but the truth is that they both agreed to split since they didn't love each other. Her parents have agreed to Helena living one year with her eccentric aunt in Paris and Helena has enrolled in a famous art school there.

This book is a follow-up to After the War is Over (which is a follow-up to Somewhere in Paris), but this book can be read as a standalone.

I usually like historical fiction that takes place in the 1920s, but this book just didn't make an impact on me. There are a couple of things with the book that just didn't appeal to me. For instance, I couldn't really find myself warming up to the main character Helena, nor Sam Howard the journalist she meets in France. I just found their relationship uninteresting and their personal struggles trivial. Sam has some secrets that he doesn't want to talk about and it takes a while for Helena to learn more about him. And, Helena's struggle to become an artist felt really insignificant compared to real people's struggle. I mean she is rich, or her aunt and parents are rich, she is enrolled in a great art school. It's not like she has to live day for day wondering if she will be able to eat something. She's just yearning to do something with her life, but unfortunately, she's just so uninteresting to read about. I think my problem is that I like stronger characters, with determination and character. The only one in this book that actually was interesting was her aunt. Oh, I would have loved to have read a book about her past. But, Helena, well nothing really goes against her in the book, it's just her lack of confidence that over and over rears its ugly head.

There are some famous people making cameo appearances in this book now and then and usually, that will thrill me, but not even that made me enjoy the book. That's a sure sign that there is something amiss with the book for me when usual things that appeal to me fail to do so.

But the real problem with the book is Helena and Sam. No passion, it's like one of those Hollywood movies when they put two actors together with no chemistry. The whole thing is usually  just awkward to see or in this case to read. Neither of the characters memorable and that makes their romance dull to read about.

So, would I recommend this book? Well, perhaps if you are not as picky as me, then this would work for you. Or it would work if you are a greater lover of historical romance than me, which perhaps is the case. I must admit. I usually tend to stay away from historical romance because they seldom work for me. Unless they are based on real people. That I love!

I want to thank the publisher for providing me with a free copy for an honest review!

Read this review and others on A Bookaholic Swede ( )

Really enjoyed this book and quickly searched for and read her other books. ( )