The Secret Twins of Paris by Suzanne Kelman ~ a Review

by Susan Roberts

'You must find her, my darling girl.' Lily's mother whispers, pressing a small brass key into her palm. 'You must find my twin sister, before it is too late...'

Amazon affiliate links are used on this site.  A free book was provided for an honest review.

January 2026; Bookouture; 978-1837905348
audio, ebook, print (400 pages); historical fiction

This beautifully written and well-researched novel takes place in two timelines: 1942 until the end of the war, and 2011, when a daughter struggles to find out information about her family during the war.  

The novel begins with a Prologue of ten-year-old twins being put on a train to find safety outside of Paris.  The first chapter takes place in 2011, when one of the twins is in very bad health and asks her daughter to help her find her twin sister.  They had gotten separated in a raid during the war, and she wanted her twin found before it was too late.  Lily never knew that her mother had a twin, but promised to try to find her.  Her search takes her to small corners of France and to people who remembered the twins and kept giving her clues about other people to talk to.   A local photographer, Julien, helps her in her quest.  There are sparks between them, but Lily is married, so it doesn't look like there will be an HEA.  Will Lily be able to find her mom's twin in time so that they can meet again?

The World War II timeline revolves around four friends who all work with a major ballet company.  Lily is the star ballerina, and the others work as dress makers and directors.  They all love the ballet and are dismayed when the Nazis invade Paris and threaten to shut down any artistic events that do not favor Germany.  The new rules in Paris put all of the women in danger, and they band together to help each other survive, but it turns out that some people help the enemy to survive while others become part of the resistance.  There is a set of twins that belong to someone in the ballet company, and all of the women do what they can to help them.  World War II is full of pain and danger, and threatens friendships.  Will these four women survive the war?  Will the love affair between the ballerina and a member of the Resistance last until the end of the war?  The chapters about the war are real page turners as the reader wishes for the survival of the group of friends.

This book is about family and friendship, love and destruction, and about the struggle of the artists in Paris during WWII to keep their art alive despite the danger and restrictions by the occupying Nazi army.  I loved all of the main characters and was extremely overwhelmed by their struggles.  I admit to tears - both happy and sad tears.  This book is about strong women who have both resilience and hope in the face of the cruelty of the Second World War.  

NOTE:  The Paris Sisters has been a fantastic series by Suzanne Kelman.  All four books are about strong women who made a difference during World War II.  They can be read as standalones.  Here are my reviews of the previous three books in the series

THE LAST DAY IN PARIS

THE BOOKSELLER OF PARIS

THE PARIS PROMISE

Buy The Secret Twins of Paris at Amazon

Susan Roberts grew up in Michigan but loves the laid-back life at her home in the Piedmont area of North Carolina where she is three hours from the beach to the east and the mountains in the west.  She reads almost anything but her favorite genres are Southern Fiction and Historical Fiction.

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