The Stolen Life of Colette Marceau by Kristin Harmel

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Robin’s Rave Reviews 2025

THE STOLEN LIFE OF COLETTE MARCEAU by Kristin Harmel is a WWII story centered on a jewel thief. To be honest, that topic didn’t particularly call to me; however, I’ve read Kristin’s books and know she delivers fantastic stories. I had to give it a try, and she didn’t disappoint. THE STOLEN LIFE OF COLETTE MARCEAU, a 5-star read, is so much more than a WWII or jewel thief story. I highly recommend it!

The book releases on June 17, 2025, but you can preorder it now. Preordering is a huge help to authors.

Book Summary

This dual timeline story of Colette’s life is set in 1944 Paris and in 2018 Boston. I was immediately interested when I discovered the jewel thief was nearly 90 years old and still stealing. Just the idea of an old woman jewel thief, who no one would suspect, made me smile. The story brings up the question—Is it ever okay to steal? Most people would say no, but in this book, you’ll be rooting for the thief!

During her childhood, Colette is trained by her jewel thief mother. As descendants of Robin Hood, they live by a strict code to only steal from unkind, hurtful people and to give the proceeds to good causes. Her mother’s cause of choice is The Resistance, to help get Jews out of Paris and create forged documents for them.

Colette’s mother is afraid her children could be separated from her during the war. She sews stolen items into the hem of Colette’s and her sister’s nightgowns, to use in an emergency to buy protection for themselves. Most recently, each of them has a diamond bracelet sewn into their clothes. The two bracelets fit together into one magnificent piece. The night Mother is arrested, Colette’s sister also disappears, taken by an unknown person in uniform. Because Colette feels guilty about her sister’s abduction, she spends the next 76 years searching for the other bracelet, hoping it will bring answers to what happened to her sister that night.

In 2018 Boston, Colette is a volunteer at the Holocaust Museum, the same museum founded through her anonymous financial gift. She continues to support it through her thievery and volunteer work. When Colette discovers a diamond museum will be displaying the missing bracelet, she needs to uncover who is loaning the piece for the show. The bracelet’s discovery brings the possibility of closure to old wounds and possibly getting justice for her sister. Getting answers isn’t easy when the truth is tied to old war events and questionable choices. Colette’s friends take active roles in helping her uncover the truth. The secrets they discover aren’t what they thought they’d find.

My Thoughts

I loved Kristin’s character development, especially of Colette. The writing kept me engaged, the flow of the story was smooth, and the ending was satisfying. When I finished, I marveled at how she planted so many tidbits in the 1944 portion and tied it all together in 2018. She is a master storyteller!

If you don’t want to read about the atrocities of WWII but enjoy historical fiction, this is a great book for you. Kristin brings us into the everyday lives of Parisians and includes events, like the roundups in the Jewish sector, without emphasizing the horror. She doesn’t downplay the significance, but the story is based mostly on Colette’s non-Jewish family’s experience during the war.

*Note: I received the Advance Reader’s Copy from Gallery Books and NetGalley, but the opinions are always my own.

About the Author

Kristin Harmel spent her childhood near Boston, Massachusetts, and in Worthington, Ohio, and St. Petersburg, Florida. After earning her journalism degree from the University of Florida, she lived in Paris and Los Angeles, but she now calls Orlando, Florida, home with her husband and son. She is a New York Times bestselling, USA Today bestselling, and #1 international bestselling author, and a breast cancer survivor.

She has a special heart for writing fiction based on WWII events, often set in one of her favorite places—Paris. (Her other favorite place is Disney World. It’s convenient she lives in Orlando!) She is also a co-founder and co-host of Friends & Fiction, a weekly web show where authors interview other authors.

Consider purchasing THE STOLEN LIFE OF COLETTE MARCEAU through this link on Bookshop.org to help support independent mom and pop bookstores. Personally, I like to support MacIntosh Books on Sanibel Island with their recovery after Hurricane Ian. (I don’t receive any commission from this. I simply want to help independent bookstores.)

If You Like…

If THE STOLEN LIFE OF COLETTE MARCEAU by Kristin Harmel sounds interesting, check out these books by her that I’ve read and reviewed:

The Book of Lost Names

The Paris Daughter

The Forest of Vanishing Stars

The Winemaker’s Wife

Drop me a comment below! What are you reading that you’d recommend? Who are your favorite authors? Ask me a question about books and/or writing. I’d love to hear from you!

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@author.robin.shelley

June 6, 2023

The Paris Daughter by Kristin Harmel

The Paris Daughter by Kristin Harmel is the best book I’ve read so far in 2023. Take the time to read this one!

This is a story about the love of mothers during an incredibly stressful situation. It’s WWII in Nazi occupied Paris. Elise, a sculptor, is an American married to a French painter. When his activism gets him killed, Elise and her daughter are in peril. To keep her daughter safe, she makes the difficult decision to leave her with her friend Juliette. Juliette and her husband, owners of a bookstore, have three children. One mother to another, Juliette promises Elise to love and protect the child until Elise can safely return. Unfortunately war is unpredictable. The story jumps to the 1960s where we see how people cope differently after the trauma of living through war.

My Take:

The Paris Daughter grabbed me right in chapter one and didn’t let go. I loved learning about sculpting and the art world through Elise. I sympathized with both Elise and Juliette’s situations. Don’t worry. I know it’s a war story, but it has a happy ending, although it is bittersweet. The Paris Daughter is one you don’t want to miss!

If you want to help authors the most, pre-order or purchase the first week the book is out. The Paris Daughter came out today, so you can get your copy at most book sellers including at bookshop.org, an on-line store that helps small mom and pop independent bookstores.

If you like The Paris Daughter, check out these Kristin Harmel books I’ve reviewed: The Winemaker’s Wife, The Book of Lost Names, and The Forest of Vanishing Stars.

To learn more about the author, go to KristinHarmel.com.

Thank you NetGalley and Gallery Books for the ARC of The Paris Daughter by Kristin Harmel.

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@author.robin.shelley

April 24, 2023

Sneak Peek of Upcoming Book Reviews

It’s good to be back! And I’ve got some good stuff for you. I’ve returned with a sneak peek of upcoming book reviews! You see, I’ve been reading a lot. What else was a girl to do while recovering from surgery?

Life is full of twists and turns, valleys and mountaintops. Although I prefer the mountaintops, I’ve been traversing my way through the twists, turns and valleys for the last few months, including surgery for my rotator cuff and bicep. Although I had a similar surgery done two years ago on the other arm, this one has been a much harder recovery. So, three months later, I’m still having pain and I don’t have full range of movement, but I’m working through the PT to recover. I just couldn’t wait any longer to reconnect with you!

When I couldn’t hold my arm up to type yet, I read. So – I have some great book reviews coming up! I’ll spread them out so you don’t have to rush out to get them all at once. I found it interesting that I was picking a wider variety of books, some out of the genres I usually read. But that’s great! Maybe my venturing out will give you something new to consider, too. Some books are brand new and others have been out a few years.

A new book review will come out later this week. Make sure you watch your email for it! If you don’t get email notifications when I write a new blog, why not? I promise I won’t stuff your inbox. (I normally only write 2-3 blogs per month.) Don’t put it off. I know how it goes. If you tell yourself you’ll do it later, you probably won’t. You simply need to type in your email address. Sign up on the bottom of any page on my website or go directly to https://robinshelley.com/home/contact-info/. Do it! Do it now!

And now… (drumroll please), here’s a sneak peek at some of the book reviews coming in the next few months ( in no particular order):

The Liz Taylor Ring by Brenda Janowitz, Beautiful Little Fools by Jillian Cantor (for The Great Gatsby fans), The Peachtree Bluff series by Kristy Woodson Harvey, This Close to Okay by Leesa Cross-Smith , Big Fish by Daniel Wallace, The Last Secret of the Secret Annex by Joop van Wijk-Voskuijl and Jeroen De Bruyn (for those interested in the Anne Frank story), The True Love Experiment by Christina Lauren, Perilous Times by Thomas D. Lee, The Paris Daughter by Kristin Harmel, The Summer of Songbirds by Kristy Woodson Harvey, and The Secret Book of Flora Lea by Patti Callahan Henry.

Just a reminder:

Mother’s Day is just around the bend. Wouldn’t Mom love a good book for her spring/summer reading? If you order at bookshop.org, your purchase supports small, independent bookstores. You can even pick which store you want to support! (I’ve been supporting MacIntosh Books as they recover from the hurricane that hit the Sanibel Island/Fort Myers area in Florida.)

June 28, 2021

The Forest of Vanishing Stars by Kristin Harmel

Hello readers! I wanted to tell you about another great book to check out – The Forest of Vanishing Stars by Kristin Harmel. It’s already creating a buzz in the book world even before its July 6 publication date.

Kristin, a master storyteller through the historical fiction outlet, continues her exploration of the Jewish experience during WWII. She takes a fresh angle by setting the book in the forests where Jews are hiding, rather than in the ghettos or extermination camps.

Twenty-some years ago a woman kidnapped two-year-old Yona from her German parents. (Don’t worry. This isn’t a spoiler. The kidnapping happens right at the opening of the book.) Since then they have lived together in the forest. Yona is taught survival skills – how to provide food, shelter and physical protection for herself. Just as the war closes in on them, her kidnapper dies leaving Yona on her own.

Russian partisans and German troops begin canvassing the forests for Jews who have escaped nearby occupied towns. Although Yona was taught to fear people, she feels the need to help the Jews she finds in the forest. She can teach them the skills they need to survive.

For a book set mainly in the forest, it covers many topics: love, family, betrayal, surprises, danger, sacrifice, evil, discovery of self, questioning of ancestry, leadership vs. power, and more.

The story feels realistic because it has balance. Yona can help some of the groups she encounters; others she cannot. Sometimes she feels like part of a family and sometimes she feels like the outsider. She makes mistakes and she makes wise decisions. Other characters aren’t simply good or bad; they are complicated like real people. Continue reading “The Forest of Vanishing Stars by Kristin Harmel”

February 19, 2021February 16, 2021

The Winemaker’s Wife by Kristin Harmel

The Winemaker’s Wife is another fabulous read from Kristin Harmel. Harmel shines in her research and historical fiction writing about World War II in France and this is no exception. We peek into life in the vineyards in the Champagne region of France and a brassiere in Reims during the Nazi occupation.

The Nazis are very interested in keeping the production going in the Champagne houses for their own consumption so even the rural vineyards strongly feel their presence. Some characters want to “get along” with the occupying Nazis while others do what they can to help the French resistance.

The fictional story revolves around Ines, a young wife to Michel, the owner of the Maison Chauveau champagne house, his chef de cave (head winemaker) Theo, and his wife Celine, whose father is Jewish. Choices made during these trying times impact relationships and futures. Lies, secrets, betrayal, and danger as well as love, hope, and friendship swirl around their lives.

The dual timeline also shows us Liv’s story in 2019. After Liv’s divorce, her grandmother Edith swoops in and brings her back to France with her. Edith has secrets she needs to share with her granddaughter, but the pain of the truth makes it difficult for her. When Liv learns about Edith’s past and her part in hiding family secrets, Liv sees history and her world in a new way.

I highly recommend The Winemaker’s Wife. It was one of those books where I didn’t want to see the end unfold because I didn’t want to say goodbye to the characters or the Chauveau winery.

August 10, 2020September 2, 2020

The Book of Lost Names by Kristin Harmel

Ok readers, here’s another book you need to check out. The Book of Lost Names by Kristin Harmel is wonderful! Five stars! I didn’t know who Kristin Harmel was until a few months ago when I became part of the Friends and Fiction FB group. (See post from Aug. 4.) Listening to Kristin talk about her book got me hooked. I had to read it.

It’s historical fiction that takes place during WWII. But wait. If that turns you off, trust me. Keep reading. At first the WWII focus turned me off. I like historical fiction at times, but I’ve read a lot of HEAVY books about the war, extermination camps, etc. Don’t get me wrong. They are worth reading, but I have to be in the right mood and right time in my life to sit and read a book like that. Well, I was pleasantly surprised with The Book of Lost Names. It took place during the war and never diminished the seriousness of the circumstances, but it wasn’t the heavy reading I was expecting. I found it difficult to put the book down once I started.

Eva, a young Jewish woman, has to put her artistic abilities to work to fake documents. Her forgeries need to be realistic enough to get her and her mother out of Paris as the raids on Jewish people begin. Once they get to a small town at the base of the Alps, Eva feels safer. They should be able to cross over into Switzerland fairly easily. However, while in the town, she gets involved in a forgery ring helping make documents to get others out of dangerous zones and across to Switzerland.

“The danger is real, but the book illuminates valor and goodness in the human heart instead of focusing on evil and darkness.”

Instead of depressing, this book is intriguing. It is so interesting to learn about regular people working in the Underground to help Jews, adults and children alike. As Jewish children, often separated from their families by the raids, are being helped safely across the border, the story is secretly, quietly triumphant. The danger is real, but the book illuminates valor and goodness in the human heart instead of focusing on evil and darkness.

As Eva creates documents, she has to change people’s names. As many of them are children, she is afraid they will be too young to remember their real names. She states that the Nazis want to erase her people, and she doesn’t want to be a part of erasing their history through the forgeries, even if she is saving lives. That’s why Eva uses a book to keep track of the children’s names in code. She calls it The Book of Lost Names. She wants to ensure a way later for them to reconnect with who they were before the war. Decades after the war the book reemerges and only Eva can tell the story and crack the code. Although Eva is fictional, her character and her methods of forgery are based on real people and techniques. What a great story!

This book gets 5 stars from me. Leave me a comment if you’ve read it or plan to read it!

August 4, 2020August 4, 2020

Friends and Fiction Author Chats

I want to share something with you that shouldn’t be kept a secret. Do you remember in my recent book review on The Beach House by Mary Alice Monroe, I mentioned a Facebook group I came across during the pandemic? The Friends and Fiction FB group is sponsored by five women fiction authors: Mary Kay Andrews/Kathy Trocheck (Hello, Summer), Mary Alice Monroe (On Ocean Boulevard), Kristin Harmel (The Book of Lost Names), Patti Callahan Henry (Becoming Mrs. Lewis), and Kristy Woodson Harvey (Feels Like Falling). (The books listed are their most recent.)

During the pandemic these authors felt the need to connect with each other since they couldn’t get together in person. They started connecting through Zoom for a virtual happy hour – enjoying a drink while talking books. They realized how much they were missing in-person book tours and meeting their fans so they decided to open up their weekly chat to fans by making it a weekly live video on Facebook each Wednesday at 7 pm eastern. (You can also view it later at your leisure on the FB page.) In just a few months this Facebook group has already gained 14,000 members! What started as a “limited time event” looks like it’s here to stay.

Sometimes the live chats are the five of them discussing writing and books while other times they invite a special guest to join them. Past guests have included Delia Owens (Where the Crawdad Sings), Jasmine Guillory (Party of Two), Susan Elizabeth Phillips (Dance Away with Me), Jayne Ann Krentz/Amanda Quick/Jayne Castle (Close Up)), Lisa Wingate (The Book of Lost Friends), and Drew Copeland and Ken Block (members of the band Sister Hazel) to name a few. Upcoming interviews on the summer calendar include Elin Hilderbrand on Aug. 5 (TOMORROW!), Karin Slaughter on Aug. 12, Kristina McMorris on Aug. 19, the Friends and Fiction 5 on Aug. 26, and Etaf Rum on Sept. 2. The F&F5 are finalizing other author interviews for the fall.

“The authors quickly make fans feel like good friends just hanging out together.”

I look forward to watching the live video on Facebook every Wednesday. The authors quickly make fans feel like good friends just hanging out together. We can also submit questions for them and for their guest authors. An independent bookstore is highlighted each week as the authors encourage fans to support them, especially while these businesses are struggling during the pandemic.

Friends and Fiction is a closed FB group, but anyone can join. On Facebook type Friends and Fiction in the “search groups” bar. Just ask to join and soon you will have access to their past videos, their live videos on Wednesdays, and comments and recommendations from other fans/readers. (Also check out friendsandfiction.com.) I’m amazed that with all these ladies have on their plates they want to continue doing this, but I’m so glad they do. Come join us!