{"product_id":"9781250048738","title":"A Paris Apartment : A Novel","description":"\u003cstrong\u003eA Paris Apartment\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eAuthor(s): Michelle Gable\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003ci\u003eBienvenue à Paris!\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003eWhen April Vogt's boss tells her about an apartment in the ninth arrondissement that has been discovered after being shuttered for the past seventy years, the Sotheby's continental furniture specialist does not hear the words \"dust\" or \"rats\" or \"decrepit.\" She hears \u003ci\u003eParis\u003c\/i\u003e. She hears escape.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eOnce in France, April quickly learns the apartment is not merely some rich hoarder's repository. Beneath the cobwebs and stale perfumed air is a goldmine, and not because of the actual gold (or painted ostrich eggs or mounted rhinoceros horns or bronze bathtub). First, there's a portrait by one of the masters of the Belle Epoque, Giovanni Boldini. And then there are letters and journals written by the very woman in the painting, Marthe de Florian. These documents reveal that she was more than a renowned courtesan with enviable decolletage. Suddenly April's quest is no longer about the \u003ci\u003ebureaux plats\u003c\/i\u003e and Louis-style armchairs that will fetch millions at auction. It's about discovering the story behind this charismatic woman.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eIt's about discovering two women, actually.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eWith the help of a salty (and annoyingly sexy) Parisian solicitor and the courtesan's private diaries, April tries to uncover the many secrets buried in the apartment. As she digs into Marthe's life, April can't help but take a deeper look into her own. Having left behind in the States a cheating husband, a family crisis about to erupt, and a career she's been using as the crutch to simply get by, she feels compelled to sort out her own life too. When the things she left bubbling back home begin to boil over, and Parisian delicacies beyond flaky pâtisseries tempt her better judgment, April knows that both she and Marthe deserve happy finales.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eWhether accompanied by croissants or champagne, this delectable debut novel depicts the Paris of the Belle Epoque and the present day with vibrant and stunning allure. Based on historical events, Michelle Gable's \u003ci\u003eA Paris Apartment \u003c\/i\u003ewill entertain and inspire, as readers embrace the struggles and successes of two very unforgettable women.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eReview(s):\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003e“With its well-developed, memorable characters and the author's skillful transitioning between story lines...this stunning and fascinating debut will capture the interest of a wide audience but particularly those interested in stories about women behind famous men like Melanie Benjamin's \u003ci\u003eThe Aviator's Wife \u003c\/i\u003eor Nancy Horan's \u003ci\u003eUnder the Wide and Starry Sky\u003c\/i\u003e. Highly recommended.” —\u003ci\u003eLibrary Journal (starred review)\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e“The women's fiction world is lucky to welcome Michelle Gable to its ranks. In \u003ci\u003eA Paris Apartment\u003c\/i\u003e, Gable deftly weaves romance, mystery, past and present into a wonderful page-turner that will have readers clamoring for her next book.” —\u003ci\u003eAllison Winn Scotch, New York Times bestselling author\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e“\u003ci\u003eA Paris Apartment\u003c\/i\u003e winds between past and present, between two passionate women and their lives, loves and fortunes. Informed and assured, debut author Gable's prose is fresh and emotionally complex. Glimpses into Parisian life, the arts, and the high-end antiquities trade are piquant accents to an exceptional mystery.” —\u003ci\u003eSophie Littlefield, national bestselling author\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e“The past and present intertwine in Michelle Gable's sparkling debut, which sings of the Belle Epoque, French romance, and a few secrets that change everything.” —\u003ci\u003eKristin Harmel, internationally bestselling author of The Sweetness of Forgetting\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e“A charming read about a fascinating history and the woman behind it.” —\u003ci\u003eHistorical Novel Society\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e“Gable's Paris of today and yesteryear are worlds that are easy and pleasurable to get lost in. April's and Marthe's stories intersect, at times blatantly and at times subtly mirroring or contrasting one another. ...This parallel construction, the sense of place and atmosphere, and Gable's often witty writing are the book's greatest strengths.” —\u003ci\u003eThe San Diego Union-Tribune\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e“Pick it up as the perfect escape--you'll quickly be whisked away through the vividly described scenery and events of life in Paris.” —\u003ci\u003eSpa Weekly Daily\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e“This debut novel is a keeper. It will definitely stay with you long after you finish the last page.” —\u003ci\u003eChicklit Club\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e“The inspiration for \u003ci\u003eA Paris Apartment\u003c\/i\u003e began in 2010 when Gable's agent sent her an intriguing article with the note: 'I think you can do something with this.' A real-life Parisian flat, abandoned for 70 years, its contents frozen in time? Absolutely, she could.” —\u003ci\u003eCeleste Williams, Fort Worth Star-Telegram\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e“Love, art, history, Paris -- what more can you ask for?” —\u003ci\u003eFineBooks Magazine\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e“Vive le Paris apartment!” —\u003ci\u003eBooklist\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e“You'll be quickly drawn in...there are reasons galore why this story is compelling....A fun and insightful novel.” —\u003ci\u003eMaine Antique Digest\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eISBN:  9781250048738\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e ","brand":"Thomas Dunne Books","offers":[{"title":"Hardback","offer_id":40595173277902,"sku":"9781250048738","price":39.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0600\/7029\/7806\/products\/getimage_910b97e4-e2f3-4832-a136-d8a2d4dc4a68.jpg?v=1637824750","url":"https:\/\/pickwickbookshop.com\/products\/9781250048738","provider":"Pickwick Bookshop","version":"1.0","type":"link"}