Paris Time Capsule

Cat Jordan is trying to make it as a photographer in New York City and engaged to the wealthy and hard-charging financier Christian when she receives a letter from a lawyer in Paris telling her that she has inherited a Paris apartment from a woman she has never met in Ella Carey's novel Paris Time Capsule.

The lawyer insists that Cat must come to Paris to claim her inheritance and since Cat has always wanted to go to Paris, she makes the trip. She learns that the woman, Isabelle de Florian, was close to her grandmother, but that still doesn't explain why Isabelle would leave her apartment to Cat instead of her own family.

As Cat visits the sumptuous apartment, she meets Isabelle's handsome grandson, Loic, who is astonished to learn that show more his grandmother owned such an ostentatious home. He and his mother Sylvie knew Isabelle to be a cleaning woman who struggled to make a living for her and Sylvie.

They learn that there is a painting in the apartment that could be worth a million dollars, and after some research they discover that Isabelle's mother was a famous courtesan. Isabelle and Cat's grandmother lived in the apartment until the beginning of WWII, when Cat's grandmother's parents ordered her home to safety. No one had been in the apartment since 1940.

Cat doesn't want to take the apartment, she believes that Loic's family are the rightful heirs, but Sylvie wants to follow her mother's wishes no matter how strange and hurtful it may be to her.

Cat and Loic grow closer as they travel throughout France to discover the reason behind Isabelle's decision. She loves Christian, and he seems to love her, but he appears to be somewhat controlling in my opinion. (He even goes so far as to track her by GPS on her phone.)

Christian's mother sends the wedding planner, a former girlfriend of Christian's, to Paris to help Cat shop for a dress. I liked that the wedding planner wasn't a typical vengeful ex-girlfriend out to sabotage the wedding. She and Cat even become good friends.

It's also interesting that Carey chose not to tell her tale as two stories in two different time periods, as that is a popular construct that many writers use. We only see the story unspool as Cat discovers what really happened to Isabelle and her grandmother.

Carey's story comes from a kernel of truth. There really was a Marthe de Florian who was a famous courtesan and actress during the Belle Epoque, and her apartment was discovered in 2010, untouched in 70 years. I enjoy when an author takes a true story and spins an interesting fiction out of it.

Paris Time Capsule will appeal to fans of historical fiction and stories of woman finding their passion. show less

I just finished an intriguing tale called The Paris Time Capsule by Ella Carey. The year is 2010 and starts in Brooklyn, New York. Cat Jordan is a photographer at a local studio. She loves all things vintage especially clothes. She wears vintage fashions much to the dismay of her boyfriend, Christian. Christian is rich and the opposite of her controlling father (Christian controls in a different way).

Cat Jordan receives a package and letter from an attorney in Paris. Inside is a beautiful old key and a letter. Cat’s grandmother, Virginia Brooke was the inheritor of the estate of Isabelle de Florian. Virginia Brooke passed away in 1978 and Cat’s mother, Bonnie, in 2003, which left the entire estate to Cat. When Cat talks to the show more lawyer, Monsieur Gerard Lapointe, he insists that Cat has to come to Paris.

Cat arrives in Paris and discovers she has inherited an apartment. When she goes to visit the apartment, she meets Loic Archer. Loic is the grandson of Isabelle and he owns a winery. He just found out about the inheritance (the laws are different in France). They agree to look at the apartment the next day. When they open up the apartment, they discover that no one has been in it since 1940 when Isabelle left. There are beautiful antiques, a gorgeous painting, and so much more. Cat wants to sign everything over to Loic’s mother. But Loic and his mother refuse. They feel if Isabelle never changed her will, there has to be a reason. Cat sets out to find out what happened when Isabelle fled Paris with the help of Loic (and against her boyfriend’s wishes).

Christian flies to Paris and proposes to Cat. Cat accepts the proposal even though she is attracted to Loic. Christian flies home and immediately starts plans for their engagement party. While Cat is searching for answers, she is bombarded with calls about colors, dresses, information about apartments, and much more. (I do not know why they could not wait until she gets home to plan an engagement party and the wedding). The party planner happens to be Christian’s ex-girlfriend and lover (how considerate of Christian!). Cat seems determined to give away her inheritance and go back to the job she hates and the controlling fiancé.

What will they discover about Isabelle? Will Cat give away her inheritance? You will have to read the Paris Time Capsule to find out what happens with Cat, Loic, Christian, and the beautiful apartment full of treasures. Paris Time Capsule is based on a true story. If I had been given an apartment full of vintage treasures, I would have been thrilled. I love antiques and would have been exploring everything! How could Cat resist especially since she loved all things vintage (can you imagine the gorgeous clothes left behind)? That part of the story made no sense to me. I give Paris Time Capsule 4 out of 5 stars. I enjoyed the story and how it played out, but I found Cat’s character a contradiction (see reasons above).

I received a complimentary copy of The Paris Time Capsule from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. The review and opinions expressed are strictly my own. show less

I came into this book thinking "not another girl leaves boyfriend for trip to Paris. Girl meets Frenchman, then girl develops feelings for him. Boyfriend tries to bring girl home. Girl stays in France with new man. Chick lit overkill." Am I ever so glad that I couldn't have been further from the truth (well, most of it anyway). I didn't find out that it was inspired by an actual discovery until the very end. Astonishing!

To me, this book is a multifaceted gem. Cat Jordan discovers that she has inherited an apartment that has been locked up ever since 1940. Another claimant, Loic de Florian, teams up with Cat to solve a mystery of why she inherited it and not the owner's family, who were shocked to just now learn of it. He eventually show more gives up; however Cat's willingness to persevere pays off in the long run.

"Paris Time Capsule" fascinated me most with it's intonations. The apartment is the tangible time capsule, clearly. It had been untouched for over a half of a century. Loic takes Cat on an informational treasure hunt, for clues to his grandmother's youth, in very old buildings in very quaint villages is another. The most important one for me is what it was like to endure the loss of one's freedom, home, and possibly life once the Germans invaded France and took possession of Paris. Ms. Carey brought those hopeless days of WWII to life like no other. I was mesmerized to the very end.

Thank you, Netgalley for giving me a free copy of this book to read and give an honest review. show less

Cat Jordan, a free-spirited photographer from New York finds out that she has a mysterious inheritance from a friend of her grandmother waiting for her in Paris. She quickly packs up her life and jets to Paris, but the inheritance isn’t quite cut and dry as it should be; the inheritance is an apartment that hasn’t been opened in at least 40 years and the handsome grandson, Loic , of the actual owner shows up last minute to claim it. As Cat and Loic explore the apartment, it becomes apparent that there are many important pieces left there and that Loic’s grandmother, Isabelle de Florian was someone of importance. Cat and Loic have to figure out just who Isabelle was, who is going to keep the inheritance and what they are going to show more do about each other, especially when Cat’s very straight laced boyfriend shows up to propose to her.

This was a really fun blend of historical fiction and modern romance. I loved Cat’s character and I could feel her vibrancy and kind heart leaping off of the page. The apartment and the mystery of Isabelle caught my attention right away. I wanted to dig in and explore everything along with Cat and Loic. I was very intrigued by Isabelle de Florian; I wanted to know all about her life and her relationship with Cat’s grandmother. While reading and trying to decipher Isabelle’s life through letters and artifacts, I felt like something magical was happening, the vivid descriptions of the apartment and Paris itself added to this feeling. I even liked how Cat and Loic’s relationship developed with Paris as the perfect backdrop.

This book was received for free in return for an honest review. show less

The past comes calling!

Strangely compelling story of a young woman who inherits an apartment in Paris.
Cat Jordan travels from New York to Paris, clutching an old brass key as per a letter telling her of an inheritance from an unknown woman, Isabelle de Florian. It is only when the apartment is opened in 2015, having been closed since 1940, that an even more complex puzzle starts to unfold. There are many dead ends as Cat tries to come to grips with the path that has led to her.
Let my bias reign. The story half won me at Paris and totally clinched it for me with the references to vintage fashion. Top that off with the charming Frenchman and the brash fiancé, well what can I say? Bliss!
Based on a true occurrence, Carey has written a well show more crafted story that brims with hope, hidden secrets and mystery.
Engaged to a merchant banker, vintage clothes collector and photographer Cat couldn't be further from her fiancé's self centered, all white minimalist, deal brokering ideas. A man who never hears her.
Meanwhile there's the vintner grandson of Isabelle, a man who's followed his dream, is encouraging and an absolute dish. What is the connection between Isabelle and Cat's grandmothers.
(What with Vespas, a wonderful Parisian apartment, vintage clothes and a secret to uncover, I started looking over my shoulder for Aimee Leduc to come into play.)
Really, the main story is Cat's determination to solve the puzzle she's been handed and to return the apartment to as she sees it, the rightful owners.
A heart warming romantic mystery, set in the romance capital of the world, with an historical bent and enough intrigue to make it more than an enjoyable read.

A Bookouture ARC via NetGalley show less

Cat from New York receives a parcel with a mysterious key. This means she has to go to Paris as soon as possible as the matter cannot be dealt with on the phone. She has been left a flat which is exactly as it was in the 1940's. She is the only relative or is she? I loved all the French descriptions but the modern characters left me a bit cold. It will be interesting to see what the author writes next.

In 2010, the newspapers trumpeted the real story of a long shuttered large Paris apartment having been discovered, relatively unchanged. It transpires it belonged to a Belle Époque courtesan, who died in 1939. Her granddaughter never appeared to claim it. Author Ella Carey imagines back story to this bare bones set of facts. Young New York photographer Catherine 'Cat' Jordan receives a mysterious key in the mail with instructions to appear at Parisian lawyer's office for further details as to a mysterious inheritance. The key leads to a beautiful apartment -- apparently last opened in 1940 -- and an equally attractive grandson of the last owner. Romance lovers will savor the conflict between Cat and Loic. I was more intrigued by the show more historical perspective and seeing how this creative author turned an interesting newspaper piece into an intriguing and satisfying novel. show less