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Tuesday, September 13, 2016

The Velvet Hours by Alyson Richman

 
From 1898 to 1940 we meet Solange and Marthe de Florian.

Solange is the granddaughter of Marthe and the grandmother Solange never knew existed until she was nineteen years old. 

Solange's father never knew Marthe was his birth mother until he was eighteen and kept Marthe from Solange until Solange's mother had passed away.
 
The meeting of the two women allowed Solange to learn of her grandmother's life and legacy in an apartment filled with collected treasures and the traces of men Marthe had collected during her lifetime.

I really enjoyed getting to know Marthe and Solange as Marthe told her life story to her granddaughter. What a treat it must have been for Solange to listen to the story.  Marthe's life was one that went from poverty to living a luxurious life paid for by Charles and other men. 

THE VELVET HOURS was enticing, sensual, and exceptionally interesting since it was based on the real life of Marthe.  
 
​I truly enjoyed the book and recommend THE VELVET HOURS for historical fiction fans.   Ms. Richman's writing and research are absolutely marvelous.
 
Don't forget to search for photos of Marthe's apartment and her famous portrait​ by ​artist, ​Giovanni Boldini.   

It is totally amazing to me how the apartment and its contents made it through WWII without being ransacked or destroyed and that no one entered it for 70 years.

ENJOY when you read THE VELVET HOURS.  ​

I hope you fall in love with Marthe's story as I did.  ​5/5

This book was given to me free of charge and without compensation by the publisher in return for an honest review.


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18 comments:

  1. Yvonne @ Fiction Books ReviewsSeptember 13, 2016 at 1:08 AM

    Hi Elizabeth,

    I followed the link to your MM post, so didn't realise your review was already posted!

    This one is definitely going on my list and I shall be checking out in more detail, some of the author's other work.

    I enjoy a story told as a series of memories and given the history between Marthe and Solange and the way they had been kept apart, I'm sure there were plenty of secrets to be revealed.

    Thanks for sharing your thoughts, they really helped me to make up my mind :)

    Yvonne

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    Replies
    1. ElizabethSeptember 13, 2016 at 6:41 AM

      My review just went live this morning. It wasn't on my blog yesterday.

      Thanks for stopping, Yvonne. I know you will love the book.

      Delete
  2. WhitneySeptember 13, 2016 at 9:41 AM

    I agree, it is incrediable that the apartment remained untouched for all those years, particularly during the war era. I did a Google images search after reading The Velvet Hours and couldn't believe my eyes, it was a phenomenal timecapsule. Alyson Richman created a wonderful, descriptive world and was such a treat to read. Great review Elizabeth.

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    1. ElizabethSeptember 13, 2016 at 9:44 AM

      I LOVED those photos.

      Thanks for the comment about my review.

      Thanks for stopping, Whitney.

      Delete
  3. Kathy Reads FictionSeptember 13, 2016 at 12:42 PM

    This really does sound intriguing! Seventy years and no one entered? Amazing. I'll check my library for this one. Thanks!

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    1. ElizabethSeptember 13, 2016 at 6:59 PM

      It is totally amazing no one entered especially during WWII.

      I hope you get to read it.

      Thanks for stopping, Kathy.

      Delete
  4. Mary (Bookfan)September 13, 2016 at 5:36 PM

    Oh gosh I'm 50% in and just loving this story. Thanks for mentioning the photos - I stopped reading and googled. LOVE the portrait of Marthe. It's so lovely.

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    1. ElizabethSeptember 13, 2016 at 7:00 PM

      I knew you would love it.

      Oh yes...her photo was beautiful.

      I loved the apartment photos too. I wish there had been more.

      Thanks for stopping, Mary.

      Delete
  5. pilch92September 13, 2016 at 6:26 PM

    This does sound great. That is amazing no one entered a place for 70 years. Nowadays, vacant places get stripped for copper and metal- in my area.

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    1. ElizabethSeptember 13, 2016 at 7:01 PM

      Seventy years is a long time.

      Thanks for stopping, Ellen.

      Delete
  6. Kathryn TSeptember 13, 2016 at 10:49 PM

    So this is fiction based on a true real live person? How interesting and that her apartment escaped the war. I would certainly read this.

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    Replies
    1. ElizabethSeptember 14, 2016 at 6:05 AM

      It was very good.

      I think you will enjoy the book, Kathryn.

      Thanks for stopping, Kathryn.

      Delete
  7. Colleen TurnerSeptember 14, 2016 at 4:05 PM

    This book sounds SO GOOD!! I can't wait to read it!

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    1. ElizabethSeptember 14, 2016 at 4:10 PM

      I really enjoyed the book, Colleen.

      I think you will enjoy it too.

      Thanks for stopping, Colleen.

      Delete
  8. UnknownSeptember 19, 2016 at 7:42 PM

    I ordered my copy. I love Alyson Richman

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    1. ElizabethSeptember 19, 2016 at 7:46 PM

      She is excellent.

      This was my first book by her.

      Thanks for stopping, Laurice.

      Delete
  9. Love is a LifestyleOctober 8, 2016 at 11:05 PM

    I like character driven books, where you get involved in their lives and care about them. Sounds really good.

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    Replies
    1. ElizabethOctober 9, 2016 at 8:06 AM

      You will love this book then. I really liked both of the main characters.

      Thanks for stopping, Mixed Reviews.

      Delete