Book Synopsis:

The Journey Back is the blistering sequel to The Journey. Kalu is a doctor, who escaped an extremist revolution in Nigeria. He tried to get his family across the Sahara to look for passage to the safety of Europe but they were duped by ruthless people traffickers and his wife and two daughters were lost at sea. Fast forward twenty-years and his daughter, Kissie is in Ukraine when Russian tanks cross the border and his family are in terrible danger again. 

My Review:

I absolutely loved The Journey so was excited to read it’s sequel The Journey Back. Once again the author has written an interesting, thought provoking book that I couldn’t put down.

It was great to be back with the family and to see how they were getting on. This book gives the reader more of an insight into each of the characters which I really liked as it meant I got to know them better. I loved the way the author writes the story so that the reader gets to experience everything that is happening alongside the characters.

This book wasn’t quite as graphic as the first book, which isn’t a bad thing as some parts of the first book were hard to read at times. It was just as absorbing though and I soon found myself drawn into the story and unable to put the book down. I kept promising myself I’d read just one more chapter and then end up reading way to late. There are some great unexpected twists in the story which I thought was cleverly done and meant I couldn’t guess the ending to the story which I always enjoy. I’m hoping from the ending that there is another book in the works soon!

Huge thanks to Zoë from Zooloo blog tours for inviting me onto the blog tour and to the publishers for my copy of this book.

About The Author:

Conrad Jones spent 12 years working for the biggest quick service restaurant brand in the world.
On March 20th 1993 the IRA terrorist organization bombed the shopping center outside the restaurant he was managing that day. The experience fueled an interest in the root causes of extremist terrorists and the reasoning why its perpetrators feel justified in taking innocent lives. That incident sparked the story of ‘Soft Target’.

Book Synopsis:

From the bestselling author of The Lost Vintage, a rare and dazzling portrait of Jacqueline Bouvier’s college year abroad in postwar Paris, an intimate and electrifying story of love and betrayal, and the coming-of-age of an American icon – before the world knew her as Jackie.

In September 1949 Jacqueline Bouvier arrives in postwar Paris to begin her junior year abroad. She’s twenty years old, socially poised but financially precarious, and all too aware of her mother’s expectations that she make a brilliant match. Before relenting to family pressure, she has one year to herself far away from sleepy Vassar College and the rigid social circles of New York, a year to explore and absorb the luminous beauty of the City of Light. Jacqueline is immediately catapulted into an intoxicating new world of champagne and châteaux, art and avant-garde theater, cafés and jazz clubs. She strikes up a romance with a talented young writer who shares her love of literature and passion for culture – even though her mother would think him most unsuitable.

But beneath the glitter and rush, France is a fragile place still haunted by the Occupation. Jacqueline lives in a rambling apartment with a widowed countess and her daughters, all of whom suffered as part of the French Resistance just a few years before. In the aftermath of World War II, Paris has become a nest of spies, and suspicion, deception, and betrayal lurk around every corner. Jacqueline is stunned to watch the rise of communism – anathema in America, but an active movement in France – never guessing she is witnessing the beginning of the political environment that will shape the rest of her life—and that of her future husband.

Evocative, sensitive, and rich in historic detail, Jacqueline in Paris portrays the origin story of an American icon. Ann Mah brilliantly imagines the intellectual and aesthetic awakening of Jacqueline Bouvier Kennedy Onassis, and illuminates how France would prove to be her one true love, and one of the greatest influences on her life. 

My Review:

Jacqueline In Paris is an absorbing, intriguing read about a fascinating period of history and a very famous women.

Firstly when I was originally asked to review this book I must admit I didn’t realise it was a story about Jackie Kennedy. The blurb on its own absolutely fascinated me but when I discovered it was based on the real life of an historical figure I was very excited indeed .

The author has a great way of drawing the reader into the story and into Paris so I felt like I was actually there experiencing everything alongside Jacqueline. I loved the intimate feeling of exploring the streets with the characters and all the fabulous descriptions of Paris which has made me want to visit again soon. It was very interesting to see what Paris was like after the war, to see the after effects and to realise how different Paris was to America at that time.

The story unfolds slowly but there always seemed to be something happening to keep my interest. Even in the slower moments I didn’t mind as I was too busy drinking in the exquisite details of life in Paris. It was definitely a time of great change both socially and politically and I found it very interesting to learn more about this. This was especially so as you realised how they could have influenced Jacqueline in the future and politics in general when she was first lady.

Huge thanks to Anne Cater for inviting me onto the blog tour and to Harper 360 for my copy of this book.

About The Author:

Ann Mah is an American food and travel writer based in Washington DC and Paris. She is of several books, including Jacqueline in Paris (coming soon in September 2022), and the USA Today and Wall Street Journal bestseller, The Lost Vintage. She contributes regularly to the New York Times Travel section and her articles have also appeared in the Washington Post, Condé Nast Traveler, The Best American Travel Writing, The New York Times Footsteps, Washingtonian magazine, Vogue.com, BonAppetit.com, Food52.com, TheKitchn.com, and other publications.

As the recipient of a James Beard Foundation culinary scholarship, Ann studied in Bologna, Italy. She also holds the Level 2 Award in Wine and Spirits with distinction from the Wine and Spirits Education Trust (WSET).