Rating: 95% | A | ★★★★★
Synopsis (from Netgalley): Amelie St. James, prima ballerina of the Paris Opera Ballet and sweetheart of Paris, is a fraud. Seven years ago, in the devastating aftermath of the Siege of Paris, she made a decision to protect her sister: she became the bland, sweet, pious “St. Amie” the ballet needed to restore its scandalous reputation. But when her first love reappears and the ghosts of her past come back to haunt her, all her hard-fought safety is threatened. Dr. Benedict Moore has never forgotten the girl who helped him embrace life again after he almost lost his. Now, years later, he’s back in Paris. His goals are to recruit promising new scientists, and maybe to see Amelie again. When he discovers she’s in trouble, he’s desperate to help her—after all, he owes her. When she finally agrees to let him help, they disguise their time together with a fake courtship. But reigniting old feelings is dangerous, especially when their lives are an ocean apart. Will they be able to make it out with their hearts intact? Spoiler-Free Review: I did not expect to enjoy this book as much as I did, but Diana Biller writes with such richness that it's impossible not to be mesmerized by Amelie and Benedict. Paris comes alive with complex districts, injustices, and people struggling to pick up the pieces in the aftermath of the Franco-Prussian War. The secondary characters—Benedict's family, Amelie's sister, the ghosts—expand the story beyond the protagonists, exemplifying the many types of platonic and familial love. Amelie is an incredible heroine, filled with such love and empathy not only for her sister but also for the ghosts of her past. Benedict matches her in earnestness, dedicated to his friends and his medicine. Together they make a stunning, authentic pair. I do wish more time had been dedicated to exploring their first relationship, but nonetheless, I'm incredibly happy to have been able to read this book. While sometimes gritty and emotional, it is also the perfect feel-good romance. Thank you to Netgalley and St. Martin's Press for providing me with an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
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