THE AMBASSADOR'S DAUGHTER BLOG TOUR ~ REVIEW AND EXCERPT

Welcome to The Bookish Babe's stop on The Ambassador's Daughter Blog Tour! My stop includes a review and excerpt from the book. Thanks to MLM Media Relations, Book Trib, Harlequin Mira for inviting me to take part in the tour.

 

 

 

Genre: Historical Fiction
Publisher: Harlequin Mira
Publication Date: 1/29/13
Format: ARC
Pages: 336
Source: Received from publisher for review.

 

Paris, 1919.The world's leaders have gathered to rebuild from the ashes of the Great War. But for one woman, the City of Light harbors dark secrets and dangerous liaisons, for which many could pay dearly.

Brought to the peace conference by her father, a German diplomat, Margot Rosenthal initially resents being trapped in the congested French capital, where she is still looked upon as the enemy. But as she contemplates returning to Berlin and a life with Stefan, the wounded fiancé she hardly knows anymore, she decides that being in Paris is not so bad after all.

Bored and torn between duty and the desire to be free, Margot strikes up unlikely alliances: with Krysia, an accomplished musician with radical acquaintances and a secret to protect; and with Georg, the handsome, damaged naval officer who gives Margot a job—and also a reason to question everything she thought she knew about where her true loyalties should lie.

Against the backdrop of one of the most significant events of the century, a delicate web of lies obscures the line between the casualties of war and of the heart, making trust a luxury that no one can afford.

Tense, romantic, and bittersweet, The Ambassador's Daughter is a perfect example of why I love historical fiction, particularly those set during the time of the World Wars.

I want to start by saying that I am so happy I accepted the tour invite for this book. The Ambassador's Daughter is a book that might never have crossed my path, and to think that I would have missed out on reading this gorgeous story is a shame. The story begins in Paris, December 1918. World War I has recently ended, and those in charge of the new world peace are meeting to discuss a treaty, what will become of Germany. The story is told through the eyes of Margot, a German who spent the war at Oxford with her Professor father. I found it interesting to read the story through the eyes of the (my country's) enemy in the war. Margot is in Paris to be with her father, and also to avoid her wounded fiance, Stefan. Though she is engaged to Stefan, she does not truly love him, and is quickly drawn to German Officer, Georg, with whom she is working during the peace negotiations. Georg is everything Margot never realized she wanted in a companion. His passion for peace and his intense nature pulls Margot in, and the two cannot help but fall in love. But Margot has secrets, beginning with her friendship with Krysia, a mysterious musician whose circle of friends may lead Margot down a dangerous road. Margot is also herself keeping secrets from Georg about Stefan. With so many tangled threads, Margot soon finds herself in over her head.

I honestly read this story with the anticipation that everything would soon fall down around Margot's lies. Though a woman who seems to continuously lie to everyone around her might seem to be a difficult heroine to love, she was not. I wanted her to be able to trust Georg with the truth, but understood why she felt she couldn't. The author did a beautiful job of building the tension that surrounds Margot and her secrets. I didn't dare let myself hope for a happy ending for Margot and Georg, but I will say it was a hopeful ending.

And really, this story, more than the romantic entanglements and the impending treaty, is about a young woman who learns to find her own way. Margot has lived her life to please others: her father, Stefan, then Georg. Ultimately, she must find herself before she can ever be free, to be happy with the man she loves.

The Ambassador's Daughter was simply beautiful. If you are a fan of historical fiction, or are simply looking for a remarkable story, I highly recommend it.


Favorite Quote:

  He continues, as if he has not heard me, "I'm so broken, Margot. And if I can make this work..." His eyes are desperate, wild. He clings to his work for the conference like a raft. When I'm with you, it all seems possible somehow."  ~ARC, pg 148

 

EXCERPT

 

“I hold up a volume of Goethe. It has to be at least a hundred years old, but other than its yellowed pages it is in good condition, its spine still largely intact. Before the war, it would have been worth money, but here it sits discarded and unrecognized, a gem among the rubble. ‘Pardon,’ Monsieur Batteau says a short while later ‘but if you’d like to buy anything…’ I glance up from the travelogue of Africa I’d been browsing. I’ve been in the shop scarcely thirty minutes and the light outside has not yet begun to fade. ‘I’m closing early today, on account of the parade.’”

 

 

About the author:

Pam Jenoff is the author of several novels, including The Kommandant's Girl, which received widespread acclaim, earned her a nomination for a Quill Award and became an international bestseller. She previously served as a Foreign Service officer for the U.S. State Department in Europe, as the Special Assistant to the Secretary of the Army at the Pentagon and as a practicing attorney. She received her Juris Doctor from the University of Pennsylvania, her master’s degree in history from Cambridge University and her bachelor’s degree in international affairs from The George Washington University. Pam Jenoff lives with her husband and three children near Philadelphia where, in addition to writing, she teaches law school.


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