Until leaves fall in Paris A novel

Automotive engineer Paul Aubrey feels out of step as a father, as a widower, and, most recently, as a reluctant spy for the American government during Germany's occupation of Paris. When Paul meets ballerina-turned-bookseller Lucie Girard, they are equally captivated. But Lucie, an expatriate bohemian artist aiding the Resistance, feels betrayed when she learns Paul is both a bourgeois businessman and a collaborator. Yet Paul's persistent kindness leaves Lucie second-guessing everything she thought she understood, and the truths of their work and their hearts are soon revealed, leaving them both in more danger than ever before. Sundin (When Twilight Breaks, 2021) returns with another sure-to-please standalone novel set in Paris during the early 1940s. Until Leaves Fall in Paris is a compelling exploration of the seemingly simple good things that end up requiring great sacrifice and having far-reaching impacts. Sundin expertly captures the nuanced reactions of the expatriate and local communities to America's shifting role in the war and uses them to intensify the plot's personal, social, and political tensions. Lucie and Paul are an especially charming duo and enliven the novel's look at the challenge of having to balance creativity and pragmatism.

In Sundin's moving latest (after When Twilight Breaks), two Americans living in Nazi-occupied Paris fall in love, but struggle to trust each other with their involvement in anti-Nazi activism. Lucie Girard, a bohemian former ballerina, buys the bookstore of Jewish family friends who are fleeing the country and hides messages for the Resistance in her books. Widower Paul Aubrey runs a car assembly plant that builds vehicles for German civilian use, but Paul secretly sends intelligence about his German contacts to U.S. bureaucrats. When Paul visits Lucie's bookstore, the two expats instantly connect, but Lucie is shocked after learning of Paul's dealings with the Germans. Paul, meanwhile, is unaware of Lucie's Resistance activities and must decide if he can trust her with his secret. Though Lucie and Paul's Christian faith drives their anti-Nazi resistance, historical themes take precedence over Christian ones. Fast-paced and rich with historical detail, Sundin's narrative captivates by leaning into the complexity of what it means to live by Christian principles in a morally compromised world. This potent synthesis of history, love, and faith will delight romance readers, religious and nonreligious alike. (Feb.)

The Nazis have invaded the City of Light and Americans in Paris are responding in a variety of ways. Widower Paul Aubrey is proud of his successful auto factory and wealthy lifestyle. When his business is commandeered by the Germans, he is branded a collaborator, even as he leads secret acts of sabotage. Lucille Girard is an accomplished ballerina and is immersed in the bohemian art community. On impulse, she buys Green Leaf Books to fund her Jewish friends' passage out of France and becomes embroiled in passing secret messages for the fledging resistance movement. When Girard begins to lose business in a war time economy, she asks Aubrey for help and realizes that business and art aren't mutually exclusive. As evil overtakes Paris, a few lights fighting for good still shine brightly. VERDICT Sundin (Where Twilight Breaks) is a master at her craft, and avid readers will devour this in one sitting. With meticulous historical research and an eye for both mystery and romance, Sundin rises to the top of World War II fiction in this latest novel with crossover appeal.--Christine Barth, Scott Cty. Lib. Syst., IA