My favorite line in the book was one apparently quoted by H. G. Wells during a dinner party thrown by the Duke and Duchess of Marlborough. He said, "We all have our time machines, don't we? Those that take us back are memories ... And those that carry us forward are dreams."

I received this book free of charge for an honest review. Had I known the story between the covers, I would gladly have purchased it on my own. While the cover states that it is a story of the real life Gladys Spencer-Churchill, the Duchess of Marlborough, it was actually a story of life, directions we take, choices we make, dreams we hold and disappointments we hide. This book is filled with lines from, and mention of, many of the world's classic literary works. For this reviewer, any story that deals with books and/or authors has my attention and this one grabbed me from the start.

The life lived (or endured) by the Duchess of Marlborough seems like a fairy tale story on the surface, but underneath you realize that loneliness, emptiness and disgrace are emotions from which even money, clout and title cannot hide. The Duchess of Marlborough wants to be left alone. She wants to be remembered for who she is and not what she was. She is looking for acceptance, friendship and possibly forgiveness. Pru is an American girl without a family, whose fiancé has forsaken her to serve in the Vietnam war and later declared dead. A literary scholar headed nowhere and no one to share her future with, she accepts a job across the oceans as a caretaker/companion to an old woman in France, who also shares a love of the written word. Both women have more in common than meets the eye as they are running and hiding from their pasts filled with secrets and a future that looks dim.

Laurel Haley is hiding secrets of her own too. A horse ranch owner in the US, she makes plans for a trip to France to unload some property she inherited years ago. Her daughter, Anne, who has just graduated from college and looking for work, agrees to tag along in hopes of drawing closer to the mother she feels is drifting away from her. Anne's fiancé has just left for a deployment to Afghanistan and the timing is right to create a closer bond with her Mom.

Two stories told 30 years apart that somehow contain a common thread that is neatly, most of the time, sewn together through a maze of life in the ruins, life on the rocks and life at the top. This was a beautiful read that has left me wanting to read more about the Duchess. In my opinion, any book that inspires the reader to pursue additional knowledge on the given subject matter HAS to be a well written story.

What was the intrigue and what was the secret about the book Annie always wanted to read but never did?

Why was her mother so evasive about that book?, The Missing Duchess,? and who was the Duchess of Marlborough?

Why did she and her mother really go to London?

Would the book and their trip to London reveal secrets in Annie's life?

?We follow Annie in present day and Pru, Win, and The Duchess (Mrs. Spencer) in the not so distant past.

Annie meets a British citizen who knew The Duchess, Pru?, and Win. Pru is the caregiver for the feisty Duchess. Win is the author who wrote the book about The Duchess who claims she really isn't a Duchess. Getting the story for his book was difficult for Win because The Duchess kept her life under wraps.

Annie gets the low down about all three characters from a British citizen, Gus, and she also trespasses into the house The Duchess lived in.

I enjoyed Annie's trips into the the house. I always love finding secrets and finding treasures from the past.

I enjoyed the back and forth in time and the "real time" story from Pru, The Duchess, and Win.

The characters in I'LL SEE YOU IN PARIS were quirky and fun. I loved The Duchess...she was a character.

I like this quote that was inside the book:

"Let us be grateful to the people who make us happy; they are the charming gardeners who make our souls blossom." Marcel Proust

I'LL SEE YOU IN PARIS was very light and enjoyable with memorable characters and was well researched. I love the cover and the revelations at the end.

I do have to say the book was a bit confusing at times, but it is oh so good and so very creative.

ENJOY!! 4/5

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

Although Gladys Deacon Spencer Churchill was the framework, but not the main character, of this novel, our book club members were most interested in her and glad we now know much more about her. This was a fun book to read and the character development was very good.

The book was just okay....not awful, but not a great read. Some interesting characters, sometimes difficult to follow due to the change in time. One happy ending and the other keeps you wondering.

Based on true events, it was a skillfully developed story of how history leaves an imprint on current events. The characters were fun and colorful. It lead to a very fun discussion at book club.

Our book club enjoyed reading and discussing this book, which we received in the Book Movement giveaway. While we differed on which of the characters we liked, we all agreed that the plot was interesting and kept us reading for more. The way the story is told in multiple voices is a little confusing, and most of us did guess the "big reveal" before the end. Knowing that the character of the Duchess is based on a real person made this even a better read.