Jacqueline in Paris

A Novel

By: Ann Mah

Narrated by: Caroline Hewitt

“Captivating...Mah channels Kennedy and brings postwar Paris to life with exquisite detail and insight.” -- People

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.

©2022 Ann Mah (P)2022 HarperCollins Publishers

Well researched, lyrically written

This historical novel is written in first person allowing the readers/audience to feel as though they are having afternoon tea with Jacqueline herself.

Boring until the last section

This could have been a book about anyone. The excessive descriptions (and the cigarettes...) were distractions. Not until the last part did I get any sense of Jackie.

Well done, worthy read.

Loved the details, both fuctional and non. Eventually got over that narrator didn't sound much like Jackie.

Wonderful companion to my post-surgery walks

Ann Mah makes the scene come alive as do other notable authors, Adriana Trigiani and Pat Conroy. As I walked and listened …and walked and listened. I could imagine myself walking with Jaqueline through post-war Paris, though I never went to Paris until 1982.
And the story has sparked my interest in learning more about this great but real woman of American history.

wow

so engaging, loved it. I was captivated by the first chapter. A+.
I laughed I cried

Moving and beautiful!

Surpassed all my expectations. I wasn’t keen on reading about someone I already knew about, but Jacqueline in Paris proved me wrong. I was transported and enjoyed every word. It was so beautiful that I slowly savored the end taking much longer than needed in an effort to make it last a little longer. The narration was superb!

A fascinating story!

I knew so little about Jacqueline Bouvier and her college year spent in Paris! I love that many of the experiences were true, but understanding the post war time in France kept me glued to the book and opened my eyes. I’ve read other books by Ann Mah, but believe this is her best one yet.

Ended up enjoying this book quite a bit!

I wasn’t loving this at first, but it slowly grew on me until the end really through me for a loop, I ended up really enjoying it!

Great book about a great lady.

This story was well paced and interesting throughout. I have spent time in France and fell in love with it and the people. It was enchanting to me to find Jacque was also enthralled by the French.

J in P

What we know about Jackie Bouvier Kennedy is enhanced and given added dimension by Ann Mah’s exhaustive research and the care she put into crafting her story. The way Mah weaves the characters and situations into this period/historic piece gives a lot of depth to the life of the much-celebrated American and international icon. I appreciated the details and history of post-war Paris and pre-JFK Bouvier.
This book is expertly brought to life by the narrator, Caroline Hewitt, whose storehouse of character voices, accents, and types gives the story a great deal of added dimension.

For Jackie O fans, Camelot lovers, fellow study-abroad alums, this work is a thoughtful and intelligent foundation to who this woman was long before all History stepped in.