I’m deeply grateful to everyone who has purchased, read, and taken the time to review one of my books. All profits from my books go to help get dogs like Biscuit, Rosie, Wilbur, Hoggy, Jack, Rickenbacker, Takoda, pregnant Lucy, Gretchen, Boomer, Snow, Tawny, Logan, bonded siblings cookie & honey, Jody, Stella, Gunther, Lola, Jasper, Clancy, Lindsey, Brownie, Gabby, Joceyln, Harry, Eddie, Skippy, Sandy, Sinclair, Teddy Bear, Phoebe, Mickey, Titus, Lonnie, Sofie, Stoic, Bryce, Charlie, Gidget, Kensey, Henry, Sadie, Andorra, Trevor, Praline, Drake, Einstein, Ruger, Lovey & Alfie (see photos below) out of kill shelters. So far in 2019 155 dogs have been rescued. In 2018 670 dogs have been rescued. In 2017 we’ve helped free 904 dogs. In 2016, 250 dogs were freed. In 2015, 149 dogs were freed.
AND please for everyone who’s purchased a book could I humbly ask you to write a review when you’ve completed the read. Amazon promotes and ranks books according to number of reviews in addition to sales. Every voice helps spread the word and that is an energy that can help a dog.
LINK TO PURCHASE ALL MY BOOKS and to see all reviews for all my books click on the books cover:
My books have been ranked in the top 100 best sellers on Amazon U.S. in their categories (historical fiction, teen and young adult, and literary fiction). What an honor to be ranked #87 LITERARY FICTION BEST SELLER next to Paulo Coelho; incredible author of The Alchemist and The Pilgrimage.
Amazon Australia ranked my book NUMBER ONE in all it’s categories: Literary Fiction, Historical Fiction & Teen and Young Adult and is #3 best seller in the entire kindle bookstore.
And in Amazon U.K. it just made it to#1 Best Seller List in Teen & Young Adult Category and #3 in Historical Fiction Category and #24 best seller in the kindle books store.
NEW RELEASE AMAZON RANKING #3 FOR A DIFFERENT KIND OF ANGEL
Well written, Paulette Mahurin pens a terrific historical fiction about a Woman’s heroic journey to America. A Different Kind of Angel: A Novel, sure opened my eyes to a not so ancient past., and sometimes I can’t believe the world in which we live. 5 stars!
A Different Kind of Angel by Paulette Mahurin is the incredible story of Klara Gelfman, a Russian Jew fleeing to America after her family life is destroyed in 1881 by soldiers massacring Jews. Klara flees to America with her father for safety. Her father dies on the way over. Alone and speaking no English, she gets mugged and everything she had was stolen. From here, her story takes a drastic turn for the worse. Well written and well researched, at times this story is very hard to read. It speaks to the courage and spirit of an individual to survive horrific conditions.
I have always loved Mahurin’s books and this one did not disappoint. While based on a true story, it is heartbreakingly told. Klara confined to a mental institute on an island in New York simply for not speaking English. The story splits between Klara’s early life and into the future towards her final escape. I loved the way it was told and found it to be beautifully written. A chilling story of prejudice and the lengths some people will go to to get what they want. An amazing book and one I highly recommend!
Excellent book! It’s amazing the experiences written about.
I couldn’t imagine being sentenced to an insane asylum as they existed at the time. I’m glad that system was eliminated.
I saw this on one of my reading friends book lists and I thought I would give it a try, it was a good little novel about a life filled with personal trauma, and soul-crushing debasement and tortures, but Klara Gelfman survives she meets others who help her and as she says in the book; “Beneath the differences you meet another’s heart, that’s where the light of love never dims the light where the power of healing and forgiveness lives. They were all unique. All different kinds of angels.” This is a good book club recommendation or a good book for anyone wanting to know about what strength it takes to survive during bad times.
I bought this book a few weeks ago. I picked it up yesterday to read on work break and I couldn’t put it down. I read the book last night. It is a hard story to get through but so real. The Germans did terrible things and the fact that it happened within the last 100 years, is frightening. There are many books written about the Holocaust—but this is one of the best ones I have ever read. Most touch on the horror but Helen’s story delves deep into the evil that people do out of hatred and fear. It was hard reading the rape scenes—but things like that happened all too frequently.
It’s a compelling book and I finished it in two days. Some of the non-historic scenes are usually not included in books on this subject. Each person has to decide if they should be there. I didn’t need them. Otherwise, the characters are very real and the story flows beautifully. I’m so glad I read it.
I’ve read a lot of concentration camp survival books and this is a very good one. A tale of endurance, love and the complete will to survive. I can thoroughly recommend this book to anyone who’s interested in that blackest of historic period, the Holocaust.
Although its a fiction book based on fact
I couldnt stop reading this sad and endearing book..What 1 piece of material can hold such memories and the horror they lived through.
And to come out of the horror and to be able to live freely again. Its must read.
A story about finding joy amongst the ashes of one’s life, this tale asks the reader to envision what they would do if they had just a few weeks left. Poignant and heartfelt, this book leaves the reader with all the right questions and a new perspective about love, loss and hope.
Sara and Ben’s story is a dramatic love story!!
The dynamic, power and dramatic impact in Mahurins tale, is based on the fact that both of them have no time left to lose!!
They are caught within a very narrow and limited time frame..Ben is a young lawyer having only months lo live due to a terminal cancer raging havoc in his body, and Sara is a survivor from breast cancer still struggling with it..”Being deeply loved by someone gives you strength, while loving someone deeply gives you courage”
Lao_TzuPaulette Mahurin has delivered a powerful story and captured the eternal spirit of an all-surpassing love!!
Even death is no match, and must surrender like an helpless hostage to the the eternal and regenerating power of love..At the end of the day I can say that reading Sara and Bens story has uplifted and inspired me!!!Although you will be confronted with sufferings and pain, let me say it clearly that this is not the main message carried out in this bitter- sweet love story!!Mahurins novel, gives and delivers powerful to the reader the preciousness of life itself..
And in spite of sufferings, pain and even death, the prevailing force behind the universum is love inhibited in eternal souls..
DOGS RESCUED FROM KILL SHELTERS
Biscuit’s been rescued
Biscuit’s freedom photo
Rosie has been rescued
Rosie rescued with bonded sibling Lily
Wilbur has been rescued
Wilbur’s freedom photo
Hoggy’s been rescued
Hoggy’s freedom photo
Jack’s has been rescued. This is is kennel photo.
Jack’s kennel information
Jack’s freedom photo
Rickenbacker has been rescued
Rickenbacker’s shelter info
Rickenbacker’s freedom photo
Takoda (named by rescue) has been rescued
Takoda’s freedom ride
Takoda’s freedom photo
Lucy, pregnant, has been rescued
Lucy’s freedom photo
Lucy comfy and waiting to give birth
Gretchen has been rescued
Gretchen’s freedom photo
Boomer’s been rescued
Boomer’s freedom photo
Snow has been rescued
Snow’s freedom photo
Tawny has been rescued
Tawny’s freedom
Logan has been rescued
Logan’s freedom photo
Cookie has been rescued with bonded sibling Honey
Cookie’s freedom photo
Honey has been rescued with bonded sibling Cookie
Honey’s freedom photo
Jody has been rescued
Jody’s freedom photo with new sibling
Stella has been rescued
Stella’s freedom photo
Gunther has been rescued
Gunther’s freedom photo
Lola has been rescued
Lola’s freedom photo
Jasper has been rescued
Jasper’s freedom photo
Clancy has been rescued
Clancy’s freedom photo
Lindsey has been rescued
Lindsey’s freedom photo
Brownie has been rescued
Brownie’s freedom photo
Gabby’s been rescued
Gabby’s freedom photo
Jocelyn has been rescued
Jocelyn’s freedom photo
Harry has been rescued
Harry’s freedom photo
Eddie has been rescued
Eddie’s freedom photo
Skippy has been rescued
Skippy’s freedom photo
Sandy has been rescued
Sandy’s freedom photo
Sinclair has been rescued
Sinclair’s freedom photo
Teddy Bear has been rescued
Teddy Bear’s freedom photo
Phoebe (named by rescue) has been rescued
Phoebe’s freedom photo.
Mickey has been rescued
Mickey’s freedom ride
Mickey’s freedom photo.
Titus has been rescued
Titus’ freedom photo
Lonnie’s been rescued
Lonnie’s freedom photo
Sofie has been rescued
Sofie’s freedom photo
Stoic has been rescued
Stoic’s freedom photo
Bryce’s been rescued
Bryce’s freedom photo
Charlie has been rescued
Charlie’s freedom photo
Gidget (named by rescue) has been rescued
Gidget’s freedom photo
Kensey has been rescued
Kensey’s freedom photo
Henry has been rescued
Henry’s freedom photo
Sadie has been rescued
Sadie’s shelter information
Sadie’s freedom video. Apologies as I’m unable to download the vid. Right after this shot, she was giving a nice big hamburger patty. She’s on her way to the vet.
I’m deeply grateful to everyone who has purchased, read, and taken the time to review one of my books. Profits from my books go to help get dogs like Mac, Paulie, Rocky, Winston, Blackie, Greta, Justice, Darlene, elderly Camille, elderly Ghost, Sultan, Bea, senior Bear, elderly Brownie, Carson, Emma, & Hank (see photos below) out of kill shelters. So far in 2021 25 dogs have been rescued. In 2020 157 dogs have been rescued. In 2019 409 dogs have been rescued. In 2018 670 dogs have been rescued. In 2017 we’ve helped free 904 dogs. In 2016, 250 dogs were freed. In 2015, 149 dogs were freed.
And please for everyone who’s purchased a book could I humbly ask you to write a review when you’ve completed the read. Amazon promotes and ranks books according to number of reviews in addition to sales. Every voice helps spread the word and that is an energy that can help a dog.
LINK TO PURCHASE ALL MY BOOKS and to see all reviews for all my books click on the books cover:
My books have been ranked in the best seller lists on Amazon U.S., U.K., & Australia in their categories (historical fiction, teen and young adult, and literary fiction). What an honor to be ranked #87 MOST POPULAR BOOK IN LITERARY FICTION next to Paulo Coelho; incredible author of The Alchemist and The Pilgrimage.
AMAZON MOST POPULAR BOOKS IN HISTORICAL FICTION: THE SEVEN YEAR DRESS & TO LIVE OUT LOUD
AMAZON U.S. U.K. & AUSTRALIA RANKING FOR THE SEVEN YEAR DRESS
AMAZON RANKING #3 FOR A DIFFERENT KIND OF ANGEL
AMAZON RANKING #38 FOR THE DAY I SAW THE HUMMINGBIRD
AMAZON RANKING #86 FOR THE OLD GILT CLOCK
AMAZON RANKING #11 FOR WHERE IRISES NEVER GROW
RECENT REVIEWS FOR THE SEVEN YEAR DRESS
AMAZON CANADA
Karen V. Mcnicol5.0 out of 5 stars *****Well written. Reviewed in Canada on April 14, 2021Verified Purchase This book is based on true events, very sad and horrific events. The world lost its innocence during WWII when they found out a madman led his country to try and rid the world of humans whos only black mark against them was that they were born Jewish. No matter how many books I read about this it’s so hard to imagine, yet it happened.
RECENT REVIEWS FOR WHERE IRISES NEVER GROW
AMAZON U.S.
Cstuie5.0 out of 5 stars Once again, a great read *****Reviewed in the United States on March 21, 2021 I’ve been a fan of Paulette Mahurin’s books for quite sometime and this book does not disappoint. Writing about such a dark period of world history can’t be easy but Paulette has given a small glimpse into that time with her unique storytelling. The events of this book hit very close to the personal accounts of my parents that experienced fleeing for their lives and in a labor camp. Thank you Paulette for keeping these historical events alive in the way you do so well.
Just one more chapter!4.0 out of 5 ****stars Kept Me Turning The Pages Reviewed in the United States on March 23, 2021Verified Purchase The mention of Aesop’s Fables in this book sold me and kept me turning the pages. It was a childhood favourite. Definitely not for the faint-hearted though.
Freeza3795.0 out of 5 stars *****A must read Reviewed in the United States on March 26, 2021Verified Purchase Where Irises Never Grow is a gripping story that takes place during the Nazi occupation of France in 1942. Mostly. There’s a clever storytelling device that connects the story to the present and adds mystery to the tale. Paulette Mahurin’s writing paints a visceral image of the inhumanity suffered by the occupation’s victims. As well as the courage of those who were brave enough to risk their own lives to do the right thing.
This novel is a must read for those who love well written historical fiction.
Book Squirrel5.0 out of 5 stars *****A powerful story. Reviewed in the United States on April 17, 2021Verified Purchase Paulette Mahurin has written a number of excellent books about different people’s experiences during World War II, each unique and compelling in its personal conflicts and central dilemmas. ‘Where Irises Never Grow’ is another profoundly told story, set in France during the ravages of the war and the Vichy regime.
Mahurin is a writer who brings her characters and settings to life with effective imagery and lively narrative that immerses the reader in the story and makes them feel as though they stand alongside the characters in the situations and challenges they experience. The characters are lifelike and complex, some of them demonstrating the best of human nature while people around them are hell-bent on demonstrating the worst.
Although it is fiction, this book has a strong sense of realism and immediacy that comes from thorough research and strong empathy for the experiences of the people upon whom this story is based.
‘Where Irises Never Grow’ is an important and relevant book for 21st century readers: the dangers and divisions caused by hatred and prejudice are as real now as they were in the 1930s and 40s, and we must do all we can to oppose them lest the horrendous experiences of the past be repeated. We must never allow new generations to forget what was suffered, nor how many were lost, in the Holocaust and the war that changed the world. One person found this helpful
AMAZON U.K.
Helen Hollick VINE VOICE 5.0 out of 5 stars***** An excellent novel Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 5 March 2021 While researching her dissertation, Monica Chastain purchases a rare, antique copy of Aesop’s Fables. Inside the spine, she finds a sliver of newsprint with what appears to be a swastika, two names and the date 1942 written in the margin. The two names are Madeline Leblanc and Madeline Eisenberg. With her dissertation finished and accepted, Monica has time on her hands to explore the intriguing note and see where it leads.
From that point on, the narrative switches to September 3rd 1939, the day France declared war on Germany and the same day that the parents of a 17-year-old Jew, Agnès Eisenberg, are involved in a fatal accident. Fortunately for Agnès, she is taken in by good friends of her mother’s, Victor and Charlotte Legrand. They live in Lyon, in the area controlled by the Vichy government, where collaboration means the rounding up of Jews for extermination.
The Legrands risk their own lives to protect Agnès when she meets and falls in love with a member of the resistance and has a baby. With the arrival of the sadistic Klaus Barbie, the ‘Butcher of Lyon’ the net begins to close in on both Jews and members of the resistance. Barbie’s dungeon is the place where irises, France’s national flower, never grow.
The three main characters are all too human in their weaknesses and strengths, their loyalty, compassion and fears, their oscillating emotions. The author’s prose is so authentic that the reader is inescapably bound with them in the same rooms as they listen for the dread arrival of the Nazis. It is an excruciating depiction of what so many went through during the Hitler regime. I felt their terror and shared their frantic hope for an avenue of escape to open before the Butcher came for them.
The goodness and decency of the Legrands stands in sharp contrast to the viciousness of Klaus Barbie, just as the selfless courage of the resistance, those who helped them and those who risked their lives by sheltering and helping Jews, shines all the brighter when compared with the cowardly collaboration of the Vichy Government.
This is an excellent novel, well-written and steeped in the awful atmosphere of Lyon during those years. Some readers might find the descriptions of torture disturbing. Nevertheless, I wholeheartedly recommend this book.
This novel is one that brings to life a time, still within living memory, that demonstrated how thin the veneer of civilisation really is. All it takes is a cadre of evil men, led by a man without humanity, to perpetrate one of the worst atrocities in modern history.This carefully and well researched story, based on actual reports by survivors and historians of the time, spotlights the best and the worst traits of mankind.
Set in Vichy France where pro-Nazi leaders began to systematically remove their own citizens from the population at the behest of the occupiers, a resistance movement grows as defiant men and women took a stand against the tyranny. Putting their own lives at risk and those of their close family and friends to save those among them who follow a religion that is being demonised. .
The author captures and brings the horrifying events of those few years in the early 1940s into stark reality. Isolated and hunted by packs of men and dogs, Jewish families and captured resistance fighters faced the horror of the basement in a previously luxury hotel at the hands of a monster. Those who did not fall into the hands of the Gestapo lived in fear of being discovered, wondering what the next bang on the door would bring.
The characters are vividly portrayed and the reader becomes engaged and emotionally invested in their plight and fight for survival. The author keeps up the pace of this desperate race against time, and despite the dreadful consequences of a careless whisper or action, there are still moments of humanity and the power of love in sustaining the human spirit.
I give the book five stars unreservedly, but I do understand that it might not be a book that everyone feels they can read. This is about the past, and today enemies have become allies. And even in that time of desperation, there were elements within the occupying army who were sympathetic and compelled to pass along information to the resistance that saved lives. There are few left alive who perpetrated this particular atrocity, but even today there are still millions who live in fear and seek to escape persecution in other parts of the world.
The truth is hard to face, and there are certainly more than a handful of people who voice their disbelief that the holocaust took place. This book based on actual accounts of the time, leaves the reader in no doubt about its truth. And part of that truth is that very few of our own countries can take the moral high ground with regard to religious persecution over the centuries and even today. This book reinforces the need for responsible nations to stand up for those who cannot defend themselves.
At its heart, this novel is also about remembrance, and a tribute to the millions who lost their lives along with the thousands of men and women who saved as many as they could, at the expense of their own survival. They should always be remembered. Recommended.
AMAZON CANADA
JJF5.0 out of 5 stars Where Irises Never Grow by Paulette Mahurin, an absolutely terrific page turner! Reviewed in Canada on December 20, 2020Verified Purchase I have just finished re-reading Paulette Mahurin’s novel, Where Irises Never Grow and I must reiterate that her style and method of expression in and how the story unfolds is positively fantastic and uncanny as to making the reader feel that he is part of and living the story as tho it was his life she was telling. I was a young child in th early forties when the world was made to suffer by that madman Hitler, who was inciting the part of the German peoples, as evil as him and allowing them to ply their sick brains in the torture of the unfortunate. I have read most of her books and I can but marvel at her story telling talent and imagination. Bravo Paulette Mahurin!
GOODREADS
David‘s review Mar 08, 2021 it was amazing***** Where Irises Never Grow by Paulette Mahurin is the latest historical-based fiction I read. It has a commonly-used convention of a current day tie to the past that works well as done by this author. A woman who collects first-edition books purchases one of Aesop’s Fables that falls and has damage to the book binding and spine. She takes it to a specialist in restoring old books who discovers a small note on an old newspaper clipping that had been tucked into the binding and came loose. Her search for information about the name Madelin on the note takes readers back to World War II in nazi-occupied Vichy France in the area around Lyon, France. The author then begins the unwrapping of a web of anti-nazi French partisans experiencing increasing oppression under German control that ultimately progressed to the nazis taking direct control in the Vichy free zone and starting roundups of Jews to be shipped off to concentration and death camps. The author makes good use of actual historical figures including Klaus Barbie, the notorious Butcher of Lyons and describes some of his techniques for torturing partisans and Jews to get them to disclose locations of others spreading fear throughout the local community of being betrayed and rounded up for deportation or murder. I was particularly impressed with this author’s abilities at character development, particularly the Legrand family, that made me want to continue reading to learn what would happen to them. Near the end the story returns to the woman and her repaired book that had mostly escaped my mind as I had gotten so invested in the people from WWII. The author successfully personalizes the horrors of WWII that the nazis perpetrated on the conquered population and the survival level of existence that was forced on them. The literary roller coaster ride came to an end and I was still ready for it to continue.
DOGS RESCUED FROM KILL SHELTERS
Mac has been rescuedMac’s freedom photoPaulie’s been rescuedPaulie’s freedom photoRocky’s been rescuedRocky’s freedom photoWinston has been rescuedWinston’s freedom photoBlackie has been rescuedBlackie’s freedom photoGreta’s been rescuedGreta’s freedom photoJustice has been rescuedJustice’s freedom photoDarlene’s been rescuedDarlene’s freedom photo Camille (named by rescue) has been rescued Camille’s freedom photoElderly Ghost has been rescuedElderly Ghost’s freedom photoSultan’s been rescuedSultan’s freedom photoBea’s been rescued
Bea’s freedom photo
Bear has been rescued
Bear’s freedom photo
Elderly Brownie has been rescuedElderly Brownie’s freedom photoCarson has been rescuedCarson’s kennel informationCarson’s freedom photo
I’m deeply grateful to everyone who has purchased, read, and taken the time to review one of my books. Profits from my books go to help get dogs like Cain, Molly, Ladybug, Bonnie, senior Remie, Reggie, elderly Nena & Denver (see photos below) out of kill shelters. So far in 2021 8 dogs have been rescued. In 2020 157 dogs have been rescued. In 2019 409 dogs have been rescued. In 2018 670 dogs have been rescued. In 2017 we’ve helped free 904 dogs. In 2016, 250 dogs were freed. In 2015, 149 dogs were freed.
AND please for everyone who’s purchased a book could I humbly ask you to write a review when you’ve completed the read. Amazon promotes and ranks books according to number of reviews in addition to sales. Every voice helps spread the word and that is an energy that can help a dog.
LINK TO PURCHASE ALL MY BOOKS and to see all reviews for all my books click on the books cover:
My books have been ranked in the best seller lists on Amazon U.S., U.K., & Australia in their categories (historical fiction, teen and young adult, and literary fiction). What an honor to be ranked #87 MOST POPULAR BOOK IN LITERARY FICTION next to Paulo Coelho; incredible author of The Alchemist and The Pilgrimage.
AMAZON MOST POPULAR BOOKS IN HISTORICAL FICTION: THE SEVEN YEAR DRESS & TO LIVE OUT LOUD
AMAZON U.S. U.K. & AUSTRALIA RANKING FOR THE SEVEN YEAR DRESS
AMAZON RANKING #3 FOR A DIFFERENT KIND OF ANGEL
AMAZON RANKING #38 FOR THE DAY I SAW THE HUMMINGBIRD
AMAZON RANKING #86 FOR THE OLD GILT CLOCK
AMAZON RANKING #11 FOR WHERE IRISES NEVER GROW
RECENT REVIEWS FOR WHERE IRISES NEVEVER GROW
AMAZON U.S.
Maria Catalina Egan5.0 out of 5 stars *****A Book Readers Will Never Forget Reviewed in the United States on January 3, 2021Verified Purchase It takes courage as a writer to tap into eras of darkness, hatred, and tyranny. It takes brilliance to bookend the storyline with a modern perspective and curiosity. That is what Paulette Mahurin achieves with WHERE IRISES NEVER GROW. She taps into positive and negative human emotions in a way the reader wants to jump into the page and embrace the characters, wipe their tears, and comfort their suffering, in short, she transforms the reader into Monica; a modern intelligent woman whose curiosity and an antique book of Aesop’s Fables takes her to World War II Lyon, France. To the horrors endured under the cruel hand of the Butcher of Lyons, Klaus Barbie. With magnificent prose, “…He moved a few strands of hair from her eyes to clear her vision. Her face held a new network of worry lines spreading from her mouth. Her drooping lids and glassy eyes told of the wear and tear of living under oppression night and day. He saw the negative impact it had on her body. He felt it in his.” She finds a way to shed life and light to those enduring the horrors we, through history, know well as part of Nazi oppression; “In the midst of so much pain and suffering, with the world around them crumbling, a baby resting in the fold of his wife’s elbow was a miracle. There was good. There was love.” Keep your handkerchief or Kleenex handy, you will cry, and sometimes your tears may be of joy, but there will be tears of sadness and frustration. Coming face to face with what exemplifies the worst of what humans can do to others. It is one of those books a reader never forgets.
Crystal Clifton5.0 out of 5 stars *****Always amazing Reviewed in the United States on January 9, 2021 I was given a copy of this book in return for an honest review. As always the Author has made me cry, love, fear and see through the eyes of the characters. I enjoy reading holocaust stories and this Author has a way with telling them completely. This one takes you back in time from present day and tells a story of so much pain as lives were lost during WWII. The few few chapters start in present day with Monica and Aesop’s Fables part in the story, but then goes in to the past with Charlotte and Victor , Agnes and Jacques and many other people during the war. I would definitely recommend this amazing story to everyone.
DRE5.0 out of 5 stars *****Perfect for lovers of WWII Historical Fiction! Reviewed in the United States on January 9, 2021 “Where Irises Never Grow” is a beautifully written story that takes the reader on an incredible journey woven with love and strength during the horrors of WWII. I loved how the author brought the story to life with Aesop’s Fables as the centerpiece that connected the past to the future. Set in the city of Lyon, France, the story focused on the resistance and the Jews they helped protect. I felt connected to the characters and was immersed in their storylines from the beginning. Full of well-researched history, this novel brings forward a reminder of the many devastating atrocities that were committed during the war. This was the first book I have read by Paulette Mahurin, but it certainly won’t be the last!
Betti5.0 out of 5 stars *****None so blind Reviewed in the United States on January 13, 2021 That monster’s dungeon would never grow irises – there is none of God’s sunshine down there!
This should be required reading for every high school student. I’m sure I will never be the same after reading the horror perpetrated on innocent people.
Lisa alleva5.0 out of 5 stars***** Paulette Mahurins Best Work To Date Reviewed in the United States on January 14, 2021Verified Purchase I’ve read a handful of books from Paulette, and have loved every one of them, but with Where Irises Never Grow she’s topped herself. I enjoy taking a journey with writers, and not just within their stories but with them as a writer, from the first book to the last one, each writer gets better in their craft, and Where Irises Never Grow is proof positive of this assumption. If I could give another star to this latest book I would. This isn’t to say the authors previous books were not good, because that would be a falsity, I’m referring to an incredible writers growth into something more. Paulette has a way of weaving tragedy into depths of character development, using history through a modern lens to reflect the tyranny and hope that exists within human hearts. An excellent piece of literature, you need to follow this author.
Gnomes 5.0 out of 5 stars *****Brilliant piece! Reviewed in the United States on January 21, 2021Verified Purchase I didn’t plan on finishing this so fast! I wouldn’t call it “entertaining”, but rather a beautifully written fictional piece about a time period that never should’ve happened and shouldn’t be forgotten. Had the author not put a disclaimer at the beginning, I would have assumed it was non fiction. The history of this dark time was so accurate and thoroughly researched, it felt like a play unfolding in front of me. The language is thoughtful, brilliant and vivid. I felt all the tears, sadness and could almost hear the voices of the characters. Stunning piece of work. This book was recommended to me and I’m glad. Now I’m a fan and will happily devour all other works by this writer. A+. Bravo!
ReaderX5.0 out of 5 stars *****Where Irises never grow… Reviewed in the United States on January 23, 2021Verified Purchase I am an avid reader of historical fiction. This book fits that mold with a feeling of mystery and a slew of interesting characters wrapped up in a historically accurate portraying of ww2 France. The author brings that horrible time to life and you can actually feel the desperation, the fear, the hopelessness of not only the Jewish people but the ones who tried to help them. It’s a haunting reality of the real world and its history, the hatred that can exist in its people and the evil that played out. It’s a forewarning on today’s trying times and what is possible.
Kindle Customer5.0 out of 5 stars *****A beautifully harsh story Reviewed in the United States on January 28, 2021 Possibly one of the most beautiful and heart wrenching stories I have read. Especially the week of the Holocaust rememberance and living in a state where the Aryan Brotherhood are proud, I felt my world shift. This book ripped open my heart as I read this tale terror of the Jews and their allies in Lyon, France. Fantastically done.
LoveLit5.0 out of 5 stars *****Another inciteful Mahruin Masterpiece Reviewed in the United States on January 31, 2021Verified Purchase A book collector is drawn into a gripping family drama when she finds a note sealed in a copy of Aesop’s Fables. While history warns us what happens when a population fails to stand up for what’s right, this story shines the light on a family that does it to their own peril. With her usual skill for taking us to the heart of the matter, Mahurin gives us three dimensional characters we will never forget.
AMAZON U.K.
Billy5.0 out of 5 stars *****Superb Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 9 January 2021 I dare you not to feel the urge to cry as this story comes to an end. Absolutely absorbing and puts you at the heart of one of the worst atrocities in history. One that should never be forgotten. Paulette Mahurin reminds us of that when she alternates the timeline of occupied France and modern day America. Many of us are familiar with some of the horrors of the haulocost but I don’t think it is possible to imagine the enormity of it or just how deep the wounds go. Yet every character in this novel is living proof.
A book that brings to life it’s characters but also serves as a stark and emotional reminder of something that happened not so long ago and led to the deaths of millions.
Phenomenal!
Fifty Sheds of Books VINE VOICE 5.0 out of 5 stars *****Where Irises Never Grow Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 24 January 2021Verified Purchase Paulette Mahurin is a wonderful historical novelist. And, remarkably, her books get better with each publication. Where Irises Never Grow is now my favourite. The story depicts the horrors of the Nazi occupation of France during the Second World War.
The brutality of that occupation is well described. The people of Lyon suffered more than most and in this author’s skilful hands you really feel for them.
The double timeline offers a subtle reminder: what happened then could easily happen now. Recent events are a testimony to that.
The courage and bravery of Resistance members reveals that while humanity creates its monsters it also creates heroes and heroines, and the people in this book are among the most heroic.
Painful at times, but essential reading with a reminder that loyalty, friendship and love with always defeat the hate promoted by despotic monsters.
Dab Reader5.0 out of 5 stars *****Deeply moving Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 24 January 2021Verified Purchase This was a deeply moving exploration of the horrors of the holocaust. It was brilliantly told through the experiences of a special family. My only regret is that I read it during a worldwide pandemic, but that’s not the author’s fault it just took me longer to read than would be my normal. Stories like this one need to be told so we never forget the suffering encountered during the dark times of the Second World War.
AMAZON CANADA
5.0 out of 5 stars *****Superb Reviewed in Canada on February 7, 2021Verified Purchase Monica Chastain is preparing for her doctorate dissertation, but she requires one important component, Aesop’s Fables. When she tracks down the only copy of the antique book available to her, it’s a French edition. Luckily, she can read French and after a few days she completes the draft of her dissertation. Unfortunately, while she is gathering up her finished work, she inadvertently knocks the book to the floor, damaging its spine. Now she must get the antique book repaired. And so begins the unravelling of a mystery.
Where Irises Never Grow by Paulette Mahurin is a wonderful historic fiction novel. It tells of the atrocities of the German occupation of France through the eyes of a fictitious family who are part of the resistance. The story is captivating, and at times, I had a hard time putting it down, even through tear filled eyes. The writing is superb. The characters are well developed and the world building brought the story to life. Like the Diary of Ann Frank, this is one of those books that I know will stay with me for a long time.
GOODREADS
Jan 15, 2021Mark Decker rated it it was amazing***** With it’s somber and tragic historical setting in Nazi controlled France during WW2, this story is very well written in a compelling way. It begins with a 21st century historian whose research leads her uncover the story of 1940’s French Resistance undercover activities, betrayal, and inevitable tragedy. Even if you aren’t unfamiliar with the history of the French Resistance during the Nazi occupation, I believe you will find this story fascinating and memorable. The characters were realistic and well-rounded, and I found myself rooting for them to succeed in their efforts against the Nazi’s.
Jan 16, 2021Nissa rated it it was amazing *****Shelves: 20th-century, adult-fiction, contemporary-fiction, fiction, historical-fiction, contemporary, literary-fiction, literary, stand-alone-novel, novel This book had everything a reader would like about characters who had to cope with the brutality of the Nazi’s during World War II. These men and women were courageous and they had great endurance to persevere through it all. The author did a masterful job of bringing the characters to life. I never realized how many unacknowledged heroes there were endangering not only their own lives, but those of everyone they knew just by being in the resistance. Beautifully written that fills your heart with hope and sorrow. I was immersed so deeply is this story I did not want to let go. Highly recommend reading this book.
“Life matters” Beautiful, compelling and heart wrenching.
DOGS RESCUED FROM KILL SHELTERS
Cain has been rescuedCain’s shelter infoCain’s freedom photoMolly has been rescuedMolly’s shelter notesMolly’s freedom photoLadybug has been rescuedLadybug’s shelter infoLadybug’s freedom photoBonnie has been rescuedBonnie’s freedom photo with new siblingSenior Remie has been rescuedSenior Remie before and after groomingRemie’s freedom photoReggie’s been rescuedReggie’s freedom photo to the rightElderly Nena has been rescuedNena’s freedom photoDenver has been rescuedDenver’s freedom photo
I’m deeply grateful to everyone who has purchased, read, and taken the time to review one of my books. All profits from my books go to help get dogs like Neve, Ernie, siblings Max & Mila, Merry, Choca, Dixie, senior girl Georgia & Luke (see photos below) out of kill shelters. In 2020 157 dogs have been rescued. In 2019 409 dogs have been rescued. In 2018 670 dogs have been rescued. In 2017 we’ve helped free 904 dogs. In 2016, 250 dogs were freed. In 2015, 149 dogs were freed.
LINK TO PURCHASE ALL MY BOOKS and to see all reviews for all my books click on the books cover:
My books have been ranked in the best seller lists on Amazon U.S., U.K., & Australia in their categories (historical fiction, teen and young adult, and literary fiction). What an honor to be ranked #87 MOST POPULAR BOOK IN LITERARY FICTION next to Paulo Coelho; incredible author of The Alchemist and The Pilgrimage.
AMAZON MOST POPULAR BOOKS IN HISTORICAL FICTION: THE SEVEN YEAR DRESS & TO LIVE OUT LOUD
AMAZON U.S. U.K. & AUSTRALIA RANKING FOR THE SEVEN YEAR DRESS
AMAZON RANKING #3 FOR A DIFFERENT KIND OF ANGEL
AMAZON RANKING #38 FOR THE DAY I SAW THE HUMMINGBIRD
AMAZON RANKING #86 FOR THE OLD GILT CLOCK
AMAZON RANKING #11 FOR WHERE IRISES NEVER GROW
RECENT REVIEW FOR MY BOOKS
WHERE IRISES NEVER GROW
AMAZON U.S.
Marina Osipova5.0 out of 5 stars *****Heart-stopping. A story I will never forget. Reviewed in the United States on December 4, 2020Verified Purchase A skillful introduction to the story, the prologue is instantly intriguing, suspense mounting with every page. And how wonderfully the author weaved Aesop’s Fables in the tapestry of the major characters’ lives! A most disgraceful and tragic time for France: the year is 1942. The author writes, “Desperation. Deportations. Jews in hiding betrayed. Ravenous citizens who joined the human hunt for food and to protect themselves . . .” Paulette Mahurin introduces to the reader Charlotte and Victor Legrand, well-to-do Lyon citizens, Agnes and Jacques, young Jewish people, along with several other fascinating characters (Resistance members and the famous Klaus Barbie and his henchmen) whose actions are expertly woven into the historical context. In this world filled with nightmares there is remarkably also trust and kindness, self-sacrifice and even emerging love, and, sadly, the situation when a mother wants for her daughter: “Never tell her she is Jewish.” There are heart-ripping scenes between the young mother and her newborn who has come to this world of Nazi-infested France to be annihilated and the life-protecting love of another woman who risks her own life to save the baby who otherwise was doomed. You have to read the book to find out how it all ended. Realistic—nothing held back—descriptions brought a feeling of being there, experiencing the every-moment danger of being seized, brutalized, and destroyed. The torture scenes (everyone interested in the genre knows the name of the notorious Butcher of Lyon) are blood-freezing. The descriptions of animosity toward Jewish people and Resistance members are unbearable. An emotional, disturbing, touching tale. The reader parts with Monica, the first character we meet as the story unfolds, at the Los Angeles Museum of the Holocaust, feeling deep appreciation to the remarkable author who writes stories that must never be consigned to oblivion. This book deserves the highest recommendation.
reader20105.0 out of 5 stars***** It leaves you speachless Reviewed in the United States on December 8, 2020Verified Purchase And will stay with you for days. At odd times you will recall things. A dark and terrible time in the history of the world is brought to life through the lives of the people battered and bruised. Forces greater then themselves twist their lives into distorted caricatures. It is a wonderfully written book and as with all great stores, the protagonist grows and changes. A great read.
Sherrie HansenVINE VOICE5.0 out of 5 stars***** A Beautiful Tribute to Bravery Reviewed in the United States on December 8, 2020Verified Purchase Where Irises Never Grow is one of the most impactful books I have ever read. It is honest, raw, and insightful in a way that will affect you deeply. Filled with flawed, but completely loveable heroes and heroines, purely evil villians, and a supporting cast of incredible men and woman straight from the pages of history, the story of the Legrand family, the French Resistance, and endangered Jews, Agnes and Jacque, will break your heart and inspire you at the same time. I was mortified at the lethal influence of the puppet goverment and the media’s propganda – and the realization that although these innocent people thought it could never happen to them, or their country, it did. Where Irises Never Grow is a story of betrayal and loyalty, good and evil, of lives saved for a time, and then lost, all undergirded by a grand effort to help one another. Mahurin’s insights and intensely real characters renewed my perspective and allowed me to experience the world through someone else’s eyes, and reminded me of the simple yet enduring truths learned from Aesop’s Fables, where a glimmer of hope and truth is always to be found.
JJ5.0 out of 5 stars *****What a read. Reviewed in the United States on December 8, 2020Verified Purchase Incredible. I can’t stop thinking about the story, the cruelty that the Nazis did to Jews. And resistance members or anyone who helped Jews. What I found especially compelling was the way the author presented relationships with all the human emotions and reactions we possess. There was nothing cut out or cardboard about any of the characters for they were unique and ran deep. I loved the interplay between Agnes and the Legrands, the support, kindness, frustration and gratitude. I really like the subtle unfolding that showed emotions migrating from what appeared to be cold and uncaring/immature to deep and selfless. A realistic ending left me wanting to go to the Holocaust Museum to see photos, listen to stories, honor the victims. This is such a great read.
C F Brown5.0 out of 5 stars *****Ms. Mahurin’s Next Great Read Reviewed in the United States on December 19, 2020Verified Purchase This book is not an ‘easy’ read. The emotions you will feel will only be a shadow to the suffering people endured. With her words you will travel to that horrendous time and back again to wonder ….how. Why.
PeaceLoveHopeVINE VOICE5.0 out of 5 stars *****Compelling Read 4.5/5 Stars Reviewed in the United States on December 20, 2020Verified Purchase I had no doubt when diving into Mahurin’s latest work, Where Irises Never Grow, that I would find myself in a story rich with complex, believable characters and steeped in history. It is apparent the amount of research Mahurin put into this piece; even though this is a heartbreaking story, I learned a lot about the German occupation of France. I enjoyed the way the author wove the story of a beloved book from present, to the past, and again back to present day; it was well done.
Kell Frillman5.0 out of 5 stars***** This book will test your soul Reviewed in the United States on December 29, 2020Verified Purchase This is the first I’ve heard or read of this author and I was definitely not prepared for the roller coaster ride that this book sent me on. As someone once said to me, “Our own history is far more horrific than anything your imagination can come up with” and I’ve found that to be entirely true. This book intentionally fails to sugarcoat the darkest aspects of our Jewish history while stabbing you in the gut with its realism, but it also shines a light on the trials, tribulations, and extreme bravery of the heart-felt, flushed out characters that it focuses on. Despite being almost impossibly brave, none of the characters come across as “Mary Sue’s” or as if their choices are unrealistic. This book showcases the worst of humanity, but it also showcases the great potential that we have to do GOOD, instead. I read this in about two and a half days, and for hours after I finished it, I found myself lost in thought and reflection. Its impact will stay with me well into the future. Bravo, this author has my utmost respect for choosing such an incredibly sensitive subject matter and bringing out the themes that we all need to reflect on in our current modern-day society.
AMAZON U.K.
bookworm815.0 out of 5 stars *****Powerful writing Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 14 December 2020Verified Purchase Where Irises Never Grow is a harrowing yet beautifully written book about a period in history that should never be forgotten. Impeccably researched, Paulette Mahurin’s latest novel takes the reader from 21st century California to Lyon at the height of the German occupation. The characters are multi-layered and realistic, their flaws and ultimate humanity emphasising the horrors of the holocaust. The juxtaposition of the modern-day narrative was a powerful reminder of the lingering effects of this period in history, and as readers experience the story of Charlotte, Agnes, Jacques and Madeline alongside Monica, they cannot helped but be moved.
Bill5.0 out of 5 stars *****Emotional and brilliant! Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 15 December 2020Verified Purchase I am a great fan of this author and am always eager to read her latest book. Once again, I have not been disappointed! This is another gem of a book, which is beautifully written and tells a story that grips your heart and stays with you long after you finish turning the pages. A story set during the second world war, which is focused on one family, but in its telling provides a wider historical portrayal of the persecution of Jews in France during the occupation by Nazi Germany. A story I would encourage everyone to read, especially younger people, so that we learn from the past and don’t repeat the same terrible mistakes. The author is particularly adept at writing emotional stories and most readers will find it hard not to shed a tear or two. Highly recommended!
Maria5.0 out of 5 stars***** Where Irises Never Grow Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 16 December 2020Verified Purchase A harrowing story from the period France was occupied during WW2. I do enjoy books that have a double timeline as this one does. To complete her dissertation a modern-day student, Monica buys a French edition of Aesop’s Tales. Monica discovers a newspaper cutting and handwritten note hidden in the book and sets out to discover the original owner. Monica is an interesting character with doubts about her boyfriend and is determined to unravel the book’s secrets even if it causes friction. Along with Monica, the reader discovers the history of the book hidden by the Legand family to prevent it being destroyed by the Nazis. As the occupation progresses the family find themselves at the centre of the resistance movement and not only hiding books to ensure they survive. A moving tale that doesn’t sugarcoat the situation and the hard decisions people were forced to make. I really appreciated that while brave and noble the characters also had basic flaws whether it was regret, jealousy or selfishness. Having these “normal” flaws made them more relatable and emphasised how courageous they were.
Amazon Customer5.0 out of 5 stars *****Quite Incredible Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 21 December 2020Verified Purchase The story I have just read has vacillated emotionally like a rollercoaster ride through the turns and twists with ups and downs of despair. Sometimes I had to put the book down for several days, because the horrors were just too much to bear. Even though we all know of the holocaust and the atrocities committed, somehow reading about it happening to a family one has come to know through an authors hand, was somehow much more painful. But the sweet moments between Victor and Charlotte, Jaqueline and Agnes, and all those other beautiful moments of love and hope, balanced it out and I invested several hours at a time. This is an incredible story, told through the experiences of survivors. The love, support and bravery of all the characters in the book are are testament to all those who lost their lives, or were willing to risk their lives in the pursuit of freedom. Surely one of the most painful episodes in history, this book has been written honestly, sensitively and masterfully. Everyone should read it. I am left with the feeling that I am so lucky to live when I do, and where I do, with the knowledge that none of my war-time family had to suffer such awful acts of barbarity. A brilliant book and if I could give it ten stars I would.
Books R Best5.0 out of 5 stars***** ANOTHER NOVEL TO READ AND REMEMBER Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 23 December 2020Verified Purchase I always enjoy this author’s books set during World War II. This one is set in Lyon, France and features a young Jewish girl who is taken into hiding. One huge difference in her case to Ann Frank is that she is pregnant. How do cope in a situation like that? And what if her protectors are themselves part of the French Resistance? A nail-biting, page-turning book that will keep you up far into the night.
Helen Devries5.0 out of 5 stars *****When ordinary people have to be heroes. Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 28 December 2020Verified Purchase The central characters reminded me so much of the Resistance members I was privileged to meet in France. Ordinary people, unremarkable people, who had been willing to take unimaginable risks to try to preserve civilised values, and some of whom suffered the consequnces, lucky to survive the camps. The courage of the couple who took in the young girl, the wife suffering her own agony of mind as, unable to have a child herself, she finds that the girl has become pregnant, shows complex characterisation…you feel you know these people. The brutality of the Barbie regime is not toned down, nor should it be. We need to remember – or realise – that once you demonise a person, or a group, once you can see them as the ‘other’ you permit yourself a licence you would hold unthinkable in respect of people ‘like us’. We are all ‘like us’.
Trypsin5.0 out of 5 stars *****Out of the deepest darkness comes brightness Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 28 December 2020Verified Purchase This is a historical fiction book giving a passionate insight into the horrors of the German occupation of France. Where Irises Never Grow tells the story of how one book a French edition of Aesop’s Tales escaped Nazi confiscation, and moved through time while harbouring a cryptic note. When a Californian student, Monica Chastain, finds the book in 2017, she uncovers an incredible story of horrendous events befalling a family in war-ravaged France. This is an emotional and gripping story with memorable characters (Charlotte in particular). It is evident the story was thoroughly researched, and research adds chilling authenticity to the narrative such that some torture scenes make harrowing reading. But out of the darkness comes hope and brightness.
I have just finished reading this gripping book that transports us to the awful times of German occupation of France – my own country – during WWII. The story unveils the dark hours of the town of Lyon where the butcher Klaus Barbie settled with his barbaric methods. It also reveals how some people from the French resistance had to compromize themselve with the enemy, until the ultime sacrifice, in order to help the secret network to survive.
We follow, page after page , the moving destiny of a recomposed family entangled between duty, love and survival, linked around the Aesop Fables book and a mysterious first name Madeline with two surnames, one of them being jewish .
I really enjoyed this book and I even learned that the symbol of French Royalty was first an Iris before becoming a lilly !
GOODREADS
Dec 13, 2020Yesh rated it it was amazing *****· review of another edition I thoroughly enjoyed Ms. Mahurin s newest book. It was well researched,extremely informative, and engrossing until the last page. Her characters are relateable, interesting and multidimensional. Her use of language is vivid and colorful. I will definitely pass this book along to friends and family.
DOGS RESCUED FROM KILL SHELTERS
Neve has been rescuedNeve’s freedom photoErnie has been rescuedErnie’s freedom photoMax & Milas’ shelter infoMax has been rescuedMax’s freedom photoMila has been rescuedMila’s freedom photoMerry has been rescuedMerry’s freedom photoChoca’s been rescuedChoca’s freedom photoDixie has been rescuedDixie’s freedom photoSenior girl Georgia’s been rescued Senior girl Georgia’s freedom photoLuke’s been rescued Luke’s freedom photo
jeanniell5,0 sur 5 étoiles *****Fighting for survival in Vichy France Commenté en France le 12 décembre 2020Achat vérifié With her latest novel Paulette Mahurin has once again created a gripping fictionalised story based on serious historical research. It’s a story which starts with a real book -Aesop’s Fables – symbolising some of the moral principles which underpin western democracy. Later we will meet a real character, a man representing an ideology which is the antithesis of democracy- that of totalitarianism, in which books like Aesop’s Fables are banned. The man’s name, Klaus Barbie, still sends a chill into the souls of those who remember the years of the Nazi occupation in France or are familiar with its history: a member of the SS he was responsible for the arrest, torture, murder and deportation of thousands of Jews and resistance fighters. Through this contrast Mahurin leads us into the heart of the matter, showing how, less than one hundred years ago, a civilisation could tip from democracy to totalitarianism in a way that seems almost unbelievable today. Prompted by an intriguing mystery – the discovery of a paper with a swastika, a date and two names on it, hidden in the spine of an old copy of the fables written in French- graduate student Monica Chastain sets out on a quest to find out more. Her research takes us back to the early 1940s and the city of Lyons where the intriguing mystery turns into a horror story. Through painstaking detail and sympathetic characterisation Mahurin builds up a bleak picture of life in Vichy France: the freezing cold, lack of food, money, work, and above all the mounting sense of foreboding, of dread, the impression of a trap closing in on the inhabitants. Jews, communists, resistance fighters and ordinary citizens must fight for survival in an atmosphere of fear and mistrust. Spies, collaborators, suspicious eyes are everywhere, and the dangers of exposure and betrayal become acute with the arrival of Barbie, henchman of Eichmann, architect of the final solution which led to the murder of 6 million Jews. Against this dark background the personal drama of the Legrand family plays out: Victor and Charlotte are hiding a 17-year-old Jew, Agnès Eisenberg, who discovers she is pregnant to her lover Jacques, on the run from the authorities. As the pregnancy advances, the three of them struggle to cope with the enormous strain of keeping up such a deception while reports come in of the atrocities carried out by the new head of the Gestapo, a sadist who enjoys taking part in the tortures inflicted on his prisoners. Such scenes, chillingly recounted by the author, do not make easy reading. But, as she points out in the Afternote, they are based on true accounts from survivors. (One witness at Barbie’s trial in 1987 was Charlotte Lagrange who, aged only thirteen, suffered a 9-day ordeal at the hands of the unrepentant Butcher of Lyons.) But as well as physical intimidation, Barbie also wielded the classic psychological weapon of mind control used by totalitarian regimes, encouraging people to denounce their neighbours either through fear of becoming victims themselves or because, over time, they succumb to the relentless anti-Semitic propaganda depicting Jews as less than human – vermin, pigs and cockroaches. As the novel nears its climax, the Legrands are tormented by thoughts of the future. What will happen when the baby is born? How can they get Agnes to safety? Will they, after years of existing on a knife’s edge, manage to escape from the nightmare without being betrayed? We’ve recently seen some alarming trends in modern society – the rise of social media mobs threatening those do not conform to ideological hegemony, the censorship of books, the emergence of self-appointed moral guardians preaching a dangerous puritanism about the way we think and behave. The powerful message of Paulette Mahurin’s book could not be more timely, urging us to ‘never forget’, to remember what history has taught us, and to take a stand against what Montaigne called ‘man’s instinct to inhumanity.’
I’m deeply grateful to everyone who has purchased, read, and taken the time to review one of my books. All profits from my books go to help get dogs like Felix, Malibu, Orion, Zoey, Ollie, Kylo, Howie, Vance, Homer, Freckle, Kratos, Langston, Andy, Xena, Daisy, Jericho, Chyna, Isabelle, Mazie, Leela, Layla, Betty, Bruce, Athena, Eleanor, Lucas, (see photos below) out of kill shelters. So far in 2020 148 dogs have been rescued. In 2019 409 dogs have been rescued. In 2018 670 dogs have been rescued. In 2017 we’ve helped free 904 dogs. In 2016, 250 dogs were freed. In 2015, 149 dogs were freed.
AND please for everyone who’s purchased a book could I humbly ask you to write a review when you’ve completed the read. Amazon promotes and ranks books according to number of reviews in addition to sales. Every voice helps spread the word and that is an energy that can help a dog.
DOGS RESCUED FROM KILL SHELTERS
Eleanor has been rescuedEleanor’s freedom photoLucas has been rescuedLucas’ freedom photoAthena has been rescuedAthena’s freedom photoBruce has been rescuedBruce’s freedom photoBetty (named by rescue) has been rescuedBetty’s freedom photoLayla’s been rescuedLayla’s freedom photoLeela has been rescuedLeela’s freedom photoMazie has been rescued Mazie’s freedom photoIsabelle has been rescuedIsabelle’s freedom photoChyna’s been rescuedChina’s shelter informationChyna’s freedom photo with new familyJericho has been rescued Jericho’s freedom photoDaisy has been rescuedDaisy’s freedom photoXena has been rescuedXena’s freedom photoAndy has been rescuedAndy’s freedom photoLangston has been rescuedLangston’s freedom photoKratos has been rescuedKratos’ freedom photoFreckle has been rescuedFreckle’s freedom photoHomer has been rescuedHomer’s freedom photoVance has been rescuedVance’s freedom photoHowie’s been rescuedHowie’s freedom photoKylo has been rescuedKylo’s freedom photoOllie’s been rescued Ollie’s freedom photoZoey has been rescuedZoey’s freedom photoOrion has been rescuedOrion’s freedom photo with new siblingMalibu has been rescuedMalibu’s freedom photo
This book takes place in )Blackwell Island Insane Asylum in New York ) that Nellie Bly exposed in her 1887 article on the subject.
The book certainly has its dark moments~But Paulette lets you see to the resilience and kindness of people like Klara and her friends Catherine and Nellie. These women are inspirational in their ability to rise above the pain and brutality and time again~reminds us all of the power of encouragement and kindness in the face of hostility and fear. Paulette tells a compelling story~She lets us see the Patients and the various behaviours of each ~ they are vivid but at no time is she insensitive to the plight of the insane, nor to the individual qualitiies of each woman and her mental illness. The reader has a strong sense of how their lives and conditions could be vastly different given proper care, nutrition and some kindness, and as I read I was deeply grateful to the few souls who showed these women as much compassion as they were able to.
Overall, the story is more encouraging than depressing, and most enlightening. Despite the darkness, the message of the story is positive and empowering, especially for those enduring some kind of misery or darkness in their own lives.
***
LINK TO PURCHASE ALL MY BOOKS and to see all reviews for all my books click on the books cover:
My books have been ranked in the best seller lists on Amazon U.S., U.K., & Australia in their categories (historical fiction, teen and young adult, and literary fiction). What an honor to be ranked #87 MOST POPULAR BOOK IN LITERARY FICTION next to Paulo Coelho; incredible author of The Alchemist and The Pilgrimage.
AMAZON MOST POPULAR BOOKS IN HISTORICAL FICTION: THE SEVEN YEAR DRESS & TO LIVE OUT LOUD
AMAZON U.S. U.K. & AUSTRALIA RANKING FOR THE SEVEN YEAR DRESS
AMAZON RANKING #3 FOR A DIFFERENT KIND OF ANGEL
AMAZON RANKING #38 FOR THE DAY I SAW THE HUMMINGBIRD
Thank you to everyone who has purchased a book and taken the time to write a review. I’m grateful for your help. The profits from my books go to help get dogs out of kill shelters.
FIRST REVIEWS FOR WHERE IRISES NEVER GROW FROM AMAZON U.S.
Amazon CustomerTOP 1000 REVIEWERVINE VOICE5.0 out of 5 stars A must-read! Reviewed in the United States on December 1, 2020Verified Purchase I’ve been a fan of Paulette Mahurin’s writing for a few years now and each time her new book comes out, I grab it right away. “Where Irises Never Grow” is another fine example of Ms. Mahurin’s literary talent. From the opening chapters, in which an old newspaper cutting is found in a first edition of Aesop’s Fables, I was riveted to the plot that ultimately led to Nazi-occupied France and the mystery behind the two names on an old newspaper cutting. I won’t be retelling much of the plot to avoid spoilers, so I’ll just say this: if you’re looking for a meticulously researched French Resistance novel that will pull at your heartstrings and reveal not only love, sacrifice, and devotions, but also atrocities of Klaus Barbie, rightly nicknamed The Butcher of Lyon, search no further. “Where Irises Never Grow” is a stark reminder of a recent past, in which xenophobia and nationalistic hatred lead to the annihilation of millions of people; it is also a warning for our generation not to repeat the mistakes of our forefathers and apply our all to fight bigotry, racism, and dictators that inspire the ugliest sentiments in their followers. The story of Charlotte and Victor Legrand, the story of Agnès Eisenberg and her beloved Jaques is a must-read for sure. Just make sure to have a box of Kleenex ready – you’ll most likely need it. The ending in which we meet an elderly Holocaust survivor is so heartbreakingly beautiful, it’ll remain with you long after you close the book. A truly timeless novel that should be read by everyone. Highly recommended!
R35.0 out of 5 stars Where Irises Never Grow Reviewed in the United States on December 1, 2020Verified Purchase I’m an avid fan of this author, so I was thrilled to discover her newest book. The beginning especially piqued my interest, as I’m addicted to folklore. I want to read the fictional character Monica’s dissertation that she wrote about folklore. 🙂 A sentiment from Monica ties in with the book she discovered, a French version of “Aesop’s Fables”: “She was aware of how stories could easily change from fable to propaganda.” This theme is cleverly — and heartbreakingly — woven into the tale of a French family. Bring out the tissues; you’ll need them. It’s so difficult to believe how people let themselves be deceived by Hitler’s propaganda, and how he divided the nation with hate. I also love the meaning of the title that you’ll discover as you read the story.
Heather Hansen5.0 out of 5 stars HEATHER HANSEN REVIEW Reviewed in the United States on December 1, 2020Verified Purchase I never thought I’d have an inkling of what it must have been like for Jewish people during WWII. The oppression and fear they must have felt. After reading this and having so many different emotions stirred I gained a deep compassionate respect for what a Jew must have felt. In hiding. Being rounded up. Being interrogated. Put on a packed train and sent to a death camp. I also felt for those in hiding, the fear they must have felt, the relief for those who did make it out. It’s hard to imagine how many didn’t live to tell their story. I don’t know how anyone can deny the Holocaust and it is in stories like this that don’t hold back, that portray a realistic display of what happened, that I am motivated to speak out that there’s no doubt this happened. No doubt millions perished at the fascist Nazis’ hands. We must see it for what it is and never forget. Especially in these trying time it is imperative to remember and not have the past repeat. A remarkable read that I highly recommend.
Dolli Alexander5.0 out of 5 stars A must read Reviewed in the United States on December 1, 2020Verified Purchase This incredibly well-written timely story starts out in 2017 when a graduate student purchases an antique book that has a mysterious note in it that takes her back to Lyon, France during the Nazi occupation in WWII. A young Jewish girl is hiding in the house of the French Legrand family. The head of the family works with the Vichy government; he is also a resistance member. As tension in Lyon tighten all the Legrands hold dear is threatened and compels the reader to want to know what will happen. This hard to put down read doesn’t hold back and emotions burn from the page through well-case, excellently described characters. This is not simply a book about the tragedy of the oppressive Nazi regime but also a story about the resilience and goodness of the human spirit, the best of the human condition manifests when faced with adversity to do right by another. It is a statement about the power of friendship and love. A must read.
I’m happy to announce my latest book is now available on all Amazon sites. Free with KU.
SYNOPSIS:
With courage, depth, and passionate insight, bestselling author Paulette Mahurin captures the horrors of the German occupation of France. Where Irises Never Grow tells the story of how one book that escaped Nazi confiscation moved through time holding a cryptic note. Unraveling its mystery brings the reader to Lyon, France. It is there war, in all its bloodstained pathos, is witnessed through the escalating cruelty of the Vichy regime. Particularly impacted is the Legrand family. Thrown into a whirlwind of turmoil they struggle to help the Resistance while maintaining deceitful relations with the government. As the Nazis move toward occupying southern France, the duplicity unravels along with all the Legrands are protecting. Their struggle is raw. Uplifting. Nothing is held back in depicting the horrors inflicted on innocent people by the corrupt tyrannical despots. But this is more than a story of war. It is a story of friendship and loyalty. Of love and sacrifices. And choices for ultimately it is a story that shines a light on the fundamental urge by decent human being to do right by another, to stand tall no matter the risk when millions stood silent. Where Irises Never Grow will linger in the readers gut and mind long after the last page is finished.
I’m deeply grateful to everyone who has purchased, read, and taken the time to review one of my books. All profits from my books go to help get dogs like Duke, Barley, Monroe, Jingle Bells, Oakley, Rusty, Griffen, Enzo, Choco, elder Sadie, Socks, Marge, Angel, Stella, Aspen, siblings Pachito & Sultan, Guava & Doug (see photos below) out of kill shelters. So far in 2020 122 dogs have been rescued. In 2019 409 dogs have been rescued. In 2018 670 dogs have been rescued. In 2017 we’ve helped free 904 dogs. In 2016, 250 dogs were freed. In 2015, 149 dogs were freed.
AND please for everyone who’s purchased a book could I humbly ask you to write a review when you’ve completed the read. Amazon promotes and ranks books according to number of reviews in addition to sales. Every voice helps spread the word and that is an energy that can help a dog.
LINK TO PURCHASE ALL MY BOOKS and to see all reviews for all my books click on the books cover:
My books have been ranked in the best seller lists on Amazon U.S. in their categories (historical fiction, teen and young adult, and literary fiction). What an honor to be ranked #87 MOST POPULAR BOOK IN LITERARY FICTION next to Paulo Coelho; incredible author of The Alchemist and The Pilgrimage.
Amazon Australia ranked my book NUMBER ONE in all it’s categories: Literary Fiction, Historical Fiction & Teen and Young Adult and is #3 best seller in the entire kindle bookstore.
And in Amazon U.K. it just made it to#1 Best Seller List in Teen & Young Adult Category and #3 in Historical Fiction Category and #24 best seller in the kindle books store.
NEW RELEASE AMAZON RANKING #3 FOR A DIFFERENT KIND OF ANGEL
Willem Arondeus is a gentle soul. An artist with homosexual tendencies. When Hitler and his Nazi’s descend over Willem’s country, he’s placed into the same category as the Jews. Willem has a choice to make—rise up against the prejudice or let it destroy everything dear to him.
Willem was a very fascinating character. Built up with a sense of his normality that made him easy to relate to. The fact that he was an unusual hero also made the story interesting because it added to that sense of helplessness that people like him must’ve felt when the Nazis came to power.
To me, it was an interesting foil to the political influences that are rising in today’s society in America. A lot of people feel helpless to change the terrible things around them, but this story is good testament to exactly what one person can do when they set their mind to something. Invoking change isn’t just about what one person can do for society. It also takes into account what they can encourage others to do as well.
This is a solid story with good historical impact. Stories like this show that even the impossible isn’t truly impossible when someone puts their mind to achieving something they believe in. Above all, good will always triumph over evil.
Clearly well-researched, this novel is based on a true story of the life of Willelm Arondeus – a gay artist fighting both his father as well as the anti-Semitism of the Nazis in WW2.
The story is both emotional and disturbing, but also by showing the strength of what people can endure, makes it very uplifting too.
This book is a very well-written and powerful read. Another impressive novel by this author of which I would recommend.
Many excellent books have been written about different people’s experiences during World War II, each offering a personal perspective that is unique and yet similarly heartbreaking. ‘The Seven Year Dress’ is as compelling and profoundly personal as any of them.
Mahurin’s writing is, as always, vivid and realistic without being gratuitous in her depiction of life as a young Jewish woman in Germany both before and throughout the horrors of the Holocaust.
Told with honesty and deep emotion, Helen’s story brings to life the experiences of one German Jewish young woman and her family and friends. It is a story of friendship, resilience, and survival against all the odds.
This book is one that everyone should read, particularly in this world that is still plagued by hatred, racism and suspicion of anyone who dares to be different.
DOGS RESCUED FROM KILL SHELTERS
Duke, senior dog, rescued
Duke’s freedom photo
Barley has been rescued
Barley’s freedom photo
Monroe’s been rescued
Monroe’s shelter info
Monroe’s freedom video
Jingle Bells has been rescued
Jingle Bells’ freedom photo
Oakley’s been rescued
Oakley’s freedom photo
Rusty has been rescued
Rusty’s freedom photo
Griffen’s been rescued
Griffen’s freedom photo
Enzo’s been rescued
Enzo’s freedom photo
Choco’s been rescued
Choco’s freedom photo
Elder Sadie (named by rescue) has been rescued
Elder Sadie’s freedom photo
Socks has been rescued
Socks’ freedom photo
Marge has been rescued
Marge’s freedom photo. She’s at the vet’s post surgery for a tumor removed from her abdomen. She’s doing very well.
I’m deeply grateful to everyone who has purchased, read, and taken the time to review one of my books. All profits from my books go to help get dogs like Fendi, Rio, Araceli, Penelope, Archuk, Princess Grace, Milton, Leigh, Psycho, Dawn, Bentley, Harriet, Cromwell, Sylvia, Molly, Dodger, Phantom, Scooby, Samson, Mallory, Stevie, Janice, Lucky, Mountbatten & Mayford, (see photos below) out of kill shelters. So far in 2020 103 dogs have been rescued. In 2019 409 dogs have been rescued. In 2018 670 dogs have been rescued. In 2017 we’ve helped free 904 dogs. In 2016, 250 dogs were freed. In 2015, 149 dogs were freed.
AND please for everyone who’s purchased a book could I humbly ask you to write a review when you’ve completed the read. Amazon promotes and ranks books according to number of reviews in addition to sales. Every voice helps spread the word and that is an energy that can help a dog.
LINK TO PURCHASE ALL MY BOOKS and to see all reviews for all my books click on the books cover:
My books have been ranked in the best seller lists on Amazon U.S. in their categories (historical fiction, teen and young adult, and literary fiction). What an honor to be ranked #87 MOST POPULAR BOOK IN FICTION BESTnext to Paulo Coelho; incredible author of The Alchemist and The Pilgrimage.
Amazon Australia ranked my book NUMBER ONE in all it’s categories: Literary Fiction, Historical Fiction & Teen and Young Adult and is #3 best seller in the entire kindle bookstore.
And in Amazon U.K. it just made it to#1 Best Seller List in Teen & Young Adult Category and #3 in Historical Fiction Category and #24 best seller in the kindle books store.
NEW RELEASE AMAZON RANKING #3 FOR A DIFFERENT KIND OF ANGEL
RECENT REVIEWS FOR THE PERSECUTION OF MILDRED DUNLAP
Small towns can be very hard on anyone who is different – people of a different race, social standing, background, wealth, or religion… two women living together and sleeping in one bed… When MIldred and her cousin, Edra, become the target of hateful gossip, hurtful actions, and harrowing suspicions, Mildred feels they must be proactive. Charlie has just lost his wife. Mildred decides she will show interest in him, certain he will reject her. She will go back to her secret life with Edra on their isolated ranch and the gossip will end. When her plan backfires, they encounter the terrifying reality of how hate can harm those who are totally undeserving – but thankfully, they go on to learn all kinds of important truths and to discover there are good people waiting to help where and when they least suspect. The Persecution of Mildred Dunlap will make you cringe as you experience the vile behaviors and self-righteous attitudes of the small minded, small town women. It will simultaneously inspire you with the beautiful nature of true friendship and unconditional love. Mahurin’s characters are both fragile and strong, unique and relatable. The story is beautifully woven and infused with the healing power of true love – it held my attention and my heart. Highly recommended.
this is the third novel I’ve read by this author and she never disappoints. The Old Gilt Clock is a well researched historical novel that chronicles the life of Willem Arondeus; a Dutch artist and author and a member of the Dutch resistance movement during World War II. Paulette Mahurin weaves fantastic prose within an emotional, heart felt, and tragic story about resistance, war, and hope. A must read for fans of historical fiction.
Willem Arondeus was a fascinating historical figure, and one that you don’t hear of very often. I’m not sure if this is due to the fact that the Dutch are left out of a lot of WWII stories in general, or maybe something more insidious like the fact that even eighty years later people still seem to have a problem with that fact that he was gay, but his is an important story all the same. Willem Arondeus was a man who took the pain of his life, someone who was persecuted for his sexuality, and used it to do whatever he could to stop the nazis from identifying Dutch Jews. He was someone extraordinary would did not have that goal in mind. He was just someone who wanted to do what was right. It’s stories like his that make me wonder what people like him would have been like if they’d been given a chance to live somewhere that he didn’t need to risk his life and be hated for who he was. To paraphrase, “Pity not the land that has no hero, pity the land that has need of a hero.”
I found this to be a timely novel, as humanity, once again, faces another tsunami of anti-semitism and division in the middle of a planetary pandemic. When will we learn? Or, will we ever learn? Perhaps the human experiment has failed. The invasions, deportations, and betrayals we are currently witnessing, yet still turn our heads to, sound all too familiar as I read this novel. I had the strongest urge to ask the author if she possibly misspelled the word GILT in the title on purpose. THE OLD GUILT CLOCK seemed more suitable to me. This is definitely a novel worth reading. Well-researched and well thought out, THE OLD GILT CLOCK may have you looking at yourself in the mirror once or twice. What you do with that image is what may help save the world.
An powerful work of historical fiction, the story begins with an intense description of a birth which sets the tone for the rest of the story. William is a shown kindness by a Jewish family after his own father rejects him. He pays this kindness forward by risking everything to help others during the Nazi occupation in WWII. A story of true heroism.
I put down this book with a heavy heart. The journey of Willem from being born via a difficult child birth to the last moments of his life is nothing less than amazing. The main story line stands tall like a pine tree with multiple small but important issues forming the branches leaning out from the main trunk and then, they grow into you.
I would like to quote some phrases from the book that will stay with me for a long time,
This one, for example, where Willem, who is happy selling his art for a smile and a loaf of bread, is taught the meaning of life by someone,
“you must ask for money in return. Do not work for a pittance and most definitely do not work for free. If life has taught me anything it’s simply that the less you pay for something, the less you get, especially when there are pricier options. Payment, and the more of it the better, results in the purchaser feeling they have something of value”And then there is another,
“some friends are stepping stones on a peaceful journey, while others are sunken concave traps, their only purpose to bring one down.”One of my personal favorites from the book,
Rational thinking be damned and the danger was when individuals were impacted by a mob mentality, their decisions were different than they would have been individually.I could outline scores of passages from the book without giving away the storyline, that I really don’t want to.
This book is much more than just a simple read. Artistically done and vividly projected scenes haunt you for days.There is a small incident in the story, about the fallen swift and how it helps Willem evolve as a person who is finally destined for a higher purpose in life. The little episode has been crafted with much expertise and a lot of heart. I instantly felt connected to the Author, when she described the scene on a plane much higher than a normal occurence. And it made me wonder that maybe it is something that lies dormant within all of us, or maybe we all are waiting for our share of the fallen swift moment.
This is a must read for those who like reading intriguing, serious and descriptive books. As for me, this book will stay on my shelf for a very long time.
Kept my interest throughout. The back story central to plot is a transplant patient exhibiting personality traits of an organ donor. It’s not unheard of. The author does a good job wrapping up a complicated story involving the donor (briefly) and her spouse, along with the recipient and his spouse. Lots of emotional turmoil between the husband who received the heart transplant and his wife–who has her own history that contributes to the trying times.
There’s much <i>sturm und drang</i> among the rich Beverly Hills set. Some years after the transplant, leading cardiac surgeon Peter Dayton is charged with manslaughter. He allegedly prescribed the wrong meds to another patient. Irma Mullins, attorney who mediates cases, is shocked to see the news about Dayton. She never stopped loving him, despite his spurning her decades ago for someone more acceptable to Dayton’s parents. She reaches out to him and offers her help.
Did Dayton do it? Well, given the set up, the reader has to conclude probably not. So, how will Irma prove it? With lots and lots of research, aided by her investigative journalist friend. Plus, deep dives into the lives of all those folks involved back in the transplant situation–the brokenhearted husband of the heart donor, the recipient and his wife who doesn’t like the changes her husband has after he receives a new heart.
The only complaint in an otherwise excellent story is length and the words spent getting to the end. Might have been able to shave 15% or more words, making for a quicker read. Some of the rich characterization and other details seemed superfluous to the storyline. I felt impatient at times–<i>come on, move it along</i>. On the other hand, they may be just what a screenwriter and producer wants for adapting the book into a feature film. That is, once COVID-19 slows down enough. Don’t be surprised to see it in theaters in a two or three years.
Women were unjustly treated, abused or sent away to be committed without a second thought. If you were not insane before, the mistreatment, physical abuse and possible death were outcome of those committed. Sad.
DOGS RESCUED FROM KILL SHELTERS
Fendi has been rescued
Fendi’s freedom photo
Rio has been rescued
Rio’s freedom photo to the right
Araceli’s been rescued
Araceli’s freedom photo
Penelope has been rescued
Penelope’s freedom photo
Archuk (renamed by rescue Archie) has been rescued
Siblings Pachito & Sultan rescued together
