The Socialite

With sweeping romance and evocative prose, Ciesielski (The Songbird and the Spy) transports readers to WWII-era Paris, where a British aristocrat loses her heart to a Scottish spy. Kat Whitford uses her family connections to travel from England to occupied Paris at the request of her father to bring her wild child younger sister, Ellie, back home. But Ellie, besotted with her vile boyfriend, Nazi officer Eric von Schlegel, refuses to leave and insists she is happier living with him than she had been under the thumb of her controlling father. While in Paris, Kat meets Barrett Anderson, a Scotsman working for the British government who has been tasked with keeping an eye on the Whitford sisters. The attraction that blossoms between the richly drawn protagonists grows as Barrett sees the authentic woman behind Kat’s aristocratic facade, and she glimpses the caring nature that lies beneath his sarcastic wit. When Kat finally convinces Ellie to flee Paris, Eric refuses to let her go, and Barrett steps in to keep them safe, using his contacts with the Resistance to evade the Nazis. Ciesielski’s vivid characterizations and lush historical detail quickly draws readers into this expertly plotted tale. Readers looking for an immersive, high-stakes historical romance will be wowed. Agent: Linda Glaz, Harline Literary. (Apr.)