Historical fiction is a genre I enjoy, and this book was suggested to me based on my previous reading of The Rose Code. I did enjoy the story quite a bit. I just found that the author’s style was not what I’m used to and at times didn’t pack the emotional gut-punch it should have.

Madeleine Grant is a young Englishwoman who is studying at the Sorbonne in Paris. She’s led a bit of a sheltered life when she meets the enigmatic Giles Martin. Giles is studying journalism and is involved with the Communist Party in pre-WWII France. The two fall in love and eventually are married and have a son. However, Giles knows what is coming from Germany as he follows the stories out of Poland. Eventually, he sends Madeleine and their son, Olivier, back to her home in London while he stays to work with the French Resistance.

For a while Madeleine and Olivier are happy with her father and step-mother, even though the step-mother is not all that nice. Madeleine worries about Giles, and only receives a couple of letters before he effectively disappears. Meanwhile, the Germans are bombing London and there is a push to get the schoolchildren out of London to where it is “safe.” Madeleine sends Olivier on the train, only to have a bomb hit it. She is led to believe he is dead.

Earlier, Madeleine was approached by a man helping to create a British spy ring made up entirely of women who could infiltrate France. With Madeleine’s fluency in French and her knowledge of the country, she would seem to be the perfect candidate. While Olivier was still alive, she refused, believing she had to make sure one parent, at least, survived for him. After she has been told he is dead, she sees no reason not to, and wants to hurt the Germans as much as she can.

The Paris Assignment was good in many ways. The story was pretty unique compared to other WWII historical fiction I’ve read. At the same time, the theme is somewhat familiar. I’ve read many books where small people rise up and do big things against the Nazis despite the odds seeming to be stacked against them. This is especially true in the case of books with women as main characters.

Rhys Bowen writes a good story. However, I didn’t feel like I connected emotionally with the characters. It was more that he was telling a story, rather than showing it to me. There were a few moments where I should have felt a gut-punch of emotion when something happened, and I didn’t feel anything at all. That is my biggest complaint about the book, and if you prefer that style of writing, you can add another star to the rating.

What was here though was good. I enjoyed seeing Madeleine come into her own as a person. First is defying her family to stay in France and marry. Later on, she gains strength as she copes with the war and death surrounding her. Even after the war, with seemingly little to live for, she has the strength to go back and identify Nazis who try to escape into anonymity. I could root for her, but I could not connect with her.

The subplot with Olivier is a bit difficult as well. I understand why the plot device had to be used – it’s a motivational point for Madeleine. It’s also accurate in that what happens to Olivier is something that happened to many orphans at the time. Adults don’t listen to children, especially when it could possibly upset the status quo.

If you enjoy WWII historical fiction, I think you’ll like The Paris Assignment. It’s a good story with twists and turns, even with knowing how the war will end. The characters are good characters, but I couldn’t connect to them. It’s not exactly light reading, but it’s also not too heavy.

I rounded it up to 4 stars, but I’d probably give it 3 1/2.