After Paris
- Judith D Collins
- 6 days ago
- 13 min read
Updated: 3 days ago
ISBN: 9781662513442
Publisher: Montlake
Publication Date: 05/13/2025
Format: Other
My Rating: 5 Stars +(ARC)
From the author of The Brighter the Light comes a haunting tale of hope that spans generations, intertwining the lives of three women who fight for survival in 1940s France and present-day Virginia.
At twenty-five, Ruby Nevins has already endured more than most. But after two years of battling cancer, she’s warily determined to move forward. Researching a new project about a French actress, she soon uncovers an old diary that will change her life forever…
Cécile, the “it girl” of early 1940s French cinema, vanished from Nazi-occupied Paris in 1942. Sylvia Rousseau, Cécile’s dressmaker and confidante, left that same year. Working to piece together the truth behind Cécile’s disappearance and Sylvia’s extraordinary life, Ruby recognizes the women as kindred spirits. They risked their hearts and lives to aid the Resistance, and each day was a struggle to survive.
Ruby knows her cancer could come back, but she’s learning to embrace the future rather than fear it. If Cécile and Sylvia could live their lives in the shadow of death, so can Ruby. Because she knows there’s so much life—and love—to fight for.
About the Author
TIMELESS WOMEN'S FICTION
Amazon Charts bestselling author, Mary Ellen Taylor’s love of her home state Virginia is evident in her contemporary women’s fiction, including The Promise of Tomorrow, Winter Cottage , Spring House, and Honeysuckle Season. She brings her new home on the Outer Banks of North Carolina to life in her latest novel The Brighter The Light, and When the Rain Ends.
As do so many people, her protagonists search for their place in the world, exploring issues of family, home, love and belonging. Inevitably, Mary Ellen’s stories interweave setting, history and mysteries that span past and present.
Mary Ellen is also known nationally as New York Times and USA Today bestselling suspense novelist Mary Burton. Together, they have published fifty novels and five novellas. Mary Burton’s upcoming, What She Saw will be released, August 2025.
When not traveling or writing, Mary Ellen spends time with her husband enjoying walks on the beach with their miniature dachshund Tiki.
Connect with Mary Ellen
Exceptional Authors.
Standout Books. Elevator Talk.
Behind the Book & the Author
INTRIGUING QUESTIONS. INQUIRING READERS WANT TO KNOW.
Q&A Elevator Ride with bestselling author
Mary Ellen Taylor & After Paris
Welcome to the second May 2025 #AuthorElevatorSeries! Notable guest author, Southern storyteller, Mary Ellen Taylor (personal and fan favorite) joins us for the second time (first, as Mary Burton) with her latest poignant, compelling, and most influential historical fiction novel yet, AFTER PARIS.
AFTER PARIS is stunning, exploring themes of resilience, love, and the enduring strength of women across generations—perfect for fans of historical fiction and dual-storyline narratives.
Join us as Mary shares some fascinating behind-the-scenes exclusives from the book and up-close and personal fun moments from this talented author.
Welcome, Mary!
Behind the Book
Q. Give us your best ELEVATOR PITCH for AFTER PARIS.
In After Paris, a young cancer survivor uncovers the hidden past of two courageous women in Nazi-occupied France. As Ruby digs into their lives—a daring actress and a Resistance-linked dressmaker—she finds strength, healing, and a deeper understanding of her own resilience.
Q. DESCRIBE your novel in three words or less.
Resilient, haunting, hopeful.
Q. INSPIRATION: The spark that ignited this extraordinary novel. Where were you when the idea came to you?
I was on a hiking trip in southern France and the woman I was walking with that day told the story of woman who was angry at her parents for not revealing the family’s true heritage. I immediately asked myself why these parents hide the family’s history from their child. I spent the rest of the trip chewing on this question. And in my defense (an apology to the other hikers) I walked so slowly after that moment, because I was plotting a novel.
Q. SETTING: Tell us more about the book setting (s) and why you selected it.
I signed up for a trip to France and fell in love with the rugged terrain of southern France. Then I picked a time that was very charged with world events. As I dug into the research, I shifted the setting to Paris a city that was truly at a turning point.
Q. TIME PERIODS: Share with us the dual-time periods in the novel?
There is a modern-day story featuring Ruby, a young cancer survivor. Then I shifted to a time in the past that was very charged. I selected Paris 1940-1942. During this time, Paris and Europe was enduring massive upheaval and automatically brought drama and tension to the story.
Q. RESEARCH: Meticulous, and highly impressive research! Your favorite part of the research, (fashion, film, dressmaking, war, The French Resistance, Paris, history, etc.), or favorite parts of the research you found fascinating, or anything you learned along the way.
I have a dozen books now on 1940s fashion, books on World War Two and the French Film industry. I’d not read about the French film industry before and was fascinated by how the actors, directors and stage crew navigated the invasion of Germany.
Q. CHARACTER DEVELOPMENT: Your favorite character to write, and/or most challenging?
In the present-day story, Ruby is faced with embracing life or giving up. In the historical story the characters face a similar choice. In the original draft the historical story was in the actress Cécile’s POV, but then I realized her dressmaker, Sylvia, was risking more. I always ask myself who has the most at stake. Who has the most to gain or lose? I find if I can answer that question, the story will always be more tense and interesting.
Q. ORANIZATION: With impressive dual timelines, POVs, and settings, how did you keep organized while writing?
Lots of charts, timelines, and notes. It’s important to keep the overall story blended and moving forward and that sometimes requires knowing when to tell an episode in the past and when not to share. There were more than a few deleted and rewritten scenes.
Q. TAKEAWAY: What important message, theme, or takeaway would you like readers to be left with when reading your book?
Life is going to throw tough choices and the choice to keep moving forward is often the most difficult.
Q. UPCOMING: Readers may or may not know you also write crime thrillers, suspense, mystery, and cop procedurals under the name of Mary Burton. Tell us more about your upcoming novel, What She Saw (Aug 26, 2025).
In my latest suspense novel, cold case reporter Sloane Grayson returns to a small Virginia town to investigate her mother’s disappearance—one of four women who vanished during a music festival thirty years ago. Though a man was convicted, the bodies were never found. As Sloane reopens the case, buried secrets resurface, and someone will do anything to keep the truth hidden.
Continue reading below for more up close and personal with Mary!
Behind the Author
BIRTH STATE?
Virginia
CURRENT STATE?
North Carolina
ZODIAC SIGN?
Cancer, which is a water sign of course.
FAVORITE THING ABOUT WHERE YOU RESIDE?
We are a block from the Atlantic Ocean and can also see the Currituck Sound from the backyard. The sunsets are amazing, and it’s a real treat to walk the beach.
FAVORITE FLOWER?
Tulip
FAVORITE COLOR?
Blue
YOUR FAVORITE GO TO DRINK OR FOOD WHEN THE WORLD GOES A LITTLE CRAZY?
Coffee. I live on the stuff.
YOUR SECRET TALENT OR SUPERPOWER?
I’m a great cook. It’s the perfect writing break. If I hit a roadblock in a story, I head to the kitchen. I’ve burned more cookies because the story always shakes loose, and I hurry back to the computer and forget about the cupcakes or cookies. I now use the timer on my phone to remind me. 😊
MORNING/NIGHT PERSON?
I’m a morning person. I’m up most days by five a.m. By the evening, I’m out of steam and ready to grab a book and chill.
YOUR FAVORITE LIFE LESSON QUOTE?
Whether you think you can, or you think you can't--you're right.” Henry Ford
FAVORITE HOLIDAY OR SEASON?
I love the fall. The weather is still warm but not so hot I can’t walk on the beach
WHAT’S ONE THING YOU WISH READERS KNEW ABOUT YOU?
I truly love writing, and nothing gives me greater pleasure than to write a story that touches a reader’s heart.
FAVORITE READING FORMAT?
Digital has been my go-to lately because I don’t have enough space for all the books.
IF YOU WERE GRANTED 3 MONTHS OF UNINTERRUPTED WRITING TIME—WHERE WOULD IT BE?
A Coastal Seaside Cottage. A coastal seaside cottage is my favorite. There is something very inspiring about being near water.
A CHARACTER YOU HAVE WRITTEN THAT IS YOUR FAVORITE AND WHY?
I’m very fond of Sylvia in AFTER PARIS. She has every reason not to help others. In fact, getting involved is dangerous, but she still does it anyway. She never tells anyone what she did during the war because she never saw what she did as heroic.
WHICH OF YOUR BOOKS IS YOUR FAVORITE? WHY?
I do love AFTER PARIS. I travelled to France and was very inspired by the scenery, food and the stories of the people that came before me
DESCRIBE ONE THING ON YOUR DESK, CURRENTLY?
There is a picture of my children when they were one and two. They are sitting at my 286 Dos computer (I know, dating myself.). Even as babies, they are fascinated by it. It’s a perfect reminder that there is always time to write.
WHICH DO YOU ENJOY WRITING MORE: DIALOGUE OR INTERNAL THOUGHTS?
Dialogue. I always ‘hear’ the characters before I see the world around them.
DO YOU LISTEN TO MUSIC WHILE WRITING?
I do. There is something about music that helps me focus.
YOUR FAVORITE SOCIAL MEDIA PLATFORM? (Or would you prefer none of them)?
I’m on Instagram. I love the visuals and the immediacy of readers reaching out to me
WHICH DO YOU PREFER WRITING AS?
Mary Burton (thrillers, mystery, cop procedurals), or Mary Ellen Taylor (historical, romance, family)? I love them both. They offer a great balance, and both test my brain in different ways.
HOW MANY BOOKS HAVE YOU WRITTEN? MET, Mary Burton, Novellas, etc.
I’m currently working on my 60th title (it’s a Mary Ellen Taylor novel) and will start the next Mary Burton in a couple of weeks.
WHAT INSPIRES YOU?
Inspiration is everywhere. My current novel is set on the Outer Banks of North Carolina and is set within twenty miles of my house.
YOUR MOST PRODUCTIVE TIME OF THE DAY?
The morning. I started writing when my children were babies, so I got in the habit of writing very early before they got up. I’m also finished most days by three p.m. because that’s when the school bus used to pull into the bus stop.
NAME A TRAIT YOU INHERITED FROM YOUR DAD OR MOM? (Good or bad.
My dad was self-employed, and he taught me at an early age that if you want to work for yourself, you’ll work a lot, but the work usually doesn’t feel like work.
WHAT ARE YOU LOVING RIGHT NOW?
The story I’m working on. It’s been a challenge but there is no better feeling when the story finally reveals itself to me and the pieces fall into place.
A FAVORITE INDEPENDENT BOOKSTORE?
I love Duck’s Cottage. Great fun to buy a coffee there and look at the titles. And in Richmond, I loved visiting Fountain Books.
WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE TO CHILDREN?
Chase your dreams. The sky is the limit.
WHAT WERE YOU DOING AT MIDNIGHT LAST EVENING?
Sleeping. 😉 Getting up early means going to bed early.
ONE BIT OF ADVICE YOU WOULD GIVE AN INSPIRING AUTHOR?
Write every day. If you create the habit of writing, you can get to the heart of your story faster.
WHAT DO YOU CONSIDER TO BE THE MOST IMPORTANT ELEMENT OF A BOOK?
The characters. As soon as I connect with a character, then I’m pretty sure my readers will.
PIE OR CAKE?
Cake. I have a weakness for Carrot Cake.
GO TO A PARTY, OR A QUIET EVENING AT HOME?
A quiet evening. I get out occasionally but most nights I’m home and thinking about tomorrow’s pages.
YOUR FAVORITE AGE (in your life)?
Now is pretty great. I’m not a fan of looking back.
TRAVELER OR HOMEBODY?
A homebody mostly but I love to take at least one big trip each year. Getting out and about always inspires me.
WHAT’S THE CRAZIEST OR MOST OUT-OF-CHARACTER THING YOU’VE EVER DONE?
I just signed up for a Surf Camp. Fingers crossed that goes well. 😊
ONE THING YOU HAVE LEARNED SINCE YOUR DEBUT NOVEL?
Finish the book. I see a lot of writers who hit a tough spot in a book, and they stop. All writers hit points in the book when you must dig deep to find the story. Force yourself to get through the difficult spots and you will learn things about the book you never saw coming.
FAVORITE TYPE OF WORKOUT?
Weight training. I love lifting weights and it gives me the biggest result in the least amount of time. I also walk a lot and ride my Peloton three or four days a week.
IF YOU COULD HAVE A TV SERIES OR MOVIE ADAPTED BASED ON ONE OF YOUR BOOKS, WHICH ONE WOULD IT BE?
AFTER PARIS would be great. The city of Paris is so beautiful, and I weave in fashion from the 1940s that were so lush and amazing.
IF YOU WERE GRANTED ONE WISH, WHAT WOULD IT BE?
Endless story ideas. Nothing more exciting when a new story idea steps out of the shadows and begs to be told.
Thank you, Mary, for spending time with us today!
Thank you, Judy. These were great questions!
My Review
Southern storyteller, Mary Ellen Taylor (favorite author) returns following The Promise of Tomorrow with her latest poignant, compelling, and most powerful novel yet, AFTER PARIS.
From the stunning front cover, #covercrush, page one, to the satisfying ending, you will be transported from Virginia and France in this impressive tale of three strong women with dual timelines, memorable characters, rich in detail, history, and charm.
An exquisite Mother's Day gift & Book Club pick! History. Romance. Mystery. From a master storyteller comes a meticulously researched, beautifully written, haunting, and captivating story of resilience, love, and the enduring courage of three women spanning generations.
About...
Norfolk, VA 2025:
Ruby Nevis loves fashion, history, writing, film, and life. She one day wants to be a mother and she has had to be creative due to the cancer and treatment.
Three years earlier, she graduated from college and worked as a tour guide in Paris. Her specialty tours focused on films made in the City of Lights.
Her time there ended with her cancer diagnosis, and she headed back to the states. Her journey through Cancerland had begun. Her boyfriend, Scott at the time, decided he could not handle and returned to Paris. Her family and friends were supportive.
Ruby needed to work to keep her mind busy and The Virginia Tourism Bureau hired her to write a series of articles for the following year's spring French film festival. She was to write a profile on their feature film, Secrets in the Shadows, which stars the French actress Cécile.
Paris: 1940's
Cécile, the "it girl" of early 1940s French cinema, vanished from Nazi-occupied Paris in 1942. Sylvia Rousseau, Cécile's dressmaker and confidante, left that same year.
At age twenty-five, Ruby has had her share of struggles. But after two years of battling cancer, she's determined to move forward. Little does she know, while researching this new project and an old diary, this will change her life.
She works to piece together the truth behind Cécile's disappearance and Sylvia's extraordinary life, and sees the two women as kindred spirits. They risked their hearts and lives to aid the Resistance, and each day was a struggle to survive.
Ruby knows her cancer could come back, but she's learning to embrace the future rather than fear it. She meets with Sylvia's daughter to learn more from a diary (who holds secrets of the past) who lives in the DC area after her mother moved to the US after the war and had passed away—for a fascinating journey into the lives of these two incredible women while learning to overcome her fears and live for the future.
Why did they disappear? What did they discover about themselves that led them to change their paths?
If Cécile and Sylvia could live in the shadow of death, so can Ruby. Because she knows there's so much life—and love—to fight for.
My thoughts...
I loved AFTER PARIS and it will be on my top books of 2025 with all the stars. The author has outdone herself! No one does historical fiction better than Mary Ellen Taylor. I am a huge long-time fan and have read every book. Each one is a masterpiece, and you are assured you will come away learning something, inspired, and empowered.
AFTER PARIS is a haunting, yet beautiful tale — full of suspense, mystery, and romance, rich in history and character. These three women's lives are intertwined in a way that will keep you turning the pages. Ruby, a modern-day woman battling cancer, Cécile, the 'it girl' of 1940s French cinema, and Sylvia, Cécile's dressmaker and confidante, all fight for survival in the tumultuous times of 1940s France and present-day Virginia.
The author's research is highly impressive, from the fashion, the settings, the history, WWII, the film industry, dressmaking, and the incredible courageous women who risked it all to protect their country and lives. Her suspenseful stories always touch your heart and your mind.
The author dazzles with dual timelines (past & present), both equally as compelling, with multiple POV: Dominique, Ruby, Sylvia, Hauptmann Otto Wolfgang, and a chapter from Jeff (all marked and easy to follow). We learn about the The French Resistance, a secret network of French citizens who fought against Nazi occupation during World War II which is a fascinating topic of French historians.
In this poignant tale, Taylor showcases her talent for transporting readers through history with a charming romance, tenacious and fascinating women, and a strong takeaway.
I also enjoyed the parts set in Old Town Alexandria, Virginia, which is a stunning location referenced in the story. If you have read MET's Union Street Bakery Series and Alexandria Series, you will enjoy revisiting this lovely area and the bakery. (I loved both these series).
I enjoyed the well-developed, highly relatable characters from the past and Ruby and Jeff in the present. I adored Eric, her brother, and Jeff (rooting for these two from the beginning). This book is full of heart, soul, wisdom, love, and loss but also of hope, resilience, triumph and second chances.
I highly recommend! If you have not read this author, you are missing out. I recommend reading her entire list and also her thrillers under Mary Burton. Coming 8/26 What She Saw.
Interview...
I am delighted and honored to host Mary Ellen Taylor for an upcoming May #AuthorElevatorSeries Q&A ride. In this series, we go behind the book and up close and personal with the talented author, providing readers with a unique opportunity to gain insights into the writing process and the inspiration behind the book. (pub day, May 13).
Recs...
AFTER PARIS is for fans of compelling historical fiction, dual time-lines, multi-generational strong women with a sprinkling of romance and those who enjoy works by Joy Callaway, Camille Di Maio, Lynda Cohen Loigman, Kristin Hannah, Kristy Woodson Harvey, Jenni L. Walsh, Julia Kelly, and Patti Callahan Henry,
Special thanks to Montlake and NetGalley for a gifted advanced review copy for my honest thoughts. Perfect for book clubs and Mother's Day. I look forward to seeing who will be narrating the audio version. Move this gem to the top of your spring TBR list.
@JudithDCollins | #JDCMustReadBooks
My Rating: 5 Stars +
Pub Date: May 13, 2025
May 2025 Must-Read Books
