Published 14th January 2025 by Boldwood Books.
From the cover of the book:
Ten years. Two people. One last visit…Sophie and Tom first visited Paris together as students. During their weekend away in the world’s most romantic city, falling in love – with the place, and each other – was simply inevitable.
They resolved to return every summer and kept their word, until something happened that changed their world forever.
Five years on, Sophie’s travelling to Paris alone to meet Tom again in their special place, on the Pont du Carrousel at midnight.
Because life has torn them apart. And now Sophie has something to tell Tom. Something that will change everything…
The most heart-breaking, uplifting and powerful novel you’ll read all year. Perfect for fans of David Nicholls, Kristin Hannah and The Notebook.
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Tom and Sophie first travelled to Paris when they were students. Despite being very different people, they fell in love while visiting the sites and ambling along the banks of the Seine. They vowed to return each year to experience its magic together, but a twist of fate eventually tore them apart.
Five years later, Sophie is returning to Paris for one more time, hoping Tom will be there so they can say goodbye in the place that became their own - on the Pont du Carrousel, at midnight. She is marrying Tom's best friend Will, and knows in her heart that she will never be able to move on until she draws a line under the past, no matter how hard it will be...
The story unravels through the perspective of Sophie, moving between the present and the past to follow the history of her relationship with Tom, from their meeting as students to the time when she must decide the best way to face the future. Their annual trips to Paris are central to the novel, especially the changing nature of their visits over the years. Harvey does an incredible job of connecting significant places in the city to the slow-burn development in their love story - most importantly when it comes to what the Pont du Carrousel means to them both (with a lovely little aside to the Mona Lisa).
I found myself gradually being drawn into Sophie and Tom's tale, weaving through the ups and downs of an unlikely couple who somehow work, as they negotiate love, marriage, family ties, close friendships, and the expectations that weigh heavily on their relationship. It is clear that they are destined to part from the way Harvey cleverly wields the timelines, but I was left reeling when she eventually showed her hand... from this point on I was unable to look away.
This is not like anything I have read from Harvey before. She has a talent for gently incorporating deeper themes into relatable tales about life, but this is something new, showing an impressive maturity in the writing, and the way the storylines come together. This is so much more than a light-hearted story, and although there are touches of humour, the emotional fall-out from Sophie and Tom's story gives your heart a proper pounding. There is a fabulous supporting cast, and Will's part in the over-all picture is pretty special too. I sobbed almost continuously through the entire second half of this book, culminating in a full-on blubber-fest at the uplifting ending. Make sure you have the tissues handy, because you are going to need them!
Midnight in Paris is available to buy now in hardcover, paperback, ebook and audio formats.
Thank you to Boldwood Books for providing me with an ecopy of this book in return for and honest review, and to Rachel's Random Resources for inviting me to be part of this blog tour.
About the author:
She has lived in Limousin, France for the past twelve years, from where she derives the inspiration and settings for her books such as A Year at the French Farmhouse and A Month in Provence.
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