Reviewed by Grant Leishman for Readers' Favorite

Heat of Paris by Peter Breyer is a fascinating look at post-WWII France as it begins to rebuild from the devastation of Nazi occupation. Franz is a young American journalist sent to France in 1951 by his editor to check out the country from an American tourism perspective and to write reports on how the country is returning to normal services following the war. As a former G.I. who served in France from post-D-Day to 1947, Franz already had an excellent grasp of the language and a deep love for France and its people. As he leaves his ship in Le Havre, he is captivated by a beautiful black woman he sees descending the gangplank of a just-docked ocean liner. As he makes his way by bicycle from Le Havre to Paris, stopping regularly to document the struggle and recovery of the French agricultural sector, he is haunted by the beauty and grace of the woman he just glimpsed. He can only hope to somehow find her again somewhere in the vast metropolis that is Paris.

Heat of Paris is much more than a historical love story set in the city of romance, Paris. It is a powerful social commentary on the wave of protest and reform that was soon to sweep the world, encompassing civil rights, race relations, women’s liberation, the sexual revolution, socialism, and political change. The roots of these movements lie in the intellectual discourses of post-war Europe, where many sought a brave new world. Peter Breyer has tapped into a particularly influential time and place. I greatly appreciated the racial aspect highlighted by both Christie’s deep doubts about her, as an independent, intelligent, and proud young black woman, becoming involved in a relationship with a white man. To me, the social and racial element was the most fascinating part of this story. Although I felt the racial aspect was key, the author is to be commended for skillfully weaving together many disparate social movements, threads of thought, and ideas into this incredible work. The sexual revolution that was to come is personified by Christie and her friends taking charge of their own sexuality and deciding for themselves to initiate relationships rather than waiting for men, perhaps best typified by Christie’s insistence on safe sex. This is a broad, multi-layered, multi-faceted, and nuanced account of a critical period in the social development of the twentieth century. I absolutely adored this story and highly recommend it.