The Parisian Chapter

By: Janet Skeslien Charles

Published by Simon and Schuster, 2026-05-05

From the New York Times bestselling author of The Paris Library and Miss Morgan’s Book Brigade, a charming and “richly populated” (New York Journal of Books) novel about two small-town girls with big dreams who move to Paris to become artists. But dreams don’t just come true. They require nurturing, as do friendships. Paris, 1995: It’s been five years since Lily Jacobsen and her best friend Mary Louise arrived in Paris from their small town of Froid, Montana. Determined to establish themselves as artists, they shared a tiny walkup and survived on brie and baguettes. But when Mary Louise abruptly moves out, Lily feels alone in the city of light for the first time and needs a new way to support herself. She lands a job as a programs manager at the American Library in Paris, following in the footsteps of Odile, her beloved French neighbor in Montana who told her stories of heroic World War II librarians when Lily was growing up. At work, Lily meets an extraordinary cast of characters—including her favorite writer, struggling students, haughty trustees, and devoted volunteers—each with their own stories...and agendas. In the library’s attic, Lily discovers a box of archives that may be a link to Odile’s own Parisian chapter. This “stirring and rich with detail” (Kristin Harmel, New York Times bestselling author) story is a love letter to the power of literature, the life of the artist, the importance of friendship, and leaving home only to find it again.