The Space Between Words

Written by Michele Phoenix

Narrated by Dr. Simona Chitescu-Weik

Award-winning author, Michèle Phoenix, weaves an unforgettable tale of hope and survival in The Space Between Words.

“Several scenes in The Space Between Words will leave readers without words, the ability of speech replaced by the need to absorb all the feels.” —RT Book Reviews, 4½ stars, TOP PICK!

“There were seconds, when I woke, when the world felt unshrouded. Then memory returned.”

When Jessica regains consciousness in a French hospital on the day after the Paris attacks, all she can think of is fleeing the site of the horror she survived. But Patrick, the steadfast friend who hasn’t left her side, urges her to reconsider her decision. Worn down by his loving insistence, she agrees to follow through with the trip they’d planned before the tragedy.

“The pages found you,” Patrick whispered.

“Now you need to figure out what they’re trying to say.”

During a stop at a country flea market, Jessica finds a faded document concealed in an antique. As new friends help her to translate the archaic French, they uncover the story of Adeline Baillard, a young woman who lived centuries before—her faith condemned, her life endangered, her community decimated by the Huguenot persecution.

“I write for our descendants, for those who will not understand the cost of our survival.”

Determined to learn the Baillard family’s fate, Jessica retraces their flight from France to England, spurred on by a need she doesn’t understand.

Could this stranger who lived three hundred years before hold the key to Jessica’s survival?

“An unforgettable portrait of courage and reclaimed hope.” —Kristy Cambron, award-winning author of the Lost Castle series

• Language: English
• Publisher: Thomas Nelson
• Release date: Sep 5, 2017
• ISBN: 9780718086404

Michele Phoenix

Born in France to a Canadian father and an American mother, Michèle Phoenix is a consultant, writer and speaker with a heart for Third Culture Kids. She taught for 20 years at Black Forest Academy (Germany) before launching her own advocacy venture under Global Outreach Mission. Michèle travels globally to consult and teach on topics related to this unique people group. She loves good conversations, mischievous students, Marvel movies and paths to healing. Learn more at michelephoenix.com Twitter: @frenchphoenix  

Reviews for The Space Between Words

[Ann Bush · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I really liked this book about dealing with loss. I gave it 4 stars because it was a difficult topic , not always enjoyable to read. I am generally not a fan of dual-timeline stories, but this one was really well done. It didn't bounce back and forth a lot like so many. This really was well done!

[ludiegrace · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I enjoyed this book a lot. (Four stars is a high rating for me--I rarely give five, unless a book nearly tips over into "favorites" territory.) I thought that the central conceit--survivor of the Paris attacks copes with her trauma while researching the struggles of a particular seventeenth-century Huguenot family--was well-conceived and well-executed. The characters were believable, and the writing was good.

As someone with an interest in the period, I would have appreciated a little more background and context for the Huguenots themselves--why they were being persecuted, why they weren't willing to surrender their Bibles and disperse, etc. I don't think that would have asked too much of the audience, even in a relatively light work of Christian fiction. The Patrick subplot honestly required some suspension of disbelief on my part, too. Without getting into spoilers, you might even say it bugged me a little. (Heh...)

I would also note that some of the descriptions of violence are on the harrowing side, so readers should be prepared for that (though I thought it totally appropriate in light of the events being depicted). Overall, this is a solid story and a worthwhile read. I hope it isn't Phoenix's last historical novel.

I received an advance review copy from Netgalley in exchange for my honest review.

[vickimarie2002 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I was very excited to read this! I love how they blended real life events from now and the past. I feel like some of the relationships could have been deeper but otherwise, it was a very good read about learning to trust, love and have faith again. It does involve religious persecution, but I don't really feel like it was too overwhelming if you aren't into religious books. I think it's worth the read if you enjoy historical fiction. It's part ghost story, part wild goose chase but very endearing.

I received a copy of this book for free. I was not required to post a positive review and the views and opinions expressed are my own.

[charlotteburt · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I really enjoyed this contemporary novel.  It starts off with three American backpackers planning their last night in Paris which ends in disaster. The tale is told in the first person by the protagonist, Jessica.  We watch her cope with the aftermath of an event where she barely survived and how she processes guilt, grief and the traumatic stress of a survivor.
This book has been listed as a Christian book, which would probably have put me off reading it had I noticed this, because I am not Christian.  This would have been a shame as the religious aspect with the present day characters is very downplayed and did not detract from the story.  If however the reader was religious it may add something to the feeling of the book.
This is an interesting book, and well worth a read.  I enjoyed it, and the element of the historical research where fascinating.  There are enough twists and turns to keep the plot engaging.

For the full review check out my blog: Engrossed in a Good Book

[ouroborosangel · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Intriguing story about a young woman caught in a Paris terrorist attack in a nightclub and the adventure she sets out on to deal with the after-effects of the attack. This book is obviously a Christian title - there was a tad too much God in it for me, but the story itself was great and the writing strong. Huge reveal about a third of the way in hooked me and I had to finish it.

[veeshee-1 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

I received this novel as an advanced copy from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I was quite surprised to find that I really enjoyed this novel. It definitely went beyond my expectations and I loved that the author had a historical aspect for this story. I really knew nothing about the Huguenots until this novel, so that was a huge revelation for me. It is always a sad thing to hear about people being persecuted for their beliefs, and the fact that this still happens to this day is just terrible. I liked how Jessica goes on this journey to understand the Baillard's continual belief in their faith, while also figuring out what happened to them. Jessica became invested in finding out their truth, and so I as the reader became invested in it, too. I always love reading about documents that start a journey, and this one was no exception! In fact, I think the author did a great job of making the journey progress the way that it did. As expected from a novel in this genre, there is a focus on faith and religion, but it is really quite mild and it is presented in a way where people of all different religions can enjoy and appreciate the message. I will admit that I was more intrigued by the historical aspect than what Jessica was going through, but the author did a good job of showing how PTSD can traumatize a person and shake their identity. Overall, this was a really solid novel, with good writing and a good journey!

[c.archer · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

This was a good story, but not quite what I was expecting and for me, falling a bit flat. The idea of a novel revolving around the Paris terrorist tragedy at the Bataclan was what drew me to this book. I knew little more about the story as I began reading. I really enjoyed the beginning of the book that focused on that contemporary event. I was intrigued by author's historical addition of the Huguenot family to the plot. I also liked all the characters. There was maybe just too much trying to happen in this book, and while I liked it, I didn't love it.I expect there will be a large number of readers that will appreciate this book more than I. It is a touching story that, withholding the terrorist act, is lovely and heartwarming, much like a Hallmark movie. In fact, that might be a good deciding factor for if you would enjoy this book.My thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this title.

[harley0326 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

The book was mesmerizing and chocked full of history about France that kept my attention. There were times I think I was lost in the book but the author does a great job of bringing it all together at the end. What happens to Jessica at a concert was eerily close to something that happened just recently in the States. It was hard to read and I cried as I know many lost their lives that day. If only Jessica hadn’t given in and gone to the concert, things would have been so different for her. The time she spent recovering was gripping and the trauma was hard to overcome. The author does a great job of detailing her recovery that leads her on an adventure that completely had me intrigued. What would you do if you found a document from a long time ago? Like Jessica, I would want to track down it’s origin and find out everything I could about it. The details of the Huguenot persecution was so hard to read and I could feel the pain and suffering of the people.I really enjoyed when Jessica tracks down what the meaning of a piece of paper long forgotten means. To think that people suffered because of what they believed in was so heartbreaking. The story is well written and I was surprised at some of the twists the plot took. It is sure to keep you guessing. I love the way the story was filled with compassion and characters that I was able to connect with. What I loved the most about this book is the theme of being courageous , moving on and finding closure. I received a copy of this book from The Fiction Guild. The review is my own opinion.

[pamelabarrett · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

As I began to write this review on The Space between Words, there has been another terrorist attack in England, and so Jessica’s story resonated ever more deeply in my heart and mind. This is a fictionalized story about a young woman named Jessica who was badly injured in the Paris Nightclub attacks that were perpetrated not that long ago. Religious extremism is the thread that weaves this story together. Jessica had been staying in Paris with her friends Vonda and Patrick, and after the attack it is Patrick who stays by her side to help her recover and move forward. Patrick the free spirit, collector of all things amazing, and who loves adventures, wants her to keep traveling through France and searching for more items to add to his collection. In a B&B in a small village Jessica finds an ancient sewing box and hidden inside are papers written in old French. They belonged to a woman named Adeline who was in hiding centuries ago because her family and friends are being persecuted by the French king because they were Huguenots. Jessica feels compelled to take the journey the Huguenots took for religious freedom. Even though her body and mind are still healing from the horror she just survived, still she feels she must follow the hints given in these papers. The author did a remarkable job of showing us what types of things a person goes through when they survive unimaginable terror. She doesn’t make it all better, and she has Jessica questioning why God would let this happen. She also balances the heaviness of the premise of the story with wonderful characters, places, and humor. I was intrigued by the title and happy that the story matched up. 4 stars

[becky_l-1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Michèle Phoenix's novel, The Space Between Words, is a living, breathing, swirling, ever larger black hole; mysterious, dangerous,it draws the reader in from the start. There will be no escape until the final page.Presented are two alternate time realities,both times of unimaginable terror. One holds the answer to survival in the second. In the 1680's and 1690's, Adeline Baillard leaves a diary of persecution of the Huguenots. Promised safety by the crown, that promise has been revoked and fierce atrocities are committed against anyone not following Roman Catholicism. The present day terror involves a young woman named Jessica who is in France with her good but platonic friend, Patrick. Following a rock concert at the Bataclan,Jessica wakes up in Parisian hospital, uncertain of what really happened. She and Patrick decide to take a pre-planned trip to the south of France. A great surprise awaits at the B&B, where new friends Grant, Mona,and Connor enter the picture.Such an excellent book. The psychological terror and confusion was well laid out and believable. How real both the Huguenot persecution and the Bataclan shooting became for me! I loved the aura of mystery that Phoenix embued in her storytelling. If you like French history, current history and psychological thrillers with real answers through faith, this is a book not to miss!I received a complimentary copy of this book from NetGalley and the publisher. This in no way affects my opinions, for which I am solely responsible.

[tamidale · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I started reading this while on vacation and could not remember what it was about, which turned out to be a good thing. I was in for a pleasant and enjoyable read with no preconceived expectations.The main character, Jessica, is a survivor of a terrorist attack in Paris and as she deals with PTSD, she finds herself on a mission to uncover the story of a French Huguenot family who became separated in the years after The Edict of Nantes was overturned.The owners of the Bed & Breakfast where she is staying help her to overcome the PTSD and to find out what happened to the Baillard family after they fled from France.I love family history, so the historical storyline was very appealing to me. It also piqued my interest in reading more about the French Huguenots. The modern day storyline was also appropriate for our times and Michele Phoenix did an excellent job in merging the two together. The story was full of kind-hearted characters, which was refreshing. It’s a wonderful message of hope and resilience.Many thanks to NetGalley and Thomas Nelson--FICTION for allowing me to read an advanced copy and offer my honest review.