Inspired by the incredible true story of Josephine Baker’s role in the French Resistance, this is a heart-wrenching, unforgettable tale of the strength of the human spirit in the darkest days of World War II.

In the City of Light, one woman will stand against darkness. Paris, 1941. With Nazi occupation imminent, journalist Elodie Mitchell plans to return home to Chicago. But an unexpected invitation to a Josephine Baker show changes everything.

Mistaken for the star, Elodie is whisked backstage, where she uncovers an underground resistance movement hidden beneath the glitz and glamour.

Drawn into a whisper network of spies, Elodie accepts a perilous mission: to go undercover as Josephine’s cousin and gather vital intelligence.

In a world on the edge of darkness, Elodie must summon unwavering courage to protect her beloved adopted city and its people – and getting caught is not an option.

Code Name Butterfly is a story of resistance, female empowerment, and standing up to do what you think is right. It is based on the true story of Josephine Baker and is set mainly during World War II when Josephine was working for the French Resistance.

We meet American Journalist Elodie Mitchell who is living in Paris, France, and enjoying the French way of life, that is until the threat of the Nazi’s invasion. Elodie gets mistaken for singer Josephine and is taken backstage where the two meet and she is brought into a life of spying.

I enjoyed the story and the atmosphere that spilled off the pages. I loved how the book connects to the present day with a family researching their ancestry and tracing their DNA and how a mix-up of identities brought two formidable women together.

The book has been well-researched and I couldn’t help looking Josephine up as I had never heard of her before. If you haven’t either, do check her out as her story is remarkable.

The book ebbs and flows in pace and the start was a little too slow but it did pick up a couple of chapters in. Code Name Butterfly is a book that draws you into the lives of the characters and the plot and holds you until the very end. It is a wonderful touching read and one that every historical fiction lover should pick up.

Embassie Susberry is a recovering attorney in Chicago, but when she’s not doing her day job, she’s reading or writing what she wants to read (which is historical romance). Her writing, like her life, cannot help but be influenced by the one thing that matters: her relationship with Jesus Christ.