To Capture What We Cannot Keep

"To be in Paris to witness the construction of the Eiffel Tower is a magnificent occasion: to have a hand, however small, in its building, even better...This exquisitely written, shadowy historical novel will appeal to a wide variety of readers, including fans of the Belle Époque." --Library Journal (starred review)

"It's sexy escapism, but the book's real selling point is its illumination of 19th-century Paris and that phenomenal landmark."
--People Magazine (Book of the Week)

"Colin ably brings to life a time before the iron lattice of the Eiffel Tower became an iconic part of the Parisian landscape. To Capture What We Cannot Keep is part history lesson and part thrilling love story, leading to an ending full of depth, promise, and hope."
--BookPage

"Transportive...You'll instantly be wrapped up in this novel's vibrant world."
--Bustle

"To be in Paris to witness the construction of the Eiffel Tower is a magnificent occasion: to have a hand, however small, in its building, even better...This exquisitely written, shadowy historical novel will appeal to a wide variety of readers, including fans of the Belle Époque."
--Library Journal (starred review)

"Colin has a sure hand with the atmospheres of both [Paris and Glasgow] and with the mores and dress of the period, and she manages to continually raise the stakes for her characters without ever resorting to melodrama. A novel of soaring ambitions, public and private."
--Kirkus Reviews

"Once I entered the world of Beatrice Colin's novel, To Capture What We Cannot Keep, I did not want to leave it! Set against the enticing backdrop of Parisian life in 1880's, as Monsieur Eiffel constructs his tower, this book is both daring in its historical scope, and rich in its intimacy. It is a must-read for every fan of Paris, for every fan of the fight for love against the odds, and for every fan of great and deeply satisfying storytelling."
--David Gillham, New York Times bestselling author of City of Women

"To Capture What We Cannot Keep is reminiscent of the Paris it so beautifully, hauntingly brings to life: it's romantic, moving, and memorable. And while Beatrice Colin captures the excitement that surrounded the construction of the Eiffel Tower, the real lights of Paris are the women and men she created whose stories I avidly followed."
--Chris Bohjalian, New York Times bestselling author of The Guest Room and The Light in Ruins

"A compelling story of love constricted by the demands of separate social classes. Told against the splendidly absorbing background of the building of the Eiffel Tower, it emerges as fresh and different. A captivating read."
--Kate Alcott, New York Times bestselling author of The Dressmaker