Eliza KnightRecensioni

This was a heartwarming and enjoyable novel about the early life of Queen Elizabeth II, as it parallels her beloved Corgi, Susan. We begin in her late teen years, when she receives Susan as a gift from her parents. The story only extends as long as the life of Susan, and so ends with her passing when Queen Elizabeth was in her late 20s.

Seeing Elizabeth’s life as it relates to the life of her dog certainly offers a unique perspective. I wasn’t sure I would like it, but it was surprisingly effective in demonstrating the Queen’s humanity. I found it a bit awkward at times, but overall a lovely and interesting read. I was sad to come to the end.

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

I enjoyed all five stories, but they were not clean. Too many graphic details. Should have done more research before buying.

Funny, I wonder if there is a bit of truth in the way the "barbarians" underestimated the Romans by their effete appearance. Sadly, the tribe leaders met with maybe the least impressive, Claudius. Tragically so.

I've always found it odd that the Romans wiped out the Druid practice/religion when they pretty much left all others alone, even encouraging people to build temples in Rome to foreign gods.

Interesting the self-interest on display when the outraged Britons quake under the prospect of becoming Roman slaves when they enslave each other with abandon.

Not sure I'll finish this. It's a foregone conclusion and there is a ton of grisly action and cruelty, to be expected with war, but I'll never listen to it again even if I do get through it. Back to Audible it will go.

Ok, I made it through, but skipped over some more gratuitous passages - droning on about curses and battle blows. It strikes me, in the fierce pride of the women in the book, that the only way they can have any agency is to adopt the bloodthirsty violence made the cultural norm by men. Behaving with gentleness, kindness, compassion and compromise are all weak and despised. Why? Because they are the default position of many women? Because they don't result in absolute domination and oppression? Why do we value those qualities in humans over the others? Why are we, and by we I mean the culture as a whole and men in particular, so afraid of that other side to us? Sometimes called the feminine side, but I don't think it's that specific. It's just been nearly completely wiped out of so much of how we think of ourselves and what we consider normal and natural. Sad really. We never learn and it will be the end of us one day. And, sadly, probably all life on earth as we know it.

I was intrigued by the concept of this book – a story about the unlikely friendship between these two talented women who were underestimated by the men in their lives. They were both determined to gain professional independence and personal freedom at a time when women were expected to submit to men.

How magical that authors Denny S. Bryce and Eliza Knight collaborated to write about this little-known friendship between two famous women. Knight explains how “there is not much written about the friendship between Ella and Marilyn, but given what we do know, it is indisputable that they were close. With this novel we hope to shed light on what a friendship between them could have been.”

I’m a big fan of friendship stories, and I appreciated that this relationship was portrayed realistically. In some ways Ella and Marilyn were very different, but in other ways they had a lot in common. It was their commonalities that strengthened their connection over the ten years of their friendship and was at the heart of the book.

And this book also took care to describe the racist and sexist attitudes that were rampant in the 1950s and 1960s. I admired the way the authors included so many cultural issues of the time –music, clothes, movies, celebrities – also naming the various lipstick brands Marilyn used.

Even before I read this poignant novel, I knew the story of Marilyn Monroe, and it’s not a happy one. It’s well-known that she had a sad life, and though she tried to overcome her childhood abuse and neglect, her low self-esteem and poor choice of men kept her from achieving lasting success. While the book is well-written, portraying the bonds of friendship between Ella and Marilyn, as well as referring to their pasts, their romances, and families, it really feels like Marilyn’s story, and it’s ultimately a tragedy.

Knight explains in her author’s notes that “There is a lot of speculation about Marilyn Monroe’s final moments, and in fact, much of her life. Many stories, witnesses, and testimonies. Conspiracy theories abound. But the truth is, no one will ever know exactly what happened on that night. Was she murdered? Was it an overdose? Was it suicide? In our book, we decided to take the stance of an accidental overdose.” Knight says the purpose of the book was not to speculate on her death, but rather to honor what she did in life – and who she loved and admired.

The two authors say, “We put together a story we hope will honor the lives and legacies of two women who changed the face of entertainment and remain icons to this day.” If you like reading about Hollywood and the world of entertainment in the 1950s, about women’s friendships, and how women entertainers fought to gain independence in their careers, then this is the book for you.

CONTENT WARNING: drug use, addiction, talk of suicide, spousal abuse, death by drug overdose

The special friendship between Ella Fitzgerald and Marilyn Monroe is explored in this novel. Marilyn’s outgoing personality and Ella’s reserved one were a compliment to each other. These women shared a rough upbringing, bonded over social injustice and tried to help each other thru the issues of being in the public eye.

I totally fell down the rabbit hole reading more of this on my own. I knew nothing of this unique friendship and gained a whole new appreciation for these women and the hand they’ve been dealt. Ella, the quiet reserved one, kept things to herself, especially her private life, and tried to steer her friend away from her questionable life choices. Marilyn, the outgoing one, who loved life and hated what was happening to her friend and would use her celebrity to make it right, her dependency on painkillers, alcohol. They both craved love but finding it in the spotlight made it impossible. Loved how these two forged a friendship against all odds and tried to lift each other. I appreciated how the authors didn’t sugarcoat their shortcomings. For me, the story was slow moving in parts. Overall the writing was compelling, honest.

Thanks to William Morrow for this ARC. This is my honest opinion.½

This was a quick and enjoyable read. I knew very little about Marilyn Monroe’s background and private life, and even less about Ella Fitzgerald. I was fascinated to read about their mutually supportive friendship. I would recommend this to fans of historical and biographical fiction, especially those with an interest in the entertainment industry.

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Thank you to NetGalley for an Advance Reader’s e-proof courtesy of HarperCollins Publishers of ‘Can’t We Be Friends’ a novel of Ella Fitzgerald and Marilyn Monroe by Denny S. Bryce and Eliza Knight

The timeline culminates from 1952-1962. The memories they shared of lost mothers, evil stepfathers, orphanages, and early marriages gone bad. Meeting because of a song.

Marilyn Monroe grew up in the foster care system and as an adult actress, cynics and people judged her and categorized her. She must match the image that everyone wants. A sex goddess, desired by many. She holds onto a wealth of sadness (All About Eve). Marilyn wanted to be taken seriously and admired for her talent as an actress. No recent actress has had this much power over her career, owning and operating a production company, a pioneer for women in Hollywood. Inspired by her friend Ella who had control and say so over her career.

Ella was filled with guilt of a failing marriage, the time she doesn’t spend with her little boy, and her hectic recording and performance schedule, in which she forged her own path as a jazz artist, that swings, be-bops, and scats, Her voice becomes an instrument, and she rules the stage. Selling out every venue she appears in.

I love how the authors interjected quips in Marilyn’s thoughts, and responses, such as “Oh, boy, does that ever boil her goose,” or “…How about we quit moping and rattle on the dance floor.” Their mutual love of tasty food, bonding their friendship is endearing.

Is the real reason they hadn’t hired Ella to perform at a nightclub on Sunset Boulevard could have been because she had no sex appeal? They were fine with Lena Horne, Dorothy Dandridge, and Eartha Kitt singing and dancing at the Mocambo Sunset Strip stage, wearing sleek, figure-hugging rhinestone-covered dresses with plunging necklines and breath-stealing cinched waists.

Both Ella and Marilyn had big dreams, and that’s what saved them. Ella, fighting bigotry, and racism. Marilyn, a one-woman strike with Fox and her own demands for higher pay and better scripts. They both had lost lovers, marriages and had pains that neither wanted to rehash. Marilyn struggled with addiction and mood disorders. A contrast between her stardom and troubled private life

Georgiana was my favorite character. I liked her frankness, stern demeanor, and loyalty. The author’s descriptions and mannerisms of Marilyn seem convincing, right down to her lipstick brands and color choices. This novel left me with a deep sense of sadness for both ladies, but more so for Marilyn Monroe (Norma Jean). It hurt to read how Ella tried to resuscitate the friendship between her and Marilyn on many occasions, and under many circumstances, but was constantly pushed back.

Grammar or sentence structure was at times a distraction, and some of the scenes were contradictory (People Will Say Were in Love). At times the dialogue became confusing, and I didn’t know who was saying what. Understandably this is an ARC and there was a likely possibility. The epistolary aspect of the novel is ideal, but overall I respectfully appreciate the research of this novel since 2019 between Knight and Bruce, and discovering the connection between Ella and Marilyn. The authors note at the end of the novel explains many of the creative license they chose to incorporate facts and speculation. Such as speculation about Marilyn Monroe’s final moments before she died. I in fact, watched the movie The Misfits while reading this novel and could candidly see the framing of the cruel exposure of Arthur Millers’ view of Marilyn and their marriage. This novel made me more curious and interested in further exploration into both of these legendary and iconic woman’s life stories.

#NetGalley #Can’tWeBeFriends #Onnaday½

This was a touching account of the friendship between two remarkable women. By turns, it made me laugh and cry. I thought the ending was tastefully done, and I appreciated the authors' notes at the end about that and other decisions made. Though there were two authors, this had the feel of one fluid story, and both women came to life on the pages.

Thank you to William Morrow and NetGalley for the early read.

While I knew the name Fred Astaire, I had never really heard about his sister Adele and this novel puts a spotlight on her fascinating life. Adele was a talented performer, who started in vaudeville and made her way to the stages of New York and London. She mostly performed alongside her brother, but Adele dreamed of a different kind of life: that of a wife and mother. Struggling to balance between her love of performing and her desire for a family life, Adele makes a compelling figure. Overall, this novel was compelling and informative about a woman who should be as well-known as her brother.

A very interesting book about the life of Nancy Mitford. It prompted me to investigate her life further. She was a fascinating person and so was her family. Half of them were supporters of fascism and the other half were against it. They loved each other even though their life views were different. Read the book! You'll enjoy it!

Ooooh! This book was such a treat! I just loved, loved, loved it! With an anthology with different authors (most of whom I haven't read before), it can be a mystery whether every story is quality and the work as a whole is cohesive. However, I was pleasantly surprised, and I have some new authors that I MUST check out.

My favorite stories were the heiress by Sophie Perinot, the senator by Kate Quinn, and the ex-soldier by Ben Kane. These stories were so poignant to me. I've read everything by Quinn and just love her. I was surprised to see familiar characters in her story, but I got to see a side of them I haven't before. It was like meeting new friends. These characters transformed as the catastrophe stripped them down to their core values, and I loved watching these people dig deep to find what was most important to them.

Middle of the road stories included the youth at the beginning and the priestess and whore at the end. There was some growth for these characters, but I don't feel like the authors had enough time to develop them. They felt pretty two dimensional, and they didn't grow quite as much as the characters in my favorite stories. It felt more like the authors were trying to tell me they grew rather than the characters showing me that.

My least favorite story was the mother by E. Knight. Let me preface by saying I still enjoyed this story. It's sad and futile, these characters, but it didn't pull me in quite like the others. Mostly, I was frustrated with the narrators, as they dealt with the fact that they'd failed as caretakers. It's a hard perspective to write, and it showed.

Overall, fantastic collection! Can't wait to read the other two books in the series!

This. Was. So. Good! Reading about tragic historical events is so bittersweet. On the one hand, I'm learning about a new era and meeting engaging characters. On the other, I know they're basically all going to die. It's like meeting a new friend only for them to suddenly move away, but the time I spent with this book was still so rewarding, that I recommend you read this book anyway.

My favorite stories were Dray's The Queen, Quinn's The Warrior, and Knight's The Daughters. These stories were poignant and full of soul. Dray's Cartimandua was a perfect foil to Boudica while Knight's Sorcha and Keena were the perfect vehicle to show us the infamous warrior queen. They sacrifices really sung from the page. As for Quinn, she wrote about the epic battle, which was heart-wrenching, even though I knew what was going to happen. What made it so sad was Duro and Valeria. Quinn really brought them to life. I understood and sympathized with both of them, which is no easy feat when the characters are sworn enemies. Quinn is truly masterful.

Middle of the road for me was Downie's The Slave, Shecter's The Druid, and Turney's The Son. It's hard for me to pinpoint exactly what I didn't like about them. I guess their stories felt kind of small to me compared to the ones I liked.

My least favorite story was Whitfield's The Tribune about Agricola. I found this story dragged, and I had a hard time understanding how it related to the rest of the narrative. Eventually, it made sense, but it felt very detached and slow. I think this was partially because this is one of the few stories that doesn't get split up between two perspectives, so it was a bit of a slog to get through.

If you like doomed histories, you'll love this!

Ribbons of Scarlet showcases six historical women as each of them make their way in what becomes the French Revolution. All six women come from different places both in society and mentally. Some start off as optimistic. Others are bitter from a lifetime of being hungry and doubt that the revolution will bring enough change to fill their bellies. Each narrator ended up in a different place too, as the one unifying factor became the idea that no one was spared during the revolution.

I actually enjoyed a majority of the stories in this anthology. In general, I thought they were all pretty strong and compelling. My favorites were the strongest were Dray's "The Philosopher", Perinot's "The Princess", and Quinn's "The Politician". In all of these stories, you met characters who started out looking at the world one day, but by the end of their time on the page, they had become someone else. In the case of Sophie Condorcet from Dray's story, she became more optimistic by the end of her narration, which I still felt true to form since hers is the first story that kicks off the revolution. Perinot's Princess Elisabeth and Quinn's Manon Roland are almost mythical figures from the French Revolution. Princess Elisabeth is a saint while Manon Roland is a tiger mom. However, the authors do a phenomenal job painting the complexities of each woman. There are the moments when these women are weak or angry or vindictive, but they stand by their principles for better or worse. I enjoyed reading about them and understanding what motivated them, and I sympathized for them. To me, that's the sign of a truly great author, and that's why I enjoyed these stories so much.'

I also really enjoyed Kamoie's "The Beauty" and Knight's "The Assassin". These were just a smidge below my first three favorite stories. Mostly because there wasn't as many shades to these characters. Emilie from the "The Beauty" is a fascinating person, but there's never really a moment where her worldview are challenged or where she's shocked by the society around her. Having been groomed by her mother to the view the worst of society's (especially men's) impulses, she's never surprised by Robespierre's narcissism or even her lover's cowardice. While her story is very touching, I didn't feel touched in the same way. It was like reading more about someone who was stuck rather than someone who had to undergo an identity shift, compared to a lot of the other characters.

Knight's characters of Pauline Leon and Charlotte Corday were similar: they were so convinced of their ideals that nothing really shook them out of it. Even when Charlotte is getting man-handled, she's never really in doubt about whether murdering Marat was a good thing or not. Pauline gets distracted with a man, but while this physically distracts her, it doesn't mentally distract her. I had hoped to see more of her inner workings. As these two are the more violent characters in the book, I had hoped the author would delve more in their psyche that made them think that killing people (whether it's Marat or soldiers) was the best option to save France. I didn't feel like Knight went far enough with these characters.

The weakest story and the weakest character was Webb's Louise from "The Revolutionary". After reading Webb's note about how she created the character, I learned that while Louise the person existed, much of her life was shrouded in mystery and rumor, making it difficult for Webb to piece together who this person really was. All of the characters pop in and out of each other's stories, Louise most of all, and in every appearance, characters are befuddled about what Louise is thinking. It seems like no one knows what to do about Louise. Is she insane? Is she the new Joan of Arc? Is she just a victim? This indecisiveness made it difficult for the reader to understand this character's mentality and motivation. Just like with Knight's heroines, I don't think Webb went far enough with Louise. The heroine was introduced as this scrappy everywoman who just wanted to be part of something big, but she ended up sounding generic. And none of that prepared readers for the character's tragic demise. I felt like more could've been done to show Louise's instability or how all-consuming the mob mentality is. As a result, she didn't stand out compared to the other heroines.

Overall, this anthology is very strong, and it's compelling. The French Revolution and the subsequent Reign of Terror were full of tragedy and pain, but the stories here still manage to share optimistic views of love, women's rights, and democracy. Highly recommend this book for history lovers.

I was so excited to read this as it contains 2 of my favorite authors - Ashley and Byrne. The book has 6 novellas in total and the aforementioned authors were my favorites (no surprise), but the other stories too were fun! The stories revolve around a tavern and they range from a ghost story to one filled with action to a missing hero one. The first story was sweet but was more of a set up for the second one which was truly a great novella.

This is a great collection of stories for the holidays and most of them are sprinkled with that little extra holiday cheer.

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC

Thanks to William Morrow & NetGalley for a digital advance reader's copy. All comments and opinions are my own.

This was not the book I was expecting. I was disappointed, mainly with the writing. I was looking forward to reading this historical fiction novel because it features one of my favorite time periods, 1920s through the second world war. We follow Adele Astaire from the glitz and glamour of the Roaring Twenties, through the grit and sacrifice of World War II.

I had read Eliza Knight’s “The Mayfair Bookshop” but didn’t realize she was the same author until I got to the part in this novel which includes the Mitford sisters, the Bright Young Things, and the upscale British weekend house parties. “The Mayfair Bookshop” tells the story of Nancy Mitford - a contemporary of Adele’s - so Knight’s research came in handy for Adele’s story, too.

And this is the story of Adele Astaire’s life – both her career and her private life. The novel alternates with the story of a fictional friend of Adele’s, Violet Wood, who is also a dancer. They become very close friends as Adele mentors Violet, but I felt that we are told how close they are as “dearest friends,” without the actual experiences that would bring the characters closer.

In fact, I felt that the novel is often just an expanded description of Adele’s biography which I read afterwards on Wikipedia when I was researching photos. Her experiences and her emotions are described in a “tell instead of show” format. I didn’t feel engaged or connected to the characters, so can’t give this novel more than 3 stars.

I did enjoy the descriptions of her dancing with her brother, the famous Fred Astaire. Their relationship was believable. The inclusion of all the people in Adele’s life was fun – from Noel Coward to the Mitfords to the British royal family. Later in her life she even socialized with “the young senator from Massachusetts and his wife Jackie.”

Adele’s life contained a lot of interesting events and captivating people, so I’m disappointed that the novel itself was not better.

When I was a little girl, I used to sit on Saturday afternoons and watch the musicals with my father – when he was home. He wasn’t often home so it was such a treat to enjoy a day with him. He instilled a love of musical theatre in me that stands to this day – movies and plays.

Many of those movies starred either Fred Astaire or Gene Kelly. I honestly didn’t know that Fred had a sister, especially one as talented as she was. This is my loss.

This book chronicles Adele’s life away and apart from all that we think we know when we think of Fred Astaire. It’s a sad story, really, of a woman who wanted so much more than to be a dancer on stage and was constantly thwarted in that desire.

I found myself quite immersed in the story, but I am very fascinated by theatre and all that surrounds it. Don’t let that deter you if you are at all interested in the life a forward thinking woman of many talents who was not afraid to move forward when many would try and hold her back.

I received a free copy for my honest review. All opinions are my own.½

Honestly I've never read Nancy Mitford (which is somewhat surprising as I have read a lot of interwar fiction) but I'm not as much of a literature reader as I am of other genres. (yes Literature I consider a genre) This story splits it's time between a mostly factual retelling of Nancy's World War II life with some set before the war and a bit after. Yes Nancy was a Bright Young Thing and most of it is very name-droppy but that was her circle of people. It also had some bits about the seductive quality of Nazism (which we're seeing again, alas); and then we have Lucy St Clair who is on a curatorial mission to London to buy one of those libraries of books people like to be seen to own but probably will never read anything out of. She's working out of the bookshop Nancy Mitford worked in, trying to solve a mystery for her recently deceased mother.
The blurb somewhat implies that Nancy is working in the Bookshop for a lot of the book but she isn't, there's a lot of love souring and relationships that cause problems in Nancy's life and some of them are on the page, I felt a lot sorry for her but also a little frustrated that she failed a few times to really honour herself.½

Lucy St. Clair has recently suffered the loss of her mother and a business trip to London seems to be the ticket to help her heal. As a library curator, Lucy settles into Heywood Hill, a well-known bookshop, to look for books her employer desires. She is also a huge Nancy Mitford fan who has a personal goal - to discover who "Iris" as that Mitford left a book for when she went abroad.
Nancy Mitford was one of Britain's Bright Young Things; a set of young socialites who were known for their partying ways and their lives being photographed for the newspapers. The Mitford family was also a family of infamy - two of the Mitford daughters are known Fascists who willingly back Hitler and his Nazi Regime while the rest of the family understood the evil it represented. As the world watches Hitler's power spread across the region, Nancy steps up to do her part. She volunteers with the local Air Raids Precaution (ARP) unit to ensure the safety of others. As the war wages on, Nancy takes a job at the Mayfair Bookshop where she finds her life changed when she discovers she is wonderful at selling books and meets someone who makes her feel again.

The story of Nancy Mitford appears to be all the rage these days so it was lovely to read something about her life and what could have happened from her point of view. Eliza Knight writes a wonderful story and I would enjoy reading more from her.

Six female historical fiction authors - Kate Quinn, Laura Kamoie, Heather Webb, Stephanie Dray, Sophie Perinot, and E. (Eliza) Knight - collaborated on this novel of the French Revolution, with a forward by Allison Pataki (who was unavailable to collaborate). The book focuses on seven lesser-known women: Manon Roland, Princess Élisabeth (sister of King Louis XVI), Louise Audu, Charlotte Corday, Sophie de Grouchy Condorcet, Pauline Leon, and Emilie de Sainte-Amaranthe

The women represent various classes (royalty, aristocrats, commoners, peasants), so there are multiple views of the revolution. Each part (chapter) of the book was written by a different author, and is mainly in the voice of one of the characters (Pauline and Charlotte share one chapter). Characters appear in other chapters, however, which helps the book flow smoothly. The reader can follow the evolution of the revolution, through to and beyond its end.

Bonus materials for the book are available, and there's a great interview with the authors here. The Library of Congress has a great research guide about women of the French Revolution. Many of these authors have worked together and with other authors on similar collaborative historical novels in the "History 360 Presents" or "H-Team" series (of which this is the fifth), on topics like Pompeii, Troy, Odysseus, and Boudicca . I'm eager to read them all.

Thanks to Eliza Knight, William Morrow Paperbacks, and Netgalley for the chance to read this advanced copy in exchange for an honest review. This book will be released on April 12, 2022, and can be pre-ordered by clicking on the cover.

Lucy St. Clair has recently suffered the loss of her mother and a business trip to London seems to be the ticket to help her heal. As a library curator, Lucy settles into Heywood Hill, a well-known bookshop, to look for books her employer desires. She is also a huge Nancy Mitford fan who has a personal goal - to discover who "Iris" as that Mitford left a book for when she went abroad.

Nancy Mitford was one of Britain's Bright Young Things; a set of young socialites who were known for their partying ways and their lives being photographed for the newspapers. The Mitford family was also a family of infamy - two of the Mitford daughters are known Fascists who willingly back Hitler and his Nazi Regime while the rest of the family understood the evil it represented. As the world watches Hitler's power spread across the region, Nancy steps up to do her part. She volunteers with the local Air Raids Precaution (ARP) unit to ensure the safety of others. As the war wages on, Nancy takes a job at the Mayfair Bookshop where she finds her life changed when she discovers she is wonderful at selling books and meets someone who makes her feel again.

The story of Nancy Mitford appears to be all the rage these days so it was lovely to read something about her life and what could have happened from her point of view. Eliza Knight writes a wonderful story and I would enjoy reading more from her.

Thanks to the Book Club Girl Early Read program & NetGalley for a digital advance reader's copy. All comments and opinions are my own.

I am rating this novel at 3.5 stars as it promised more than it delivered, yet it checked my boxes for a good read: historical fiction about a London bookstore and a writer, with a present day mystery. Author Eliza Knight incorporated the real life bookstore, Heywood Hill Ltd, and acclaimed writer Nancy Mitford – one of 1930s London’s hottest socialites, authors, and a member of the scandalous Mitford sisters – in a dual-narrative story also featuring Lucy St. Clair, a fictional modern day American book curator looking for change in her life.

The oldest of six children of the notorious Mitford family (think Kardashians of the 1930s), Nancy is one of the 1920s’ Bright Young Things, who after 10 years of partying is now ready to marry and settle down. Current day Lucy is in London for two weeks, curating books for her American employer. The connection between the two women is the Heywood Hill bookshop in the heart of Mayfair, London, and a book Lucy owns, written by Nancy and inscribed to “Iris.”

Lucy also has a collection of letters written by Nancy, which she hopes will reveal who Iris is, as Nancy left the book in the bookshop for Iris, who never picked it up. Lucy’s recently deceased mother (and also a Nancy Mitford fan) purchased it years ago, along with the letters. The novel alternates between the two women and their time periods, with the majority of pages focusing on Nancy during the London war years. And I thought Nancy’s was the better story.

The Nancy chapters often begin with an excerpt from the real-life Nancy’s letters to friends like author Evelyn Waugh. What I found confusing is frequently the chapter began with a letter to someone, such as one of her sisters, but was crossed out and the rest of the chapter was her thoughts. Or the letter suddenly ended without conclusion as the rest of the chapter continued with Nancy’s first person narration. I would have liked an explanation from the author after the novel’s conclusion that explained why she chose to write the novel incorporating the letter format when the letters were very brief and Knight soon changed point of view from letter to interior monologue. On a positive note, I appreciated that while Nancy’s chapters were told in the first person, Lucy’s were in third person. Made it much easier to remember who the story was focusing on.

Nancy’s life is sad, as she is unhappily married to Peter Rodd. They are unable to have a child, and Peter is repeatedly unfaithful. On top of this, they are always in debt due to his overspending and under-employment. In addition to her heartache with Peter (who she nicknamed “Prod”) she feels responsible for two of her sisters’ misguided infatuations with Hitler and their support of the fascism that will soon lead to World War II.

One of the highlights of the book, and of Nancy’s life during this time, is her friendship with Sophie, a woman she meets while volunteering during the war. “Ours was a friendship born on the brink of war, and fed by comradery when our country was at its worst….Time again and again, friends have been my saving grace, the people who raise me up and motivate me to go on.”

In addition to the theme of friendship, the novel concludes with both Nancy and Lucy finding personal courage to pursue their own happiness. Lucy considers her efforts to locate the mysterious Iris. “Maybe it was meant to be my quest because I needed it. Without the search for Iris, and all the places it took me, I might never have discovered the things about myself I needed to learn to take my dreams into my own hands.” When the time came, Lucy had been the one to find the courage to pursue her own happiness – her own future – much like Nancy Mitford herself.

Awhile back, I read a nonfiction book about the Mitford sisters and I was especially intrigued by the eldest sister, Nancy, which was part of the reason I picked up this novel, set in two different eras, and featuring the always fascinating Mitfords. Nancy Mitford plays a central role in one of the plotlines, although one gets a good sense of the entire family. In the contemporary storyline, Lucy works in a bookshop and even has the opportunity to visit the library at Chatsworth House as she learns about Nancy Mitford. A fun read and definitely recommended for bibliophiles and historical fiction fans.

The French Revolution is a major turning point not only in European history, but world history. Most often, men are the figures talked about in association with the revolution: King Louis, Robspiere, Lafayette. What is extraordinary about this book as it takes the perspectives of six (sort of seven) women and tells the story of the revolution from their eyes. It is through, enjoyable, and enlightening.
We start early in the revolution with Sophie Grouchie who is a noble woman who writes and fights for women's rights. Then we meet Louise, who is a fruit seller who leads the revolt and meets the king. Then we meet Princess Elizabeth, on the run with her brother, King Louis, and his family. Next is Manon Roland who is a politician's wife who would be a politician in her own right in a different time. After her, we meet Charlotte, a noblewomen looking to exact justice with a knife, and Pauline, a poor woman who stands strong in her belief for women's suffrage. Finally, we meet Emilie, the most beautiful woman in France, who has more to offer than just her looks.
Going into this book, I was concerned that the six writers would be too many to handle. But in reality, this book is very cohesive while still having six distinct narrators. The women all have their own personal dilemmas, but the revolution bonds their narratives. COver the course of six distinct sections, the reader follows the revolution over all its different phases and significant events. I fell in love with the majority of characters, some were not as exciting as others, but it didn’t really matter because the book was on to the next.
The themes of this book are still important and relevant in this time as they were then. While this book was published in late 2019, I read it in mid 2020. The themes of distrusting the government, protesting in the streets, and women fighting for their rights to be a part of society, are still prevalent today. Women who use their husbands to spread their opinions, or want to be more than their looks or to be more than a mother. The world has changed a lot, but not enough. I think people of all backgrounds should read this book. It is both educational and entertaining. But most importantly, it is enlightening.

Lucy is so excited! She has landed her dream job as a book curator. She is headed to the famous Haywood Hill book store. This store is full of all kinds of history, especially about Nancy Mitford. Lucy is also on a personal hunt. Her mother had a copy of a mysteriously personalized book signed by Nancy Mitford. Lucy is determined to find out about this book and the story behind the inscription.

This story is told in two separate time periods. I actually enjoyed the present day better than the historical. This is unusual for me. I found the historical section a bit slow. However, I did enjoy learning about Nancy and her family. The present day section with Lucy and her job and being surround by books…well, this is perfect for this bibliophile. Plus, when they visited Chatsworth house…I was hooked. That is on my to do list.

Need an all around good story…THIS IS IT! Grab your copy today!

I received this novel from the publisher for a honest review.

This was an interesting and saddening look into the life of Nancy Mitford, yes, THAT Nancy Mitford Nancy Mitford: A Biography. This book is written in a dual-narrative. It is mostly told by Nancy herself; a slightly fictional one I assume, told during the '30s to the '40s, and a side story told during this century, by Lucy St. Clair a visitor to London and working in the same bookshop that Nancy and her writer friends used as a salon.

Reading this book encouraged me to read some more about the fantastical life of Nancy and her family. To have two sisters and a Mother that were Nazi sympathizers, a husband who couldn't keep it in his pants, and a suicide wish...well, what a life. But I digress.

I really did like this book, and I would have loved this book had it not had the second storyline. However, this storyline felt like it was almost thrown in as an afterthought, and I felt that it did not mesh well with the rest of the book.

*ARC provided by HarperCollins, The author, and NetGalley½