reecaspieces

Overview

The Paris Wife meets PBS’s Victoria in this enthralling novel of the life and loves of one of history’s most remarkable women: Winston Churchill’s scandalous American mother, Jennie Jerome.

Wealthy, privileged, and fiercely independent New Yorker Jennie Jerome took Victorian England by storm when she landed on its shores. As Lady Randolph Churchill, she gave birth to a man who defined the twentieth century: her son Winston. But Jennie—reared in the luxury of Gilded Age Newport and the Paris of the Second Empire—lived an outrageously modern life all her own, filled with controversy, passion, tragedy, and triumph.

When the nineteen-year-old beauty agrees to marry the son of a duke she has known only three days, she’s instantly swept up in a whirlwind of British politics and the breathless social climbing of the Marlborough House Set, the reckless men who surround Bertie, Prince of Wales. Raised to think for herself and careless of English society rules, the new Lady Randolph Churchill quickly becomes a London sensation: adored by some, despised by others.

Artistically gifted and politically shrewd, she shapes her husband’s rise in Parliament and her young son’s difficult passage through boyhood. But as the family’s influence soars, scandals explode and tragedy befalls the Churchills. Jennie is inescapably drawn to the brilliant and seductive Count Charles Kinsky—diplomat, skilled horse-racer, deeply passionate lover. Their affair only intensifies as Randolph Churchill’s sanity frays, and Jennie—a woman whose every move on the public stage is judged—must walk a tightrope between duty and desire. Forced to decide where her heart truly belongs, Jennie risks everything—even her son—and disrupts lives, including her own, on both sides of the Atlantic.

Breathing new life into Jennie’s legacy and the glittering world over which she reigned, That Churchill Woman paints a portrait of the difficult—and sometimes impossible—balance among love, freedom, and obligation, while capturing the spirit of an unforgettable woman, one who altered the course of history.

Advance praise for That Churchill Woman

“The perfect confection of a novel . . . We’re introduced to Jennie in all of her passion and keen intelligence and beauty. While she is surrounded by a cast of late-Victorian celebrities, including Bertie, Prince of Wales, it’s always Jennie who shines and takes the center stage she was born to.”—Melanie Benjamin, New York Times bestselling author of The Aviator’s Wife and The Swans of Fifth Avenue

Review

The story begins in Sandringham where Jennie Churchill is a guest of The Prince of Wales. This is where she meets one of her many lovers. Yes…she has quite a few. This tale rotates time periods between her childhood in America and her time with her husband.

The story itself is just ok. It contains a good bit of politics, which I enjoyed more than I expected. But, it just doesn’t have a lot of action. I did enjoy the historical aspects, especially the expectations of Jennie. There were a lot of restrictions placed on her and many women of that time period. Nothing new, but just different because of the Churchill’s status among society.

I really did not enjoy this novel as much as I thought I would. I think it is because I am not a fan of Jennie Churchill. I found her shallow and selfish. However, I also found her intelligent. I just expected her to show more backbone, maybe buck the system more.

I received this novel from Ballantine Books via Netgalley for a honest review.

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Overview

Cosmopolitan Best Book Club Book of 2019

PopSugar Must-Read Book of 2019

Glamour Best Book of 2019

“Fraught with danger, filled with mystery, and meticulously researched, The Lost Girls of Paris is a fascinating tale of the hidden women who helped to win the war.” —Lisa Wingate, New York Times bestselling author of Before We Were Yours

“Pam Jenoff’s meticulous research and gorgeous historical world-building lift her books to must-buy status. An intriguing mystery and a captivating heroine make The Lost Girls of Paris a read to savor!” —Kate Quinn, New York Times bestselling author of The Alice Network

From the author of the runaway bestseller The Orphan’s Tale comes a remarkable story of friendship and courage centered around three women and a ring of female secret agents during World War II.

1946, Manhattan

One morning while passing through Grand Central Terminal on her way to work, Grace Healey finds an abandoned suitcase tucked beneath a bench. Unable to resist her own curiosity, Grace opens the suitcase, where she discovers a dozen photographs—each of a different woman. In a moment of impulse, Grace takes the photographs and quickly leaves the station.

Grace soon learns that the suitcase belonged to a woman named Eleanor Trigg, leader of a network of female secret agents who were deployed out of London during the war. Twelve of these women were sent to Occupied Europe as couriers and radio operators to aid the resistance, but they never returned home, their fates a mystery. Setting out to learn the truth behind the women in the photographs, Grace finds herself drawn to a young mother turned agent named Marie, whose daring mission overseas reveals a remarkable story of friendship, valor and betrayal.

Vividly rendered and inspired by true events, New York Times bestselling author Pam Jenoff shines a light on the incredible heroics of the brave women of the war and weaves a mesmerizing tale of courage, sisterhood and the great strength of women to survive in the hardest of circumstances.

Review

Grace finds a lone suitcase in Grand Central Terminal. She discovers some pictures within this suitcase which puts her onto the trail of Eleanor. Eleanor is a lady tasked with putting together a group of women who will assist the resistance. Grace is determined to find out what happened to these women and what Eleanor was doing in NYC.

The SOE has incorporated women into their operations. Eleanor is placed in charge of this unit. She carefully selects these women and sees they are properly trained. But, you can have all of that going for you and still fail…if you are betrayed.

As most of you know, I love strong women and WWII is my favorite time period. So, this book is exactly my cup of tea. I will say, I was skeptical at the beginning… I mean…who actually goes through someone else’s suitcase? Don’t you turn it in to lost and found? So, this had me doubting the story just a bit. But the more I read, the more intriguing the tale. I was reeled in…hook, line and sinker.

To say I loved this book is an understatement. All the women, the espionage, the danger, the history and the mystery surrounding what happened makes up a unique story not to be missed!

I received this novel from Harlequin via Netgalley for a honest review

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Overview

A shocking stunner in every way. The perfect thriller.” —Robert Crais

When darkness closes in—he’s your last, best hope. Evan Smoak returns in Gregg Hurwitz’s #1 international bestselling Orphan X series.

Taken from a group home at age twelve, Evan Smoak was raised and trained as part of the Orphan Program, an off-the-books operation designed to create deniable intelligence assets—i.e. assassins. Evan was Orphan X. He broke with the Program, using everything he learned to disappear and reinvent himself as the Nowhere Man, a man who helps the truly desperate when no one else can. But now Evan’s past is catching up to him.

Someone at the very highest level of government has been trying to eliminate every trace of the Orphan Program by killing all the remaining Orphans and their trainers. After Evan’s mentor and the only father he ever knew was killed, he decided to strike back. His target is the man who started the Program and who is now the most heavily guarded person in the world: the President of the United States.

But President Bennett knows that Orphan X is after him and, using weapons of his own, he’s decided to counter-attack. Bennett activates the one man who has the skills and experience to track down and take out Orphan X—the first recruit of the Program, Orphan A.

With Evan devoting all his skills, resources, and intelligence to find a way through the layers of security that surround the President, suddenly he also has to protect himself against the deadliest of opponents. It’s Orphan vs. Orphan with the future of the country—even the world—on the line.

Review

There is a secret program in the depths of the intelligence system of the United States. A group of orphans have been trained to kill. They are an elite group of assassins. But, someone wants this program wiped off the map and all the players with it. Evan is fighting back and he has to go straight to the top, The President of the United States.

I have enjoyed all the Orphan X books. Fast paced and exciting is an understatement. This one is no different. Evan is on the hunt and nothing is going to stop him. This has now gotten personal for him. When the only father he has ever known is killed, Evan knows he has to take action.

I am partially in love with Evan. He has such charisma…you know in the strong, silent type way. Plus…he is very intelligent. You never know what his next play will be. He is a master of getting himself into tough situations. The way he uses his brain to get out of these situations is fascinating. Good writing if you ask me!

This is an edge of your seat thriller!

I received this novel from Minotaur Books via Netgalley for a honest review.

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Overview

For fans of Lilac Girls, the next powerful novel from the author of Goodreads Choice Awards semifinalist The Two-Family House about two sisters working in a WWII armory, each with a deep secret.

“Loigman’s strong voice and artful prose earn her a place in the company of Alice Hoffman and Anita Diamant, whose readers should flock to this wondrous new book.” —Pam Jenoff, New York Times bestselling author of The Orphan’s Tale

“The Wartime Sisters shows the strength of women on the home front: to endure, to fight, and to help each other survive.” —Jenna Blum, New York Times and international bestselling author of The Lost Family and Those Who Save Us

Two estranged sisters, raised in Brooklyn and each burdened with her own shocking secret, are reunited at the Springfield Armory in the early days of WWII. While one sister lives in relative ease on the bucolic Armory campus as an officer’s wife, the other arrives as a war widow and takes a position in the Armory factories as a “soldier of production.” Resentment festers between the two, and secrets are shattered when a mysterious figure from the past reemerges in their lives.

“One of my favorite books of the year.” —Fiona Davis, national bestselling author of The Dollhouse and The Masterpiece

“A stirring tale of loyalty, betrayal, and the consequences of long-buried secrets.” —Kristina McMorris, New York Times bestselling author of The Edge of Lost and Sold on a Monday

Review

Two sisters, one is beautiful, one is not. One sister is very intelligent, one is not. The mother dotes on one, the father dotes on the other. You can just imagine where this leads….or maybe not.

Millie and Ruth have always had problems. Ruth is the oldest and the smartest. Millie is flighty and gorgeous. This combination does not meld well together. These two are like oil and water and jealousy abounds. Then there are some bad decisions and some terrible secrets. Add all this to the mix and you have some very hard feelings to overcome.

Ruth is my favorite of the two. However, she is the manipulator and instigator. She is also the smartest. She does her best to protect her assets even if this leaves Millie in bad situations. You have to read this book to understand. The author really pulled at your heartstrings with each sister. As the reader, one minute you want to slap both and the next you are rooting for their success.

I do think the title could be better. It is really not about the war. Yes these girls work in an Armory during wartime, but that is about it. This is a story about family, jealousy, secrets, choices and where all of this can lead.

Well! I have started 2019 off with a bang! This is a poignant read not soon to be forgotten!

I received this novel from St. Martin’s press via Netgalley for a honest review.

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Overview

What should have been a fun-filled, carefree day takes a tragic turn for the worse for one mother when her best friend’s child goes missing in this suspenseful, compulsively readable, and darkly twisted psychological thriller.

It all started at the school fair…

Charlotte was supposed to be looking after the children, and she swears she was. She only took her eyes off of them for one second. But when her three kids are all safe and sound at the school fair, and Alice, her best friend Harriet’s daughter, is nowhere to be found, Charlotte panics. Frantically searching everywhere, Charlotte knows she must find the courage to tell Harriet that her beloved only child is missing. And admit that she has only herself to blame.

Harriet, devastated by this unthinkable, unbearable loss, can no longer bring herself to speak to Charlotte again, much less trust her. Now more isolated than ever and struggling to keep her marriage afloat, Harriet believes nothing and no one. But as the police bear down on both women trying to piece together the puzzle of what happened to this little girl, dark secrets begin to surface—and Harriet discovers that confiding in Charlotte again may be the only thing that will reunite her with her daughter….

This breathless and fast-paced debut—perfect for fans of Big Little Lies and The Couple Next Door—takes you on a chilling journey that will keep you guessing until the very last page.

Review

Charlotte agrees to take Alice to the fair. She promises Harriet she will watch her closely. When Alice disappears it is devastating to both women in different ways. Then secrets start to emerge. Where is Alice and who has taken her?

The author did a fantastic job with Charlotte and Harriet. I can feel their pain coming through the pages. I mean…what would you do if you were the mother….what would you do if you were the friend who lost the child? The feelings I had for both these women were remarkable.

Then there is Brian, Harriet’s husband. You know something is not right. You just can’t put your finger on it. Is he abusive, overprotective, or something else entirely?

Well! This book is pretty dang twisted! It did start a little slow…but that is just building for the wicked ending!

I received this novel from Gallery Books via Netgalley for a honest review.

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Overview

She possessed a stunning beauty. She also possessed a stunning mind. Could the world handle both?

Her beauty almost certainly saved her from the rising Nazi party and led to marriage with an Austrian arms dealer. Underestimated in everything else, she overheard the Third Reich’s plans while at her husband’s side, understanding more than anyone would guess. She devised a plan to flee in disguise from their castle, and the whirlwind escape landed her in Hollywood. She became Hedy Lamarr, screen star.

But she kept a secret more shocking than her heritage or her marriage: she was a scientist. And she knew a few secrets about the enemy. She had an idea that might help the country fight the Nazis…if anyone would listen to her.

A powerful novel based on the incredible true story of the glamour icon and scientist whose groundbreaking invention revolutionized modern communication, The Only Woman in the Room is a masterpiece.

Review

Hedy Lamarr was a lady with many faces. She was raised in Austria. She became a well-known actress with a risqué movie to her credit. Then she was wooed by an arms dealer. To help protect her family, she marries him. She literally became a prisoner in her own home. She overhears many discussions and secrets. At this time in her life, she has no idea what to do with these secrets. Then, she finally escapes! It took a few failed attempts with severe consequences.

Marie Benedict did a fantastic job with Hedy Lamarr. I knew a little about her but, apparently, not enough. What a strong, amazing woman. She escapes an abusive husband, takes on Hollywood, and creates a communications marvel to help take on the Nazis. How did I not know this! I love strong women. Hedy Lamarr just topped the list.

I love Marie Benedict! She always teaches me something. I have read all her books and this is her best. And I have given her other books 5 stars! But this one….oh boy!

I received this novel from Sourcebooks via Netgalley for a honest review.

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Overview

The next novel of psychological suspense and obsession from the authors of the blockbuster bestseller The Wife Between Us

Seeking women ages 18–32 to participate in a study on ethics and morality. Generous compensation. Anonymity guaranteed.

When Jessica Farris signs up for a psychology study conducted by the mysterious Dr. Shields, she thinks all she’ll have to do is answer a few questions, collect her money, and leave.

Question #1: Could you tell a lie without feeling guilt?

But as the questions grow more and more intense and invasive and the sessions become outings where Jess is told what to wear and how to act, she begins to feel as though Dr. Shields may know what she’s thinking…and what she’s hiding.

Question #2: Have you ever deeply hurt someone you care about?

As Jess’s paranoia grows, it becomes clear that she can no longer trust what in her life is real, and what is one of Dr. Shields’ manipulative experiments. Caught in a web of deceit and jealousy, Jess quickly learns that some obsessions can be deadly.

Question #3: Should a punishment always fit the crime?

From the authors of the blockbuster bestseller The Wife Between Us comes an electrifying new novel about doubt, passion, and just how much you can trust someone.

Review

Jess is a struggling make-up artist in New York City. She jumps at the extra money offered to be a part of a psychology study. Dr. Shields asks some very invasive questions. Not only that, it is almost as if Dr. Shields knows what Jess is thinking. The deeper Jess gets, the more scared she becomes.

Well! This book just reels you in and just keeps you twisting and turning. Dr. Shields is not someone I ever want to meet. She is ruthless and most of all, she is cunning. When she wants to punish someone, it is not done in the usual way. Oh no….she is out to keep you guessing where she is going to hit next.

I did think the ending was a little too tidy. I expected different reaction from Dr. Shields. No! I am not trying to give away a spoiler. Read it your self and see if you think the same. She is a “force to be reckoned with” all through this book. Her reaction at the end does not fit her profile.

My picture at the top of this post makes you think this book is a great, cozy read…NOT! It is completely twisted! Not sure I would want to read this home alone. These two authors have some fantastic chemistry going on. I don’t know what their secret is but this book is off the charts wicked!

I received an advance copy from St. Martin’s Press for a honest review.

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