Heather Webb (2)Rezensionen

Surprisingly good! A beautiful love story told through a series of letters. Recommended for fans of Downton Abbey. 4.5 stars

Being old enough to remember these events in history I found this novel an enjoyable read.

This book was interesting. The only reading I kept reading it was because I wanted to find out how it ended. It's pretty depressing.

Tom rereads the letters written by Evie and him during WWI while he was away fighting. These letters tell the story of their lives during the war.

I enjoyed this book. I liked that Evie saved her letters as did the people she wrote to during the war. Tom also saved his. I liked the insight given by Tom into the war and his breakdown. I do think the letters would have been more censored especially about the war front. I would like to know what happened between Tom and his cousin John that colored Tom's feelings towards John. I would also like to know why John was not on the battle front instead of at a desk job during the war.

I was thinking of how WWI changed so much for society with the breakdown of norms. I am sure they talked of before the war and after the war as we do the pandemic. Watching how their feelings toward the war changes during the 5 years of the war was interesting. At first, it's a lark then reality sets in that it will not be a quick war and people have changed because of what they saw and did. Plus, there were some that never came home. I was glad Evie defied her mother over her brother's letters. It helped at the end to know that Tom was not alone in Paris for his last Christmas.

While I was fine during most of the book, the ending killed me. I cried hard over those last few pages so you might want to keep kleenex at hand. I am crying now as I write this, remembering the ending. This is a book worth reading. If I had not borrowed it from the library, I would be putting it on my keeper shelf.

Another great historical fiction book that enlightened me about a piece of history I knew little of. My great-grandparents came to the USA through Ellis Island around the time this story takes place, and I tried envisioning them enduring the journey, and the treatment (one of my great-grandma's was Italian) they may have endured... similar to Francesca and others mentioned in the story.

And the restrictions on Alma, a native New Yorker who works at Ellis Island, reminded me of how far women have come (and how far we have yet to go) in our rights to be treated equal. Her controlling step-father, and his horrendous choice of a husband for Alma painted a too-true situation for women during that era. I especially loved the fierce loyalty and friendship that developed between Francesca and Alma.

It felt like I was on Ellis island at times, hearing the various native languages, the noise, sweat, fear, and hunger oozing in-between the crowded immigration process. I had to keep reminding myself this is how it was for our ancestors who sacrificed everything for a better life... which meant a better life for us.

Thank you to the author for bringing this piece of history to me, and to the publisher, and NetGalley, for providing me a copy of this great story!

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.

This month my book club read Meet Me in Monaco by Hazel Gaynor and Heather Webb. It reminded me a lot of The Gown, which we read last year, in that the book’s foundation is the marriage of Grace Kelly and Prince Rainier of Monaco. Like The Gown, the novel focuses on fictional characters on the periphery of the wedding — Sophie, a French perfumer chosen to create a bespoke fragrance for Grace Kelly and James, a British photographer charged with capturing an iconic image of the movie star and her prince. This novel is a lighter read with a slow-building romance and not as many dark elements. But there were themes to talk about — the emerging independence of women in the 1950s and the importance of preserving family legacies. I liked the main characters a lot, and Grace Kelly’s appearances added much to the narrative. The settings of southern France and Monaco are beautifully depicted, and our group was unanimous in wanting to travel there! I was starting to get mad at the authors very close to the end of the book, but they redeemed themselves. 😉

If you are a fan of The Gown, Grace Kelly and/or her movies, or just like a well-written historical romance, then check out Meet Me in Monaco. Please note: this is a general market offering and there are some adult situations. However, the book is overall a clean read.

Recommended.

Audience: Adults.

(I purchased the audiobook from Audible. All opinions are mine alone.)

*summarizes the beautiful love story between Frank Sinatra and Ava Gardner
*easy to read
*kept my interest from cover to cover
*well-written
*a must read for all Sinatra and Gardner fans
*highly recommend

What a good historical novel set in the early 1900s where Alma works at Ellis Island as a matron. She meets a lot of immigrants and befriends Francesca who came over from Italy with her ill sister.

She and Francesca become very good friends and Francesca gets a job with a wealthy woman on Park Avenue. Alma has a brother Fritz and Francesca is drawn to him. Things happen at Ellis Island with employees, especially one commissioner who her parents want her to marry who she obviously doesn't especially after finding out things. As for Francesca, she has her own reason for disliking him and is appalled that Alma's parents want her to marry him. It takes her a while to tell her the truth why.

Giving it 3.5 stars. I'm glad the ending was what it was though abruptly for me. I guess the author wants people to imagine what will happen next and I can see why since Francesca leaves New York for Chicago. I won't say what happens with Fritz and Francesca but I know about Fritz and hoping that Francesca lives her dream going to college and being an interpreter which I know she wanted to do. Not sure if she would stay at Ellis Island but it would be the perfect job for her translation needs as she pointed out in the beginning of her job.

First sentence: Every important moment of my life could be measured in notes and captured by a song. That was never truer than the first night I saw her across the room, belonging to someone else.

Premise/plot: Historical fiction starring Frank Sinatra and Ava Gardner. Historical romance [of the graphic sort] starring Frank Sinatra and Ava Gardner. It roughly begins circa 1946. (I say roughly because the prologue is undated.) It follows the "tragic" "star-crossed" lovers across several decades and around the globe. He was a global singing star AND a movie star. She was a movie star. Together they were one hot mess.

My thoughts: Is the book flattering to Frank? Not really--in my own personal opinion. Is the book flattering to Ava? Again, not really--in my own opinion. I do think the book was meant to be flattering to both. I get the impression that the author enjoyed [greatly appreciated] both personalities--flaws and all. I think the "tragic romance" element was supposed to hook readers into sympathizing with these lovers. Was I sympathetic to Frank and Ava as a couple? NO! I thought together they were obviously extremely toxic. Individually, I think there was some toxicity. I will say that I never got the impression that it was all his fault or all her fault. I think they as individuals made repeated bad decisions. There were things he did that I would find unforgivable. There were things she did that I would find unforgivable.

I do wish that this one had been CLEARER about dates. Each "part" was given a range of years. The first part covers three or four years. That's not so bad, I suppose. But other sections cover DECADES. And there's no specific years mentioned at all. Like "1950 to 1966" or "1966 to 1990." And HOW is that even remotely helpful???? I think the book would have been greatly improved if there were more connections to specific times--dates, months, years, events.

There were some movies mentioned for each. There were a few songs and/or albums mentioned for him. If it had been more historical fiction and less graphic romance novel, perhaps it would have done a better job doing tribute to the life and times. I do think the potential is there to tell great stories in this time period.

“You stand up for what is right, even if you risk losing everything”
“You make friends easily, I’m terrible at it”

This was a remarkable historical fiction novel, set in 1902 Ellis Island, beautifully written by Heather Webb.
Immigrants aren't the only ones who seek freedom in America.

I couldn't stop flipping the pages on this one and finished in two days. Two women, who are dissimilar to all on the outside, forge a bond that is stronger than family. Facing so many atrocities, they gave each other strength and hope as they trudged ahead in a world when women were still only viewed as whores.

There is nothing more powerful than a woman who is courageous, resilient and stands up for what is right.

This book was a stunning look at the love story between Frank Sinatra and Ava Gardner. I knew a bit about them before starting this book - probably more about Sinatra because my mom loved his music and played it all the time. I had no knowledge of their marriage and tumultuous affair and how scandalous it was. This was a great look at two talented people set in the glittering and glitzy world of Hollywood during its golden age.

When Frank and Ava first met, they were both married. He felt an instant spark but she was not too impressed with him and his ego. She was a small town beauty from rural North Carolina. Going to Hollywood was a long time dream but she had a lot to learn. When she met Frank, she'd already been married several times and once her marriage to Mickey Rooney ended, she had no intention of getting involved with Frank because he was a married man. At the time, Frank was legendary and his voice was heard all over the world. He was married to the girl from back home and had three children but that didn't stop him from romancing some of the most legendary women in Hollywood. Their lust for each other overpowered their common sense and they started an affair that was full of love and nasty disagreements. As she became more popular in Hollywood, his career was on a downward spiral. During the good times, they were both tender and supportive of each other but when they argued, there were a lot of hateful words spoken, doors slammed and phone calls going unanswered. Both the good times and the bad times were fueled with large quantities of alcohol and a few pills. I found it very interesting to see how tightly the movie studios controlled the people under contract to them and the movie studios in turn could and did manipulate the press.

This book was a well researched fictionalized story based on the lives of Frank and Ava. It brings to life one of the most riveting love stories of Hollywood during the Golden Years of Hollywood. It's told in first person in alternating chapters by Frank and Ava and gives readers a good view of not only their lives, their fears and their passions but also a look at life in Hollywood during this time.

As another reviewer wrote, it was a slow start, but I'm glad I stuck with it I've read other books where people went through Ellis Island, but this was the first one I've read that focused on it. I liked both the girls in the story and was glad that everything turned out well in the end.

The relationship between Frank Sinatra and Ava Gardner was volatile, with plenty of ups and downs. The author captures a sense of the chemistry that drew these two icons together, who were more similar than either one of them likely wanted to admit. I didn't like Frank for much of the novel, but he mellowed enough by the end that I had some sympathy for him. An interesting read, especially for anyone interested in historical Hollywood.

I really enjoy books made up with letters and this one was a really good one. I liked reading about WWI for a change. It was brutal and part of Evie's goal was to not sugarcoat it in her columns.

Ava Gardner and Frank Sinatra had a special relationship. Each have their own issues, but put the two together and you have an explosion of emotions…anger, love, creativity and passion.

This novel is so well researched! And there is so much more I wanted to know. I knew very little about Frank and Ava. I knew a bit about each individually but I had no idea about their relationship. So, I found myself researching both of them as I read their story. Heather Webb has done an awesome job compiling their stormy and intense relationship.

Frank Sinatra was definitely an emotional mess. I had no idea how many times he threatened or tried suicide. This was just one of the many eye-opening revelations I discovered. This story is full of astonishing information.

Need a good biographical, historical fiction…THIS IS IT! Grab your copy today.

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

A lovely read, at times hard to out down, a grandmother's love for her grand-daughters, the story was interesting. The adventure and trepidation of travelling across the globe, the modes of transport of the era, and the relationships all made for an enjoyable experience.

I really enjoyed this book of travel and sisterhood. It kept me turning the pages and staying up too late a couple of times because I couldn't put it down

A WWI novel written in letters between childhood friends. A young woman stuck at home in England, writes letters to her best friend, and her brother and his best friend who are at the front. A sweet story and a great road trip read since it’s so easy to stop between letters if needed. Technically a Christmas read, but much more somber than most. I felt like the depiction of a soldier’s time in the trenches was realistic.

"One must always have adventure in life, or the promise of it, at least."

A novel in letters between a brother and sister, the sister and the brother's best friend, the sister and her best friend, among others. It tells the story of how their lives and relationships changed during the first world war.

I *love* epistolary novels, and this one doesn't disappoint. The romance is nicely balanced and interwoven with the background of the war and also the happenings at home in and around London. I can also say that the audio version is wonderfully done.½

I read this collection of historical fiction short stories because I've recently been reading works by some of its contributors:  Heather Webb, Jessica Brockmole, Hazel Gaynor, Jennifer Robson, Beatriz Williams, and Lauren Willig.  Like any collection of short stories, some are better than others.

The stories are all set around the time of Armistice Day, the end of World War I, November 11, 1918, and all involve some sort of love - romantic, maternal, etc.  There's a good mix of characters and settings across the stories.

If I had to pick a favorite, it would be Jennifer Robson's "All for the Love of You," which was especially interesting as the story involved the creation of realistic masks for soldiers with facial wounds.

The other stories are: "The Daughter of Belgium" by Marci Jefferson, "The Record Set Right" by Lauren Willig, "After You've Gone" by Evangeline Holland,  "Something Worth Landing For" by Jessica Brockmole, "Hour of the Bells" by Heather Webb, "An American Airman in Paris" by Beatriz Williams, "The Photograph" by Kate Kerrigan, and "Hush" by Hazel Gaynor.  All worth reading.

Nice anthology, great authors, 5 stars!~

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.

It’s been a long time since a book made me cry. This book made me cry in the last few pages. Great read and love the story telling through the letters.

Each year, paparazzi and movie stars travel to Cannes in droves for the celebrated film festival. Among the movie stars is Grace Kelly, who will soon become the wife of Prince Rainer of Monaco. Grace Kelly, however, just wants to be left alone and it's when she's trying to get away from a photographer that she enters the store of perfumer Sophie Duval. This chance meeting between Miss Kelly and Sophie will forge a bond between them. But, Sophie will also forge another bond with the photographer trying to capture a photo of the future Princess Grace, James Henderson...

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