January 31, 2020 – Gwendalyn’s Books

A Novel of Grace Kelly

by Kerri Maher

The Girl in White Gloves

A Novel of Grace Kelly

by Kerri Maher

Berkley Publishing Group

Historical Fiction

Pub Date 25 Feb 2020

A life in snapshots…

Grace knows what people see. She’s the Cinderella story. An icon of glamor and elegance frozen in dazzling Technicolor. The picture of perfection. The girl in white gloves.

A woman in living color…

But behind the lens, beyond the panoramic views of glistening Mediterranean azure, she knows the truth. The sacrifices it takes for an unappreciated girl from Philadelphia to defy her family and become the reigning queen of the screen. The heartbreaking reasons she trades Hollywood for a crown. The loneliness of being a princess in a fairy tale kingdom that is all too real.

Hardest of all for her adoring fans and loyal subjects to comprehend, is the harsh reality that to be the most envied woman in the world does not mean she is the happiest. Starved for affection and purpose, facing a labyrinth of romantic and social expectations with more twists and turns than Monaco’s infamous winding roads, Grace must find her own way to fulfillment. But what she risks–her art, her family, her marriage—she may never get back.

This book was received from the Author, and Publisher, in exchange for an honest review. Opinions and thoughts expressed in this review are completely my own.

The Girl in White Gloves is a stunning fictional portrayal of the larger than life, Grace Kelly

With lovely alternating chapters, readers swiftly see the in-depth childhood family dynamics. Her early introduction to acting, The author meticulously weaves the storyline back and forth between Grace’s struggle to make it on Broadway and her life after she’s left Hollywood behind for life in the palace in Monaco as the the wife Prince Rainier. This captivating by this spellbinding portrayal of a legendary Icon by giving the reader a wonderful fictional insight to a three dimensional character.

A deeply powerful moving book that captures the struggles and strength of a woman searching for acceptance and balance family and her own ambitions nature.

Intimately written, the author seamlessly allows the reader a peek into this leading lady incredible life. Character development and complex relationships, and the setting and time period are brought to life with rich descriptive details.

#TheGirlInWhiteGloves #KerriMaher

“Some women make headlines; an icon defies them. A vivid reimagining of the exhilarating and sensationalized life of Princess Grace of Monaco from the acclaimed author of The Kennedy Debutante. Hungry for her art and hopeful for the future, young Grace Kelly has the world at her feet. MGM’s rising queen is poised to win the Oscar, but she chafes at the studio’s increasing restrictions on her life. When an unexpected friendship develops between her and Prince Rainier of Monaco, she faces the tempting possibility of a new role–one that offers the power and stability she craves. But life isn’t like the movies. Twenty years into her crumbling marriage, Grace finds herself frustrated and disillusioned. Conflicted by notions of family, career, and the very nature of womanhood–notions Grace herself shaped for a generation of women–the world’s loneliest princess searches for purpose beyond the labels and headlines. A Hollywood darling, a fairy-tale princess, and a wife starved for autonomy, Grace Kelly is a woman divided. And though she is confined by public perception and societal conventions, one thing is certain–she will never bow to them”–

ABOUT KERRI MAHER

Hi! Thanks so much for coming to my website. Here’s the short version of my life—if you want to know more, I hope you’ll read what’s below, and follow me on Instagram where I post about books, my adorable daughter and dog, and other things I love.

My first novel, The Kennedy Debutante, came out in 2018, and I’m thrilled to say my second is coming on February 25, 2020: The Girl In White Gloves: A Novel of Grace Kelly. I also have two more historical novels coming your way from Berkley, a fact that makes me feel incredibly lucky and grateful after spending so many years (and years!) writing and working on the craft. If you want to know more about those years, check out my memoir This Is Not a Writing Manual: Notes for the Young Writer in the Real World (Writer’s Digest Books) under the name Kerri Majors. I am also the founder of an award-winning journal of YA literature, YARN.

I’ve lived on both coasts, and currently call Massachusetts home. I live near Boston, and love all the museums and long, leafy walks this part of the world provides, but if you ask me where I’m from, I’ll always say California.

It’s Freaky Friday Bookish Friends,

Today I am posting my Book Review of May Leave Stars

by Catherine C. Heywood.

May Leave Stars: The Writer’s Cut

by Catherine C. Heywood

Pub Date 04 Feb 2020

A timeless love story set amidst the glamour of the Belle Époque…

Paris, 1889: Amélie Audet toils in a laundry when, only steps away, investors promise the most glittering dance hall the city has ever seen. Determined to secure an audition, she stumbles into a meeting with the alluring owner of the Moulin Rouge and must face her scandalous past.

She would have Paris at her feet.

Jasper Degrailly is enchanted by a painting come to life. He sets out to seduce Amélie with his gilded world and the dark warrens of his mind. Yet he has his own sordid entanglements, and soon the gentleman and the singer must manage the greedy machinations of bohemian and high-society Paris.

He would have her at his.

Caught between competing artists, directors, and dance halls, Amélie struggles to earn the role that could make her a star, while Jasper strives to let go of his tortured past and hold on to his bright future. Eventually, their fates collide, and they find themselves torn between their desperate hearts and their irreconcilable lives.

PLEASE BE ADVISED: This title is available in TWO editions. The mainstream edition with virtually no explicit content. And the “Writer’s Cut” edition, which contains graphic sexual content

Advance Praise

For anyone who’s ever dared to follow their dreams, May Leave Stars proves nothing is out of reach! Catherine C. Heywood’s Paris burns hotter and shines brighter — her prose clever and banter sharp — making the reader feel as though they are walking through the city’s streets. A story sure to capture your imagination and tug at your heart! — Author A.R. Hadley

I loved Jasper and Amelie as a couple. Their chemistry was tangible… But it’s the backdrop and setting that makes the intense romance stand out. — Raya’s Reads

For me, this book certainly exceeded all expectations. Not only it was classic with all the terms used in that period, the author took care of great details while writing this. It was different from all the books in similar genre. This one was really special. — Bookreviewer_98

This book certainly creates a vivid world of the late 1800s; the world of the female and society’s judgements and expectations. Of power, control, passion, troubles and hardships….I enjoyed the writer’s descriptions of 1880s Paris, the performance halls and the start of the Moulin Rouge…Recommended for readers looking for a different kind of historical love story. — Books, Tea, and Me

PLEASE BE ADVISED: This title is available in TWO editions. The mainstream edition with virtually no explicit content. And the “Writer’s Cut” edition, which contains graphic sexual content.

This book was received from the Author, and Publisher, in exchange for an honest review. Opinions and thoughts expressed in this review are completely my own.

Amelie Audet, riveting life unfolds in this compulsively impressive entertaining read. Irresistible and statuesque, Amelia, struggles with the her desire for the stage, and her devastating allure has on the opposite gender. She captures the notice of most men.

When a chance happens that may unlock a door to another life for her, will she take it. Even if it cost more than what she bargains for.

A luscious book set to the decadently and delightful backdrop of the late 1800’s, with the lights and sounds of the vibrant dancehalls of Paris. Also, the dark and seedy underworld. A romantic book of trust and untimely boundaries in partnerships.

This richly textured book and it’s engaging characters that immediately hooked and kept me completely immersed.

There are two lovely versions of this book available, one is The Writer’s Cut. This detailed version holds nothing back, and contains explicit content with descriptions of bondage and consensual power exchanges.

So, if you are looking for something more toned down, read the Mainstream one.

PLEASE BE ADVISED: This title is available in TWO editions. The mainstream edition with virtually no explicit content. And the “Writer’s Cut” edition, which contains graphic sexual content.