Review: The Socialite

Review at a Glance

• Title: The Socialite
• My Rating: 4.25
• Genre: Historical Fiction
• Format: ARC*
• Publication Date: April 14, 2020
• Author: J’nell Ciesielski

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Book Blurb

Glamour, treachery, and espionage collide when an English socialite rushes to save her sister from the Nazis.

As the daughter of Sir Alfred Whitford, Kat has a certain set of responsibilities. But chasing her wayward sister, Ellie, to Nazi-occupied Paris was never supposed to be one of them. Now accustomed to the luxurious lifestyle that her Nazi boyfriend provides, Ellie has no intention of going back to the shackled life their parents dictate for them—but Kat will stop at nothing to bring her sister home.

Arrested for simply trying to defend himself against a drunken bully, Barrett Anderson is given the option of going to jail or serving out his sentence by training Resistance fighters in Paris. A bar owner serves as the perfect disguise to entertain Nazis at night while training fighters right below their jackboots during the day. Being assigned to watch over two English debutantes is the last thing he needs, but a payout from their father is too tempting to resist. Can Barrett and Kat trust each other long enough to survive, or will their hearts prove more traitorous than the dangers waiting around the corner?

My Thoughts

I just really loved this book. It was the perfect combination of danger, romance, witty banter, and a Scotsman.

I’m a big fan of WWII historical fiction, but this is the first time I have had a Scotsman as a lead character. Which, honestly, leads me to wonder how I’ve never considered more about Scotland’s role in World War 2. But, since that’s a completely different topic, I will stick with the book review for now.

Obviously, the locale of Paris was the first thing that attracted me to this book, but I’m pretty open to any historical fiction set in this time period. What kept me reading, and kept me from being able to put the book down, were the characters. I just genuinely liked them.

J’nell Ciesielski wrote very vivid characters with such hilarious dialogue, because, as she stated on my instagram, they say whatever comes to their minds. And we can all agree how liberating that can be. And how much trouble that can get you in.

That’s where the goodness of this novel can really be felt, in the trouble and the banter. The wittiness and the vulnerability. The danger and the safety.

The Socialite is a must read for any fan of historical fiction. You will fly through these pages and come out with a smile on your face.

*Special thanks to J’nell Ciesielski, HFVBT, and Thomas Nelson for providing a copy of The Socialite in exchange for an honest review.