OVE AND RUIN” BY Paula McLain

“Love and Ruin” by Paula McLain is an amazing, captivating, intriguing and intense novel. The Genres for this novel are Fiction and Historical Fiction, with an essence of Romance. The timeline for this story is before and during World War Two. The story takes place in Spain, Cuba, and Europe, as well as the United States.

I appreciate the historical research that Paula McLain has done to vividly describe the destruction of war. The author describes her characters as complex and complicated. Martha Gelhorn, an author and journalist and Ernest Hemingway, an author have an intense and stormy relationship.

Martha Gelhorn is portrayed as an ambitious, active, and dedicated journalist reporting atrocities of war. Ernest Hemingway is portrayed as a moody, at times ego-centric author. During the time of their relationship Ernest Hemingway writes one of his greatest novels “From Whom the Bell Tolls”. There seems to be competition and rivalry at times between the two authors.

I would recommend this novel to readers that appreciate the genre of Historical Fiction. I received an ARC from NetGalley for my honest review.

I'd previously read the Paris Wife, so I was very interested when I saw this was about another of Hemingway's wives. I found Love and Ruin to be much more interesting and engaging. The story is told primarily from the perspective of Martha Gellhorn, with brief insights into Hemingway's perspective. Gellhorn had a fascinating life even aside from her marriage, and learning about the places she traveled and the stories she covered was intriguing and exciting. After reading this, I want to go on to read more about her life. I highly recommend, and I'll definitely be reading more by Paula McLain.

An interesting story about the life of Martha Gellhorn, specifically the period of her life that she spent married to Ernest Hemingway. The author did a wonderful job depicting the passionate and, yet, stormy relationship between Gellhorn and Hemingway. Hemingway was a complicated man, teetering often into the realm of self destruction, and many of his wives were more abiding of his behaviors. I was actually surprised that he married Gellhorn, she was a remarkable woman and fiercely independent. I can only imagine how challenging it had to be for her to live in Hemingway's shadow. Yet, she did make a name for herself and I'd have preferred to learn more about her work than her relationship with Hemingway. Still, I am glad that I picked up this book and plan to read a few of her Gellhorn's works.
This was a Net Galley ARC read.

I enjoyed this book to a point. I liked learning about Ernest Hemingway and I LIKED the strong female character. I was disappointed that it was less of a love story but I guess the author had to work with what was historically accurate.

Outstanding story of the starcrossed relationship between Martha Gellhorn and Ernest Hemingway. The author made the characters so vivid and real that you felt that you were there.. You could hear the bombs and feel the dirt and grit while reading about their escapades while reporting their stories.

Amazing read for everyone

I received this book courtesy of Netgalley and its publisher, Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine Books.

This is an amazingly powerful novel about an independent, courageous and intensely ambitious woman who follows her deepest desires and does not let love or life stop her, only long enough to create an obstacle that she clambers over. Marty battles with being viewed as being beautiful, and her intelligence and fierce tenacity are traits she must prove to others, and ones that she must always keep at the forefront. Others quickly learn to see past her beauty and are able to see her passion and strength and respect her for all that she does, including pushing herself forward to the frontline of a war zone, many times and in many countries.

This is also a love story. Not only to a world-famous author, who struggles with the pains of his written work and from his own internal conflicts, but also to her career and passion. Her relationship with Hemingway was never easy, settled, or calm, and Marty stayed true to her deepest inner instinct about him, their marriage, a baby, and the written promise to never leave him for long again.

Though an intriguing and impressive novel, it was not an easy read. It required, and deserved, utmost attention and thought to digest and appreciate all the history, the underlying stories, and the emotional turmoil and intent. I struggled through parts but then was pulled in to the story again and was eager to continue.

I have so much respect for Marty and truly enjoyed reading about her journeys. She succeeded in making a difference like she wanted to.

I enjoy history and writers of life as it happens and the past. Martha, was a fabulous war correspondent and although I was familiar with some of her writings this book was awesome in getting you interested in reading more and more. The Hemingway part may be of interest to some but beyond that it’s a great book.

Genre: Biographical Historical Fiction
Publisher: Random House
Pub. Date: May 1, 2018

The author, Paula McClain, has made a career writing historical fiction memoirs. Her most popular novel, “The Paris Wife” is a fictionalized account of Ernest Hemingway's marriage to Hadley Richardson. Hadley is Ernest’s starter wife. He had four wives by the time of his death. While married to Richardson, Hemingway wrote, “A Moveable Feast,” his classic memoir of Paris in the 1920s. In McClain next novel, “Circling the Sun” she writes in the voice of Beryl Markham, a British-born Kenyan aviator who became the first woman to fly solo, non-stop across the Atlantic. In “Love and Ruin,” McClain once again comes back to Hemingway. This time, the narrator is his third wife, Martha Gellhorn, known as Marty. As in her other books, it is clear that the author did her homework by researching previously published biographical material on her heroines.

“Love and Ruin” are words that seem to be twin preoccupations in life and literature. It may not be as catchy, but if this book was titled “Love, War and Loss” the reader would know exactly what they were about to dive into, because the story is about the carnage of war and the ruin of a painful marriage. Marty Gellhorn is considered one of the most important war correspondents of the 20th century. She meets Hemingway in late 1936, in the now infamous “Sloppy Joe's Bar,” located in Key West, Florida. The bar was a favorite watering hole for the writer. (I’m proud to say I had a drink there). He invites Marty, and her mother, to his Key West house, where he lived with his 2nd wife and two sons. He had another son from his first marriage. (Since, I visited the house, which is now a museum; I can assure you that all details are accurate, right down to his wall art. Which are movie posters of his books that became films). When Marty hears his plans to travel to Spain as a war correspondent covering the takeover of Spain by Franco, she decides to meet him there. It is during this journey that she discovers her love of adventure. It is also here, where the couple’s love affair begins. Hemingway’s experiences in Spain were his inspiration for his book, “For Whom the Bell Tolls,” which he wrote in their home in Cuba.

Ernest Hemingway truly was a larger-than-life individual. He was also a misogynist alcoholic. His career hit an all time high with “For Whom the Bell Tolls,” while Marty, also a writer of novels, only received notice as Hemingway's wife. She hated everything about Hollywood. But Earnest was in his glory with all the attention. She believed in order for her to breathe, she needed to get away from Ernest’s needy ego. This was the beginning of the end of their marriage. Determined not to live in the shadow of her famous husband, she accepted dangerous war journalist assignments overseas. Realizing her true passion comes from on-the-ground reporting she decides to cover D-Day by stowing away on the first hospital ship to land at Normandy, wading ashore to become the first journalist, male or female, to make it there and report back. She was an amazing woman. Unfortunately, her husband saw her leaving not as a work assignment, but as her leaving the marriage. He started the divorce process. She was heartbroken to read in the newspaper that he already had another woman living with him in their Cuban home. It is hard to like Hemingway, but through Marty’s voice, the author does a great job of describing his deep depressive episodes. For anyone who knew the man, his suicide was not a surprise. Even after their divorce, Marty still worried about her self-destructive ex. As the reader, I wondered if the Hemingway would have had a better life if he hadn’t become so famous.

Reading Marty’s first-hand view of war was engaging as well as traumatic. I very much enjoyed the history lesson through the heroine’s voice. But, I felt her feelings on the horrors she witnessed in war, which could be tough. Maybe, this is why I so enjoy historical fiction memoirs. You feel like you are getting inside the head of the narrator, and McClain does this genre extraordinarily well. I feel that I should mention that the author has lived an interesting life. She wrote her own memoir, “Like Family: Growing Up in Other People's Houses.” McClain’s parents abandoned their children. She and her two sisters grew up in foster care homes. Even if you do not care for memoirs, I strongly recommend that you give beautifully “Love and Ruin” a try. It has a something for everyone, no matter your favorite genre.

My least favorite of the three McLain books I've read. I wonder why she went back to Hemingway, who is unlikable as hell. This didn't roll for me like The Paris Wife or Circling the Sun, it was missing the magic I found in those pages, but still a three star because I like Gellhorn. Free ARC from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

I am a huge fan of historical fiction, In particular WWII era. I am also a fan of Ernest Hemingway and this book had brought the best of both worlds. Having said that, I am glad I requested this book as its focus is on the life of Martha Gellhorn, an American woman who travels the world during the unrest of WWII.

Paula McLain transports us and delivers an outstanding love story of determination and hope. I will definitely recommend this to fellow readers.

Love and Ruin is the story of Hemingway's third wife, Martha Gellhorn. She appears to be the most independent of his four spouses as she lived life according to her own terms, no matter what the costs. THe best parts of the book are the author's descriptions of Gellhorn's travels. She was a correspondent during the Spanish Civil War and World War II. Her affair with Hemingway turned into a marriage that didn't last. In many ways Hemingway was a spoiled man who expected the women in his life to shower him with attention and praise. Gellhorn pursued her own interests, which makes her far more fascinating than him. Another well researched and well written book by Paula McLain.

If you love modern historical fiction based on true stories this is the one for you. This is the story of Ernest Hemingway and Martha Gellhorn. Martha Gellhorn was his third wife. The two started their affair when he was still married to his second wife. Martha Gellhorn was an author in her own right. She was also a war correspondent. The legendary Hemingway overshadowed much of her career. After I read this, I want to know more about Gellhorn and the other Hemingway wives.

It is hard to approach this book without asking if it should be looked upon as a failed romance novel or if it should be considered a biopic of a fierce woman who chose to be true to herself. If the summative war details are overlooked and the fact that this is Ernest Hemingway and Martha Gellhorn we're talking about are taken out of the equation, this wasn't a strong novel. But if you're reading it for a dramatization of two literary forces lighting a match and then blowing it out, then it is a good read. As a stand-alone story, nope, it didn't happen for me. Gellhorn's character needs development. I want my protagonist to be strong.

This is my first book by McLain, which must be changed asap, because I love historical fiction and she writes it well. The premise of this novel about the woman in Hemingway's life, really got my attention and I found the author's language really beautiful and yet easy to follow. Definitely recommended for fans of this genre and readers interested in the time of Hemingway's heyday.

The author of The Paris Wife and Circling the Sun is back, delving once again into a strong woman engulfed in a relationship with America's iconic writer, Ernest Hemingway. This time she focuses on Martha Gelhorn, a young woman from St. Louis, a travel addict and aspiring writer. Her elite circle pulls her into contact with a variety of famous people, such as Eleanor Roosevelt, Lillian Hellman, and yes, the great Hemingway. This book focuses solely on the years of their relationship: their meeting in Key West, the affair begun in the midst of the Spanish Civil War, a life in Cuba, their struggles with his literary success and her literary frustrations, and the time apart as Martha pursues her own career as a war correspondent. This book is aptly named, as their love for one another shines through, but it is apparent that neither are great candidates for marital bliss. As always, the book is well-written, well-researched, and has well-developed characters. However, my huuuuge complaint is that McLain has done to Martha Gelhorn exactly what the press did to her decades ago; she minimizes Gelhorn's own career (read the Author's Note at the end - Gelhorn is an icon in the journalistic world, one of the all-time great war reporters this country has ever known, and she did it by breaking every gender stereotype) and puts Gelhorn's life into context only as a wife to Ernest. Aargh...I can hear Marty Gelhorn turning over in her grave. Gelhorn is a fabulous choice for a novel, but I wish she had used her as she did Beryl Markham in Circling the Sun, as an incredible portrait of what a woman must do to survive in a man's world, the resilience and grit it takes to never give up, and the incredible courage it requires to turn one's back on marriage and motherhood and pursue one's career. Ah, that's where the story of Martha Gelhorn belongs and McLain misses it, at least she did for me.

I received this book as an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for a fair and honest review.

I read and enjoyed "The Paris Wife" so when I saw the author had another book, I jumped in. The writing is good, but I didn't find the story or characters as engaging. In fact, I didn't like them much at all. The story spans almost 10 years - between 1936 and 1944 - and ping pongs across the globe from the US to Spain to Cuba and Europe during WW2, laying out the relationship between Hemingway and his 3rd wife, Marty Gelhorn.

I think it's good historical fiction and probably accurately portrays the relationship between Hemingway and Gelhorn. It just didn't suck me in the way "The Paris Wife" did.

An autobiographical novel of author and journalist Martha Gellhorn, the third wife of Ernest Hemingway. A little slow paced, but well worth the read. Although the majority of the book is about Martha's relationship with Ernest, I would not call it a "romance". It's actually more about a woman finding and proving herself then anything else.

In the beginning, I thought Martha was a little foolish for falling for Ernest, not because I knew that they eventually divorced, but because Ernest didn't seem hugely likable, even in the beginning, he seemed self absorbed and fickle. I was worried the book would be too romancy, and not do justice to an amazing woman in her own right, but that was not the case. It's really about how Martha slowly came to the realization that she had to stand on her own to get the respect and recognition as a writer that she deserved, and how needy Ernest just couldn't deal with that. I loved the second half of the book, watching Martha truly become the strong and independent woman she always was deep down and go onto have an incredible career, rather than be held back by a selfish man.

Advanced review copy from publisher via NetGalley. My opinions are my own.

I received this book courtesy of Netgalley and its publisher, Ballantine Books. I’m a fan of Paula McLain and have read her previous books. This one doesn’t disappoint. I would actually score it 4.5/5.0.

The book is written from the perspective of Martha Gellhorn Hemingway. It is based on real people, specifically, Martha “Marty” Gellhorn and Ernest Hemingway. The story is about Marty’s life. Primarily, her career and relationship with Ernest Hemingway. I enjoyed the dynamics between Marty and Ernest and his family. The book carries through the demise of Marty and Ernest’s relationship as well as the challenges a woman encounters attempting to balance a career and marriage. The setting for their romance is in Key West and Cuba.

Marty is known as one of few women who corresponded during war times. Marty’s journalism career during the Spanish civil war with Franco and Germany’s aggression in World War II was fascinating. But her travels were not limited to just Europe. She travelled China, Cuba, Finland, and much more. The reader gains a different view of war. For example, this book provides a different perspective of Russia invading Finland during the “Winter War.” With Marty’s first-hand view, the reader gets a view of Finnish people using the winter to their advantage against a major aggressor.

Marty also authored several books. “Love and Ruin” shares insight into the life of an author writing a book (both Marty and Ernest). The ups and downs of a book with negative critiques (Marty) while a partner experiences huge success (Ernest’s “For Whom the Bell Tolls”) is intriguing. I appreciated understanding how an author may work: “Ernest liked to read the Bible when he looked for titles—that or crumbling tomes of old poetry”. Also, how life travels and experiences may influence the writing of a book through inspiration or character development. As a reader, you obtain a first-hand view of the trials and tribulations of being a female journalist/author during these times.

The reader learns about Ernest Hemingway through the eyes of a lover who was also an author. Marty stated Ernest was “weighing himself each morning, and then recording the number on the wall above the scale in pencil. All of this so that he could go deeply inside his book.” The reader learns about Hemingway’s way of writing. Experiencing world travels through Marty’s eyes was enlightening.

I highly recommend “Love and Ruin” to anyone. It is sure to please.

I love this novel, it is Paula McClain's best yet. I knew who Martha Gellhorn was, but this is so fascinating and well written. I highly recommend this to everyone!

Martha, an aspiring journalist and writer, runs into Hemingway when she is on vacation in Key West. They quickly develop a friendship, with Hemingway taking interest in her career. When the Spanish Civil War erupts, both writers travel separately to Madrid separately. Reunited at the "press" hotel, the two find themselves irresistibly drawn to one another. Besotted, Hemingway begins the process of divorcing his current wife, and sets up a home with Martha in Cuba.

In the beginning of the book, the author kept using the past tense. It made the book really hard to get into. However, once the author switched to present tense, I found myself getting into the story and the characters. It was fascinating to read about an adventurous, courageous and ground breaking woman. I found myself googling Martha after I finished the book, I just wanted to know every detail about her. If you find yourself stuck after the first few chapters, kept pushing along, the book really picks up speed. Overall, well worth reading.