Love and Ruin is the beautiful new novel from best selling author, Paula McLain. She is probably most known for her novel "The Paris Wife" about Ernest Hemingway's first wife Hadley Richardson. However, the journey did not end there, McLain has moved on to capture the life and love of Hemingway's third wife, Martha Gellhorn.

Martha is a captivating character, a female journalist who threw herself into the dangers of countries on the brink of war. She is trying to find herself in the midst of great upheaval and tragedy. As Adolf Hitler is beginning to show his power in Europe, Gellhorn ventures to Spain who is in the midst of fighting their own civil war. She is there with fellow writers and her idol Hemingway. In those life or death moments they begin to fall for each other and start an affair that will last years. Gellhorn has some success as an article writer but when her novel falls flat she grapples with her own insecurities as she watches Hemingway's star power continue to rise. Her career ups and downs mirror her relationship with the elusive, and very married, writer. Can they ever find the true peace they are after?

Mclain has captured the heart of these characters showing compassion for their anguish and missteps and celebrating their triumphs. Her work is always a joy to read with characters who stay with you long after the final pages.

{My Thoughts}
What Worked For Me
Martha Gellhorn – Prior to reading this book, I knew little more about Martha Gellhorn than her name and connection to Hemingway. What a delight to get to know this amazing writer/journalist while reading Love and Ruin. Told in first person, it quickly became obvious that Martha Gellhorn was a powerhouse in her own right. Before she’d ever met Hemingway, Martha had published two books and traveled the world on her own. Writing and reporting were her passions and throughout this story, McLain made that clear. I appreciated that Gellhorn was willing to take some advice and even some help from Hemingway, but that she always followed her own instincts. Gellhorn’s relationship with Hemingway and her career as a war correspondent both began in Spain at the time of the Spanish Civil War, but with or without Hemingway, she carried on reporting from war zones.

Life of Writers – The contrast between the writing lives of Hemingway and Gellhorn was fascinating. During the years of Love and Ruin, both had periods where their writing was stalled. McLain made you feel the frustration of living with another writer who was writing like crazy and, for Martha, she also dove into the pain of failure.

“I piled the pages up and rested my head on them for a moment, saying whatever prayer it is writers have for the gifts that come from somewhere both inside and outside. And then I walked through the dark house to the pool and shed my clothes at the edge and slipped through the cool skin of the surface, plunging down and kicking hard, my mouth trailing bubbles. This too was a prayer.”

The balance of power between Gellhorn and Hemingway never quite tipped in Martha’s favor, but she, more than Hemingway, never lost sight of what was truly the essence of who she was, a writer. It was impossible not to admire the lengths Gellhorn would go to get a story. Despite being a woman she eagerly covered wars in the 30’s and 40’s.

History Lesson – I’ve read many, many books on WWII, but Love and Ruin covered parts I knew very little about. It was especially interesting to read about how journalists covered wars during that era. Like now, they were able to get remarkably close to the fighting, reporting on it and the human-interest stories created by war. I had never even heard of the Winter War that took place during 1939-1940 as Russia repeatedly bombed Finland and the Finish bravely fought back. Martha covered this war while Hemingway stayed at their home in Cuba.

That Writing – As in her other recent books, Paula McLain takes a woman, finds out everything she can about that woman, and then creates a character that is so full of life the reader feels like she’s a friend or a relative. She stays with the story and can beautifully turn a phrase. I highlighted dozens of passages, all gorgeous and rich in meaning.

“I didn’t want to cause trouble; I only knew what I knew. That Ernest could eclipse me, large as any sun, without even trying. That he was too famous, too far along in his career, too sure of what he wanted. He was also too married, too dug into the life he’d built in Key West. Too driven, too dazzling.

Too Hemingway.”

What Didn’t
Hemingway – There were very brief chapters told from Hemingway’s perspective and while they didn’t bother me, I thought they were unnecessary.

Occasionally Slow – Just that. Every once in awhile, Martha’s story bogged down just a bit with the history. I found this mainly true during the Winter War.

{The Final Assessment}
Love and Ruin is a beautifully told story of a strong, independent woman. Years ahead of her time, Martha Gellhorn tried to balance career with marriage. Being married to a famous, powerful man she was in direct competition with made her journey even more difficult. Like today, balance isn’t always possible. Ernest wanted a wife. Martha wanted a career. This is her story! I already trusted Paula McLain, but with Love and Ruin I’m even more devoted. Grade: A-

Note: I received a copy of this book from Ballantine Books (via NetGalley) in exchange for my honest review.

Having read Paula McLain's previous novel, The Paris Wife, the story of Ernest Heminway's first wife, Hadley I was intrigued to read about Martha Gelhorn, his third.
Although I wasn't very fond of her at first, Martha grew on me until I was insationably devouring chapters as the book progressed. Martha was as much of a force to be reckoned as Hemingway. Infact, in McLain's telling of this tale I found her to be the stronger of the two. Hemingway had a heck of a time accepting exactly how strong she was and ended up turning his back on their relationship.
Paula McLain has once again written a fascinating tale of a woman who persevered through trying times, self doubt and public criticism. I can't wait for her next novel
Thank you to NetGalley for allowing me to read and review this advanced copy

I am weary of reading about characters that I don't care about and this book has no one I really enjoyed with the exception of Martha Gellhorn's mother. I have long thought of Ernest Hemingway as the Harvey Weinstein of his generation and this book did not change my mind at all. He has no trouble sleeping around on his wife (which ever one it is at the time) and thinks the world revolves around him. He calls them nicknames like Mother, Daughter, or Rabbit. All diminish them as a person.

Still , you have to wonder about women who think things will be different with them. They sleep with a married man and think he won't cheat on them. Really? Two marriages behind him and all of a sudden he is going to straighten up and fly right. How did that work out. But I think Martha had more on her agenda than Hemingway's affections. She was an aspiring author who was really going nowhere. She immediately started using his connections.

First the war in Spain happened and Hemingway goes off to cover it. He tells her how to get credentials and although he doesn't pay for her plane ticket, he pays her expenses over there. He houses, feeds and beds her. She gets a story and is satisfied. It goes on and on from there. He finances her and makes introductions and clears a path for her. He does it there entire relationship. She owes everything to him.

She also has this mistaken belief that annoys the heck out of me. She says, I work hard so I deserved it. No. Lots of people of people work hard and don't get special rewards for it. You won't succeed without working hard but working hard doesn't guarantee success. The Nazis worked hard and that didn't work out. Stop it. It reminds me of when I was a child and complained to my mother that it wasn't fair. My mother said to me, who ever told you life was fair? Same idea.

The only part of the book that was really interesting to me was the disintegration of the marriage. I found that really authentic. Trust me that there was a lot of whining on Martha's part. She was a world class whiner. It makes me wonder how she actually covered wars although having someone house and feed you helps out a lot on that front.

Overall, this book did not paint a picture of anyone I liked or admired. I was disappointed.

Thanks to Net Galley for a copy of this book in exchange for a fair review.

Love in Ruins depicts the life of war correspondent Martha Gellhorn and her marriage to Ernest Hemingway. Gellhorn and Hemingway led exceptional lives and McLain illuminates them and their joys and conflicts well. The novel soars when showing the difficulties Gellhorn faced as a female journalist and writer.

Thanks to NetGalley, Ballantine Books and Paula McLain for the opportunity to read her latest novel.

This is the fictionalized account of Ernest Hemingway and his third wife, Martha Gellhorn. The two meet while Ernest is still married to his second wife and has three boys. Their affair begins when they are both covering the Spanish Civil War in 1937. Ahead of her time, Martha is definitely a woman in a man's world and craves her independence.

Wartime is where their relationship seems to be at its best - they are both writing, passionate, and away from reality. Ernest is an alcoholic and a philanderer and for all of Martha's independence, she still craves a man by her side. I just never got into this book too much and found myself just wanting to reach the end.

Wow, what an incredible protagonist. I absolutely adored Marty and thought Paula McLain did a wonderful job of telling her story. I quite honestly knew nothing about her before reading the book, but now have such respect and admiration for her as a writer and a person. McLain told the story in an interesting and engaging way, and really kept me from putting the book down at points. Now I am eagerly awaiting a novel focusing on Hemingway’s second wife!

Love and Ruin by Paula McLain is an historical fiction novel about Martha Gellhorn. I love historical fiction and had heard good things about Paula McLain’s books, so I decided to give it a try. I have to admit, I was feeling some trepidation about the book for about the first 20 pages and then I was drawn into the story completely. I knew little about Martha Gelhorn prior to reading, however I found myself looking up information about her life as the book progressed. Paula McLain has written a book of such quality and passion that you are totally enthralled with “Marty”, always wanting to know what is next.

I admired the writing of Paula McLain. I enjoyed reading about Ernest Hemingway and how he was such an integral part of her life. Mostly I admired the strength of character and the audacity to conquer a male dominated world that Marty had. The story followed the rough outline of her life, however the conversations, letters and connections were fiction. The fiction and the nonfiction rolled so smoothly together that it was hard to remember what was known and what was imagined.

Love and Ruin by Paula McLain was a fabulous read. I enjoyed the book tremendously. I admired the subject matter, the writing, and the weaving of fiction and nonfiction. I will add Paula McLain to my authors I like. I will continue to revisit the strength of the story and the portrayal of the main character in the future as well. Love and Ruin is a five star read!

I'm not sure when I became fascinated by Ernest Hemingway. I don't care for his writing but some of my favorite books have been fictional accounts of his adventures. The drama that he created makes for great material. I believe many authors have chosen to focus on the people around Hemingway, his wives for instance, in order to study how his actions affected them. This story features his third wife, Martha Gelhorn. She was also an author and met him later in his career. They both went to Spain as journalists to report on the war in 37. I thought this was an interesting storyline. Women did not usually work, much less travel with soldiers and other men as a journalist. I am in awe of her boldness and courage! She didn't let the fact that she was among some pretty successful writers deter her from making a difference with her own talent. Even when they returned from there, she continued writing and succeeding in what was a man's world. This is such a timely topic!

The writing blew me away at times, and bored me at others. I should mention that it is meant to capture Gelhorn's story. Also this isn't McLain's first novel about one of Hemingway's wives. She wrote another book about his first wife, Hadley. I think she is a talented writer but I didn't get swept away by the story like I did with The Paris Wife. (What a great love story!) Maybe it's because I went in expecting the same effect, but Gelhorn just had a different personality and led a much different life, so it would be difficult to ellicit the same reaction. Even so, there were moments in the book when I would pause and reread a sentence because it was so powerful.

I'm going with 3 stars on this. It was good but not so good that I'd buy it or share with a friend. Check out The Paris Wife instead!

This book was about Hemingway’s third wife, Martha Gellhorn - someone I didn't know about but soon was to.learn all about. Martha was on a trip with her mother in Key West when they stumbled upon Hemingway in a bar. They became fast friends and then lovers while he was still married to his 2nd wife, Pauline Pfeiffer. Martha made a name for herself as a female war correspondent even though there were those who felt she was riding Ernest's coattails. She had to prove herself even though her writing was very different than his and others in her field. She wanted you to feel all that the victims of war and the soldiers that fought it.felt instead of just reporting of the war. Both she and Hemingway were very headstrong and as hard as they fell in love and thought they couldn't be whole without the other, was as hard as Hem left her and divorced her. He couldn't deal with her love of adventure and the need to be out where the action was. He enjoyed being the center of attention and her life no longer fit with his. I thoroughly enjoyed reading this novel and recommend it.

5 this is exactly the kind of historical fiction I can sink my teeth into stars to Love and Ruin!

Happy Publication Day to Love and Ruin!

Love and Ruin is exactly the kind of historical fiction I can sink my teeth into because of the time period, the characters, the flawless writing, and the tumultuous love story between Martha Gellhorn and Ernest Hemingway.

Hemingway is a favorite author of mine, and I’m always game to learn more about his life. My high school English teacher assigned A Farewell to Arms for summer reading, and he was a fan of Hemingway’s works and so enthusiastic to share this reading experience with us that I was quickly enamored, too.

I related to some aspects of Martha Gellhorn’s character right away. She wants nothing more than to please her father with her writing and for him to see her as a success. Even after his death, this drives her and propels her forward. Martha is a strong and unusual woman, especially for her time. The Author’s Note provides further insight into Martha’s life.

Martha Gellhorn, a journalist and award winning war correspondent arrested for going to places “in the field” where she was not allowed, is both intriguing and inspiring to me. What transpires in her marriage and its resulting falling apart had me transfixed. Gellhorn and Hemingway compete for jobs, vying for attention and acceptance. At this point, Hemingway’s life is becoming more unwound and unstable. The love and obsession between Martha and Ernest was palpable and electrifying, and as is the case with many marriages and affairs, sometimes from the greatest of highs, the greatest of lows are found in the end.

Overall, Love and Ruin is a beautifully written account of the non-traditional love story between a formidable woman and a formidable man.

Thank you to Paula McLain, Random House/Ballantine, and Netgalley for the ARC. Love and Ruin is available now!

This is the first book of Paula's that I have read. I typically love reading Historical Fiction books but for some reason this book was very hard for me to get into. It took me a long time to actually get further in the book. I did love learning more about Marthan and even Ernest though, so in the end this was a great book with lots of interesting facts. Thanks for the early read!

Beautifully written. This book tells the story of Hemingway's third wife, Martha Gelhorn, from her point of view. Martha was a writer before she met Hemingway, and throughout their relationship, she tries to keep her own identity and get her writing out from underneath his shadow. He is married when they meet, and Martha struggles between knowing she is breaking up his family and the strong love the two of them have. The historical nature of the book takes us all over the world before and during WWII, as Martha is not only a novelist but a war correspondent. I loved reading how strong Martha was and about the amazing experiences she had, while still having some vulnerability because she was so in love with him.

Love and Ruin beautifully retells the disastrous love story of Martha Gellhorn and Ernest Hemingway. Full of rich detail, vivid description and interesting characters, LOVE AND RUIN by Paula McLain is a must read for those who enjoy historical/biographical fiction. The novel follows Martha Gellhorn, celebrated war correspondent and writer, as she meets famed writer Ernest Hemingway in Key West. The two novelists develop an immediate friendship and Hemingway becomes a mentor for the up and coming Gellhorn. While both are covering the Spanish Civil War, they fall in love and begin a tumultuous affair. Moving to Cuba, the couple marries (Gellhorn is Hemingway’s third wife) but their happiness is not long lived. The rise of Nazi Germany and its increasing encroachment on democratic Europe mirrors the destruction of their marriage. Gellhorn, while supportive of Hemingway’s career, feels overshadowed by her husband and chafes against the traditional expectation that she has to give up her career now that she and Hemingway are married. Instead of the mutually supportive marriage that she envisioned, Gellhorn finds that Hemingway is competitive and jealous of her success.

I found LOVE AND RUIN to be historical fiction at its best. Full of rich historical detail, the novel takes the reader to Spain, Finland, even the beaches of Normandy. Told with unflinching honesty, but in beautiful prose that is a joy to read, McLain balances the light and dark elements of this story with a deft touch. Both Gellhorn and Hemingway are shown as larger than life personalities. Both are driven, charming, and vivacious with impressive talents that bring the horrors and outrage of war to their readers. Both are also stubborn and selfish and, in the case of Hemingway, trying to deal with the internal ravages of mental illness. I found both characters to be fascinating. I did not know anything about Martha Gellhorn before reading this book. When I finished the novel, I wished that I had learned about her sooner. She was a remarkable woman with a unique voice and I very much enjoyed getting to know a little bit about her. I highly recommend LOVE AND RUIN to those who enjoy historical fiction or are looking for an engrossing summer time read. This is a strong 5/5 stars for me. Thank you to Ballantine Books for providing me with an advance copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. My opinions are my own.

4.5 stars

This book focuses on Ernest Hemingway’s third wife, Martha Gellhorn. Martha was a respected and celebrated person with many accomplishments. She was a war correspondent for 60 years, and an author in her own right but the times were such that, to her chagrin, Ernest Hemingway often overshadowed her.

The best parts of the book are Martha's travels as a correspondent, along with the descriptions of the Spanish Civil War and the events leading up to WWII. She was very driven, independent and adventurous, but was also empathetic and drawn to the untold stories of the suffering of ordinary people. She was at her best and most alive when she was at the front lines in the midst of the action, and her first-person narration was riveting. Among many other accomplishments she was the only woman to land at Normandy on D-Day and was among the first journalists to report from the Dachau concentration camp.

Martha met Hemingway in Key West, and we follow their courtship, affair, and eventual marriage. Hemingway was a brilliant author but in his personal life he was needy and petulant, a bully who demanded his own way. There are only small sections of the book devoted to Hemingway’s POV, and they were very well done. With Martha’s independent streak and travels that kept her away from home for long stretches, it was inevitable they would crash and burn. Love and Ruin was the perfect title for this book.

The best of historical fiction sends me to the internet to research events and people. This book did exactly that. I read articles on Martha and watched a few videos and also looked up some of the wartime events I was unfamiliar with. What an amazing woman. Highly recommended!

Many thanks to Netgalley for a copy of the book in exchange for an honest review

I enjoyed this story primarily because it was historically based. I enjoy reading Hemingway and thus took pleasure in learning about his lifestyle and felt more enlightened after finishing Love and Ruin. I couldn't help looking up more information upon completion of this novel, especially since I was unfamiliar with Martha Gellhorn and his many wives. This is a book that I will recommend to others.

From the Publisher:
"In 1937, twenty-eight-year-old Martha Gellhorn travels alone to Madrid to report on the atrocities of the Spanish Civil War and becomes drawn to the stories of ordinary people caught in the devastating conflict. It’s the adventure she’s been looking for and her chance to prove herself a worthy journalist in a field dominated by men. But she also finds herself unexpectedly—and uncontrollably—falling in love with Hemingway, a man on his way to becoming a legend.

In the shadow of the impending Second World War, and set against the turbulent backdrops of Madrid and Cuba, Martha and Ernest’s relationship and their professional careers ignite. But when Ernest publishes the biggest literary success of his career, "For Whom the Bell Tolls", they are no longer equals, and Martha must make a choice: surrender to the confining demands of being a famous man’s wife or risk losing Ernest by forging a path as her own woman and writer. It is a dilemma that could force her to break his heart, and hers."

What I Enjoyed About "Love and Ruin"
Paula McLain's writing is impeccable. She writes with confidence, sensitivity, and clarity about real people—men and women that lived, loved, and achieved great things. My favorite way to learn is through fictional stories, not by reading historical non-fiction accounts. Hence, McLain's biographical historical fiction is situated perfectly within my wheelhouse.

Most of what I know about Ernest Hemingway, I've learned through "The Paris Wife" and "Love and Ruin". Thanks to McLain's research, the man behind the words came alive; but even more importantly, the women behind the man were given faces, emotions, and achievements all their own.

I loved Martha Gellhorn. She was tenacious on the front lines and fearless in the face of danger. Martha desired to write the stories of real people—giving a voice to their striving and suffering under the forces of injustice. Throughout "Love and Ruin", I was amazed at the courage she showed in reporting from the front lines of wars around the world; from Spain, to Finland, and to China she looked into the eyes of soldiers and civilians alike. She gave them dignity, emotion, and humanity through her writing.

I appreciated McLain's exploration of Gellhorn's relationship with Ernest Hemingway. The complexity of loving a public figure in her chosen profession was like a stab to the heart every few chapters. Martha chose to love Hemingway while also asserting herself as a woman with desires, dreams, and a purpose.

What I Didn't Like About "Love and Ruin"
I have to admit, it is always hard for me to read stories about infidelity. I particularly despise the ways a good writer, like McLain, can encourage me to cheer for the dissolution of a marriage and a family. Obviously, she is framing an event from history, one that really happened through no fault of her own. However, it's still something that leaves bitter thoughts in my mind long after I stop reading.

Recommended For...
"Love and Ruin" is the perfect book for those that enjoyed "Everyone Brave is Forgiven" by Chris Cleave or "The Nightingale" by Kristin Hannah. They all feature strong women participating in the realities of war while wrestling with the limitations of being a woman in a man's world. None of them are perfect, but they all showcase bravery, courage, and a desire to pursue justice.

While highlighting real events from history, "Love and Ruin" is highly readable. This would be the perfect book to get lost in while traveling, lying in the spring shade, or soaking in the summer sun. This is one work of historical fiction you won't want to miss!

http://www.thenovelendeavor.com/2018/05/a-review-love-and-ruin-by-paula-mclain/

Awesome! This book was absolutely awesome from the very first page and until the last word. I love the way that she's able to bring the story to life as if you were right there in the middle of everything. I love reading about strong women who are determined to forge their own path even if it means sacrificing something that means so much to them and Paula McLain's portrayal of this story is rich and vivid. So definitely pick this up and be prepared to be dazzled as I was. Happy reading!

"I didn't want to cause trouble; I only knew what I knew. That Ernest could eclipse me, as large as any sun without even trying." -Love and Ruin by Paula McLain

Paula McLain's latest biological fiction novel returns to a familiar subject for the author, Ernest Hemingway - or more accurately one of his wives. And while the novel is a lush and evocative retelling of Martha Gellhorn and Ernest Hemingway's love affair - the best word I can think of to describe it is languid.

At the beginning of the novel we're introduced to Martha Gellhorn, a spirited young woman with aspirations to be a writer. She's spent some time jaunting around Europe, has written a failed book and is now working on another. Marty is an interesting enough character on her own, but her story wouldn't be complete without Hemingway's larger than life persona - their affair, marriage and artistic competitiveness, the last of which ultimately lead to the demise of their relationship.

This book is beautifully written, the descriptions of Spain and especially Cuba are vivid to the point of verging on atmospheric. McLain does an absolutely spellbinding job of creating a real sense of place and time in her work. It's a truly engrossing novel that swept me away with Ernest and Marty. That said, this book is a languorous retelling of Gellhorn and Hemingway's lives together that seems to linger just a little bit more than it should at points.

Fans of McLain's earlier work should enjoy this story, told from the perspective of Hemingway's third wife - one who was not content to simply be a domestic accessory and instead demanded to stand on her own as a person and a writer. She's an admirable subject, and I felt in many ways the woman in whom Hemingway met his match. Hemingway was said to be a charismatic man - who was not known to be kind to women. He was a serial cheater who happened to be a brilliant writer. For someone like Martha Gellhorn, a young aspiring writer with her sights set on a successful career of her own, it's easy to see how she fell in love with Hemingway. It's just as easy, though, to see how she found herself in his shadow - eclipsed by his work. McLain does such an extraordinary job of allowing us inside Martha's head - sharing her insecurities, her triumphs and sadness with such ease. I thoroughly enjoyed seeing the world through her lens.

I would recommend this to fans of historical fiction who enjoy character driven novels that read like a letter from a friend. I'm excited to see what Paula McLain does next.

Thank you to Random House and Netgalley for providing a free advanced egalley for me to review.
All thoughts are my own.

I had really high expectations going into this book, I'm a big fan of historical fiction. Unfortunately I could not get into Love and Ruin. I wanted to, and I read every page determined not to give up. I think I just didn't like Hemingway, and I wanted more of the love story. I know in real life Marty went on to marry again, I wish she would've ended the book with this beautiful connection to a new love. ( although I did read that only lasted 9 years) I'm not sure why I couldn't connect with the story, but I am thankfull to Netgalley for the opportunity to read this book.