I love the way author Camille Di Maio writes. I have not found a book yet that doesn’t draw me in and make me feel at home. Beautifully written and engaging, I enjoyed this book and its historical angles very much and they flowed with no problem between the alive Katie and the ghost of Katie. Sometimes historical stories lend nothing to the real life time presented but you cannot say that about this book. I was drawn in first by the author since she is a favorite but the cover is beautiful as well. I have purchased 4 copies for my friends because I know they will love it as much as I do

I love all of Camilles books and this one was no exception!! Taken place at the Coronado Hotel in San Diego this was a wonderful read

Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher and the author for the opportunity to read an advance copy of this book. Fans of historical fiction will enjoy this tale about the beautiful stranger of the hotel del Coronado.

The narrative is told by two Kate Morgans: the ghost of Kate Morgan who died at the hotel over a hundred years ago, and her fictional granddaughter who is at the hotel attempting to make sense of her grandfather's requests. The setting is 1950's Coronado. The beaches glitter as if gold. The navy jets scream overhead. The Hollywood crowd is on site working on a movie. The characters that Kate meets include movie stars, a love interest for Kate, and a woman who provides the information she is seeking.

This was a fun read. I look forward to revisiting the hotel del Coronado as well as reading more works by this author.

I received an ARC of this novel through Netgalley in exchange for my review I loved this novel! Such a great setting and era for a novel! 1950’s, Hotel Coronado, and a ghost that pulls the plot through three generations. It is a mystery, a romance and a fun slice of historical fiction all wrapped into one story.

Thank you to NetGalley and Camille Di Maio for allowing me to read and review The Beautiful Strangers. This novel is a delightful blast to the past and I can't wait to read more from Di Maio!

The Beautiful Strangers is a historical fiction novel predominately set in the 1950s in California. Kate Morgan lives in San Francisco with her family but craves more. She is drawn to the lifestyle of Southern California with its beaches and Hollywood glamour. Her grandfather is growing old and suffers from dementia though Kate still gives him more credit than most people do. He tells Kate to find the beautiful stranger.

With encouragement from her grandfather, Kate decides to embark on this journey down south to Hotel del Coronado, and seek out answers to his request. She ends up working at the hotel and running into celebrities who lodge there while filming, including Marilyn Monroe and Jack Lemmon. These scenes were fine, but not my favorite.

There is a dual timeline at play in The Beautiful Strangers though Kate’s story is the primary one. It took me a little while to establish how the two stories intertwined, which was confirmed a little later in the book. There is an element of mystery in the story, but I would not classify the book as a “mystery”.

The Beautiful Strangers was a good story but didn’t blow me away. There were several predictable elements but I did enjoy the California setting and 1950s timeframe. I thought Kate was a likable main character too

This historical novel is such a treat! I loved the setting of the Hotel Del Coronado and particularly liked the 1950's storyline set during the filming of Some Like It Hot. Fans of historical fiction, and particularly anyone who loves classic movies, will enjoy this book.

There are actually two women named Kate Morgan. One of them is a ghost haunting at the famous Hotel Del Coronado in San Diego, since her death in 1892. The other one is a young girl who is stuck working in her family’s fish and chip shop in San Francisco in 1958. But when the young Kate is urged by her grandfather to take a job on a movie set located at that hotel so she can chase her dreams as well as find his illusive “beautiful stranger” she jumps at the chance, even though she knows her grandfather is suffering from dementia.

Interestingly enough, until I read the author’s notes, I didn’t know that there really was a woman called Kate Morgan who died (under mysterious circumstances) in 1892 at this hotel. Apparently, many people believe that her ghost roams the halls of this hotel to this very day. The hotel is also known for being the location used for the movie “Some Like it Hot” (one of my all-time favorites, by the way) which starred Marilyn Monroe, Jack Lemmon and Tony Curtis (among others). It is these two pieces of real history, that become the backdrop for Di Maio’s novel, which is precisely the type of fodder that is truly inspirational for inventing an absorbing biographical, historical fiction novel.

Where Di Maio excels here is in building an intriguing plot that brings these two totally unrelated events together. Well, not actually together, but rather inventing a string of dots that connects between them. It was fascinating reading how Di Maio did this, and she employed practically every trick in the book. There’s some amateur detective work on the skimpy clues, combined with both chance encounters and quite a bit of serendipity. Although these things can feel overly convenient, the fact that it didn’t bother me and neither did the additional little love interest for young Kate, means that Di Maio easily achieved one of the most important things in writing fiction, that being keeping the reader’s interest. I also appreciated Di Maio’s writing style, which was just lyrical enough in the descriptions, and just straightforward enough in the dialogues that it flowed nicely, and the characters were all very likeable, especially our rebellious, almost ahead of her time feminist young Kate.

Mind you, this doesn’t mean that this was a perfect novel. In fact, I had several niggles with this book. For example, there were some places where I think young Kate’s inner thoughts were slightly repetitive. Very early on in the book, we come to understand that Kate’s life is not going as planned, and that she’s unsure of how to solve her grandfather’s mystery, if she’s going about it in the most effective way, or even if she should bother trying. These recurring inner doubts, along with her speculations regarding her feeling towards the man she obviously fancies, end up getting voiced so frequently, that I’m afraid they began feeling tedious, and I admit I started skimming over them at one point, since I was anxious to see what would happen next. Furthermore, I was a bit disappointed with the ending here, where young Kate seems to act somewhat out of character and becomes suddenly conventional, when she’d been such a maverick throughout the novel.

I also had a problem with the ghost. Yes, this could very well be my own preferences, since my regular readers already know that I’ve never been a fan of paranormal novels, even though I can take (and sometimes even enjoy) a bit of magical reality from time to time. For example, I wasn’t thrilled with the ghost in Kate Morton’s “The Clockmaker’s Daughter” but I very much enjoyed the ghost in “Her Fearful Symmetry” by Audrey Niffenegger. Mind you, the ghosts in both those stories weren’t the main reasons why neither of them got a full five stars from me. However, with this book, I’m feeling like the ghost is a much bigger problem here than it was with these other two examples.

On the one hand, I understand why Di Maio included this narrative from the ghost Kate’s perspective, because she gives us insights into the story that the young Kate isn’t party to, and could never know much, if anything about. In fact, there are many vital pieces of information that ghost Kate gives us that add to the story very nicely. On the other hand, there were also pieces of information in these passages that seemed somewhat superfluous to me, since I found several of the things ghost Kate talked about were revealed through human means later on in the book. In addition, I was also a bit confused when the ghost broke the fourth wall and seemed to address the reader directly at one point. That disturbed me because my immediate thought was, who was she talking to, and why? I seriously believe that these were overdone, and I would have confined these passages to only the things that only the ghost Kate knew and/or felt, both before and after her death. That way, several of the answers to young Kate questions aren’t already partially known by the readers, and that might have further increased the suspense in this story.

This also means that the above noted problem I had with young Kate’s harping on her insecurities was intensified when I read things recounted by ghost Kate were then discovered by young Kate. It just made me feel like I was, for some parts, being told the same story twice, and since one telling was from a ghost, well… sorry, but that’s just not for me (even though I did appreciate the very end of the last of ghost Kate’s entries here – which I can’t say more about). Still, I am certain that my problems with this book are precisely the reason why many people will adore it completely. So, I can still recommend it to those who like a bit of paranormal activity in their historical fiction, but sadly, I’m not one of them. That’s why I’ll give it three and a half stars, because of the very creative plot, the lovely writing and the enjoyable characters.

I wanted to read today's book - The Beautiful Strangers by Camille Di Maio - primarily because I thought the cover of the book was very pretty and it drew me in.  I hadn't even read the synopsis of the book when I requested the opportunity to read and review it on NetGalley, so it was a fun surprise to read when I was approved!

The luxury beachfront Hotel Del Coronado in San Diego, California is the mecca for two women many years apart from each other. Many years ago, a woman died tragically on the steps of the hotel leading toward the beach and still haunts the hotel to this day.  Then, in 1958, Kate Morgan is working in her family's failing restaurant in San Francisco and is looking for a way out. Thanks to her grandfather's insistence, Kate sells her grandmother's ring, takes the money and goes to the Hotel Del Coronado to work in the kitchen on a set for a movie called "Some Like It Hot".  The storyline is cool because readers are placed onto a movie set, they meet Marilyn Monroe and other actors while following Kate on her journey.

Kate is anxious in her journey and tragically, as she is traveling, her suitcase is stolen, she is without food and hungry and isn't very presentable upon her arrival.  She learns the story about the ghost who lived at the Hotel Del Coronado with the same name as her.  Readers learn about Kate Morgan from today and the Kate Morgan from the past as they tell their stories each in alternating chapters and time periods which allows the story of who the beautiful stranger is becomes apparent.

The Beautiful Strangers is told with two points of view - the ghost Kate Morgan and the young Kate Morgan, which really ties together the stories of the two generations. I read this book cover to cover in one sitting. The characters were well written, the story line flowed well, and it was a very enjoyable afternoon spent reading a great book! 

I received a complimentary digital copy of this book from Lake Union Publishing through NetGalley in exchange for my review.  A positive review was not required and my views are my own.

A great historical read! This book originally sparked my interest because the Hotel del Coronado has been on my bucket list of places to visit for quite some time. And that's mainly due to it's intriguing history and the haunting tales of its alleged ghost which is itself surrounded by controversy. While this book is a work of fiction, the author does a great job of using historical facts to weave an interesting and enjoyable story based on the famous haunting. If you're a fan of historical fiction, don't miss this one!

This is my first book by Camille Di Maio but it won't be my last! This story weaves past and present day beautifully! Told in alternating narratives between Kate Morgan’s ghost of 1892 who occupies the Hotel del Coronado and Kate Morgan of San Francisco in present day 1958. In present day (1958) Kate is told by her ailing grandfather to "find the beautiful stranger" at the Hotel del Coronado. She gets a job at the hotel working the kitchen set for the movie Some Like it Hot and works to uncover the mystery of the beautiful stranger. She also finds love!
Camille Di Maio is so beautifully descriptive - while I've never been to the Hotel del Coronado, I have spent a lot of time at the Grand Floridian at the Walt Disney World Resort in FL which is modeled after the Hotel del Coronado. Now I want to go to California!! This was a great book - historical fiction, love story and mystery all rolled into one! I loved Kate and never wanted the book to end!
Thanks to Camille Di Maio, Lake Union Publishing and NetGalley for the ARC of this gorgeous book!

Camille Di Maio has written her finest novel yet with this one. It's a love story, a ghost story, a tip of the hat to the Golden Days of Hollywood and simply a page turner. Told in dual timelines, Kate Morgan (in the 50's) bears the same name as the ghost that inhabits the Coronado Hotel.
I absolutely loved this story and despite being ill, this one was hard to stop reading. Kate's grandfather urges her to follow her dream and go to California. Oh, and while you're there, search for the "beautiful stranger." (Her grandfather has dementia so his thinking is muddled quite often but this he speaks with clarity.)
Di Maio is an author who writes from the heart and never disappoints. This book surpasses my expectations!
I received an Advance Review Copy of this book. All opinions are my own.

Historical fiction that includes a beautiful setting, a ghost, and Marilyn Monroe? Yes, please!

The Beautiful Strangers is an easy-breezy read that is just what I needed while being bogged down by a bunch of nonfiction. This fictional take on Hotel del Coronado during the filming of Some Like It Hot is a nice escape read.

I followed a young woman breaking free from the family mold to try something for herself - also on her grandfather's orders. He wants her to find "the beautiful stranger" at this historic hotel. She lands a job at the hotel, impresses the right person quickly, and winds up being a waitress for the stars of the film.

However, along with the pop culturish setting and characters, you also meet the ghost of the hotel and hear her story as it is interwoven between the chapters. There is a reason that she is intertwined with our main character - and while you may guess it early on, it does not take away from the reading experience.

Add in some romance and you have a nice little read for spring break of summer vacation. Guess what else? This book is currently FREE on Kindle Unlimited or just $4.99 for regular Kindle subscribers.

Thanks to the author and Netgalley for providing me with this copy to read and review.

Thanks to Net Galley and Lake Union Publishing for an ARC of this super enjoyable book in exchange for a review.
Kate Morgan is tired of frying fish in her uncles restaurant in San Francisco. She dreams of going to California, of movie stars and being a part of something bigger, so with her grandfather George’s blessing and instructions to find ‘the beautiful stranger’ Kate pawns her grandmothers precious engagement ring, hoping to make enough money to buy it back on her return in 5 weeks.
She makes a friend on her travels, Sean, and with his help finds herself working at the luxurious Hotel Del Coronado set on the beachfront in San Diego and to add to the excitement they are filming the movie ‘Some like it Hot’ ,
Kate is in her element, bringing breakfast to her idol Marilyn Munro’s each morning, her dreams have come true. However Kate has not forgotten her promise to her grandfather and she is determined to solve the mystery of the beautiful stranger. Firstly she discovers that she shares the same name as the famous ghost who hunts the hotel, she also finds herself falling for Sean who is engaged to be married and then she discovers a photograph hanging in hotel of her much younger grandfather with a young girl who so obviously is not her grandmother but who is wearing her grandmothers engagement ring.
This is a lovely story of Kate piecing together her grandfathers life as a boy and then a young man and how he eventually game to meet and marry her grandmother Kitty. Kate finds so much more than what she went searching for.
This is a 5 star read and I will definitely read more by this author.

The Beautiful Strangers by Camille Di Maio. A beautiful love story where a girl goes searching for her grandfather the Beautiful Stranger as her grandfather call her. The Beautiful Stranger is a ghost in the hotel in the story and Kate goes searching for the story behind her past.

A book that takes you behind the scenes of filmmaking which has been done before, but this one feels unique and fresh. Kate Morgan decides to take the biggest risk and leave her family in San Francisco to follow her grandfather's words to go find the beautiful stranger; these words take her to the Hotel del Coronado and in the middle of a film set.

I will always love books that take you behind the scenes of any profession, but something gets me about reading about being on a film set. Of course, a film set that has Marilyn Monroe on it makes it even more special and reading (yes fiction) about how she was on set and how the public and her cast and crew reacted to her was so fascinating. It made it feel even more special that it was a famous actress that we were following behind the scenes.

Kate Morgan was a great character and I loved reading through her point of view into this world that felt so big to her. Of course the little romance storyline was sweet and a little extra to enjoy.

I have read two out of four of Camille Di Maio's books and after reading this book, I want to move the other two up my TBR and get to them sooner rather than later.

I so enjoyed this beautifully written historical fiction about the Del Coronado Hotel in the 1950's and a brave girl who dared to change her life . The prose is so lovely the reader is drawn in from page one . I was unable to part with this lovely book until it was finished. The author has such exquisite historical details and a pleasing writing style that the reader is delighted to read this wonderful book. .
Kate Morgan is our main charcter who finds her way from San Francisco to Coronado to work on the set of the film Some Like it Hot. She arrives expecting to work as a maid in the hotel or the kitchen but soon she is drawn into the movie set with help from a friend she meets at the hotel. Along with the fun of the Hollywood History here is a ghost story of a woman killed at the hotel in the 1800's and her story coincides with the story of Kate in the 1950's. i love the details of the 1950's movie stars, the details of the beautiful hotel and how Kate learns to lead her own life and embrace life. As one who has visited the grand Del Coronado several times I can attest the author's details are done to perfection of the history and beauty of the hotel.
This author has a talent for writing with a superior writing style that is enchanting to the reader and with language that is so appreciated . A lovely read, a perfect historical fiction. I eagerly await the with a wide and varied vocabulary.
Thank you for the ARC My opinion is my own. This book I quite highly recommend for your reading enjoyment.

Kate Morgan dreams about escaping her mundane life in San Fransisco and when her ailing grandfather who suffers from dementia encourages her to find the beautiful stranger she decides to do it. She arrives in San Diego to work at the Hotel Del Coronado. She finds a job, meets movie stars, falls in love and learns all about the hotel ghost. Camille Di Maio expertly weaves this delightful story together. I was transported to Hotel del Coronado in the 1950s through these pages and loved solving the mystery of the beautiful stranger with Kate.

This was the second book I read by Di Maio and once again she did not disappoint. I highly recommend this book.

This book is a great and fascinating read. I should start by saying I love this author. #camilledimaio. All of her books are unique. This book #beautifulstrangers is wonderfully written with plenty of romance, intrigue, and mystery set on the beautiful Coronado Island off the San Diego, CA coast. Thank you #netgalley. #lakeunion #beautifulstrangers for a copy of the ARC for an unbiased opinion of this wonderful book

The Beautiful Strangers is a unique novel. It mixes historically true information with author liberties, details romance, mystery, and even a ghost story! The story follows Kate Morgan who desperately wants to set out on her own life and finds her way from San Francisco to Coronado to work on the set of the film Some Like it Hot. The novel has a lot of heart and expertly tackles many different topics/genres. It's perfect for people who love mystery, ghost stories, Hollywood History, and journey stories. But it's also perfect if you're looking for a family story or a romance. What truly makes this novel unique is that all of these topics feel equally important and get equal time in the novel. You don't ever feel like you've been shorted something or wish there was more scenes. This book also highlights the tragedies that can take place in people lives, whether their everyday or famous people. It was expertly and smartly written with a wide and varied vocabulary. This novel will teach you history and you might even learn something about yourself along the way.