Thanks #netgalley #sourcebooks #sbkslandmark for a free e ARC of #ladyclementine in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

Clementine Churchill is the devoted wife, partner, and best friend of Winston Churchill. Lady Clementine is brilliant, ambitious, innovative, and fascinating, and she devotes all her energy and loyalty to her husband and country.

An underappreciated woman in history….

Author Marie Benedict condenses decades of history as she relates the story of Clementine Churchill. The story is rich in historical details and descriptions of events, people, and places. If you love WW1 and WW11 history from an English perspective, you might enjoy Benedict’s well-researched and candid portrayal of Lady Clementine and her various achievements.

Lady Clementine is a somewhat difficult review for me to write in the respect that I have conflicting thoughts about Lady Clementine. Although she contributed greatly to Winston Churchill’s success, the delegation of the care of their five children to the almost exclusive oversight of a nanny disappointed me. I DO think it’s possible for women to have a dual career of work and family, but Clementine clearly found the role of a nurturing parent challenging. As a result of personal stress and a zealous commitment to work, to entertain, and to support Winston, she needed frequent solo vacations…..one lasted four months. I did feel empathy for her at a few points when it seemed she might be suffering from bouts of postpartum depression, mental stress, and exhaustion. Benedict created a remarkable complete portrait of this complicated woman.

Lady Clementine was relentless in the causes and concerns to which she was committed. She was a tireless champion for women’s rights and equal opportunities for women. During WW11, her work to improve shelters for London citizens and her other work with charitable projects was impressive. However, for me, all of these positive achievements were overshadowed by her lack of involvement with her children. She did feel guilty from time to time, but she never felt convicted to put their needs before (or even on par with) her own. Her life was consumed by her partnership with Winston and service to England. Lady Clementine highly valued her contributions to Winston, the War, and the Nation, and she was disappointed that she didn’t receive the public recognition she felt she deserved for her hard work and forward thinking.

I recommend Lady Clementine as an important and thought provoking read for fans of well-researched WW1 and WW11 histfic, for readers who appreciate stories about strong, complicated, and independent women who have been overlooked in history books, and for book clubs who enjoy books that read like narrative nonfiction.

Confession: I didn't even know the name of Winston Churchill's wife until this book came along. And I am a huge WW2 historical fiction reader, but so often the names that have lived on are the powerful white men on all sides of this war.

When I saw that Marie Benedict wrote this book, I knew I had to read it. If you're not familiar with her work, her books are historical fiction and often delve into the unknown and often overlooked roles and stories of the women who were in the same rooms with those powerful men whose names we have seen in countless history books, movies and news reports.

There were part of Clementine's story that were so relatable even though it's decades later - the struggle to balance motherhood, marriage, identify and your life's purpose and work. And of course, the sheer exhaustion that comes along with that juggling act. The judgement of and misunderstandings about who we are when we don't fit the typical expectations.

There are also things that I found unrelatable about her story like the live-in nanny, the lack of hands on mothering and the lifestyle afforded to her even though she often considered her & Winston as being "poor". However, I reminded myself of the context of the time period (pre WW1 through WW2), gender roles and societal norms at the time when I found myself judging Clementine harshly.

As with any historical fiction, the author has to take license to create dialogue, motivations for actions and fill in the details where they are missing. Benedict does a great job of doing this in a realistic way that rings true to the time period and brings a new dimension to our understanding to this couple's role in history. If nothing else, the resiliency and determine that Clementine displayed in the face of a less than ideal childhood, being in the spotlight and an adulthood that was frought with both personal and national loss (hello - two world wars) is astonishing.

A great read for fans of WW2 historical fiction like Cilka's Journey, The Nightingale and Sarah's Key.

First off, I must admit that found the title of this novel to be a bit confusing. If you look her up on Wikipedia, you’ll see a very skeletal biography. But what you will find is that she obtained titles in her own right. She became a Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) in 1918, a Dame Grand Cross in 1946, and only received the title of Lady in 1953 by virtue of Winston’s knighthood. Finally, she actually became a life peer in her own right when she was awarded the title of Baroness in 1965, a few months after Winston’s death. Therefore, the particular title of “Lady” was one of the few she received only because she was married to Winston. Considering everything she accomplished, to portray her with this title, seems terribly ironic, if you ask me. But… what’s in a name, right? (That said, to be totally honest, I’m also not wholly in love with the cover art, but that shouldn’t put you off this novel. I mean, it isn’t horrible, but it also isn’t extraordinary.)

With that out of the way, I found that Benedict uses her straightforward and uncompromising literary style to focus this novel mostly on Clementine’s life starting from when she met Winston in 1904, through 1945. That means the book encompasses both world wars. Think about it… to put 41 (very eventful) years into just under 340 pages is no small accomplishment. To achieve this, Benedict did some very careful picking and choosing, so that the events that got into the book were almost only those where Clementine’s involvement was either obvious, or should have been much more discernible. For example, Benedict describes the open secret that Clementine helped Winston write most of his speeches and had a large hand in editing his writings. Benedict also shows Clementine meeting with international heads of state, even in situations where she was the only spouse in the room. There’s also the relationship with Eleanor Roosevelt, the famously heavy-handed and highly influential wife of Franklin D. Roosevelt, who was the US President during almost all of WWII. The parallels Benedict drew between these two women was probably my favorite part of this novel, since they were truly the proverbial “two peas in a pod”! Think about it – FDR had his debilitating Polio (albeit before he became president), and Winston almost died of pneumonia while he was PM during WWII. These wives nursed their husbands, knowing full well that their husbands’ political careers would take front and center the moment they were once again physically able.

I think what impressed me the most about this novel was how Benedict succeeded in making all of it – even the places where Clementine wasn’t playing an instrumental part – truly Clementine’s story. That doesn’t mean that she ignored Winston here, but rather that we saw it all through Clementine’s eyes, through her emotions, through her feelings, and through her own actions (or inaction, as sometimes the case might have been). Benedict also suggests that Clementine was very self-aware regarding her own inadequacies and ineffectiveness, and in fact more than implies that Clementine suffered from no small amount of emotional distress that might have had an impact on her mental health. I don’t know if this is factually correct, since my copy of the ARC didn’t have any author’s notes included, but it certainly sounded plausible to me.

What I’m saying here is that essentially, with the tiny exception to the title of this novel (which I suspect may have not necessarily been Benedict’s first choice), this is precisely the type of novel that I look for in women’s, biographical, historical fiction. Benedict’s precise, practically surgical selection of events shows Clementine as not just a strong supporter of her husband, but a tough, intelligent, leader of a woman in her own right, and one who doesn’t hesitate to take action, even when its controversial, or when failure is lurking in the shadows. Clementine isn’t simply a bystander or witness, because she’s practically on the front lines of every battle, even when she’s behind the scenes pulling her own strings. It seems very strange for me to say this of the first book of 2020, but I must give this novel a full five out of five stars. Benedict has outdone herself here, and I cannot recommend this book warmly enough.

As a fan of Marie Benedict, I was happy to receive a copy of Lady Clementine for review.

I enjoyed reading the story, learning more about Lady Clementine & what she may have gone through during her life. The story moves along at just the right times (ie. starting to become a bit tedious). Months/years pass by, yet does not take away from the storyline. Having known nothing about Winston Churchill, (besides the historical facts), & even less about his family & wife, this was an interesting read.

Thank you to NetGalley for the opportunity to read & review.

At twenty-three, Clementine Hozier didn't expect much of the dinner party; but when an up-and-coming politician arrives, Winston Churchill, she's captivated. The feeling is mutual, and five months later, they marry. As her husband politics, Clementine manages the household (less Pol Roger!), advances her agenda (women's suffrage), and advises her “Pug.” A fascinating fictionalized account of the consummate political wife.

I've enjoyed all of Marie Benedict's previous books and this one was also enjoyable. Lady Clementine was very interesting-I loved the role that Clementine played to Winston Churchill. While the history was important to the book and events, it seemed to me that it got so bogged down in the history, that there were periods of the book that Clementine (or any character) were discussed. Clementine was the best part of the book and a great character. Overall, a good, enjoyable read, but not my favorite by this author.

Lady Clementine begins on the morning of Clementine Hozier's marriage to prominent politician Winston Churchill. From there, it progresses into a full-on account of her life with Winston, as she transforms into a political force in her own right. As the years pass on, the couple faces trials within their marriage, in politics, and in their private familial lives.

Unfortunately, as much as I wanted to enjoy this book, I just didn't. On the surface, it was everything I'd want in a historical fiction - a 20th century setting with a strong feminist heroine. But when it all came together, I was a little underwhelmed.

The story often jumps through time, from chapter-to-chapter and within each chapter. This makes it quite difficult to follow along with the progression of the story, as it is not cohesive. The time stamps at the beginning of each chapter would be useful if they better reflected the content of the chapter (for example, in some cases, there would be a major flashback scene under a chapter that was marked for a different date).

In spite of this, I did enjoy learning more about Clementine Churchill. She was a very progressive woman, given that she was for the women's suffrage movement and that she found her purpose in life to be assisting her husband's political career, rather than simply tending to her family. This novel gave me the basic story of her life and I will definitely look more into this fascinating woman in the future!

Fans of The Crown on Netflix and any of Marie Benedict’s other books will enjoy this tale of Winston Churchill’s wife, Clementine. I really enjoyed the look, even if it’s fictional, at how strong Clemmie always was for her husband. She kept him together in so many ways, and I think it’s sad that history doesn’t show the powerful women behind the powerful men.

I received an advance copy. All thoughts are my own.

Many times behind a great man, is a great woman and this is so true in the life of Winston Churchill and his wife, Clementine. I did not want to put this one down. The author's detailed research shines through and you get an up close look at the Churchill's relationship during one of the most trying times. Put this one of your want to read list.

I found this book very insightful as to the relationship between Clementine and her husband Winston Churchill as well as the happenings around World War I and World War II. It is obvious that Winston was not the easiest man to live with. Very set in his ways. For example: only English standard food for meals, two baths a day with water at specific temps and at exact times, and specific shirts at certain times. He was also very much a "my way or the highway man" which often caused conflicts in his marriage as well as his position in the British government.

Clementine obviously loved him very much and tried to make things easier for him. But at the same time, as a very intelligent, strong, independent woman, she was not bashful about making her own opinions known which often paved the way for Winston to accomplish more for his country. It saddened me that it wasn't until her children were nearly grown that she had much of a relationship with them, and the continuing change of nannies/governesses didn't help the situation either especially the first 3 children.

Although this was historical fiction, it is obvious that Benedict did an enormous amount of research. It definitely shows throughout the story.

**I received a complimentary copy of this book from Sourcebooks Landmark through NetGalley. Opinions are mine alone. I was not compensated for this review.

This book was incredibly disappointing. Clementine is presented as a martyr who puts up with Winston and the brains behind his ability to run Britain. It felt that he had no good thoughts on his own and only survived the political and real world thanks to Clementine's hand. I was also distraught to read how she put him first, over their children. Was this true? And if so, did she feel remorseful the way the book occasionally mentions? It was as though Winston were her first and favorite child and she was so busy mothering him to offer anything to the other children. Another factor in this overall feeling was how the story line jumped forward in time. It was as though the book were more a collection of vignettes from her life. And mostly her life with Winston. Even if limited information is there, the benefit of being historical fiction is the ability to fill in gaps to provide a smooth story to the reader. Sadly, that was absent and what was offered missed the mark.

Marie Benedict enjoys introducing her readers to women who in their own right led interesting lives besides the prominent men of the time. Her latest historical fiction features, Clementine Churchill(1885-1977), a formidable woman who spent her adult life building, supporting, and at times challenging her husband, Sir Winston Churchill, in politics. Marie Benedict does not shy away from the ups and downs of the Churchills in both their personal and private lives. Through two world wars and the arrival of five children, Clementine and Winston were devoted to their country and the British people.

My paternal grandfather was a fan of Churchill's and due to the many books in his library, including one that details the thousands of letters that " Pug" and "Cat" wrote to each other, Marie Benedict has certainly conveyed the love and respect they held for one another. As I read an ARC, the author's note wasn't included, however, I did some research online and based on what I found, many aspects of MB's narrative seem to be true(won't be specific as it could be considered spoilers).

I enjoyed the novel and read it one sitting, I felt that Benedict makes the couple most realistic in the scenes where it's just the two of them. I think we(particularly in the Commonwealth countries) often overlook the wives of our Prime Ministers(or at least that is my personal observation when comparing it to the roles of First Lady in the US.) In 2015, Clementine was given her own biography written by Sonia Purnell which I will try and find at my secondhand store.

Thanks to Netgalley and SOURCEBOOKS Landmark for an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Goodreads review published 05/01/20/
Publication Date 07/01/20

This is my first time reading Marie Benedict, she has been on my radar for a while with The Other Einstein and Carnegie's Maid - both waiting patiently on my tbr pile.

Lady Clementine follows the trend these days with strong women supporting men in leadership roles. My only glimpse of the wife of Winston Churchill were brief appearances on The Crown, so yea I was looking forward to this one.

Beginning in 1909 with their wedding and spanning through to 1945, there is a lot of years and living to tackle in 336 pages. For me, that reflected in my enjoyment as I struggled to connect with Clementine. I found I was educated verses entertained. I learned a lot about their lives, struggles, parenthood and more, but I didn’t warm up to them. I didn't get the emotional attachment that I crave in these types of books. Given the ratings, it would appear I am in the minority.

But all in all, I liked it and that's still a good thing.

My thanks to Sourcebooks (via Netgalley) for an advanced copy in exchange for honest review.

I really enjoyed this book about Churchill’s wife. I did not like either Winston or Clementine, their relationship seemed very dysfunctional to me, but it worked for them. Having said that, I came to greatly admire Lady Clementine. A great companion book for those who are enjoying “The Crown”.

I loved Carnegie’s Maid and was excited to receive an ARC of Lady Clementine. Marie Benedict did not disappoint. The book was a little slow at first but picked up quickly. Benedict did a great job showing how Clementine was a good helpmate to and for her husband while showing her weaknesses as a mother. I think this will make a good bookclub choice and provide for good discussion. This book was well-researched and I learned a lot. My thanks to NetGalley and Sourcebooks Landmark for this ARC in exchange for an honest review,

VERDICT: Great writing, but the book would have been improved with better choices in the treatment of Lady Clementine’s life.
I have enjoyed several books by Marie Benedict, for instance Carnegie's Maid, and as I knew nothing about Clementine Churchill, I decided to read this author’s latest historical novel, Lady Clementine.

I enjoyed the writing. As usual, Benedict’s style is very flowing and she’s good at recreating the ambiance of an era, with great descriptions.

From the very first sentence, she managed to present Lady Churchill as someone unique, with a very specific mission in life, something unheard of to that degree in her time (like for instance being part of the war cabinet discussions).
Mrs. Churchill’s interests totally fit those of the man she ended up marrying and supporting all her life, even saving his life a couple of times.
It was fascinating to read about all that she did during both wars to support her country and help all those who suffered.

The author also highlighted some important elements in Clementine’s life, like her difficulties when she realized her husband maybe liked her more for what she was doing for him, for how she was supporting him and helping him in so many ways, than for who she was as a person.
Another important element in the book is her not being the mothering type.

As I mentioned above, I really knew nothing about the Churchills. So, as I remembered being a bit disappointed by Marie Benedict’s treatment of Hedy Lamarr’s life when I read another book on this artist, I thought it might be important to learn more about Clementine Churchill. So I watched a few documentaries on her.

I discovered she lived twelve more years than Winston. He died in 1965 and she in 1977. As her life’s focus had so much been her husband’s support, including preparing his speeches together, to give just a tiny detail, I think it would have been very interesting to prolong this novel (it ends in 1945), and show how Clementine’s life evolved after her husband’s death.
As for the mothering type, I was shocked to discover that one of her daughters, Diana, ended up dying of an overdose in 1963. I think this is a major element, and the book should definitely talk about Clementine’s later years and this tragedy.

So once again (see my review of The Only Woman in the Room), I like Marie Benedict’s style, but I disagree with some of her choices in the treatment of the lives of the women she decides to feature.

I really wanted to love this book, but for me, it fell a little short. There is no denying that Clementine Churchill was a spectacular woman - one full of spunk, passion, desire and resiliency. What an amazing woman. While I'm sure the depiction is accurate, Winston was such an annoying, whiny man that made him difficult to like, thus made the story drag. In addition, though historical accuracy is obviously necessary in this historical fiction novel, some of the details and minutiae was wordy and dense. I found the book hard to get through.

I absolutely loved learning about Clementine Churchill ❤️
This amazing woman helped guide her famous husband, prime minister Winston Churchill through World War 1 and 2. She not only saved his actual life, but many times saved his political career. She was intelligent, intuitive and understood the delicate balance of giving him suggestions versus forcing her beliefs on him. She was a fierce fighter for women’s rights, but put her husband above everyone and everything.
As soon as I saw this book Lady Clementine I knew it was something I would love! Marie Benedict is one of my favorite historical fiction writers!
🧜🏼‍♀️🌺

Lady Clementine is a fictional account of the woman who stood next to Winston Churchill. This was my first but not my last read by Marie Benedict. Told in first person, I loved the honesty of the character created and the sacrifices she made to stand by her husband. Yet, she was not afraid to admit her flaws. I love reading a book that empowers women but that makes you feel as if you are living in England during that time period. I finished this read in a couple of days and I loved it. Thank you #NetGalley #LadyClementine

Unfortunately, this was a 'did not finish' for me. I tried and I tried, and while the writing was good.. I was just bored. The political war talk was not my genre, and while I tried to commit myself to it over and over again, I will not continue beyond the 35% I made it to. I appreciate the story and the writing, but this book was not for me.