Fans of Melanie Benjamin’s “The Aviator’s Wife” and Paula McClain’s “A Paris Wife” are going to love Marie Benedict’s latest novel, “Lady Clementine.”

Clementine is the wife of former British Prime Minister Winston Churchill. One of the many things I learned about is that the pronunciation of her name rhymes with “Josephine.”

When Clemmie and Winston first meet, it is love at first sight. She becomes his “Cat” and he her “Pug,” and they refer to their children as their “kittens.” It is a sweet love story set among the backdrop of two world wars and countless other strifes. They marry in 1908.

Readers will get to know a Winston Churchill as we have never known him before: sensitive, insecure, a neglected child that lurks below the surface, a man who depends on his wife in so many ways, especially politics. In the political arena, Clemmie often reminded me of Mary Todd Lincoln. It was heartbreaking to read. Clemmie shares those same traits and experiences. He suffered from fatherly neglect and an overprotective mother; she from motherly neglect and and absent father. And if the rumors were true, the father she barely saw wasn’t her father at all. But when they are with each other, they find they can be their true selves.

Winston admires Clemmie for her assertiveness, her willingness to speak her mind and to learn about the politics he so greatly enjoys. The novel is written in first person from Clementine’s point of view, but Winston is rarelu out of the picture. it is truly a novel about the woman behind the man.

We watch Clemmie struggle with her alcoholic and promiscous mother, with her own motherhood as she lacks maternal instincts, with the ups and downs of her most unusual marriage, the death of a child, Winston’s adoration of his mother, her need to prove herself worthy in everything she does, and the feelings of failure that haunt her.

A remarkable story of a remarkable woman that history, or at least American-told history, has chosen to virtually forget. That’s a shame. Therefore, “Lady Clementine” receives 6 out of 5 stars in Julie’s world.

Lady Clementine by Marie Benedict is a delightful historical fiction/biography of Clementine Churchill. This is not my first book by this author. I enjoyed The Aviator’s Wife and Carnegie’s Maid. I thoroughly enjoy her style of writing and her desire to bring to light women who usually get lost in behind their famous husbands.

The story starts at the beginning of Winston and Clementine’s relationship. It covers how they met, what she was thinking during this courtship, as well as their early years of marriage through the end of WWII.

I enjoyed learning about Ms Churchill through this story. The author clearly did her research and brings nothing but respect and has created a wonderful piece that does justice to an amazing and classy woman. I am a huge fan of this period and truthfully did question some of the ‘historical’ facts but chalked it up to creative license.

I would like to thank Ms. Benedict, Sourcebooks and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

A story about one of modern history’s original power couples. I have a little knowledge of Winston Churchill, but had nothing of Cat. What an incredible woman!! A well written, easy-to-read book. The question remains, would Hitler and the Nazis have won the war without Winston Churchill’s leadership...and would Churchill have held power without Clementine? Thanks to publisher and NetGalley for the ARC.

Thank you Netgalley for the chance to read this ARC.
This book was very interesting all the way through. For someone who enjoys learning about history, it was a nice change to read about a strong female involved in so much history.
Some parts of the story surprised me and made me want to keep reading.
I already know people I will be recommending and buying this for!

I have to tell you that I did not like this book at all. If I ever had any interest in Clementine Churchill this book has effectively killed it. It's too bad because apparently she did do some good work during the War but this book just pounds away at giving her all the credit for Winston Churchill's success. I don't buy it. They probably did have a supportive relationship but I don't accept that she wrote most of his speeches and made most of his decisions. I just don't think he would have been nothing without her.

Clementine apparently had a difficult childhood. Her single mother was more interested in herself and her love affairs than her children. Her father's identity was unclear. Clementine learned nothing from her mother's lack of interest. She displayed almost no attention to her children and left them to the nannies reasoning that the nannies would provide for them better. She was probably right. She devoted all her attention and devotion to Winston and taking all the credit for the work he did.

It was a difficult time for women where they couldn't perform on their own. I think she would have loved to be Margaret Thatcher. I have read in other places that she was shy and retiring but in this book she craved the attention and wanted the credit. She also suffered from depression and would take off for months on her own to "recuperate". She once almost had an affair but the man turned out to be gay so that didn't work.

At the end of this book, I neither liked Clementine or the author. I think she was trying to fit a character from another age into the standards of today. That doesn't work. People are a product of their times. It's like trying to fit a square peg into a round hole. That sums up this book for me. It didn't work and I don't believe it.

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

This was an interesting read because I never really knew much about Clementine Churchill. She was a very a strong, diplomatic, and inspiring woman who strived to support her husband. This was well written historical fiction and I learned a great deal.
Many thanks to Sourcebooks Landmark and to NetGalley for providing me with a galley in exchange for my honest opinion.

I have read and enjoyed every single one of Marie Benedict’s novels. She writes about these strong women in history that of course I know existed but perhaps I hadn’t given much thought to. By the end of all of these books I have always hungered for more knowledge. Searching Wikipedia, finding documentaries or anything else that I can get my hands on. Benedict really has a way of bringing these women of the past to life and I thank her for it. All of that being said I believe I have officially reached fan girl status. I will always buy, read and recommend her books to my friends and other historical fiction book lovers.

Lady Clementine is her fourth novel and I am so impressed. I am amazed at how the majority of Clementine Churchill’s life was condensed into just over 300 pages and I wasn’t left wanting more - or feeling that something was lacking. It was the perfect length for me and I never felt as if a scene or situation was drawn out.

Clementine was someone that was intelligent and resilient. She loved her husband and supported his pursuits. They had this romance and love for each other but readers also get to see them work together behind the scenes of politics.

As strong a person as Clementine was she was also very human. Sometimes she would become overwhelmed and take breaks and vacations. A lot of the time she’d do these things alone. She also was the mother of 5 children whom she loved I’m sure but in her own way. You get the impression that she didn’t have a normal mothering instinct. She had nanny’s to take care of her children and she was more concerned about accompanying her husband and traveling than being in the home.

Why I didn’t give it 5 stars-

It has nothing to do with the author or her ability to write. The writing is fantastic. I am just not a fan of books that are politics heavy. It’s like I immediately get bored and my brain shuts off.

I shouldn’t compare books but once you get to the point of reading all of an authors works it’s kind of hard not to. The book was good but not my favorite.

Also I found Clementine to be unlikeable at times. Why have 5 children if you don’t necessarily put being a mother as your top priority? Just a personal opinion 🙂

I am so thankful to Marie Benedict, Source Books and NetGalley for providing me an ARC of this book prior to its publication. I am so grateful to be able to read and review books for them. It is a privilege.

Lady Clementine by Marie Benedict is a beautiful story, not without adversary, of Winston Churchill and his wife Clementine Churchill; as they call each other Pug and Cat or Clemmie. I have read and loved the first of three books by Ms. Benedict about the wives of very famous men and their influence on them, and this fourth is just as terrific. Mr. Churchill and his difficult clime up  in the politics's of Britain and aided by Mrs. Churchill has she makes a name for herself along with assisting the future Prime Minister with his tasks along with her own idea of change and service to the people of Britain.. Mrs. Churchill does have her own issues, some being not a very good mother, a selfishness about her and sometimes her disregard for her family when pursuing something of want to her. I loved this story! Thank you #NetGalley#LadyClementine#SourcebooksLandmark

This book opens on the eve of Clementine's marriage to Winston and follows their life through the end of WWII. Understanding that a life with Winston demands loyalty, and that she take a back seat, Clementine does her best to cater to his needs and support his political career. At times the strain is too much, as she is forced to put her needs, and the needs of her children second to the charismatic, unstoppable force that is her husband.

This was a pretty interesting read. Clementine was a very likeable character, and well rounded. At times Winston comes across as a bumbling, stubborn man with little common sense, which is at great contrast to his legacy. The passing of time was done particularly well, leaving the story with a nice flow. Overall, well worth picking up.

Unfortunately I am only half way through this one and put it down. The writing and accuracy is top notch, as this author always is, but I cannot get into the Churchills as a couple or a family. I do not feel connected to any of the characters. It may be me and timing because it is really interesting history and Clementine Churchill is a strong smart female character. I may pick up again after taking a break.

This book about Clementine Churchill read like a memoir and was very fascinating. I loved learning more about her life. I did think it was a little slow in the middle, but overall, I really enjoyed it.

I need to start this review by saying that I'm a fan of Marie Benedict's work. I loved The Other Einstein and Carnegie's Maid. Even The Only Woman in the Room was good (but not as good as Einstein, I'm afraid). But that being said, it's with a heavy heart that I announce that I did not like this book. Like...at all.

The book centers around Clementine Churchill and her longtime marriage to Winston Churchill. The book starts with their courtship, where Winston makes no secret of the fact that he's besotted with her and her intelligence. They quickly marry and she stands behind him during his political career. Of course, you can't have a book where the main character is relegated to the sidelines! What fun is that? So instead, Clementine makes it so that she's indispensable to Winston. Then she starts manipulating him to do exactly as she says, to give herself a bigger role in his universe. Then - oh no! - she can't handle such a stressful life as a wife and mother, so she has to go away a few times and leave her children in the care of nannies. To the point where her own children PREFER the nannies to their own mother. But does she let that stop her? Nope. Instead she takes advantage of it, and keeps doing what she's doing. All the men remark on how odd it is for a politician's wife to be so involved with her husband's work. Does THAT stop her? No, again! She consistently manipulates Winston and the other men into proving her points so she can get her own way, especially after the war starts. Granted, she's not doing anything bad. But she walks around on a smug high horse, because none of the men can do anything she can, or keep up with her and her big brain.

All of this is just my way of saying I did not like Clementine at all. The rest of the story was fine; it was interesting seeing the war from a politician's view. But all in all, I'd rather have seen it from Eleanor Roosevelt's point of view. I have a feeling she would have come across a lot more likeable.

Winston Churchill’s wife Clementine was a very strong and successful woman. Not only did she assist Winston, but she did many things to help the British women herself. I knew very little about her or their family life, so this was quite interesting to me. Focus on their relationship, and with their children, and also on the war years. She was instrumental in Winston's career. A fascinating woman in her own right. She certainly had her hands full with Winston, but she was an equal match for him.

Lady Clementine tells the story of the remarkable Clementine Churchill, wife of Winston Churchill. Beginning in 1909 with Clementine’s marriage to Winston, the novel spans 35 years of this extraordinary women and her life with one of the world’s most influential leaders. Much more than just “the woman behind the man”, Clementine was an intelligent, driven and forceful person in her own right, with strong opinions and beliefs of her own often in conflict with those of her husband. Theirs was one of the great marriage partnerships in history. Winston relied often upon Clementine’s observations and judgement; and he was often demanding of her time and energy, leaving her with scant resources for her children and herself. Winston Churchill’s career spanned some of the most pivotal events of the 20th century from WWI through WWII, and like Eleanor Roosevelt, Clementine was instrumental in the decisions and actions that helped shaped history.

Like Benedict’s other novels, this is a compelling look at the life of someone under recognized by historians. Extremely well researched, the story is fast paced and engaging. The reader sees the best and the worst of Clementine and we are left to draw our own judgements on her life. This is a fascinating account of an important life during an important part of history and very relevant to today’s headlines. This will be popular with fans of historical fiction, early 20th century history, and book clubs.

Marie Benedict has become one of the most popular writers of historical fiction and she does a good job with it. I knew nothing about Clementine Churchill so that part was interesting to me. I never felt any connection with Clementine, though. She just didn't seem very likable - maybe she wasn't a likable person but there was just sort of a disconnection for me. It was interesting to see some of the historical events shown in this new light with a different perspective.

Thanks to Net Galley for a ARC on Kindle of this book.
I have read one other book by this author (The Other Einstein) and thoroughly enjoyed it.
This one was good and very informative of Clementine, wife to Winston Churchill.
This author does a great job of telling a story about, usually an historical woman character and her influence on history and in this case, her famous husband.
I would definitely read other books by this author and would recommend that others do so as well.

Marie Benedict brings to life the stories of fascinating women in history, and in her latest novel, Lady Clementine, she does it again. We all know Lady Clementine as Winston Churchill's supportive wife, but do we really know HER? Wife, daughter, sister, she is a fascinating character, fiercely devoted and supportive of her husband through his myriad ups and downs. Clementine is intelligent, politically astute and has excellent instincts for people and often saves Churchill from potentially disastrous decisions. But she's not just his wife...she has passion for many projects of her own. It's Clementine who brings women fully into the workplace during wartime, and Clementine who helps pave the way for women's suffrage.

Lady Clementine is a wonderful book, an unvarnished look at an amazing woman who had a huge impact on the fate of England in the first half of the twentieth century.

This was a good book--but something is keeping from saying it was a great book. The research, the understandable emotions, all of it made sense--but perhaps it was the story structure that was somewhat lacking. There wasn't a clear buildup to any events. And sometimes the skips over time missed seemingly big events, like the reader was speeding through Clementine Churchill's life versus being a part of it. Not a bad book, and definitely enlightening.

Benedict is becoming the specialist of historical fiction that focuses on the female counterpart of a strong, successful, famous man. This time around it is Clementine Churchill, the wife of the famous Winston Churchill. Clemmie is a complex woman. On one hand, she is from an old, distinguished family, yet they are impoverished, with a mother who drinks, has many lovers, and neglects her children. Once Clementine marries into the Churchill family, she is thrust into the political world in which she ultimately thrives. Unbeknownst to many of us (me included), Clemmie was instrumental in Winston's rise in power and his comeback, editing his speeches and providing vital moral support as well as organizational skill during the Blitz. I was fascinated with the history, but not as much with Clemmie. She's still a bit of a cipher to me, unclear as to her motivations, her own wants and desires, her passions. I liked this book, but didn't love it as much as the previous one about Hedy Lamar. Thanks to Net Galley for a free copy in exchange for an honest review.

Unfortunately this book wasn't a win for me. I was excited to learn more about Clementine Churchill, but I think this book would have been better as a biography. I felt as if it was written to make us like Clementine and show she was a strong and powerful woman, but she came off so unlikable throughout. The writing felt a bit unnatural - more like a listing of facts then a narrative that flowed. Reading through other reviews, I am happy to be in the minority here. Although the book was not for me, it is very well loved by many others! Thank you to Sourcebooks, NetGaley and Marie Benedict for the opportunity to read the eARC.