I really liked this historical fiction a lot! I love historical fiction and WWII books in general, but sometimes they are a letdown. Not so with J'nell Ciesielski's <i>The Socialite.</i> I was hooked from the start and the sisterly bond in this book was an extra means to my enjoyment of this novel set in occupied France. I loved that the female characters were strong women.

Kat is sent to France by her father to go to France and bring back her sister Ellie who has fallen for a Nazi, Eric von Schlegel. He offers her a lavish lifestyle, so she most likely confuses that with being in love. She definitely likes the things he can give her. What I didn't like about Eric is that he was controlling, even limited her friends to only Germans after awhile. But we also find out that he has an even bigger secret that Ellie is unaware of and might change how she feels about him. Kat and Ellie's father also sends Barrett to bring them home, and he and Kat end up in a romantic relationship. So both sisters have a man in their life, which obviously usually complicates matters. I also liked that this was a Christian fiction book so the romance did have some steam in it, but it wasn't like New Adult or Erotica. Plus, it wasn't preachy at all which was nice.

I love this one and I highly recommend it.

While this isn't my favorite of J'nell's books. It still has her charm. As well as the perfect blend of suspense and romance. Which I have come to love in her books.

The Socialite is officially going in the top five list of my favorite World War II novels, of which I have read quite a few. I enjoyed pretty much everything about the book-from the characters, to the time period, to the setting, and the overall general plotline. And while the faith aspect of the book is lacking, I still thoroughly enjoyed it.

Kat is sent to Paris by her father, a powerful man in England with powerful connections, to save her sister, Ellie, from the clutches of her Nazi boyfriend. Ellie had run away from home, seeking freedom and ran into the arms of a Nazi man. She believes him to be the love of her life and throws everything else away to be with him.

Barrett is also sent by Kat’s father to watch over the two girls and bring them home safely. He and Kat confide in one another and only have each other. They walk a very fine line as they act in front of the Germans so that they can bring Ellie back. As the two work together, feelings start to grow between them.

This book is filled with drama, unexpected twists and turns, and the frightening experiences that the second world war brought. I especially felt for Ellie. She was naïve and truly believed that she and her boyfriend, Eric, were meant to be together. It was sad to watch her go through the experience, knowing the truth.
I would highly recommend this book. As I said before, there isn’t really a lot of Christian faith in the book, but it still is overall a good story.

I had received a copy of this book as part of the Celebrate Lit Blogging Team and was required to give an honest review.

Although many people seem to think that the book world is saturated with WWII historical fiction, I still enjoy that time period, so I was excited for the opportunity to read The Socialite. This is a fast-paced book filled with espionage and romance, set in Paris during the Nazi occupation in 1941.

Woven throughout the action are a few obvious themes. The most prominent one is self-sacrifice. Kat and Barrett both demonstrate this quality time and again as they go above and beyond to protect the people they love – even when they don’t deserve or appreciate the help. Another important theme is that everyone has something to offer. Kat is embarrassed that the only skills she has involve hosting parties and social diplomacy, but Barrett shows her that that knowledge can be just as valuable as fighting skills when applied intentionally.

I’m almost always a fan of the ‘enemies to lovers’ trope, and I thought that played out really well between Barrett and Kat with their chemistry and gradual appreciation for each other. Plus the way they meet is pretty humorous. I also liked the bond between sisters highlighted in The Socialite. Kat risks her very life to find her sister and even when Ellie responds in a less than appreciative way, Kat continues to put her sister first. If you have a sister who likes to read, this could be a good buddy read for the two of you!

I really enjoyed the pacing and witty dialogue in The Socialite. There was plenty of depth to the characters and exploration of their inner lives without sacrificing a forward-moving plot that carried me away. This is new author for me, and now I need to go check out her back list! Two thumbs up for this book.

Kay and Ellie are sisters, daughters of Sir Alfred Whitford, an influential Englishman. Ellie is living in Paris, supported by her Nazi boyfriend. She’s living in luxury in occupied Paris, while people starve around her. Kat is determined to bring Ellie back to England. To ensure their safety, Sir Whitford hires a man named Barrett Anderson to watch over them. Barrett is in Paris training Resistance fighters, and he acts as a bar owner as his cover.

Ellie’s Nazi boyfriend, Major Eric von Schlegal, isn’t happy that Kat is in Paris, but Ellie has made it clear she’s not going back. Kat enlists Barrett to help her, not knowing that he’s been hired by her father. They are instantly attracted by one another and have a passionate relationship. Will Ellie open her eyes to the Nazi atrocities and leave with Kat? What happens to Kat and Barrett?
This book went by quickly, the writing really flowed and the descriptions of Nazi occupied Paris were fantastic. I recommend this book, 4 stars.

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley I received a complimentary copy
of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

As the daughter of Sir Alfred Whitford, Kat has a certain set of responsibilities. But chasing her wayward sister, Ellie, to Nazi-occupied Paris was never supposed to be one of them. Now accustomed to the luxurious lifestyle that her Nazi boyfriend provides, Ellie has no intention of going back to the shackled life their parents dictate for them—but Kat will stop at nothing to bring her sister home.

Arrested for simply trying to defend himself against a drunken bully, Barrett Anderson is given the option of going to jail or serving out his sentence by training Resistance fighters in Paris. A bar owner serves as the perfect disguise to entertain Nazis at night while training fighters right below their jackboots during the day. Being assigned to watch over two English debutantes is the last thing he needs, but a payout from their father is too tempting to resist. Can Barrett and Kat trust each other long enough to survive, or will their hearts prove more traitorous than the dangers waiting around the corner?

Absolutely amazing! If you love historical fiction, you won't want to miss this one. It has great characters, addictive chemistry, and espionage, what else could you need in a 5⭐ read? Hurry and grab yourself a copy asap.

WWII historical nonfiction has long been my favorite timer period, however, I am leery that new books can come up with fresh takes on the war. The Socialite by J'nell Ciesielski does just that. Her book follows socialites and resistance fighters in occupied France. The story was incredibly enjoyable and unique in it's approach to the war.

This is a story that takes you into the heart of the fight between the Nazis and the Resistance in Paris and is, in a way, reflected in Ellie and Kat. These two sisters were as opposite as night and day and often find themselves at odds with each other. Yet in the end, their bond proved too strong to break, Though I had a hard time getting into this novel at first, as the story progressed, I found myself enjoying the read. The Socialite was a story not only of struggle but of trust. Each character had to learn who they could trust and accept the help they offered, no matter how hard it may have been.

The Socialite is a WWII romance. It is full of heart-stopping action and romance. I loved Kat and Barrett. Kat is the socialite who went to Paris to bring her sister Ellie back home after she started having an affair with a Nazi soldier. Barrett is the Resistance fighter who was sent by Kat and Ellie’s father to make sure they get back to England safely. I loved that Kat kept finding out how strong she really was with each adventure. She and Barrett were like oil and water in the beginning, but kept being attracted to each other. Ellie was a spoiled brat through most of the book, but she started growing in character. Overall, I really enjoyed this book and can’t wait to read more by this author. Thank you to Netgalley and Thomas Nelson for the copy. All opinions expressed are my own.

I received a copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thanks!

I was really intrigued by the premise of this book - an English socialite travels to Paris during WWII to rescue her sister, who is dating a high ranking Nazi. Their father has hired a resistance soldier to help them escape.

Unfortunately, the plot, though interesting, is a bit too unwieldy for the author to navigate smoothly. We never find out how Ellie started dating a Nazi. The pieces of the puzzle are revealed slowly, but the beginning especially feels like you’re being plopped in the middle of the story without any context. Sadly, the writing itself doesn’t make up for the confusion and plot holes.

Historical Fiction at its best! This was one of those books you get caught up in the lives of the characters rooting for them and hating on those that are worthy of hate! J’nell Ciesielski has created a story with so much depth and heart and allows the story to unfold in ways that draw you in deeply. I look forward to future books by this author.

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

This book creates and adventure of the most unlikely spy. A rich socialite is able to do it all, invade the German political powers and spends time at Hitlers compound, all of this adventure is to save her sister who is the mistress of one of the powerful ministers of Hitler. She learns that she is a strong person who can endure more than she ever thought.

This is one of my new favorite authors. This one did not disappoint. Loved, loved, loved it. I highly recommend this author

I loved this historical story! I thought that the author did a fabulous job of bringing the time period to life, even with some of the less glamorous aspects (in a tasteful way). The villains are pretty crazy...

As another reviewer said that this book starts with a use of profanity I will not be reading or reviewing it as I do not read books with profanity or other unclean things like that, I prefer to keep my thoughts away from such and it would not be good for me, my followers, the author, or the publisher if I were to review it.

This was a very interesting read. I like what the author did with the story, it's different. Kat and her sister, Ellie, are nobles by birth. Kat follows Ellie after she leaves for Nazi occupied France. It was a different view, seeing the elites and socialites amid such a terrifying time.

The Socialite is a historical romance. So that lets you know that I am split on whether I enjoyed this book. I love historical fiction! But I do not like romance books at all! So let’s focus on the things I enjoyed about the book. The dialogue was good and enjoyable. I loved the historical time period of Nazi occupation of France. Though it is a romance, there is no steamy sex scenes…just some heavy kissing.

As for what I did not enjoy is that this book is about a spoiled socialite who is living the “high life” in France during WWII. The fact that she is willing to ignore the atrocities going on around her to be with her Nazi boyfriend. Though I know there were people who turned their heads and took advantage of the “privileges” of being in a relationship with the Nazi occupiers, it just disgusted me to read about it.

The plot will have you sitting on the edge of your seat. This book will appeal to historical romance fans.

Thank you to NetGalley and Thomas Nelson Publishers for my advanced review copy. All opinions and thoughts are my own.

Thrilling, enthralling and flowing with champagne, this is an excellent read for Historical fiction fans of World War II stories.

J'nell Ciesielski captures the mood and flavour of Occupied France. Her characters are realistic women dealing with the dark times of war. When the wrong decision came at a huge price.

Two sisters find themselves in the midst of the Nazi Occupation. "Ellie" is young and definitely in love with her over indulgent Nazi boyfriend, living the high life, oblivious to the truth. "Kat" absolutely must rescue her from this madness- and herself, whatever it takes, and at whatever it costs to get her out of this situation.

Secrets, rebellion and the dangerous nature of learning to trust weaves it's way into this exciting story.

Thank you to NetGalley, the publishers of Thomas Nelson-Fiction and the author Ms. J'nell Ciesielski for the opportunity to read this Advanced Readers Copy of "The Socialite". The opinions expressed in this review are mine alone.

This book set in 1941 Paris was not believable to me. I didn't think that a father with money, prestige, and ties to British government would aid his oldest daughter Kat's trip to Vichy France to bring her younger sister Ellie home. I received a free copy of this ebook from the publisher through Netgallery. Since I wasn't pulled in by the story or the characters in this book, I ended up not finishing this book.

Set in Nazi-Occupied Paris during World War II, British aristocrat, Kat Whitford uses her family connections to travel to Paris to bring her younger sister, Ellie, back home. Her sister, however, is head over heels in love with her Nazi boyfriend, Eric Von Schlegel. There she meets Barrett Anderson, a spy for the resistance working as a bar owner, who is tasked with protecting Kat and Ellie. As time goes on, she begins to have feelings for Barrett. As the situation gets more dangerous and the trio get ensnared in a world of falsehoods, control, and espionage, will Kat succeed? Will she and Barrett end up getting together?
The plot is well-written but is slow moving. The main characters are engaging and interesting. The historical backdrop is accurate and well-depicted. The character of Ellie, however, may leave a bad taste with some readers. Readers interested is historical fiction, romance, and drama may enjoy this book. Recommended for libraries who have trouble keeping historical romance books on their shelves.
Please note: This was a complementary review copy from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review. No financial compensation was received.