Ellie Whitford has escaped the confines of her stuffy and aristocratic English home and has found her place in Occupied Paris.  Her boyfriend in the head of Culture and Social Movement for the SS.  As a high ranking Nazi, Eric von Schlegel has riches and the power to give Ellie anything she wants and Ellie revels in party planning and creating social circles for Eric.   Ellie's family wants her back, Kat Whitford has been sent to Paris to do just that.  However, getting out of Occupied Paris is a lot harder than getting in, so Ellie's father made sure she had the help of Barrett Anderson, a Resistance Operative for the SIS.  Barrett will be rewarded heavily for his return to England with the Whitford sisters.  However, Ellie's situation with Eric becomes more dangerous and plans for extraction are hastened.  

The Socialite is an exciting romance at the height of World War II.  Well developed, thoughtful characters and an invigorating pace made The Socialite a moving read. Through Ellie, the influence of the Nazi's through art, music, theatre and social gatherings was shown.  I was intrigued by the groups visit to Hitler's Bavarian home, The Berghof and how he surrounded himself with his ideals.  Through Barrett,  the strength of the Resistance and what they were willing to do to oppose the Nazis was highlighted.  Kat's strength, hope and love for he sister was evident from the very beginning.  Kat has always believed herself to be a dutiful daughter, stuck in doing exactly what her father wants.  However, as soon as she arrives in Paris, Kat begins thinking for herself and realizing how capable she really is.  I loved the slow blooming romance between Kat and Barrett as they complimented each other's attributes, learned how to trust and heal past wounds.  Overall, a fast-paced, exhilarating romance through of different point of view during World War II.

This book was received for free in return for an honest review.

The Socialite is written by a new to me author. This story takes place during WWII and is set mostly in German occupied France. A wayward sister runs away to Paris and becomes a mistress to a nazi. Her sister with the help of a handsome Scot is on mission to bring her home to England. I enjoyed it, and I especially liked the happy ending.
*I was given a copy by Thomas Nelson Publishing and this is my honest opinion.
3.5 stars

The Socialite is not only a historical fiction, but has elements of suspense, romance and adventure! A definite page turner, with twists you never saw coming! Loved it!

The Socialite
Author : J’ nell Ciesielski
After Ellie runs away from home, it is left to her older sister Katherine (Kat) to save her from a Nazi lover in Occupied France. The Sisters are the daughters of Sir Alfred Whitford and they had lived a life of luxury in England.
Ellie continues in the luxurious lifestyle she is used to which was provided to her by her Nazi boyfriend.
The third protagonist in this story is Barrett Anderson who was arrested while trying to defend himself against a drunken bully and is given the choice of going to jail or training resistance fighters in Paris. He poses as a bar owner which is a useful disguise while entertaining Nazis.
Barrett is then assigned to watch over Ellie and Kat (two English debutantes) which he only accepts because of the promised payout from their father Sir Alfred Whitford.
The sisters are unaware of the arrangement between their father and Barrett and this is only revealed at the end of the novel. Kat and Barrett have a fractious relationship while Barrett is trying to help the sisters escape. Kat falls in love with Barrett but he has a secret he cannot or will not reveal while trying to get the sisters to a safer country.
I found this book, on the one hand, glamorous but that description of the sisters soon fades as the harrowing situations the sisters and Barrett get involved in while being hunted by the Nazis keep your attention until the end of the book.

Prepare to be transported in time. I fell in love with Kat and Barrett. A strong-willed, stubborn heroine with intelligence and an honorable soldier fulfilling a job in order to start a new life just beg for attention as their story unfolds. While they are the main love story, Kat’s sister, Ellie has her own story to tell as she is the mistress of a high-ranking Nazi officer and finds herself in hot water. I appreciated Kat’s devout commitment to her sister and that once earned, her loyalty never falters. Ellie has some growing up to do, and she does as the story unfolds. Barrett has a past to overcome and must learn to trust in hope again. Kat learns to fight for what she wants and the chemistry between these two is palpable. I enjoyed the friction created from their growing pains and loved the ending. A must read for fans of WW2, clean, historical fiction.
I received a complimentary copy of this book and all opinions expressed are my own, freely given.

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. Thank you NetGalley and Thomas Nelson Fiction for the ARC. This was a very good story. The characters for the most part were likable, well perhaps not all. But without them there would be no story. The author had no problem drawing me in.

This is the first book I've read by this author and I am really excited to be able to add her to my list of historical fiction authors to follow! I am a fan of historical fiction and this one was so engaging and interesting to me. The 1940's setting in Paris during WWII was the perfect backdrop for this book.

All three of the main characters (Kat, Barrett and Ellie) in this book were so interesting. It was a pleasure getting to know them and understand their fears and dreams and see how those motivated their actions. They were all layered and human, making mistakes, making sacrifices and showing courage. Trust didn't come easily for any of them yet they all desired it. Trust and love. Which leads me to the growing romance between Kat and Barrett. Mmmm, yum. I loved it. The attraction, the chemistry, the kissing. Yup, it was nicely done.

Once I got into this book I had a hard time putting it down. It had an excellent balance of intense situations and emotional moments. The plot moved forward at a good pace and I was fully invested in it. I was surprised a few times with the twists the plot took which is always a good thing! I loved this story!

Content: violence, peril, kissing, mention of affairs and mistresses (with no details)

- I received a complimentary copy of this book. All opinions expressed are my own.

The Socialite is an amazing read! Open the cover and step into the middle of World War II, navigate the tensions of Nazi-occupied France as two sisters fight to find themselves through the intrigue and lies of war. Love, nail-biting-edge-of-your-seat tension and history this book has it all.

After seeing the beautiful cover and reading the story description, I knew I had to read J’nell Ciesielski’s newest book, The Socialite. Set in France in 1941 with German troops occupying the country, I found this slice of history to be fascinating but poignant. Ciesielski’s obvious research and carefully crafted characters shine through and set the stage for a captivating story. Kat Whitford is sent to Paris to bring her sister Eleanor home, while Barrett Anderson is charged with bringing them both home safely. Of course, this doesn’t prove to be an easy task. I enjoyed the witty dialogue and the chemistry between Kat and Barrett. The characters come alive on the page, and the gripping plot is paced well to keep the action going.

With plenty of suspense, intrigue, history, and a dash of romance and inspiration, this story has a little of everything. The uplifting message of courage, hope, and optimism in the face of unfathomable danger makes this an unforgettable tale.

I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy from Thomas Nelson Publishers through NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

A story of a sister's love against the backdrop of the Nazi elite.



Well researched, this book shows a different side of WWII, showing the shocking disparities between the lives of German officers and regular citizens. I wanted so badly to like this book, but found it rather hard for me to get into, with the pacing, the characters being in their heads a lot, and I just wasn't a fan of the romantic relationship.



Kat is a headstrong young woman who fiercely loves her younger sister, Ellie who has chosen a dangerous path, and Kat being the elder is willing to do anything for her sister. She is joined by Barrett, a man hired her father extract her sister as well, and together they are swept into a world of intrigue. At some moments there is a lot going on, and in others the pace was slower, and I questioned choices that the characters made.



I really liked how this book takes a different angle and looks at the high society, the parties, and more, getting closer to the glitz and glamour, as well as the gritty truths underneath.



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



*I would also like to note that this is not a faith focused read.

I had recently read several books by J'nell Ciesielski and found them enjoyable so when I had the opportunity to read her newest book The Socialite I jumped on the opportunity. Ciesielski's prior books were set during World War I and World War II. Her newest follows suit and is set during World War II in Paris. In a nutshell, you have two aristocratic sisters from Britain, a German officer, and a barkeeper who is involved in the resistance and tasked with making sure the sisters get home safely. Lots of tension exists between the sisters, between the two gentleman, and one sister and the barkeeper who try to deny their growing attraction.

All in all, I found The Socialite an enjoyable book that kept me engaged until the very end. However, in some ways it was a bit predictable--partially because I had read Ciesielski's other books and partially because you know how these books are going to turn out. But, there are some surprises that do keep you on your toes and surprise you until the very last page. I did notice that although published by Thomas Nelson, a Christian publishing house, there was no mention of God, church, or anything remotely religious or Christian about the book which is not typical of the Christian fiction genre. I did find that the book was very "clean" without any language or blatant sex. However, Ciesielski definitely indicates physical attraction between two main characters and one sister is definitely the mistress of the German officer. Being set in a war, some violence is present but not overly descriptive. The Socialite is a put your feet up, enjoyable, get lost in a good book story.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received The Socialite from Thomas Nelson Publishing via NetGalley. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.

World War II is in full swing, and Katharine "Kat" Whitford, daughter of Sir Alfred Whitford, is headed to Paris where the Nazis are in full control, to find her younger sister, Ellie. Little does Kat know that her father has contacted a resistance fighter, Barrett Anderson, and offered him money to help get Kat and Ellie back to England.
Filled with dramatic intrigue and 2 romances, Ciesielski once again brought beautiful prose to this story. Her descriptions of Paris and some of the surrounding areas made it easy to picture just what it looked like during this wartime period. Katherine was a determined, young woman who wasn't going to leave Paris without her younger sister, Ellie. But Ellie thought herself in love with a Nazi officer as he showered her with gifts, clothes, party nights etc. It wasn't til an incident with a Jewish man when Eric shot the man that Ellie began to realize that her romance wasn't all roses and sequins. It was nice to see how both girls came into their own through their adventures with Barrett and their escape from France. I absolutely loved the ending as it was definitely a surprise.

Another enjoyable read from this author. Recommended for those who like World War 2 historical fiction combined with romance.

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

This author has a special talent for weaving history and romance together in special characters. That special ability to bring people to life, and show what it was like to live back in time. This time WW2 in Paris, after the German occupation. Kat's sister got herself into Paris and was being kept by a German officer. She was an official organizer of parties for the social elite, a Brit bringing her social talents to the party and living it up to the hilt. Their father sent Kat to bring her home, his wealth and connections getting her into the area. He also hired Barrett to keep them safe, without her knowledge. The story is a balance of the horrors of Hitler and his elite officers and every day life in high social circles, until the shine started coming off, revealing the evil beneath. I don't think I breathed much for the entire last half of the book. I was on edge the whole time. Fabulous story, completely engaging!

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

If you enjoy historical fiction, set in WWII Paris, with a dash of romance, this book is for you. Kat is sent by their father to bring her sister Ellie home. Ellie is caught up in the glitz of Paris with a boyfriend who is a Nazi.

The sisters eventually begin their journey home under the watchful eye of a man their father has employed to bring them home. WWII fiction rarely stresses me out nor do I typically find the genre to be a page-turner. Neither was true with this book. Danger seemed to be around every corner and I could not put it down.

I connected with the characters and found myself worrying about them even when I wasn't reading the book - that's got to be a sign of a good book! The writing was excellent, especially the dialogue.

If you are a fan of Beatriz Williams, you will most likely enjoy this book.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an eCopy and hardcopy of this book in exchange for my unbiased review.

This review will appear on my blog and Instagram as part of a blog tour in a few weeks.

Thank you for NetGalley for this ARC. Kat sneaks into France during the occupation to bring her sister back home to London. The problem is, her sister is dating a high ranking Nazi. Will she be able to convince her sister to leave the lap of luxury this officer has given her? This book was slow to start but the last few chapters were full of suspense! #thesocialite #jnellciesielski #April2020

*I read this book in exchange for an honest review*

AHH let's just soak in that cover for awhile. Seriously, it's amazing! Now I now, this is a low rating. Honestly, the story was captivating and I found the plotline intriguing and kept me reading. I cringed when Hitler was introduced and the reality of the evil of his time as ruler was evident. Nazism is not worth a moments consideration.

Barrett and Kay fascinated me when they were introduced. They were vibrant on their own, but the back and forth of their passion did not win me over. Honestly, it just felt trite. It was supposed to be deep and yet their unwillingness to really have a real relationship before kissing and strong desire, made it frustrating to read through. I'm really sorry because I truly wanted to root for them.

While this is a low rating, I still would recommend for those who enjoy a romantic historical fiction read. Especially World War 2 readers ☺️

Happy reading!

I was sent this book by the publisher, through Netgalley, in exchange for an honest review.
It's taken a few days for me to gather my thoughts about this book, I had a few conflicting feelings...

Set in 1940s France, during Nazi occupation, Kat is sent on a mission by her father to rescue her younger sister Ellie. Ellie is the mistress of a Nazi officer in charge of the art within France. On the first night, Kat attends a party hosted by her sister and bumps into Barrett (literally). Barrett is a Scottish bar-owner who also trains the French resistance.

This book was exciting. There was danger around every corner and there was always some kind of thrill ready to surprise you on the next page. There was romance, which was at times undeniably cute and was able to warm the heart of this romantic.

However, I studied World War II extensively at school. I cannot see how a woman of Kat's standing, no matter how good her father's connections were, would be able to sneak into Nazi-occupied France on a rescue mission. I may be wrong but I like my historical fiction to be relatively plausible. There were some plot points in this book that just did not work for me, unfortunately.

That being said this book was enjoyable, I flew through it and couldn't wait to find out what happened next. It was gripping and I genuinely felt on the edge of my seat wanting to know how the characters would avoid being captured (or worse killed).

In terms of Historical Fiction, learning and reading about World War II is high on my lest of favorite time frames. Set in and during the occupation of France by the Nazis' The Socialite fits right into one of my favorite genres.
Kat Whitford, with thanks to her father's clout, has managed to get herself into Nazi occupied France. The only reason she's there of course is to bring her sister, Ellie, back home. But Ellie isn't about to leave her new life surrounded by glitz, glamour, and on the arm of one of the Nazis officers. It's going to take Kat a lot more than she originally anticipated to get her sister out of France. Good thing Barrett is on her side. A bar owner, French resistant trainer, and currently employed by Kat's father, he has been tasked with helping get Kat and her sister back to England safely. Before he can do that though, he'll need to use the girl's distinguished name to gather even more precious information for the allies. But when his duty turns into love, he will risk everything to see that no harm comes to Kat.
Character wise, the relationship between Kat and Barrett was the saving grace of this story for me. Ellie was a complete nightmare. I don't enjoy reading about whiney and entitled characters and honestly Ellie was the worst. It play well within the plot of the story but I could have done with a lot less of her nonsense. Kat as well is extremely naive to the way the rest of the world is suffering through the war, and I found this to be an interesting take on the story. It also plays a lot into what I've learned about the Holocaust. The concentration camps, really were the best kept secret the Nazis held for most of the War.
However, the relationship between Barrett and Kat was extremely well written. The mix of their budding romance created just the right amount of tension to really give the story emotion. My only complaint between the two of them, was their dialogue generally seemed to be too modern sounding, in my opinion. They also seemed to constantly be talking about their hatred for the Nazis, while being probably standing next to them. A little more caution from their perspectives would have brought a more reality into the story.
While I definitely knew there would be a 'happy ending' to the book, I wasn't really expecting the tipping point to happen the way it did and I'm not sure I actually liked it. Overall, I did enjoy this book, but it's not my favorite World War II historical fiction book. It was a lot less about World War II and much more about recusing a girl who really didn't care to be rescued in the first place. I'd recommend this book to folks who like a historical fiction book that is much heavier on fiction than based in reality.

Danger, adventure, and romance interweave to forge a gripping piece of historical fiction in occupied France.

Having read and enjoyed other stories by Ciesielski, I was intrigued to learn of her new WWII novel set in Paris. I really enjoy her style of writing which always involves a lot of adventure yet is rounded in romance. With The Socialite, there were parts of the novel that I loved, and parts that I didn’t care for.

What I love about the book was the hero and heroine. Both were very strong, brave people who had noble intentions. Ciesielski’s heroines tend to be more adventurous, daring, and independent and I love that. Likewise, her heroes are always good and complimentary matches and in the case of The Socialite, this is no different. The romance between them was swoon-worthy (the ending will have you sighing happily) and gave the story a much-needed bright spot.

I came to this book knowing it would not be a light-hearted romp. However, I was a bit taken aback by some of the more graphic scenes. There were a few chunks of the book that I skipped over because there was too much violence and it was vividly described. I point this out not to condemn the author, but to warn more sensitive readers (like myself!) that this book does contain violence. Potential readers should take these things into consideration.

Overall I think The Socialite is a solid novel. Perhaps it isn’t for every reader, but those who are interested in reading about occupied France will want to check this one out.

All opinions expressed in this review are my own. Thank you to Thomas Nelson and NetGalley for my complimentary copy.

A quick read that deals with some heavy subjects. Touches on a lot of what went on in WW2 and while not all the characters are lovable they are painted well and develop somewhat over the course of the novel. Kat and Anderson are a likable pair whose emotions, appropriately, do not get the better of them when they’re on the run. Recommended for fans of historical fiction.