It was interesting to see resistance from inside the “inner circle” of the Nazis but the historical fiction aspect fell a little flat for me. It was really my investment in the romance that kept me reading and even then I wasn’t fully invested until past the halfway mark.

I would have liked to see more details of the glitz and glamor described in the blurb. You wouldn’t even know it’s set in Paris unless you had read it in the blurb.

The one thing I just could not get over was how often the main characters openly talked about their operation against the nazis while quite literally surrounded by Nazis. It seemed to be very unrealistic for people to criticize the regime while standing mere feet away from Hitler himself.

Overall it was an okay read but definitely not my favorite historical fiction.

The Socialite by J’nell Ciesielski is an excellent historical fiction novel. This book literally has it all: history, romance, adventure, passion, and has definitely drawn me into its pages from beginning to end.

Yes, this is a WWII era book, but this book has so much more. It sets itself apart from the rest in several ways:

1. The plot itself (which you can read from the synopsis) is actually interesting and unique.

2. Kat and Barrette are excellent main characters. Their personalities, histories, and chemistry are amazing. I like the complexity and fire rhat ignites each of them.

3. The plot is actually unique and refreshing. There are several twists and turns that I did not see coming...bravo!

4. The excellent prose and descriptions that the author used to give the reader an inside to the characters thoughts and motivations, as well as the descriptions of the landscapes and locations were so amazing that I literally felt like I was there. I was beyond impressed with the way the author was able to create such beautiful text and images throughout the book.

This was an amazing read that grabbed me from the beginning and kept me enraptured until the end. It will be one of my favorite books this year.

5/5 stars Enthusiastically recommend.

Thank you NetGalley and Thomas Nelson for this excellent ARC and in return I am submitting my unbiased and voluntary review and opinion.

I am posting this review to my GR and Bookbub accounts immediately and will post it to my Amazon and B&N accounts upon publication.

I am quite conflicted in my response to this book. It occasionally felt over-wrought with emotion and too predictable in its descriptions of the over-confident and arrogant invading Nazis. And yet, there is the need to “never forget” and the descriptions of their atrocious behavior are perhaps necessary to keep the memory alive.

The love stories at the heart of this book were compelling and I loved the evolution of the title character from haughty aristocrat to feisty fighter. Overall, I enjoyed the book and it’s story. But, most of all, I appreciated the reminder that our freedom is precious and worth fighting for— whether it is personal or nationalistic.

Saving my sister from the Nazi

"The Socialite" is a book filled with suspense, adventure and life and death choices. It is the story of love between two sisters and the romance between those sisters and their men on different sides of the political scene. Ellie is in love with a Nazi officer and Kat falls in love with a Scottish resistance fighter named Barrett.

Kat travels from England to Paris to rescue her sister Ellie who has run away and is now living with a Nazi officer name Eric. Kat must persuade her sister to give up her Nazi lover and return home. Unknown to her Kat's father has hired a certain Scottish bar owner to not only look out for her but a handsome reward if he makes sure both sisters arrive back home safely.

Their escapes across Paris on their way to home are adventure filled. From a Scottish bar, to a dinner with Hitler, to hiding in the sewers to an abandoned barn in the country the thrills just keep coming. The book is a page turner and you won't want to put it down until it is finished.

I enjoyed the journey this book took and the ending was the best. I would recommend this book to anyone wanting to read a good book.

Thanks to J'Nell Ciesielski, Thomas Nelson Publishing, and NetGalley for allowing me to read an advance copy of the book.

The author takes you on an emotional journey through a multitude of emotions not the least of which are love, heartache, treachery, and fear. It culminates in love that transcends time and love. The ending leaves you feeling emotionally drained A book you'll not soon forget.

This is the story of 2 sisters in France during WW2. One sister is sent by their father from England to bring the other sister home from Paris, where she is involved with a Nazi officer, who's wining and dining her with hopes that she will use her family's influence to get more support in England for Germany. The sister sent does not know, however, that her father also hired a Resistance operator to help her save her sister. Read the story...

Oh my goodness, why can I not give this book more than five stars? Holy. Moly. I pretty much adored everything about it—the beautiful writing, the witty dialogue, the romance (😍😍😍), the way I was instantly plunged into the time period and setting...I could NOT stop reading. The plot moved along perfectly—lots of action, but also moments when things slowed down enough for us to get a deeper glimpse of Kat and Barrett's hearts and minds, backstories and fears. I truly loved everything about this book and now I'm ready to gobble up anything and everything else by J'nell Ciesielski!

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Thomas Nelson through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Wow this book was really intense and it made me love it even more. This book had drama, action and betrayal in every page that you read. I have never been more engaged in a book as The Socialite. Kat and Ellie are daughters of Sir Alfred Whitford and that comes with responsibilities. Kat looks up to it and sticks to it, while Ellie is a rebel and wants to be free. While finding her sister, Kat discovers that Ellie is now the girlfriend for a Nazi soldier that has given her the life of luxury and protection. While in searching, Kat meets Barrett Anderson who was arrested and now to protect himself, forced to train future Nazi soldiers and remain in disguise as a bar owner. They encounter one another from Sir Whitford and pays Barrett a fortune to protect them. Kat and Barrett to grow some affection for one another but their encounter could break the war in a new turn that will not end well for the both of them. This long kept secret could be their undoing. I almost stopped breathing when I got close to the end and I was so overcome with excitement that I can't wait to share this title with our library community.

We will consider adding this title to our Historical Fiction collection at our library. That is why we give this book 5 stars.