Historical fiction is one of my favorite genres and after reading The Socialite I love it just a little bit more. Set in Paris during the second WW this novel has everything a reader could want, an intriguing plot, glamour and family who are prepared to go to great lengths to bring a loved one back to her family and to save her from a dangerous and unsavory life.

Kat is sent by her father to bring her sister, Ellie home but there is a slight problem with their plan. Ellie doesn’t want to give up her carefree lifestyle she shares with her Nazi boyfriend no matter how much coaxing she receives from Kat. Luckily, they are befriended by Barrett Anderson who has secrets of his own which added another layer to this beautifully written novel.

Overall, I thought the suspense, romance and dialogue were terrific and the characters were interesting which held my interest from beginning to end.
I received a copy from the publisher through Netgalley. All opinions are completely my own.

I received a digital ARC from Netgalley.

I love historical fiction, especially WWII. I love it so much, that I’m willing to look past minor details, and I can make some leaps of faith. The big issue I had with The Socialite was the basic plot. A spoiled, English socialite runs away from her family to occupied Paris and shacks up with a Nazi Officer. How did she get in to Paris? England and Germany are at war. How did she hook up with a Nazi Officer? There is some mention later that perhaps they are trying to get information from her, but nothing really comes out of that. Then, in order to bring her back to England, the socialite’s father sends her equally spoiled sister to retrieve her? And they both have forged papers? It was almost too much to get past.

But, I will say that Ms. Ciesielski’s writing is very good and kept me going. I would love to read something of hers with a little more depth to it.

In the end, the plot was thin and unbelievable.

Thank you to Netgalley, the publishers and the author for a preview of this novel.

Thank you to NetGalley for an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Whew! This eARC has been in my TBR for a few weeks because I didn’t know what to expect, but it did not disappoint. This is probably one of the most riveting and engaging World War II historical fiction I’ve read. Much of the story takes place in Nazi occupied France and it takes you to the inner circle of Hitler as the protagonist fights to free her sister from the Nazis’ hold. It had me hooked from the very first pages and kept me on my toes through all the twists and turns. There is plenty of wartime suspense woven in with a love story you can’t help but root for. This will be the perfect summer read and historical fiction fans will devour this book. 🌟🌟🌟🌟.5

Another World War II historical fiction, but this one felt unique and different. Two sisters are in Paris, France and one has become quite close to a Nazi general and the other is trying to get her sister out and return to the safety of their family home. With secrets galore this story is about love and family in a time that isn't easy for France and the world.

I have read many a book set both in this time and this place, but this one felt so different from the crowd. Through the eyes of the privileged, but they interact with all sorts of people in the book. This sounds weird to say, but I loved reading of their interactions with Hitler and his wife. The dinner at his home and their conversations were so interesting. I don't know that I have ever read a historical fiction book that had him included in the story. I believe it was right for the author to include him since her lover would obviously have interacted with him and I am thankful that the author gave us the reader that inside glimpse.

The story was a great combination of women's fiction with a good mystery inside. The pacing was so great, I just kept reading and reading. It had the feel of a great heist at the end and I loved that part.

This was my first read from J'nell Ciesielski and I will have to check out her backlist to read another one or more.

What I Loved:
I loved the writing in this story! I felt completely sucked into the characters and the story. The mixture of action and relationships was perfect. It was wonderfully written and had a great romance subplot that I thoroughly enjoyed!

How I Felt:
The writing was beautifully done. The story felt fast-paced, but at times, there was a nice pace change that gave me enough time to settle in and understand the premise and the characters. The story was intriguing and filled will secrets and dangerous situations as well as such a lovely romance.

The characters were extremely interesting. J’nell Ciesielski has a way of creating characters that you care about and invest in. Barrett and Kat made a great couple with chemistry that was intoxicating. I enjoyed reading about their individual histories as well as their relationship.

Overall, this story had an excellent setting with an exciting plot of rescue, espionage, and romance. I enjoyed the entire story and look forward to reading future books by J’nell Ciesielski.

To Read or Not To Read:
I would recommend The Socialite to any historical fiction fans that enjoy stories during WWII with a romance subplot.

I was provided an advanced reader's copy of this book for free. I am leaving my review voluntarily.

The Socialite tells the story of two English sisters caught up in the mix of espionage and passion in Paris during WWII. As older sister Kat seeks to remove younger sister Ellie from the center of Nazi lies and intrigue, they both find themselves in more danger than they know how to handle. As each of the sisters struggle with romance, they each also discover resources from within themselves that neither knew existed. This book pulls you into the inner circles of the Nazis while also showcasing the important roles of Resistance fighters. The book will keep you on your toes, anxious to find out what happens next! GREAT book!

This was so good! I really enjoyed it. I will admit, I had a hard time getting into it, but that was probably due to my malaise regarding life right now, and not this book. Once I did get into it, I hung on every word. I thought it was well-written and enjoyable, with a unique and engaging plot.

I received a copy of this book in order to facilitate a review. I was not required to leave a review, positive or otherwise. All opinions are my own.

It's 1941. Ellie and Kat, while sisters, are very different in almost every way. Now, Ellie's decamped to Paris because she's in love with Erich, a Nazi officer. She's also working for the Reich and she's cavorting around with them. Kat, the more straight-laced sister, finds herself in the position of having to bring Ellie home to the UK. Barrett, the Scotsman she's working with, is being paid by their father to keep both women safe but he's got a growing attraction to Kat. This blends romance into the dram and it does it nicely. Those familiar with the Mitford sisters might see echoes of those women here. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. A good read for fans of historical fiction.

Whilst I might be shallow in loving a beautiful cover, I was instantly immersed in this story from the first page. The Socialite, set in Paris in the 1940s follows two sisters, Kat and Ellie Whitford. Kate has been sent to Paris by her father, fearing that with the occupation by the Nazis, her sister Ellie may never get out. However, Ellie is in a relationship with a Nazi officer, Eric, who Kate fears has almost brainwashed Ellie into believing the party propaganda. She soon befriends Barrett Anderson, owner of a local club, who unbeknownst to Kat, has been hired by her father to help the girls get back to England. Barrett, a Scotsman, has been working with the British government, training resistance fighters and seems the perfect match for Kat. Yet the longer that they stay, the harder their escape becomes.
The relationship between Kat and Ellie was interesting and their loving but at times, tense relationship had me wishing to throttle Ellie many a time. Talk about being quite realistic. As the story progressed and the action intensified, I almost wondered whether there would be a positive ending. Barrett and Kat make for such a great couple. Their amazing romance was never overshadowed by the dangerous situation, and in many ways gave the story greater complexity. There is such intricacy in the detail and in some instances, didn’t shy away from quite difficult scenes. This is a book that had me reading late into the night and I was engrossed from beginning to end.
I received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

The Socialite is a story of a a woman, Kat, doing whatever it takes to bring her sister home to the safety of England. I had high hopes for this book. It seemed like it had all the elements of a great historical fiction novel: a war torn family, hidden secrets, and a storyline about finding love. But somehow, despite all the elements, the story fell flat. I did not have an emotional connection to the characters, the dialogue was hard to follow at times, and I did not always follow the plot. There were so many opportunities for depth (they spent a weekend at Hitler's house as guests!) and yet...it did not reach past the surface. It was a fine book. My general feeling about it is just a sense of apathy.

Thanks to NetGalley and Thomas Nelson for an advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.

I think my WWII women's fiction novel fatigue has set in and it takes something extra-special for me to really get invested in it. This book was average and honestly the plot seemed a little far fetched.

I’m going to be honest, I picked up The Socialite for two reasons: the cover and the author. The Socialite’s cover is simply stunning. The title, the scenery, makes you wonder what the books about.

The Socialite has such a unique premise, imo, when it comes to WWII books that it quickly engages you and makes you wonder what will happen. Will Ellie see her boyfriend’s true colors? Will Kat succeed in her mission?

Throw in the charming Scot, Barrett Anderson, and I was in for the ride this story was sure to take me on. And it did! There were scenes that had me nervous, holding my breath, and scenes that were breathtakingly beautiful.

All in all, I enjoyed this unique look into WWII.

*I received a complimentary copy from the publisher via NetGalley. My review is not required nor influenced.

The Socialite by J’nell Ciesielski
Source: NetGalley and Thomas Nelson
Rating: 2½/5 stars

**MINI-REVIEW**

The Bottom Line: If I’m being completely honest, I found this book to be rather forgettable. The very premise is somewhat weak, a young headstrong English socialite has taken up with a high-ranking Nazi in Paris. When her family wants her home and out of the clutches of the Nazi regime, they send the socialite’s sister who becomes entangled with a resistance fighter to free themselves and her sister from the clutches of evil. In a time period ripe for truly intriguing, vibrant, and engrossing stories, this one falls short for me in so many ways. Within a day of having finished this book, it was gone from my memory and that is never a good sign for a book. This is a genre and time period that is full of excellent reads so I find myself saying to you, dear reader, skip this one and search for something different.

This is a story of the love between sisters.Kat goes to Paris to bring her sister Ellie back home.
Since they are British socialites and can move freely in German society in occupied France they Pick up a lot of information .
A nice read,lots of information,well researched
Thankyou Netgalley for this ARC

Historical fiction readers will probably enjoy this well researched book. I usually love this type of book but this one a hard to get through. I found Ellie extremely annoying and immature. A father sending his daughter into France to retrieve the younger daughter did not ring true. Just an okay read.

In the 1940s Ellie and Kat live a luxurious life in England, but Ellie rebels at the strict rules set by her parents and heads for Paris. After France is occupied and Ellie is working for, and is a mistress to, a Natzi, Kat is sent to bring her home. To insure no harm comes to his daughter, Sir Alfred covertly makes a contract with a Barrett Anderson, a Scottish bartender, who is in Paris to teach the French Resistance how to fight. The British then decided to use the sisters to infiltrate the upper echelon of Hitler's leaders and spy for them. What started as a simple extraction mission turns into espionage and great danger for Ellie, Kat, and Barrett.

The Socialite by J'nell Ciesielski tells the story of their escapades as they navigate the dangerous path of occupied France. Along the way Barrett, a social nobody, and Kat cannot deny the attraction for one another, but Kat is wary of any relationship because once her father "bought" a man for her. Can Barrett get the girls safely back to England? Can Kat and Barrett overcome their differences and learn to trust one another? This is a different take on WWII fiction. Not everything in the story is nice, but then everything in occupied France was not nice. I was allowed to read this book on NetGalley. It will be released April 14.

The Socialite is an intriguing and romantic historical fiction set in the WWII time period. From the first few chapters, you are hooked by the writing and imagery.

We meet Kat as she tries to bring her sister home from Paris. She meets a man named Barrett who is supposed to protect her and Kat's sister. In the process of trying to save Ellie, Kat and Barrett begin to form a unique bond that was so unexpected.

It tackles the subject of the Nazis and the author gives us a sense of what each character is thinking during this time. Kat and Barrett's decisions are stressful and risky which makes the read so thrilling.

I give The Socialite 4 stars. It is a fascinating historical fiction that captures a great sense of tense moments during WWII. The imagery J'nell uses in her writing depicts Paris in a real and beautiful manner. The characters are charming and so is their romance.

With a setting of Nazi occupied France during World War Two, a plot that focuses around two English socialite sisters that find themselves caught in the snares of a Nazi officer, and a dangerous plan involving the Secret Intelligence Service to infiltrate Hitler's closest circle, The Socialite is a read that will surely delight many readers who choose to pick it up. I honestly expected one of those readers to be me. World War Two is usually one of my favorite time periods of historical fiction, and I loved the premise of this one being about a courageous young woman who ends up helping the SIS with their dangerous missions in France. Unfortunately, this one didn't end up being anything like what I was expecting, and it's one review book that I came very close to not finishing.

You can tell throughout the story that the author researched every single historical point mentioned throughout the story, and it never comes across as inauthentic or misrepresented. I thought it felt like it was being told by an authentic voice, and the setting does make the reader feel like they're right there with Kat and Barrett experiencing all the horrors that followed anywhere the Nazi's occupied during this horrific time in our world's history. It was also an interesting approach for a novel set during this time period in the fact that it's set from an insider's perspective as Kat and her sister Ellie find themselves welcomed into a Nazi circle, and see a very different side to what life what like during this time.

Unfortunately, this book just didn't end up working for me. I found the story was extremely slow moving, and the plot quickly became muddled. I grew bored with this one quickly, and it ended up taking me a week and a half to finish it, which is almost unheard of for me. I couldn't ever get into the story, and by the end I was just forcing myself to finish it so I could see how it all wrapped up. While I enjoyed the setting and the unique take on the World War Two time period, certain parts of it ended up seeming unrealistic. I found it kind of hard to believe that Kat and Barrett kept having conversations about their plans involving the SIS or performing actions in favor of such, all while right under the Nazi's noses. It didn't seem like something an organization would truly have done since they really made no efforts to cover their tracks during any of these conversations.

I expected to really enjoy the romance, since I did find myself amused by Kat and Barrett's first meeting. However, it ended up feeling rushed and not fully developed to me, and as such, I wasn't truly invested in whether these characters ever ended up together or not. I can't conclude this review without mentioning the fact that this is another title put out by a Christian publisher that really reads entirely like a secular story. There's next to no faith or spiritual content, and that's a fact I personally found really disappointing.

While World War Two is usually one of my fave time periods in historical fiction, this one ended up being a disappointment for me. It heavily reminded me of The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah, and that's another book that I ended up really not enjoying. I'm sure this particular story will appeal to a wide variety of readers, but for me personally it wasn't a favorite and I've definitely read much better historical fiction set during this period.

Final Rating: 2/5

Thanks so much to Thomas Nelson and NetGalley for allowing me to advance read this!

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advance reader copy of this novel from the publisher (Thomas Nelson) via NetGalley. I was not required to give a positive review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

What a fun, delightful, engaging read, with a gorgeous cover! While most WWII books are understandably heavy, this book presents the darker aspects of espionage amidst terrible evil with a touch of a lighter tone, which makes for a smoother and tad bit lighter read (which I greatly appreciate during this Coronavirus craziness). I have really enjoyed this book and look forward to recommending it to others!

This was an enjoyable book. It took me a little bit to get into the story, but once I was caught up in the story I couldn't put it down. The book reads like a drama which allowed for development of the characters. Kat has a heart of love for her sister that drives her to face the dangers of working behind enemy lines. Kat finds a unlikely partner in Barrett. Both are from opposite ends of the social ladder, yet they work together. Both learn from one another as they face the dangers to their lives and their livelihoods. I recommend this book to those that love deep characters, WW2 fiction, romance, and intrigue.
I received a copy of this book from Thomas Nelson through NetGalley. This is my honest and voluntary review.