This is essentially a non-essential money-making exercise off a dead actress, but maybe it will help people come to terms with their own grief and confusion over sudden parental loss.

Thanks to the publisher for the ARC.

Thank you, Ms. Wagner, for sharing your story. It is hard to think of a woman losing her mother at such a young age. I have always enjoyed the films of Natalie Wood. I was pleased to be able to read this book by her daughter. It mist have been bittersweet to write. I am so glad she did. I highly recommend this book to fans and newcomers alike.

I've always been a huge fan of Natalie Wood's and have always been intrigued by both her career and by her mysterious, tragic death. This book is a great accompaniment to the documentary that Gregson Wagner also produced. Both focus on Wood's life and the most important role she ever took on - that of mother. Gregson Wagner has a really clear, well-paced style of writing. There still seemed to be an air of suspense even though I've read a lot about Wood already (and we all know how her story ended). It was especially intriguing to hear Gregson Wagner write about the tabloid aspect of Wood's death and how new accusations arose from her sister that Wood was murdered (even though her sister mostly seemed to want to capitalize off of her sister's fame and misfortune). I used to be very suspicious of Wood's death, but hearing Gregson Wagner's take on things, it seems more clear to me that her death was simply a horrible accident that no one could have prevented. I love that Gregson Wagner was able to capture so much of her mother's spirit on the page - it was easy to see why she was so beloved and why her death caused such an enormous impact on her loved ones. I'd recommend this book to anyone who loves classic Hollywood or who is interested in learning how grief (especially when it's public) can traumatize an entire family. I'm so glad Gregson Wagner was able to reach a place of healing, enough to write this wonderful book.

Always been fasinated by Natlie Wood felt so bad for her daughter thru this book even after all these years i could cry thinking about it all

more than love is a beautiful memorial from daughter to mother. I'll be honest and say the only thing I knew about Natalie Wood is her tragic death. Natasha does a great job at presenting Natalie as a mother and regular person. I can't imagine the heartbreak that Natasha has endured, and the turmoil of having to deal with rumors so many decades later. This book was really well written & interesting read.

Natalie wood is one of my favourite actresses but this is this first biography written about her. Written by her daughter I found it fascinating and did not find it sugar coated as many written by family are.

I always love a memoir, and I felt Natasha Wagner did a beautiful job memorializing her mother. She was real, she was true to her mother's life, her Baba's life, and her own journey. I know Natalie Wood was beloved by many, so it was fun to see what she was like in her home, a sweet mother, fun entertainer, and gifted actress.

A truly lovely tribute to her mother. Natasha Gregson Wagner gives the reader a poignant, painful, and heartwarming look into what life was like with her mother and then what it was like without her. I've been a diehard fan of Natalie Wood since I was 12 years old and saw West Side Story for the first time, and I've devoured most of Natalie's filmography, documentaries on her, books, etc. etc., but for the first time, this book gives a different view into the complicated world of one of the world's most talented actresses in history. The pictures throughout are pictures I've never seen before, and I absolutely treasured getting to learn about Natalie the mother, a Natalie who hasn't been explored in depth in the past. And who better to do that than her daughter Natasha? This is a lovely book and a must read for any Natalie fan.

I am still reading this but am not sure I will be finishing. It's ok. I think it would be most interesting for someone older who lived during this time and remembers Natalie Wood.

Natasha Gregson Wagner was only eleven years old when her mother, the beautiful and talented actress Natalie Wood, drowned in a boating accident off the coast of Catalina Island. In this memoir, Natasha pays tribute to her mother as she also writes about coming to terms with her grief over the loss.

Her mother’s loss was devastating to the family. Then rumors began to spread which cast doubt on the cause of death. Natasha poignantly describes how painful it was to try and deal with her mother’s loss while living in the public spotlight.

This is an emotional and powerful coming of age story that is beautifully told as Natasha, after more than thirty years, finally finds peace and is able to move forward.

At the same time, she sheds light on the life of the real Natalie Wood who was a devoted daughter, mother, wife, and friend as well as a vivacious, funny, caring, and warm woman.

Thank you to NetGalley, Simon & Schuster, and author Natasha Gregson Wagner for giving me the opportunity to read the ARC of this memoir.

Link to New York Times Book Review, Summer Reading Issue, below.

https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2020/books/hollywood-summer.html

I loved Natalie Woods and wanted to be her when I was younger. This story, written by her daughter, didn't disappoint. She was a beloved daughter, wife and mother. This book showed her as a real person, the beautiful soul she was. It also puts to rest the rumors that Robert Wagner killed his wife. Wonderfully written this was a pleasant read.

As I started reading this book, I crossed my fingers that it wouldn't be a poorly-written 'tell all' or- on the other hand - just a gushing and sanitized account of one of the most famous actresses of our time. Thankfully, it was neither. Instead, it is a well-written and clear accounting of a real person - not just Natalie the actress, but Natalie the daughter, wife, friend and mother. Sure, there's a bit of rose-colored glasses as Natasha understandably emphasizes Natalie's good points. But she doesn't shy away from some of Natalie's character flaws.

As well as a book about Natalie Wood, this is just as much about Natasha herself and how losing her mother at such an early age shaped her life. We learn a lot about Natasha, her 'Daddy Wagner', her sisters, and the many friends that filled Natalie and R.J.'s life. I believe, as Natasha does, that Natalie's death was an accident and I hate to see the unfounded accusations brought against Robert Wagner hurting him and his family.

This book is an unflinching look at the life of a child of movie stars - and shows that life is not always easy. Natasha seems to have become a stable and centered person and it was interesting to read her story.

As the title suggests, this is a beautifully written “intimate portrait” of the author’s famous mother, Natalie Wood - but it is also a coming-of-age story about the author herself (who is Natalie’s daughter, Natasha Gregson Wagner).

Natasha talks about what life was like growing up as the daughter of an adored award-winning actress, having two dads, losing her mom at such a crucial point in her life, and dealing with the many different familial and personal issues along the way (like her dad, RJ Wagner, being accused of killing her mom for decades [especially by Natalie’s own sister, who wants to reopen the case], her own marriage issues, and her sister’s nearly-fatal addiction issues, to name a few). In this book, you also learn so many things about Natalie that have never been shared with the world before. It delves into her childhood and how she started as a child star (essentially at the behest of her mother), her issues with depression and subsequent overdose attempt, her marriage issues, how she got some of her lauded movie roles, etc. Ultimately, the “intimate portrait” that Natasha ends up painting of her mother is a very humanizing, candid, and admiring one.

Natasha has succeeded at writing the most endearing, heartfelt memoir as a tribute to her mother & also at writing her own captivating story about love, loss, and self-rediscovery. Her strength and courage shine through on every page.

Thank you to Scribner and Netgalley for the e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I adored Natalie Wood growing up. She is my all-time favorite actress. I remember when she died. I was in the grocery store and saw a headline of a rag at the checkout that she died. I said to my husband "look at the stuff they make up!" Well, I was sadly wrong.
She is frozen in time to the rest of us as the beautiful young woman and actress. But to her family she was all that and so much more.
Natasha writes about a lot- her Mom, of course, but how she dealt with that most significant of losses at such a tender age. I don't know how she turned out as well as she's appeared to. It read to me like a really crazy life. I may be wrong but I felt throughout the book that she had to raise herself. If Filky hadn't been a stable presence in her life I don't think she would have had anyone to keep her grounded. Her two Dads were terribly self-absorbed (this is the sense I got. She never said that. On the contrary she spoke highly of both.) But to be honest, Robert Wagner did not impress me at all reading her story. Gifts, trips, and I love yous do not take the place of being present for a child. I'm not even sure how much her Mom was present for her.
Natasha has a keen insight into her inner workings but she worked hard for this and deserves much happiness and peace going forward.
I loved this book. Beautifully written, honest, and tender.
Thank you to Netgalley for giving me this free book. All opinions are strictly mine .

This is the perfect Mother's Day gift ! I loved reading this and thank the publisher and Net Galley for the opportunity. My review opinion is my own.

Natasha Gregson Wagner, the daughter of actress Natalie Wood was 11 when her Mother passed away. She writes here of that tragic loss yes but also of the Mother Natalie was and how important her family was to her. Natasha has heartfelt memories she shares here of her Mother. I loved that she put to rest those nasty rumors about her Step Father Robert Wagner and how she so eloquently describes their relationship and discussion of the impact of Natalie's death on the entire family.

For every Mother and daughter this is a story of a family bound by their love for one another. It is also the story of who Natalie really was away from the cameras. This is the perfect gift for anyone who grew up in the era of Natalie Wood and is intrigued by her story. Very well done to the author.
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Natasha Gregson Wagner is the daughter of Natalie Wood. This book is not just a biography of her mother, it is also Ms. Gregson Wagner's own story and to some degree that of her stepfather, Robert Wagner and her younger sister, Courtney as well. Each of them was deeply affected by Natalie's death in their own way. Anyone who ever doubted Natalie Wood and Robert Wagner's love for each other or thought he could possibly have had anything to do with her 1981 drowning will come away from this book convinced of the former and disavowed of the latter. All in all, It is a very well written well balanced book. Although, the author clearly loved her mother very deeply and had a close relationship with her, the book is not an over sentimentalization portraying her mother as some angelic figure. The author presents a very realistic view of her mother recognizing both her strengths and weaknesses. She also shines a spotlight on her own journey from over attached child to floundering motherless teenager and young adult to confident self-sufficient adult with a daughter of her own. It gives hope to anyone suffering a great loss particularly at such a young age that life continues and they will eventually be able to find their own way.

I absolutely adored this book. Well written, hits you in the “feels”, quick read but covers a lifetime. The bond between Mother and Daughter, nobody understands it as well as one who has experienced it. When it is broken in the physical world, there are no words. Tooshie did a wonderful job by her Mom, with her telling of this story. I think its release today, in the month of May, adds to it’s heartwarming vibe all the more.

A daughter, coping with the loss of her one and only, Momma. It can’t get any deeper. Highly recommended and I am beyond appreciative that I was given this opportunity to read it, review it and share my positive feedback with you all. Pick up a copy today!

Natasha Gregson Wagner, daughter of actress Natalie Wood, has written More Than Love, the story of her mother’s life, her family, and her death. Natasha was 11-years-old when her mother drowned off Catalina Island in 1981, and she has amazing recall of that dark time in her life. Her insight is like no other who has shared Natalie Wood’s biography.

“More than love” was a phrase Natalie and her husband Robert Wagner used instead of the more common “love you” because they thought their connection was more than love. The memoir is a strong defense for Wagner who has been accused from time to time regarding Wood’s death.

Readers get an insider’s look at what it was like to live with famous acting parents in Hollywood. Both blunt and heart-wrenching, the account sets straight the love affair between Wood and Wagner as witnessed by Natasha.

Natasha Gregson Wagner, an actress herself, has written a book that will be a must-have for Natalie Wood fans. I was impressed with the level of writing and insight presented therein.

My review will be posted on Goodreads starting May 5, 2020.

I’d like to thank Scribner and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC in return for an objective review.

As a fan of Natalie Wood, I have to say this was a lovely book. How perfect that it is being released just before Mother's Day. The love of a mother and daughter never diminishes and this book is proof of that fact. I recall my own mother being moved by the loss of Natalie Wood at such a young age. This will make a great gift for her.

Natasha Gregson Wagner gives the reader a glimpse into what it was like to be the daughter of such a beloved American icon. The loss of her Mother at the tender age of 11 has affected every moment of her life.

Such a sweet love letter to the Mother she misses. Excellent Book!!!