"The Godmothers" is set in Greenwich Village, before, during and after World War II. The novel follows four very different women, the daughter and daughters-in-law of a wealthy Italian family. Though they have little in common at first, they become godmothers to each other's children and family secrets soon bind them close.

The women all come together to help their husbands when needed. They solve problems in the family business - tangling with big-time gangsters to do so - when the men are away at war. Each has her strength, and these talents are powerful when combined. Together, they keep their children safe and all their skeletons in the closets where they belong.

A grand historical novel about the luxuries and dangers of being associated with big time crime bosses. Four sisters in-law, all godmother to each others children, are left to handle the family business during WWII. Full of suspense, romance and secrets, this book is a page turner.

The Godmothers by Camille Aubray is a historical fiction novel about the intertwined lives of four sisters-in-law who are part of a large Italian-American family and who have ties to "The Family." Having grown up in the 1970's on Staten Island, many of the names in the book were quite familiar. But more than a novel about the mob, it's an intergenerational family story, spanning the 1930's to the 1950's and featuring strong female characters with their own secrets, loyalties, and foibles. The main characters: Petrina, Lucy, Amie, and Filomena work ceaselessly in a male-dominated and patriarchal family and businesses to ensure their children's future success and safety. My only quibble was the set-up for the narrative--asking one of the godmother's if there are any skeletons in the family closet in the face of a federal background check. I don't think that was really needed. The story of the Godmothers was more than enough. All in all, a fun, fast-paced read, which will be a welcome addition to anyone's summer reading list as the novel releases in June. Thank you to William Morrow for the advance copy.

Four women in a family with mob ties rise to the challenge when their men are out of the picture. Set in New York from the 1930s to the 1950s, this is a rich and eventful story featuring several real-life crime bosses and other notable figures.

The women - three married into the family and one the patriarch's daughter - are distinct and realistic characters who overcome numerous troubles as they try to extricate themselves from the mob. (The narrative framing is a daughter inquiring if there's anything in her family history to jeopardize a government background check, and every time a new crisis arose I thought, there goes that State Department job!) The mass arrests at the 1957 Apalachin mob meeting make a neat coda to the tale, though the main characters have a rather tenuous reason for being there.

Recommended for those who enjoy historical fiction with multi-layered female characters who aren't necessarily always squeaky clean.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the review copy.

What an absolutely fantastic novel!

After reading the synopsis for The Godmothers my interest was piqued and I knew I had to get my hands on this novel. Well let me say, I am truly blown away by just how unputdownable this book is, I was literally consumed it! Camille Aubray told this addictive tale through several women’s perspectives that alternated throughout the book. Camille Aubray does a wonderful job giving every character their own voice and unique background so there isn’t any character confusion, I really think this writing style really enhanced the storyline! And speaking of the storyline, I was amazed how organically this story flowed! I was on the hook from the very first page and loved feeling like I was a fly on the wall through everything Camille Aubray had planned for the ladies. The Godmothers is a solid 5 star novel that I highly recommend! This is the first novel I have read from Camille Aubray, but I cannot wait to read more from her!

An excellent book that had me intrigued until the very end. I enjoyed reading the back stories of the Godmothers and how they came together to guide and protect their family.

The Godmothers by Camille Aubray is an excellent historical fiction saga that has it all: excellent historical elements, suspense, romance, generational family saga, impressive cast of well-developed female characters, and kept me engaged from beginning to end.

This book has so much, and encompasses so many individual stories that all entwine and intercept within the same family tapestry. We get to follow along within a family through the decades beginning in the 1930s and see all of the obstacles, triumphs, loves, losses, forged relationships, loyalties created, and lies, deceptions, heartbreaks, and overall changes. Through it all, we see a family change, grow, alter, and move throughout the years just as the world and society move around them.

It was fascinating to be able to read a narrative that encompasses so many strong, formidable, passionate, intelligent, complex, and well-written female cast all drawn together and pushed apart as external and internal sources intercede.

We get to see how this specific Italian/American family that is larger then life work, love, live, and raise one another’s families within NYC in such pivotal times of change: mainly the 40s-50s, the war, the mafia, the societal roles and expectations changing so rapidly.

I loved reading the individual stories of Amie, Lucy, Petrina, and Filomena as well as their intertwined stories. Each have their own flaws, loyalties, strengths, weaknesses, lies, and goals. Each are well-developed and serve the overall story well. I also loved reading about the historical changes that take place simultaneously and how the family responds.

Definitely never a dull moment and I really enjoyed my time with this larger then life family. Drama abounds.

5/5 stars

Thank you NG and William Morrow for this wonderful arc and in return I am submitting my unbiased and voluntary review and opinion.

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

Filomena Amie, Lucy, Frankie and Petrina,
All four women become godmothers to one another’s children, finding hope and shelter in this prosperous family and their sumptuous Greenwich Village home, and enjoying New York life with its fine dining, opulent department stores and sophisticated nightclubs.
They all Godmothers to each others children.
But can these four keep their secrets and betrayals at bay?

This was an amazing book! The characters is what I enjoyed most! And not to mention Aubrays writing amazing! Highly recommend this book.

It was an enjoyable read. I found it interesting and refreshing to read about the women's perspectives of being married into a family with ties to the mafia. I don't blame the author here but it was just one too many characters for me to keep track of. I kept forgetting which woman married which brother. *Spoiler Alert* I think what bothered me the most was Amie sleeping with Lucy's husband. I know it was only for one night when they were stranded due to the weather and had to stay at a hotel. I just didn't think it was necessary. These women have already been through so much so why add this indiscretion. I did appreciate how the women came together and admire their bravery to get out from under the Bosses' thumb.

The Godmothers is a family saga that covers four generations of a close-knit Italian American family, living in Greenwich. VIllage. There are secrets and lies and joys and sorrows, but ultimately, this is the story of the bonds that can form between strong woman whom have a common purpose. Well written and engaging, I finished it in one sitting. Definitely on my list of recommended books,!

This is a fantastic family saga dealing with a large Italian family during the decades of the 1940s and 1950s. It is centered around the women of the family, the wives and daughters, and their secrets. It is a very impressive novel. Despite the fact that there are many characters, I never felt confused, since Aubray is a truly gifted author who manages to create extremely vibrant characters.

These Godmothers are placed in brilliant historical perspective, especially in dealing with the mobsters who ran NYC during those days. She made her characters witnesses to real events that are still discussed. She was also able to blend in events of WWII and how those impacted the family.

These Godmothers are fascinating women and their backstories engaged the reader and brought them to life. The stories were easily believable for me, since I recall hidden pregnancies and children being raised by older relatives who took the role of parents. I was totally involved in the novel and was able to visualize every character.

I highly recommend this to reading groups. I am confident they will love it as I did and have many interesting discussions.

Thank you Netgalley for this wonderful novel.