i went into this book totally blind. i know, not a great way to start an arc but i think it was for the best. i didn’t know anything about Alla Nazimova and was very moved by this book to look more into her legacy. i though that it was interesting how the book felt so much like a memoir or biography while also having entirely fictional elements in Maybelle’s POV. my favorite aspects were when we would learn things through Maybelle’s eyes. i thought the actual writing was done well and kept me entertained. the parts that hit the hardest were incredibly impactful and made me feel very deeply for our cast of characters, both real and otherwise. i felt it was a smidge too long but i do understand that certain plot beats had to be met in order to accurately tell Alla’s life story. overall, a solid 3.5 star book!

This was a light enjoyable read, I did find it a little predictable but overall enjoyed the book.

The characters intrigued me and I very much enjoyed getting to know them.

This was an interesting book to read. I don't tend to come across much from Hollywood during the 1930s, so I'm always intrigued when I do. I'm glad someone is willing to tell this story and help to tell some of the secrets of Hollywood's golden age.

Well Behaved Women is an intense, well written and an unforgettable read which will linger with you long after you have finished reading it!

This book follows a rough true story of the actress Alla Nazimova. She was one of the highest paid actresses of her time. Born in roughly 1879 in Yalta Crimea and named Mariam Edez Adelaida Leventon. She was abandoned by her mother and abused by her father in between being sent to various foster homes and boarding schools. Eventually she succeeds in what she wants to be. This book also tells the story of Maybelle Crabtree intertwined with Alla’s story. It was well written in covering the past and current time. I enjoyed this book and highly recommend it. Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for the chance to read this book in exchange for my honest review.

A compelling story inspired by the real life of silent movie icon, Alla Nazimova.
I have been so caught up in this one – I devoured the whole thing in just one sitting.

This book really just took me for a ride. I loved the build up, the character development, and the writing. I would definitely read more from this author!

Everything about this book was telling me it is a must read. I wasn't let down! As a fan of historical period pieces, this book really drew me in. I could picture myself dressed up and attending the events right along with Maybelle.

This book would make a perfect Hollywood movie, being surrounded by Hollywood anyway. Torn between daring to live one's life and abiding by societal standards - it's as applicable today as it was back then. I genuinely enjoyed reading this and hope to read more by this author.

I never knew of Alla Nazimova but I really enjoyed reading this story of her life. Well written and researched and made into a spellbinding tale.
Many thanks to HarperCollins UK and to NetGalley for providing me with a galley in exchange for my honest opinion.

I had no prior knowledge of Adelaida Leventon but I was very intrigued to read about her life. I was hooked on the story. I felt the tension of the time period pulsing throughout the story; and I learned a lot more about the time period, including what Sapphic Hollywood was/is and the ramifications of the genre. Overall this was a really enjoyable read.

I received an advance copy. All thoughts are my own.

I love the time period and seeing LGBTQ representation in this time where so many had to hide was just interesting to read. I’ve read about male stars of that time who had to hide their orientation and I wish people would just be happy that people have love in their lives and love wherever you find it, is a keeper.

I love this era of historical fiction and this one did not let me down. It had gliz and glamour of old Hollywood, sexuality, real and raw charactes, and plenty of secrets!

Alla and Maybelle are our two mains. Alla migrated from Russia, and we get her story in the past and her childhood. Maybelle has moved to LA from backwoods Kentucky and, while a bit naive, knew what she did not want in life.

I was immediately sucked into the stories of these two women - both their own individual, and how they intersected.

I like that it dealt with the exploration of LGBTQ+ experiences, because clearly they existed then, although had to be kept more on the down low.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Harper Collins UK, One More Chapter for an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

A fascinating read, Inwasnquite far through before I realised it is based on a true story.
I love learning about social history of women and this is a good introduction to politics and sexuality in early Hollywood

I do love me some historical fiction and I really enjoyed Caroline Lamond's Well Behaved Women.

Well Behaved Women focuses on the life of real life actress Alla Nazimova and asks "what if?" Caroline Lamond has magically woven a story out of this concept and invited readers to a time and place that we can only dream about being a part of and peeks behind the curtain of the glamorous Hollywood lifestyle.

Accompanying Alla's story we have Maybelle - a country bumpkin who is seduced by the Hollywood crowd. We follow her into Alla's world and marvel at how different her life becomes.

Well Behaved Women is a good story and the sapphic elements make you realise just how careful people had to be due to the judgement of those around them. It is an entertaining read and one that fans of historical fiction, the world of celebrity and LGBTQIA+ stories will love.

Well Behaved Women by Caroline Lamond is available now.

For more information regarding Caroline Lamond (@carolinelamond) please visit her Twitter page.

For more information regarding Harper Collins UK (@HarperCollinsUK) please visit their Twitter page.

I'm a little torn about this book. I loved reading a fictionalized version of Alla Nazimova's life, from her tough start in Russia, the things she had to do to get by, and her meteoric rise in the silent film industry in the Golden Age of Hollywood. If the book was solely about her, an easy 5 stars. However, there is a dual narrative introducing a later day character, Maybelle, and her change from naive farmgirl to being introduced to the glitz and debauchery of Hollywood. I was extremely uninterested in her story. I didn't feel the interplay between these two narratives worked particularly well.

GREAT LGBTQ REPRESENTATION, BUT LACKED A SPARK FOR ME

I did enjoy this book. I just wasn't overwhelmed by it. There were just too many things that didn't quite reach the mark for me.

👍 What I Liked 👍

LGBTQ: I am a great fan of good LGBTQ stories - and this had a lot of good LGBTQ story arcs. I loved how many different kind of LGBTQ relationships represented, it was really good representation for all sexualities.

👎 What I Disliked 👎

Pacing: This is a dual timeline story. And in some ways, it really worked for this story. Our two main characters, Alla and Maybelle, are actually introduced to one another fairly early in the story. Which means that we get to follow their parallel stories far more closely. I liked that part. But I didn't like how it affected the overall pacing of the story. Alla's story starts in the 1870's and goes all the way up to the 1910's, while Maybelle's story only takes place in the 1920's. Therefore, Alla's story felt very rushed while Maybelle's felt super drawn out.

Identical: Again, dual timelines can really bring something great to a story. It can highlight similarities between two lives, two times and two places. But, in my opinion, Lamond (wanting to highlight one such similarity, I suppose) went too far and made something almost comical. At one point, our two leading ladies have an almost word-for-word similar experience. The scene, the dialogue and the ramifications for both women were almost identical, and it took me out of the reading experience. It didn't feel plausible.

POV change: Another thing, which might not be such a big deal, but was also took me out of the reading experience was an instance of a sudden POV change. While the story is written from the perspective of Maybelle (1st person) and Alla (3rd person), there is one scene towards the end of the book, where a third POV is suddenly thrown into the mix. Suddenly, we are inside the head of Josephine, hearing her thoughts and seeing a scene from her perspective. It only lasts for half a chapter, but it was enough to annoy me.

Maybelle: I had a hard time relating to Maybelle. I didn't feel like she was a driving force. Perhaps it was simply because she had to star opposite Alla, who took her fate into her own hands very early on. Or perhaps it was because Maybelle's chapters were all pretty much just fluff. I didn't ever really connect to her.

This was such a good book. I love historical fiction, especially when it is about eras/ situations that I previously knew nothing about and this was definitely one of those books. It was so well researched and so compelling in its narrative that not only did I love reading it but I felt that I learned too. A really enjoyable read and perfect for any fans of historical fiction. This is a first for me by the author and one I enjoyed and I would read more of their work. The book cover is eye-catching and appealing and would spark my interest if in a bookshop. Thank you very much to the author, publisher and Netgalley for this ARC.

Special thanks to Harper Collins UK and NetGalley for the ARC of this book.

This was pretty excellent. Emotional and really beautifully written. If you like the Gilded and Golden Age of Hollywood, than this books for you. 4 stars

A story of the Gilded Age, the Golden Age of Hollywood. FIlled with danger, heartbreak, violence, sexual identity. A real eye opener.

Russian Alla Nazimova was discovered on a theatre tour in the US and became a silent movie star, but the story of her beginnings and life was new to me and well presented in this wonderful historical fiction novel.