The Trouble with You takes place after World War II when the men are returning and reclaiming the jobs the women held down. Fanny Fabricant is navigating life as a career woman, wife and mother while holding herself together after a life shattering event.

I enjoyed the book as well as the characters however, the pace was too slow for me, and I found myself becoming uninterested at times. It did pick up near the end and I flew through those chapters as they were more on the exciting side. The historical fiction aspect I found took a back seat in this story while it focused more so on Fanny’s journey.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Griffin for this ARC.

Set in the 1950's this book was mainly about the women's place and role they played in that era; their struggles and emotions when they were replaced in jobs held for the returning soldiers after WWII. All this is centered around a recently widowed young woman and her life after the death of her young husband. For me it was slow paced and not as enjoyable as I would have liked it to be. My thanks to NetGalley for this ARC.

Ellen Feldman's new novel, The Trouble with You centers on Fanny as she finds her way through WWII and the postwar world. During the war women were welcomed in the business world with the clear expectation that they would return home when the men returned. The novel has a backdrop of the blacklisting era as well. I enjoyed Fanny and Charlie's friendship and especially was drawn to the character of Aunt Rose(a novel centering on her would also be interesting). I appreciated that the author shows us what happens over the years with the characters but it did feel a bit rushed. All in all a satisfying read.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an advance copy of this novel in exchange for an honest opinion. The Trouble With You is available now.

Once again, I found myself totally engrossed in an Ellen Feldman novel about the past. I love her historical fiction stories.

The Trouble with You takes us into the life of Fanny Fabricant, a single mom just trying to make ends meet. When she takes a job working for a radio serial producer, she is introduced to a whole different world from the sheltered life she had led.

And once again, Ms. Feldman introduced me to a part of history that I wasn't that familiar with—the blacklisting of the writers and others after the war. Ms. Feldman writes so well and makes each story enjoyable, with her interesting characters and beautifully written prose. Each story is educational, while also entertaining.

The Trouble with You is the perfect story for all historical fiction lovers. Highly recommend.

There is no doubt that much of what Ellen Feldman had her characters spewing was the absolute truth of the role of women in the 1950’s in the good old USA. It is also true that there was so much stereotypical depiction that it ruined the story for me. Yes, the quotes were factual and disturbing if not nauseating for their attributes. Ms. Feldman’s points were well taken, but the story could have been so much more. Some of the dialog was smart and snappy which held my interest but the constant I’ll think about it or handle it tomorrow” was just a lengthening device that put me off each time it was used.

There were several important topics that I thought were going to form the meat of the story but ultimately turned out to be more window dressing and back drop to a widow’s grief and prospective love interests. The story would have been stronger with a deeper dive into the damage the McCarthy era and his blacklisting created on a creative populace and the voices we lost.

Thanks to St. Martin’s Griffin and NetGalley for a copy.

In this historical fiction novel, readers explore the lives of New York women in the post-World War II world. Readers follow Fanny and her young daughter after her husband’s death as Fanny finds a job and deals with the stigma of being a single working mother. With the constant support of her aunt Rose and the competitive, status-quo following dynamic with her cousin Mimi, Fanny takes on a job in the radio serial business at the height of McCarthyism and the Red Scare when it is dangerous to work in entertainment. As the novel progresses, Fanny finds herself and takes on new roles and becomes more comfortable with her current, socially dubious positions. A realistic but empowering novel, Fanny’s struggles are relatable and indicative of the period, and they reflect larger social and economic trends of the immediate postwar period in the United States. Feldman’s characters are fantastically developed, with complex motivations and unique, detailed backstories, and the relationships between Fanny and the other women (Mimi, Rose, Alice, her daughter, and her mother) are enjoyable to read. As the novel progresses, readers will find more reasons to enjoy this novel and the characters in this wonderful midcentury historical fiction novel.

This is the first novel I've read that uses radio as part of the plot. I really enjoyed Fanny's story of growing into her role at the radio station when her husband dies.

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

This is the first book I've read by Ellen Feldman and will definitely be looking at her other titles. It took a few chapters to hook me but once I was into it, I really enjoyed the journey. Feldman covers some very heavy topics with care and I learned a lot about this time period, which is something I always appreciate from a historical fiction novel. Keep me entertained and teach me something. :)

While WWII era historical fiction is my favorite genre within the genre, I'm quickly becoming a fan of post WWII era historical fiction. It's a period of time I haven't given much thought to until reading novels like The Trouble With you, and now I'm beginning to appreciate that era more because of novels like this.

Thank you Netgalley, St-Martin’s Press and Ellen Feldman
I enjoyed this novel, and the characters but I found it a bit long and at times I had a hard time wanting to pick it up.
Overall 3 stars

I really enjoyed the plot in this book. It has a strong 'Pro-Women's Rights' vibe. The characters were likeable and the romance aspect was original and held my attention without being corny. A great read for Historical Fiction lovers, especially those that love the WWII era.

I did struggle a bit with the writing style. I feel some parts were very well written, while others were wordy and confusing at times. It caused me to need to reread some sentences, just to make sense of them. It was also a bit hard to follow the switch in narration when it switched to the daughter, Chloe.

Wonderful story for everyone to enjoy. I received an ARC of this book courtesy of NetGalley and the publisher. All opinions expressed in this review are my own and given freely. Happy reading!

I got an ARC of this book.

I am a little behind on ARCs, so when I stayed home from work sick yesterday I binged this. I read 85% of it. I then snuck the rest in at work. Every time I was alone in my office, I read a few more pages. I needed to finish it. Feldman ensnared me yet again.

This is a perfect sick day book. A book you read on a rainy day when you are exhausted and just want to live somewhere else. It isn’t full of action, instead it is full of longing and growth. It is full of Rose being the coolest aunt ever. What I wouldn’t give to learn more about Rose. Every time she opened her mouth I was ready to email the author and the publisher and demand a prequel that just explains all of Rose and what her life really was. There is so much depth hidden away in that seamstress.

The romance wasn’t intense, but it wasn’t flat. Instead it felt like two people who wanted each other, but knew what was happening and why. They were logical. They were full of emotions and reasons. The more I saw the two main love interests with Fanny, the more I had a clear favorite. I was, thankfully, in good company. I knew I had made the right choice when I got the feeling that Rose was on the same team. I think I know exactly what it was like for Fanny when it came to Rose. I wanted Rose to be impressed by me and want to be in my life. Rose was clever and very much an influence on Fanny, even if Fanny would deny it at points.

This is the first book I have read that features the blacklist. So seeing it so intimately, but not actually seeing it at all was fascinating. I adored each little detail of this story. I wanted to know every character as intensely as I knew Fanny and Chloe. I felt wrapped in a blanket of family comfort, even while they were fighting to grieve. The voice of the narration was just perfect for this story. It really made it feel unique and intense, while not being exhausting.

Overall, I loved this book. I need to read more by Feldman. This was only my second by her, but they have only gotten better.

3.5*
Fanny is a young widow. Her husband returned from WWII only to die suddenly, leaving her alone with her little girl. With the war over, the many women who had filled jobs for the men serving overseas, are now expected to return to their roles as housekeepers and wives. But as a single parent, Fannie is forced to find a way to support herself. Living in New York City, she gets hired as a typist for a radio drama where she meets creative people and finds her own talents recognized.

Amidst the story of Fanny’s challenges is the background story of the turbulent times due to the McCarthy hearings. Many in the entertainment business have been targeted for suspicious behavior and have even been blacklisted. Fannie’s co-workers live in fear of being investigated.

The characters are likeable and the relationships work. Fanny's little girl is adorable and adds charm to the plot. Fanny evolves quite a bit, making the story more satisfying. She discovers her own voice and becomes more assertive. Fanny’s interactions with one of her co-workers shows her ability to trade witty banter with the best. Feldman brings the story of a strong woman set in the trying times of the “Red Scare” to light. It’s entertaining and totally engaging.

This is a good historical novel that focuses on the impact of McCarthyism from more of an individual-level and the roles of females post WWII. Fanny, our main character, is a strong female character and provides the reader with insight into what it is like to be a female taking a more non-traditional path. My only challenge with the book was it seemed to be slow-paced especially at the beginning. However, I would still recommend it because of its historical insight, focus on post-WWII and strong female characters.

Fanny is married to the love of her life and is following more of a traditional role of wife and mother in post WWII. However, tragedy strikes her world in such a way that causes her to question her true purpose. Fanny finds herself influenced by her cousin Mimi who thrives in a more traditional female role and her aunt Rose, who is unmarried and a known risk-taker.

Fanny is employed in the world of radio serials (what we would refer to as today's soap operas) where she meets some interesting characters. As a backdrop to all of this is McCarthyism and the infamous red scare, where Fanny sees people's lives ruined for being on a blacklist. Will Fanny take risks and go against the traditional female role and find herself on a blacklist, impacting her and her daughter's future, or will she play it safe?

I received a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions expressed above are my own.
#TheTroubleWithYou #EllenFeldman

Fanny is so happy with her little girl and husband in 1945. They live in New York City and their lives are wonderful, that is until her husband leaves for the war. Something tragic happens to Fanny in the coming years and she finds herself looking for work. She ends up getting a job with a serial writer. She comes face to face with the blacklist that's destroying peoples careers.
This novel didn't end up being what I thought it was going to be and I really didn't like it very much The 1st part I actually loved which is why it's getting 3 stars and I really did actually like the ending

Max and Fanny fall in love and get married while Max is in medical school. (Interesting fact I learned from this book: they shortened medical school for doctors as they were needed in WWII). Fanny felt like she was missing a limb when he was gone, although Baby Chloe kept her busy. Max comes home from war but soon passes away, leaving Fanny a widow. I became absorbed in this book with its history of women. After WWII, women weren't expected to work anymore--they were wives and mothers--and the ones that needed to work could only find menial jobs that did not pay well. The term latch-key children came into place during this time. McCarthyism reared its ugly head. Women's lib began to flourish. I very much enjoyed the historical aspect of the book. I didn't much care for Fanny choosing to play the role of "Poor Fanny" as long as she did. This colored my opinion of the book. Three stars. Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martins for the digital ARC. This opinion is entirely my own.

It was okay, but I just could not get into it. I felt it was predictable. A nice story and dedinitely in tune with how things were during that time period.

The characters are everything in this novel, This book was wonderful in its discussion and development of Women's rights issue with the backdrop of World War II. The cover could really draw you to the book, but the writing will enlighten you.

I recommend this if you love Historical Fiction.

While The Trouble with You takes place in post-WWII New York City leading up to the era of McCarthyism, this novel has aspects of censorship that can also be seen in present day America. Ellen Feldman's writing is so profound and thought provoking that I found myself re reading passages just to appreciate the sentiments fully.

Fanny Fabricant was relieved to have her husband come home from war only to lose him in a sudden moment. Now she has to walk the line between being a "proper housewife and woman" and creating a living salary for herself and her young daughter. Once she finds work behind the scenes at a radio station, she realizes there is more to life than trying to snare a husband "outside the engineering school" and the world around her is certainly spiraling into a darkness she and her co-workers aren't fully ready to accept.

Ellen Feldman's take on 1950's New York City is filled with insight and curiosity. This novel is perfect for fans of historical fiction and for anyone who is questioning their current situation; wondering just how much courage it takes to make a change in their own lives. Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Griffin for the opportunity to read this novel.