A little bit hard to get in to do the book starting in the middle of the story and telling it backwards. A cute concept with an interesting twist on a historical fiction type of book.

THE THIRTEENTH HUSBAND is one of those books that lingers in your mind long after you finish it. Inspired by the wild-but-true life of American heiress Aimée Crocker, who inherited ten million dollars as a child (around $266,485,000 today, according to Ye Olde Wikipedia), this book is far more than exceptionally well-written bio histfic. At its heart, THE THIRTEENTH HUSBAND is the gothic tale of a woman trying to outrun fate by any means possible: alcohol, sex, religion, magick, shopping, and yes, husbands. It sticks its landing with a fabulously eerie ending that I didn't see coming. Plus it has tarot! Highly recommended.

A compulsively readable story based on real-life heiress Aimee Crocker, who stunned the 1800s world with her scandalous lifestyle and unluckily numbered husbands. A gem!

Book started off great. Always had me wondering how her life would play out and who the thirteen husbands would be. However as I read on I lost steam with the book and my interest diminished. A lot of the “super natural” aspects of spirits/souls were lost on me.

Aimee Crocker is born into an affluent family in California during the late 1800s; however, when she is ten years old, tragedy strikes for the first time as her father dies in the night. From then on, Aimee is haunted by a mysterious woman in white who appears to her before every subsequent life-changing moment. But the woman in white is not the only haunting in Aimee's life. During her travels, she visits a mystic who predicts that her thirteenth husband will be the one who buries her, and this statement haunts her even as she continues to wed and divorce a series of men.

Aimee is the very definition of bohemia. During her first marriage, she learns to ignore societies criticisms and taunts about her lifestyle. She was never a "proper" woman, which the reader is reminded of through her mother's quips, her sister, Jennie's perfectly complacent life, and the newspaper's coverage of her antics. This never prevents Aimee from speaking her mind or engaging in activities others would find scandalous. Greer Macallister masterfully crafts the portrait of Aimee by exposing her fears and insecurities in contrast with her bold and rebellious nature. While it may be difficult to believe some of the outlandish stories of Aimee's life, Macallister makes her remarkably human.

Macallister writes this novel as if it is Aimee speaking to an unidentified individual, divulging her life story to the reader and this mysterious "you". Each chapter opens with a quote from the real Aimee Crocker's memoir And I'd Do It Again, which layers in the human aspect of a remarkable woman and invites the reader to feel as though they are sitting down and listening to Aimee reflect on her story. In the end, it is revealed who the "you" is and that reveal alone is enough for me to recommend this book.

I want to recommend this book to anyone who enjoys novels about fierce women. Macallister paints an inspiring portrait of Aimee Crocker. She investigates what it means to love and also feel pain. One of my favorite lines in the book is "Love's arrow had struck, and I was helpless against it, pierced to the core". Love is such a beautiful emotion, but is often described with language of pain, such as in this quote, reminding us that hurt and love can exist at once and to feel those things are what make us human.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.

Aimee Crocker was a wife at 17, a mother at 19, and divorced at 23 years of age.
She inherited a fortune at the age of ten years old when her father passed.
A fortuneteller in Spain told her that her 13th husband would bury her. She had many relationships, including a German prince and Spanish Torador.
You know what they say Truth is stranger than fiction.
I just couldn’t believe the life that she had. I had to google and find out if this was true, and I found out she was a real person.
According to Wikipedia, “Aimee Crocker was a mystic, Bohemian and author. She was known for her cultural explorations to the Far East, for her extravagant parties, and her collections of husbands and lovers.”
Amy will take you on a journey across many continents and many husbands and relationships.
This is a very interesting book. Amy was a very strong woman, and knew what she wanted.
Greer Macallister did a fabulous job in bringing Aimee to life. I have read The Arctic Fury by her and was interested to read this book. Of course this book is part fiction part based on facts.
It was a very enjoyable read.
Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC .

The Thirteenth Husband is about Aimee Crocker and her unbelievably interesting life. I knew nothing about Aimee Crocker before this book, and wow! Definitely a woman before her time. I honestly couldn't believe that so much of this was true.

It took me a little bit to get into this book, but about half-way through I was hooked. It is very well written. Aimee wasn't always a likeable protagonist, but all the twists and turns of her life were fun to read.

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC!

Really enjoyed this book about Aimee Crocker really well written set in the gilded age.I was fascinated by her life a roller coaster ride.of a read.Will be recommending.#netgalley #sourcebooks

Historical Fiction based on true-life bohemian, Aimee Crocker. It's hard to believe all of the things that happened in this book (but they are true) considering the period she lived in (1864-1941). She certainly did not care what people thought of her, and she did as she pleased. From extravagant parties, marriage, traveling the world, and her belief in mysticism.

I was hoping for more from this book! When a book is billed as The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo meets The Haunting of Hill House, I expect it to be at least a bit creepy. The palm-reading opening bit felt very similar to that Game of Thrones Cersei scene, but the novel past that read like a soap opera. It lost my interest quite quickly, and I ended up DNFing.

For readers who want a lush, biographical feeling story, this is definitely it!

Thanks to the publisher for an ARC!

Have you ever read a novel in the historical fiction genre and thought multiple times throughout reading, "well that is just absurd. There's no way that can be true", only to discover via Google or holding out until the Epilogue that it actually did happen? The story of Aimee Crocker's life is just that kind of story. Prepare to raise your eyebrows, roll your eyes, and drop your jaw because turns out Aimee was a globetrotting, Bohemian, party girl in an era where wealthy society women were not.
The Thirteenth Husband is a historical fiction novel about the life of real-life heiress, Amy (Aimee) Crocker. Her search for love, pursuit of lust, audacious parties, interest in the mythical, glamorous settings, multiple marriages and worldwide travel is cleverly woven by author Greer Macallister. Imagining a life of wealth and privilege opening up doors for a spirited young woman who inherited her father's millions at a very young age.
I found the novel to be thrilling, sexy at times, and unexpected. I highly recommend reading it if you like historical fiction about a sassy woman living large well before her time.
Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher, and author Greer Macallister for the arc copy of the novel. All opinions expressed are my own.

Three things have haunted Aimee Crocker for years: the sensational stories in the tabloids, the prophecy made by a fortune teller in Spain, and the presence of a mysterious woman dressed in white. Aimee shares her experiences ranging from her mischievous days spent in a finishing school in Germany to attending dinners with Hawaiian royalty and lavish parties hosted by the Astors in Manhattan. However, behind Aimee's public notoriety lies a hidden pain.

At the age of ten, as the clock strikes midnight, Aimee encounters the Woman in White. Within minutes, tragedy strikes as her father passes away and she unexpectedly inherits a vast fortune. Yet, the Woman in White continues to haunt Aimee, appearing before every subsequent tragedy that befalls her. Despite Aimee's wealth, her extensive travels across continents, and her scandalous marital history, the motivations behind the Woman in White's presence remain enigmatic.

Embarking on an audacious journey that encompasses numerous continents, a substantial sum of money, and a string of husbands, Aimee Crocker, a real-life heiress, blazes a path of public scandal and private tragedy, showcasing a level of independence and strength rarely seen during the 1880s. Her life unfolds like an extraordinary work of fiction, filled with brilliance and radiance, as if she is being pursued by a force greater than herself.

Greer Macallister skillfully immerses us in Aimee's world, weaving a tale that will leave a lasting impression. Women who live life on their terms often encounter both criticism and animosity. Even though Aimee Crocker possessed the financial means to craft her destiny during the late 1800s and early 1900s, she remained subjected to societal judgments. Nevertheless, she possessed a resilient spirit that disregarded the opinions of others.

Crocker's extraordinary life lends itself perfectly to the realm of historical fiction. With finesse, Greer McAllister reintroduces Aimee Crockett into our collective consciousness, providing a refreshing narrative of a woman unapologetically living life on her terms.

The story itself, while undoubtedly extravagant, remains rooted in truth, with only minor alterations to dates and chronology.

Women living their lives will often attract judgment and ire, that Aimee Crocker could afford to live her life as she chose in the late 1800’s and early 1900’s, cocooned in the safety of her inheritance didn’t exempt her from that judgment, but she was also in possession of a nature that didn’t care for the opinions of society. ,Crocker lived her life in such a way that made for ideal historical fiction.

I had not previously heard of Aimée Crocker and looked her up once I began reading The Thirteenth Husband. The story is well written and engaging and showcases the heiress’s life intriguingly (I googled quite often during my reading of this).

The story pulled me right, held my attention, and kept me turning the pages.



Thank you to Landmark and NetGalley for the DRC

Thank you Netgalley and publishers for this book! I was definitely mesmerised by the fictionalised version of Crocker’s life. There were some parts that were slow but it was because the plot was so impactful and I loved it. This is such a beautiful book that I will think of from time to time.

I loved this book so much that I’m not even sure where to start this review. The book is about Amy/Aimee Crocker’s life. I had never heard of this woman but what a life she led! She was somehow related to many historic events and was a spectacle all to her self.

The story takes us from her life as Amy at age 10 to the death as Aimee at age 78. Her extra ordinary life in the late 1800’s and 1900’s is unique and fabulous. I don’t want to give anything away so I’ll just say that it makes for a great read.

When I finished this book, I looked up Ms. Crocker to see which parts of the book were factual and I was amazed at how many of them were true. I now plan to read the books Ms. Crocker wrote and see if I can find more information about her because I am fascinated!

The Thirteenth Husband is a glorious part-fictionalization, part-biography about Aimee Crocker who was a trailblazer in the late 1800s. Truth be told, I just had to go full google and do some research after reading the book because, well, what a firecracker! I seem to be on a run of mid-19th century independant bobshells and I am here for it!

Aimee defines the term bohemian, and at the time, this was not the word a woman would have associated with her, but, Aimee was a very, very wealthy heiress and as such, had the money and power to stand up to soceital norms of the time, flash her snakes and pearls and go off and consult with her palm reader as to what the next day will bring.

Greer McAllister has done a brilliant job at bringing Aimee Crockett inot our consciousness again and my goodness gravy, it felt good to read about a woman that just did not give a flying fig what anyone thought. This one is defo a keeper (but certainly not what she said about her husbands, mostly)

Thank you very much to Netgalley, Sourcebooks and the fantastic Greer McAllister for this brilliant ARC. My review is left voluntarily and all opinions are my own

I liked this fictionalized version of Crocker’s life and the story was a wild ride . I enjoyed learning about the gilded age and felt the story was well told

“I am more than gold bands and paperwork.”

Ready for a wild ride? Able to suspend disbelief for a moment or two? Enjoy impulsive, reckless characters?

Come learn of the outrageous life of a Gilded Age railroad heiress, Aimee Crocker! Inspired by this socialite’s bohemian lifestyle, Greer Macallister has fleshed out her story, giving us a binge-worthy ‘biography’, a well-spun tale, of Crocker’s adventure-filled life.

The quote from Aimee Crocker at the beginning of the book sets the tone and perfectly sums up her life. The opening quotations in each chapter were a nice touch and gave readers insight into Crocker’s life, allowing us to surmise that there’s more truth to the outlandish escapades than we’d like to imagine!

Who would have ever imagined that a 19th-century woman could have such a careless attitude and disregard the societal norms so prevalent in that era?! More than that, who would have thought that she’d have so much adventure and joy?! The author's note draws readers’ attention to the fact that Crocker’s exploits in this book are only the tip of the iceberg. What a wild life.

I smiled and gasped reading about this high society woman, this Queen of Bohemia, who travelled the world challenging the norms that were curated to produce ‘fine’ women. I was sucked in reading about her rubbing shoulders with Hawaiian royalty and dining with the Astors in Manhattan. The warning given by the fortune teller about the thirteenth husband kept me turning pages to see if she’d heed the advice and the inclusion of the mystic elements (ghosts, fortune tellers, and magic) kept me on my toes. I’ll admit to pitying her as I saw her struggle to balance motherhood and marriage and being willing to ‘settle for’ when it came to marriage. I closed the book reminded that appearances can be deceiving.

I’m thankful for my well-planned, quiet life with the love of my life. The grass isn’t always greener on the other side!

As the ride comes to an end, you’ll be left questioning what constitutes a husband, a partner, or a lover…

If you loved The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo or loved the writing style of The Arctic Fury, you’ll love this one.

I was gifted this copy by Sourcebooks and NetGalley and was under no obligation to provide a review.

This book was very good. I enjoyed the way it was told and the big reveal at the end. I love the reoccurring theme of the woman in white. This was a great book and I look forward to seeing what others think of it

Although extremely well written, this book failed to capture my interest. It dragged on and it took me a very long time to finish because it felt like a chore. I didn’t find the main character, Amy, relatable at all. In fact, I kept trying to find reasons to like this character but failed in doing so, as she’s frankly rather annoying. Being very much a skeptic, the supernatural storyline was not to my liking at all as I’m not interested in such things. Overall, I found it very tedious.