Thank goodness for Susan Meissner! I’ve been in the worst reading slump and this was the first book in weeks that made me happy to read. It was the perfect blend of historical fiction, mystery, and the all important element of girl power!

On the Hollywood blacklist, up and coming actress Melanie Cole is hiding out in hopes it will blow over and she’ll be able to return to her dream job. With no companions, she befriends her agoraphobic neighbor. When he isn’t seen for a few days, the mystery begins.

I enjoyed the multiple threads woven throughout this story - McCarthy era, love stories, a mystery, female friendships among very different women, and women helping women.

Another fantastic read by Susan Meissner! She is definitely an autobuy author for me — I’ve read 6 of her books and I have two others waiting for me.

A MAP TO PARADISE has the classic charm we’ve come to expect from Susan, but with this one, she dives really deep into a character study of three women whose lives are intertwined in a very serious way, but who all have different secrets they wish to keep to themselves. There are still quite a few twists and turns to drive the plot, but I really appreciated the character development the most.

As always, it’s clear Susan did a ton of research to craft this story (don’t skip the author’s note!), and I appreciate that she tackled a topic that we (or at least I!) don’t often read in historical fiction: the red scare in the 50s. The years following WWII must have been incredibly complicated, filled with both relief that the war was over and fear over the spread of communism and what felt like an imminent Soviet invasion in the U.S. I think Susan did a great job exploring the time period in an approachable way.

I’ve seen some reviews mention this one feels like literary fiction with an historical setting, not so much historical fiction by definition, and I totally get that, but I still categorize this as historical fiction. If you take the historical setting out of the book, it completely changes the characters’ lives and the plot in general. So I would still classify it as HF, but it’s not necessarily a deep dive into the red scare or the years following WWII (or during WWII), although all of this is explored in some way to shape the story.

Thank you so much to @berkleypub for my early copy. A MAP TO PARADISE is available now!

A Map to Paradise started a little slow for me, but once the background of each character was revealed, I found myself completely invested in their journeys. This is a fascinating look at the effects of the Cold War on Hollywood—so many actors were blacklisted during this time. Post-WWII McCarthyism led to the investigation of suspected Communist sympathizers, often without real evidence, and this book does a great job highlighting that unsettling era.

I really enjoyed how the author brought together three strong women, each navigating their own struggles and chasing their dreams. They were all intriguing, but I kinda wish we got to dive even deeper into their lives. Some parts of the story felt a bit rushed, and I would’ve loved to savor it more. That said, I was fully invested in each of them as the story unfolded!

Melanie Cole is on the blacklist in Hollywood, through no fault of her own. Everyone thinks since she is “dating” her costar that she is a communist. So, she has very few friends at the present time, except for her maid, Eva, and her next door neighbor, Elmwood.

Elmwood has agoraphobia and refuses to leave his house. So, when he goes radio silent and his sister-in-law has some strange behavior, it sends up warning signals to Melanie. And she does not take this sitting down…She is all up in June’s business.

This is not your typical Susan Meissner book. This one is missing her emotional kick. But y’all! I still enjoyed it. I loved the characters and I enjoyed the setting of the McCarthy era.

And don’t think that Melanie is just a dumb starlet. She has her moments! Add in Eva’s secrets and June’s lies…and you have a pretty entertaining read!

Need a novel full of secrets and friendships…THIS IS IT! Grab your copy today.

I received this novel from the publisher for a honest review.

In the 1950's, Malibu, California was not exempt from the second round of the "Red Scare", as Senator Joseph McCarthy campaigned against communist, known as McCarthyism. A young starlet, Melanie Cole was blacklisted from any jobs in Hollywood due to her close association with a leading actor known as a communist. Carson would take her on outings and pay her rent with all the luxury shopping she wanted. After she was associated and photographed with him, she was accused and questioned about her involvement and the people they socialized with. It was common during that time period for actors, politicians and other important figures were thought to be involved with the Left-winged ideologists, so their career was doomed or tainted as the Red Scare was provoked by fear.
Melanie's neighbor, Elwood, a screenwriter in Hollywood speaks to her through open windows offering her advice. He will not leave home due to his anxiety and fear after a tragic accident from his drunk driving left the one he loved dead. His sister-in-law June lives with him taking care of him. After she sees June tearing up his rose bushes, she approaches her and begins to suspect something is wrong because she will not allow anyone to visit him.
Eva, an immigrant from war-torn France, works for Melanie as her housekeeper, and is also paid by Carson. Melanie sends her over to find out how Elwood is and offers her up to help with his care, but under June's strict orders he can't be bothered. The tension and suspicious behavior builds.
This story is built around three women and their fragile pact that slowly unravels their secrets. Their question is how did they get to this point with all the love loss, tragedy and secrets individualizing each but yet bringing them closer together to find acceptance they have all hoped for.
Thank you Netgalley and Berkley Publishing Group for this incredible ARC in exchange for my honest review!

Bestselling author Susan Meissner says she was researching the 1950’s when she learned “how fearful people were in the early years of the Cold War.” Americans were terrified that their way of life would be taken from them, and peace in the world was tenuous given that World War II was not that far away in the proverbial rearview mirror. She began considering “displacement” and possible reactions to it. “What does someone do when they’ve no sense of home anymore? How do they live without it? What are they willing to do to get it back? And if the loss of home is imminent, what are they willing to risk to keep it from being taken from them?”

The result is A Map to Paradise featuring three female main characters, each of whom has been displaced from or is facing the imminent loss of her home, lifestyle, and the security that comes from having a place to belong.

Melanie Kolander disappointed her parents when she left Omaha, Nebraska and moved to Hollywood to pursue a career as an actress rather than going to college. Known professionally as Melanie Cole, she scored bit parts in movies before finally landing a lead role in a successful film that was released just months ago. She also had a high-profile relationship with her costar, Carson Edwards – arranged by the studio – that they both enjoyed, even though neither saw it as a real or lasting romance. Melanie was finally earning enough money to splurge on luxury items and looking forward to the start of filming on her next big movie in which she would again have the starring role.

And then, at just twenty-five years of age, her dream life evaporated before it really got started. Because of her association with Carson, her name was placed on Hollywood’s blacklist, she lost the role in the upcoming film, and no studio will hire her. Her parents are embarrassed and, along with her agent, have urged her to come home to Omaha, enroll in college courses, and build a more stable life for herself. Melanie steadfastly refuses.

Instead, wealthy Carson has admirably arranged for Melanie to escape to a rented house on Paradise Circle in Malibu and agreed to pay Melanie’s living expenses for the foreseeable future, hoping that the Red Scare will be short-lived, and their careers will survive. In the meantime, they must avoid being seen together in order to keep further rumors from circulating. Melanie not only is not a member of the Communist party, she has never attended any meetings, and is not even sure what it means to be a Communist. Like too many in the entertainment industry, she has been unjustly targeted solely because of her relationship with Carson, who has been suspiciously cagey when Melanie has questioned him as to whether he is a Communist or sympathizer.

Isolated and alone in her rental house, Melanie has had no social life for months and has sought solace and advice about her predicament from her next-door neighbor, Elwood Blankenship, a successful screenwriter. Since a tragic automobile accident nearly a decade ago in Palm Springs that claimed the life of his passenger, Ruthie Brink, a woman he was dating at the time, Elwood has suffered from agoraphobia. He has not ventured out of his residence in all those years, and converses with Melanie either while near a doorway or from his bedroom window, where he spends countless hours drafting scripts that are delivered to the studios for him. Elwood’s brother, Frank, and his wife, June, moved in to care for him after the accident. And June remained after Frank’s sudden death from a heart attack five years ago.

The other person Melanie interacts with consistently is Eva Kruse, the housekeeper who spends six hours each weekday mostly cleaning a house that is already clean and preparing meals for Melanie. The two women don’t converse much, and Eva is conscientious and reserved. Dispatched by Marvelous Maids, Eva would like to secure a different assignment, but fears that lodging a request could backfire and she needs the job.

Not only is Malibu a long bus ride from the room she rents, Eva harbors secrets that could both complicate matters for Melanie and result in Eva's deportation from the United States. Eva is a thirty-year-old survivor of World War II who lost her home, family, and the young man, Sascha, she loved and planned to spend her life with. After the war, she spent time in Displaced Persons camps before landing a housekeeping position in London and, from there, emigrating to Los Angeles after securing a sponsor. But Eva falsified her history and immigration officials would take swift action should the actual details about her background become known.

As the story opens in December 1956, sleepless Melanie is shocked when she observes June digging up several of Elwood’s beloved rose bushes in the yard. Melanie cannot fathom why June would do such a thing, especially in the middle of the night, knowing how it will upset Elwood. Meissner relates that June came to life in her “mind as an image of a sad and desperate woman digging up rose bushes at three a.m.” and she filled in the details – June’s history, her relationships with both Elwood and Frank, and the events that have led up to that pivotal moment.

Melanie questions June about not only the roses, but Elwood’s sudden disappearance. She doesn’t see him in the bedroom window, is not able to talk with him through the fence, and June refuses to call him to the telephone when Melanie calls. June has always been protective of Elwood, but is particularly evasive, insisting that Elwood isn’t speaking to anyone because he is experiencing a depressive episode and needs to focus on completing a script that is due to the studio soon. Melanie does not buy June’s explanations, growing increasingly worried about Elwood and fearing that he is not in his house at all. But where could he be? Learning that June injured her back while moving the rose bushes, she concocts a scheme to send Eva next door to assist June with housekeeping . . . and find out whether Elwood is there and safe.

Meissner set her story in Malibu, “a fragile paradise,” on a fictional street named Paradise Circle. Malibu is not only set on the beautiful Pacific coast, it has long been known as “the wildfire capital of North America,” and the timing of the publication of Meissner’s tale – March 2025 – is eerily ironic, coming just a couple of months after the historic Palisades fire that decimated huge portions of the area. For Meissner, the setting presciently illustrated that “you can’t know for certain that what you think of as home there will always be around.”

Eva and June bond, developing a relationship that can be mutually beneficial. Eva shares some of her secrets with June, who dangles offers of assistance securing a better job in exchange for Eva’s cooperation. Soon, Melanie finds herself joining their surprising alliance in an effort to ensure that potentially devastating truths remain buried.

Meissner’s characters are fully developed and sympathetic. Melanie, who naively came to Hollywood with big dreams and quickly learned that success can be both hard-earned and wrongly ripped away, is ambitious, tenacious, and surprisingly principled. She becomes the voice of reason when she learns the truth and what is at stake. Eva already knows how it feels to lose everything, but is intent on surviving, even though she has remained heartbroken about losing Sascha. Others, including her landlady, Yvonne, have urged her to put her past behind her and open her heart to love again, but she has been unable to do so. Nonetheless, she has been adept at self-preservation in the past and is ready to again do whatever the situation requires. She feels a kinship with and fondness for both Melanie and June but is particularly protective of June. She feels great compassion for her because Eva knows all too well what it is like to be pushed to the brink.

June is the most complex of the three characters. She has a victim mentality that is infuriating, even when viewed within the context of the time period. At a time when women were disqualified by their gender from securing a mortgage in order to purchase real property and were expected to marry, raise a family, and let men be the decision-makers, June fears losing the only home and security she has ever known. Her mother left her home alone overnight in a closet, and Frank (with her acquiescence) invested in an unsuccessful venture that cost them their home. With Elwood in idyllic Malibu, she finally has the home she has longed for and the possibility of losing it is more than she can bear. Inarguably, she made poor choices over the years and developed unrealistic expectations, but she remains a tragic figure, at least to Eva and, to a lesser extent, Melanie.

The story is intriguing and as events unfold, Meissner explores her characters’ pasts, revealing how they came to be on Paradise Circle at the same time, how their pasts have shaped and motivated them, and why they must trust each other and work together to carry out their plan in order to secure the kind of futures for themselves they want.

At its core, A Map to Paradise is a tale of friendship. Meissner employs an outrageous premise, punctuated with surprising revelations and complications, to demonstrate how three women unite, initially motivated by secrecy and fears of betrayal, but end up protecting, supporting, and assisting each other through an unimaginable crisis. Circumstances throw them together with a common desire “to recover that exquisite feeling of knowing you are right where you belong, and that you can rest there because no one is trying to take it from you.” They had each known that kind of paradise at one point in their lives. “They’d each found it before without a map, and had to believe they could all find it again, the same way. Because there is no map to paradise. There is only the dream that such a place exists, as does the desire to possess it, and the determination to find it again when it’s been lost.”

Meissner’s skillful storytelling makes finding out whether Melanie, Eva, and June find paradise again a riveting and highly entertaining experience.

Melanie Cole’s career as an actress has been put on hold, as she’s shunned to Hollywood’s blacklist, and she’s staying in a rental next door to Elwood, an agoraphobic screenwriter, and his sister-in-law, June. While Melanie and her housekeeper, Eva, see June around the home, they soon stop seeing Elwood completely, and begin to wonder how a man who never leaves home could seemingly disappear.

I have previously read and absolutely loved two of Susan Meissner’s books—her writing is beautiful and she consistently creates engaging stories. The exquisite writing was no exception in this latest novel—she beautifully tells the story and portrays well-developed, dynamic characters. I loved how the book was lead by an ensemble of three strong female characters, and appreciated their backstories that contributed to their character development. Overall, I’d recommend this book!

Thank you to Berkley Publishing and NetGalley for my gifted e-ARC!

𝗠𝘆 𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴: 4⭐️
A MAP TO PARADISE
🤍𝗚𝗲𝗻𝗿𝗲: historical fiction / mystery
📖 352 pages
𝗘𝗺𝗼𝗷𝗶𝘀:🌹🎥✍🏼😢🪖🔥🎬🌴♥️💔🥹
𝗣𝘂𝗯 𝗱𝗮𝘁𝗲: 3/18/2025

𝗥𝗲𝗮𝗱 𝗶𝗳 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗹𝗶𝗸𝗲:
◽️ unlikely friendships
◽️ old Hollywood
◽️ WWII
◽️ multiple POV & timeline

💛𝗿𝗲𝘃𝗶𝗲𝘄 𝘁𝗶𝗺𝗲💛

- 1956, Malibu, CA

Thank you @berkleypub @prhaudio for the free #gifted copy!

A MAP OF PARADISE was such a refreshing & unique read! I loved exploring a historical topic that was different from what I usually gravitate toward. The story immediately pulled me in with its intriguing mystery, & I found myself eager to see where the plot would lead. The multiple timelines & perspectives added depth to the narrative, making it even more engaging.

One of my favorite aspects of the book was the strong presence of female characters & how their lives intertwined. Their journeys were compelling, highlighting themes of resilience, starting over, & discovering who to trust. At its heart, this is a story about unlikely friendships & the beauty of found family, making it a truly memorable read!

𝗣𝗹𝗼𝘁: Starlet Melanie Cole is stuck in Hollywood with her career on hold & only her reclusive neighbor, Elwood, to confide in. One morning, she & her housekeeper, Eva, see Elwood’s sister-in-law, June, digging in his rose garden. After that, Elwood disappears without a trace. As they search for answers, the women uncover secrets that bind them together in an uneasy alliance. But their fragile trust is at risk, & one wrong move could destroy everything.

#AMaptoParadise #historicalfiction #murdermystery #mystery #fiction #hardcover #audiobook #giftedbooks #Berkley #Berkleypartner #bookaddict #whattoreadnext #botwxbs #bookcollector #booksaremylife #booksonbooks #crimewithaclaw #cozycorner #communism #prhaudiopartner

A Map to Paradise is a mystery set in Malibu, California during the McCarthy Era (“red scare”) in which three unlikely conspirators join forces.

Where are the dead bodies hidden?

In 1956, three women on Paradise Circle in Malibu, California find themselves in extraordinary circumstances. At a time when authors and actors are “blacklisted” and the “red scare” is at its intensity, Melanie is hiding out because of her association with a boyfriend who is under suspicion of being a Communist. Her reclusive next-door neighbor hasn’t been seen for days and his sister-in-law/caregiver mysteriously digs up his roses in the backyard. Is this suspicious or does Melanie have an overactive imagination? She sends her housekeeper, Eva, over to check things out. Suddenly, circumstances become complicated, and events spiral out of control as the three women work together to hide secrets.

I’m not sure if we can call these three women friends exactly. They are more like co-conspirators as events spiral out of control. Melanie is an out-of-work movie star who is hiding out in fear of being black-listed because her love interest is suspected of being a communist. Elwood, the reclusive man next door is a screenwriter, and his sister-in-law, June, is his caretaker and companion. Melanie suspects foul play as she hasn’t seen Elwood outside for several days and she spots June digging up his roses in the middle of the night. She suspects foul play. Should she report her suspicions? Eva, an immigrant with her own backstory and secrets, is Melanie’s housekeeper and Melanie sends her to June’s house to spy. Is Elwood still alive? Eventually, these three women who each have a secret to protect, form an unlikely alliance. I didn’t find any of the three desperate women especially likable.

A Map to Paradise includes multiple levels of intrigue. What really happened to Elwood? Is June a suspect? What are her motives? Eva’s backstory puts her immigration status and life at risk. Will Melanie find work again as an actor after her association with a suspected communist? How far will she go and what risks will she take to support Eva and June? A lot is going on here!

The events in this story lead to an important ethical question for readers: are the actions these women take to protect themselves and each other ethical or even justified? Although the author doesn’t appear to raise the question, the ethics of covering up a crime would lead to an interesting book club discussion.

Content Consideration: fire (reminiscent of the recent Malibu/Pacific Palisades fires), death, deception, grief, abusive spouse

If you enjoy sides of intrigue and desperate women, A Map to Paradise might be a good read for you. The historical period is an interesting backdrop that adds drama to this suspenseful story. Fans of Susan Meissner might want to add this page-turning new release to their TBRs.

Thanks #NetGalley @BerkleyPub #BerkleyBuddyReads for a complimentary eARC of #AMapToParadise upon my request. All opinions are my own.

Melanie, Eva and June have such unique perspectives that really made this story come to life. Meissner did a great job of offering each their own time to shine so to speak. Their POV’s not only covered current time (well current historical time), but also revealed in stages their own back stories. For some reason I found myself more connected to Eva and June then Melanie. I can’t put my finger on why, but Melanie was just an ok character, not someone I could see myself wanting to befriend.

Meissner also does a great job of making history come to life. Back then there was a lot of people from all walks of life, “blacklisted” simply because of the possibility of being found a communist. I’m not saying I agree with communism, but I am saying it wasn’t fair for them to be treated as such. I enjoy when authors bring things like this to their books. It makes it more real, different, and makes you feel empathy for the characters. It kind of reminded me of Susie Finkbeiner’s The All American, which had a similar plot theme in it.

The pacing of the book felt slow to me, and I sometimes had a hard time keeping interest in the story. I kept pressing on, and I encourage you to do the same if it should happen to you. Overall I did enjoy seeing Melanie, Eva and June come together and see how each of their stories would play out. And it definitely picked up once you got closer to the end. I think Meissner fans will enjoy reading about Melanie, Eva and June.

I received a complimentary copy of this book. I was not required to write a favorable review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

** There is minor profanity in this book **

I read the arc for A Map to Paradise by Susan Meissner, a historical fiction novel set in Malibu in 1956.

Three women, and each has secrets. Melanie is a Hollywood starlet and recent victim of the blacklist. She is being investigated by the House Un-American Activities Committee because of her association with her co-star in her breakout film. She has moved out to Malibu to attract less notice and distance herself, but she continues her relationship with her co-star who is paying for her house in Malibu, her groceries, her lawyer, and her housekeeper, Eva.

Eva, came to the US after the war. She tells everyone she came from Poland. But, did she? She speaks perfect English. She is afraid her lies will be found out and that she will be deported. She knows how to keep a secret.

June is also keeping secrets. She lives next door to Melanie with her brother-in-law, her late husband's twin brother, Elwood. Elwood is a successful screenwriter and has been giving Melanie advice on her HUAC trouble.

I found these characters to be well written and likeable. I thought the story moved at a good pace, and I enjoy Susan Meissner's writing. I gave this book 4 stars and I need to thank Berkeley Publishing and Net Galley for my arc. This book comes out on March 18th.

As always, Susan Meissner delivers a story that enlightens and informs while still having a lot of heart. The women in this story are well developed and complex, with interesting and varied backstory that complicate and enhance the plot.

Thank you NetGalley, Berkley and author, Susan Meissner for the free book!

I was absolutely addicted to this story from page one! Three very different women, from very different backgrounds (yet so much the same) … form an unlikely friendship that turns into an unbreakable bond for life!

Set in the 1950s during the rise of McCarthyism, Hollywood blacklists & the hunt for Communist sympathizers … these women will call on each other for strength to endure the hardest of choices & circumstances!

There are so many layers that pulled me into this story … loss, heartbreak, secrets, betrayal, survival, romance, mystery and the reminder of how powerful & lasting female friendships can be!

Susan Meissner really knows how to tell a captivating story with the best characters that will touch all the deepest spaces of your heart!! 100% Recommend!

🎬 Wow, what a fast-paced, quick and twisty read! Thank you to @berkleypub for letting me get a sneak peek at this book. It’s out today!

🎬 This is very different from other Susan Meissner books I’ve read in the past. It’s almost historical fiction light? The plot is not necessarily HF-focused, but it is set in an historically significant time and the characters have HF-focused backgrounds.

🎬 That said, it was such a page-turner. I flew through it in two days despite the fact I had a five-day buddy read planned @read.sip.read.repeat (don’t worry— we both agreed it was ok to speed ahead). I didn’t learn a ton from this which is what typically draws me to the HF genre, but I did thoroughly enjoy it! I recommend you give this one a try!

Berkley eARC
I love Susan Meissner and always look forward to her newest novel. This one was a bit quieter than I've come to expect from her stories. It did take me a while to get into these characters lives, but once I did, I had to know how their stories would connect and intertwine. It's not often I wish an author's note was in the beginning, but with this book, I wish I had read it first. I did a lot of reflecting after finishing because her note really made the theme stick out with me. Overall, this is the story of Melanie, a blacklisted actress during the HUAC attacks, her maid, Eva, and the neighbor, June. All of these women have a secret or two, and I liked how Meissner took her time to build the trust up between these women. It was quiet and impactful, and I'm already eagerly awaiting her next novel.

In 1956 in Malibu, California, three women forge unexpected friendships. Actress Melanie Cole was on the brink of stardom, receiving glowing reviews for her new movie alongside Carson Edwards. The studio promoted a romance between them for publicity, and when Carson was blacklisted due to his connections with known communists, Melanie was blacklisted too. Carson rented a house for Melanie on Paradise Circle in Malibu for her privacy. Melanie befriended her neighbor Elwood Blankenship, a screenwriter who became reclusive following a terrible car accident, with his widowed sister-in-law June caring for him. Eva Kruse was employed as Melanie's housekeeper. She is believed to be a Polish refugee from a Displaced Persons camp, yet she is not being truthful about her past. Eva fears that Melanie is being watched, which would endanger her safety. Melanie sends Eva to the Blankenship house to check on Elwood, who seems to have vanished. Secrets, lies, and the threat of a natural disaster bring Melanie, Eva, and June together.

A Map to Paradise is an engaging historical novel by Susan Meissner, a favorite of mine. Setting the story during the McCarthy era offers an interesting look at the Red Scare and the Hollywood blacklist. It was a dark chapter in American history. Despite facing very different challenges, Melanie, Eva, and June share a common strength and resilience. They have no option but to help one another. Most of Meissner's novels have been highly emotional. This latest book may not tug at the heartstrings as much as the others, but that didn't make it less likable. I enjoyed it.

I look forward to reading Susan Meissner’s latest novel each year. I picked up A Map to Paradise to see where the author would take us this year. I was transported back to 1956 when Hollywood actors, writers, and producers were terrified of being put on the Hollywood blacklist. A Map to Paradise is a character driven story that moves at a leisurely pace. The characters are developed with flaws. I like when the characters are realistic. The three women (June, Eva, and Melanie) have had ups and downs in their lives (some more than others). The story was interesting, but it was somewhat predictable with repetitive details. When someone is digging in a rose garden in the middle of the night, it is obvious what they are doing. I wish there had been more suspense and action (something to liven up the story). The story felt flat (reminded me of a flat line on a heart monitor). At times, the dialogue felt forced (felt like the author was trying too hard). I liked that June and Eva became friends. I found the epilogue to be a letdown. I have read all of Susan Meissner’s books (I have been hooked since I read “A Lady in Waiting”, and A Map to Paradise was not a hit with me (if I ranked Susan Meissner's books from favorite to least favorite, this book would be at the bottom of the list). While A Map to Paradise was not a home run with me, I look forward to reading Susan Meissner’s next novel.

Yet another brilliant book by Susan Meissner.

The book focuses on three neighbors on Paradise Circle, women, who at first blush, appear to be as different as people can be. There's Melanie Cole, a self-absorbed starlet who's found herself on the Hollywood blacklist, her housekeeper Eva Kruse who has escaped post-war Eastern Europe, and June Blankenship, the unfriendly caretaker for Elwood Blankenship, the agrophobic screenwriter who lives next door.

When June injures her back digging up the roses in Elwood's garden, Melanie offers to share her housekeeper for a few days. In fact, she insists as a favor to Elwood who has been a sympathetic ear for Melanie since she's moved in. Oh, and by the way, where is Elwood? The screenwriter hasn't been seen in several days. And since when did June mess with Elwood's prized roses?

Eva the maid thinks she knows the answers, but she's got secrets of her own to protect.

The story bounces back and forth between the present and the past. Using flashbacks, Meissner explains how each woman came to live at Paradise Circle and the sacrifices they've made in their lives. By the time June's and Eva's secrets are revealed, readers understand their actions. It's a clever way of building empathy, far more effective than the women explaining after-the-fact.

I loved watching the three women go from strangers to close, protective friends. Melanie's journey from naive starlet to mature woman was especially rewarding. This is a marvelous story about sacrifice, friendship, and letting go of the past. I adored it.

Thank you Netgalley for providing an early read in exchange for an honest review.

I will be honest I am not one to read too much historical fiction, even though I do want to dabble in this genre more! This one was such a good one to read. Dealing with the effects of the Cold War and a lot of celebrities being blacklisted. We follow three strong women in different walks of life that form an alliance after witnessing something in a neighbor back yard creating a friendship that none expected. Each of them carrying their own secrets. This was honestly so fun to read. I loved the Hollywood vibes, mystery, and some history as well.

Rich, atmospheric, and unpredictable!

A Map to Paradise is a mysterious, captivating tale set in Malibu during the late 1950s that takes us into the lives of three main characters. Melanie, an aspiring actress whose affair with a suspected communist has blacklisted her from the movie business; Eva, a European immigrant maid who is content to keep her head down and get her work done; and June, a middle-aged woman who since losing her husband has spent her days happily taking care of her agoraphobic brother-in-law.

The prose is eloquent and expressive. The characters are vulnerable, resourceful, and resilient. And the plot is a compelling tale of life, loss, deception, surprises, secrets, heartbreak, betrayal, friendship, survival, and a touch of romance.

Overall, A Map to Paradise is an intriguing, absorbing, enigmatic tale by Meissner that immerses you in another time and place and does a wonderful job of highlighting the lengths that people will often go to for survival, and reminds us just how important and powerful female friendships can truly be.