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.

Susan Meissner has long been a talented author of historical fiction that includes strong resilient women, and this book is no exception. I found this book to be very intriguing because it uniquely takes place in the 1950s in Hollywood during the McCarthy era, the Red Scare, and the investigations of the House Un-American Activities Committee. This story took me down a nonfiction research rabbit hole, which I enjoy.

The main characters are three remarkable women who become improbable friends. Each of them harbors dangerous information and they are thrown together by a peculiar situation. As the shells around their past secrets are cracked open, they decide to help each other and by doing so they bond over love and loss and end up helping themselves.

I didn't love this book as much as I loved Meissner's book "Only the Beautiful", but it was still an interesting and worthwhile read. I would recommend this book to fans of historical fiction and women's fiction.

Malibu, 1956, Hollywood and the McCarthy Era.

A Map to Paradise takes us to the neighborhood, Paradise Circle, with an actress blacklisted, a reclusive playwright's caretaker and a housemaid. Together, these characters lives intersect to form a lasting bond full of secrets and deceit. Their life experiences are vastly different, but they need each other to overcome their individual predicaments.

The tension is riveting as we learn ALL the secrets the women hold close to the chest. Each has had to be strong navigating their hardships. This is truly a historically, character driven story.

Enjoyed the timeframe and the plot.

Thank you, Berkley Publishing Group | Berkley

In 1950s Malibu, something feels off on Paradise Circle. Actress Melanie Cole, blacklisted in Hollywood due to her associations with her co-star and beau Carson, finds solace in brief conversations with her reclusive neighbor, Elwood. Alongside her housekeeper, Eva, she leads a secluded life until they witness Elwood’s caretaker, June, mysteriously digging in his rose garden. When Elwood vanishes, Melanie and Eva search for answers, uncovering shocking truths about themselves and each other. As they form an uneasy alliance to protect their fragile worlds, tensions rise against the glamorous backdrop of old Hollywood.

Pub Date: March 18, 2025

4.5 stars!
(rounded to 5 on NetGalley and Goodreads)

Pure entertainment! This book could be a movie. The three women highlighted - Melanie, Eva and June - each have such interesting backstories and their current day lives are woven together so meticulously. Melanie is lonesome and alienated after being wrongly accused of communist ties; Eva is seemingly an everyday house maid who has a dark and shocking past; and June cares for her brother-in-law as he copes with the aftermath of a terrible car accident. The three women are bonded together through their need for companionship, support and truth, even when the truth is difficult to bear.

I loved that I never knew which direction the story was going. I didn't know who to trust, who to question, or what would be around the next turn, which kept the pacing of the story moving. This was my first Susan Meissner book and I will absolutely be looking into her other hits, such as Secrets of a Charmed Life, The Nature of Fragile Things, and Only the Beautiful, which all have a Goodreads score over 4.2!

Thank you so much to Susan, UpLit Reads and Berkley for the gifted early copy of this novel!

3 women come together through unfortunate circumstances. Eva an immigrant housekeeper working for Hollywood star Melanie. Melanie needs to hide out and stay out of the spotlight. She meets a screenwriter. Elwood who has severe agoraphobia. They befriend each other but when Melanie hasn’t seen him for a while she starts to question his whereabouts. June, Elwood’s sister in law, takes care of Elwood but when June hurts her back, Melanie offers her housekeeper Eva. Stories of each others past and current situations put these 3 women in a bit of a conundrum. Set in 1959 Malibu offers a beautiful backdrop and the story takes you there. I really enjoyed A Map to Paradise.

Thank you @BerkleyPub for my free book and thank you @prhaudio for the #gifted listening copy of A Map to Paradise! #BerkleyBookstagram #BerkleyIG #berkley #PRHAudioPartner #PRHAInfluencer #berkleypub #AMapToParadise #SusanMeissner

𝐓𝐢𝐭𝐥𝐞: 𝐀 𝐌𝐚𝐩 𝐭𝐨 𝐏𝐚𝐫𝐚𝐝𝐢𝐬𝐞
𝐀𝐮𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐫: 𝐒𝐮𝐬𝐚𝐧 𝐌𝐞𝐢𝐬𝐬𝐧𝐞𝐫
𝐍𝐚𝐫𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐨𝐫: 𝐋𝐢𝐬𝐚 𝐅𝐥𝐚𝐧𝐚𝐠𝐚𝐧
𝐏𝐮𝐛 𝐃𝐚𝐭𝐞: 𝐌𝐚𝐫𝐜𝐡 𝟏𝟖, 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟓

A Map to Paradise is the latest historical fiction novel by author Susan Meissner. Set in 1956 in Malibu, it involves three women, all three very different from one another, who form an unlikely friendship under unusual circumstances.

Melanie - A Hollywood actress who finds her name on the blacklist after being accused of keeping company with communist. Now her life is on hold from acting and she’s isolated in her house with only her housekeeper and her next door neighbor, Elwood. Elwood, a screenwriter, suffers from agoraphobia and they chat through open windows.

Eva - Melanie’s housekeeper who is an immigrant from Europe and has quite a few secrets that she has been hiding from Melanie.

June - Melanie’s next-door-neighbor and Elwood’s sister-in-law and caretaker. One morning Melanie see’s her digging in Elwood’s beloved rose garden and has seen Elwood around in a long time. Melanie thinks she must be hiding something, but what could it be?

Eventually, secrets by all three women are revealed and these unlikely women form an alliance.

This book was unlike the other books I’ve read by this author, but I really enjoyed it once I got a feel for each of the characters. I also loved how the book ended and thought it was done perfectly. While I loved learning about each of the women and their stories, I was really drawn to June and her story the most. I love a story with strong women, and this one really hit the mark.

🎧I listened to the audiobook, which was narrated by Lisa Flanagan, I thought she did an excellent job narrating this one. I thought she was engaging and I loved how she brought the stories of all three women to life.

Posted on Goodreads on March 14, 2025: https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/144922955?ref=nav_profile_l
**Posted on Instagram - Full Review- on or around March 14, 2025: http://www.instagram.com/nobookmark_noproblem
**Posted on Amazon on March 18, 2025
**-will post on designated date

Susan Meissner books continue to bring light to dark moments in history. In A Map to Paradise, three women find a common thread of grief in having suffered a loss. One for love, one for work, and one for family. Each backstory is endearing with each character being extremely likable! I loved the added suspense to this historical fiction novel and learning about life during the McCarthyism era. Another fabulous story about amazing women.

This book was incredible! I went in blind and was captivated by the story that unfolded about three very different women dealing with their own sense of displacement and belonging.

I loved the mystery at the heart of this that connects these women and bonded them. Each had very intriguing stories that were layered with historical facts of the time. I appreciated every piece of this story and know I’ll be thinking of these three brave women long after I finish this book. The conclusion was very satisfying and I truly can’t recommend this book enough!

Thank you so much to Berkley pub and NetGalley for my ARC!

1956, Malibu, Paradise Circle

Secrets, connections, longing, love, loss, labels, friendships, and survival are all themes that come into play during this character driven gripping book. It is a little on the slow side and while I struggle with slow moving books, I did not mind the pacing in this book. I enjoyed this book which delt with connections, alliances, and bonds.

Melanie Cole is an up-and-coming actress who finds herself blacklisted and labeled as a communist. Eva is her maid and an immigrant from war-torn Europe who fears that she will be deported. Their next-door neighbor is Elwood, a famous screenwriter who became an agoraphobic after a horrible accident. June is Elwood's sister-in-law who was once married to his twin brother. They all orbit each other in the small area of Malibu in which they live.

I enjoy Susan Meissner's writing and how she builds her plots. The characters in this book are all unique and interesting. As more is divulged about their pasts, each character grew on me even more. Each has something in their past that evokes feelings and explains some of their motivations and thoughts. I enjoyed how each character was fleshed out and how the characters eventually became interconnected and how their bonds were formed.

I enjoyed the characters, their resilience, their strength, their humanness, and their plight. Malibu is the perfect setting and with the fire raving the area toward the end of the book, becomes a character as well. I also enjoyed the mystery in this book and the twists and revelations which occur as a result.

Wonderfully written, well thought out, and hard to put down!

I went into this book knowing it was set in 1950s Malibu. And pretty much that’s all you need to know. This story is very character-driven, featuring three women from various walks of life who’ve found themselves as neighbors. Melanie is a blacklisted starlet who had just gotten her big break in Hollywood before her co-star was accused of communist ties and Melanie had to get out of the public eye. Jane is Melanie’s neighbor, living with her agoraphobic brother-in-law. And Eva is Melanie’s maid, hired more to keep Melanie company than anything.
As the three women begin to interact more and more regularly, it becomes clear that they all have secrets they want to keep hidden. And as those secrets are slowly revealed, the suspense continues to mount. The first 60% or so was a little slow for me, but the second half was packed with action, tension, and twists that had me flying through the pages.
I’d recommend this to anyone who loves historical fiction. This is a time period I don’t see a ton of fiction focusing on, and it was a fascinating read!
Thanks to Berkley for the free book in exchange for an honest review!