I was intrigued by the premise of this book. There were
many parts of this book that I really enjoyed and other parts that made the story drag a bit. Overall, a 3.5 star rating. I did enjoy the story of the unlikely friendship between Marilyn Monroe and a young woman who worked in the hotel during the time “The Misfits” was filmed.

The is the story of Pauline, who immigrated to the US from Paris as a child when her mother became a war bride. They moved to Reno, Nevada and Pauline fell in love with Mustangs. This story goes back and forth between two different time periods of the past and the present. Pauline's chance encounter with a movie star changes her life. There are several different themes that play out in the story which were interesting to read. Not my favorite book by this author but it was a good story. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced copy to read.

Blonde Dust by Tatiana de Rosnay. When I saw that Ms. de Rosnay had written another book I was overjoyed since she has not had a book published since 2020. This is the fifth book of hers that I have read. I absolutely loved this book. It was beautifully written. The story itself takes you on a journey through three important time frames in our heroines life.

Pauline is the main character. The first period of her life is post World War II -1946 Paris and continues into 1958 Reno, Nevada. Pauline’s mother falls in love with an American GI and they move to the US. The second period of her life is during 1960 when she is a washroom attendant at the Mapes Hotel in Reno, Nevada. She is asked by her boss to cover a shift in one of the main suites of the hotel. Pauline is befriended by it’s occupant, a movie star. Pauline doesn’t go to the movies or cares about Hollywood so she truly has zero idea who’s suite she is cleaning. They become friends during the months that this woman occupies the suite. The last period is when Pauline is in her 60’s and an acclaimed equestrian Veterinarian. The reason that Pauline became involved in horses was because of her stepfather. He introduces her to horse rescuers and the wild mustangs of Nevada. I have listed the three portions of her life in chronological order but that is not how they happen in the book.

Ultimately we find out that the occupant of the suite is no other than Marilyn Monroe. The cast and crew of the movie “The Misfits” were staying at the Mapes Hotel while the movie was being filmed. We see the stereotypical view of Marilyn being a very troubled soul. What we learn is that she was a very kind a caring person. Although Marilyn is in Pauline’s life for only a few months she leaves a very deep impact on her for the rest of her life.

My only disappointment with this book was there was no Author’s Note. We, as readers, do not know how much of the story regarding Marilyn Monroe, the filming of the Misfits and the operation to save the wild Nevada Mustangs is based on an historical account and how much was pure fiction.

As I mentioned earlier it was nice to see a new book added to this authors accomplishments. I would like to thank the author, Grand Central Publishing and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Thanks to NetGalley and Grand Central Publishing for the digital copy of this book; I am leaving this review voluntarily.

I’m always up for historical fiction based on real people, and Blonde Dust fits the bill. I loved this character-driven story. Originally starting in the year 2000, the real Mapes Hotel is going to be demolished. Pauline, the protagonist in the story, reminisces about the time she spent working as a maid at the building. She also remembers the unlikely friendship she made with the tragic movie star, Marilyn Monroe.

There are themes of friendship, resilience, as well as navigating societal pressures with the friendship of Pauline and Marilyn, which occurs at a pivotal moment in both their lives. I read someone’s review who called this a “fun, light-hearted read,” and that couldn’t be further from the truth. Monroe has great emotional turmoil as her current marriage is falling apart, as well as a reliance on drugs means she has a hard time showing up to work (the movie being filmed, The Misfits, would be her last. She was too big of a liability to insure.)

This is an interesting take on a period of Marilyn Monroe’s life and would recommend for fans of old Hollywood or those like me that like their historical fiction based on real events.

I found this book to be incredibly fascinating. The storyline(s) were interesting and engaging. I thought the characters were well developed and wonderful. I found this to be a quick and enjoyable read. This book was told in two timelines, the 2000s and 1960s - I enjoyed the 1960s timeline much more. I did find that the main character was complex and realistic in both timelines and I enjoyed how they were tied together. Strong female friendships and characters (even when they come across as weak) were prevalent through the entire book. Pauline is a young chambermaid at a hotel in Nevada. While there, she is befriended by Marilyn Monroe, during her breakup with Arthur Miller. The story follows Pauline during her experience at the hotel in the 60s, her relationship with the wild mustangs and history behind them and her relationships that lasted decades. Overall, a well done historical fiction that ties into old school hollywood glamour (a behind the scenes peek!)

Thank you netgalley for my advanced reader copy.

Pauline is a single mother and i working as a maid at one of Reno's finest hotels in the 1960s. Reno at the time was still part of the wild west and Mustang's run free; Pauline's dream is to be an equine veterinarian, but her daughter's unexpected arrival has stalled her dreams. When Marilyn Monroe stays there during her time filming a movie she befriends Pauline and the experience alters the trajectory of Pauline's life for the better.

I have really enjoyed the author's past work and since I am always fascinated by a Marilyn Monroe story I was excited to pick it up. While I enjoyed the story I would say this was a like not love read for me. I'm still thinking about it but it was a bit slow at times. I did think the story was well done and I was pretty into about 75% of it. If you like these types of novels I think it's a good one to pick up.

3.75 stars

Thank you to Grand Central Pub and NetGalley for the ARC to review

I really enjoyed reading this book! It's a story of an unlikely friendship. It's also about a young woman becoming independent and following her true passion.

I was hooked from the beginning!
It was amazing and engaging.
I was instantly sucked in by the atmosphere and writing style.
The characters were all very well developed .
The writing is exceptional and I was hooked after the first sentence.

Thank you to NetGalley, Grand Central Publishing, and Tatiana de Rosnay for allowing me to read this ARC.

I am always excited for a book by Tatiana de Rosnay, so was thrilled to see Blonde Dust. Everyone loves a story about famous, well-loved actresses, and this book won’t disappoint you. I never read ahead because I like to be surprised, and, even though I guessed, the fact that Chambermaid Pauline didn’t, made the reveal fun. The friendship between the movie star and Pauline shows us the importance of lasting friendships. Be sure to read this book!

👗Blonde Dust by Tatiana De Rosnay, published on June 3rd, is a fitting ode to Marilyn Monroe, born Norma Jeane Mortenson on June 1st, 1926. Though fictional, one can’t help but wonder, maybe Marilyn really did know a Pauline, someone she quietly gave wings to fly.

Told across three timelines, the heart of the story is set in Reno, Nevada during the late 1950s and early 1960s. Pauline, a chambermaid at the Mapes Hotel, is assigned to a suite on the sixth floor unaware that her life is about to change forever.👗

🐎This book completely captivated me. I couldn’t put it down. The conservation of western wild horses, unexpected friendships, and the quiet ache of wanting to belong are written with such tenderness. The way the author explores the exploitation of both Pauline and Marilyn is powerful and deeply moving.

Pauline is a standout character, complex, relatable, and achingly human in her desire to be understood. Her journey toward finding her “happy people” truly struck a chord.

Blonde Dust is more than a novel. It’s a reimagining that makes you question what truths may have existed behind the camera’s glare.🐎

Thank you to Grand Central Publishing for the copy.

I always love learning about all the different facets of Marilyn Monroe and in that regard I learned quite a bit! I have never heard of the Misfits before but the way her acting was written towards the ending sent a shiver down a back.

I truly feel like the MVP of this entire book was Doug.. Doug was such a great man and I really did love the relationship he had with Pauline.

The writing for me was odd? It's hard to explain, Pauline's POV would describe how or what other characters were reacting too or saying about situations. I really did not like Billie-Pearl, her nickname for Pauline made me cringe every time it was brought up.. "Mademoiselle" really? There wasn't any other French word you could have used that would fit better as a nickname?

I grew up reading horse books and the way the Mustangs were described in this book was clinical? Almost seemed like she threw the Mustang subplot in because she needed filler. It wasn't really written with any love or admiration of the Mustang's themselves and brought up maybe 3 times throughout the book.

Pauline's character was hit or miss with me. I think her personal growth being around Marilyn Monroe was inspiring but there are certain sections from 2000 that bored me to tears.

Overall a solid book, if you are looking to read about Marilyn Monroe and learn yet another side of the well loved actress.

Thanks to Grand Central Publishing and Netgalley for this advance copy!

It's been awhile since I read a Tatiana De Rosnay novel and this one was definitely not what I thought it was going to be. The story of a woman who spent a summer as a maid at a Reno hotel and met Marilyn Monroe was not really where I thought this was going for some reason but I loved how the author used "Mrs Miller" as this vehicle for helping Pauline understand she wasn't just a single mother, she wasn't just a maid, she had other dreams and she could achieve them. I know this was an "imagined" friendship, but I appreciated how the focus stayed on Pauline. Sure, multiple world famous people came in and out of the story, but Pauline was the anchor. At times I wasn't sure exactly where all this was going, but I loved the flashbacks/forwards and I thought this was a wonderful story.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the advance copy in exchange for my honest review. The premise of this was interesting, but it didn’t really deliver. I couldn’t relate to any of the characters and it really dragged in places.

Thank you to NetGalley and Grand Central Publishing for an advanced copy of Blonde Dust. Tatiana de Rosnay never disappoints. Written in a dual timeline, I thoroughly enjoyed the imaginative friendship between Marilyn Monroe and a chambermaid at the historic Mapes Hotel in Reno, Nevada. We see how one person's kindness can have a profound impact on another's life.

BLONDE DUST
BY: TATIANA DE ROSNAY

About 4.5 Stars!

I was initially very excited to read this newest offering, solely on the basis when by pure chance I discovered that a very underrated, but hugely talented favorite Author of mine, Tatiana de Rosnay had written her latest title called, "BLONDE DUST," to be published on June 3, 2025. I was over the moon when I discovered by random coincidence that one of my favorite Authors who has dazzled me by her ability to craft such a wide range of different genres that I have both read, and loved over the years everything available to me that she has ever written. She is so impressive because no matter what she decides to tackle, she manages to captivate me with her writing style and make it fascinating to read. I know I'm in for a treat no matter what she writes about, I'm always drawn in, and mesmerized which means that she manages to have delivered to me many enchanting, happy reading experiences, over the years. I'm so amazed because since I remember how wonderful I felt while reading whatever she's written in a multitude of various different genres, she has accomplished to make them all intriguing with her talented narratives that I don't want to stop reading. I don't know why she isn't more well known since I think she has that gift of elevating her subject matter to impressively soar to the highest point possible ever since I discovered her. The first time I read her was not a genre that was of interest at the time. It was recommended to me by another Good Reads reviewer who suggested the title that she mentioned which I hadn't been expecting to end up loving over a decade ago or more. Any Author that can convert me from a genre that I had previously avoided, whose storytelling is able to turn her novel into an eye opening, enjoyable and memorable time like this author did has made a fan. I'll never forget how surprised I was with her ability that exceeded my expectations and expanded my reading preferences which contributed to me not only reading everything she has written, but also rewarded me to gifted me with thousands of hours of unforgettable reading pleasure that I credit this author for. So Tatiana de Rosnay's writing prowess is really the highlight of my review which I owe a debt of gratitude. I was drawn to this historical novel for the author primarily, and I didn't care what it was about, but found it beautifully written, that was informative that added to my knowledge about Marilyn Monroe, but I also learned about the magnificent wild Mustangs that roamed free in Nevada that was until I read this I hadn't known about. They were majestic and a beautifully described bonus which I loved how they were woven into this story.

There is much to savor that as I write this review of this brilliant author's epic newest title, called "BLONDE DUST," that makes this beautifully written historical novel highly appealing to me. I applaud Tatiana de Rosnay's realistic portrait of Marilyn Monroe's personality that depicted her to be a kind and generous soul. I loved when I reached the end that she has done a great deal of research that is proven by the numerous amount of books listed. This includes books written by those of Marilyn Monroe's husband, who she was married to at the time in 1960, Arthur Miller. Specifically he was the one who is portrayed as a background character who this author included that he kept changing the script that was to be Marilyn's last completed movie before her death called, "The Misfits, which was filmed on location in Reno, Nevada. At that time it is obvious that that was the movie that contributed to their divorce it is mentioned in this novel. Marilyn's outbursts was that his constant script changes made the movie harder for her to act since she had to deal with learning to commit to her memory her new lines which frustrated her and made her lash out at him in anger. The movie director was John Huston with costars like Clark Gable, and Montgomery Clift. They are all background characters who don't ever interact with Marilyn in the novel directly, but obviously the must have during the making of "The Misfits," which it's mentioned that it was filmed in Black and White instead of color which there's no explanation in this novel why.

This is a stunning retelling through imagination of the time spent with a young girl named Pauline who was from Paris that worked cleaning Suite 614, where Marilyn stayed in the Mapes Hotel for a few months while filming "The Misfits." Pauline worked in that hotel as a chambermaid and she is assigned that Suite because of a colleague who has a broken wrist and so Pauline replaces her. Marilyn takes a liking to Pauline's professional job ethics, and through Pauline we as readers get a balanced portrait of Marilyn which most of us are familiar with her dependence on barbiturates, and the messier aspects of her not functioning heath at this point. It also portrays her positive attributes such as how kind and generous she is, her love of children, how appreciative and what a great friend she is to those who include her "happy people," and of course, Pauline whose discretion was repaid by helping her reach her goals, Marilyn Monroe really had a love for animals, and I loved how that is revealed, and tied into the way Pauline, Velma's ranch, and Pauline's best fiend advocated for the wild Mustangs that traveled in herds to protect them from the horrible things that was being done to them, and the purpose for why it was done to them was tragic. I loved how the wild Mustangs had good people with kind hearts that were taking action to end how they were being rounded up, and why and how it was done was tragic. Incorporating the Wild Mustangs, and the Stallion named Commander was used to enhance the novel, and it was a very clever idea to weave them into the novel that added this to make it a more beautiful story. I could visualize them running wild for all of their lives in Nevada being free which was around 1960, and hope that's still happening at the present time. When Pauline first started cleaning Marilyn's Suite at the Mapes Hotel, she called Marilyn Mrs. Miller. Marilyn told Pauline to call her Marilyn instead.

The novel begins with a planned demolition of the Mapes Hotel in 2000. It comes full circle at the end to that day when it is demolished intentionally. Pauline is there to watch it come down, and this novel has a lot of lovable characters, and has been written with heart. There's so much that I left out for the reader to discover on their own. It was perfect timing for me to have read it after just finishing a spectacular novel, but had a lot of heartache making me happy that I enjoyed this one since this is interesting, but very heartwarming which is exactly what I needed. I knew I was in for a treat reading this "BLOND DUST." It is about the power of friendship, how the kindness of people in your life can help with overcoming life's unexpected challenges. I really enjoyed it and recommend it to readers of Historical Fiction who are interested in reading a multifaceted novel that is rich with most of the characters being lovable behaving admirably.

Publication Date: June 3, 2025! AVAILABLE NOW TO PURCHASE OFFERING AN EXQUISITE STORYTELLING OPPORTUNITY! MULTILAYERED IN SCOPE THAT IS INTRIGUING & FILLED WITH INSPIRATION!

Thank you to Net Galley, Tatiana de Rosnay, and Grand Central Publishing for generously providing me with my ARC, in exchange for a fair and honest review. All opinions are my own, as always.

#BlondeDust #TatianadeRosnay #GrandCentralPublishing #NetGalley

In a quiet corner of 1960s Reno, a hotel maid named Pauline crosses paths with a woman the world thinks it knows. What unfolds is a brief but powerful female friendship-part movie set, part escape, part unraveling. I really enjoyed it. Pauline is a wonderful and unexpected character-and impossible to forget. The flashbacks pulled me out of the story a bit, but overall it’s a unique and memorable read.

Pauline is a young girl who works cleaning the toilets at the Mapes Hotel when she is told to fill in for the maid taking care of room 614. When she gets to the suite she didn't realize the guest was in the room, Mrs. Miller, who is oblivious to the fact that she has no clothes on. Pauline had no idea this was the Marilyn Monroe who was in town filming The Misfits. Pauline's dream is to become an equine vet and save the horses and I couldn't help but compare the mustangs with Marilyn. Both are being exploited by those around them, the horses being captured and tortured and turned into dog food and Marilyn by all her handlers providing her with drugs and alcohol to get the movie made. Both were unpredictable and skittish, but Marilyn maintained a charm and a sincere interest in the people around her. It was a touching story of a young, single mother and the famous movie star.

I would like to thank Netgalley and Grand Central for providing me with a digital copy.

In 'Blonde Dust', Tatiana de Rosnay reimagines a moment on the edge of history - when Marilyn Monroe, fading from the public's good graces and grasping at fragments of herself, arrives in Reno, Nevada, to film The Misfits. But instead of centering the legend, de Rosnay introduces Pauline Bazelet, a quiet chambermaid with a love of horses and a growing sense of unease about the life she's settled for.

Through Pauline's eyes, Monroe becomes something far more vulnerable than the icon - lonely, observant, often drugged or drifting, but strangely lucid in her interactions with the younger woman. Their conversations, staged mostly within the hushed walls of a hotel suite or in the sun-bleached desert, create a tender, if improbably, intimacy. Pauline becomes both confidante and witness to Monroe's final flickers of defiance - and her deep fatigue.

What's most striking about this novel isn't its celebrity subject, but its quiet thematic pairing: two women, each fenced in by gender, class, and expectation, navigating a world that sees them as accessories. The wild mustangs that populate the Nevada landscape become an unsubtle but effective metaphor - freedom galloping just out of reach.

De Rosnay's prose is delicate and atmospheric, with occasional dreamlike qualities. The pace is gentle, even slow at times, but for readers willing to linger in mood and memory, the effect is haunting. While the dialogue can sometimes feel staged, and a few secondary characters fall flat, the novel remains grounded in emotional truth.

This is a story about closeness, not fame; about fleeting connections that shape a life more than fame ever could. A melancholic but graceful novel.

Recommended for: readers who enjoy character-driven historical fiction, literary meditations on fame and womanhood, or nuanced portrayals of iconic figures from unexpected angles.

3.25 / 5 Stars
It was fun to read historical fiction as a change of pace. The book is divided into three time periods: the current time in 2000 when the Mapes Hotel is demolished, 1960 when Pauline meets Marilyn Monroe while Marilyn is staying at the Mapes and Pauline is working at housekeeping, and the 1940s and 1950s where we see Pauline immigrate from France to Reno, become acclimated to America, and fall in love with horses.

I was most invested in the 1960 storyline with Pauline and Marilyn. I like Old Hollywood so it was super interesting to read (though I am sure there was a heavy dose of fictionalization). The story of Pauline and her mother as immigrants in America was also interesting though very focused on horses and mustangs.

Pauline was written as a complex, multi-layered character. However, all of the plot felt kind of slow which made it hard to stay engaged. I think fans of Old Hollywood, Marilyn Monroe, the movie “The Misfits” will enjoy this story but know that there is way more that is not about that aspect as well.

Thank you to Grand Central Publishing and NetGalley for providing this eARC! All opinions are my own.

Great work by Tatiana de Rosnay!
It's been a while since I've read one by this author that I liked this much.
Post WWII transplant, Pauline, has found herself on the American soil of Reno, Nevada. By 1960, she gave up her dream to becomes a veterinarian to raise her daughter and clean hotel rooms. I loved this character, and I loved her stepfather more. There's depth and strength and circumstance.
Mrs Miller is the check-in name for Marilyn Monroe, and she requested Pauline as her suite maid after a chance encounter. Pauline and Mrs Miller share the big and little items of hard life through the last months of filming 'The Misfits'.
This ticked the boxes of celebrity life in Reno in 1960. The music, the clothes, the drugs, the cars- it's all here.