I had the tremendous honor of reading an advance copy of Gabriella Saab's upcoming Old Hollywood historical novel. And this blend of thriller and romance and mystery is Gabriella's best work yet! It's an Audrey Hepburn inspired tour through 1940s Hollywood with surprising depth.

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Gabriella writes such brilliant historical fiction. This had everything I could ask for- twists, historical facts, romance, suspense, and drama. I loved Ingrid’s immense love for her sister and doing what’s right at all costs. The author’s note perfectly shared her inspiration and more insight into Audrey Hepburn! I loved it.

I really wanted to love this book, but something just didn’t work for me. I think my biggest issue with the book was that I didn’t believe or feel invested in the relationships in the book. The relationship between the sisters, especially when they first reunited, fell flat, and Ingrid’s relationship with her husband confused me.

This book hooked me from the very first chapter. The Star Society by Gabriella Saab blends Hollywood glamour with the shadows of WWII in a way that feels fresh and exciting. Ada, reinvented as a rising actress in post war Los Angeles, is such a fascinating character. She’s polished on the outside but carrying the weight of her resistance days and a secret mission for justice. Then her sister Ingrid, who she thought was dead, shows up with her own hidden agenda tied to the Red Scare, and suddenly it’s impossible to know who’s protecting who. What I loved most was the tension between loyalty and survival. The sisters’ relationship felt raw and layered. It’s equal parts tender, suspicious, and heartbreaking. If you like historical fiction with high stakes, family secrets, and suspense, read this one now!

Gabriella Saab’s The Star Society first caught my eye with its striking cover, which perfectly conveys the allure of post-war Hollywood laced with shadows of danger. The novel delivers richly atmospheric writing, particularly in its vivid depictions of wartime Europe and the glamour of 1940s film culture, and its dual perspective-Ada, a former resistance fighter turned Hollywood star, and Ingrid, her presumed-dead sister turned private investigator add emotional depth and moral complexity. However, while Saab’s prose is elegant and immersive, it can occasionally slow the pacing, especially during historical exposition or when shifting between timelines. The plot’s ambition balancing Nazi-hunting intrigue, Red Scare paranoia, and fraught sisterly bonds, is admirable, though at times it risks feeling overstuffed. Still, the well-drawn characters and nuanced ethical dilemmas keep the narrative engaging, making it a compelling read for fans of layered, character-driven historical fiction. If you enjoyed books like Kristin Hannah’s The Nightingale, Kate Quinn’s The Alice Network, or even Lara Prescott’s The Secrets We Kept, you’ll likely be drawn into the suspense, glamour, and emotional complexity of The Star Society.