The Socialite

A Novel of World War II

By: J'nell Ciesielski

Narrated by: Daisy Parsons

Length: 11 hrs and 22 mins

Publisher's summary

When an English socialite embarks on a dangerous journey to save her sister from the Nazis, glamour, romance, and espionage collide.

As the daughter of Sir Alfred Whitford, Kat has a certain set of responsibilities. Chasing her wayward sister, Ellie, to Nazi-occupied Paris was never supposed to be one of them. Now accustomed to the luxurious lifestyle that her Nazi boyfriend provides, Ellie has no intention of going back to the shackled life their parents dictate - but Kat will stop at nothing to bring her sister home.

Barrett Anderson was arrested for defending himself against a drunken bully of high birth. Given the option of jail or training Resistance fighters in Paris, Barret chooses the latter. He poses as a bar owner, entertaining Nazis at night while his men train right below their jackboots during the day. Being assigned to watch over two English debutantes is the last thing he needs, but a payout from their father is too tempting to resist.

From the moment Kat and Barrett meet, tempers flare and sparks fly amid false assumptions. Despite their differences, they’ll have to find a way to trust each other in order to survive their deadly mission. In the end, their hearts may prove more traitorous than the dangers waiting around the corner.

At once a daring journey into occupied Paris and an unfolding love story, The Socialite will entrap readers with its scintillating prose and unforgettable characters.

Praise for The Socialite:

“Smart, savvy, and seductive, J’nell Ciesielski’s The Socialite takes the reader on a high-stakes thrill ride through the darkness of WWII-occupied Paris. The Socialite shines bright as the City of Lights, and then some!” (Kristy Cambron, best-selling and award-winning author)

“In the tradition of Ariel Lawhon and Kate Quinn, The Socialite immerses readers in the glamor and destruction of Nazi-occupied Paris. A picture-perfect portrait of early 1940s Paris, this impeccably researched love story stands out in a sea of WWII-era fiction with its distinctive crystalline voice and unforgettable hero and heroine.” (Rachel McMillan, author of The London Restoration)

• World War II historical romance
• Full-length stand-alone novel
• Book length: 110,000 words
• Includes discussion questions for book clubs

©2020 J'nell Ciesielski (P)2020 Thomas Nelson

The narrator needs assistance with French

Seine not “sign”
Tout suite not “toot suit”
And several other gaffes made this a hard listen

Awful performance, ok story

The reader was absolutely atrocious. Monotone voice, no inflections, all the characters sound the same. Very poor choice of performer. Story was not bad.

A new favorite!! superb audio!

I absolutely loved this book! I cannot Rave about it enough! this was my first book by this author and I couldn't have been more impressed! I haven't read a lot of historical fiction, but I've read a handful from both adult fiction and young adult fiction genres and I would have to say that this one Falls in my top three favorites of all time. the main character was a very well-developed character who was extremely relatable to the reader, which is one of the most important things in my opinion. Her sister so annoying at times and I'm sure was intentional, was also very well thought out and added a lot of drama to the sister dynamic this totally reminded me of me and my sisters bickering and how even still we both look up to, respect, and turn to one another in a time of need. The plot of having a NACI boyfriend was intriguing from the start. I was completely hooked and needed to know just who this guy was and was he good or bad and well, you'll get your answer and it will leave your jaw open like mine was, I'm sure. I think that the author did an excellent job of portraying how love really does blind people throughout her book. The mail Hiro is probably one of my new favorite book boyfriends. This book played out like a movie in my mind and I couldn't stop reading and obsessing over it! I don't think that I could find a single person who doesn't like historical fiction novels that would not love this book. I highly recommend this one to readers of all ages who love World War II history and see that love shines even in the darkest of times. Ciesielski is an autobuy author for me now!

My Musings

Great narrator who kept me listening where if I had been reading alone, I might not have finished. This dragged a good bit in the middle and the hero and heroine argued way too much. I’m not a fan of enemies to the lover’s troupe. Happy reading and listening!

WWII Fiction

This was a good story with some interesting twists. Some twists were too much to be believable. It was a good light read.

Good

Having just finished queen of Paris, which was spectacular, I was hoping for a similarly fabulous story. This one was good
but overall I found it a bit sappy and predictable.

Beautiful story, but overly written

This is a wonderful story! Great historical fiction. However, this would be much better if Reader’s Digest got a hold of it. Well, beautifully written, it is overly written - too wordy! The story dragged.

Wonderful

A wonderful book full of action, history, a few twists and turns, and romance. Enjoyed my time listening to it greatly!!

Beautiful WWII story!

Jump into this lovely and stirring adventure! Become ensnared in adventure, intrigue and heart stopping risk as one of England's socialites strikes an unusual deal for the safe return of she and her sister to their ancestral home in England. But can the tall and dashing man living two lives in Natzi Paris help or break her heart?

A little too romancy for my taste…

Historical fiction is one of my favorite genres, so I was excited about this one. As another reviewer mentioned, it started off great, but then went a little too far into the romance department. Not the bodice-ripper kind, but the somewhat cheesy descriptions of love and lust kind.

The narrator was ok. She did not change voices so I often had to go back and listen more than once to figure out who was speaking. She also paused at odd moments. Her inflection would sound as if a sentence was over, she’d pause, and then add more to it.

Overall, I didn’t completely dislike it. The action and history were enough to keep me going. But I’m glad I found it in the 2 for 1 sale. It wasn’t worth an entire credit.