Thank you to William Morrow, #partner, for an advanced copy of Strangers in the Night in exchange for my honest review.
Publisher: William Morrow
Published: March 21, 2023
Summary:
It was the tumultuous romance that scandalized the world: Frank Sinatra and Ava Gardner fought, loved, and lived life to the hilt. Now their unbridled story is brought vividly to life by Heather Webb, the bestselling author of Meet Me in Monaco and The Next Ship Home.
In the golden age of Hollywood, two of the brightest stars would define–and defy–an era…
She was the small-town southern beauty transformed into a Hollywood love goddess. He was the legendary crooner whose voice transfixed the world. They were Ava Gardner and Frank Sinatra. Separately they were irresistible; together they were an explosive combination.
Ava’s star is rising just as Frank’s career–and public image as a family man–is taking a hit. Gone are the days of the screaming bobbysoxers and chart-topping hits. Ava, however, finds herself gracing the front page of every tabloid in America. Jealousy and cheating abound, and when the two succumb to their temperaments and their vices, their happiness is threatened at every turn.
As the pair ride the rollercoaster of success and failure, passion and anger, they both wonder if the next turn will be the end of their careers, and most devastating of all–the end of all they’ve shared.
A captivating novel with a star-studded cast spanning continents and decades, Strangers in the Night brings to life the most riveting love story of the twentieth century.
My thoughts:
I have long been a fan of Heather Webb, having read all of the books she was co-written with Hazel Gaynor. Somehow this is the first book I’ve read that she has written by herself, though I do have her last book, The Next Ship Home, sitting on my shelf, which I hope to read soon.
As soon as I saw this one, I knew I wanted to read it…it sounded like such a fun, sexy read and it was just that. Of course I had heard of Frank Sinatra and Ava Gardner, but I didn’t know that much about them, together or separately and this book was so eye-opening. I found myself completely captivated by this story, pulled in with how fast-paced it was. These two were obsessed with each other, yet their relationship was toxic.
The amount of research the author did for this book is evident. Not only do we get such an intimate glimpse into Sinatra and Gardner’s relationship, but we got a sneak peak into what it was like to work for the movie studios at the time and it was quite different than it is today.
I definitely recommend picking this one up. It’s such a great read. Heather Webb has shown herself to be quite a talented writer.
***If you are on Instagram, I did an author chat with her about this book. You can find it here: https://www.instagram.com/reel/CqJAGg5InA2/
