Sunday, March 31

Book Review: That Churchill Woman by Stephanie Barron


Author: Stephanie Barron 
That Churchill WomanTitle: That Churchill Woman
Genre: Historical Fiction
Pages: ebook
Published: January 29th 2019
Where I Got It: My shelf (Netgalley)



Wealthy, privileged, and fiercely independent New Yorker Jennie Jerome took Victorian England by storm when she landed on its shores. As Lady Randolph Churchill, she gave birth to a man who defined the twentieth century: her son Winston. But Jennie--reared in the luxury of Gilded Age Newport and the Paris of the Second Empire--lived an outrageously modern life all her own, filled with controversy, passion, tragedy, and triumph.

When the nineteen-year-old beauty agrees to marry the son of a duke she has known only three days, she's instantly swept up in a whirlwind of British politics and the breathless social climbing of the Marlborough House Set, the reckless men who surround Bertie, Prince of Wales. Raised to think for herself and careless of English society rules, the new Lady Randolph Churchill quickly becomes a London sensation: adored by some, despised by others.

Artistically gifted and politically shrewd, she shapes her husband's rise in Parliament and her young son's difficult passage through boyhood. But as the family's influence soars, scandals explode and tragedy befalls the Churchills. Jennie is inescapably drawn to the brilliant and seductive Count Charles Kinsky--diplomat, skilled horse-racer, deeply passionate lover. Their impossible affair only intensifies as Randolph Churchill's sanity frays, and Jennie--a woman whose every move on the public stage is judged--must walk a tightrope between duty and desire. Forced to decide where her heart truly belongs, Jennie risks everything--even her son--and disrupts lives, including her own, on both sides of the Atlantic.

The cover and the summary hooked me in and I had to read it. I am so glad Netgalley gave this to me!

The story follows Winston's mother, Jennie, who was a legend herself in a different way. She is an American who marries a British politician. She helps shape him and his rise in Parliament. As the Churchills' popularity soars, Jennie is forced to deal with her husband's sanity and health decline. Due to this she walks a dangerous line of duty and desire. 

First of all...I LOVE THE COVER SO MUCH!!! Simple, but beautiful!

Now, I did feel for Jennie....but I didn't really like her much. I understand her loneliness and the whole the heart-wants-what-the heart-wants. Her husband even before he gets sick in body and mind, is a jerk. I get it. However, I wanted to smack her. I also wanted to smack Charles. He was an asshat too. WHAT DO YOU SEE IN HIM JENNIE????? Especially near the end there. Gods Charles was so dumb. Sighs. 

Jennie DID get better when she got a backbone. It took 75% of the book, but I did warm-up to her more. However, I still wanted to give her a lecture. 

Loved Winston's POVs. He didn't get a lot, but as he got older we got to see a young Winston. Bless his heart. I do want to see more from him in his youth. That will be fun. 

I did really enjoy the writing style. The author really did bring the past to life and the characters were really developed. The author showed the horrible and glorious parts of society. Those people could be evil like that Minnie character. Oooo! She was something indeed. 

My biggest issue was the changing POVs. Yes, I did love Winston's, but I really wanted this to solely focus on Jennie. She is our star and I felt she was just another character. Maybe that is why I didn't connect with her until near the end? Not sure, but I do feel like she needed more spotlight. 

Not amazing, but I did enjoy it. It took a bit to get sucked in like I wanted, but I was curious and did enjoy it. This was overall okay. This is a good one for HF lovers like me. I'll give this a 3 overall. 






3 comments:

Melliane said...

well it looks good

Blodeuedd said...

Disappointing! I wanted DRAMA LAMA

Carole Rae said...

Melliane, not too bad!

B, me too! There was some, but it was so glossed over.