Book Review: The Socialite

By J’nell Ciesielski
Thomas Nelson, 2020
354 pages

Amazon Description: As the daughter of Sir Alfred Whitford, Kat has a certain set of responsibilities. But 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 for them—but Kat will stop at nothing to bring her sister home.

Arrested for simply trying to defend himself against a drunken bully, Barrett Anderson is given the option of going to jail or serving out his sentence by training Resistance fighters in Paris. A bar owner serves as the perfect disguise to entertain Nazis at night while training fighters 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. Can Barrett and Kat trust each other long enough to survive, or will their hearts prove more traitorous than the dangers waiting around the corner?

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Thanks to TLC Book Tours for sending me a copy of The Socialite so that I could participate in the tour.

Although many people seem to think that the book world is saturated with WWII historical fiction, I still enjoy that time period, so I was excited for the opportunity to read The Socialite. This is a fast-paced book filled with espionage and romance, set in Paris during the Nazi occupation in 1941.

Woven throughout the action are a few obvious themes. The most prominent one is self-sacrifice. Kat and Barrett both demonstrate this quality time and again as they go above and beyond to protect the people they love – even when they don’t deserve or appreciate the help. Another important theme is that everyone has something to offer. Kat is embarrassed that the only skills she has involve hosting parties and social diplomacy, but Barrett shows her that that knowledge can be just as valuable as fighting skills when applied intentionally.

I’m almost always a fan of the ‘enemies to lovers’ trope, and I thought that played out really well between Barrett and Kat with their chemistry and gradual appreciation for each other. Plus the way they meet is pretty humorous. I also liked the bond between sisters highlighted in The Socialite. Kat risks her very life to find her sister and even when Ellie responds in a less than appreciative way, Kat continues to put her sister first. If you have a sister who likes to read, this could be a good buddy read for the two of you!

I really enjoyed the pacing and witty dialogue in The Socialite. There was plenty of depth to the characters and exploration of their inner lives without sacrificing a forward-moving plot that carried me away. This is new author for me, and now I need to go check out her back list! Two thumbs up for this book.

Other WWII novels that would pair well with The Socialite: All the Light We Cannot See and Everyone Brave is Forgiven