The Socialite

by J'nell Ciesielski

Glamour, treachery and romance collide when an English socialite throws herself into the dangerous arms of Nazi-occupied Paris.

As the eldest daughter of Sir Alfred Whitford, Kat has always played by the rules. Her little sister, Ellie, lives to break them. After running away to Paris, Ellie has disgraced the Whitfords by taking up with a Nazi officer and living in luxury as the world around her burns. Kat is determined to bring her reckless sister home – and save her family’s reputation – even if it means stealing into Nazi-occupied France.

In Paris, Kat meets Scotsman Barrett Anderson – the owner of a local bar and an undercover agent training Resistance fighters. In addition to his political identity, Barrett has a secret he’s keeping from the two sisters: their father has hired him to return them safely to London. If Barrett proves successful, the payout will afford him a chance at a new life and an escape from his dark past.

When Barrett discovers that Kat’s social wiles could be useful to the cause, they join forces to infiltrate the Nazis’ inner circle. Neither Kat nor Barrett expects to fall for the other, but when Kat discovers Barrett’s secret, she questions his motives and the wisdom of her feelings. Can she trust Barrett with her heart, or is he using her and her family’s name to climb the very social ladder that has betrayed her?

• ISBN13: 9781432879532
• Publish Date: 23 September 2020 (first published 14 April 2020)
• Publish Status: Out of Print
• Out of Print: 26 March 2022
• Publish Country: US
• Publisher: Cengage Learning, Inc
• Imprint: Cengage Gale
• Edition: Large type / large print edition
• Format: Hardcover (Library Binding)
• Pages: 583
• Language: English

Reviews

[phyllish]

Espionage and danger abound

My rating is 4.5 stars

Intrigue and espionage abound in this World War II adventure.

Kat, a proper English lady, finds herself in occupied France, living in an apartment paid for by her sister's lover, a Nazi officer. As she attempts to influence her sister to return home without alienating her, she becomes embroiled in espionage and even finds herself a guest of Adolph Hitler himself!

Barrett is a scrappy Scot who runs a bar. Trains resistance fighters. And rescues damsels in distress. I enjoyed his brash confidence and quick thinking. Kat drove him crazy with her innocence and a face that gave away her feelings so clearly.

Moving quickly and whisking me away to another time and place, The Socialite was fascinating. Barrett's secrets and feelings of inadequacy due to the circumstances of his birth created a barrier between Kat and himself.

As you may imagine, with Kat's sister being a mistress, the story deals with some seedy subjects but handles them delicately. Though labeled as "Christian" on Amazon, there is no mention of God, nor any life-change due to His influence in the story, so I didn't classify it as such. In fact, the romance between Kat and Barrett was a little steamy. At one point in particular, it is clear that if their kissing had not been interrupted, things would have gone much further. There is no indication that either felt this would be wrong, other than for the sake of what society might think.

If you enjoy clean historical fiction, with a little passion, The Socialite is a great option for you.

Read my full review at Among the Reads


I was given a copy of this book. I was not required to give a favorable review nor was any money received for this review. All comments and opinions are my own.