I'm excited to be a part of the Blog Tour for Jackie and Me by Louis Bayard! I received a free copy for honest review from the publisher. Thanks so much to Algonquin Books and Louis Bayard for letting me be a part of the tour!
Author: Louis Bayard
Published by: Algonquin Books
Released: June 14, 2022
Source: Free Copy Provided by Publisher
Synopsis: Master storyteller Louis Bayard delivers a surprising portrait of a young Jackie Kennedy as we've never seen her before.
In 1951, former debutante Jacqueline Bouvier is hard at work as the Inquiring Camera Girl for a Washington newspaper. Her mission in life is “not to be a housewife,” but when she meets the charismatic congressman Jack Kennedy at a Georgetown party, her resolution begins to falter. Soon the two are flirting over secret phone calls, cocktails, and dinner dates, and as Jackie is drawn deeper into the Kennedy orbit, and as Jack himself grows increasingly elusive and absent, she begins to question what life at his side would mean. For answers, she turns to his best friend and confidant, Lem Billings, a closeted gay man who has made the Kennedy family his own, and who has been instructed by them to seal the deal with Jack’s new girl. But as he gets to know her, a deep and touching friendship emerges, leaving him with painfully divided alliances and a troubling dilemma: Is this the marriage she deserves?
Narrated by an older Lem as he looks back at his own role in a complicated alliance, this is a courtship story full of longing and of suspense, of what-ifs and possible wrong turns. It is a surprising look at Jackie before she was that Jackie. And in best-selling author Louis Bayard’s witty and deeply empathetic telling, Jackie & Me is a page-turning story of friendship, love, sacrifice, and betrayal— and a fresh take on two iconic American figures. (Synopsis from Goodreads)
In 1951, former debutante Jacqueline Bouvier is hard at work as the Inquiring Camera Girl for a Washington newspaper. Her mission in life is “not to be a housewife,” but when she meets the charismatic congressman Jack Kennedy at a Georgetown party, her resolution begins to falter. Soon the two are flirting over secret phone calls, cocktails, and dinner dates, and as Jackie is drawn deeper into the Kennedy orbit, and as Jack himself grows increasingly elusive and absent, she begins to question what life at his side would mean. For answers, she turns to his best friend and confidant, Lem Billings, a closeted gay man who has made the Kennedy family his own, and who has been instructed by them to seal the deal with Jack’s new girl. But as he gets to know her, a deep and touching friendship emerges, leaving him with painfully divided alliances and a troubling dilemma: Is this the marriage she deserves?
Narrated by an older Lem as he looks back at his own role in a complicated alliance, this is a courtship story full of longing and of suspense, of what-ifs and possible wrong turns. It is a surprising look at Jackie before she was that Jackie. And in best-selling author Louis Bayard’s witty and deeply empathetic telling, Jackie & Me is a page-turning story of friendship, love, sacrifice, and betrayal— and a fresh take on two iconic American figures. (Synopsis from Goodreads)
My Thoughts: I really love the cover on this one. Simple, but it definitely captures Jackie Kennedy. I enjoyed this book. I always love reading fictionalized versions of real, historical people. The stories don't have that dry tone that nonfiction can have, but I still feel like I'm learning about the person.
This book seems to cover only a small portion of Jackie's life. We get to see the courtship of Jack and Jackie, but that's really it. We also get Jackie Kennedy and Lem Billings friendship.
I enjoyed this story. I liked the way it flowed, the writing was nice. If you're a Kennedy fan, I'd give this one a read.
Louis Bayard is the critically acclaimed bestselling author of nine historical novels, including Courting Mr. Lincoln and The Pale Blue Eye,
which is being adapted into a Netflix film starring Christian Bale.
Bayard’s articles, reviews, and recaps have appeared in the New York Times, the Washington Post, Salon, and the Paris Review. Visit him online at www.louisbayard.com.
Thanks so much for checking out my Blog Tour Stop for Jackie and Me by Louis Bayard. Thank you to Algonquin Books and Louis Bayard for letting me be a part of the tour! If you're a fan of Jackie Kennedy, I'd definitely recommend giving this one a read.
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