“A fragrant French bonbon of a book: love, glamour, perfume, and paparazzi all circling around the wedding of the century…”–Kate Quinn, New York Times bestselling author of THE ALICE NETWORK and THE HUNTRESS.
Named one of InStyle’s best books to put in your totebag for the summer!
Named one of Popsugar’s best books to put in your beachbag this summer and one of the best books of July!
Set … best books to put in your beachbag this summer and one of the best books of July!
Set in the 1950s against the backdrop of Grace Kelly’s whirlwind romance and unforgettable wedding to Prince Rainier of Monaco, New York Times bestselling author Hazel Gaynor and Heather Webb take the reader on an evocative sun-drenched journey along the Côte d’Azur in this page-turning novel of passion, fate and second chances…
Movie stars and paparazzi flock to Cannes for the glamorous film festival, but Grace Kelly, the biggest star of all, wants only to escape from the flash-bulbs. When struggling perfumer Sophie Duval shelters Miss Kelly in her boutique to fend off a persistent British press photographer, James Henderson, a bond is forged between the two women and sets in motion a chain of events that stretches across thirty years of friendship, love, and tragedy.
James Henderson cannot forget his brief encounter with Sophie Duval. Despite his guilt at being away from his daughter, he takes an assignment to cover the wedding of the century, sailing with Grace Kelly’s wedding party on the SS Constitution from New York. In Monaco, as wedding fever soars and passions and tempers escalate, James and Sophie—like Princess Grace—must ultimately decide what they are prepared to give up for love.
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The dynamic duo does it again! Authors Hazel Gaynor and Heather Webb have crafted the perfect beach read to transport readers to the dazzling age of Hollywood glamour along with royal romance during Grace Kelly’s “wedding of the century” in “Meet Me in Monaco” — their second historical fiction collaboration.
A spellbinding historical romance… Meet Me in Monaco is a tale of first, missed, and second chances – of relatable women and men trying to make good lives for themselves in spite of difficult circumstances. It is a fairy tale… with an enchanting, fascinating fairy godmother: Grace Kelly.
A glorious, glamorous summer read! … The evocation of the 1956 wedding of the year is so sumptuous you feel you are there amongst the glitterati, sipping fine champagne and inhaling the scent of Coeur de Princesse.
Meet Me in Monaco is a riveting, enchanting novel… A great love story full of suspense and more twists and turns than a hilly road in Monaco.
Webb and Gaynor’s latest collaboration is a historical fiction home run. The duo brings to life a vivid, engaging heroine, a glorious Côte d’Azur setting, and the ultimate princess, Grace Kelly. Meet Me in Monaco is smart, romantic, and heartbreaking, and the tale captivates from the start.
When Grace Kelly ducks into a small perfume shop Cannes hoping to lose a persistent British photographer, she couldn’t know the impact she will have on Sophie Duval and Jim Henderson’s lives. Sophie hides the down-to-earth starlet and Jim can’t forget her. A beautiful setting, wonderful characters, and a true-life fairy-tale romance combine for a novel that is perfectly balanced.
Heather Webb and Hazel Gaynor have created a novel that will take you on an extraordinary journey through the South of France and the lives of two people that may never have met, if not for a chance decision by a beautiful, down-to-earth movie star, who influences them throughout the story.
Until this novel, I hadn’t read any of the stories the two authors have collaborated on. If they are all this good, I don’t know how I missed them. It will be so much fun to discover the others. I love that the authors took a well-documented visit to Cannes and created an intricate story with a real-person’s life as the catalyst. Read this on a beach or anywhere else with sun and sand.
#BloomReads #TallPoppyWriters #HeatherWebb #HazelGaynor
I absolutely got lost in this book, escaping to another country, another time. Heather Webb and Hazel Gaynor are an extraordinary team, their poetic prose will hold their readers hostage. This story is centered around the initial meeting and resulting wedding between actress Grace Kelly and Prince Ranier of Monaco. But these historical figures and their famous romance is secondary to a wonderful love story between two people who seem destined to live apart.
Webb and Gaynor infuse this story with the glamour of the period and vivid descriptions of the famous setting of Monaco. I loved learning about the art of creating perfume. The authors seamlessly weave the scientific descriptions of the head, heart and base notes of perfume to be applicable to life as well. Most of all, I adored Sophie, a young woman who was not afraid to fight for her future. In James, the reader has a hero who finds himself at odds with life, seeking a life purpose that brings fulfillment. I was totally captivated by their story.
I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book from the author/publisher. I was not required to write a review. All opinions expressed are my own.
A chance encounter between Hollywood starlet Grace Kelly, luxury fragrance perfumer Sophie, and celebrity photographer James forever alters all of their lives. Alternating between Sophie and James, the story begins in 1955 and includes tidbits from Grace’s real-life romance with Prince Rainier III of Monaco, while mainly focusing on the budding friendship/romance between Sophie and James.
“The three of us had apparently become as entwined as a tangled spool of thread.”
Still grieving the loss of her beloved father, Sophie is determined to continue his legacy as a perfumer. As her father always told her:
“To be a perfumeur is to be a detective… a psychologist… [and] a keeper of memories.”
But, does she have what it takes to preserve the company?
“Maybe meeting Grace Kelly was the touch of serendipity I’d needed.” – Sophie
Meet Me in Monaco included so many of my personal favorites—a gorgeous setting, a historical backdrop, strong female characters (and men who appreciate them), a celebrity appearance, and a bit of romance—that I couldn’t help but fall in love with it! Since I read it while vacationing in California, it took me longer than usual to finish it, but every time I picked it up, the incredibly dreamy, romantic, and swoon worthy story immediately transported me to another world. “Au revoir”, Sophie and James… it is not goodbye, but rather, until we meet again. I vote yes to a sequel haha!
If you enjoyed reading about a perfumer, then I would highly recommend The Scent Keeper (4 stars) by Erica Bauermeister about a magical machine that tries to preserve scents as a way to invoke a specific memory.
Location: France (Nice, Grasse, Cannes, and Provence), England (London), and Monaco
I received an advance copy of this book. All opinions are my own.
The 1955 Cannes Film festival provides the glamorous setting for Meet Me in Monaco. The fast paced courtship between movie star Grace Kelly and Prince Rainer and the slow burn attraction between photographer James Henderson and perfumer Sophie Duval captivated me and drew me into the story immediately.
Actress Grace Kelly is being chased by photographer James Henderson. Hoping to avoid him, she stops in Sophie’s store where she is offered refuge. James enters the store and asks about Grace—Sophie is amused by his poor French and is furious when he snaps a photo of her. Loved that Sophie’s kindness towards Grace was the beginning of their friendship.
Sophie is torn between honoring her father’s memory and competing with the other haute perfume houses. She feels pressure from her boyfriend and mother to sell their acreage. I loved that Sophie believed that she could create a special fragrance –one that would put her shop on solid ground. I enjoyed reading Sophie’s transformation from a dreamer-caught up in safe memories-to a confident, creative business woman.
James won me over when he gave Grace Sophie’s business card. I adored this charming man who loved his daughter and friends. James was the polar opposite of Lucien; Sophie’s smooth talking boyfriend. He truly adored his daughter and she was never far from his thoughts when he was on assignment. Loved, loved that he thought about his kiss with Sophie for months. Jim’s telegram asking Sophie to Meet Me in Monaco took the storyline to a new level. James decided to follow his heart’s desire and his choice endeared him to me.
Meet Me in Monaco provides the reader with a peek into the glamourous lifestyle of actress Grace Kelly. The friendship between Sophie and Grace anchors the storyline while Jim and Sophie’s romance kept me reading, I was invested in Sophie and Jim’s story and enjoyed reading each word of their journey.
In the 1950’s, people communicated by letters, not texts; travelled by train, not airplanes and movie stars evoked glamour, not scandal. Meet Me in Monaco provides the reader with a glimpse into the past—where things were simple. People wrote letters to express their feelings—they took a chance on love—the letters told their journeys.
I adored this novel by Hazel Gaynor and Heather Webb—it’s the perfect blend of history, filled with passion and a fairy tale romance. The descriptive writing allows the reader to smell the fragrances in Sophie’s shop, take in the breathtaking sights on the Cote d’Azur and witness the wedding of the century. Meet Me in Monaco has all the feels—it’s a touching story of friendship and love set during a magical time.
Linda’s Book Obsession Reviews “Meet Me in Monaco” by Hazel Gaynor and Heather Webb, William Morrow Publishing, July 2019
Kudos to Hazel Gaynor and Heather Webb, Authors of “Meet Me in Monaco” for writing such a beautiful, romantic, breathtaking and elegant story about Royalty, Love, Dreams, and second chances. I love the way the characters and landscape are vividly described in this novel. The Genres for this novel are Historical Fiction, Fiction, and Romance. The authors describe their dramatic characters as creative, down to earth, complicated and complex. The timelines for this story are the 1950’s and 1980’s.
The American Actress Grace Kelly was always in the public eye. The Public loved her and the Press hounded her. Grace Kelly’s life became more complicated when she met, got engaged and married the Prince of Monaco. Can you imagine an actress becoming a princess? Actually, the truth can be stranger than fiction, as we just saw another actress give up her career to become married to royalty. Now the paparazzi was in a frenzy. To escape a reporter, Grace Kelly steps into a small perfume shop, and the owner Sophie Duval hides her. The photographer, James Henderson steps into the shop and inquires if the actress is there. Of course, Sophie protects Grace Kelly, making a friend. The photographer leaves with Sofie’s business card.
James Henderson is assigned as one of the photographers taking pictures at the wedding. Sophie is invited to the wedding, for making Grace a signature perfume. Somehow, love is in the air, and there is an attraction between the two of them.
Both James and Sophie have major problems and complications in their lives. Is there a possibility that love can conquer all? There are tragedy and betrayals and problems. I would highly recommend this beautiful and emotional novel. There are some Kleenex moments. Happy Reading!
When I heard the amazing writing team of Hazel and Heather had a new book AND it was set against the backdrop of the wedding of Grace Kelly and Prince Rainier, I knew I had to read it! Filled with glamour, history and romance, Meet Me in Monaco is a page turning must read
As I sit back and sigh contentedly over this lovely read, the words that come to mind are…enchanting, romantic, tantalizing, glamorous. This is one of the most satisfying reads I have had in a while.
Before Meghan Markle’s wedding there was the wedding of Grace Kelly to the Prince of Monaco. Through Gaynor and Webb’s exquisite descriptions of the vistas, the clothing, and the scents I felt like I was part of the story. The book also has several very memorable quotations. More a love story than historical fiction, it should please readers of both genres.
I love how the story follows the notes of a perfume. Part One: the Head notes – “The initial impression of a perfume; the notes that greet the nose immediately and evaporate quickly.” Part Two: the Heart notes – “The main body or heart of the parfum; scents that emerge in the middle of the dispersion process. Part Three: the Base notes – “Notes that assert themselves when the others have evaporated; scents that diffuse slowly, with respect to time. The notes that linger the longest”.
Romance…friendship…chance meetings. A chance meeting of James, Sophie, and Grace set this whole story into action. I loved both James and Sophie and wanted them to find happiness…preferably together. Difficult choices. Regrets – “We thought we had it all the time in the world. What fools we were.”
Thank you to Tall Poppies and Edelweiss for an advance reading copy of this book. Opinions expressed here are my own.
I’ve always been a fan of Grace Kelly and was very excited to get an early copy of this book. Although only about a small period of Grace Kelly’s life but more about two others who met because of her. It’s their story that’s so good! The whole book grabbed my attention! It was so good, making me wish for more!
As I sigh and take a deep breath, I wonder and think about this book.”If’s. Buts. Maybes. Memories and regrets. They are all carried in the stars.” I love this quote from this beautiful book. A scent has the power to evoke a memory. Sophie Duval is a perfumer. She creates scents that can hold memories. This book is a richly woven tapestry of love and memories. It is interlaced with Grace Kelly’s story of becoming a Princess and is an integral part of Sophie and James story. Sophie and James are the main characters in this book. This story is told in their alternating voices. I came to love them both so much. I was absorbed by this story from the very beginning. I could see the fields of flowers, I could smell their exquisite scents. I was there in France. I felt a part of the story. I felt the swell of emotions, from happiness to sadness. This is an absolutely exquisite read. Filled with beautiful prose, it will capture your heart. I could go on and on about how incredible this book is. You really must read it, for nothing I will say can do it justice. Storytelling at its finest. I highly recommend this book! ##tallpoppyblogger ##bloomreads
What a beautifully written historical love story! Sophie Duval shields Grace Kelly from the paparazzi in her perfume shop. James Henderson is the photographer and he becomes quite taken with Sophie. When they meet a year later at Grace Kelly’s wedding to Prince Ranier, they are both happy to see one another again. This is a beautiful love story of both Sophie and James and Princess Grace and Prince Ranier. Beautiful settings, wonderful characters, and a page turning story make this beautiful book a must read! I received an advanced readers copy and all opinions are my own.
This is a great summer beach read. Glitzy but heartfelt. Remember the famous actress Grace Kelly? Here’s her royal romance and wedding. (I got to read this early; it’s out this summer)
This collaboration between Hazel Gaynor and Heather Webb, will have you intrigued as to what is in store for our protagonist, Sophie Duval, a perfumeur in the time frame of post-war Europe, 1950s Grasse, France. The scenery and “scents” of the times, and geographical area, play a major role within this storyline as its own character.
In addition, the magnificent
and soon to be, Princess of Monaco, Grace Kelly, glides into the setting, with an unexpected meeting between herself and Sophie…..along with a cast of characters with their own intentions, ones that could make or break the Grasse Perfume Factory, which is near and dear to Sophie’s heart, for many reasons….Within those characters, in walks British Photographer, James Henderson.
It’s a fragrant love story, through and through with that old fashioned feel of the times, along with its pitfalls and the unlikely relationships that evolve. It’s light, enjoyable, a bit slow to start……not heavy on the historical end of things, as it is placed in the Historical Fiction genre.
Meet Me In Monaco – a story of love, survival and friendship, woven around the backdrop of the most anticipated wedding of the times.
I thank Hazel Gaynor and Heather Webb for my personal gift of Meet Me In Monaco.
#MeetMeInMonaco
#HazelGaynor
#HeatherWebb
#WilliamMorrow
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