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Teddy
Lessons in Chemistry meets Mad Men in this wildly entertaining debut novel, set in glamorous Rome in the late 1960s, which follows the free-spirited wife of an American diplomat as she desperately tries to contain a scandal of her own making.
It is the summer of 1969 and Rome is awash with glamour and the stars of Cinecittà are drinking and dancing along the paparazzo-lined Via Veneto, where royalty, American expats, and the occasional Russian spy rub shoulders.
Teddy Huntley Carlyle has just arrived in Italy from Dallas, Texas, eager for a fresh start with her new husband, a diplomat assigned to the American embassy. After years of “spoiling like old milk,” in the words of her controlling, politically-minded uncle, Teddy vows to turn over a new leaf. She will be the soul of discretion; she will be conservative, proper, and polite. She will be her most beautiful, luminous self, wearing the right clothes and the perfect lipstick, and she will be good. She will charm her husband’s colleagues at the embassy, and no one will have a word to say against her.
Teddy keeps her promise, more or less—until the Fourth of July, when her new life explodes as spectacularly as the colorful fireworks lighting the Roman sky over the embassy grounds. Now, Teddy is in the middle of a mess that even her powerful connections and impeccable manners can’t contain . . .
It is the summer of 1969 and Rome is awash with glamour and the stars of Cinecittà are drinking and dancing along the paparazzo-lined Via Veneto, where royalty, American expats, and the occasional Russian spy rub shoulders.
Teddy Huntley Carlyle has just arrived in Italy from Dallas, Texas, eager for a fresh start with her new husband, a diplomat assigned to the American embassy. After years of “spoiling like old milk,” in the words of her controlling, politically-minded uncle, Teddy vows to turn over a new leaf. She will be the soul of discretion; she will be conservative, proper, and polite. She will be her most beautiful, luminous self, wearing the right clothes and the perfect lipstick, and she will be good. She will charm her husband’s colleagues at the embassy, and no one will have a word to say against her.
Teddy keeps her promise, more or less—until the Fourth of July, when her new life explodes as spectacularly as the colorful fireworks lighting the Roman sky over the embassy grounds. Now, Teddy is in the middle of a mess that even her powerful connections and impeccable manners can’t contain . . .
288 pages, Kindle Edition
First published July 2, 2024
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 412 reviews
March 22, 2024
Emily Dunlay transport us to glamorous Rome in 1969. The Eternal City, the Dolce Vita, the history, the glamour of the Via Condotti where doors to Gucci or Valentino open for the deep of pocket, Cinecittà, the Hollywood of the Tiber and directors such as Federico Fellini, the drinks, the parties, the politics, power, corruption and not to mention the Cold War spies. Into this fabulously intoxicating environment steps Teddy Huntley Carlyle of Dallas, Texas, newly married to David Shepherd, a diplomat. Teddy comes from a family of wealth, she’s beautiful and she knows it but aged 34, she despairs of marrying until she meets David and they marry very quickly. You know how the saying goes, marry in haste, repent at leisure? One thing is for certain, she’s playing with fire, wanting marriage but also to see and taste the world, the conventional mixed with the unconventional. She tries so hard to be good, to be the best wife she can, but in July her life explodes in tandem with the 4th of July fireworks. You see, Teddy has a past and it’s about to catch up with her. The front cover sums up the mess she gets herself into, although maybe it’s not just her.
What an entertaining, well written and accomplished novel. This is a character driven study of a woman of her time, or is she? Teddy is far from perfect, but she’s smarter than she seems although doesn’t always act it. She’s lively, impulsive, terrific company and also very naive. And what of the men? To describe her and David as chalk and cheese is an understatement. He’s smart, he can be sweet and tender, but he’s also cold and controlling. Just wait until you meet the other male characters!
As for the setting, magnifico! It completely captures Rome at this time, it’s steeped in atmosphere, both ancient and modern with excellent historical context excellent as you witness the Cold War intrigue and the precariousness of life at this time. I thoroughly enjoy walking the streets of Rome with Teddy and imagine I’m sipping a Bellini in a delightful bar!
The plot becomes very intriguing and I really like how it’s told in flashbacks and also in the present day. There are a number of whoops Teddy moments, where your heart pounds along with Teddy and you want to tell her to breathe but maybe not to drink quite so much champagne! There are moments of suspense and tension as the threat of discovery escalates.
Overall, Teddy is great company in this entertaining and engaging novel which will make for fun summer reading.
With thanks to NetGalley and especially to 4th estate for the appreciated arc in return for an honest review.
What an entertaining, well written and accomplished novel. This is a character driven study of a woman of her time, or is she? Teddy is far from perfect, but she’s smarter than she seems although doesn’t always act it. She’s lively, impulsive, terrific company and also very naive. And what of the men? To describe her and David as chalk and cheese is an understatement. He’s smart, he can be sweet and tender, but he’s also cold and controlling. Just wait until you meet the other male characters!
As for the setting, magnifico! It completely captures Rome at this time, it’s steeped in atmosphere, both ancient and modern with excellent historical context excellent as you witness the Cold War intrigue and the precariousness of life at this time. I thoroughly enjoy walking the streets of Rome with Teddy and imagine I’m sipping a Bellini in a delightful bar!
The plot becomes very intriguing and I really like how it’s told in flashbacks and also in the present day. There are a number of whoops Teddy moments, where your heart pounds along with Teddy and you want to tell her to breathe but maybe not to drink quite so much champagne! There are moments of suspense and tension as the threat of discovery escalates.
Overall, Teddy is great company in this entertaining and engaging novel which will make for fun summer reading.
With thanks to NetGalley and especially to 4th estate for the appreciated arc in return for an honest review.
August 15, 2024
✰ 2.5 stars ✰
“It can be a dangerous thing, to show that you’re the smartest person in the room; I’ve often found it safer to seem stupid.”
I think I'm starting to see the appeal of a non-linear narrative, one in which the story is being retold by the narrator to an audience that keeps them at bay & in suspense, all the while slowly revealing bits of information that heightens the tension. It draws the reader in by having them also wait in anticipation - much like the two policemen interrogating Teddy on her thirty-fifth birthday in Rome, just exactly what were the events that led her here.
“It spurred me onward to think of the loss of it—the life I wanted, the one that was nearly within my grasp.”
For it was only that need to know that kept me going till the end; Teddy was deliberate in revealing just the right amount of intel to her interrogators that painted her in the image of a gullible person, if not an innocent one. One really has to have a severe amount of patience to read it. I literally had to take breaks in between for how taxing it was to keep up Teddy's wayward train of thought, making it all that much more difficult at times to empathize with her. 😕 Teddy is a pampered princess who was playing pretend; she entertained the thought of wanting to be a proper housewife to David, but never the idea. 'Little problems, I suppose, on the scale, but they piled up, and David started to notice.' I get that it's due to her Dallas rich-living that made her unable to learn the proper etiquette, but the fact that she first convinces herself to be good, and then flakes on the responsibility - bothered me. It bothered me a lot. 🙎🏻♀️
I was ashamed of her child-like fleeting behavior akin to that of a magpie - almost troubling in the way she never stood strong at what was expected of her marital duties. She was very materialistic and thrived on the pleasures in life she felt were deserving of her, considering her wealthy background. The writing became redundant in how she went into lengthy details about David's displeasure in how she behaved and the things that she indulged in - her mannerisms that annoyed him constantly. 🙄 It became stifling and difficult to understand what exactly was the purpose of all that backstory, when we really were not getting anywhere in the story.
“I always wanted to be polished to perfection, buffed and shined and bleached, so that any errant flaw or error would glance right off my silver skin.”
None of the characters were likeable or relatable; maybe that was intended. Based on the blurb, I really thought that I would get a more vivid image of glitzy Rome of 1969, but I never really was able to appreciate it enough. Mainly because half the time Teddy was whining or complaining about her shortcomings or of how envious she was of other's lifestyle - on the outside looking in, aspiring to have the life they have. 😥 'I didn’t understand then that it never would be.' I don't think it is an awful debut, just a rather disappointing one in how it played out. It was the end that somehow rectified the reasoning behind providing us with such a comprehensive backstory into her life. How her childhood, her family, her desire to be noticed and acknowledged as one of the rich and exclusive eventually came to play a bigger part in the chaotic conflict of a scandal that she became embroiled in.
The final 5% was enough to warrant it a higher rating; it snuck up on me, and the writing executed that scene quite well. But, noting how difficult it was for me to get through the whole read - the constant breaks I had to take because I was getting tired of the way she never really acknowledged herself at fault in any way. 😮💨 How, despite how her past secrets weighed heavily on her, it was not enough for her to take action against it. I don't think she was a bad person - just someone who made bad decisions and was placed in a position that demanded more of her - more than she was willing to give. It was rather impressive of how duplicitous she eventually became; how Teddy defied those who expected something else of her, and how she changed the trajectory - in her favor. It was praiseworthy, and perhaps, I would have applauded it more, if not for the rigmarole way in which we arrived at that final outcome. 🤷🏻♀️
“It can be a dangerous thing, to show that you’re the smartest person in the room; I’ve often found it safer to seem stupid.”
I think I'm starting to see the appeal of a non-linear narrative, one in which the story is being retold by the narrator to an audience that keeps them at bay & in suspense, all the while slowly revealing bits of information that heightens the tension. It draws the reader in by having them also wait in anticipation - much like the two policemen interrogating Teddy on her thirty-fifth birthday in Rome, just exactly what were the events that led her here.
“It spurred me onward to think of the loss of it—the life I wanted, the one that was nearly within my grasp.”
For it was only that need to know that kept me going till the end; Teddy was deliberate in revealing just the right amount of intel to her interrogators that painted her in the image of a gullible person, if not an innocent one. One really has to have a severe amount of patience to read it. I literally had to take breaks in between for how taxing it was to keep up Teddy's wayward train of thought, making it all that much more difficult at times to empathize with her. 😕 Teddy is a pampered princess who was playing pretend; she entertained the thought of wanting to be a proper housewife to David, but never the idea. 'Little problems, I suppose, on the scale, but they piled up, and David started to notice.' I get that it's due to her Dallas rich-living that made her unable to learn the proper etiquette, but the fact that she first convinces herself to be good, and then flakes on the responsibility - bothered me. It bothered me a lot. 🙎🏻♀️
I was ashamed of her child-like fleeting behavior akin to that of a magpie - almost troubling in the way she never stood strong at what was expected of her marital duties. She was very materialistic and thrived on the pleasures in life she felt were deserving of her, considering her wealthy background. The writing became redundant in how she went into lengthy details about David's displeasure in how she behaved and the things that she indulged in - her mannerisms that annoyed him constantly. 🙄 It became stifling and difficult to understand what exactly was the purpose of all that backstory, when we really were not getting anywhere in the story.
“I always wanted to be polished to perfection, buffed and shined and bleached, so that any errant flaw or error would glance right off my silver skin.”
None of the characters were likeable or relatable; maybe that was intended. Based on the blurb, I really thought that I would get a more vivid image of glitzy Rome of 1969, but I never really was able to appreciate it enough. Mainly because half the time Teddy was whining or complaining about her shortcomings or of how envious she was of other's lifestyle - on the outside looking in, aspiring to have the life they have. 😥 'I didn’t understand then that it never would be.' I don't think it is an awful debut, just a rather disappointing one in how it played out. It was the end that somehow rectified the reasoning behind providing us with such a comprehensive backstory into her life. How her childhood, her family, her desire to be noticed and acknowledged as one of the rich and exclusive eventually came to play a bigger part in the chaotic conflict of a scandal that she became embroiled in.
The final 5% was enough to warrant it a higher rating; it snuck up on me, and the writing executed that scene quite well. But, noting how difficult it was for me to get through the whole read - the constant breaks I had to take because I was getting tired of the way she never really acknowledged herself at fault in any way. 😮💨 How, despite how her past secrets weighed heavily on her, it was not enough for her to take action against it. I don't think she was a bad person - just someone who made bad decisions and was placed in a position that demanded more of her - more than she was willing to give. It was rather impressive of how duplicitous she eventually became; how Teddy defied those who expected something else of her, and how she changed the trajectory - in her favor. It was praiseworthy, and perhaps, I would have applauded it more, if not for the rigmarole way in which we arrived at that final outcome. 🤷🏻♀️
June 15, 2024
4.5⭐️
This was SUCH A GOOD READ I literally could not put it down!!! It’s so far out of the bubble of what I usually read but I’m all about broadening my reading horizons in ‘24 and I am so glad I did because this was truly a joy to read :)
This entire cast of characters is so incredibly complex and Emily does a fantastic job of conveying them through Teddy's eyes in all her states of being 🥹 Teddy is not the most reliable narrator, particularly because almost all of the novel is her recounting the events of the past 6 months to intimidating men interrogating her, but what she is is an incredibly resilient woman who’s been dealt bad cards over and over again and she’s really just doing her best whilst navigating a new country, marriage, scheming government officials, and all the secrets she’s carrying with her- their weight and the perceived weight of them if ever found out.
To be completely fair, I wasn’t sure how I felt about her at first, but I think that was intentional on the author's part. The more we learnt about her, though, the more my heart went out to her and the more gentle I was with my judgement of her choices. She really was just doing her best, trying to juggle the depressive moods and the lingering survival habits that come with growing up in the environment she did; of trying so desperately to be the best version of herself and being smacked in the face with her limited ability to achieve that be it because of mental health, financial restrictions, or just the fact that she was imagining an idealised and likely impossible version of a woman who did not exist and never would. It was heartbreaking to see her go through this cycle of feeling better, reaching too far, and falling even lower than when she started. But in her own words, she never gave up. That resilience and ability to bounce back made reading this such an experience; to be in her head through these events and see her problem solve- even if her choices and actions were chaotic at best and dangerous at worst. 🥲❣️
The pacing of this book was SO WELL DONE!!! I was completely gripped from the very first page to the very end, the way each chapter shed new meaning onto things we previously understood differently, the way secrets unravelled, the way her paranoia caught up to her, the scheming of literally all the men around her. I absolutely loved how this timeline played out, how the events were timed relative to one another, how they were worked into the setting of art and culture, of times past and times still to come. It was fascinating the way it bounced between events of the past and those still to come, the way Teddy's own hindsight created a contrast between the Teddy we're listening to and the one she's telling us about. Getting to know Teddy as much as she allowed (because I’m still not convinced we know the full story, she’s definitely got more of herself still squirrelled away and to be honest, I love that for her) was a joy and sometimes really bloody stressful watching her walk into an obviously terrible decision,, but she’s a survivor and she’s made it this far so who am I to criticise. 😭🏃🏻♀️
The parallels with classical art/ mythology were so so so good- potentially my favourite thing after the pacing and ending.
Exhibits 1 through 4:
"It may seem convenient that I passed through those places on that particular day, those monuments to the deaths of wicked women, but it would have been the same if I'd followed the photographer on any other route through Rome. The city has always been strewn with them, poisoners and seductresses, witches. And now I had joined that ill-fated sisterhood."
"I remembered reading a story about Ancient Greece, or Sparta, I think it was, when I was a child, about a boy who had stolen a fox cub from a rich man and hidden it under his shirt. When people questioned him, he refused to admit that he'd taken the pup, and the animal grew hungry and frightened and gnawed all the way through his belly, the boy continuing to deny all the while that he'd ever done anything wrong, until he fell down dead. That's how it felt, for the first few days. A lie gnawing you to the bone."
"...everything which plagued me was a product of my own character, was the result of something internal that had grown in crooked, like a bucked tooth. You can understand how they would think it was only a matter of cutting. it out. You could see how someone might imagine it was like scraping barnacles off a ship, or rust from an old nail. Like hacking and chipping away at a block of marble until it takes on a more perfect form, becomes a more perfect woman."
"I understood now that I would always be afraid. If I accepted their help, if I kept trying to hide, I would spend the rest of my life slicing away at myself, trying to fit, trying to become smooth and polished and perfect, and one day I would find a fatal flaw in the marble and a crack would open up, and that would be the end of me.
And I didn't want it to be. I wanted to live."
I mean??????? She ate that UP !! 😫😫😫
I also really loved how Teddy could go from a seemingly frivolous person with no care in the world beyond the next bag she'll buy to someone with such deeply felt, complex emotional experiences. She swings so violently between wanting to be better to do better (often times for David's approval or that of her social circle) to not caring at all and thinking it would be better to just lay her head down and let her world crash and burn, that it would be forgiven if you occasionally lost track of just how much she wanted to live and experience the world-
"I always thought I would give up; I would make an assessment and decide it was better to die quietly and calmly than to go out into the cold and walk until my feet were bloodied and my hands were frostbitten.
But here I was with this pain in my chest, with my heart pounding away like a pigeon in a wire cage, hands shaking, hardly having slept in three days, running on coffee and pills and, I suppose, the deep-fried organs of sheep and cows from a few days earlier, and when I drank water it tasted like batteries in my mouth, but I was still walking, and I understood. I would've snapped the sinews of my compatriots with my teeth, I would have cracked their bones and eaten the marrow, if I'd had to. I would have cried, and wailed, and shaken my fist, and I definitely would have vomited all over the pristine, Arctic ice, but I would have done it.
It may sound strange, but when I look back, I'm proudest of this: that I hadn't given up yet."
This was such a visceral, grotesque, but ultimately powerful passage that I think really is the closest we'll get to understanding Teddy fully. The courage for her to even admit that she's proud of something she's done/achieved is monumental in the face of all the rejection and condemnation that she received growing up and until this point. It beautifully coveys both the lengths she's willing to go to to come out - maybe not on top but definitely in one piece- the other side of misfortunes, and her softness- her childlike sensitivity to the world and its harshness.
The atmosphere, interrogation/retelling format were massive highlights and really brought this story together in a wonderful way!! I love that the ending isn’t a clean cut resolution, at least not emotionally for Teddy- she's not suddenly cured or the perfect Hollywood blonde she wanted to be for so long, but it felt real and so satisfyingly full circle,, I really was rooting for her the whole time 🥹❣️
If you’re looking for scandal, glitz, espionage, a whole lot of emotional turbulence, beautifully crafted links to art and mythology in 1960’s Rome?? Pick this up you’ll love it!!
Thank you so much 4thestate for this proof copy <3
This was SUCH A GOOD READ I literally could not put it down!!! It’s so far out of the bubble of what I usually read but I’m all about broadening my reading horizons in ‘24 and I am so glad I did because this was truly a joy to read :)
This entire cast of characters is so incredibly complex and Emily does a fantastic job of conveying them through Teddy's eyes in all her states of being 🥹 Teddy is not the most reliable narrator, particularly because almost all of the novel is her recounting the events of the past 6 months to intimidating men interrogating her, but what she is is an incredibly resilient woman who’s been dealt bad cards over and over again and she’s really just doing her best whilst navigating a new country, marriage, scheming government officials, and all the secrets she’s carrying with her- their weight and the perceived weight of them if ever found out.
To be completely fair, I wasn’t sure how I felt about her at first, but I think that was intentional on the author's part. The more we learnt about her, though, the more my heart went out to her and the more gentle I was with my judgement of her choices. She really was just doing her best, trying to juggle the depressive moods and the lingering survival habits that come with growing up in the environment she did; of trying so desperately to be the best version of herself and being smacked in the face with her limited ability to achieve that be it because of mental health, financial restrictions, or just the fact that she was imagining an idealised and likely impossible version of a woman who did not exist and never would. It was heartbreaking to see her go through this cycle of feeling better, reaching too far, and falling even lower than when she started. But in her own words, she never gave up. That resilience and ability to bounce back made reading this such an experience; to be in her head through these events and see her problem solve- even if her choices and actions were chaotic at best and dangerous at worst. 🥲❣️
The pacing of this book was SO WELL DONE!!! I was completely gripped from the very first page to the very end, the way each chapter shed new meaning onto things we previously understood differently, the way secrets unravelled, the way her paranoia caught up to her, the scheming of literally all the men around her. I absolutely loved how this timeline played out, how the events were timed relative to one another, how they were worked into the setting of art and culture, of times past and times still to come. It was fascinating the way it bounced between events of the past and those still to come, the way Teddy's own hindsight created a contrast between the Teddy we're listening to and the one she's telling us about. Getting to know Teddy as much as she allowed (because I’m still not convinced we know the full story, she’s definitely got more of herself still squirrelled away and to be honest, I love that for her) was a joy and sometimes really bloody stressful watching her walk into an obviously terrible decision,, but she’s a survivor and she’s made it this far so who am I to criticise. 😭🏃🏻♀️
The parallels with classical art/ mythology were so so so good- potentially my favourite thing after the pacing and ending.
Exhibits 1 through 4:
"It may seem convenient that I passed through those places on that particular day, those monuments to the deaths of wicked women, but it would have been the same if I'd followed the photographer on any other route through Rome. The city has always been strewn with them, poisoners and seductresses, witches. And now I had joined that ill-fated sisterhood."
"I remembered reading a story about Ancient Greece, or Sparta, I think it was, when I was a child, about a boy who had stolen a fox cub from a rich man and hidden it under his shirt. When people questioned him, he refused to admit that he'd taken the pup, and the animal grew hungry and frightened and gnawed all the way through his belly, the boy continuing to deny all the while that he'd ever done anything wrong, until he fell down dead. That's how it felt, for the first few days. A lie gnawing you to the bone."
"...everything which plagued me was a product of my own character, was the result of something internal that had grown in crooked, like a bucked tooth. You can understand how they would think it was only a matter of cutting. it out. You could see how someone might imagine it was like scraping barnacles off a ship, or rust from an old nail. Like hacking and chipping away at a block of marble until it takes on a more perfect form, becomes a more perfect woman."
"I understood now that I would always be afraid. If I accepted their help, if I kept trying to hide, I would spend the rest of my life slicing away at myself, trying to fit, trying to become smooth and polished and perfect, and one day I would find a fatal flaw in the marble and a crack would open up, and that would be the end of me.
And I didn't want it to be. I wanted to live."
I mean??????? She ate that UP !! 😫😫😫
I also really loved how Teddy could go from a seemingly frivolous person with no care in the world beyond the next bag she'll buy to someone with such deeply felt, complex emotional experiences. She swings so violently between wanting to be better to do better (often times for David's approval or that of her social circle) to not caring at all and thinking it would be better to just lay her head down and let her world crash and burn, that it would be forgiven if you occasionally lost track of just how much she wanted to live and experience the world-
"I always thought I would give up; I would make an assessment and decide it was better to die quietly and calmly than to go out into the cold and walk until my feet were bloodied and my hands were frostbitten.
But here I was with this pain in my chest, with my heart pounding away like a pigeon in a wire cage, hands shaking, hardly having slept in three days, running on coffee and pills and, I suppose, the deep-fried organs of sheep and cows from a few days earlier, and when I drank water it tasted like batteries in my mouth, but I was still walking, and I understood. I would've snapped the sinews of my compatriots with my teeth, I would have cracked their bones and eaten the marrow, if I'd had to. I would have cried, and wailed, and shaken my fist, and I definitely would have vomited all over the pristine, Arctic ice, but I would have done it.
It may sound strange, but when I look back, I'm proudest of this: that I hadn't given up yet."
This was such a visceral, grotesque, but ultimately powerful passage that I think really is the closest we'll get to understanding Teddy fully. The courage for her to even admit that she's proud of something she's done/achieved is monumental in the face of all the rejection and condemnation that she received growing up and until this point. It beautifully coveys both the lengths she's willing to go to to come out - maybe not on top but definitely in one piece- the other side of misfortunes, and her softness- her childlike sensitivity to the world and its harshness.
The atmosphere, interrogation/retelling format were massive highlights and really brought this story together in a wonderful way!! I love that the ending isn’t a clean cut resolution, at least not emotionally for Teddy- she's not suddenly cured or the perfect Hollywood blonde she wanted to be for so long, but it felt real and so satisfyingly full circle,, I really was rooting for her the whole time 🥹❣️
If you’re looking for scandal, glitz, espionage, a whole lot of emotional turbulence, beautifully crafted links to art and mythology in 1960’s Rome?? Pick this up you’ll love it!!
Thank you so much 4thestate for this proof copy <3
December 8, 2024
Teddy by Emily Dunlay is a thrilling historical fiction novel set in 1960s Rome. Teddy Huntley Carlyle, a diplomat’s wife, finds herself in a whirlwind of challenges. She must balance her diplomatic duties with her past struggles and conform to the expectations of society. As Teddy navigates the glamorous world of Rome’s elite, she pretends to be a simple girl learning the ropes of high society. But beneath the surface, she’s on a quest for independence and self-discovery. This is a captivating tale of personal drama and historical intrigue.
October 6, 2024
The novel opens in obvious crisis: Teddy Carlyle returns to her Rome apartment, covered in blood. Close on her heels are two embassy officials seeking answers. The 300 pages that follow wind back in time to show us how everything went so terribly wrong.
Teddy Carlyle is a zaftig Texas socialite who is rapidly aging out of relevance by the time she marries a minor State Department suit and accompanies him to his posting in Rome. It's 1969, but Teddy missed the memo. She's still pouring her luscious flesh into girdles and pantyhose and teasing her hair into architectural wonders, batting her false eyelashes, while the enlightened women around her are wearing their hair long and loose, letting mini-skirt graze the tops of their bare thighs, and charting their own courses. But Teddy is more than the sum of her superficial parts. She is a woman of secrets and lies, and they are about to catch up with her.
Teddy is a highly-stylized noir caper that features breathtaking period detail overlaid on eye-rollingly unlikely circumstances. There is something off about Teddy—a whiff of soured milk—underneath the heavy French perfume. It's not just that she's an unreliable narrator, it's that her very essence is a curdled mess. I found her deeply sad, but the artifice of her life is so unbelievable that I couldn't muster much sympathy. The novel is cleverly plotted, in the spirit of Taylor Jenkins Reid, but TJR imbues a warmth and depth in her characters, where here the blood is tepid.
Emily Dunlay is a sharply talented writer. Despite its glittering attributes, Teddy left me dispirited.
Teddy Carlyle is a zaftig Texas socialite who is rapidly aging out of relevance by the time she marries a minor State Department suit and accompanies him to his posting in Rome. It's 1969, but Teddy missed the memo. She's still pouring her luscious flesh into girdles and pantyhose and teasing her hair into architectural wonders, batting her false eyelashes, while the enlightened women around her are wearing their hair long and loose, letting mini-skirt graze the tops of their bare thighs, and charting their own courses. But Teddy is more than the sum of her superficial parts. She is a woman of secrets and lies, and they are about to catch up with her.
Teddy is a highly-stylized noir caper that features breathtaking period detail overlaid on eye-rollingly unlikely circumstances. There is something off about Teddy—a whiff of soured milk—underneath the heavy French perfume. It's not just that she's an unreliable narrator, it's that her very essence is a curdled mess. I found her deeply sad, but the artifice of her life is so unbelievable that I couldn't muster much sympathy. The novel is cleverly plotted, in the spirit of Taylor Jenkins Reid, but TJR imbues a warmth and depth in her characters, where here the blood is tepid.
Emily Dunlay is a sharply talented writer. Despite its glittering attributes, Teddy left me dispirited.
January 21, 2024
Teddy is one of those books that will stay in your mind. I know I’m going to be thinking about this book for a very long time.
[I was kindly gifted an advanced copy from the publisher - out in July!]
If you love The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo (or the entire Taylor Jenkins Reid Hollywood universe) or Lessons In Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus, this one’s for you.
Set in Rome in the 1960s, following glam Teddy Huntley Carlyle, whose controlling uncle tells her that she’s “spoiled” because she is 35 and unmarried. And so he orchestrates a marriage to American diplomat David. But Teddy has secrets and a past he can’t know, desperately trying to contain a self-made scandal.
This book is so glam, the sparkles, the parties, the gossip. I loved it. The way this book creates this insane curiosity gap between what you know and what Teddy is heavily hinting that she did. Emily Dunlay does a really good job at toeing that fine line between keeping you interested by adding hints and information as to what actually happened so you can try to figure out what is happening as you go through, but without feeling like she is purposely holding back on information to do this. It feels so natural – almost like you’re intruding on the protagonist’s thoughts. The characterisation of Teddy feels so real and natural to me, that it feels like she is really a scandalous woman living in Italy, and we have been given an all-access guided tour to her thoughts.
It did not go where I expected it to go, even from the first chapter. Without it being a spoiler, in the first chapter we are thrown mid-action with Teddy, investigators and the hiding of a blood-covered dress. I was hooked. Immediately.
Teddy repeatedly broke my heart. The way she is treated by the men around her. Her sadness and the way she doesn’t really understand that she is sad. She is a very trapped and sad woman, but also you’re not sure if you can trust what she’s saying. It is just brilliant.
If you love glitz and glamour and the scandalous lives of famous people, this one will be right up your street.
[I was kindly gifted an advanced copy from the publisher - out in July!]
If you love The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo (or the entire Taylor Jenkins Reid Hollywood universe) or Lessons In Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus, this one’s for you.
Set in Rome in the 1960s, following glam Teddy Huntley Carlyle, whose controlling uncle tells her that she’s “spoiled” because she is 35 and unmarried. And so he orchestrates a marriage to American diplomat David. But Teddy has secrets and a past he can’t know, desperately trying to contain a self-made scandal.
This book is so glam, the sparkles, the parties, the gossip. I loved it. The way this book creates this insane curiosity gap between what you know and what Teddy is heavily hinting that she did. Emily Dunlay does a really good job at toeing that fine line between keeping you interested by adding hints and information as to what actually happened so you can try to figure out what is happening as you go through, but without feeling like she is purposely holding back on information to do this. It feels so natural – almost like you’re intruding on the protagonist’s thoughts. The characterisation of Teddy feels so real and natural to me, that it feels like she is really a scandalous woman living in Italy, and we have been given an all-access guided tour to her thoughts.
It did not go where I expected it to go, even from the first chapter. Without it being a spoiler, in the first chapter we are thrown mid-action with Teddy, investigators and the hiding of a blood-covered dress. I was hooked. Immediately.
Teddy repeatedly broke my heart. The way she is treated by the men around her. Her sadness and the way she doesn’t really understand that she is sad. She is a very trapped and sad woman, but also you’re not sure if you can trust what she’s saying. It is just brilliant.
If you love glitz and glamour and the scandalous lives of famous people, this one will be right up your street.
June 24, 2025
Ein durchweg stimmungsvoller Roman.....der sich in stimmungsvollen Schilderungen verliert....und sich so für mich zog wie Kaugummi 🤔😄
Teddy lebt ein begünstigtes Leben als vermeintlich Diplomaten Gattin im Rom der 1960er Jahre.....doch sie hat eine komplizierte Vergangenheit....und kann ihr nicht entfliehen....
Insgesamt: kann man lesen....muss man aber nicht!
Teddy lebt ein begünstigtes Leben als vermeintlich Diplomaten Gattin im Rom der 1960er Jahre.....doch sie hat eine komplizierte Vergangenheit....und kann ihr nicht entfliehen....
Insgesamt: kann man lesen....muss man aber nicht!
June 29, 2025
there's a set of scenes in this book where the italian police in the framing device are interrogating our protagonist, the titular teddy, somehow 35 but operating at a smooth 22 (not to say this is unusual for 35yos), and anyway the italian police say suspiciously that teddy is smarter than she looks and ask when she figured out her husband's real job is and then we flash back to like four days earlier when a woman told her "god you're so stupid for not realizing your husband is in the CIA." this sounds enormously funny when i type it (i'm funny) but is played straight
the book starts off like, "i HOPE no one ever uncovers my SECRETS!" we immediately find out she once slept with a russian spy by accident. she keeps going "the russian spy.... and all my other SECRETS!" ok. what else is there? nothing. there are no other secrets. the russian spy thing doesn't even go anywhere. maybe eventually back to russia. meanwhile we are left set up for a reveal or masterful shift that never comes.
this is essentially because the book is 10 pinterest boards ("sexy 60s housewife" "no one likes a mad woman" "60s italian movies" "cold war inspo" "vintage makeup" "ordinary girls <3" "roman art" etc) stacked on top of each other and a protagonist pulled between all of them forced to pirouette between "oh god i'm so ugly and clumsy and self-conscious in rome" and "he's right! i am beautiful! so beautiful!" "i'm the only one here who knows about place settings" "oh god i've embarrassed myself again at the party" she has a vague history in art history solely so she can occasionally reference edward hopper's "night windows" and things of that nature; she takes a lot of pills because, presumably, the author was really into mad men at some point. this is not a book it's a google search history.
anyway so she she wattpad-style sexy trips and falls through the whole book and we're dragged after her waiting to find out why she's hiding a bloodstained dress from the italian police and by the end we learn she didn't even kill anyone. no one killed anyone. in ITALY.
the book starts off like, "i HOPE no one ever uncovers my SECRETS!" we immediately find out she once slept with a russian spy by accident. she keeps going "the russian spy.... and all my other SECRETS!" ok. what else is there? nothing. there are no other secrets. the russian spy thing doesn't even go anywhere. maybe eventually back to russia. meanwhile we are left set up for a reveal or masterful shift that never comes.
this is essentially because the book is 10 pinterest boards ("sexy 60s housewife" "no one likes a mad woman" "60s italian movies" "cold war inspo" "vintage makeup" "ordinary girls <3" "roman art" etc) stacked on top of each other and a protagonist pulled between all of them forced to pirouette between "oh god i'm so ugly and clumsy and self-conscious in rome" and "he's right! i am beautiful! so beautiful!" "i'm the only one here who knows about place settings" "oh god i've embarrassed myself again at the party" she has a vague history in art history solely so she can occasionally reference edward hopper's "night windows" and things of that nature; she takes a lot of pills because, presumably, the author was really into mad men at some point. this is not a book it's a google search history.
anyway so she she wattpad-style sexy trips and falls through the whole book and we're dragged after her waiting to find out why she's hiding a bloodstained dress from the italian police and by the end we learn she didn't even kill anyone. no one killed anyone. in ITALY.
May 26, 2024
I'm so sad to say that this is probably my biggest disappointment of the year.
I dont think the cover and synopsis completely matches the story. This isn't a bad book at all but really wasn't for me.
Also what the hell does "the pearl felt toothy like velvet" mean?
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the advanced copy.
I dont think the cover and synopsis completely matches the story. This isn't a bad book at all but really wasn't for me.
Also what the hell does "the pearl felt toothy like velvet" mean?
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the advanced copy.
October 5, 2024
well the cover is really pretty i guess
April 22, 2025
*Facing Fears*
**3.5 Stars**
This was quite the story, told through the eyes of the main character, Teddy. A series of flashbacks reveal her past, though I found some parts a bit long-winded, waiting to see where the story was headed.
We meet Teddy, a well-to-do Texan from a snobbish family. Her life revolved around looking the part and dressing well, thanks to her mother, who hardly allowed her to breathe.
Once she hit her 30s, her mother only wanted her to get married. It was the 1960s, and at 34, her mother threw her a quiet wedding, as it was frowned upon to be so old as a bride in her opinion.
David, a diplomat with a long-term assignment in Rome, became Teddy’s chance for a fresh start. It was the clean break she desperately needed after making a series of bad choices with some unquestionable men. This marked the end of the many years she had tried to behave just so and all buttoned up.
Once in Rome, Teddy was seduced by the history, glamour, and her knowledge of fashion. She knew how to look good, but not how to do much for herself or be a wife, as everything had been done for her growing up.
Things took a turn when her past started to catch up with her, and she still made poor and naive choices. In some ways, I felt sorry for her, but she persevered, getting into scrape after scrape. With David’s job, she found herself right in the path of her secrets and lies, and all was not as it seemed.
**3.5 Stars**
This was quite the story, told through the eyes of the main character, Teddy. A series of flashbacks reveal her past, though I found some parts a bit long-winded, waiting to see where the story was headed.
We meet Teddy, a well-to-do Texan from a snobbish family. Her life revolved around looking the part and dressing well, thanks to her mother, who hardly allowed her to breathe.
Once she hit her 30s, her mother only wanted her to get married. It was the 1960s, and at 34, her mother threw her a quiet wedding, as it was frowned upon to be so old as a bride in her opinion.
David, a diplomat with a long-term assignment in Rome, became Teddy’s chance for a fresh start. It was the clean break she desperately needed after making a series of bad choices with some unquestionable men. This marked the end of the many years she had tried to behave just so and all buttoned up.
Once in Rome, Teddy was seduced by the history, glamour, and her knowledge of fashion. She knew how to look good, but not how to do much for herself or be a wife, as everything had been done for her growing up.
Things took a turn when her past started to catch up with her, and she still made poor and naive choices. In some ways, I felt sorry for her, but she persevered, getting into scrape after scrape. With David’s job, she found herself right in the path of her secrets and lies, and all was not as it seemed.
March 2, 2024
This is a hard book to review. On one hand the storyline kept me engaged but on the other I found myself getting very irritated with the characters.
The book starts off quite slow but the pace picks up at the end, if a little rushed at the end.
Overall a decent story but I would have liked a bit more character development and a more developed ending.
Thanks to NetGalley and the author for an ARC copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
The book starts off quite slow but the pace picks up at the end, if a little rushed at the end.
Overall a decent story but I would have liked a bit more character development and a more developed ending.
Thanks to NetGalley and the author for an ARC copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
October 18, 2024
2.5 ★ rounded up because my heart broke for teddy
October 23, 2024
4,5/5 🌟
delicious, finally some good fucking food
delicious, finally some good fucking food
July 28, 2025
Roman, Thriller, historische Fiktion, feministische Literatur — das Debüt von Emily Dunlay ist vieles, aber vor allem ein tolles Werk. Eines, das so leicht ist, und doch so schwer wiegt.
Seit der ersten Seite hat Teddy mich in ihren Bann gezogen, während sie frisch vermählt mit ihrem Mann von Dallas nach Rom migriert. Und oh, wie wunderbar lesen sich die Erzählungen dieses Roms Ende der 1960er Jahre. Die Stadt wohlgemerkt und nicht der repressive Sexismus. All der Glamour, der Glanz der Kreise, in denen sich das Paar bewegt und in denen Teddy versucht, Halt zu finden — trotz der Päckchen, die sie mit sich trägt.
Über Geschmack lässt sich nicht streiten und mich interessiert oft die Anzahl der Sterne in der Bewertung mancher Bücher nicht mehr, aber bei diesem (und allem unter 4 Sternen) komme ich nicht umhin mich zu fragen, ob wir das gleiche Buch gelesen haben.
Ich bleibe zurück mit einem Buch, das leichtfüßig in meine 2025er-Highlights einzieht. Das mich zum Schmunzeln gebracht hat, gespannt die Seiten umblättern ließ, wütend gemacht hat, und das ich von Herzen weiterempfehlen möchte.
Seit der ersten Seite hat Teddy mich in ihren Bann gezogen, während sie frisch vermählt mit ihrem Mann von Dallas nach Rom migriert. Und oh, wie wunderbar lesen sich die Erzählungen dieses Roms Ende der 1960er Jahre. Die Stadt wohlgemerkt und nicht der repressive Sexismus. All der Glamour, der Glanz der Kreise, in denen sich das Paar bewegt und in denen Teddy versucht, Halt zu finden — trotz der Päckchen, die sie mit sich trägt.
Über Geschmack lässt sich nicht streiten und mich interessiert oft die Anzahl der Sterne in der Bewertung mancher Bücher nicht mehr, aber bei diesem (und allem unter 4 Sternen) komme ich nicht umhin mich zu fragen, ob wir das gleiche Buch gelesen haben.
Ich bleibe zurück mit einem Buch, das leichtfüßig in meine 2025er-Highlights einzieht. Das mich zum Schmunzeln gebracht hat, gespannt die Seiten umblättern ließ, wütend gemacht hat, und das ich von Herzen weiterempfehlen möchte.
December 26, 2024
It wasn’t terrible, it just never held my interest until the end. Then I hated the ending so my rating dropped more
May 16, 2025
Political scandal teaaaaaaa. I really enjoyed this! Like on a thematic level this sort of gives “woman handed impossible choices” in a historical fiction type of setting, but it also doesn’t have to be that deep if you don’t want it to be. Also this was partly set in Dallas and I loved that.
June 5, 2025
3,8 ⭐️
Eine etwas andere Geschichte mit einer tollen Hauptcharakterin, die man durch ihr Leben mit dem ein oder anderen mal mehr vorhersehbaren mal sehr unvorhersehbaren Twists, in Rom der Siebzigerjahre begleitet. Sprachlich könnte es etwas schöner sein.
Das Buch ist sowohl vom Cover her als auch vom Einband wahnsinnig schön!
Eine etwas andere Geschichte mit einer tollen Hauptcharakterin, die man durch ihr Leben mit dem ein oder anderen mal mehr vorhersehbaren mal sehr unvorhersehbaren Twists, in Rom der Siebzigerjahre begleitet. Sprachlich könnte es etwas schöner sein.
Das Buch ist sowohl vom Cover her als auch vom Einband wahnsinnig schön!
July 15, 2024
Looking for a summer holiday read? I recommend packing a copy of Teddy which oozes with glamour, mystery and scandal.
Set in 1960s Rome, Teddy is living in a man’s world where women have a submissive role to play, with financial power and control in the hands of her husband, David. Told through Teddy’s narrative, the story opens with Teddy covered in blood and a big secret she’s hiding. Instantly hooked, the narrative takes us back and forth to the days leading up to this mysterious turn of events to piece together what really happened. It’s compulsive and seductive storytelling that fits Teddy’s voice and character.
Teddy gives off big Mad Men vibes. Teddy basically reminds me of Betty who is living an unhappy married life in her husband’s shadow, who tries to do and say the right thing, loves her liquor. She’s a bit scatty and naive but her vulnerability and warmth will charm you. There’s plenty of fun details of fashion, fame, glitzy parties and heavy drinking that existed during this iconic period that is caught up in the political tensions of the Cold War. Not to mention the scandals and gossip that circulate the rich and famous.
If you love Mad Men, or want a well developed character set in an interesting world of glitz, glamour, scandal and espionage, I highly recommend!
Set in 1960s Rome, Teddy is living in a man’s world where women have a submissive role to play, with financial power and control in the hands of her husband, David. Told through Teddy’s narrative, the story opens with Teddy covered in blood and a big secret she’s hiding. Instantly hooked, the narrative takes us back and forth to the days leading up to this mysterious turn of events to piece together what really happened. It’s compulsive and seductive storytelling that fits Teddy’s voice and character.
Teddy gives off big Mad Men vibes. Teddy basically reminds me of Betty who is living an unhappy married life in her husband’s shadow, who tries to do and say the right thing, loves her liquor. She’s a bit scatty and naive but her vulnerability and warmth will charm you. There’s plenty of fun details of fashion, fame, glitzy parties and heavy drinking that existed during this iconic period that is caught up in the political tensions of the Cold War. Not to mention the scandals and gossip that circulate the rich and famous.
If you love Mad Men, or want a well developed character set in an interesting world of glitz, glamour, scandal and espionage, I highly recommend!
November 23, 2024
I wanted to like this so badly that at points I actually did - but the odd attempts at litfic take away what could have been an incredibly juicy read.
February 18, 2025
at times riveting but overall felt like a run on sentence the entire book..2.75/5
June 30, 2025
From the moment I laid eyes on Teddy’s stunning cover, I knew I would love this book. And it did not disappoint! The promise of historical fiction with a literary thriller edge was irresistible, and the novel delivered on all fronts. The central figure is Teddy, a complex and flawed protagonist who captures attention from page one with her struggle to fit in a misogynist America in 1969.
A privileged Texan, Teddy is trapped in a golden cage of societal expectations. At 34, she would love her freedom if it wasn’t threatened by the financial insecurity that comes with being a single woman in 1969 (remember, women couldn’t have bank accounts back then). She has a large trust fund waiting for her… when she gets married. Otherwise, there is nothing else for her. The pressure to become a wife was financial, but also social. Even if suffocating, Teddy has convinced herself that this is what she wants, too. Yet, beneath the glamorous, gorgeous exterior, Teddy harbours a rebellious spirit. A secret life of clandestine affairs masks a deep-seated yearning for authenticity. But how can one be authentic when that means their entire existence is threatened?
Teddy does get married to David, a diplomat working in Rome, entering a gilded cage of a different kind. Moving to Rome as what society had asked of her - a devoted wife and future mother - Teddy aspects to leave her wild side behind. She is thrust into the dazzling world of the American ambassador, a former movie star, and his wife. The high-society milieu contrasts with Teddy’s growing disillusionment with her own life. Dunley uses Teddy as a lens to examine the social pressures and expectations placed on women of the era.
Teddy is a fascinating character; she is both privileged and trapped, naïve yet perceptive. She struggles constantly with thoughts of not being good enough (beautiful, sophisticated, smart) and the need to live a different life. While her initial portrayal might suggest a shallow, materialistic woman, the narrative gradually reveals her depth and complexity. Her journey towards self-discovery is both painful and empowering. Teddy’s personality is heavily influenced by Aunt Sister, a free spirit with a tragic fate that was used by Teddy’s mother as an example of what happens to women who do not conform.
The novel is a commentary on feminism, disguised as a captivating tale of suspense. The contrast between Teddy’s free-spirited Aunt Sister and her mother’s constrained life underscores the societal pressures women face. There is no space in this world for a woman to be free; when she somehow manages to build a life for herself, society has a way to bring her down. Just as telling was the dialogue between Teddy’s Uncle Hal (a senator with big dreams of becoming a president) and the only woman in the Senate at that time. Hal was lobbying for a law that required companies to pay women equally with men and wanted the senatress on his side. This conversation, executed masterfully, will make your blood boil but it’s also a great mirror of the uphill battle women faced (and still do!) in the political arena and outside of it.
Teddy is a feminist manifesto disguised as a thrilling page-turner. The ending was soul-soothing and made me happy. Teddy is a a flawed heroine, a woman ahead of her time, struggling to reconcile her desires with societal expectations.
I absolutely loved Teddy! This book is a must-read for anyone interested in historical fiction, feminist literature, literary thriller or simply a compelling story. It’s a perfect summer read.
A privileged Texan, Teddy is trapped in a golden cage of societal expectations. At 34, she would love her freedom if it wasn’t threatened by the financial insecurity that comes with being a single woman in 1969 (remember, women couldn’t have bank accounts back then). She has a large trust fund waiting for her… when she gets married. Otherwise, there is nothing else for her. The pressure to become a wife was financial, but also social. Even if suffocating, Teddy has convinced herself that this is what she wants, too. Yet, beneath the glamorous, gorgeous exterior, Teddy harbours a rebellious spirit. A secret life of clandestine affairs masks a deep-seated yearning for authenticity. But how can one be authentic when that means their entire existence is threatened?
Teddy does get married to David, a diplomat working in Rome, entering a gilded cage of a different kind. Moving to Rome as what society had asked of her - a devoted wife and future mother - Teddy aspects to leave her wild side behind. She is thrust into the dazzling world of the American ambassador, a former movie star, and his wife. The high-society milieu contrasts with Teddy’s growing disillusionment with her own life. Dunley uses Teddy as a lens to examine the social pressures and expectations placed on women of the era.
Teddy is a fascinating character; she is both privileged and trapped, naïve yet perceptive. She struggles constantly with thoughts of not being good enough (beautiful, sophisticated, smart) and the need to live a different life. While her initial portrayal might suggest a shallow, materialistic woman, the narrative gradually reveals her depth and complexity. Her journey towards self-discovery is both painful and empowering. Teddy’s personality is heavily influenced by Aunt Sister, a free spirit with a tragic fate that was used by Teddy’s mother as an example of what happens to women who do not conform.
The novel is a commentary on feminism, disguised as a captivating tale of suspense. The contrast between Teddy’s free-spirited Aunt Sister and her mother’s constrained life underscores the societal pressures women face. There is no space in this world for a woman to be free; when she somehow manages to build a life for herself, society has a way to bring her down. Just as telling was the dialogue between Teddy’s Uncle Hal (a senator with big dreams of becoming a president) and the only woman in the Senate at that time. Hal was lobbying for a law that required companies to pay women equally with men and wanted the senatress on his side. This conversation, executed masterfully, will make your blood boil but it’s also a great mirror of the uphill battle women faced (and still do!) in the political arena and outside of it.
Teddy is a feminist manifesto disguised as a thrilling page-turner. The ending was soul-soothing and made me happy. Teddy is a a flawed heroine, a woman ahead of her time, struggling to reconcile her desires with societal expectations.
I absolutely loved Teddy! This book is a must-read for anyone interested in historical fiction, feminist literature, literary thriller or simply a compelling story. It’s a perfect summer read.
September 5, 2024
The blurb and hype surrounding this book had me expecting a suspenseful and easily devourable read. Unfortunately I found neither to be particularly present characteristics. Instead this book should earn its praise from Dunlay’s expert ability to filter, her obviously well researched and developed understanding of the glitz and glamour characteristic of the 1960’s high society she writes of, through the narrative in an immersive and seamless fashion.
Although telling the tale of of such an era, its players, and all its grandeur, does require a certain level of scene setting unfortunately this book somewhat over exerts itself providing much description with an overabundance of similes and metaphors, wrapped up in Teddy’s narrative of youthful escapades and present day dissatisfaction with life, making for a confused and seemingly endless picture in parts.
Though the flitty nature of the character is an entirely intentional move, from the author, it created an overwhelming air of unlikeability to Teddy with the unfortunate result being an ultimately unfulfilled and somewhat sluggish waiting game for a redeemable quality to the eponymous character to present itself.
The last 50 or so pages of the book made a respectable attempt to create the level of intrigue and grandeur perhaps lacking in the preceding chapters cleverly revealing hidden truths and allowing complexities of the central operation to unfold, with the author’s stylistic use of flashback/ present day scenes proving to be an expert choice. Yet the reveal of Teddy’s role in the operation and her ultimate attempt to regain control of her life fell short in delivering enough of a thrill to rescue this book from status as a novel that unfortunately lost its intrigue and fun, essentially falling short in the face of plotless descriptions and anticlimactic revelations.
If you enjoy an atmospheric slow burn and can make peace with an ending on perhaps the lesser side of lively then this work from Dunlay should land a place on your TBR. Those looking for the riveting, brooding and exuberant tale, that this book promises, may feel this is not an essential read.
2.5⭐️
Although telling the tale of of such an era, its players, and all its grandeur, does require a certain level of scene setting unfortunately this book somewhat over exerts itself providing much description with an overabundance of similes and metaphors, wrapped up in Teddy’s narrative of youthful escapades and present day dissatisfaction with life, making for a confused and seemingly endless picture in parts.
Though the flitty nature of the character is an entirely intentional move, from the author, it created an overwhelming air of unlikeability to Teddy with the unfortunate result being an ultimately unfulfilled and somewhat sluggish waiting game for a redeemable quality to the eponymous character to present itself.
The last 50 or so pages of the book made a respectable attempt to create the level of intrigue and grandeur perhaps lacking in the preceding chapters cleverly revealing hidden truths and allowing complexities of the central operation to unfold, with the author’s stylistic use of flashback/ present day scenes proving to be an expert choice. Yet the reveal of Teddy’s role in the operation and her ultimate attempt to regain control of her life fell short in delivering enough of a thrill to rescue this book from status as a novel that unfortunately lost its intrigue and fun, essentially falling short in the face of plotless descriptions and anticlimactic revelations.
If you enjoy an atmospheric slow burn and can make peace with an ending on perhaps the lesser side of lively then this work from Dunlay should land a place on your TBR. Those looking for the riveting, brooding and exuberant tale, that this book promises, may feel this is not an essential read.
2.5⭐️
May 26, 2025
Rom 1969
In den 1960er Jahren war es für junge Frauen noch ein unbedingtes Ziel zu heiraten, von ihrem Mann versorgt zu werden und Kinder zu bekommen. Teddy Carlyle ist schon über dreißig Jahre als sie den Botschaftsmitarbeiter David kennenlernt und der sie heiratet. Davids Einsatz an der Botschaft in Rom beginnt auch vielversprechend. Es soll Teddys neues Leben sein. Sie beginnt sogar mit einem kleinen Job als Botschaftsangestellte. Doch bald schleichen sich alte Gewohnheiten ein. Teddy gibt sich selbst die Schuld, dass sie nicht die vorbildliche Ehefrau ist. Sie befürchtet auch, dass ihre Vergangenheit sie einholen wird.
Eine junge Frau versucht den gesellschaftlichen Konventionen zu entsprechen. In den 60ern sind die Möglichkeiten für Frauen noch viel begrenzter als heutzutage. Es gibt jede Menge Regeln, an die sie sich halten sollen. Ein Bild der Gesellschaft, dem sie entsprechen sollen. Sind sie anders, offener, lebenslustiger, folgt die Strafe der gesellschaftlichen Ächtung oder Schlimmeres schnell. Doch Teddy will sich an die Regeln halten, sie will eine gute Frau werden, endlich. Aber das Leben und auch ihre Trägheit machen es ihr schwer, alle Erwartungen zu erfüllen. Und dann geschieht etwas, wodurch alles kaputt gehen könnte.
In einer besonderen Situation erzählt Teddy von ihrem Leben, sie erzählt aus ihrer Kindheit und Jugend, wie sie in manche Situation herein gerutscht ist und schließlich wieso sie hier sitzt und erzählt. Das eignet sich natürlich sehr gut für ein Hörbuch und dieses hier wird wunderbar in Szene gesetzt von Cathleen Gawlich. Das, was Teddy zu erzählen hat, ist nicht immer sehr schön. So war es eben damals. In der Vergangenheit war eben nicht alles besser. Die Frauen hatten keine Stimme. Mit ihnen konnte gemacht werden, was jemand wollte. Und doch will Teddy dazugehören. Ihre scheiternden Bemühungen nerven sie allerdings selbst. Sie denkt, sie muss sich den Konventionen beugen. Mehr und mehr empfindet Teddy Widerwillen, sie sieht allerdings kaum eine Möglichkeit etwas an der Lage zu ändern. Es ist spannend, Teddys Entwicklung von einer Art Lebedame zu einer selbstständigen Frau mitzuerleben.
In den 1960er Jahren war es für junge Frauen noch ein unbedingtes Ziel zu heiraten, von ihrem Mann versorgt zu werden und Kinder zu bekommen. Teddy Carlyle ist schon über dreißig Jahre als sie den Botschaftsmitarbeiter David kennenlernt und der sie heiratet. Davids Einsatz an der Botschaft in Rom beginnt auch vielversprechend. Es soll Teddys neues Leben sein. Sie beginnt sogar mit einem kleinen Job als Botschaftsangestellte. Doch bald schleichen sich alte Gewohnheiten ein. Teddy gibt sich selbst die Schuld, dass sie nicht die vorbildliche Ehefrau ist. Sie befürchtet auch, dass ihre Vergangenheit sie einholen wird.
Eine junge Frau versucht den gesellschaftlichen Konventionen zu entsprechen. In den 60ern sind die Möglichkeiten für Frauen noch viel begrenzter als heutzutage. Es gibt jede Menge Regeln, an die sie sich halten sollen. Ein Bild der Gesellschaft, dem sie entsprechen sollen. Sind sie anders, offener, lebenslustiger, folgt die Strafe der gesellschaftlichen Ächtung oder Schlimmeres schnell. Doch Teddy will sich an die Regeln halten, sie will eine gute Frau werden, endlich. Aber das Leben und auch ihre Trägheit machen es ihr schwer, alle Erwartungen zu erfüllen. Und dann geschieht etwas, wodurch alles kaputt gehen könnte.
In einer besonderen Situation erzählt Teddy von ihrem Leben, sie erzählt aus ihrer Kindheit und Jugend, wie sie in manche Situation herein gerutscht ist und schließlich wieso sie hier sitzt und erzählt. Das eignet sich natürlich sehr gut für ein Hörbuch und dieses hier wird wunderbar in Szene gesetzt von Cathleen Gawlich. Das, was Teddy zu erzählen hat, ist nicht immer sehr schön. So war es eben damals. In der Vergangenheit war eben nicht alles besser. Die Frauen hatten keine Stimme. Mit ihnen konnte gemacht werden, was jemand wollte. Und doch will Teddy dazugehören. Ihre scheiternden Bemühungen nerven sie allerdings selbst. Sie denkt, sie muss sich den Konventionen beugen. Mehr und mehr empfindet Teddy Widerwillen, sie sieht allerdings kaum eine Möglichkeit etwas an der Lage zu ändern. Es ist spannend, Teddys Entwicklung von einer Art Lebedame zu einer selbstständigen Frau mitzuerleben.
July 2, 2024
Secrets, corruption, politics and glamour set in 1960s Rome, what more could you want in a book?
In this story we meet our protagonist 34 year old glamorous Texan, Teddy Huntley Carlyle who is newly married to a diplomat working for the American Embassy in Rome in the 1960’s. She comes from a very wealthy political family but didn’t have the best childhood, and the men in her life haven’t been the best either.
Teddy finds herself in a beautiful city, drinking cocktails and rubbing shoulders with ambassadors, royalty, actors and spies at fancy parties, but Teddy has always been running from her past and anxious that her secrets be kept hidden.
I fell in love with Teddy, she is chaotic and such a relatable character. Teddy is living in 1960s and the novel explores the idea of women living in a patriarchal society where they are treated and judged differently to their male counterparts. Teddy struggled with societies expectations of her and I sympathised with her so much.
I loved the atmospheric writing that makes you feel you are in Italy and amongst the glamour. It was an entertaining read and had me hooked from the get go.
My one criticism is I did find the ending a little rushed and off pace to the rest of the books.
September 23, 2024
3.5 - I’ve got a split opinion about this one. The book is really well written and the non-linear timeline was interesting. The premise of the book caught my attention and it came highly recommended by a friend who loved Teddy, the character.
And I get it, Teddy, as an unreliable narrator, was fun to unravel a little bit but ultimately, her narration dragged a little for me.
I wanted to want to read it, but I felt like I finished it out of some unspoken obligation. The pacing was too slow at the start for me and I ended up frustrated instead of curious about the clues that were rather obviously being dangled in front of me.
I know some people felt like the ending really redeemed the pacing problems, and I get that, to an extent. But it just wasn’t quite enough for me to ignore everything before it.
And I get it, Teddy, as an unreliable narrator, was fun to unravel a little bit but ultimately, her narration dragged a little for me.
I wanted to want to read it, but I felt like I finished it out of some unspoken obligation. The pacing was too slow at the start for me and I ended up frustrated instead of curious about the clues that were rather obviously being dangled in front of me.
I know some people felt like the ending really redeemed the pacing problems, and I get that, to an extent. But it just wasn’t quite enough for me to ignore everything before it.
November 22, 2024
This book spends so long hoping you’ll persevere through the meandering thoughts of the protagonist to find the end of the mystery.
Unfortunately her constant yammering on and ditziness - whilst obviously intentional - made the journey to her redemption and the reveal of the mystery too much of a slog that I just couldn’t get through.
It’s a nice cover though - and the research into this time period was obviously incredibly thorough.
This one was just not my vibe.
DNF at 51%
Unfortunately her constant yammering on and ditziness - whilst obviously intentional - made the journey to her redemption and the reveal of the mystery too much of a slog that I just couldn’t get through.
It’s a nice cover though - and the research into this time period was obviously incredibly thorough.
This one was just not my vibe.
DNF at 51%
November 25, 2024
3.5 stars.
with that ending, it was very nearly 4 stars, but the epilogue brought it back down for me!
was I that desperate to have this book in my hands that when I couldn’t find it I made a spontaneous trip to Piccadilly Waterstones specifically for this? yes.
with that ending, it was very nearly 4 stars, but the epilogue brought it back down for me!
was I that desperate to have this book in my hands that when I couldn’t find it I made a spontaneous trip to Piccadilly Waterstones specifically for this? yes.
September 17, 2024
Women making bad decisions are everywhere in stories lately. And I am a bit tired of it. However, Emily Dunlap’s historical debut set in the late 1960s TX and Rome, told by a compelling, if careless, URN (Unreliable Narrator), Teddy, has a unique Tone in its story and flavor in its thirty-something bride of a US diplomat in Rome, trained to entertain and polished to a shine to look as decorative as possible, to serve her husband’s and her family’s and their perceived view of society’s needs and goals. Maybe it is because I am re-reading Harris’s The Other Black Girl for a book group, that I also saw this as an iteration of code switching—this time not racial but sexist/patriarchal as Teddy struggles with a voracious appetite for life, for belonging, for food, for drink, for sex, for the need to feel something genuine and wholly her authentic own, to be seen for who she truly is. Both books share a disquieting and burdensome Tone that combines the paranoia of being gaslighted (Did this really happen? What does it mean?) and the perceptions of what those in power around them desire from them. Teddy’s parents, Uncle Hal, husband David, the US Ambassador in Rome, the Wolf, all have depth and flaws, as well as some virtues. Told by Teddy to some embassy investigators on the night of July 9, 1969, her voice emphasizes both her naiveté and cunning as we see from her point of view how she is both manipulated, overlooked, and underestimated, often with witty and clever asides, but using her audience’s (both the reader and the other characters in the book) assumptions to her advantage resulting in quite a twisty tale with a very satisfactory, pretty realistic ending. Dunlay integrates historical issues like the cold war with the Russians, national politics, the moon landing, animals (Beppo the cat; lapdogs), weather and climate conditions, art and antiquities, societal and class issues, décor, fashion, food and drink both metaphorically and as specific detail while creating the background for her beguiling story especially in her setting frames of Rome (trash heaps & galleries), Capri, TX, and DC. Tone is also enhanced by Teddy’s images of octopus tendrils and horses panicking as she comes to term with her desires, emotions, and lack of agency. The hot scratchy, stickiness of inappropriate winter fabrics in the Rome summer and her disinterest in her everyday cleanliness is contrasted with her obsession with the perfection of how she should dress and decorate herself for the approval, reaction of people with power over her. The diplomatic and spy details are few but well-placed. RED FLAGS: Misogyny; Patriarchal Nonsense; Alcohol and Drugs; Abortion. Readalikes: Rowan Beaird’s The Divorcées for the combo of CH, Tone and Setting; and perhaps novels by Christine Mangan and Rachel Hawkins for the Italian setting, the CHs and the scandal and betrayal.
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