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The Golden Hour
The New York Times bestselling author of The Summer Wives and A Certain Age creates a dazzling epic of World War II-era Nassau—a hotbed of spies, traitors, and the most infamous couple of the age, the Duke and Duchess of Windsor.
The Bahamas, 1941. Newly-widowed Leonora “Lulu” Randolph arrives in Nassau to investigate the Governor and his wife for a New York society magazine. After all, American readers have an insatiable appetite for news of the Duke and Duchess of Windsor, that glamorous couple whose love affair nearly brought the British monarchy to its knees five years earlier. What more intriguing backdrop for their romance than a wartime Caribbean paradise, a colonial playground for kingpins of ill-gotten empires?
Or so Lulu imagines. But as she infiltrates the Duke and Duchess’s social circle, and the powerful cabal that controls the islands’ political and financial affairs, she uncovers evidence that beneath the glister of Wallis and Edward’s marriage lies an ugly—and even treasonous—reality. In fact, Windsor-era Nassau seethes with spies, financial swindles, and racial tension, and in the middle of it all stands Benedict Thorpe: a scientist of tremendous charm and murky national loyalties. Inevitably, the willful and wounded Lulu falls in love.
Then Nassau’s wealthiest man is murdered in one of the most notorious cases of the century, and the resulting coverup reeks of royal privilege. Benedict Thorpe disappears without a trace, and Lulu embarks on a journey to London and beyond to unpick Thorpe’s complicated family history: a fateful love affair, a wartime tragedy, and a mother from whom all joy is stolen.
The stories of two unforgettable women thread together in this extraordinary epic of espionage, sacrifice, human love, and human courage, set against a shocking true crime…and the rise and fall of a legendary royal couple.
The Bahamas, 1941. Newly-widowed Leonora “Lulu” Randolph arrives in Nassau to investigate the Governor and his wife for a New York society magazine. After all, American readers have an insatiable appetite for news of the Duke and Duchess of Windsor, that glamorous couple whose love affair nearly brought the British monarchy to its knees five years earlier. What more intriguing backdrop for their romance than a wartime Caribbean paradise, a colonial playground for kingpins of ill-gotten empires?
Or so Lulu imagines. But as she infiltrates the Duke and Duchess’s social circle, and the powerful cabal that controls the islands’ political and financial affairs, she uncovers evidence that beneath the glister of Wallis and Edward’s marriage lies an ugly—and even treasonous—reality. In fact, Windsor-era Nassau seethes with spies, financial swindles, and racial tension, and in the middle of it all stands Benedict Thorpe: a scientist of tremendous charm and murky national loyalties. Inevitably, the willful and wounded Lulu falls in love.
Then Nassau’s wealthiest man is murdered in one of the most notorious cases of the century, and the resulting coverup reeks of royal privilege. Benedict Thorpe disappears without a trace, and Lulu embarks on a journey to London and beyond to unpick Thorpe’s complicated family history: a fateful love affair, a wartime tragedy, and a mother from whom all joy is stolen.
The stories of two unforgettable women thread together in this extraordinary epic of espionage, sacrifice, human love, and human courage, set against a shocking true crime…and the rise and fall of a legendary royal couple.
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First published July 9, 2019
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 2,445 reviews
November 10, 2019
Williams always writes solid commercial historical fiction and this is not an exception. It’s a bit slow to start and I became weary of “Believe me” and “Let me tell you” but mercifully those particular repetitions tapered off. Consisting of two timelines, one during WWI and the other during WWII, the period details are rich. I preferred Elfriede’s story to Lulu’s although one hinges upon the other. Be aware that while the Bahamian years of the Duke and Duchess of Windsor during WWII are a clever and glitzy premise, they actually play secondary roles within the novel.
March 30, 2020
I will admit to being drawn to this book for its cover. Plus, a historical fiction about The Duke and Duchess of Windsor sounded just the ticket for escapism.
This is an extremely fast read. Lulu Randolph comes to Nassau, where the Duke has been sent to get him out of England and Europe, to do a cover story for Metropolitan Magazine. She quickly becomes part of their inner circle. In truth, she makes a deal with the devil, so to speak. She is granted access in exchange for positive reporting. While there, she falls in love and marries Thorpe. Here’s one of my problems with this book. I went into it expecting one storyline, the one about the Windsors, but it was just one of several and not even the main one. We also get the story of Thorpe’s mother which runs from 1905 through WWI . We also hear Lulu’s story when she goes to England after her husband’s disappearance.
My second problem is that none of these characters rang true. They felt two dimensional to me. Williams peppers the book with true events, like the murder of Harry Oakes. But it all just seemed like glossy fiction. Don’t go into this if you’re expecting in depth historical fiction. It’s more soap opera quality.
It did fit the bill as far as escapism goes, but don’t go into this expecting quality historical fiction.
This is an extremely fast read. Lulu Randolph comes to Nassau, where the Duke has been sent to get him out of England and Europe, to do a cover story for Metropolitan Magazine. She quickly becomes part of their inner circle. In truth, she makes a deal with the devil, so to speak. She is granted access in exchange for positive reporting. While there, she falls in love and marries Thorpe. Here’s one of my problems with this book. I went into it expecting one storyline, the one about the Windsors, but it was just one of several and not even the main one. We also get the story of Thorpe’s mother which runs from 1905 through WWI . We also hear Lulu’s story when she goes to England after her husband’s disappearance.
My second problem is that none of these characters rang true. They felt two dimensional to me. Williams peppers the book with true events, like the murder of Harry Oakes. But it all just seemed like glossy fiction. Don’t go into this if you’re expecting in depth historical fiction. It’s more soap opera quality.
It did fit the bill as far as escapism goes, but don’t go into this expecting quality historical fiction.
February 25, 2020
What a stunningly beautiful book. This piece of historical fiction, using the backdrop of the Duke and Duchess of Windsor as residents of the Bahamian Government House, is superb.
The web of mysteries are told from the viewpoints of Elfriede and Lulu. These two women tell the stories of their lives with such depth of character. But, all of the brilliantly developed individuals voices seem to come right off the page and live with you while you listen to their stories.
I definitely recommend this book to anyone who loves to read a great story and wants to feel as though they have morphed into the pages themselves.
A definite 5*s!
The web of mysteries are told from the viewpoints of Elfriede and Lulu. These two women tell the stories of their lives with such depth of character. But, all of the brilliantly developed individuals voices seem to come right off the page and live with you while you listen to their stories.
I definitely recommend this book to anyone who loves to read a great story and wants to feel as though they have morphed into the pages themselves.
A definite 5*s!
September 10, 2019
3.5 stars
I had read and enjoyed a book by this author awhile back and when I saw the gorgeous cover for this one, I immediately put it on my to be read list without even bothering to look at the synopsis. When I started reading this historical fiction book I was excited to learn Wallis Simpson and her husband, the former king of England who gave up the throne, were going to be a characters in the story. I read a biography on her not that long ago and they are both fascinating people although not so much in a good way.
The story is told by using alternating timelines and with different characters. Obviously the more you read, the more you see how everything is tied in to one another. The Duke and Duchess of Windsor live in the Bahamas back in the 1940s as he has been appointed governor of the island. Reporter Leonora “Lulu” Randolph will be covering the couple for an American magazine. Once she is able to get into their social circle, Lulu soon realizes this royal couple are up to no good. In fact there is a whole lot of horrible stuff happening on the island. In the middle of all this, Lulu might have some romantic feelings towards the mysterious Benedict Thorpe. The story will follow Lulu both in the Bahamas and when she arrives in Europe searching for a missing Benedict as well as a woman named Elfriede who is a patient at a Swiss sanatorium in the early 1900s.
Unfortunately, the part of the story I expected to enjoy the most, anything involving the Duke and Duchess of Windsor, was actually the weakest part. The writing for the storyline taking place in the Bahamas felt disjointed at times. Key plot points felt glossed over, almost like it was jumping from point A to point C, with nothing really linking the two things together.
I did however enjoy reading Lulu's storyline after she left the Bahamas. But by far the best parts of the story involved Elfriede. That character and her storyline are what saved the book for me. That's where you really find the heart and soul of the story as there are some good emotional moments.
Even though the book fell a little flat when it came down to some of the historical fiction elements of the story, I still would recommend reading this if you have enjoyed other books by the author.
I had read and enjoyed a book by this author awhile back and when I saw the gorgeous cover for this one, I immediately put it on my to be read list without even bothering to look at the synopsis. When I started reading this historical fiction book I was excited to learn Wallis Simpson and her husband, the former king of England who gave up the throne, were going to be a characters in the story. I read a biography on her not that long ago and they are both fascinating people although not so much in a good way.
The story is told by using alternating timelines and with different characters. Obviously the more you read, the more you see how everything is tied in to one another. The Duke and Duchess of Windsor live in the Bahamas back in the 1940s as he has been appointed governor of the island. Reporter Leonora “Lulu” Randolph will be covering the couple for an American magazine. Once she is able to get into their social circle, Lulu soon realizes this royal couple are up to no good. In fact there is a whole lot of horrible stuff happening on the island. In the middle of all this, Lulu might have some romantic feelings towards the mysterious Benedict Thorpe. The story will follow Lulu both in the Bahamas and when she arrives in Europe searching for a missing Benedict as well as a woman named Elfriede who is a patient at a Swiss sanatorium in the early 1900s.
Unfortunately, the part of the story I expected to enjoy the most, anything involving the Duke and Duchess of Windsor, was actually the weakest part. The writing for the storyline taking place in the Bahamas felt disjointed at times. Key plot points felt glossed over, almost like it was jumping from point A to point C, with nothing really linking the two things together.
I did however enjoy reading Lulu's storyline after she left the Bahamas. But by far the best parts of the story involved Elfriede. That character and her storyline are what saved the book for me. That's where you really find the heart and soul of the story as there are some good emotional moments.
Even though the book fell a little flat when it came down to some of the historical fiction elements of the story, I still would recommend reading this if you have enjoyed other books by the author.
August 21, 2019
Wish I could give this a stellar review. I really, honestly do. I simply could not get into this writer's voice, and the way she tried so very hard to be more intimate with the reader than was appropriate for this story. It was just not the book for me. I fell in love with the subject matter, and the cover, but the story bored me. I wish I had better news. I look forward to seeing what others think as they read this book, as it is a new release. Hmmm.
July 29, 2019
4 .5 Stars!
The Golden Hour is my first Beatriz Williams read and it will not be my last. I've always been interested in her books, but for some reason or another I never took the plunge until now. The draw for me was the Duke and Duchess of Windsor being cast, along with the setting of the Bahamas during WWII. I'm hesitant to pick up a traditional WWII book these days (I've read so many) and this took the topic that I love, but gave it a new spin. I couldn't wait to pick it back up again (and that's always the sign of a good one)!
I will not trouble you with regurgitating the summary, but if you like a good love story and some mystery and intrigue all wrapped up into one (with the setting of WWI & WWII), then this book is absolutely for you. I will readily admit that this may seem slow to start for some, but it worked perfectly for me. As others have mentioned, the Duke and Duchess only appear peripherally, but I was so enthralled with what would happen to Elfriede and Lulu that I didn't even care.
I thought the ending was clever and done just right. With a less experienced author, a book of this scale could have been 600+ pages long, but the book was paced and plotted perfectly - leaving just enough left to think about long after. I'll be sure to recommend this for years to come.
Thanks to the Buffalo Library for providing a copy to loan. They always come through for me when I'm declined for an e-arc. :)
Review Date: 7/28/19
Publication Date: 7/9/19
The Golden Hour is my first Beatriz Williams read and it will not be my last. I've always been interested in her books, but for some reason or another I never took the plunge until now. The draw for me was the Duke and Duchess of Windsor being cast, along with the setting of the Bahamas during WWII. I'm hesitant to pick up a traditional WWII book these days (I've read so many) and this took the topic that I love, but gave it a new spin. I couldn't wait to pick it back up again (and that's always the sign of a good one)!
I will not trouble you with regurgitating the summary, but if you like a good love story and some mystery and intrigue all wrapped up into one (with the setting of WWI & WWII), then this book is absolutely for you. I will readily admit that this may seem slow to start for some, but it worked perfectly for me. As others have mentioned, the Duke and Duchess only appear peripherally, but I was so enthralled with what would happen to Elfriede and Lulu that I didn't even care.
I thought the ending was clever and done just right. With a less experienced author, a book of this scale could have been 600+ pages long, but the book was paced and plotted perfectly - leaving just enough left to think about long after. I'll be sure to recommend this for years to come.
Thanks to the Buffalo Library for providing a copy to loan. They always come through for me when I'm declined for an e-arc. :)
Review Date: 7/28/19
Publication Date: 7/9/19
March 11, 2022
Epic WWII novel set in the Bahamas. We meet the Duke and Duchess of Windsor, Edward and Wallis.
Intriguing historical fiction filled with mystery, murder and espionage.
Two story lines alternating with one another.
Lulu is sent to Nassau, Bahamas to cover a story for NY magazine and to get the scope on the Duke and Duchess. She joins the Red Cross in order to meet the Duchess. Lulu meets an intriguing man named Benedict Thrope who disappears from time to time, but she falls in love with him and marries him.
Elfriede’s story is that of prewar Germany. We see how the two stories become one.
I loved this book, Beatriz Williams weaves a very interesting story of the Duke and Duchess, after abdicating the crown.
A very intriguing murder mystery is also revealed. Sir Harry Oakes multi millionaire is brutally murdered. The Duke is in charge of the investigation.
Benedict Thrope disappears on the night of the murder. Lulu embarks to London to find his family to seek the truth,
Very compelling story.
Intriguing historical fiction filled with mystery, murder and espionage.
Two story lines alternating with one another.
Lulu is sent to Nassau, Bahamas to cover a story for NY magazine and to get the scope on the Duke and Duchess. She joins the Red Cross in order to meet the Duchess. Lulu meets an intriguing man named Benedict Thrope who disappears from time to time, but she falls in love with him and marries him.
Elfriede’s story is that of prewar Germany. We see how the two stories become one.
I loved this book, Beatriz Williams weaves a very interesting story of the Duke and Duchess, after abdicating the crown.
A very intriguing murder mystery is also revealed. Sir Harry Oakes multi millionaire is brutally murdered. The Duke is in charge of the investigation.
Benedict Thrope disappears on the night of the murder. Lulu embarks to London to find his family to seek the truth,
Very compelling story.
October 22, 2019
4.5 stars. Leonora "Lulu" Randolph, a newly widowed and newly minted reporter for an American magazine, arrives in June 1941 to Nassau to write about the latest gossip of the Bahamian governor and his wife, the Duke and Duchess of Windsor. On the plane she meets a mysterious Englishman, Benedict Thorpe. She ingratiates herself into Wallis and Edward's social circle and enters into a mutual arrangement with the Duchess and her New York publisher to write the Lady of Nassau column. Clever and observant she learns who are the players in Nassau from the rich and infamous from the watering holes, the Windsor's functions, and to the Red Cross events. Thoroughly researched, I felt as if I was in the Bahamas in the 1940s and traveling along with Lulu as she biked, volunteered, and bantered with the locals. However, all is not golden in this sunshine paradise. Nassau is filled with swindlers, spies, racists, traitors, and the power hungry culminating in treason and murder.
"Memory, it turns out, is unreliable. All on its own, your memory gathers up helpful details that match your recollection of an event, whether or not those details actually existed at the time. But does it matter?"
In 1900, Baroness Elfriede von Kleist, who has been confined for a couple of years to a Swiss clinic after suffering from depression after the birth of her son, meets Wilfred Thorpe, who is recovering from an illness. When asked if she minded if Wilfred smoked, "'N-no.' Elfriede thinks she should probably have said yes, because tobacco smoke is possibly the last substance on earth that should fill the passages of Mr. Thorpe's ravaged lungs at the moment, short of poisoned gas. But his pleasure, his anticipation is so obvious, she doesn't have the heart to deny him. A pattern that will shape all the days they spend together."
In December 1943, Lulu is in London determined to find her missing husband, who was arrested by the Germans as a spy.
Alternating, among these lives and times, we learn of love, sorrow, betrayal, affairs, wars, and a family's history. Ms. Williams thoroughly captured the atmosphere of the 1900s to 1916 and the 1940s in London, Switzerland, Scotland, the Bahamas, and Florida. She expanded my vocabulary with mountebank, devoirs, burgher, soporific (been a while since I had heard this one), and obbroprium. I thoroughly enjoyed this historical novel.
"Memory, it turns out, is unreliable. All on its own, your memory gathers up helpful details that match your recollection of an event, whether or not those details actually existed at the time. But does it matter?"
In 1900, Baroness Elfriede von Kleist, who has been confined for a couple of years to a Swiss clinic after suffering from depression after the birth of her son, meets Wilfred Thorpe, who is recovering from an illness. When asked if she minded if Wilfred smoked, "'N-no.' Elfriede thinks she should probably have said yes, because tobacco smoke is possibly the last substance on earth that should fill the passages of Mr. Thorpe's ravaged lungs at the moment, short of poisoned gas. But his pleasure, his anticipation is so obvious, she doesn't have the heart to deny him. A pattern that will shape all the days they spend together."
In December 1943, Lulu is in London determined to find her missing husband, who was arrested by the Germans as a spy.
Alternating, among these lives and times, we learn of love, sorrow, betrayal, affairs, wars, and a family's history. Ms. Williams thoroughly captured the atmosphere of the 1900s to 1916 and the 1940s in London, Switzerland, Scotland, the Bahamas, and Florida. She expanded my vocabulary with mountebank, devoirs, burgher, soporific (been a while since I had heard this one), and obbroprium. I thoroughly enjoyed this historical novel.
August 14, 2019
What a ridiculous book. The description says this is an “extraordinary epic of espionage, sacrifice, human love, and human courage, set against a shocking true crime . . . and the rise and fall of a legendary royal couple.” I enjoy a tale of espionage and WW2-related history, so I figured it was worth a try.
Don’t be suckered the way I was. This is actually a sexed-up romance with some historical window dressing. I’m not a romance reader, but I don’t think much of this as a romance, either. It’s a dual narrative about two women: American Lulu in the 1940s and German Elfriede a generation before. Each falls in love with an Englishman named Thorpe; the father is Elfriede’s love and his son is Lulu’s. The stories are so contrived, absurd and melodramatic that it’s embarrassing.
If you’re interested in a story about what the Duke and Duchess of Windsor did during their stint in the Bahamas and their Nazi sympathies, look elsewhere. The Windsors are integral to the plot of the book, such as it is, but they’re only there to provide skimpy context for the very silly story of Lulu and her Thorpe.
Well before halfway through the book, I was longing for it to be over. I kept going, though, thinking that there might be an espionage story here somewhere. Finally, into the last quarter of the book, the plot turns into something resembling espionage, though “resembling” is probably too strong a word. To avoid spoilers, I’ll just say there is a series of highly improbable events that take place during World War 2 and involve both narratives.
A real waste of time and an audiobook credit. At least I know to avoid Beatriz Williams in the future, no matter what the book’s publishers promise.
Don’t be suckered the way I was. This is actually a sexed-up romance with some historical window dressing. I’m not a romance reader, but I don’t think much of this as a romance, either. It’s a dual narrative about two women: American Lulu in the 1940s and German Elfriede a generation before. Each falls in love with an Englishman named Thorpe; the father is Elfriede’s love and his son is Lulu’s. The stories are so contrived, absurd and melodramatic that it’s embarrassing.
If you’re interested in a story about what the Duke and Duchess of Windsor did during their stint in the Bahamas and their Nazi sympathies, look elsewhere. The Windsors are integral to the plot of the book, such as it is, but they’re only there to provide skimpy context for the very silly story of Lulu and her Thorpe.
Well before halfway through the book, I was longing for it to be over. I kept going, though, thinking that there might be an espionage story here somewhere. Finally, into the last quarter of the book, the plot turns into something resembling espionage, though “resembling” is probably too strong a word. To avoid spoilers, I’ll just say there is a series of highly improbable events that take place during World War 2 and involve both narratives.
A real waste of time and an audiobook credit. At least I know to avoid Beatriz Williams in the future, no matter what the book’s publishers promise.
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May 31, 2019Why I love it
by Susan Meissner
It takes a truly gifted novelist to seamlessly weave together what appear to be separate storylines into one fantastic tale, and lucky for me, and you, and book-lovers everywhere, Beatriz Williams is that kind of writer. Her talent for creating dovetailed stories—stories that beckon and badger me to keep reading to see where and how and why the characters will collide—is unparalleled, which is why her newest, The Golden Hour, shimmers like the sun.
I adore a story that brims with deliciously delivered and sensory-rich settings like those in this book—the Bahamas, Germany, England, and Scotland. Plus, the little known details of Wallis Simpson and her abdicated king—whom fans of The Crown will remember—thoroughly intrigued me. Best of all is Williams’s cast of compelling, uniquely voiced characters: Lulu, Benedict, Elfriede, and Wilfred (just to name a few). They will satisfy, surprise, and hold you under their spells from first word to last. You will laugh, you will cry, you will not forget them.
This novel contains all the ingredients for a fascinating work of historical fiction, and it’s penned by a gifted wordsmith. The Golden Hour is a tale of wartime courage, espionage, dashed dreams, renewed hopes, and the tightest bonds of love. My kind of read!
Read more at: https://bookofthemonth.com/the-golden...
by Susan Meissner
It takes a truly gifted novelist to seamlessly weave together what appear to be separate storylines into one fantastic tale, and lucky for me, and you, and book-lovers everywhere, Beatriz Williams is that kind of writer. Her talent for creating dovetailed stories—stories that beckon and badger me to keep reading to see where and how and why the characters will collide—is unparalleled, which is why her newest, The Golden Hour, shimmers like the sun.
I adore a story that brims with deliciously delivered and sensory-rich settings like those in this book—the Bahamas, Germany, England, and Scotland. Plus, the little known details of Wallis Simpson and her abdicated king—whom fans of The Crown will remember—thoroughly intrigued me. Best of all is Williams’s cast of compelling, uniquely voiced characters: Lulu, Benedict, Elfriede, and Wilfred (just to name a few). They will satisfy, surprise, and hold you under their spells from first word to last. You will laugh, you will cry, you will not forget them.
This novel contains all the ingredients for a fascinating work of historical fiction, and it’s penned by a gifted wordsmith. The Golden Hour is a tale of wartime courage, espionage, dashed dreams, renewed hopes, and the tightest bonds of love. My kind of read!
Read more at: https://bookofthemonth.com/the-golden...
June 15, 2019
3.5 stars
I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
“Was yours ever hit?”
“No. Not a scratch. I suppose even bombs have a sense of irony.”
“Not really,” I say. “That's just human illusion. We imagine there's an order to things, because it's too awful to consider the randomness of fate.”
The Golden Hour is historical fiction that mainly follows two women decades apart while slowly but surely weaving their stories together. We first meet Elfriede in a Swiss clinic where she was sent after she can't feel anything for her newborn and talks about a darkness that dwells in her. Today we would call it postpartum depression but in the early 1900s, no one quite knows what to do with her. There she meets an Englishman recouping from pneumonia and they have a soulmates connection but with Elfriede still married, they can't really act on anything.
The other woman we follow is Lulu in 1941 just as she is arriving in the Bahamas to cover gossip about the scandalous Duke and Duchess of Windsor, Edward and Wallis Simpson. There she gets caught up in possible treasonous acts and meets Benedict Thorpe, a man she thinks is more than he is letting on.
It's so easy and so safe to fall in love when the universe is against you.
While Elfriede's story is relayed from the beginning, chronologically, we start more towards the end with Lulu's story and are constantly backtracking and shooting forward to gain information on how she ends up in London with Benedict's sister, which is where we first meet her and the mysterious government agent, Mr. B. The pov changes also include first person and third person different narratives; it works to keep the two women drivers of their own stories but I can see how this could affect the flow of the story for some.
While Lulu and Elfriede are fictional characters, they are surrounded by real events and real historical figures of their times. World War I plays a part in Elfriede's story, affecting her life's course and World War II obviously plays a big part in Lulu's story. For the most part though, the gravitas of the Wars are kept to the outside, Pearl Harbor is discussed but being in the Bahamas during the time and lack of Internet keeps the news to feeling surreal. The focus is more microcosm and how the Wars are personally affecting these two women and how it will connect them.
I thought it was intriguing how the author made the Windsors, somewhat, central and key, along with the real murder mystery of Henry Oakes; little moments in history that aren't completely solved are fun to read different takes on.
“Life is made up of these little crossroads, after all,” he said. “A million daily forks in the road.”
The slow weaving of Elfriede and Lulu may feel meandering for a while, I thought the latter half started to drag a bit but it was still curiously interesting to see how the author ultimately ended up placing all the characters to culminate in the ending. The ending was rushed and key emotional moments were crammed, taking away from the reader from getting time to digest and deliver a bigger impact on key moments. However, if looking to disappear for a few hours, The Golden Hour will keep you intrigued about how all these characters touch and impact each other's lives and how it could feel so helpless and hopeful all at the same time during World War I and II.
I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
“Was yours ever hit?”
“No. Not a scratch. I suppose even bombs have a sense of irony.”
“Not really,” I say. “That's just human illusion. We imagine there's an order to things, because it's too awful to consider the randomness of fate.”
The Golden Hour is historical fiction that mainly follows two women decades apart while slowly but surely weaving their stories together. We first meet Elfriede in a Swiss clinic where she was sent after she can't feel anything for her newborn and talks about a darkness that dwells in her. Today we would call it postpartum depression but in the early 1900s, no one quite knows what to do with her. There she meets an Englishman recouping from pneumonia and they have a soulmates connection but with Elfriede still married, they can't really act on anything.
The other woman we follow is Lulu in 1941 just as she is arriving in the Bahamas to cover gossip about the scandalous Duke and Duchess of Windsor, Edward and Wallis Simpson. There she gets caught up in possible treasonous acts and meets Benedict Thorpe, a man she thinks is more than he is letting on.
It's so easy and so safe to fall in love when the universe is against you.
While Elfriede's story is relayed from the beginning, chronologically, we start more towards the end with Lulu's story and are constantly backtracking and shooting forward to gain information on how she ends up in London with Benedict's sister, which is where we first meet her and the mysterious government agent, Mr. B. The pov changes also include first person and third person different narratives; it works to keep the two women drivers of their own stories but I can see how this could affect the flow of the story for some.
While Lulu and Elfriede are fictional characters, they are surrounded by real events and real historical figures of their times. World War I plays a part in Elfriede's story, affecting her life's course and World War II obviously plays a big part in Lulu's story. For the most part though, the gravitas of the Wars are kept to the outside, Pearl Harbor is discussed but being in the Bahamas during the time and lack of Internet keeps the news to feeling surreal. The focus is more microcosm and how the Wars are personally affecting these two women and how it will connect them.
I thought it was intriguing how the author made the Windsors, somewhat, central and key, along with the real murder mystery of Henry Oakes; little moments in history that aren't completely solved are fun to read different takes on.
“Life is made up of these little crossroads, after all,” he said. “A million daily forks in the road.”
The slow weaving of Elfriede and Lulu may feel meandering for a while, I thought the latter half started to drag a bit but it was still curiously interesting to see how the author ultimately ended up placing all the characters to culminate in the ending. The ending was rushed and key emotional moments were crammed, taking away from the reader from getting time to digest and deliver a bigger impact on key moments. However, if looking to disappear for a few hours, The Golden Hour will keep you intrigued about how all these characters touch and impact each other's lives and how it could feel so helpless and hopeful all at the same time during World War I and II.
July 7, 2019
DID IT AGAIN!
Oh how I adore this author, her gorgeous writing, compulsively readable plots, stunning covers, and I wondered, “Can she do it again?” Indeed she can and she did with THE GOLDEN HOUR, set inventively in Nassau, WWII intrigue swirling ‘round the Duke and Duchess of Windsor, multilayered plot lines also weaving in the War to End All Wars. Plus this stunning publisher’s note, best I’ve ever read, whose writer must write his or her own novel!
HOTBED OF SPIES
“The New York Times bestselling author of The Summer Wives and A Certain Age creates a dazzling epic of World War II-era Nassau—a hotbed of spies, traitors, and the most infamous couple of the age, the Duke and Duchess of Windsor.
DUKE AND DUCHESS
“The Bahamas, 1941. Newly-widowed Leonora “Lulu” Randolph arrives in the Bahamas to investigate the Governor and his wife for a New York society magazine. After all, American readers have an insatiable appetite for news of the Duke and Duchess of Windsor, that glamorous couple whose love affair nearly brought the British monarchy to its knees five years earlier. What more intriguing backdrop for their romance than a wartime Caribbean paradise, a colonial playground for kingpins of ill-gotten empires?
BENEATH THE GLISTER
“Or so Lulu imagines. But as she infiltrates the Duke and Duchess’s social circle, and the powerful cabal that controls the islands’ political and financial affairs, she uncovers evidence that beneath the glister of Wallis and Edward’s marriage lies an ugly—and even treasonous—reality. In fact, Windsor-era Nassau seethes with spies, financial swindles, and racial tension, and in the middle of it all stands Benedict Thorpe: a scientist of tremendous charm and murky national loyalties. Inevitably, the willful and wounded Lulu falls in love.
NOTORIOUS MURDER
“Then Nassau’s wealthiest man is murdered in one of the most notorious cases of the century, and the resulting coverup reeks of royal privilege. Benedict Thorpe disappears without a trace, and Lulu embarks on a journey to London and beyond to unpick Thorpe’s complicated family history: a fateful love affair, a wartime tragedy, and a mother from whom all joy is stolen.
ESPIONAGE EPIC
“The stories of two unforgettable women thread together in this extraordinary epic of espionage, sacrifice, human love, and human courage, set against a shocking true crime . . . and the rise and fall of a legendary royal couple.”
5/5 for the entrancing book and the pub note!
Pub Date 09 Jul 2019.
Thanks to the author, HarperCollins Publishers and NetGalley for the review copy. Opinions are mine.
#TheGoldenHour #NetGalley
Oh how I adore this author, her gorgeous writing, compulsively readable plots, stunning covers, and I wondered, “Can she do it again?” Indeed she can and she did with THE GOLDEN HOUR, set inventively in Nassau, WWII intrigue swirling ‘round the Duke and Duchess of Windsor, multilayered plot lines also weaving in the War to End All Wars. Plus this stunning publisher’s note, best I’ve ever read, whose writer must write his or her own novel!
HOTBED OF SPIES
“The New York Times bestselling author of The Summer Wives and A Certain Age creates a dazzling epic of World War II-era Nassau—a hotbed of spies, traitors, and the most infamous couple of the age, the Duke and Duchess of Windsor.
DUKE AND DUCHESS
“The Bahamas, 1941. Newly-widowed Leonora “Lulu” Randolph arrives in the Bahamas to investigate the Governor and his wife for a New York society magazine. After all, American readers have an insatiable appetite for news of the Duke and Duchess of Windsor, that glamorous couple whose love affair nearly brought the British monarchy to its knees five years earlier. What more intriguing backdrop for their romance than a wartime Caribbean paradise, a colonial playground for kingpins of ill-gotten empires?
BENEATH THE GLISTER
“Or so Lulu imagines. But as she infiltrates the Duke and Duchess’s social circle, and the powerful cabal that controls the islands’ political and financial affairs, she uncovers evidence that beneath the glister of Wallis and Edward’s marriage lies an ugly—and even treasonous—reality. In fact, Windsor-era Nassau seethes with spies, financial swindles, and racial tension, and in the middle of it all stands Benedict Thorpe: a scientist of tremendous charm and murky national loyalties. Inevitably, the willful and wounded Lulu falls in love.
NOTORIOUS MURDER
“Then Nassau’s wealthiest man is murdered in one of the most notorious cases of the century, and the resulting coverup reeks of royal privilege. Benedict Thorpe disappears without a trace, and Lulu embarks on a journey to London and beyond to unpick Thorpe’s complicated family history: a fateful love affair, a wartime tragedy, and a mother from whom all joy is stolen.
ESPIONAGE EPIC
“The stories of two unforgettable women thread together in this extraordinary epic of espionage, sacrifice, human love, and human courage, set against a shocking true crime . . . and the rise and fall of a legendary royal couple.”
5/5 for the entrancing book and the pub note!
Pub Date 09 Jul 2019.
Thanks to the author, HarperCollins Publishers and NetGalley for the review copy. Opinions are mine.
#TheGoldenHour #NetGalley
July 24, 2019
This is actually 2 separate books, IMHO. And the "eyes" of both time periods, earliest years of the 1900's and 1941-43 primarily (those two) are from two different female protagonists.
It has character development to a full 4 star, but plot lines pulled the whole rating down. With that length for minutia detail and locale setting copy- this just didn't, IMHO- equate to a 400 plus page book that held together as one unit. It would have been better as a series of two books. Which it was. And the tense changes, flashbacks, missing information for the times between told in piecemeal asides- all of that didn't help. In fact, I think it made the tension dissolve almost completely.
What kept me reading was the Nassau ambiance and setting. This is something and a "whole piece" feel that I had never encountered for WWII wartime period. Not at all. And it's probably the core of what kept me reading.
This author can write conversational nuance and placements well. And her prose flows without being jumpy, considering the onus of such differing story lines. Which, btw, I did not think became connected without using a "trick" of occluding and immense melodrama. Which at points, for me, made this a 2 star read. People do not keep secrets like that- no human does. They can lie about circumstances, even dying or abandonment, but not on this wide scale, with so many people of 30 or 40 years of water under the bridge knowing all the "parts". Not even under war and missing records conditions can occlude for these many various tangents of dozens of people. People are just not that stupid.
But swallowing all of that (fiction indeed), the book itself, its author's "eyes" to how she created these two women leads! It was pure, pure chick lit. And this is not historical fiction for me whatsoever. Not even within the crux of the Windsors. This author LOVED her own CALLING OUT skill to be judgmental and disdain/ denigrate the Windsors for their choices. I got the feeling that at times she is a huge hater. Not only of Wallis, the person- but of an entire set of structures which enabled and permitted. It was as distasteful as were the Windsor's decisions. It was to me. And how about that hypocritical relationship that Lulu demonstrated to Wallis for SO LONG and so entirely the opposite of any sincerity. And she wants the Duchess to be "honest" in return?? Double standard on all counts, this Lulu. Not speaking of the fact that she was willing to blackmail on top of it. Duplicitous of ALL loyalties but to her own druthers.
The earlier story line was not one that would have kept me reading. But the Bahamas "feel" and the Lulu (she was a 1960 plus "eyes" put into an earlier "reality") character with her completely double standard morality- made me laugh. I know she was not supposed to be funny. But she was to me considering her own actions.
These women were made to suffer the ills that would be social warrior fodder right now. If this were written 20 or even 15 years ago- their outcomes and their justifications would have not had that "righteousness" pokers of superiority stuck in the readers's face, so often. This book goes over long on all those exact effusions whenever it is able or a situation requires that possible option. Times two with the rich, traditional, or even with the stoic. Those were particularly framed as dissing and derision worthy or just "lesser" core for causing that crying or loneliness, or whatever illness or trouble for our two heroines.
This kind of writing is extremely commercial. She'll make a bundle out of the women with sob stories from other eras that would be revenge copy worthy now. The chick lit buyers will snap them up like candy. They thrive on the self-righteousness of emancipated women's "progress". And always love when the 18th or 19th or 20th century woman has a 21st century moral and value scale. Just like this book turns up with in plot "surprises" (usually about an "oops" in the past) about 5 or 6 times.
She can tell a tale and make the "bad" person, just despicable. Most of the women readers will like the earlier period and woman better. She was gorgeous and wronged and flawed. And her sexual proclivity or not- just the kind of topic the present woman likes to read about this 100 plus years past who had little respite for her difficulties. Myself, I don't get it. That interest in the sad journey of former incompatibilities.
It has character development to a full 4 star, but plot lines pulled the whole rating down. With that length for minutia detail and locale setting copy- this just didn't, IMHO- equate to a 400 plus page book that held together as one unit. It would have been better as a series of two books. Which it was. And the tense changes, flashbacks, missing information for the times between told in piecemeal asides- all of that didn't help. In fact, I think it made the tension dissolve almost completely.
What kept me reading was the Nassau ambiance and setting. This is something and a "whole piece" feel that I had never encountered for WWII wartime period. Not at all. And it's probably the core of what kept me reading.
This author can write conversational nuance and placements well. And her prose flows without being jumpy, considering the onus of such differing story lines. Which, btw, I did not think became connected without using a "trick" of occluding and immense melodrama. Which at points, for me, made this a 2 star read. People do not keep secrets like that- no human does. They can lie about circumstances, even dying or abandonment, but not on this wide scale, with so many people of 30 or 40 years of water under the bridge knowing all the "parts". Not even under war and missing records conditions can occlude for these many various tangents of dozens of people. People are just not that stupid.
But swallowing all of that (fiction indeed), the book itself, its author's "eyes" to how she created these two women leads! It was pure, pure chick lit. And this is not historical fiction for me whatsoever. Not even within the crux of the Windsors. This author LOVED her own CALLING OUT skill to be judgmental and disdain/ denigrate the Windsors for their choices. I got the feeling that at times she is a huge hater. Not only of Wallis, the person- but of an entire set of structures which enabled and permitted. It was as distasteful as were the Windsor's decisions. It was to me. And how about that hypocritical relationship that Lulu demonstrated to Wallis for SO LONG and so entirely the opposite of any sincerity. And she wants the Duchess to be "honest" in return?? Double standard on all counts, this Lulu. Not speaking of the fact that she was willing to blackmail on top of it. Duplicitous of ALL loyalties but to her own druthers.
The earlier story line was not one that would have kept me reading. But the Bahamas "feel" and the Lulu (she was a 1960 plus "eyes" put into an earlier "reality") character with her completely double standard morality- made me laugh. I know she was not supposed to be funny. But she was to me considering her own actions.
These women were made to suffer the ills that would be social warrior fodder right now. If this were written 20 or even 15 years ago- their outcomes and their justifications would have not had that "righteousness" pokers of superiority stuck in the readers's face, so often. This book goes over long on all those exact effusions whenever it is able or a situation requires that possible option. Times two with the rich, traditional, or even with the stoic. Those were particularly framed as dissing and derision worthy or just "lesser" core for causing that crying or loneliness, or whatever illness or trouble for our two heroines.
This kind of writing is extremely commercial. She'll make a bundle out of the women with sob stories from other eras that would be revenge copy worthy now. The chick lit buyers will snap them up like candy. They thrive on the self-righteousness of emancipated women's "progress". And always love when the 18th or 19th or 20th century woman has a 21st century moral and value scale. Just like this book turns up with in plot "surprises" (usually about an "oops" in the past) about 5 or 6 times.
She can tell a tale and make the "bad" person, just despicable. Most of the women readers will like the earlier period and woman better. She was gorgeous and wronged and flawed. And her sexual proclivity or not- just the kind of topic the present woman likes to read about this 100 plus years past who had little respite for her difficulties. Myself, I don't get it. That interest in the sad journey of former incompatibilities.
July 7, 2019
4.5 ☆ This is my third book and favorite so far of Beatriz Williams!! I loved the historical settings of WWl and WWll, including the Duke and Duchess of Windsor with their quite interesting and highly decadent lifestyle, and it’s two main characters that alternated between Elfriede during the turn of the 19th century undergoing dark turmoil after giving birth (postpartum depression now); and in the 1940’s there’s Lulu a NYC writer currently living in Nassau to catch the latest gossip on the scandalous Duke and Duchess (the Duke was banished to the Bahamas to serve as it’s governor.) A marriage, a murder, and a disappearance sets Lulu’s story off in a new direction regarding secrets, government spies and a slight nod of deception.
I was engaged from start to finish with its intriguing dual storylines and wasn’t quite ready for it to end. Is a great read for historical fiction readers and fans of BW. I enjoyed it so much I’m adding her Schuyler Sisters book trio to my fall reading line up!
I was engaged from start to finish with its intriguing dual storylines and wasn’t quite ready for it to end. Is a great read for historical fiction readers and fans of BW. I enjoyed it so much I’m adding her Schuyler Sisters book trio to my fall reading line up!
September 19, 2019
I received a free e-copy of The Golden Hour by Beatriz Williams from NetGalley for my honest review.
This is the first book I have ever read by Beatriz Williams, and I was not disappointed.
This book follows two women, decades apart,and then slowly their stories come together. Elfriede is sent to a Swiss clinic because she is struggling with a darkness in her sole after the birth of her child, a/k/a postpartum depression. Back in the 1900's there was no such thing as postpartum depression so no one really knew what to do with her. Wile there she meets an Englishman who is recovering from pneumonia. They immediately connect but the problem is that Elfriede is still married.
The second woman is Lulu in the year 1941. Lulu has just as arrived in the Bahamas. She is there to cover gossip about the the Duke and Duchess of Windsor.
Filled with murder, secrets and traitors. Wonderfully written!
This is the first book I have ever read by Beatriz Williams, and I was not disappointed.
This book follows two women, decades apart,and then slowly their stories come together. Elfriede is sent to a Swiss clinic because she is struggling with a darkness in her sole after the birth of her child, a/k/a postpartum depression. Back in the 1900's there was no such thing as postpartum depression so no one really knew what to do with her. Wile there she meets an Englishman who is recovering from pneumonia. They immediately connect but the problem is that Elfriede is still married.
The second woman is Lulu in the year 1941. Lulu has just as arrived in the Bahamas. She is there to cover gossip about the the Duke and Duchess of Windsor.
Filled with murder, secrets and traitors. Wonderfully written!
July 8, 2020
The Golden Hour was an engaging historical fiction novel by Beatriz Williams told in alternate timelines by two women until their life stories ultimately come together in an exciting conclusion. Lenore "Lulu" Randolph is sent to Nassau in the Bahamas in 1941 to report for a New York magazine the social doings of the Duke and Duchess of Windsor. This Caribbean paradise was an intriguing setting for all of the rich and famous as well as unsavory characters and spies, all creating an exciting and gripping tale.
Ms. Williams noted that she wanted to weave Lulu's story with that of Elfriede von Kleist Thorpe in order to understand prewar Germany better from her perspective as her fate was woven into the fate of Great Britain at such an interesting time in history. Beatriz Williams describes her role in the book this way, "Elfriede forms the moral backbone of 'The Golden Hour,' and her journey is that of women everywhere."
"'I met this fellow in the south of France, this painter. Do you know what he called this time of day? The hour before sunset.' 'No.' 'The golden hour.' Wilfred waves his hand at the sun, which now burns just above the jagged peaks that form the horizon. 'He said that's when everything looks the most beautiful, just before the sun sets. This luminous air turning everything to gold. He said it made him want to paint the whole world. And then it's gone, just like that. The sun disappears. The night arrives.'"
Ms. Williams noted that she wanted to weave Lulu's story with that of Elfriede von Kleist Thorpe in order to understand prewar Germany better from her perspective as her fate was woven into the fate of Great Britain at such an interesting time in history. Beatriz Williams describes her role in the book this way, "Elfriede forms the moral backbone of 'The Golden Hour,' and her journey is that of women everywhere."
"'I met this fellow in the south of France, this painter. Do you know what he called this time of day? The hour before sunset.' 'No.' 'The golden hour.' Wilfred waves his hand at the sun, which now burns just above the jagged peaks that form the horizon. 'He said that's when everything looks the most beautiful, just before the sun sets. This luminous air turning everything to gold. He said it made him want to paint the whole world. And then it's gone, just like that. The sun disappears. The night arrives.'"
April 8, 2020
I love Beatriz Williams and many of her books have become some of my favorite historical fiction novels. However, The Golden Hour fell a bit flat for me and it was a slower pace than I’d hoped for.
*thank you netgalley and publisher for the digital copy for review
*thank you netgalley and publisher for the digital copy for review
July 13, 2019
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ / 5
The Golden Hour by Beatriz Williams is one of those books that takes a long time to read, but one that you want to savor forever.
What it's about: I recommend reading the synopsis because it is too hard for me to explain this book in just a few sentences!
The Golden Hour took me ages to read (almost 7.5 hours) and is the type of book that you definitely want to take your time with. So if you are looking for a quick read, this isn't it. But if you are looking for a book that you can really sink your teeth into and take your time with - this is the book for you! It's also a bit of a beast at 462 pages.
This was my first time reading a book by Beatriz and I can definitely tell why people love her writing. It is very eloquent and detailed, and it really helps you picture what you are reading. The book mostly switches between Lulu in the early to mid-1940s and a woman named Elfriede in the early 1900s. In both time periods I really got a sense for the landscape and what these women were seeing and going through.
I will admit that The Golden Hour wasn't exactly what I was looking for at this time, so that may have influenced my rating a bit. I am just coming off a bunch of very speedy reads and wasn't entirely in the mood for a long book. However, I didn't want that to take away from my whole experience which is why it's still getting a 4 from me. It really is a beautiful, heartbreaking story even if I wasn't really able to connect to any of the characters.
Song/s the book brought to mind: We Shall Be Free by Garth Brooks
Final Thought: The Golden Hour was giving me pretty major The Clockmaker's Daughter vibes, just with fewer characters, and that is something I loved. I also loved how Beatriz tied everything up at the end. There were many points in this book where it brought tears to my eyes so be warned this is a very emotional tale, but it was also so funny and surprising. I am definitely looking forward to reading more from this author and will recommend this to lovers of historical fiction!
I received an Advance Review Copy of this book. All opinions are my own.
The Golden Hour by Beatriz Williams is one of those books that takes a long time to read, but one that you want to savor forever.
What it's about: I recommend reading the synopsis because it is too hard for me to explain this book in just a few sentences!
The Golden Hour took me ages to read (almost 7.5 hours) and is the type of book that you definitely want to take your time with. So if you are looking for a quick read, this isn't it. But if you are looking for a book that you can really sink your teeth into and take your time with - this is the book for you! It's also a bit of a beast at 462 pages.
This was my first time reading a book by Beatriz and I can definitely tell why people love her writing. It is very eloquent and detailed, and it really helps you picture what you are reading. The book mostly switches between Lulu in the early to mid-1940s and a woman named Elfriede in the early 1900s. In both time periods I really got a sense for the landscape and what these women were seeing and going through.
I will admit that The Golden Hour wasn't exactly what I was looking for at this time, so that may have influenced my rating a bit. I am just coming off a bunch of very speedy reads and wasn't entirely in the mood for a long book. However, I didn't want that to take away from my whole experience which is why it's still getting a 4 from me. It really is a beautiful, heartbreaking story even if I wasn't really able to connect to any of the characters.
Song/s the book brought to mind: We Shall Be Free by Garth Brooks
Final Thought: The Golden Hour was giving me pretty major The Clockmaker's Daughter vibes, just with fewer characters, and that is something I loved. I also loved how Beatriz tied everything up at the end. There were many points in this book where it brought tears to my eyes so be warned this is a very emotional tale, but it was also so funny and surprising. I am definitely looking forward to reading more from this author and will recommend this to lovers of historical fiction!
I received an Advance Review Copy of this book. All opinions are my own.
July 9, 2019
One of my favorite books by Beatriz Williams is ALONG THE INFINITE SEA. Now, I have to admit that I love plenty of her books, but that one just rocked my world as I listened to the audio version. One thing one has to know is that William's books often are connected in some way or another. You can even visit Beatriz Williams' home page to get the Schuyler family tree and the books they each appear in. Anyhow the reason I mention all this is that THE GOLDEN HOUR has connections to ALONG THE INFINITE SEA. I actually had a jaw-dropping moment when I realized towards the end of the book the connection. But, enough about that. What about the story you may wonder?
READ THE REST OF THE REVIEW OVER AT FRESH FICTION!
READ THE REST OF THE REVIEW OVER AT FRESH FICTION!
October 27, 2024
“The golden hour. … that’s when everything looks the most beautiful, just before the sun sets. This luminous air turning everything to gold. …And then it’s gone, just like that. The sun disappears. The night arrives.”
This is a historical novel about two strong, flawed women who find strength within a war-torn world.
The book starts with a feeling of mystery and danger by first introducing Mrs. Lulu Thorpe. While in London in 1943, Lulu is seeking a way to free her husband Benedict from a German prison camp. Going back in time 2 years, readers are introduced to Lulu and Benedict when they first meet. Thus, Williams takes readers on a time period read between the two years – 1941 and 1943, adding to the mystery.
But that isn’t the only time period readers will visit. They will also jump back to Switzerland in 1900, where we meet Elfriede von Kleist and the relationship she encounters and forges with Wilfred Thorpe.
What will this story have to do with Benedict or Lulu? And, what can we appreciate about the two women and the strength Lulu and Elfriede display during difficult times?
“To women and men everywhere who live with depression. You are loved. You are needed. The night will pass.”
Williams has also written a scenic viewing book taking readers between the Bahamas and London during World War II and Switzerland and Germany.
“This wave now breaking on the beach had a whole history of its own, which I could never learn, just as we're all upon this earth ignorant of the vast, complicated histories of those living alongside us.”
And, there is also some storytelling with real people included – i.e., the Duke and Duchess of Windsor and some other historical characters.
The story is imperfect, but it is written with elegant prose and imagery that captivates readers who appreciate historical fiction. Just be patient if details don’t always flow comfortably. Instead, allow the characters to transport you to another time and place.
This is a historical novel about two strong, flawed women who find strength within a war-torn world.
The book starts with a feeling of mystery and danger by first introducing Mrs. Lulu Thorpe. While in London in 1943, Lulu is seeking a way to free her husband Benedict from a German prison camp. Going back in time 2 years, readers are introduced to Lulu and Benedict when they first meet. Thus, Williams takes readers on a time period read between the two years – 1941 and 1943, adding to the mystery.
But that isn’t the only time period readers will visit. They will also jump back to Switzerland in 1900, where we meet Elfriede von Kleist and the relationship she encounters and forges with Wilfred Thorpe.
What will this story have to do with Benedict or Lulu? And, what can we appreciate about the two women and the strength Lulu and Elfriede display during difficult times?
“To women and men everywhere who live with depression. You are loved. You are needed. The night will pass.”
Williams has also written a scenic viewing book taking readers between the Bahamas and London during World War II and Switzerland and Germany.
“This wave now breaking on the beach had a whole history of its own, which I could never learn, just as we're all upon this earth ignorant of the vast, complicated histories of those living alongside us.”
And, there is also some storytelling with real people included – i.e., the Duke and Duchess of Windsor and some other historical characters.
The story is imperfect, but it is written with elegant prose and imagery that captivates readers who appreciate historical fiction. Just be patient if details don’t always flow comfortably. Instead, allow the characters to transport you to another time and place.
May 29, 2019
I received and ARC of The Golden Hour from Goodreads.
Okay, 2.5 stars. This book was really, really slow to start. In fact, I would say I didn’t actually become interested in all of the storylines until 3/4s the way through. The only thing that kept me going was Elfriede’s story.
My other complaints are that Williams would change tenses depending on the storyline and year. I get that this was to make you feel certain things were happening at that moment and others happened in the past, but it was really discombobulating.
Also, I really didn’t like Lulu’s speech patterns. It didn’t work for me.
This was my first novel by Beatriz WILLIAMS and I’m not sure I’d give her another chance.
Okay, 2.5 stars. This book was really, really slow to start. In fact, I would say I didn’t actually become interested in all of the storylines until 3/4s the way through. The only thing that kept me going was Elfriede’s story.
My other complaints are that Williams would change tenses depending on the storyline and year. I get that this was to make you feel certain things were happening at that moment and others happened in the past, but it was really discombobulating.
Also, I really didn’t like Lulu’s speech patterns. It didn’t work for me.
This was my first novel by Beatriz WILLIAMS and I’m not sure I’d give her another chance.
July 2, 2019
The Golden Hour is the first book I’ve read that’s written just by Beatriz Williams although I’ve read her books co-authored with Karen White and Lauren Willig and loved them, which is one of the reasons I really wanted to read this one. The other reason is because I’m fascinated with anything to do with the very intriguing Duchess of Windsor, less so the Duke, and they are minor characters in the novel, with one of the main narratives of the story weaving around their lives.
Williams is an incredible storyteller and I was so delighted to discover what an excellent historical fiction novelist she is as I fell under her spell. There are two fascinating narratives at play. One beginning in 1900 tells the story of Elfriede von Kleist, a young wife and mother who has been sent to a mental clinic in Switzerland because of severe postpartum depression. The other storyline is set in 1941 tells of Lulu Randolph Thorpe, a journalist for an American magazine sent to the Bahamas to gather as much gossip as she can on Wallis Simpson and the Duke of Windsor (avoiding all talks of politics in her column, that is).
What Elfriede and Lulu have in common are two different men named Thorpe, but it is how they are connected that intertwines the story together, and Williams seamlessly goes back and forth in time to tell the stories of these two very different women. Both women are unique; I could vividly picture each of them in my mind while reading the book. As someone who suffered from postpartum depression three times, I appreciated that element of the story since I think it’s not touched on often enough, and I related to Elfriede. All the characters are compelling and unforgettable, which is something that I love when reading a book.
The Golden Hour is a wonderful work of historical fiction; it blends many historical events with fiction to create a lovely read. It’s about family, war, courage, ruthlessness, hope, and love. I love unique WWII story since so many retell the same story and that, to me anyway is just an oversaturation in the subgenre, so I was delighted to read a fresh story. I’m looking forward to reading my next book by Williams and definitely recommend this one to historical fiction lovers.
**Thank you, Edelweiss and William Morrow for the ARC copy. All opinions are my own.**
Williams is an incredible storyteller and I was so delighted to discover what an excellent historical fiction novelist she is as I fell under her spell. There are two fascinating narratives at play. One beginning in 1900 tells the story of Elfriede von Kleist, a young wife and mother who has been sent to a mental clinic in Switzerland because of severe postpartum depression. The other storyline is set in 1941 tells of Lulu Randolph Thorpe, a journalist for an American magazine sent to the Bahamas to gather as much gossip as she can on Wallis Simpson and the Duke of Windsor (avoiding all talks of politics in her column, that is).
What Elfriede and Lulu have in common are two different men named Thorpe, but it is how they are connected that intertwines the story together, and Williams seamlessly goes back and forth in time to tell the stories of these two very different women. Both women are unique; I could vividly picture each of them in my mind while reading the book. As someone who suffered from postpartum depression three times, I appreciated that element of the story since I think it’s not touched on often enough, and I related to Elfriede. All the characters are compelling and unforgettable, which is something that I love when reading a book.
The Golden Hour is a wonderful work of historical fiction; it blends many historical events with fiction to create a lovely read. It’s about family, war, courage, ruthlessness, hope, and love. I love unique WWII story since so many retell the same story and that, to me anyway is just an oversaturation in the subgenre, so I was delighted to read a fresh story. I’m looking forward to reading my next book by Williams and definitely recommend this one to historical fiction lovers.
**Thank you, Edelweiss and William Morrow for the ARC copy. All opinions are my own.**
March 11, 2019
Beatriz Williams is always a go-to favorite of mine and this one did not disappoint! Spanning several eras of a family, I found each narrative equally intriguing. I'll be eagerly awaiting her next one!
Read
August 21, 2020Did not finish. I have read quite a few books by Beatriz Williams- including her co-authoring: all 5 stars. I found the timeline hard to follow; her writing style disjointed and the pace slow.
November 8, 2019
The Golden Hour spans from 1900 to 1951. It includes historical moments from the Bahamas, Germany, Switzerland, United States and London/Scotland. "The stories of two unforgettable women thread together in this extraordinary epic of espionage, sacrifice, love and courage, set against a shocking true crime and the rise and fall of a legendary royal couple." (from jacket)
This book turns the pages all by itself.. or so it seems, right up until close to the end, when you don't want it to end so you slow down to enjoy.. a great read.. Loved it
This book turns the pages all by itself.. or so it seems, right up until close to the end, when you don't want it to end so you slow down to enjoy.. a great read.. Loved it
July 16, 2019
The perfect blend of fact and fiction sprinkled with intrigue, espionage and royalty make Beatriz Williams the ‘Queen of Historical Fiction.’ Her latest novel, ‘The Golden Hour,’ drips with all the aforementioned qualities plus sensational characters, real and imagined. We, the innocent bystander, aka reader, are paralyzed into flipping pages until we discover the truth, or what’s left of it, or what’s masquerading as the truth.
Two women, so different on the outside, but so deeply intense on the inside, tell their tales in alternating timelines. Lulu in 1941, and Elfriede, a generation before in 1904. I’m intentionally introducing them by their first names only, so you can discover everything about them by the surnames they collect and add and/or subtract to their names. These women are related in some way, not by blood, but by a long family saga Lulu will eventually uncover. Stay alert my friends.
Part of their lives involve politics, war, betrayal and even a murder, none of which either woman sought or was intimately entangled with. The events happened around them and would have happened without them, in most cases.
Lulu came to the Bahamas as a journalist for an American magazine, all of 25 years old, to primarily report on the goings on of the extremely popular Duke and Duchess of Windsor, recently “banished” to the islands, still a British colony, to serve as its Governor, after he abdicated the throne as King of England. It was still a Royal post, but they were ‘out of the public eye,’ as such. Meaning, of course, they weren’t in London or England, for that matter. The Royal Family could breathe a little easier. Lulu soon discovered information about the Bahamas and the Royal couple that was far from an island paradise.
Forty years early Elfriede is living in Switzerland, in a former mountain top monastery turned sanatorium, recovering from what we know is post-partum depression. During the early 1900’s however, her doctors had no idea this ailment existed, so Elfriede was there for two years when we meet her. There she meets a ginger-haired Englishman recovering from pneumonia and from the moment they first speak they know, somehow, they will remain in each other’s lives as the decades move on.
The remarkable story of the lives of these two women, their families, and the countless people they helped or reported on during WWII is something you must read. Just the dealings going on in the Bahamas during the war was all new to me. I knew the Duke and Duchess were thought to be Nazi sympathizers, but other realities, such as the murder of Harry Oakes, gold mine owner, actually took place. To this day they have not proved who the murderer was. The racial tension, corrupt politics and financial swindles that took place on the island during the war can fill many books.
I highly recommend this book!
Thank you to NetGalley, Harper Collins, and Beatriz Williams
I apologize that this review is past the publication date; it could not be prevented. Thanks.
Two women, so different on the outside, but so deeply intense on the inside, tell their tales in alternating timelines. Lulu in 1941, and Elfriede, a generation before in 1904. I’m intentionally introducing them by their first names only, so you can discover everything about them by the surnames they collect and add and/or subtract to their names. These women are related in some way, not by blood, but by a long family saga Lulu will eventually uncover. Stay alert my friends.
Part of their lives involve politics, war, betrayal and even a murder, none of which either woman sought or was intimately entangled with. The events happened around them and would have happened without them, in most cases.
Lulu came to the Bahamas as a journalist for an American magazine, all of 25 years old, to primarily report on the goings on of the extremely popular Duke and Duchess of Windsor, recently “banished” to the islands, still a British colony, to serve as its Governor, after he abdicated the throne as King of England. It was still a Royal post, but they were ‘out of the public eye,’ as such. Meaning, of course, they weren’t in London or England, for that matter. The Royal Family could breathe a little easier. Lulu soon discovered information about the Bahamas and the Royal couple that was far from an island paradise.
Forty years early Elfriede is living in Switzerland, in a former mountain top monastery turned sanatorium, recovering from what we know is post-partum depression. During the early 1900’s however, her doctors had no idea this ailment existed, so Elfriede was there for two years when we meet her. There she meets a ginger-haired Englishman recovering from pneumonia and from the moment they first speak they know, somehow, they will remain in each other’s lives as the decades move on.
The remarkable story of the lives of these two women, their families, and the countless people they helped or reported on during WWII is something you must read. Just the dealings going on in the Bahamas during the war was all new to me. I knew the Duke and Duchess were thought to be Nazi sympathizers, but other realities, such as the murder of Harry Oakes, gold mine owner, actually took place. To this day they have not proved who the murderer was. The racial tension, corrupt politics and financial swindles that took place on the island during the war can fill many books.
I highly recommend this book!
Thank you to NetGalley, Harper Collins, and Beatriz Williams
I apologize that this review is past the publication date; it could not be prevented. Thanks.
December 14, 2019
I won this book in exchange for an honest review...
Holy cow! Talk about a lot going on! I really enjoyed this book! I have found that I actually tend to enjoy historical fiction books way more than I think I will prior to starting the book. At least that has been the case with the last few of them that I have read anyways.
This book is literally packed with relationships. I liked how it constantly made me think! I found myself closing the book just to remind myself silently in my head who was who and what character was related to what character and how and why and so on...
I’m not going to lie, I did get confused a few times throughout the book, but each time I was able to figure out whatever it was that I was confused about. It was usually about remembering how different people or plots were connected. With that being said though, I wouldn’t say it is a bad thing. I like books that make you think like that. As long as they explain it in a way that doesn’t leave you with a bunch of unanswered questions, which this book nicely avoids.
I would recommend this book to any historical fiction fans out there, but I would also recommend it to everyone else aw well! It is definitely a worthy read!
Holy cow! Talk about a lot going on! I really enjoyed this book! I have found that I actually tend to enjoy historical fiction books way more than I think I will prior to starting the book. At least that has been the case with the last few of them that I have read anyways.
This book is literally packed with relationships. I liked how it constantly made me think! I found myself closing the book just to remind myself silently in my head who was who and what character was related to what character and how and why and so on...
I’m not going to lie, I did get confused a few times throughout the book, but each time I was able to figure out whatever it was that I was confused about. It was usually about remembering how different people or plots were connected. With that being said though, I wouldn’t say it is a bad thing. I like books that make you think like that. As long as they explain it in a way that doesn’t leave you with a bunch of unanswered questions, which this book nicely avoids.
I would recommend this book to any historical fiction fans out there, but I would also recommend it to everyone else aw well! It is definitely a worthy read!
July 11, 2019
4 fascinating historical fiction stars
I must say that I had no idea what happened to the former King Edward when he abdicated from the throne to marry divorcee Wallis Simpson. Turns out the Duke and Duchess of Windsor were sent to the Bahamas for Edward to serve as Governor with grand hopes of something bigger in their future. This book is a fascinating look at that time in history and I enjoyed this insider’s peek into this world.
A main character of the book, Lulu, heads to the Bahamas in the early 1940s in the hopes of gaining traction with the royal couple to share gossip with her US magazine readers. She finds a world full of intrigue, WWII spies, a botched murder investigation, and strained race relations on the island. Of course, there is some romance in the book as she crosses paths with the mysterious Benedict Thorpe. I found their island love story very romantic!
There’s another storyline in the book from the early 1900s with Elfriede, a German Baroness who suffers from post-partum depression. I enjoyed her story as well and I was curious how the two storylines would intersect. I thought the author did a masterful job and I had my “aha” moment when I figured it out, but I enjoyed the way it all played out.
This was an enjoyable historical fiction read and I am constantly amazed at how many WWII angles there are, and authors find something new to explore. This made a great airplane read for me!
Thank you to Beatriz Williams, NetGalley, and Harper Collins (especially Tavia Kowalchuk) for an early copy of the book to read.
I must say that I had no idea what happened to the former King Edward when he abdicated from the throne to marry divorcee Wallis Simpson. Turns out the Duke and Duchess of Windsor were sent to the Bahamas for Edward to serve as Governor with grand hopes of something bigger in their future. This book is a fascinating look at that time in history and I enjoyed this insider’s peek into this world.
A main character of the book, Lulu, heads to the Bahamas in the early 1940s in the hopes of gaining traction with the royal couple to share gossip with her US magazine readers. She finds a world full of intrigue, WWII spies, a botched murder investigation, and strained race relations on the island. Of course, there is some romance in the book as she crosses paths with the mysterious Benedict Thorpe. I found their island love story very romantic!
There’s another storyline in the book from the early 1900s with Elfriede, a German Baroness who suffers from post-partum depression. I enjoyed her story as well and I was curious how the two storylines would intersect. I thought the author did a masterful job and I had my “aha” moment when I figured it out, but I enjoyed the way it all played out.
This was an enjoyable historical fiction read and I am constantly amazed at how many WWII angles there are, and authors find something new to explore. This made a great airplane read for me!
Thank you to Beatriz Williams, NetGalley, and Harper Collins (especially Tavia Kowalchuk) for an early copy of the book to read.
July 20, 2020
Another goodie from Beatrix Williams. This one was yet again a dual time line and yet again it held my interest all the way through. There was a lot of mystery in this book and a lot of the story was centred around Edward and Mrs Simpson which I found fascinating.
Even the ends was a surprise, something I wasn’t expecting and it made the book all the more enjoyable.
Even the ends was a surprise, something I wasn’t expecting and it made the book all the more enjoyable.
June 24, 2019
Listen, this isn't really a bad book, but it is *not* the book in the description. It feels like a bait and switch!
Here are the main points of the description: 1) Lulu infiltrates the Windsors' inner circle. Yes, she does, and it's so easy that it takes almost no effort and is actually boring. 2) She uncovers evidence of treason. Yes, she does. Are we ever really told what it is? No, not really. We're told she's basically a pawn in a larger scheme. 3) We're told she falls in love. She does, and it's the main part of her story. 4) We're told there's a notorious murder. There is, and Lulu isn't in any way involved, is never suspected of being involved, and isn't part of the investigation or coverup. In fact, everything happens *around* Lulu, but not *to* Lulu. Even when the book tries to convince us that she is in danger, via ominous warnings from kindly locals and the appearance of a man in an unseasonably warm hat, it isn't convincing. Everyone seems to love Lulu. The only danger she's ever in when she's on Nassau is when she receives an injury she causes through her own actions. But, yes, she does fall in love. That's one thing that happens *to* Lulu. And it seems to be the only thing the book actually cares about.
But here's the thing. This book isn't really about Lulu at all. Sure, her story is a good half of the book, but there's another completely different half to this book. When the book description says "The stories of two unforgettable women thread together in this extraordinary epic of espionage, sacrifice, human love, and human courage, set against a shocking true crime..." the second woman referred to is not Wallis Simpson, as I assumed. The second woman is a depressed German woman with "angelic" beauty living an overall miserable life in turn-of-the-century Europe! This woman and her tragic life are the backbone of the story and she's barely even mentioned in the book's description!
If you're looking for a book about wartime adventure, intrigue, and the exiled Windsors, this really isn't the book you're looking for. Those things are part of a much more interesting story happening in the background for about half the book. The Windsors are barely in it. The murder is practically a footnote. The murder and the trial take place, and are wrapped up, in just a few pages!
This is a book about love, romantic and parental, and that's fine, but it's not the book that's being advertised.
Here are the main points of the description: 1) Lulu infiltrates the Windsors' inner circle. Yes, she does, and it's so easy that it takes almost no effort and is actually boring. 2) She uncovers evidence of treason. Yes, she does. Are we ever really told what it is? No, not really. We're told she's basically a pawn in a larger scheme. 3) We're told she falls in love. She does, and it's the main part of her story. 4) We're told there's a notorious murder. There is, and Lulu isn't in any way involved, is never suspected of being involved, and isn't part of the investigation or coverup. In fact, everything happens *around* Lulu, but not *to* Lulu. Even when the book tries to convince us that she is in danger, via ominous warnings from kindly locals and the appearance of a man in an unseasonably warm hat, it isn't convincing. Everyone seems to love Lulu. The only danger she's ever in when she's on Nassau is when she receives an injury she causes through her own actions. But, yes, she does fall in love. That's one thing that happens *to* Lulu. And it seems to be the only thing the book actually cares about.
But here's the thing. This book isn't really about Lulu at all. Sure, her story is a good half of the book, but there's another completely different half to this book. When the book description says "The stories of two unforgettable women thread together in this extraordinary epic of espionage, sacrifice, human love, and human courage, set against a shocking true crime..." the second woman referred to is not Wallis Simpson, as I assumed. The second woman is a depressed German woman with "angelic" beauty living an overall miserable life in turn-of-the-century Europe! This woman and her tragic life are the backbone of the story and she's barely even mentioned in the book's description!
If you're looking for a book about wartime adventure, intrigue, and the exiled Windsors, this really isn't the book you're looking for. Those things are part of a much more interesting story happening in the background for about half the book. The Windsors are barely in it. The murder is practically a footnote. The murder and the trial take place, and are wrapped up, in just a few pages!
This is a book about love, romantic and parental, and that's fine, but it's not the book that's being advertised.
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